We began our first day in Poland with shacharit in a synagogue in the Jewish community of Lodz, followed by a meaningful lecture about the city's ghetto. Perhaps one of the most touching parts of this presentation was Ramkovski's speech. Ramkovski was the head of the judentrat of Lodz's ghetto, meaning he was put in charge by the Germans over the ghetto. It also meant that he was the vehicle by which the Germans delivered commands to the ghetto residents. In 1944 he was ordered to round up all children under the age of 10 and all adults above the age of 60 to be deported, evidently to their deaths. Upon receiving this command he delivered an infamous speech to the Jews of Lodz. He spoke of the sacrifice, he compared himself to a surgeon even, being required to "cut off the limbs" to save the body. This speech was touching not only in its historical context, but also in the moral dilemma it shares with the hostage situation we face today.
We then went to the cemetery of Lodz. We identified signs on gravestones that indicated whether a person had been a Levi, a mohel, etc. A dove with closed wings was a somber symbol for a woman who could not bear children.
We then visited Redergast, the square in which Jews from the ghetto were loaded onto trains, and we viewed a model of the city of Lodz. We also walked through a tunnel in which the names of thousands of Jews were listed.
We then moved on to Chelmno death camp, where we walked through the forest silently in speech, but loudly in somber song. We read the testimony of one of only two known survivors of this camp that killed somewhere between around 150,000 and 300,000 Jews. Two survivors was a shockingly terrifying number to hear, and so we recited a verse of Tehillim and lit candles for the many, many who did die in this abominable place.
We arrived in Warsaw at dark and headed straight to the Rapapport monument, which displays on one side the exile and weakness of the Jews of the ghetto, and on the other their notable uprising and strength. We observed the monument, noting where the people's eyes were facing. Where their hands were leaning. What material they were made of. We discussed the feelings of shame that some feel for one side of the monument, and the resonance that many feel with the opposite, more uplifting side.
We headed to sleep with a small glimpse into Warsaw and actually a small glimpse into Lodz as well. For as much time as we did dedicate to Lodz today, we understand that we will never fully understand, and that today we only truly learned the tip of the iceberg.
Avital Pinsky
