Germany, Ukraine, and Poland
The last seven days are now a brilliantly colorful montage and collage in my memory. Each color is a moment, insight, enlightenment that allowed me to learn about what it means to be Jewish in Eastern Europe.
The major theme throughout the days spent in Germany, Ukraine, and Poland are the makeup and discovery of one’s Jewish identity. What we saw in the Jewish communities in each city was a result of migration, determination, and global Jewish intervention. The Holocaust truly did wipe out Jewish life in each city we visited, and yet by a man-made miracle, Jewish life was more than just restored—Jewish life thrived once again. Most importantly, we as the Hillel International mission trip participants, saw first-hand the mission of our organization fulfilled around the world: enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.
In Frankfurt, Germany, we learned about the dynamics of the current Jewish community. Most of the current Jewish population was not necessarily born German; rather, a large influx of Soviet Jews makeup Jewish life in Germany. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Jews had the choice to migrate to Israel, the United States, or (what I did not realize previously) Germany. Some chose Germany, and in time, they rebuilt Jewish life. The infrastructure of the Jewish community in Germany is financially supported by the State, where official registered members pay taxes to the state that are then redistributed to the Jewish community organizations.
One of the most striking realizations uncovered by the group was the German mentality that is still present and arguably ubiquitous among the population today: a mentality that is strict, rigid, and perhaps unforgiving. Two anecdotes experienced by one of the group members pinpointed this revelation, both made up of instances that would have easily allowed 'rule-breaking' in the United States or other westernized countries. But in Germany, no exception, sympathy, or forgiveness was found. After discussion with the German Jewish leaders we met with, this realization was further reaffirmed. It seemed that in so many respects, the German mentality pre-World War II still exists—one where Germans are strict rule-followers, constantly fearing repercussion from breaking a rule. We were left wondering whether this mentality will ever change and how this affects the Jewish German mentality in the future.
We welcomed Shabbat with the Hilleli at Hillel in Kiev, Ukraine. But this wasn’t just any Shabbat—this was Shabbat HaGadol, or the Great Shabbat that occurs immediately before Passover. Metaphorically, this Shabbat HaGadol has many aspects that differentiate it from all other Shabbats. Perhaps this was HaGadol because of the 20th anniversary of Hillel in Kiev, a place almost desolate of Jewish life and Jewish future prior to Hillel.
The Hilleli, as students here like to call themselves, welcomed the group into their space with a warm introduction and tour. One of the students, Natasha, shared her personal story of how she became so connected with Hillel. Just over a year ago, her family fled as refugees the part of Ukraine she was born and raised that had been invaded by Russia. A medical student, she continued her studies in Kiev and soon found a home and solace in Hillel. As she put it, she gravitated to the people: their intellect and passion. In particular, she found a mentor—a mother, really—in Tanya who runs the Hillel in Kiev. I peered over to Tanya as Natasha was telling this story and pouring her heart out, and my vision blurred. I wiped the corners of my eyes as I saw Tanya do the same. It is amazing what the power of relationship and friendship can do.
Afterwards, Natasha gave the group a tour of the space, and I was most struck by the artwork. Every piece of art was created by the students and represented a small piece of the DNA of the Kiev Hillel. We then joined the rest of the students for a Kabbalat Shabbat service. In the front of the room, two young women led the group in both Russian and English. The theme that evening was 'time,' a beautiful connection to the reason we were all in Kiev in the first place: the 20th ‘birthday’ of Hillel.
Following the songs that brought me back to memories of Shabbat services at the Illini Hillel, my group split up to join students in their activity. We split up into about five groups and were given the opportunity to ‘purchase’ an aspect of time. Our group ‘purchased’ an aspect of time related to balance. Each in the group went around to share how he or she defines such balance and attempts to create such balance. I shared first, where I described a metaphor learned at a leadership conference last summer. I described balance as a bank composed of multiple accounts related to work and family. Each account is managed through withdrawals and deposits, and each account must remain at a net positive balance. Then, Sidney shared his metaphor for balance: a three-legged stool. Personally, I preferred the symbolism and connotation of his metaphor to my own. A balanced three-legged stool is one that can stand. At times it will be wobbly, where the legs may differ in length or be too loose in place. However, the goal is for the three-legged stool to stand—stand up-right and sturdy, if possible—so that a self-defined balance between family, work, and health is achieved.
Rabbi Goldman shared a story with the Hillel International mission trip participants when we first arrived in Warsaw. He shared a story from the Midrash that describes how a Jewish identity is found. He told the belief that on Mount Sinai, when the ten commandments were given to the Jewish people, a spark of light was also infused into each individual. In time, it is up to that Jew to discover this light—ignite this light—to create his or her Jewish identity. Afterwards, I reflected on the story with another participant on the trip, Jim, and he shared with me an alternative version of this belief. He told the belief that on Mount Sinai, each Jew had the choice to have that spark in the first place—a right to self-determination in creating a Jewish identity. My understanding of both of these versions is rather a hybrid integrating elements of each. As Jews, we chose to have a Jewish spark mounted within us; as Jews, we also choose to discover and ignite that spark.
Building off of this theme of discovery of Jewish identity, Rabbi Goldman then noted one of the many, many stories that happen daily among the young people in Poland, or Gimmel as they like to call themselves. One such story went like this: a granddaughter was on a trip with her grandmother. As they were both getting dressed one morning, the granddaughter noticed an unusually shaped scar on her grandmother’s body. Concerned and perplexed, she received permission from her grandmother to photograph the scar, where she then returned to her medical school program to inquire to the professors and students about this unusual sight. Upon further inspection, it was revealed that in fact the granddaughter was correct in recognizing that this wasn’t just any scar on her grandmother. The scar was in fact made up of three Hebrew letters: resh, chet, lamed. Her grandmother’s father was a surgeon. Before the onset of the war, he wanted his baby daughter to remember her roots, so he inscribed her name into her—Rah-chel—so that she would one day have this rediscovery after being raised by a non-Jewish family. Stories like this illustrate the Jewish journeys that many young people in this part of the world are embarking on. Generations before them lacked freedom to proudly own their Jewish identities, something that was suppressed, concealed, and since forgotten in many unfortunate cases.
And yet, case by case, slowly these identities are being rediscovered. These identities are not only being rediscovered but also taken on by these young people, the third generation Gimmel. It is also this generation that is bringing Hillel to Warsaw, Poland for the first time in history on the 73rd anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. 73 years ago, the Jews suffering in the Ghetto embodied courage, strength, and determination in symbolically standing up against the Nazis. They did so to preserve their sense of dignity. To now have Hillel, an organization that envisions a future where every Jewish student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel, in Warsaw on the anniversary of such a critical moment in modern Jewish history is almost unimaginable and indeed surreal. Again, during the trip, my vision blurred and I dabbed at the corners of my eyes as the ceremony to open Hillel in Warsaw began. What a meaningful juxtaposition to have just completed a visit of the museum Polin that ends with exhibits focused on the Holocaust to then attend a ceremony that gives a glimpse into what is to come of the Jewish community in Warsaw and all of Poland.
And so, similar to the Israelites fleeing Egypt for religious freedom thousands upon thousands of years ago, again, the Jews today of eastern Europe are seeking freedom in ownership and expression of their Jewish identities today.