Day 6 – Jan 1, 2023

Jerusalem

Happy new year! 

Most of us not too dusty after a fun night of dancing and a few drinks. Our first new day of 2023 was definitely emotionally laden. We are all 5 centimetres shorter! 

It’s not easy to describe our experiences in words today but, we will try…

 

We start with Stand With Us, the amazing, informative and passionate presentation by Noah Shufutinsky (Rapper @westsidegravy) created a much clearer timeline of the years of Israeli history and conflict. 

 

The new Holocaust Memorial Centre, Yad Vashem (Memorial of Names) gave us a narrative accompanied by the visual evidence of names and photos of some of the 6 million Jews that were killed; made everything very real. 

 

Walking across a glass case full of shoes; worn by farmers, painters, men, women and children. Their footsteps were hard and sorrowful. It’s painfully trying to put ourselves in their shoes imagining their hardships and realising that humans could inflict such atrocities upon one another.

 

As we came to the end of the tour, the children’s memorial was overwhelming with the added tale of Uziel and his grandmother’s choice, that moment clarity, really bought home the incomprehensibly difficult choices made out of love.

 

Heading into the classroom, Rabbi Cohen explained through story how best to play the role of educator in sharing the story of the Holocaust. “Understanding the present so we can prepare for the future to understanding the past.” A special surprise came in the form of a note from our families reminding us of connecting to our family, our stories (Insert tears here). 

 

On the bus again for a short trip to the National Memorial Hall for Fallen Soldiers at Mount Herzl. Again the personal stories gave reflection to ensure those who served their country are not ever forgotten. 

 

The next narrative came with a short, yallah yallah visit to Boys Town Jerusalem another example of how the people of Israel support those less fortunate and give back. 

 

Whoa what a day….filled with stories and narrative connecting us to our own experiences. Just like being on a roller coaster it that had ups and downs, some deeper and some higher than others… just like the landscape and layers of Jerusalem. 

 

Supatcha Pueksard and Jess Broccio (Yavneh ELC), Ros Sagnelli (Bialik College), Trish Fisher (Sth Coogee PS).