15/05 2011
Trip to Jewish roots as a way to yourself
| April 28 to May 4, 2011, within the frames of the project "Masa Shorashim (" Back to the Roots"), realized under support of the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Ministry of Education of the State of Israel, students of the schools of ORT network in the FSU have visited several cities in Ukraine: Kiev - Rovno - Berditchev - Lviv - Brody - Chernivtsi - Buchach - Medzhybozh. Students were able to see firsthand what they had been told by the teacher on the lessons of history, culture and traditions of the Jewish people, a special course on Holocaust, and to return to their roots. Within six days, continuously moving from place to place, accompanied by experienced guides, they were acquainted with the history of cities and towns, visited the former synagogues, the old Jewish cemeteries, researched “matsevs” (tombstones), met with the Rabbis, learned about the modern life of the Jewish communities that have still existed. |
In Czernovtsy, on the Day of Holocaust and Heroism of European Jewry, memorial evening prepared by the teachers was held. The children were shocked. Pinching violin sounded, candles lit, soft female voice singing a sad song. The students themselves could not cope with tears and strong emotional experiences, they had to be comforted. And then, sounding anthem of Israel, which gives hope that the days of the Holocaust will never happen again in our history. |
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"Our legs were shaking, and tears dripped from our eyes. We knew that this trip will be difficult psychologically, but no one knew what it is, yet did not feel themselves. Yes, we all took place in the school seemed to have become accustomed to hear such things, but when you stand in the place where it all happened really add up feeling very different "- Maria Prudchenko, school ¹ 12, Kazan ( ORT Mishpahteynu). Meaningful participation in the project "Masa Shorashim" was for the teachers who accompanied the children on this trip. And not only that info, learned on tour, definitely come in handy on the lessons of history and traditions of the Jewish people. For the children, this trip has become a true "journey to the roots”, the beginning of a new self-awareness and understanding of their national identity. "The value of such projects as" Masa Shorashim, huge, apart from a lot of impressions from the tour on such a beautiful city as Kiev, Lvov, Kamenetz-Podolsk, Chernivtsi, and others, such projects contribute to the return to the roots of his people, arouse interest in their stories, give a powerful impetus for the growth and formation of national consciousness, identity, of belonging to history, educate the younger generation of tolerance (especially when it comes to the Holocaust). Each year the students of our school go on the project "Mass Shorashim, and many bright and interesting experiences remain in memory for a long time. Such projects should continue to exist! "- Sophia Nayda, teacher culture and traditions of the Jewish people, school ¹ 42, Samara, (ORT" Gesher ") "We sometimes think the younger generation of superficial, incapable of deep feelings. Trip to Jewish places of Ukraine showed the opposite: Our children deserve their ancestors and their people ...», - Elena Gromova, teacher ORT Technology Lyceum named after BZ Herzl, Chisinau. "No one, even the most interesting lesson can not be compared with the opportunity to see for what so many told in the course of Jewish history and tradition. In terms of methodology and emotional, as well as the terms of the formation of Jewish identity, such trips, as well as preparations for them, it is extremely important and valuable "- Ilya Zhivotovsky, deputy headmaster of an ethno-cultural education, school ¹ 1540, Mr. Moscow (Moscow Technological School ORT). "I would like to thank the Ministry of Education in Israel (Hephzibah), the Jewish Agency," Jewish Agency "ORTu, as well as all those who organized this project. We hope that next year the project will be continued "- Arkadii Sidorevsky, the envoy of the State of Israel; Eugene Sinelnik, teacher, Irina Bogdanova, teacher, school ¹ 274, St. Petersburg (ORT Yerushalaim). "Standing on the Lviv Square or at the edge of the Babi Yar, sitting in a synagogue of legendary Medzhybozh or passing through the towns, I and my students saw some interesting, serious and tragic life of our ancestors. I think that the organizers of the program is completely managed the visit, which was for our students not only acquaintance with the history and culture of Ukraine and Jewish population had been lived there, but also in the first place, a journey inside themselves, to their Jewish roots. During these few days trip, I saw how the program Masa Shorashim well helping to shape the Jewish identity and national patriotism education "- Ludmila Friedman, teacher of Hebrew at the Jewish School named after S. Dubnov (ORT), Riga. |
Article is based on the feedbacks from students and teachers participated in the trip "Masa Shorahim" 2011