Travel Blog

Last Thursday, our Jewish Heritage Trip group set out for Europe. In the interest of student safety, we will share specific locations only after the group has moved on from them. For now, we are excited to share moments from the journey.

Travel, as it turns out, had plans of its own.

What should have been a straightforward trip quickly became a test of patience and resilience. Delayed flights became canceled flights, layovers stretched longer and longer, and luggage went missing. At one point, after more than 24 hours of travel, the students found themselves sleeping in the airport baggage claim area.

Throughout the delays, the group remained together under the supervision of HBHA staff, who worked closely with airline personnel to navigate the disruptions.

Early the next morning, in that same public baggage claim space, some of the boys wrapped tefillin and began to pray. An airport floor became an unexpected place for morning tefillah.

While the group continued waiting for one final missing bag, exhaustion was setting in. One of the trip leaders, Zohar, was working constantly to pivot plans and communicate with the travel companies. Eventually, an airport baggage handler approached the group and said, “Head to your hotel. Your kids have been so great. Go get some rest. We will find the bag and deliver it.”

With the help of extended family connections, the group was able to find a hotel and a nearby Chabad house. What began as a travel disruption turned into an unexpected Shabbat experience filled with warmth and community.

At Shabbat services, Rabbi Chezzy reflected that this was not the Shabbat anyone had planned, but perhaps there was a reason for the unexpected stop. Our group helped make a minyan during a yartzheit and joined a community that deeply appreciated the presence and energy of the students. Several members of the congregation approached the group afterward to share how meaningful it was to see young people bringing life into their space.

“The trip has been exhausting and eventful, but despite all that, it has been joyous. Shabbat was amazing,” said Zohar.

Another unexpected moment came on the drive back to the airport. An Ethiopian Jewish driver picked up a group of students and shared that he spoke Hebrew, German, and Russian in addition to his native language. The girls reacted immediately: “You speak Hebrew?!”

As the conversation continued, he shared pieces of his story. A retired biochemist, he now drives a taxi to stay busy. His son is currently serving in the IDF. His daughter is a Top Gun pilot. Throughout the ride, he kept referring to the students as “my girls” and offered one message over and over: education is the key to everything. He urged them to take their studies seriously — especially the girls — emphasizing how important education is for opportunity and independence.

After so much unexpected time in the airport, many of the staff recognized the group when they returned to fly again. Several employees greeted them warmly and helped the group navigate yet another delay.

As the plane prepared for takeoff, the flight crew came over the intercom and gave a special shout-out to HBHA, letting the entire plane know that the group was traveling on an educational trip abroad. She also shared that it was Zohar’s birthday. (It wasn’t actually Zohar’s birthday, but the students told the flight crew it was, hoping to lift everyone’s spirits after a stressful start to their travels.) The students responded with an enthusiastic round of “Happy Birthday,” filling the cabin with a moment of celebration before the long flight ahead. 

On Monday morning, the group arrived at their first destination in Europe. Not long after, they headed to the local Chabad to begin their day the same way they had begun the previous one — with prayer.

“Can we read Torah?” someone asked.

Thanks to the generosity of the local Chabad, they could. So they did.

Soon after arriving, the group began their first walking tour through the city.

Almost immediately, they quite literally stumbled upon history.

Set into the sidewalks were small bronze squares — known as stumbling stones — scattered throughout neighborhoods across Europe. Each one bears the name of a person who was murdered in the Holocaust. Families can purchase and install these stones in front of homes where victims once lived.

The stones are intentionally slightly raised above the pavement. The idea is simple: when someone’s foot catches the uneven surface, they pause, look down, and ask, “What did I just bump into?” Then they read the inscription and learn the story of someone who once lived there.

Before the Holocaust, Europe was the center of Jewish life, home to more than 11 million Jews. These stones serve as quiet reminders embedded directly into the streets — ensuring that even an ordinary walk can become an act of remembrance.

For our students, encountering these markers was the first stop of the trip and the beginning of the learning that will continue in the weeks ahead.

More updates from the Jewish Heritage Trip will be shared as the journey continues.