Travel Blog

Over the past several days, our Jewish Heritage Trip group explored Berlin and continued their journey across Europe, moving through places where Jewish history is woven directly into the landscape.

One of the first stops in Berlin was the “Block of Women” monument, which commemorates a powerful moment of resistance during the Nazi regime. When Jewish men and their children were arrested and separated from their non-Jewish wives, thousands of women gathered publicly to demand their release. For days, the growing crowd of women stood together in protest — and eventually, the men and children were released.

While exploring Berlin, the group stopped at the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament building, formerly known as the Reichstag.

The students also saw the New Synagogue of Berlin, once one of the largest synagogues in the city, capable of holding nearly 2,000 people. After being damaged during the war, the synagogue was rebuilt and today stands as a symbol of the resilience and continuation of Jewish life in Berlin.

That evening, the group had dinner at a local Chabad house. The room was full of singing, clapping, and excitement. The rabbi, who happened to be the brother of our own Rabbi Tiechtel, spoke about how meaningful it was to see young Jewish adults gathered in Berlin — a place where, not long ago, Jewish people had been driven out — and shared his joy in witnessing students bringing life into the space once denied to them.

The next day brought the group to Platform 17, a quiet train platform that once served as a departure point for tens of thousands of Jews deported from Berlin to ghettos and death camps across Europe. Today, the memorial is built directly into the tracks. Each steel plate is engraved with a date, the number of people deported, and the train’s destination.

Some victims threw letters from the train windows as they were taken away, hoping someone might find them. Standing on the platform, students honored this act by writing letters to their loved ones.

“Attending Platform 17 was a surreal experience to say the least. Absorbing our surroundings while understanding the significance of them to our history is a difficult task, but this location really allowed the overlap to begin,” shared senior Gabby S. “Our tour guide brought to our attention the impact and the reality of our ability to leave Platform 17 and move on with our trip — something all Jews brought there in 1941-45 never did. This was one of the most memorable and impactful experiences of the trip so far.”

The group then traveled to the lakeside town of Wannsee. Despite its peaceful surroundings, the villa there was the site of the infamous Wannsee Conference, where Nazi officials formalized plans for the “Final Solution.” Inside, students toured the rooms where the decisions were made and saw firsthand how ordinary spaces were used to plan extraordinary atrocities.

On Tuesday, the group made its way into Poland. Upon arriving in the city of Poznan, they visited a synagogue with a remarkable history. Before the Holocaust, the shul was the heart of the Jewish community. During the war, the Nazis repurposed the building as an indoor swimming pool, since it was too large to destroy. After the war, the small community (around 40 people) raised enough money to buy back their old synagogue and begin its restoration. Today, the building has been reclaimed and restored, with weekly Shabbat services held in the nearby community center.

Junior Ruby S. reflected on the visit: “It showed me how important it is to value our heritage and to take back what is ours. These Jews did everything they could just so that they could preserve Jewish buildings for their small community.”

As the trip continues, the group is experiencing firsthand the resilience, dedication, and enduring spirit of Jewish communities across Europe. From monuments to synagogues, each stop offers a chance to connect with history, reflect on its lessons, and see how Jewish communities have preserved their heritage against incredible odds.