Connections

Today at the beginning of the drive to Lezasnz, one of the מדריכים announced the results of the Israeli elections from the previous day.  The מדריך then went on to talk of a blog post from a Rabbi in Israel who wrote about how there may have been a separation between voters and political parties, but they were all trying to create a better nation.  The blog went on to ask rhetorical questions that always ended in how the nation was brought together to create something together and as a result, became unified.  It wasn't until the end of the day when we visited the Buczyna Forest where humdreds of people were told to dig giant holes, and when they were done, they were lined up and shot and fell into their final resting place.  The sad thing about these specific plots of land, was that they were not only adults, but also for children.  When we first arrived, we saw a monument that had flowers, candles and rocks placed on the base.  On the four sides of the stone pillar were swords that were engraved and stained with different colors.  We learned about what happened at his sites and what type of people and to our surprise, not only Jews were there, but also Christians and other Poles.  Each plot was similar in the sense that each had a symbol of what that religion or culture was, as well as candles around the rails.   The Jewish plots were different; they had bright blue banisters and decorations.  On the blue banisters there were Israeli flags, candles, flowers and many other things that people brought to place on the plots to commemorate the dead.  My grade was given butterflies to place on each plot.  Many people, placed their butterflies on the Jewish plots, but very few were placed on the other three that were not Jewish plots.  As time went on, more butterflies were placed on the other plots.  Around the Jewish plot, where many people gathered, there were un-lit candles all around memorial, which we took as a sign to begin lighting the candles and to help commemorate the children and families that were killed at that site.  When we first walked to the courtyard, the only light was from the sun, but when we left, the courtyard and the plots of land were lit up by the sun, our candles and our passion to remember what happened at places like this one.  This piece of land and many others like it, brought the end to many peoples life, not only Jewish, but Christians and even locals.  Similar to the Rabbi's post of the election, this, even though in a sad and disappointing way, that although religion and/or lives were different, they were connected and bonded through the pain and fear that they went through before they were murdered.  We remember these children and others that were murdered like this by visiting, placing butterflies near the graves and singing songs they would have known in their memories.  Having learned of stories like this and visiting sights that such tragedy occurred, we understand further the pain and struggle that people went through at that time and that there is no border of who did and did not feel the pain of the Holocaust.