Rabbi Jan Katzew, a URJ Lead Specialist and his wife, Cantor Lanie Katzew, a URJ Music Specialist are accompanying the NFTY in Israel L'Dor V'Dor trip. NFTY teens are travelling through Eastern Europe prior to their time in Israel this summer. Jan and Lanie shared these reflections on the first week of the trip with the teen's parents.

Dear Parents,

Arguably the most lasting memory we will have of the last week is the character of 102 extraordinary and maturing teenagers. You have reason to be proud and justified in your decision to send your children on the trip of a lifetime, and aptly named L'dor Vador, from generation to generation.

The first week of L'dor Vador attempts to traverse the landscape of European Jewry from its cultural efflorescence in Prague to its religious genius in Krakow to its political and military prowess in Warsaw. The motivation for this narrative is the desire to demonstrate the enormity of the loss experienced during the absolute nadir of Jewish memory - the Shoah, the Holocaust. For many of the participants, the time we spent in Aushwitz/Birkenau left the deepest impression. Some spoke movingly of the railroad tracks that led up to the gate. Others spoke of the smell of hair cut off from the victims or the mound of shoes or the ponds full of ashes situated near the crematoria. They grappled with unanswerable questions, challenged their assumptions about good and evil, and the place of God in context with their developing sense of this complex world. 

Your children are now witnesses.They have stories to tell you and others, stories that testify to the human capacity for sub-human and super-human behavior. The latter was superbly exemplified by a woman named Paullina who was acknowledged in 1990 by Yad VaShem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem as one of the Chasidei Umot HaOlam, one of the "righteous gentiles," the compassionate souls who risked their lives to rescue Jews. Not only did the groups sit for an hour in rapt attention; when Paullina was finished speaking they broke into spontaneous applause and gave her a standing ovation. Then they proceeded to ask thoughtful, penetrating, mature and wonderful questions including "Why did your family risk their lives to save Jews?"  We wish you could have kvelled as we did vicariously for your children.

The social dynamic of the group is inclusive and healthy. Most of this week was spent in three groups that traveled with three teams of drivers, guides, educators, and counselors coordinated by a director and supported by a nurse, as well as a senior Union for Reform Judaism staff member and the two of us. Nevertheless, the natural proclivities of teens and the social engineering acumen of the leaders already resulted in a commingling of the groups. The overall tone is friendly, relaxed and distinctly warm.

While learning about the overall experience of 20th Century European Jewry is woefully depressing, the stage has been set for a phenomenal month in Israel. A college president once told a group of parents that their children would be in good hands - "their own."  All indications are that your children will merit the same confidence.

Some people may think we are "crazy" or "brave" to accompany a teen trip to Europe and Israel. We know better. We are honored and lucky.Thank you.

Rabbi Jan and Cantor Alane Katzew

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