Recap of Days 2, 3, and 4

I apologize for the lack of updates over the last few days. I know I said I would post on a daily basis, but I've been having some difficulties in doing so. Besides for the fact that we're quite busy actually doing all the things that I'm supposed to be writing about, I have a much bigger problem: a cut near the tip of my left thumb. That may not sound like much, but when you consider that all of my typing is being done on a three-and-a-half inch thumbpad keyboard, you can understand how difficult it is to type so much when each key on the left side of the keyboard hurts. It only hurts a little bit each time, but the irritation adds up quickly, especially when you consider how fast I type on this thing:



But anyway, enough excuses. Here's what I'm gonna do: working with the assumption that a little is better than nothing, I'm going to give you a quick recap of everything that happened from when we left Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin until now. Not too detailed, no pictures - maybe I'll have time to add them later, or after the trip. Once we are up to date, the newer posts will hopefully be more detailed again. Anyway, here goes:

Majdanek.

Tuesday, day 2: After leaving Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, we went to the Majdanek extermination camp. We were supposed to go to the cemetery in Lublin first, but the person whom we needed to unlock the gate could not be reached. So we went to Majdanek first, with Rabbi Teller as our guide. It was a somber, emotional experience - especially when, crowded together like sardines in a tiny room near the gas chambers, the Rosh Yeshiva gave an emotional speech ending with him leading us in crying out "SHEMA YISROEL, HASHEM ELOKEINU HASHEM ECHAD!" and then singing the famous Ani Ma'amin sung in the gas chambers. It was one of the most emotional moments in my life.

We then went to the Lublin Jewish cemetery, where we davened at the kevarim of the Chozeh of Lublin, the Maharshal, the Ba'al Yerakos, and others.

The Chozeh of Lublin.

Afterward, we left for Krakow. Upon arriving in Krakow at 11:30 PM, we ate supper and then checked into Hotel Galicia for the night.

The Rama's shul.

Wednesday, day 3: We davened Shachris at the Rama's shul, ate breakfast, and then went to the cemetery. We davened at the kevarim of the Rama, the Tosfos Yom Tov, the Megaleh Amukos, Reb Hershele, the Bach, the Ma'or Veshamesh and others.

We left Krakow at noon, and arrived at Auschwitz at around 2:30 PM. We were at Auschwitz itself (the smaller camp, with the famous "Arbeit Macht Frei" gates) until about 4:15 PM; we then went a short distance away to Birkenau (also known as Auschwitz II), the much larger camp with the track leading directly into it, which was where most of the Jewish prisoners actually were.

Auschwitz II: Birkenau.

I won't dwell much on the subject of Auschwitz (and wouldn't even if my thumb weren't injured), because like Majdanek, it is a very difficult and emotional topic for me to write about. I am sure you will understand. Besides, there is enough literature on the subject out there already as it is.

We finally left Auschwitz-Birkenau at around 6:15, and had supper at the nearby "Center for Dialogue" before leaving Poland for good. We arrive in Bratislava (also known as Pressburg), Slovakia, at around 2:00 AM, and check into Hotel Turist (yes, that's how they spell it) for the night.

Thursday, day 4: After a brief shiur from the Rosh Yeshiva in the hotel dining room, we leave for the Pressburg Jewish cemetery. The cemetery was actually once a large one, but only a small part of it remains, in an underground sort of manmade "cave" built to protect it from vandals. We davened at the kevarim of the of the Chasam Sofer and the other tzadikim buried there, including R' Meshulam Igra.

The old Pressburg Jewish cemetery.

We left just before noon, and headed for Vienna, Austria.

Once we arrived in Vienna, we pretty much abandoned the bus and went on a "walking tour" of Vienna. Our destinations included: davening Mincha at the Ohel Moshe shul, shopping at the Kosherland supermarket, eating lunch at the "Milk & Honey" restaurant, a statue depicting Aharon Hakohein making peace between people, a memorial to the Austrian Jews killed in the Holocaust, the Judenplatz Museum (a small museum about Vienna's oldest shul), the Schonbrunn Palace (we didn't actually get in due to the late hour, but we did see the entrance, for what it's worth), the place where Hitler yemach shemo held his first rally, and the only shul in Vienna that survived Kristallnacht. We then boarded the bus and headed toward the Czech Republic. Destination: Prague.

And that is where we stand, ladies and gentleman. I am currently sitting in Prague, and I am zonked. Not to mention that my thumb is acting up again... I'm going to sleep. See ya tomorrow!