The trip to Poland is an intensive experience that combines serious study of the vibrant Jewish life of pre-war Poland with the tragedy of the Shoah. We will review the history of Polish Jewry from the 15th century through the tragic fate of the community during the Shoah.

To understand the rich Jewish life in Poland before the Shoah, we will visit synagogues and cemeteries in Lodz, Warsaw, Lublin, and Krakow, Yeshivat Chachmei Lublin, the Jewish museums in Warsaw and Krakow, and several other sites. To deepen our understanding of the Shoah, we will visit extermination camps, mass graves, the ghettos of Lodz, Warsaw, Lublin, Krakow, and Zamosc, and the shtetls of Tykocin, Jedwabne, Wlodawa, Josefow, and Lizensk.

This is a deeply meaningful experience, both intellectually and emotionally — and it can be challenging at times. Our staff members accompany the students throughout the journey, offering support and helping them process and reflect on what they encounter.

 

Masa Ba’aretz takes us across Israel — hiking, bonding, volunteering, and deepening our connection to Torat Yisrael, Am Yisrael, and Eretz Yisrael. Over the course of the trip we will get to know a range of Israeli communities up close: taking in the culture and energy of Tel Aviv, experiencing the pioneering spirit of the South, and meeting people who are making a difference in Israeli society today. It is a chance to see the Israel we learn about all year through direct encounter — with its land, its people, and the communities building it.