Question 1

Is there a packing list?

Accepted Answer

There is a fair amount of walking during the tour and therefore comfortable footwear is essential.
Spring and Summer tour:
We will visit some forests and mosquito repellent may come in handy. A hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and an umbrella are also recommended.
Fall and Winter tour:
Polish winters can be very cold. Recommended are warm snow boots, thermal undergarments, a hat, scarf, gloves, and a good winter jacket. A flashlight is also recommended.

Question 2

How should I pack?

Accepted Answer

Make sure that your luggage meets the requirements of the airline you are travelling.
While in Poland, you should have a suitcase that will be stored under the bus while traveling from city to city. It is highly recommended to bring a smaller bag/backpack that can be kept with you on the bus for items you might like to have with you throughout the day.

Question 3

Is there a dress code?

Accepted Answer

No. If there is a Shabbat during your tour, please be advised that Shabbat attire (slightly more formal than weekday dress) is encouraged.

Question 4

On a Jewish tour, is the caterer Glatt Kosher?"

Accepted Answer

Yes!

Question 5

Does your tour accommodate food allergies?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When filling out the registration form on our website, there is a specific box for you to submit this information.

Question 6

How long does my passport need to be valid for? Do I need a Visa to enter Poland?

Accepted Answer

It is the responsibility of each participant to make sure their passport is valid and that they have the appropriate travel documents. At the time of answering this question, to travel to Poland, one must have a valid passport, issued in the last ten years, that expires no less than three months after your intended date of departure from Poland. Since this law can potentially change at any time, we highly recommend ensuring at least 6 months remaining on your passport from your intended date of departure from Poland (as this is currently the mandate of many other countries).
 
If you have an Australian, Canadian, Israeli, UK or USA passport, you do not require a special visa to enter Poland. If you are travelling with a passport issued from another country, please check if Poland requires a visa.

Question 7

Should I purchase traveler's medical insurance for the tour?

Accepted Answer

Yes.

Question 8

What kind of electric outlets are used in Poland?

Accepted Answer

The electric outlets in Poland are for two-prong European plugs. The voltage is 220-240.

Question 9

Do the hotels have WiFi?

Accepted Answer

Yes!

Question 10

After the tour, where are we dropped off?"

Accepted Answer

Once the tour ends, we provide transportation to the WAW Warsaw airport and to any Warsaw hotels our participants will be staying at.

Question 11

I do not leave until the day after the tour ends. Can you reserve a hotel room for me for the night the tour ends?

Accepted Answer

We can make reservations for you, but you are likely to receive a better rate by booking online (eg. booking.com, hotels.com).

Question 12

How long are the drives between the major cities?

Accepted Answer

Almost all of our drives between major cities are between one to two hours.

Question 13

Will you be playing movies on the bus rides?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we will play movies on some of the longer rides.

Question 14

Should I bring cash with me? If so, what currency is used in Poland?"

Accepted Answer

All land costs have been included in the price of your tour. If you would like to have some cash on you, the Polish currency is the Zloty. Please note that most stores accept credit cards.

Question 15

How can I pay for the trip?

Accepted Answer

You can pay by check, bank transfer or credit card. For more information and to pay online visit www.theworldthatwas.org/payments.

Question 16

Do you keep our credit card information on file?

Accepted Answer

For security purposes, we do not keep credit card information on file.

Question 17

Will there be a list of attendees shared?

Accepted Answer

We will not distribute a formal list of attendees, but participants usually introduces themselves in our WhatsApp group that is created prior to the trip.

Question 18

I have a Polish address I'd like to visit. Can this be arranged?

Accepted Answer

If the address is along the route we travel, and if time permits, we are happy to accommodate such requests. Alternatively, for an additional fee, we can arrange for a Polish Guide to accompany you before or after our tour.
If you are participating in a private family tour, we will work on creating the most meaningful itinerary together. Be sure to submit any addresses or locations you'd like to visit in advance to ensure we can include them in our itinerary.

Question 19

Is the tour depressing?

Accepted Answer

At The World That Was, we pride ourselves on finding an appropriate balance between both mourning and celebrating Jewish life. We display the utmost respect and gravity when visiting sites of devastation. However, when not at these sites, as an integral segment of our journey, we also vibrantly celebrate both Judaism and life.
During our week we will weep and cry, and we will smile and laugh. We will fervently head to Poland to both lament our unfathomable loss and to emphatically proclaim "Am Yisrael Chai".

Question 20

How can I prepare for the tour?

Accepted Answer

Preparation does enhance your tour. Researching your family roots is recommended. As well, reading books about the Holocaust and Jewish life in pre-war Poland can enhnace your trip.

Question 21

Is there a recommended reading list?

Accepted Answer

Arad, Yitzhak. Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka: The Operation Reinhard Death Camps. Indiana University Press, 1999.
 
Birenbaum, Halina. Hope is the Last to Die: A Coming of Age Under Nazi Terror. Routledge, 1996.
 
Baumol, Yehoshua. A Blaze in the Darkening Gloom: The Life of Rav Meir Shapiro. Feldheim Pub, 1994.
 
Browning, Christopher R. Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland. Harper Perennial, 1998.
Edelman, Marek. The Ghetto Fights. Bookmarks, 2014.
 
Gross, Jan. Fear: Anti-Semitism in Poland After Auschwitz. Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2007.
 
Gross, Jan. Golden Harvest: Events at the Periphery of the Holocaust. Oxford University Press, 2012.
 
Gross, Jan. Neighbours: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland. ARROW, 2003.
 
Kaplan, Aryeh. Chasidic Masters: History, Biography, Thought. Moznaim Pub Corp, 1991.
 
Lau, Rabbi Israel Meir. Out of the Depths: The Story of a Child of Buchenwald Who Returned Home at Last. Sterling, 2011.
Rajchman, Chil. Treblinka: A Survivor's Memory, 1942-1943. Quercus, 2012.
 
Snyder, Timothy. Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin. Basic Books, 2012.
 
Wiesel, Elie. Night. Hill and Wang, 2006.
 
For more suggested readings, please email david@theworldthatwas.org.

Question 22

Where do I register?

Accepted Answer

Click here to fill out a registration form.

The World That Was

EUROPEAN TOURS

"Rejoicing for what was; commemorating what is no longer."