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The World That Was

 Adult Poland Tour 

With Renowned Scholar in Residence Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb
June 19 - 24, 2018

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Your Guides

Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb
Rabbi Dovid Gottleib

Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb is a Ra”m at Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush) and the rabbi and co-founder of Ganei Ha’ela, a new community being built in the suburbs of Ramat Beit Shemesh. Prior to making aliyah, Rabbi Gottlieb served as rabbi of Congregation Shomrei Emunah, in Baltimore, MD.


Rabbi Gottlieb received his rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University, where he was also a member of their prestigious Wexner Kollel Elyon. In addition to co-editing two rabbinic journals, Rabbi Gottlieb is the author of Ateret Yaakov, a book of in-depth essays about a wide range of halachic topics.


A highly regarded speaker and teacher, Rabbi Gottlieb has served as a Scholar in Residence for numerous communities in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Europe, and Israel.

Over 600 of Rabbi Gottlieb’s classes and articles are available online at www.yutorah.org.
 

Rabbi Gottlieb is married to Ilana, the director of Midreshet AMIT, and they are blessed with four children.

Rabbi David Abrahamovitz

Itinerary *

Rabbi David Abrahamovitz

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Rabbi David Abrahamovitz was born in Toronto, Canada, and has been living in Israel since 2004. For over a decade, he has been teaching Bible Studies and Jewish Law in Jerusalem.

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David studied Jewish History throughout his life and all four of his grandparents were Holocaust survivors. Nonetheless, only after his first visit to Poland did he begin to comprehend the enormity of Polish Jewish History and the Holocaust.

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He intensively studied Polish Jewry and the Holocaust and then began leading Poland tours for groups from all over the world. Since 2007, he has led countless successful Poland tours. His trips are educational and meaningful. His guiding is informative and always enthused with passion.

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When not guiding for “The World That Was”, Rav David can often be found furthering his research. 

Day One - Tuesday, June 19

We will begin our tour at Warsaw's Jewish cemetery, where we will meet over 200 years of Warsaw's illustrious Jewish personalities. We will continue to the Warsaw Ghetto, and learn of the horrific living conditions which led to the death of approximately 100,000 Jews. From there, we will visit Mila 18, the bunker headquarters of the Jewish Combat Organization (Å»OB) - the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Heroes, followed by the Umschlagplatz, the gathering point from where an estimated 254,000 of Warsaw's Jews were loaded into cattle cars and sent to the Treblinka.

We will then head to Treblinka, the extermination camp where 900,000 Jews were executed upon arrival.

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Overnight: Warsaw Mercure Centrum

Day Two - Wednesday, June 20

We will travel to Ger (Gur), home of Ger Hasidut, where we will visit the shul of the Sefas Emes and Rabbi Gottlieb's grandfather. Next, we will experience the Yeshiva of Chachmei Lublin, the prestigious pre-Holocaust Yeshiva where the Daf Yomi was invented and where one needed to memorize 400 pages of Talmud to apply. We will then take a short drive to Majdanek Concentration Camp, where the original gas chambers and crematorium still stand. 

Next, we will visit the kever of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, the father of a Hasidic dynasty and author of the "Noam Elimelech".

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Overnight: Rzezow Hotel Metropolitan

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Day Three - Thursday, June 21

We will visit the picturesque baroque style synagogue of the town of Lancut. We will tour Markowa, a village where righteous gentiles hid their Jewish neighbors. We will then travel to Tarnow's market square from where the local Jews were rounded up and deported, and see the horrifying remains of Tarnow's Central Synagogue. 

We will pay respect at Zbylitowska Gorathe forest where 7,000 of Tarnow's Jews were murdered, and visit the mass grave of 800 Jewish children.

We will then head to Krakow, where we will visit Osckar Schindler's factory and the Old Jewish cemetery of Krakow.

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Overnight: Krakow 5-Star Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre

Day Four - Friday, June 22

We will visit Auschwitz I and the museum of genocide. See the piles of belongings of those who were gassed. Look through the book of the names and history of 4,200,000 of the Nazi's victims. We will also visit Birkenau, the "Jewish Auschwitz." Stand where the infamous selection was conducted by Dr. Josef Mengele. Witness the horrifying living conditions.

We will daven Kabbalat Shabbat in the Isaac Shul, built in the 17th century, followed by a spirited Shabbat dinner.

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Overnight: Krakow 5-Star Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre​

Day Five - Shabbat, June 23

We will experience teffilat Shabbat in the famous Shul of Rabbi Moshe Isserles (The Ramah), followed by a walking tour of Krakow's Synagogues, including the progressive Temple Synagogue, and the Alta Shul. Our festive Shabbat lunch will be followed by a visit to the Galicia Museum, featuring a photo exhibition documenting the remnants of Jewish culture and life in Polish Galicia.

Guest Speaker:

Meet a Polish Gentile who has been honoured by the State of Israel with the Righteous Among the Nations Medal.

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Overnight: Krakow 5-Star Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre​

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Day Six - Sunday, June 24

Lodz's Jewish cemetery is Europe's largest Jewish cemetery. There, we will visit the tribute to Bnei Akiva and the 6 empty mass graves. We will visit the Lodz Ghetto, where the Judenrat demanded parents to hand over their children to the Nazis. We will enter the Radegast cattle car and hear of the road to agony.

We will then take the one hour journey to Chelmno, the first Nazi extermination camp - where diesel from the exhaust pipe of a truck was used to gas approximately 300,000 Jews. Then we will visit Dabiea shtetl where the shul now serves as a Polish apartment building.

We will end our tour with a closing dinner with Klezmer musical accompaniment, after which transfer to Warsaw's WAW Airport and local hotels will be provided.

 

*Subject to change

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Important Information:

How do we meet up in Poland?

We will meet in the arrivals terminal of Warsaw's Chopin Airport on Tuesday,

June 19th at 10:00am. Our trip concludes in Warsaw on Sunday, June 24th at 8:00pm.

 

If you require accommodations or logistical assistance before or after the trip, please be in touch with  email David at dabrahamovitz@gmail.com.

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If you will be arriving in Poland prior to the tour, we can help you book a hotel. If your hotel is within reasonable distance from where our tour begins, we will happily pick you up from your hotel on Tuesday morning.

Transportation in Poland

We travel on a beautiful coach bus, with reclining seats, to ensure you are comfortable throughout our travels. We show movies on the bus during some of our longer drives.

Accomodations

Rest and comfort are essential on our tour. Our fine four and five star hotels are all very comfortable and impeccably clean. Their desirable locations enrich our tour. 

Food

Our caterer prepares 3 quality Glatt-Kosher meals a day.

Security

Throughout our trip, we are accompanied by an armed security guard. Our guard is professional and experienced, and keeps us feeling safe throughout our journey.

Insurance

Prior to the trip, you should arrange your own medical/travel insurance.

Payment

Participants individually arrange for and pay for their flights.

The all-inclusive tour land cost is $2,375 USD. Your spot is reserved upon paying the down-payment of $450 USD. Full payment is due March 26th, 2018.  Click here to pay.

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*The single room supplement fee is $485 USD. 

Cancellation Policy

Please note down-payments are non­refundable.

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In the event that the balance has been paid:

- Cancellations more than 60 days prior to tour – 90% of balance returned.

- Cancellations between 30 to 60 days prior to tour – 50% of balance returned.

- Cancellations less than 30 days prior to tour – no refunds.

‪For all inquiries, please email dabrahamovitz@gmail.com

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