Poland-Israel Youth Exchange
Poland-Israel Youth Exchange: "To What Extent Are You Jewish?" The Museum of the History of Polish Jews inaugurated its first youth exchange in October, 2006, sending eight students on a three-month scholarship program to study and live in Israel. Their time included study at the University of Tel Aviv, travel within the country and stays with host families. This is one example of the educational programming that will be available through the Museum for the local community in Poland. Students have been asked to keep journals of their experiences and to share them with the Museum. Their trip has included conducting interviews as part of the collection program of personal memorabilia of Polish Jews. As one student, Ola Kubat, wrote: "This is a very difficult task and requires a lot of tact and softness, as many people are speaking Polish and talking about Poland for the first time in many years." Most of the students wrote about the warm reception they received from their host families and people in general in Israel. Their coursework included modern Jewish history, Israeli art and Jewish identity. Karolina Gebska, a student in the program, wrote about how the experience has opened her thinking about her own identity: "We talk about different sides of being a Jew, Israeli, a follower of Judaism. This provokes thinking about my own identity. It's very interesting and fairly complicated. To what extent are you Jewish when you detach yourself from religion? Which is more important - to be a Jew or a citizen of the US? How does being a Reformed Jew compare to being a Zionist and Orthodox?" The Museum will continue tracking the progress of the youth exchange students in Israel and is proud to be forging the ongoing dialogue between Polish and Israeli youth. The first Museum exchange program between high school youth from Poland and Israel will take place this summer.
Poland-Israel Youth Exchange: "To What Extent Are You Jewish?" The Museum of the History of Polish Jews inaugurated its first youth exchange in October, 2006, sending eight students on a three-month scholarship program to study and live in Israel. Their time included study at the University of Tel Aviv, travel within the country and stays with host families. This is one example of the educational programming that will be available through the Museum for the local community in Poland. Students have been asked to keep journals of their experiences and to share them with the Museum. Their trip has included conducting interviews as part of the collection program of personal memorabilia of Polish Jews. As one student, Ola Kubat, wrote: "This is a very difficult task and requires a lot of tact and softness, as many people are speaking Polish and talking about Poland for the first time in many years." Most of the students wrote about the warm reception they received from their host families and people in general in Israel. Their coursework included modern Jewish history, Israeli art and Jewish identity. Karolina Gebska, a student in the program, wrote about how the experience has opened her thinking about her own identity: "We talk about different sides of being a Jew, Israeli, a follower of Judaism. This provokes thinking about my own identity. It's very interesting and fairly complicated. To what extent are you Jewish when you detach yourself from religion? Which is more important - to be a Jew or a citizen of the US? How does being a Reformed Jew compare to being a Zionist and Orthodox?" The Museum will continue tracking the progress of the youth exchange students in Israel and is proud to be forging the ongoing dialogue between Polish and Israeli youth. The first Museum exchange program between high school youth from Poland and Israel will take place this summer.