Poland: The Magic of Discovering Legacy

I met Esther Meyers after her return from Poland. That trip proved a powerful event in her life that had beckoned her for may years. There was also a justified reluctance that Esther carried.

At a peaceful Shabbat dinner, Esther spoke about the people and places she experienced as she returned to her parents’ world.

Truth be told Esther Meyers is part of a group of what are now called “children of survivors.” We have lived with that consciousness our whole life; even when we — our parents and us as very young children were referred to as the “grine” — greenies.

We children of the survivors are now reaching the age in which we have other duties. I believe that many of us have an unfilled duty to our parents and the yearned for relatives whose namesakes we are but whom we never knew.

I believe that one of our central but abandoned duties is to help revive Jewish life where ever we can. There is no greater expression of Jewish duty than the encounter — “revelation” when finding people who are seeking to connect to Judaism in Poland!! The “discovery” of Jewish life defies all logic. Some say: “There should NOT be any Jewish life in Poland.” How happy the circumstances of Jewish revival. Each individual that comes forward is precious.

Mrs. Meyers richly deserves the recognition she received for this article and the call to action. We children of survivors have a duty before us!!

Gemar vHatimah Tova

Haim Dov Beliak
Jewish Renewal in Poland
www.JewishRenewalinPoland.org