Page 2 - The Jewish Voice - May '22

Page 2, The Jewish Voice

The Hineini Trip from page 1

A relief worker at the Poland-Ukraine border
cheers up a Ukrainian refugee child with The seder with Holocaust survivors at the Ukrainian refugees line up to enter the JCC
“cosmetic therapy.” Ukrainian refugees at the Krakow JCC seder JCC in Krakow in Krakow.

Which is precisely
what I did. I participated Volunteers Support from page 1 Good Deeds Day, created in 2007 in Israel, is a worldwide
in two seders at the JCC in event that unites millions of volunteers from 108 countries
Krakow – one for Holocaust welcomed the largest number of volunteers yet for for service opportunities that benefit others and the planet.
survivors and one for Good Deeds Day, helping ensure so many more have It is supported locally by the Alloy Family Foundation and
Ukrainian refugees. food in their homes and know they are supported by the OneWorld: Davis Family Tolerance Project.
Last month, I those around them.”
accompanied 30 Reform
rabbinical and cantorial
colleagues — from the
United States, Europe, and
Israel — to Krakow. It was
the “Hineini trip.” The trip
was endorsed by the Central Jonathan Ornstein, executive
Conference of American director of the Krakow JCC,
Rabbis, the World Union with Rabbi Salkin
for Progressive Judaism,
and the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism; partially
subsidized by the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County;
and organized by J2 Adventures.
We brought more than two tons of supplies for refugees.
We brought donations and pledges of close to a million
dollars.
But, most of all, we brought our willingness to say
“Hineini.” I am here. We are here — to bear witness.
• To bear witness to the biggest humanitarian crisis
in Europe since 1945 — in the very heartland of Eastern
European Jewish history.
• To bear witness as Poland has opened its hearts and
homes to at least 2 million refugees. Krakow alone has
seen its population increase 25 percent since the end of
February. As Clementina, a young Polish Jewish worker,
told us: “Poland is doing for the Ukrainians what no one
did for us in 1939.”
• To bear witness to personal responsibility and legacy. Ten
years from now, my grandchildren will ask me: “Grandpa,
when the Ukrainian nation and people were being destroyed,
what did you do?” I want to have a good answer.
I am a proud Jew. I have always been proud of my
people. But, the experience in Poland gave me new “…it will both amuse and move you…”
dimensions for that pride. – The Wall Street Journal
We came to Krakow under the aegis of the Jewish
Community Centre of Krakow and its amazing executive
director, Jonathan Ornstein. MAY 20 - JUNE 5
The JCC is a cultural center, and an educational center,
and a social center – and has transformed itself into a
refugee center – with no less than 14 different programs Based on the life of
for Ukrainian refugees.
Weeks ago, President Joe Biden declared: “For God’s By William Luce Emily Dickinson,
sake, this man [Putin] cannot remain in power.” He was not
simply blurting words out of the depth of his frustration. this one woman show
The Exodus from Egypt teaches us that there can be God, paints a vivid portrait of the
and there can be Pharaoh — but never in the same spiritual
space. For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power. beloved, enigmatic poet.
Because the Pharaohs of history never win.
Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin is the spiritual leader of Temple
Israel in West Palm Beach. The author and editor of 10
books, his blog, “Martini Judaism: for those who want to
be shaken and stirred,” won the 2022 Wilbur Award from
the Religion Communicators Council for “its excellence
in communicating religious or inspiring themes.”

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