Many of the students who participated with me in the Hillel Foundation’s alternative spring break to the Czech Republic were unaware of the beauty, culture and historical significance Prague offered. After a week’s visit, it was clear why there has been a growing interest in the area.
The trip was organized through CET Academic Programs. It consisted of multiple walking tours of the city’s Jewish quarter, of the major architectural monuments, and of the famous castle.
These tours were led by Zita Abramova, a member of the Czech Union of Jewish Youth. She is highly educated in both Czech history and the history of the Czech Jews.
Having a guide who was so passionate about both the Czech lands and her Jewish history made the walking tours extremely educational and provided the group with a more personal perspective.
The group learned of the legend of the Golem, of the contributions of Rabbi Maisel, who helped the Jewish community flourish, and of the unusual Czech “tradition” of defenestration, or throwing an enemy out a window, an act that often occurs in Czech political controversies.
A visit to Terezin, or Theresienstadt, and the Small Fortress was also on the itinerary. Terezin, a former garrison town, was used by the German Nazis as a ghetto and waiting area for Jews before they were taken to death camps. It also served as a model concentration camp used to fool the Red Cross into believing that the stories of Nazi horror were untrue.
After the war, Terezin again became a “regular” Czech community, also containing the concentration camp as a museum. However, as one drives through Terezin, one might mistake it for a ghost town, since there are very few residents.
Wonderful surprises
Prague and the flourishing Jewish community were wonderful surprises for most of us on the trip. Because Czechoslovakia was behind the Iron Curtain during the reign of the Soviet Union, it became a relatively unknown country to the Western world. Many are still unaware that Prague is comparable in beauty and culture to Paris or Florence.
The Czech Jewish community, oppressed by the Nazi and Communist occupations, has remained relatively strong. Its members have managed to preserve historical monuments and maintain active Reform, Conservative and Orthodox communities.
We were able to celebrate Passover with both the Conservative and Orthodox groups as well as have havdalah with Rabbi Hoffberg, a rabbi from Chicago, who is part of the Masorti Conservative movement.
Hoffberg told us about the growing number of Czechs who are discovering their Judaism by learning of Jewish relatives that hid their religion after the war.
The community service was a rewarding opportunity to help the Jewish community, and was an educational experience. When visiting the Charles Jordan Home for Seniors, the group had the chance to speak with Holocaust survivors who had moved back to Prague after the war.
An especially intriguing story was from a man named Wilhelm. He escaped the Nazis by fleeing to Russia and joining the Russian army. He has recently written a book about his life that is on the way to being published.
We also cleaned up an abandoned Jewish cemetery outside of the city, which was overgrown with ivy. Seeing the finished product was gratifying for everyone.
Another moving experience was when we spoke with Jan Wiener after watching a documentary about his experience during the war. Wiener is a Czech Jew who escaped the war by fleeing to Romania and then Italy.
The group also met many young Germans and Austrians participating in civil service in Prague, as an alternative to the one-year required military service after high school.
Many of the volunteers worked within the Jewish community, volunteering in the Jewish nursing home, or helping with the Czech Union of Jewish Youth. Often they felt obliged to help these communities, since they were almost destroyed by their own countries.
It was interesting, however, to listen to their passion and dedication to the European Jewish communities and then hear their attitude toward Israel. Most of them had very negative views of the Israeli government and people.
As disconcerting as that may have been, it was a great experience to have the opportunity to have these conversations with people from all over Europe.
We learned much more than the history of this prominent European city. We learned about the perseverance of a group of people and the continuing effects of one of the worst wars in history.
Adina Rachel Klein is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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