“Jewish Heritage Travel is more than just visiting historic sites,” writes one of our scholars, Lynne Feldman. “It is also bringing people together, learning about the culture and history of our people.” In this piece, Lynne shares her personal connection to Poland as the descendent of Polish Holocaust survivors and reflects on the significance of Jewish travelers coming together.
When people think of Poland, their perspectives vary: some associate it primarily with the devastation of the Holocaust, while others see it as the heart of a once-thriving Jewish life, a place where Jewish culture, scholarship, and religious life flourished for centuries.
The Hebrew and Yiddish name for Poland is Polin meaning here we rest: “PO Lin.” With more than 1,000 years of a Jewish presence, Poland attracts Jewish travelers from all over the world. Many of them visit Poland as part of heritage tours, exploring the remnants of the vibrant pre-war Jewish life, and seeking, in some cases, to connect with their own personal family history and witnessing the loss of the pre-war Jewish world.
Poland holds a deeply personal significance for me — not only as a guide and historian but also as a third-generation descendant of Holocaust survivors. My grandparents on my mother’s side were both born into traditional Jewish families in Poland: my grandmother in Tomaszów Lubelski and my grandfather in Tarnów. They survived the war with very few remaining relatives and, like many other survivors, met in a Displaced Persons camp, where they began rebuilding their lives and starting a new family.
When I guide in Tarnów, particularly in the cemetery, it is a meaningful experience for me, allowing me to reconnect with my own family roots. Sharing this experience with others on a heritage tour often creates space for fellow travelers to reflect on and share their own family histories, deepening the experience and the connection among all of us.
Jewish Heritage Travel is more than just visiting historic sites, it is also bringing people together, learning about the culture and history of our people. It is also the creation of a small community in which together we share our own personal stories and experiences. Visiting places where Jewish life once flourished, and where so much was lost, allows travelers to engage with their past in a deeply personal way, to connect to their roots and to keep the memory of the lost communities alive. I have seen how these journeys provide not only historical insight but also a profound emotional and spiritual connection to Jewish identity and heritage.
