Reflections on Majdanek – from Janet and Fred Pomerantz

An Unforgettable Visit to Majdanek

The Majdanek Concentration Camp, a short drive from Lublin, is located on the edge of town and it’s borders are adjacent to houses and civilization. The overcast skies, the chilly air and the persistent light rain combined to create a macabre feeling as we entered the camp.. We entered the camp gate, each of us adorned with an Israeli flag tied at the neck and hanging from our back, signaling to others that Jews still do exist. The camp area was vast, several square miles by our estimate, with boundaries of barbed and electric wire, watch towers and wooden buildings looking like barracks, just like in the films depicting the horrors of the holocaust. We learned about how the Nazis ran the camp in an efficient, cost-effective manner and that very few Jews (or others) left the camp alive. The evil minds of these ruthless and cold psychopaths had no boundaries. Upon entering, Majdanek, the people were led to the first building where, upon demand, and quite methodically, they disrobed, their scalp hair was shaved and they were taken to a room to “shower”. The hair could be sold and a bald head could be easily identified if the person escaped. Their clothes and shoes were collected and chemically disinfected to lessen the chance that the Nazis would pick up a disease. As the process continued, few people were housed in the barracks and the vast majority were put in the gas chamber within hours of arriving at the camp. After walking quite a distance, we arrived at the crematorium building. We saw the room where the corpses were inspected for valuable goods and gold teeth or jewelry located in the intestines would be removed. The next room contained the ovens. Each step in the torturous death was so coldly conceived and well crafted. All of us were emotionally numbed and disgusted by the thought that humans could be so cruel.

Our visit culminated at the circular memorial, one enormous, tall mound of ashes and bone fragments of people who lost their lives tragically by inhumane, evil actions. Never again!

Janet and Fred Pomerantz

May 16, 2019

Dinner at a unique restaurant

We had dinner at a restaurant that looked ordinary, until we looked more carefully at the decor. The building had originally served as the first Beis Yaakov – Sarah Shenirer’s famous all girls school.

Our third stop in Krakow – the Temple Synagogue

Our first stop in Kraków – the Rema’s Shul

We visited the Rema’s Shul and heard all about the Rema’s history. We also learned about the secret of Yossele’s headstone.

We then visited their graves in the old cemetery behind the Shul.

Zbylitowska Gora. Words from Orly Steinberg

THE BIRDS CONTINUE TO SING

We walk down a beautiful small street lined on both sides with unique contemporary styled homes, carefully landscaped large front yards, children playing, dogs lying lazily in the sun. It could be mistaken for a small street in Great Neck…. except that many houses display a red and white flag, the Polish flag. We continue walking and the street turns into a small dirt road that leads into the outskirts of a forest. Some homes have a view of this lush green forest. ….and the birds are chirping.

We continue walking a few hundred feet into this forest and are faced with a mass grave where 800 Jewish children were murdered. The grave is bordered by a blue fence and littered with children’s toys, art, stuffed animals, and poetry that previous visitors have carefully placed. It is silent except for the birds.

We are all parents. We all have children. We love them with our most inner souls. You can’t help but think of all those parents who lost these children. You can’t help think of these children and all the other children who were murdered. You think of your own children. There is not a dry eye.

Yitzy has brought his guitar but is not sure he can sing here. But of course, he doesn’t disappoint us and sings “hamalach hagoel otee” harmonized beautifully by R Dovid.

The birds continue to sing.

A DHL truck makes a delivery on this street. Their life continues as usual. And I can’t wait to go home and hug my 6 kids.

-Orly Steinberg

May 16, 2019