CABINET STUDY-MISSION ABROAD

By Sarah Schwartz National Young Leadership Cabinet Member

From the time I was young, I always learned about Judaism and what it meant to be Jewish. I always learned of and was reminded about the horrors of the Holocaust and to never forget what happened. When going on the most recent Cabinet Study-Mission trip to Latvia, Estonia, and Hungary, we were able to see with our own eyes how these communities that were once torn apart have been coming back together and are thriving because of our philanthropic efforts. The trip was meaningful, to say the least, and to be able to spend it with close friends - and a new-found cousin - made it even more impactful and memorable.

Prior to the trip, I didn’t really know what to expect as this was my first mission trip with Cabinet. I was excited to see all of my classmates, to see different parts of the world, and was ready to make some memories!

During our trip, we toured ORT Schools, the JCC in Budapest, Aviv Spring Camp, Jewish Agencies, and more.

One of the most impactful moments during our trip was in Riga, Latvia. We took a trip to Rumbula Forest, where on November 30 and December 8, 1941, more than 25,000 Jews were murdered. Before entering the grounds, we all said prayers and paid our respects. We walked the same grounds where they once walked but unlike those before us, we were able to leave.

Budapest, which was my favorite city of them all, is so beautiful and filled with history. We toured the Dohany Street Synagogue, which is the largest synagogue in Europe - seating almost 3,000. We ate dinner in a 150-year-old basement at an amazing restaurant, Deryne, and went on a river cruise where we got to see the beautiful architecture throughout the city. Budapest had multiple Holocaust memorials to see, including the Shoes on the Danube Bank - where we all left roses, the Holocaust Memorial Center, Memorial Tree behind the Dohany Street Synagogue, the Carl Lutz Memorial, and others that can be found while touring the city. While in Budapest, we also had the honor of meeting a Holocaust survivor who showed us her yellow star that she was forced to wear.

What is normally two hours away from Budapest, Camp Szarvas, took our bus five hours due to traffic. During this extremely long road trip, the second-year class was able to bond in a way that no one expected - including hours of carpool karaoke, eating sweets, sharing laughter and song. Upon our arrival at Camp Szarvas, we met with Ukranian families from the war and were able to have candid conversations with them about what their lives are currently like, their fears, and how we can help. Camp Szarvas is typically the largest Jewish summer camp. However, this off-season, because of a very generous donation from a Cabinet member in another state, they were able to winterize it and have the support they need to help the families from Ukraine.

With our help and support through Federation, we are able to support the Jewish Federations of North America, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Joint Distribution Committee, and World ORT, and help make an impact in these communities and on others throughout the world!

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