Bus 1295: New Years in Jerusalem

The main event of our New Years Day was our trip to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. Despite the hail and cold weather, we had an unforgettable experience on our tour. We had a wonderful tour guide, who we could listen to through a head set and gave us detailed facts about  the  horrific  events  that  transpired  before,  during,  and  after  World  War  II.  Yad  Vashem channels a multitude of themes throughout the museum, including highlights of the heroes and the enemies, the triumphs  and the failures, the survivors  and the victims of the Holocaust. Another remarkable trait of this tribute is the thoughtful and powerful architectural design of the building. 

The main section of the museum is one long hallway and visitors can see the entrance and exit at the same time when crossing through exhibits. This design represents the resilience of the Jewish people  and  their ability  to  focus  on  the  light  at  the  end  of  the  tunnel  during  a  time  of  pure darkness. In addition to the anecdotes about families fighting for survival and the heroic tales of people  who  bravely saved Jewish lives,  a striking  element  of  the  museum  was  the  Children's Memorial. As a separate building, the Memorial is a dark room made of mirrors, with five candles reflecting off of them, creating a vision of many lights glowing around you, as a voice lists names and ages of young lives tragically lost.

This day was definitely my favorite part of the trip so far. I hope to one day return to Israel so that I may learn even more about the history and culture of the Jewish people. I feel so fortunate to be able to experience this journey with so many amazing people. My connection to Judaism and my passion  for  this  country  has  been  fervently  strengthened  and  I  am  forever  grateful  for  this unparalleled opportunity.   

Rachel Mayman '18
Bus 1295

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