At Temple Emanu-El, we see travel as a powerful way to connect with Jewish history and our global community. This past winter, our members journeyed from the Czech Republic to Mexico to explore the intersections of Jewish heritage and local culture. We are excited to launch this new series sharing their stories and discoveries.
By Mike Witman
Director of Lifelong Learning
There is something profoundly humbling about sitting in a sanctuary in a foreign country for Friday night worship, surrounded by a language you do not speak, and still feeling completely at home. It’s an experience I have had many times throughout my years leading educational trips for students, and one that our Religious School teens experienced for the first time this winter during our seminar in Prague.
The Shabbat service we attended was led primarily in Czech and Hebrew. Our students could not understand the announcements or the casual conversation around them, and yet, when the familiar melodies began and the Hebrew words rose from the congregation, they joined in. In that moment, something shifted. They realized that even thousands of miles from home, they were not outsiders. Through prayer, through Hebrew, and through the shared tradition of Shabbat, they were insiders—connected, rooted, and part of something far bigger than themselves.
The worship services were just one of many highlights. We visited Prague’s stunning landmarks, including Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, the Lennon Wall, and walked across the historic Charles Bridge. We also immersed ourselves in the city’s incredible Jewish history within the Jewish Quarter, visiting the Maisel, Altneuschul, and Pinkas synagogues. Perhaps most movingly, we stood at Theresienstadt (Terezín) to say the Mourner’s Kaddish for those who perished in the Holocaust.
Since returning home to New York, I have thought a lot about what this trip meant for our students. Julia Gertler, one of the participants, perfectly captured the impact of the journey:
“This trip gave our group an opportunity to learn about our past while being surrounded by our community today,” Julia said. “We were able to have fun while also learning about and reflecting on the history that brought us here.”
It is one thing to discuss Jewish peoplehood in a classroom; it is another to feel it in your body in a Prague sanctuary, hearing the synagogue organ swell and recognizing a melody that feels like home. I am already looking forward to next year, when we travel to Italy. A whole new Jewish world awaits our students, and I can’t wait for them to discover it.
Hit the road with Temple Emanu-El! This October, members are invited to explore Spain on a special interfaith journey led by Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson and Dr. Alyssa Cady. Learn more here.
