Germany?!

Well I’m back.  Most of you didn’t know I was leaving, and for that I apologize.  The rest of you know that I’ve been in Germany for the past couple of weeks.  I mooched another trip out of YU.  

This makes three.

People ask, “Why Germany?”  And I agree, it wouldn’t be my first choice for a vacation.  Especially this time of year, it was so cold.  I first applied for the trip because it was free.  They could have sent me to the Czech Republic; I didn’t care.  

I’m not choosy when someone offers me a free trip.

In retrospect, though, anywhere else would have provided only a mediocre experience.  We had an amazing time, and I think it’s because Germany provided such an intense experience.  Our group went to a concentration camp on Thursday, and then sang and danced in a shuel on Friday.  

We snow shoed in the Alps, spoke with German Jewish college students, met with the education ministers about holocaust education, and toured Munich and Berlin.  But more enjoyable than any of these activities was getting to know the group of YU and Stern students who came along for the ride.  

They made the trip the incredible experience I’ll remember.

We had as much fun on a seven-hour train ride as when we did any of the other activities.  At first, I thought we could have been anywhere and cohered as well.  In thinking back, though, only in Germany could we have become “The A Team” and eventually, “The Gemeinda”.  The intense experiences we shared were bonding.  

I’m curious to know how the Honduras group fared.



Stay tuned for photos and stories.  And good luck with the first days of class.