The official start of the Legacy tour began midday Friday, the 24th with a meet and greet of all the participants with introductions around including the introduction of Dariuysz Kyzniar, to be our tour guide during the entire time of schedule tour in Poland. He distributed earphones and receivers to each of us so that we could hear every tour leader quite well without having to stand close –much like the museum audio tours we have all used. Brilliant in conception and well executed.
We will travel by the same quite comfortable, spacious and sleek big tour bus throughout our trip in Poland and started off on this day with a ride to the Jewish district, Kazimierz where we began a walking tour of the neighborhood and visiting three synagogues. We were fortunate to have the much in demand and most engaging, informed and informative guide, Malgorzata Gosia. Gosia spoke clearly, knowledgeably, with humor and a depth of knowledge and lore of the area, its synagogues, a cemetery and other sites. The visits to three synagogues showed us how changes in the character of the houses of worship changed over the years. As it was a bitter cold day –particularly for those of us used to the 50 to 60 degree weather of SF Bay Area, we were happy to choose warm restaurants in the area for lunch. Then back to the bus for a tour of other areas of Jewish significance including the ghetto of World War II, a sighting of Oscar Schindler’s factory, where he lived, and other parts of the city. It was a quick but informative day followed by a dinner at the JCC with many of its local Krakow members, visiting groups from Illinois, the Koret Foundation, and Warsaw, making for a very crowded but joyful gathering capping the day.
Excuse the length of this missive, yet much has happened in Sharon’s and my first two days in Krakow. And, thus far, the trip has been well planned, magnificently organized with great staff support and a superb hotel and bus accommodations. To view more photos from our first days in Krakow, visit the JFCS Holocaust Center’s Facebook Page.
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Admin on October 25, 2014
