Trips to Eastern Europe

Motek

Tue, Jan 31 2006, 8:35 am

Trips to Eastern Europe to the gravesites of tzadikim and famous shuls and cities has become popular since the fall of communism. Have you gone or do you know people who have gone?

What do you think about it?

Would you go, given the opportunity?

What do you think of the cost - I see an ad for a trip leaving July 2 and returning July 14 (12 days which includes traveling there and back) that costs $3650. Do you think it's money well-spent or another excess of our times?

Chanie

Tue, Jan 31 2006, 11:07 am

My father went a few times to the Kever of Elimelech in Lisansk, and he went once on a tour of the Lubavitch Kevarim. My father is not a world traveler, or a big spender, but he finds these trips to be worth while.

stem

Tue, Jan 31 2006, 11:59 am

I'm against the trips to Europe of tours of concentration camps. I feel that those countries who killed and tortured us are now benefiting by all the tourism money that they are making.
About Kevarim, personally, it would make me sick to ever step foot in (Eastern) Europe, but I see why others would find it very spiritual and uplifting. I still feel the same way regarding the tourism aspect of it.

chen

Tue, Jan 31 2006, 12:01 pm

if you have the money, why not? It's not Disneyland or Las Vegas--it's part of our heritage. if we don't show interest in these sites, who will? it's rather like visiting your mother in a nursing home. who do you think will get better care: the one whose family visits several times a week and talks to the staff, or the one who has no visitors?

Natch, if I had the $ for only one trip in my life it would be to EY, but for those who have the money, I say "Go!"

Crayon210

Tue, Jan 31 2006, 12:05 pm

I have been to the camps and some kevarim in Eastern Europe and found it to be most moving and extremely important. Seeing the camps in person really gave me a feeling of witnessing part of the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the kevarim are of course very moving and connect us to tzaddikim, and give us an opportunity to ask them to intervene on our behalf to Hashem...

sarahd

Tue, Jan 31 2006, 1:12 pm

I have been to kevarim in Ukraine, but only because I was there anyways. I can't see myself ever stepping foot onto the blood-soaked ground of Poland or Germany even just for kevarim. Makes me ill to even think of it.

stem

Tue, Jan 31 2006, 1:27 pm

Quote:

I can't see myself ever stepping foot onto the blood-soaked ground of Poland or Germany even just for kevarim. Makes me ill to even think of it.

I agree 100%. Especially when you think of all that tourism money that they are making. I never buy any product that is made in Germany for the same reason, I don't want a penny of my money supporting that country.

Tefila

Tue, Jan 31 2006, 10:28 pm

Quote:

that costs $3650. Do you think it's money well-spent or another excess of our times?

waste of money Rolling Eyes

one could feed or pay for a poor persons rent with that gelt Exclamation

amother

Tue, Jan 31 2006, 10:53 pm

Not sure where they came up with a sum like that. It must be a real elaborate trip , gourmet meals, elegant hotels (?!), luxury travel etc..
My DH did it twice, it cost him under $800.00.
for that price it was definately worth visiting kever avos.

gryp

Tue, Jan 31 2006, 10:59 pm

I would love to go if I didnt have other responsibilities. I'm sure theres a lot to be gained from those places. going to the kvarim must be a very special experience, and I would force myself to go to the concentration camps too, although I know it would traumatize me.

it is expensive though. perhaps going free can be a prize in a chinese auction. Wink

Crayon, youre so lucky you went.

Crayon210

Tue, Jan 31 2006, 11:26 pm

I went before I was married, and I am so glad that I did it...

The trip may be expensive because in certain countries (like Poland), you really have to stay in nicer hotels because anything that's not really fancy can be really scuzzy and not where you'd want to be...I don't think it's like in the States where you can stay at a Motel 6 and feel safe and calm...

chen

Wed, Feb 01 2006, 11:27 am

Tefila wrote:

Quote:

that costs $3650. Do you think it's money well-spent or another excess of our times?

waste of money Rolling Eyes

one could feed or pay for a poor persons rent with that gelt Exclamation

you could (and maybe should) say the same about any expensive item. Those $750 earrings could buy complete shabbos provisions for one week for 5 needy families; that $3500 sheital could put a child through cheder for 6 months; a $5000 engagement ring could buy a used car and enable an unemployed father to take a job in a location not served by public transportation; that $30,000 chasuna could support a kollel family for a year...

suomynona

Mon, Feb 27 2006, 8:39 am

I went on an Eastern Europe tour for $1000 (or maybe it was $1100) excluding airfare which was about $900.
The hotels we stayed in were quite decent, but most did not have air conditioning & it sure was HOT. The food situation was nothing to write home about either. These really expensive tours probably provide much better food & accomodations.

I always wanted to see the places where the Jews used to live & I'm glad I had the opportunity.
Alot of the girls who went on my tour, though, were just going instead of a vacation to Israel (because Israel was considered unsafe a few years ago) & they acted like it was just another year of camp. We actually did do some fun site seeing, but in some places we went, their attitude was very inappropriate.

imale

Thu, Mar 02 2006, 8:50 am

My family went on a tour to all the Holy kvarim in Ukraine, they were all so moved by it that for weeks after they came back, they were still under the impact. unfortunate for me I was 9 months preg, and was not allowed on any flight Sad