I Traveled to Poland

I traveled to Poland to discover my history
I ended up receiving the very brutal truth

I traveled to Poland to discover my history
I became eyewitness to concentration camps that I had only read about in books

I traveled to Poland to discover my history
I slowly stepped through gas chambers and walked among never ending barbed wire

I traveled to Poland to discover my history
I examined grave stones while listening to stories about the righteous

I traveled to Poland to discover my history
I stared in awe at grand memorials that filled the space where mass deaths occurred

I traveled to Poland to discover my history
The words, Am Yisrael Chai, will pervade my lips forever

I traveled to Poland to discover my history
I have acknowledged that the pit in my stomach most likely will not fade

I traveled to Poland to discover my history
Let history not repeat itself, ever again.

Auschwitz 1

About the Author

Shayna Friedman is the Social Media Manager at the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey. A recent graduate from Penn State University where she grew the Student Supporting Israel chapter, she works towards navigating the Social Media realm, exploring what it means to be Jewish and to support Israel in America.