We are pleased to share this Call for Applications for JewishGen’s fifth annual Bennett and Robin Greenspan L’Dor V’Dor Legacy Program for university students, to take place from July 1, 2025 – July 10, 2025.
The deadline for applications is February 21.
The program is open to rising second to fourth year undergraduate students in accredited colleges or universities. and entails a 10-day trip to Poland, where participants will participate in the clean-up and preservation of a Jewish cemetery in partnership with Polish volunteers in addition to visiting Jewish heritages sites in the country and spending Shabbat in Krakow.
The program is run in partnership with The Matzevah Foundation, and Friends of Jewish Heritage in Poland.
There will be a focus on the role of Jewish cemeteries today in preserving the memory and legacy of former Jewish communities. Specifically, an exploration of the symbols and epitaphs on tombstones, the general state of Jewish cemeteries in Poland after the Holocaust, efforts to preserve them from both a communal, political, and Halachic perspective, and consideration of lessons that can be gleaned to inform our own life choices today.
The trip will be led by highly experienced staff and participants will have an opportunity to learn from rabbis, scholars, dignitaries, and community leaders, who will offer first-hand insights regarding the imperative (and challenges) of cleaning-up cemeteries in accordance with Jewish law. They will address how local Polish communities view Jewish cemeteries in their towns, the need to preserve Jewish memory, and more.
In advance of the trip. students will meet with JewishGen genealogists to gain strategies for exploring their roots. Upon returning home, each participant will be expected to record a video, write a blog post, and write an essay describing his or her experience.
The program is nearly fully subsidized, save for a $550 (to be paid upon acceptance and commitment to the program) non-refundable registration fee. All other expenses will be completely covered by JewishGen (including r/t travel from NY, transportation in Poland, meals, lodging, materials, etc). Dietary laws will be observed.
For more information, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions: https://JewishGen.org/LdorVdor/faq.html
Or send questions to [email protected]
Click here to find the full Call and a link to request a registration form
2 comments on “Call for Applications: JewishGen’s L’Dor V’Dor Legacy Program for university students. Jewish heritage education and opportunity to help clean-up and preserve a Jewish cemetery in Poland”
This sounds like a fantastic opportunity for young people. I wish I were younger and I wouldn’t hesitate! Unless you accept a young pensioner perhaps?😉🇮🇱🤞
AMEN!