Ride for the Living 2018: It's a Wrap!

THANK YOU!

Ride for the Living 2018: It's a wrap!

From this bike...

Starting line at Auschwitz with 200 participants

My ride.

To this! Finish line at the Krakow JCC!

Woo hoo!! YES!!

Took one day to rest my weary tushy! 

Love,

Lynda

111855 (aka Dad): WE DID IT!

KRAKOW JCC

RIDE FOR THE LIVING 2018

DONE! Phew!

From this....

Starting line at Auschwitz ... with 200 participants

My ride.

To this! Finish line at the Krakow JCC!

Woo hoo!!!

I did it on very little sleep - not sure how anyone can sleep before such an undertaking! So when I felt myself starting to nod at the handlebars, I took a break and missed the third quarter of the ride. We bussed to the last segment of the trip and I continued. So all in all, about 40 miles - more than I've ever done in one day in my life on my good bike! I crossed the finish line. 

Dad, we sure showed those bastards not to fuck with us, didn't we?

Taking one day to rest my weary tushy! 

A more thoughtful post to come.

Love,

Lynda

xoxoxo

Englewood Resident to Participate in the Fifth Annual Ride For The Living

55-Mile Fundraising Bicycle Ride from Auschwitz to Krakow on June 29, 2018

Lynda Kraar of Englewood, NJ, will be traveling to Krakow, Poland, to participate in the Jewish Community Centre of Krakow’s fifth annual Ride for the Living during the JCC’s tenth birthday year. Kraar will be joining approximately 200 local JCC Krakow members, staff and friends from around the world to cycle the 55 miles from Auschwitz-Birkenau to the JCC to raise awareness and funds ensuring the future of Krakow’s Jewish community and supporting the 60 Holocaust survivors, as well as their children and grandchildren, at the JCC. Ride For The Living inspires participants to not only remember Poland’s Jewish past, but also to celebrate the miraculous rebirth of Jewish life taking place in Poland today despite all odds.

“What a thrill to be part of the 2018 Ride For The Living, said Kraar, a first-time participant although she is well acquainted with Poland. Kraar serves as North American consultant for the world-renowned Warsaw-based POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, which opened four years ago and has already had 2.5 million visits. 

"The Jewish community that is thriving in Krakow, just a bike ride away from Auschwitz, is quite unfathomable, although its doable," said Kraar.

"The Ride will be especially meaningful for me because my father, who was tattooed in Auschwitz as 111855, walked out of the death camp at the very end of the war, and headed to Krakow to see what was left. After that my father reclaimed his name, Abram Siedlecki. In his memory I am riding with the moniker 111855.

"Today Poland is a welcoming place that is experiencing a Jewish renaissance. I am proud to be a part of the movement, as is my family," Kraar says.

If you are interested in supporting Kraar, please visit: https://jcckrakow.kindful.com/ride-for-the-living-2018/lynda-kraar. More information can be found about the Ride For The Living at www.ridefortheliving.org or by email at ridefortheliving@jcckrakow.org.

About JCC Krakow

JCC Krakow was opened in April 2008 by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, and now serves as the focal point for the resurgence of Jewish life in Krakow with nearly 700 Jewish members. The center provides social and educational services to the local Jewish community, coordinates programming open to the entire Krakow community to foster Polish-Jewish relations and acts as Krakow's Jewish visitor center with over 125,000 visitors in 2017.

The Knesset is just footsteps away from the Jerusalem Bird Observatory. Hey, let’s drop in.

The Knesset is just footsteps away from the Jerusalem Bird Observatory. Hey, let’s drop in.

Solar panels cover much of the roof of the Knesset as part of its "green building" initiative.

Mosaic floor in the spirit of Marc Chagall at the Knesset. — ‎at ‎The Knesset - הכנסת‎.‎

Leon with Mohamad Shmaia

, senior official of the Knesset Director General’s office.

The chamber of the Knesset. — ‎at ‎The Knesset - הכנסת‎.‎

The chamber of the Knesset. — ‎at ‎The Knesset - הכנסת‎.‎

With Leon Sokol at the Knesset.

As part of the Knesset’s green initiative, the roof of the Knesset is lined with solar panels. This building, familiar to so many people from television and the news, serves thousands of people every day. The green initiative has been able to shave off 1/3 of the energy usage. — ‎at ‎The Knesset - הכנסת‎.‎

Russell Rothman looks at original prints by "Psalmist with a Camera" author and photographer Gail Rubin. This gallery at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory is named for the late photographer. Read about Gail Rubin's murder by terrorists and her funeral here. 

At the Jerusalem Bird Observatory: Banding and releasing a few of the millions of birds who fly over Israel

At the Jerusalem Bird Observatory: Banding and releasing a few of the millions of birds who fly through Israel as they migrate to destinations from Saudi Arabia to South Africa.

Volunteer bird bander at work. These identification bands will enable tracking of the birds in years to come as they migrate.

Arriving at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory - right next door to the Knesset! Who knew? What a gem!

Getting an overview on the volunteers, how the Observatory is run, and on the species that can be found here.

Lisa and Michelle enjoying the sun and a spot of tea at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory.

The flight path and where the birds stop along the way.

Michelle gets ready to release a banded bird.

Getting a briefing from Amir Balaban, co-director of the Jerusalem bird observatory and wildlife artist at SPNI.

500 million (yes, you heard that right) fly though Israel on their way to other destinations along the bird flight path.

Amir Balaban with one of the volunteer bird banders at work. Bird whisperers!

A private screening of Who Will Write Our History

A private screening of Who Will Write Our History - a riveting documentary based on the book by Samuel Kassow about Emanuel Ringelblum and the Oyneg Shabbes Archive. Hosted by Katahdin Productions, Match&Spark, and the World Jewish Congress.
http://whowillwriteourhistory.com/filmmakers.html

Renowned Polish actor Piotr Glowacki, center, played the role of Emanuel Ringelblum. He is flanked by Dr. Katja Wildermuth (left) and Ulrike Dotzer, both of NDR Fernsehen (Germany and EU). They flew in from Hamburg for the screening. — at Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN.

Waiting for the screening to begin.

Add captionTeam POLIN! — with Bartek Dymarek.

POLIN Museum director Dariusz Stola, POLIN superstar and one of its founding fathers Marian Tursky and Development Director Marta Wrobel have a chat before the screening.

After the gut-wrenching, powerful screening it took a few minutes for the audience to get up the composure to ask questions. Post-screening panel discussion included producer Roberta Grossman, Jowita Budnik (role of Rachela Auerbach), author Samuel Kassow, Karolina Gruszka (as Judiita Ringelblum), and executive producer Nancy Spielberg. — at Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN.

PTV time with Jolanta Gumula, Deputy Director of Programs. — at Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN.

From the 75th Commemoration of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

Piotr Wislicki with Shana Penn and Sigmund Rolat.

One of the many reporters covering the event. Perfect weather brought out a huge crowd who came to remember and honor the victims and heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto.

With Fay Rosenfeld, Rita Meed,Samuel Norich and Steven Meed.

Hon. Ronald Lauder greeted the crowd on behalf of World Jewish Congress.http://www.news1130.com/2018/04/19/poland-marks-75th-anniversary-of-uprising-in-warsaw-ghetto/ — at Monument To The Heroes Of The Warsaw Ghetto.

Irene Pletka telling a compelling story in her Marek Edelman tee shirt and Ringelblum Archive milk can necklace.

People came by Jan Karski's monument to pay respect with daffodils.

With Rabbi Symcha Keller, a formidable collector of prewar Polish cantorial melodies. He ran the Lodz Gemina until his move to Lublin. I plan to check out his new CD. — at Monument To The Heroes Of The Warsaw Ghetto.

With Irene Pletka and Shana Penn. — atMonument To The Heroes Of The Warsaw Ghetto.

With Marek Kobiec of Wroclaw.

Having a stroll in POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

POLIN distinguished benefactor, visionary, and founding father Sigmund Rolat speaks with Piotr Gliński, Poland’s deputy PM.

With Jonathan Ornstein. Thanks to Kasia Leonardi for taking the photo! Looking forward to doing Ride for the Living with the Ornstein Leonardis and friends this June!