Project Preservation

A student prepares and gathers his thoughts on the bus ride to the synagogue.

The entrance to the sanctuary.

As the sun set for Kabbalat Shabbat, the windows cast beautiful light on the walls.

Rabbi Boraz and a student take a look at the siddurim and other texts donated to the synagogue.

The walls are covered in scenes of Jerusalem and stories from the Torah.

The light streaming through the windows reminds one of the Tablets of the Law.

The windows themselves, again invoking the Tablets. The inscriptions below the windows provide prayer text for worshipers--helpful for those who don't have a siddur.

The sanctuary area, with the post-war mechitza.

Rabbi Boraz discusses the synagogue and service outline with students, making sure everyone's most meaningful prayers are read.

Preparing for services.

Two students carefully close the mechitza, which was a bit fragile.

We make our way into Korczyna's main school.

Waiting excitedly in the hallway.

The town's records department brought out all kinds of birth, death and census documents for us to look through.

Some of the records up close.

Rabbi Boraz and the town's mayor gave short statements about the value of programs like this and remembering our shared histories.

We met with some high school students and shared stories back and forth.

Everyone gathered in front of the school for a picture.

We also went as a group to show the students the cemetery first-hand--it had been forested for so long that many of them did not realise it had ever been a pristine cemetery.