This "immersive" exploration of Jewish Poland has been developed by JewishGen, Friends of Jewish Heritage in Poland, and The Matzevah Foundation. Based on feedback from our JewishGen Future Scholar Fellows who told us that we should offer a trip geared to "their parents," we are pleased to offer this program in 2023.

The full itinerary is available below.

The journey formally begins in Warsaw on Tuesday, July 11th, with a bus tour of Jewish Warsaw followed by a walking tour of the magnificent Okopowa Street Cemetery, now under intense restoration and preservation of thousands of tombstones (matzevot). The next day in Warsaw includes tours of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews (recognized as one of the finest historical museums of the world) and the Jewish Historical Institute of Warsaw. Thursday includes meeting with leaders of the renascent Jewish communities of Lódz and Kraków. The darkest history of Polish Jewry is examined on Friday at Auschwitz-Birkenau. But the new life of Polish Jewry will be celebrated over Shabbat dinner as part of the world-renowned Jewish Cultural Festival in Kraków. Saturday is officially a day of rest, with optional opportunities for prayer at one of the Kraków synagogues near our hotel in the Kazimierz district, and time for walking tours or independent walks. On Sunday we travel on to Tarnów and then Lublin, where we will tour and then stay at what was the Great Yeshiva of Lublin. Over the following two and one-half days we will work in what is likely one of the most meaningful travel and soul-affecting times of your life. Under the leadership of The Matzevah Foundation, following the guidance of the Rabbinical Commission on Cemeteries in Poland, we will work on the restoration of a Jewish cemetery that has been largely neglected over the past 80 years. Thursday morning will see the group returning to Warsaw's Chopin Airport to conclude the journey.

Optional add-on components of the trip include arriving a day early for a detailed consultation with a professional Polish genealogist in Warsaw, and staying in Poland beyond the group trip for an individual immersive excursion to your own town or towns of ancestral interest within Poland.

To make this an affordable trip, hotels will all be at the 3 or 4 star level, assuring comfort, though not at a luxury cost. Kosher food will be provided through caterers under authoritative rabbinical supervision, with supplementary rabbinically-approved snacks and drinks provided.

The last few days of cemetery work is sure to be meaningful. The Matzevah Foundation has more than a decade of experience in coordinating volunteer projects in Poland. While the work is hard, we have a lot of fun!

The tasks in the Jewish cemetery often consists of clearing of brush, grass, small trees, and other vegetation. Heavy lifting is often involved, though not required for all participants. Each participant is encouraged to work to their maximum personal capacity, but not to exceed that. Our goal is to clean the cemeteries, not to add to their occupancy! There may also be opportunities for the use of equipment such as loppers, weed eaters, and hedge trimmers. 

All levels of strength and expertise are needed.  Our best teams consist of people who arrive with a willing heart and flexible spirit to help accomplish whatever task we might have to do.  Some of our most effective work comes from visiting with local citizens and playing with children as well as using equipment to clear brush or collecting broken matzevah (headstone) fragments.

There is a spot for everyone!

Scroll through these pictures to get a look at the different type of work we do during a cemetery restoration project. 

How Much Does It Cost

Refund Policy, Health Information, Dietary Information

• Given the ongoing security situation in Europe, we will refund 100 % of all deposits if the trip is canceled. A decision will be made in early May.
• Travelers must take out comprehensive insurance for medical and cancellation (including COVID-19).
• COVID-19 proof of full vaccination is required.
• Dietary laws will be observed.
• Meetings with genealogy experts are available for an additional fee

Additional Information

• To express interest in this trip or to request more information, please fill out the Application questionnaire.  We also require two personal references and those can be filled out with the Volunteer Reference form. 

• We reserve the right at any time to exclude from the trip any participant whose conduct is deemed incompatible with the interests of the larger group.
• For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
• Questions may be sent to Neshama@JewishGen.org.

How to Apply