By David Tulkop

In Auschwitz, silence is more like the loudest scream,
Barbed wire stretching over broken dreams.
The wind, it whispers names forgotten by history,
Each soul a story, a heart out of tune.
Yet, in that darkness, there is a glimmer of hope,
A people too strong to be lost from the view.
The Jewish heart, still beating, is in the news,
Breaking through the echoes of unimaginable suffering.
Majdanek, too, where the shadows are so long,
Tears are locked in a melancholic song.
But there, too, through the smoke and the frustration,
A quiet defiance held onto the air.
They were supposed to be the ones to perish, to be erased,
But hope grew up, no matter the evil.
In whispered prayers, in quiet breath,
They faced the shadow of death.
For the Jewish spirit, it is like a stone it survives,
Through flames, through hatred, it slowly heals.
With this, they rekindled, they walked again,
With the remembrance of men, one engraved to the heart.
Those camps were designed to break the spirit,
To transform human life into ashes and coal.
But even in Auschwitz, in Majdanek's grip,
They carried a hope on the ripped lip.
For every life that was plundered, another lived,
For every loss, a tale that was told again.
In each dark corner, a ray of light beamed,
The Jewish people, always on the go.
The essence of those places, it goes down,
Where are the nightmares born and the angels cry.
But in the face of horror, one finds koach - strength,
A people who are seated on unbroken ground.
Thus, while we tread the paths of the past,
Where are the sorrow and strength that mix vast,
We hold their memory, unyielding and illuminating,
The Jewish people—burned, but alight.

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The Maurer Koach Program  (Koach means "strength" in Hebrew) is experiential and provides exposure and experiences that equip the cohort with tools to educate, lead, and advocate for themselves and others. It is currently in its second year. The program includes 8 monthly interactive sessions, where local, national, and international leaders address current approaches to understanding and combatting antisemitism as well as provide insights into Jewish life, leadership, and social justice. In addition to the sessions, the cohort takes a trip to Poland and Hungry to learn and experience historical moments. This blog is part of a series of reflections from members of the cohort while on this trip.