Reflecting on Ceremonies and Music

Lighting candles at a
ceremony at Majdanek
Extermination Camp. 

Many times throughout our journey in Poland, we paused to reflect on what we had seen and learned throughout the day and paid our respects to the millions of souls who did not survive the Holocaust, the Jewish faith that was hurt so severely, and we paused to love those around us and those at home waiting for our return.

These ceremonies - celebrations of both life and death - as well as music played a huge role in the March of Remembrance and Hope. A beautiful addition to the wonderful and touching monuments we visited by day.

The ceremonies, which ranged from commemorating the homosexual victims of the Holocaust to welcoming the Sabbath, allowed participants of the trip to take part, read testimonies, sing, and share emotion. On top of this, I was honored and humbled on several occasions when the Jewish faith, or Geraldine's stories and traditions within the Ojibwe First Nations beliefs, was opened up to the group to accept, love and learn about, as well as be active participants through hymns and blessings.

Laying 6 roses at Birkenau in a small ceremony

Our first night in Berlin, we focused on the homosexual victims of the Holocaust through songs of acceptance, and testimonies voiced by participants who are passionate on this subject and lifestyle. This ceremony - short and sweet - complimented by the "choir" of the trip singing True Colours, was the perfect layout for the remainder of ceremonies. Emotional,  but this ceremony allowed us to feel empowerment, pride and a sense of overcoming disparities and prejudices.

The role of music on the program was amazing; powerful, beautiful and respected - and participated in - by all. The ability of one and their capabilities did not matter. It did not matter if you squeaked or squawked, whispered or belted, but together we were one force fighting through the power of words, through the beauty of music. Beauty silhouetted against the ugly, dark history we were studying.

Faigie singing a Hebrew
prayer before Shabbat
dinner, Friday in Warsaw.

We were never alone throughout this journey; there was always someone who offered a hand to hold, a shoulder to lean on, or a soft, gentle, understanding smile. And we had music. Something I have re-discovered the last year or so as something that can soothe and calm me, upset me, but also make me smile. Something with healing powers on it's own; something that can connect two people, create emotion and relationships between them, around them, inside them.

Music offered such peace throughout these ceremonies, whether it was agreeing with the lyrics of Cyndi Lauper's hit, praying for peace as we sang Od Yavo, or getting goosebumps during the Hebrew hymns. It wasn't necessary to know the meaning of what we were singing, what the words meant, or what its significance was. It mattered that this was a shared connection between all 60 of us, between our faiths, and between our hearts. Something I will never forget.

I will never forget the feeling of goosebumps and the shiver that ran down my spine as Pinchas sang a blessing of the children, opening his heart to each of us, putting faith in us and our future's, the future, and allowing us to become part of his religion through this.

We had many ceremonies throughout the course of the trip; some focusing on individuals, others on groups, some unknown, and some with names we recognize. But what I will not forget is that weight on my shoulders each time we bowed our heads and sang, held hands, lit candles, and remembered. A feeling that I cannot explain: it was not a weight, nor was it grief, but it wasn't a feeling of doing good and making a difference in the world. It was a bit of both, tied into a neat bundle and placed on my back for me to carry with me through the trip, to bring home with me, to sit with as I write this post.

Faigie reflecting at a
small gravesite just outside
the town of Tykochin.

Although I wish the ceremonies were not necessary (in the sense that I wish that this chapter in our history did not happen), I found these most powerful, enjoyable, and challenging on the trip. And I cannot wait to continue to let music steer my life, convey my emotions, connect me with others and be the words that I cannot say, myself.

I remember. I will always remember. And I will continue to see beauty...even against the grey sky of these places in Poland.

I'd like to share with you a few links of songs we sang, and videos of ceremonies we had.

- Pinchas singing at Treblinka Extermination Camp. Video by Jemy Joseph,  
     MRH 2011 participant.
- Faigie leading a song on the bus. Video by Leaelle Derynck, MRH 2011
     participant.
- Pinchas welcoming the Sabbath. Video by Leaelle Derynck, MRH 2011 participant.
- Faigie and Pinchas singing at the Tykochin synagogue. Video by Leaelle Derynck, MRH 2011
      participant.
- MRH 2011 "choir" singing Od Yavo. Video by Leaelle Derynck, MRH 2011 participant.
- "We Shall Overcome", a song we sang at our Birkenau ceremony.
- "Lean on Me"

"If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change" - Michael Jackson, Man in the Mirror