This summer, University of Tulsa student Mori Kurland will head to Poland thanks to a scholarship from the JewishGen Greenspan L’dor V’dor Legacy Program.
The purpose of the program is to inspire and begin the training of the future generation of leaders in Jewish genealogical involvement with a specific focus on Poland. On this 10-day journey, participants will tour Jewish heritage sites including Warsaw, spend an inspirational Shabbat in Krakow, visit Auschwitz/Birkenau, and ultimately participate in the clean-up and preservation of Jewish cemeteries in partnership with Polish volunteers.
Kurland, a first-year student in UTulsa’s Collins College of Business, said he was inspired to apply for the program out of curiosity about his heritage.
“Most of my immediate ancestors were lucky enough to escape Europe before the horrors of the Holocaust would have reached them, and while I’m endlessly grateful for that, it has left a bit of a personal knowledge gap in my understanding of my Jewish heritage,” Kurland said. “I thought applying could be a great opportunity to connect with the collective memories of the Jewish community that I might not yet know.
“Honestly, receiving this scholarship is life changing. I can’t wait to have this incredible experience, which I’m sure I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
The trip, which is set for July 1-10, will be led by experienced staff, and participants will have opportunities to learn from rabbis, scholars, dignitaries, and community leaders. In advance of the trip, students will meet with JewishGen genealogists to gain strategies for exploring their roots.