This summer, my family and I took a trip of a lifetime to London and Paris. Leading up to the trip, I was a bit nervous. Given the current rise in antisemitism, Jewish friends had advised us not to wear anything identifying us as Jewish and to avoid Jewish sites. While saddened by this, I tried to focus on the memories I would make with my family.
A day after arriving in London, we traveled on the tube. I was heartened to see an Orthodox man and an Orthodox woman with her infant going about their normal routines. I found myself watching over them to ensure they were safe.
In Paris, we visited the beautiful Anne Frank memorial park. We began our visit at a chestnut tree, which I later learned is a descendant of the one Anne looked at from the Annex window. It was a deeply moving experience.
The next day, while eating near the Panthéon, I noticed a large poster of Marc Bloch. Recognizing the surname from our own storyteller, Anita Bloch, we visited the Panthéon and discovered an entire exhibit dedicated to him. He was a Jewish French Resistance fighter and historian who bravely resisted the Nazis before being captured and killed by the Gestapo. I was incredibly relieved to see a Jewish hero honored in the heart of Paris.
Our final stop was the Pletzl (“little place” in Yiddish), a historic Jewish district that has been home to Jewish people since the Middle Ages. It became a haven for Ashkenazi Jews fleeing persecution in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Walking past the Jewish bookstores, shops, and a Yiddish restaurant operating since 1932, I felt completely at home.
I had mentally prepared myself to see no signs of Jewish life on this trip, but found quite the opposite. Despite the rise in antisemitism across Europe, Jewish life thrives, and the Pletzl remains a place where Jews can always come home.
Jenna, this was such a beautiful and moving piece! I love that you found signs of Jewish life and Jewish memory being preserved without even having to look for it. The Pletzl and memorial both sound wonderful. I am so glad you got to make this trip, and thank you for sharing some of the highlights with us.