On February 19th we visited the brand new Jewish Fighters of WWII Museum in Latrun. This is not just another WWII or Holocaust Museum. This was truly something special and if you haven’t been, I strongly suggest you arrange a visit and you need to take your family and friends. This told the story of the thousands and thousands of brave, inspirational, strong willed Jewish men and women who enlisted, even when they didn’t have to, to fight the forces of evil. It highlights the astonishing acts of true heroism from Jewish men and women who created or joined partisans, fighting under conditions that left me wondering how they managed to keep going and keep hope alive.
I won’t spoil the museum further by letting you know about the last gallery – I didn’t need another reason to feel immense pride for my country but that is how felt on leaving. Uplifted and proud. I didn’t bring enough tissues with me. I personally, have already arranged to go back with my family, this is history that needs to be remembered.
After a break for lunch, we travelled to Khan Sha’ar Hagai, where we continued exploring Jewish heroism and the amazing story of the building of the Burma Road during Israel’s War for Independence – a road built to bypass the Arabs and get vital supplies to Jerusalem. This was a perfect follow up from the Jewish Fighters of WWII Museum and I highly recommend visiting both on the same day. To think that so many who fought in our War of Independence, had come from war torn countries, had lost many family members, in some cases their entire family, and yet they had such grit and determination, and were brimming with hope and courage. They fought for us, the future that many never got to see but made our lives today possible.
If you missed out on this tiyul, don’t miss out on the next one – be sure to sign up to our mailing list by emailing me olivia@ibca.co.il. If you’re on the fence about joining IBCA, be sure to check out our events page to see our past events and our upcoming events!
