English camps 2017

It's hard to summarize English camps. Too much is involved and every week is different. But I enjoy putting together glimpses of each camp. Watch all or 1 or none... :) Though it makes for a tiring summer, I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be involved in these camps and to meet so many amazing people. And I thank God for what He has done this summer.

Week 1: With a missionary family, the Wendel's, who have a camp every year in České Budějovice, a city to the south

Week 2: With the youth from Třináctka, my church

Week 3: With Scripture Union. These camps have been going on for years and years, and so many youth have attended one of these camps.

And for additional entertainment, Kuba and Dan made palačinky (crepes) at the last camp. Adding the video into the week summary made it too long. :)

pieces of Jewish history

One of the very sobering aspects of Czech history is the treatment of Jews from 1939-1945. In the Jewish Quarter of Prague is a memorial to all Jews who were living in the Czech at that time, sent to concentration camps and never returned. There are walls upon walls listing their names and date of birth and death, while a voice reads through the names.  It's quite sobering. Some 80,000 Jews died with no grave to commemorate them, and 153 Jewish communities were destroyed. 

One of 4 rooms this size or larger covered with the names of Czech Jews who died in concentration camps.

Outside of Prague was a holding camp, Terezin, where Jews were sent on the way to an extermination camp. It was portrayed to local communities as a place where families could be together, children could play and get an education. Of course, it wasn't the "holiday" that was advertised. But there was an art teacher there who encouraged the children to express themselves through artwork. Some drew about their homes and Prague and travel. Others drew the treatment and persecution they experienced. 

Showers at Terezin

Life before deportation - persecution and expulsion from the schools

Beyond the Looking Glass - dreams of the children

And then there is a cemetery, the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe, where Jews were buried from the 15th century until the 18th century. Because they were only allotted a certain amount of space, graves were up to 12 layers deep.

Spanish Synagogue, the newest synagogue in Prague on the site of what was probably the oldest synagogue