"I couldn’t have imagined the depth and richness"

2026 Study Tour of Lithuania and Poland

by TERRI MOSS

“This trip and its implications resonated so deeply … that its reverberations and value will continue to evolve over perhaps the rest of my lifetime.”

To say that the YIVO study tour of Eastern European Jewish History was a capstone in my understanding and feeling of what it means to be Jewish suggests that, yes, it clearly added that missing piece deep within me. But it also implies that the experience and its impact were finite, which is inaccurate. This trip and its implications resonated so deeply on all sensory levels, including intellectual, emotional, and spiritual, that its reverberations and value will continue to evolve over perhaps the rest of my lifetime. And that’s not hyperbole.

On the superficial end, the trip was logistically well-planned, and the tour leader, Dariusz, added immeasurably not only to our comfort, but also gave color commentary on the history, politics, and culture of Lithuania and Poland, as only a Polish native could. Professor Samuel Kassow was the primary source of knowledge gleaned from decades of study and instruction, nuanced and made real through stories from his personal life. I had never heard of Professor Kassow as we didn’t run in the same circles, but I quickly understood the basis of his reputation and following. He presented a comprehensive view of Jewish history, life, culture, politics, and much more as we toured Lithuania and Poland. I couldn’t have imagined the depth and richness of this learning.

Irene Kronhill Pletka, Vice Chair of the YIVO Board, accompanied our group. Witnessing her targeted, intentional contributions to organizations and museums to ensure a Jewish legacy and reincarnation of Jewish life in Lithuania and Poland was inspirational. I was surprised and motivated by her and the tremendous influence and actions that YIVO has exerted and continues to make to ensure that Jewish history and life in Eastern Europe are preserved and communicated to current and future generations. I cannot recommend this trip enough for people looking to increase their knowledge of their Jewish heritage or Eastern European Jewish history.