I TRAVEL PASSOVER 7997 Finding Roots Diplomat Continued from preceding page RESORT AND COUNTRY CLUB HOLLYWOOD, FLA. M AR CH 29 - APRIL 6 G G A A T T T T K O S H E R K O S H E R Awl= IND 119 N. PARK AVE. ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. 11570 (516) 766-5140 NB NO ■ •••.- TOLL FREE •■■•■•- .111 ■ 800-221-2791 FAX # 516-764-6991 UNIVERSAL KOSHER TOURS MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA Own an from Oceanfront Condo $ 79, 900 Special Pre•Season Prices Save up to $10,000! Largest Selection on Miami Beach! Luxurious studios, spacious 1, 2 and 3 bedroom condos. 1 and 2 bedroom townhouses. All directly on the b each. • • • • • • 600 ft. White Sandy Beach 24 Hour Security Full Valet Services Marina and Dockage Shopping and Min•market Shul on the Premises • • • • • • Oceanview Health Spa Tennis Court and Pro Indoor Racquetball Jacuzzis Shabbos Elevator Kosher Restaurants in the Area Join us on a "Seeing is Believing" excursion. Share an audio-visual presentation with us in your home or ours. NEW LIFE PROPERTIES 313•9321111 1•800•228•6164 50 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1990 Mission participants look at the rubble of a crematorium at Birkenau. stand. "We were at a death camp, and kids walked out eating ice cream cones," she said. Mission participants left a permanent legacy in Poland presenting books on Jewish topics to the library of the Jewish Historical Society in Warsaw. They also met with leaders of Poland's new government, members of the Catholic Church and the Israeli Am- bassador to Poland. Two American scholars par- ticipated in the trip and led panel discussions on the future of Jews in Poland. After four days in Poland, the group took the first flight ever fromKrakow to Tel Aviv. In Israel, the Detroit par- ticipants visited their Project Renewal city, Yavne. "We saw the results of our dollars," said Ms. Lippitt. The city now has a day care center, an old age home and additional com- munity services because of Detroiters' contributions to Project Renewal. Ms. Perlman's wife, Bar- bara, instituted a pen pal relationship between fourth and fifth grade students at the Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor and students from Yavne. The Perlmans have a daughter who is a fifth grader at the school. Ms. Lippitt said the two parts of the Morasha Mission were diametrically opposed. In Poland, where the average age of a Jewish citizen is 75, the visitors saw the remnants of Jewish life. In Israel, they witnessed the resettlement of Soviet Jews as new Israeli citizens. The emotional highlight for many was greeting a plane of Soviet olim. "We woke up at 4:30 a.m. and were running on such a lack of sleep, but it was so phenomenal," said Ms. Lippitt. "The future for their children is so much brighter just landing on Israeli soil. We were crying; they were crying. This is what Israel is all about," she said. Soviet olim gave a musical performance for the mission. "They had been in Israel nine months or less," Mr. Pearlman said, "and the assembled talent was so out- standing." Mission participants agreed that one of the low points of the trip was witnessing how the lack of tourism is hurting Israel. "We were the largest group that visited Israel the whole fall," said Mr. Perlman. Said Ms. Garfield, "I didn't once feel my security was threatened in Israel. But in Poland when we sat in the synagogue during the wonderful performance, I felt a sense of persecution. I an- ticipated the Gestapo would break in any minute." David Victor, of Birm- ingham, said the trip's itinerary taught an impor- tant lesson: "The best way to see Israel is to go to Eastern Europe first. It puts the significance of Israel into perspective," said Mr. Victor. "To us, Israel , has been a fact since we were born. But to go to Poland first just hits home. The phrase `Jewish homeland' makes a lot more sense." Li California Trip Set For February West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation will offer a seven day trip to Palm Springs and San Diego, Calif., Feb. 15-22. This $899 per person package will include five nights at the Oasis Resort in Palm Springs and a two night stay at the Marriott Suites in Costa Mesa, seven breakfasts, five dinners plus additional side trips. To learn about this vacation package, attend a special film presentation detailing this trip's offerings 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at the parks and recrea- tion office.