On March 24, 2007, we participated in the workshops organized by the Foundation for the Preservation of the Jewish Heritage in Poland. In my opinion the meeting had a particular character, perhaps because it was a fusion of a vivid discussion on the most important ideas in our life, practical learning of the project planning, and finally a source of many interesting informations about the Jewish culture.

The participants of the workshops were the students of our Middle School, the students of High School in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, and the students of the Middle School in Bieruń. The big advantage of this event was the possibility of expressing our opinions openly, encouraged by the friendly atmosphere and sincere approach of the trainers. During the first, integrative stage of the training they encouraged us to write down three things which are most important for us. Later a stormy discussion started around the subject ‘What’s most important for us?’. Some of us decided, not too originally, that it’s the family, love and friends, but some others tried to persuade everyone that it’s freedom, dreams, or education that count. On the next step we tried to find the answer to the question what skills a human has at birth, and what he acquires during the course of years.A vivid exchange of opinions started, touching such subjects as ‘when our faith is shaped’; ‘are our talent natural, or do we acquire them along with experience’, and so on.  
     After the lunch break we started another exercise, this time it concerned the structure of a shtetl, we also learned some interesting things about orthodox Jews who devote their time to studying the Torah. Such activity is perceived as a great honor. Another point of the plan was to develop in us the cooperation skills; together we tried to find out if it is easier to cooperate in a group, and if we do have a leader who imposes his or her will to the others.
Another task made us laugh; each one of us had to choose a citron fruit, ‘acquaint’ oneself with it, and finally recognize this particular fruit among the others of the same kind. Negative emotions surfaced in some of us, when some of the citron ‘friends’ got lost, but the most interesting thing were the descriptions given by some proud owners to their fruits; some citrons were compared its peel to the cellulite, and its shape to a hump, and so on. During the last phase of the training we were planning a fictional project; our duty was to prepare a detailed plan containing all essential elements, including the search for sponsors, task assignment, drawing the axe of time, choosing the locations etc.Some projects proposed organizing a debate concerning local Jewish communities, writing of an essay, organizing a contest or taking care of the local Jewish cemetery.

In my opinion the workshop was a nice way of spending the first day of the weekend; it seems that not every Saturday spent at school is a waste of time;).