On 5th October our class set on a trip to the Jewish Town in Prague. Although we were supposed to meet at the main train station at 7.30 AM, those most enthusiastic arrived already before 7. We were so excited as usual when it comes to a school trip.
Our enthusiasm was slowly changing into organized chaos as more and more people were joining our group. We jumped into prepared train shortly around 8 AM and the train was gone. The train trip led through villages and towns, spectacular countryside to underground. Everybody wanted to enjoy it. You could listen and join plenty of conversations if you found something interesting to talk about. As far as it wasn´t just your cup of tea you could only sit and sip your coffee and just be plunged into the scenery around. There were meadows, trees, forests and I believe you could even see one or two female roe deer.
After an hour or so we got of the train. The teacher organized us and we suddenly were on the way toward our destination. As we were browsing the streets, time looked to go backwards. Our first stop was Hybernská Street. You could see the buildings from the Middle Ages to Modern times, from simple, to spectacular or modern – National Bank, the Municipal House or the Gunpowder Tower. We went through last mentioned and continued to Old-Town Square. We entered Ungelt, an area where businessmen have spent their time since the Middle Ages. I could feel the atmosphere, could hear coins clinking and a lyre being played. We quickly had a look at Apostle Clock, unfortunately without its famous “theatre”, and continued in our way, which was a guided tour round the Jewish Town.
Our first stop there was the oldest serving synagogue in the world. Despite the fact that our guide was talking about it, nothing looks better then Hebrew signs on the chairs. Although we couldn´t read a word, they looked exactly same as the were carved into sand some thousand years ago. Our nest stop was Pinkas Synagogue which serves as a reminder of holocaust (Šoa in Hebrew). There are names engraved into the walls, of those who were taken away. I was so overwhelmed that my brain couldn´t figure out the differences between the names and all sings looked same to me. It was very strange to see the pictures of the children who were cold-bloodedly murdered. The atmosphere in the building was so thick you could almost feel the victims breathing. The one before last stop was The Old Jewish Cemetery. You couldn´t imagine the vast area full of gravestones. The worst was an idea that even such a huge number of tombstones could cover all the bodies buried there. You could even have 12 bodies on each other. As if the ground has softened somehow. You could feel walking on previous generations.
Our last destination was the Jewish Museum. There was tora. A huge, heavy piece of paper looking like the whole history was described on it. Not even a percentage of the history was there.
We were running out of time so we hurried to the train station. We bought a ticked and went home. I was leaving with a strange feeling I am missing something or is it too much of something? Who knows?
Matěj Dolejš, sexta A, loose translation
