From a Holocaust Survivor's Initiative to a Ministry of Education Project: Fredka Mazia and the First Israeli Youth Journeys to Poland 1965–1966

ABSTRACT:The first Israeli youth journey to Poland took place in 1965. Fredka Mazia, a Holocaust survivor, initiated, organized, and led the group. Following a positive public response, the Ministry of Education and Culture organized their own journey in 1966. In 1967, after Poland severed relations with Israel, the government suspended further journeys until the 1980s. In time, they have become a tradition and the focus of several research studies; however, these studies largely ignore both the initial journeys of the 1960s and the woman who initiated them. This article describes Mazia's pioneering role in this project, and the program's impact on the lives of Israeli youths, perceptions of the Holocaust, and Holocaust commemoration.