Seven Kabbalat Torah students from The Ark Synagogue have been on a moving journey to Prague, Terezin Deportation Camp and Kolin in Czechia, led by Rabbi Aaron Goldstein and Cheder Director Leah Solomon. What began as a history trip became a living testament to Jewish continuity.

The group led a special Shabbat morning in the Kolin Synagogue in front of the Ark that once held one of the Ark’s own Torah scrolls. A local Jewish teenager joined the service, making the moment a symbol of shared faith across generations and borders.

They were able to honour the children of Kolin who were murdered in the Shoah, in Prague’s Pinchas Synagogue, Terezin and when holding Yizkor in the Kolin Jewish Cemetery at the memorial dedicated by their Rabbi Feder, one of the few survivors of Terezin.

The students were inspired by their experiences:
Scarlett said: “I really enjoyed the trip to Prague, seeing all the different synagogues and learning about the history helped me feel more connected to my Judaism and interested in learning more”

And Lila added: “The trip to Prague was an incredible experience and was super surreal. The city looked so beautiful and there was so much history but the shadow of the Holocaust hung over it all. The trip helped me to remember the past and to live positively as a Jew.”

Through visits to Jewish landmarks, community connections and shared reflection, the trip deepened the students’ understanding of the Ark’s Czech Torah story, and their own place in the unfolding story of Judaism.