As I boarded Ukrainian International Airlines on the way to trace my roots and visit the graves of the righteous, I felt like I was entering a time capsule.
Time has passed, and so much has happened since I was a child in Soviet Russia, yet I feel an undeniable connection to this land where so many righteous tzadikimare buried.
Jews from all over the world and from all walks of life flock to visit the graves of these rabbis whose lives continue to inspire, even hundreds of years after their passing. But by making this journey, I didn’t just pay respect to the lives of the righteous. I discovered my own true self.
My group leader encouraged us to connect with the teachings of each rabbi and learn from their kindness, depth and connection.
We visited the graves of the Baal Shem Tov in Medzhybizh, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berdichev, Rabbi Nachman of Uman, Rabbi Zusha of Anapolia, the Maggid of Mezeritch and Rabbi Natan of Breslov.
As the Lubavitcher Rebbe taught, when we visit the graves of the righteous, we must stop and contemplate how they accomplished such lofty levels of wisdom, selflessness and Torah values.
While visiting each grave, we learned about the lives of the righteous. Listening to the niggunim (chassidic melodies) associated with each one, we immersed ourselves in prayer and meditation. We felt incredibly connected, sensing each other’s positive energy and empathy. An unbelievable feeling of gratitude for the continuity of Jewish people filled my heart. My soul sang as I finished the book of Psalms on Friday night after welcoming Shabbat in Uman.
It was incredibly beautiful to pray for all Jewish people for our shared destiny. I felt that each tzadiktaught me something about myself. The graves of the tzadikim are places of holiness and unconditional love, where one is able to connect and open up to the true essence of one’s beautiful soul and feel tremendous peace. I have never felt such an overwhelming desire to embrace every single person with unconditional love and understanding. This has been one of the most meaningful, spiritual and wholesome experiences of my life.
A second, more personal journey took place during these unforgettable six days. I was able to find the grave of my great grandfather, Ezra Krakopolsky, buried in 1971 in Zhmerinka. When I found his grave, I found my place in the link between generations.
I lit a candle at the grave of my grandfather, Ezra he shochet (ritual kosher slaughterer), who was born in a different world, lived through two world wars and never gave up his commitment to Torah. His house and the synagogue where he prayed still stand, frozen in time.
Born in 1896, he survived the Revolution, communism, wars, hunger, poverty, anti-Semitism, the Holocaust and oppression, yet nothing severed his connection to his faith. He lived and died as a Jew, his body carried for more than two miles by community members to be laid to final rest.
I treasure our history and value the sacrifices made by our people. This makes us into a strong and undefeated nation that can proudly walk in the path of faith in G‑d and remember those who came before us.
Our trip lasted less than a week, yet it felt like a lifetime, and by the end of it I felt completely transformed.
As I drank the water from the well of the Baal Shem Tov, I felt that the knowledge and faith of past generations spilled into my soul. We are truly one. As long as we are connected to the past, we bring the light of those who lived before us into our present, and, of course, into the future of collective Jewish destiny.