I’m indebted to a number of people for their inspiration and guidance over the past fourteen years as I’ve visited Poland asking questions, seeking answers. Their memories, stories, and knowledge has helped me to re-examine my sense of placement and bonds.

I thank Henry Gitelman, Sam Greene, Phillip Garen, and Henry Grynspan for beginning this process when we first met in Chicago in 2005.

My gratitude to Monika Krawczyk (Foundation for The Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland), Wojceich Lygas (The Nissenbaum Family Foundation), and Andrzej Folwarczny (Forum For Dialogue Among Nations) for their help, vision and steadfast example of Tikkun Olam.

I would be remiss not to thank Alicja Mroczkowska from The Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute and Krzysztof Bialawski from Polin Museum for their gracious answers to my many questions over this time.

My thanks to friends in Slawatycze; Jolanta and Ryszard Buczek and their children Leszek and Amelia for their hospitality and warm welcome whenever I show up. The same extends to Dorota Szmydko and her husband Leszek Kielczyk.

Last but not least my immense gratitude to Malgosia Binkowska for making so many of these connections possible by her steadfast patience with me over thousands of miles of travel and thousands of questions about Poland.

Alan Metnick
December 2018