Auschwitz-Birkenau : témoigner
November 17th - November 23, 2024
Depuis que Bernie Glassman, Jishu Holmes, Eve Marko et Andrezej Krajewski ont commencé la retraite annuelle Bearing Witness sur l’ancien site des camps de la mort d’Auschwitz-Birkenau à Oświęcim, en Pologne, en 1996, les Zen Peacemakers reviennent depuis plus de vingt-cinq ans pour continuer à témoigner de l’unité dans la diversité, dans le lieu qui est devenu un symbole mythique de la tendance de l’humanité à l’intolérance. Ces retraites annuelles ont fait l’objet de nombreux écrits et d’au moins une demi-douzaine de films dans différentes langues. Ne se limite pas aux bouddhistes, aux membres Zen Peacemakers, ou seulement à ceux qui ont été touchés par le lieu et le récit qui l’entoure – la retraite à Auschwitz-Birkenau est ouverte à tous, est multiconfessionnelle et multinationale, et a un fort accent sur le Les trois principes des artisans de la paix zen : ¹Ne pas savoir , ²Témoignage , et ³Prendre des mesures qui découlent de l’ignorance et du témoignage.
La majeure partie de la journée est passée assise près des voies ferrées de Birkenau, à la fois en silence et en chantant les noms des morts. Nous parcourons les vastes camps, effectuons des veillées et des services commémoratifs à l’intérieur de la caserne. Les participants se réunissent quotidiennement dans de petits groupes du Conseil conçus pour créer un lieu sûr où les gens peuvent partager leurs expériences intérieures, et les programmes du soir sont spécifiquement conçus pour répondre aux besoins de l’ensemble.
Au fil des années, la Retraite d’Auschwitz, événement annuel phare de Zen Peacemakers, est devenue le lieu de rassemblement des Zen Peacemakers du monde entier.
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Auschwitz-Birkenau
Bearing Witness Retreat Info
Registration Information
Registration
What Does The Retreat Fee Pay For?
Fundraise Your Tuition/Mala Practice
Cancellation Policy
To register, please (Click Here) and fill out the Auschwitz Participation Form. This form provides important information when purchasing your Retreat Ticket. Once submitted you can proceed to payment options.
Retreat Fee: $1195.00 (USD)
Early Registration ($100 Discount before April 1st): $1,095 (USD)
The retreat fee finances the administrative and logistical costs of the retreat such as transportation, lodging, food, tour guides, and travel of staff, as well as towards the year-long administration of the retreat by ZP staff. It contributes to honorariums and travel costs needed to bring select guests, scholarships for local participants, those of diverse backgrounds and those with limited means.
For Travel Purposes:
TRANSPORTATION: The Retreat Fee includes all transportation to and from Oświeçem (post retreat drop off includes Krakow airport, train station and main square).
LODGING: The Retreat Fee includes room and board while in Oświęcim (Monday through Friday). Your dormitory room at the Dialogue Center in Oświęcim, where we will stay during the retreat, is fully included in your fee. You will have an option to upgrade to a Double or Single Room for an additional cost.
The Retreat Fee does not include travel to/from Krakow or lodging in Krakow. Participants will need to make reservations for Sunday, 17th of November or after the retreat (Saturday, 11/23).
In general, Bearing Witness Retreat Fees pay for:
- Accommodations and meals during the retreat
- Transportation during the retreat
- Honorariums, travel and lodging costs of key figures and presenters
- Scholarships for potential leaders at future bearing witness retreats and those with limited means
- Pre-retreat planning and development
- Logistical and administrative costs of international staff (some staff work as a volunteers and are unpaid)
2,500 years ago, it was the practice of the lay congregation to support monks through donations of food and clothing. Shakyamuni Buddha led his monks each morning in the practice of begging for their daily food. Each day’s offering was received with thanks regardless of its nature or size. In this way the Buddha encouraged simplicity, the generosity of both giving and receiving, and undiscriminating appreciation.
We continue this begging practice by raising support for our work by assembling a mala, or beads that are strung together and worn like a necklace. Each bead represents a person who supports that member’s vision and work, and the entire mala represents the Member’s community of support.
This is a practice of giving and receiving. By asking for support from family, friends, and associates, we acknowledge that as individuals, we are limited in what we can do. We depend on the generosity of others to increase our membership, train more peacemakers, and develop and support more programs. This is one more way in which we bear witness in the interdependence of life.
Another important aspect of mala practice is the incorporation of the ministry of money in our program. The assembly of malas ensures that money management and fundraising are not seen as foreign to peacemaking work; instead, the give-and-take of money is the compassionate, unobstructed flow of energy that nourishes and transforms our activities.
Mala practice also gives us the opportunity to share our work with our families, friends, and associates. Most of us lead professional work lives and have families. By raising money for our Socially Engaged Buddhist work, we publicize its activities, and most important, our own commitment. By wearing the beads we have assembled, we take our supporters with us in our peacemaking endeavors and on Bearing Witness retreats such as at Auschwitz, thus making family and friends an intimate part of this peacemaking journey.
Assemble a mala (not from your personal funds) consisting of 18 small beads and one Buddha (large) bead or one of 108 beads and dedicate each bead to each of your donors. Beads from individuals or from groups or families are equally appreciated. When they offer a bead, they will be working, training, studying and traveling with you wherever you go.
If the retreat is canceled by Zen Peacemakers International (ZPI), the retreat fee will be fully refunded.
If it is canceled by the registrant after July 1st and before October 1st, the fee can be refunded after the $100 administrative fee.
If it is canceled by the registrant before October 15th, the fee can be refunded after the $300 cancelation fee.
The Retreat Fee becomes non-refundable if it is canceled by the registrant after October 15th.
All refunds are normally processed within 60 days of the notification of cancellation.
Please be reminded that if you requested an upgrade to your room reservation, the upgrade fee may not be refundable after a certain date. Please check with ZPI staff at retreats@zenpeacemakers.org.
Informations sur la retraite
ARRIVAL: Please arrange to attend the Arrival Registration in Krakow, Sunday November 17th, between 6:00 – 7:00pm. All Participants will need to book their own hotel room for November 17th (see below for options).
DEPARTURE: Please make travel arrangements to leave from Krakow Airport (KRK) or train station no sooner than 12pm on November 23rd. Shuttles will take all wishing participants from the retreat’s site and drop off 1st at Krakow airport, 2nd at train station and 3rd at city center by 12pm.
Travel Encouragement:
Arrive a few days before to adjust after your travel, explore beautiful Krakow and leave at least a day later to allow integration of your retreat experience before returning home.
When you participate in a Bearing Witness retreat, you enter a carefully crafted container held by various teams:
Spirit Holders learn and listen to the pulse of the retreat during the retreat, and adjust the schedule accordingly. This role is specific to the retreat they have been chosen for. They review the retreat structure and schedule and make recommendations for changes. The Spirit Holders include (1) individuals whose lives are deeply infused with the place and theme of the retreat, (2) Zen teachers or Masters with extensive experience in the practice and teaching of the Three Tenets and (3) Those with a particular role, such as Head of Logistical Staff and Head Council Trainer.
Staff serves the needs of the retreat and its participants by translating the direction of the spirit holders into action. Our staff consists of local people and highly trained ZPO members.
Council Facilitators lead the daily council groups- sharing circles that give space for sharing one’s experience of the retreat with others.
Elders are past retreat Spirit Holders who have transmitted their role to another and hold years-worth of insight from experiencing, practicing and leading at ZPO Bearing Witness retreats. They participate informally and offer the retreat administrators and current spirit holders feedback on the flow and pulse of the retreat. They are available to everyone as a resource before, during and after a retreat.
The Administration Team develops, plans and manages the budget, marketing and schedule for each retreat from its inception to the actual start of the retreat. They continuously evaluate and determine whether a retreat is financially feasible.
Dialogue Center Staff maintains our lodging facilities, prepares and serves our hearty and healthy meals.
Celebration of diversity has been a hallmark of the Zen Peacemakers Bearing Witness Retreats and in particular at Auschwitz-Birkenau, once a symbol of extreme intolerance towards others. Through the years the Zen Peacemakers have hosted countless nationalities, faiths and ethnicities on the retreat. Donations can be extended towards those from diverse backgrounds to contribute to the multifaceted experience of the retreat. Donations will also ensure the attendance of those challenged financially to gather the cost of tuition.
Scholarships are available to individuals on a personal basis, are reviewed by ZP Staff. If you are interested (or require) a scholarship, please email info@zenpeacemakers.org for details.
Memorial Candles are available for suggest donation of $18 per candle. During the retreat, there will be a dedicated time to receive and present your candle.
Donations can be made at the time of registration or online on our Donation Page. Please add ‘Candle & Diversity Fund’ in the comments.
Zen Peacemakers, Inc. is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization for your tax purposes.
Not Knowing, Bearing Witness and Taking Action that arises from Not-Knowing and Bearing Witness. These are the principles of the Zen Peacemakers and the foundation for the Auschwitz/Birkenau Retreat.
This optional workshop is an experiential introduction to these principles, led by the retreat staff. This is a rare opportunity to explore together with seasoned practitioners and their years of experience in plunges and bearing witness retreats.
It will take place at the Hotel Royal Krakow on Saturday, November 16th, from 10:00am till 4:00pm (with a break from noon to 2:00pm). The cost of this one-day workshop is $200. Your fee supports the expenses of the retreat and contributes to scholarships available to those of limited means. Registration for the Three Tenet Workshop will be an option during Event Payment. You may register for this event separately until November 14th.
Kraków
Jewish History Path – 1 day tour, but if you do not have much time you can just visit the most significant places (marked in bold )
A map of these locations can be found HERE
Kazimierz District:
1. The Old Synagogue, 24 Szeroka Str.
2. The Small Synagogue (Popper Synagogue), 16 Szeroka Str.
3. The New Synagogue (Remu Synagogue, the only active synagogue) with the old Jewish cementery, 40 Szeroka Str.
4. The new Jewish cementary, 55 Miodowa Str.
5. The Temple Synogogue, 24 Miodowa Str.
6. Jewish Square (Plac Żydowski) take Estery Street
7. The Kupa Synagogue, 8 Warszauera Str.
8. The Izaaka Jakubowicza Synagogue, 16 Kupa Str.
9. The High Synagogue, 38 Jozefa Str.
10. Galicja Jewish Museum, 18 Dajwor Str.
Take: Saint Wawrzynca Str., Gazowa Str. and Podgorska Str. to 11
11. Kladka Bernatka Bridge, Podgorska Str.
Podgorze District:
12. Plac Bohaterów Getta – Square of the Heros of the Ghetto
Take Jozefinska Str. and Targowa Str.
13. Museum “Apteka pod Orłem” – The Pharmacy under the Eagle
18 Plac Bohaterów Getta
Take street: Na Zjeździe, Kącik and Lipowa to
14. Schindler’s Factory Emalia – Museum, 4 Lipowa Str.
Hotel Royal will be the central home-base for our retreat in Krakow and we recommend you stay there. Participants are responsible for paying their own bill before departure from the hotel.
Hotel Royal Krakow
26-29 Saint Gertruda Str.
phone: +48 12 421 35 00
http://hotelewam.co.uk/510-hotel-royal-krakow.html
Other Hotels:
Hotel Campanile Krakow
34 Saint Tomas Str.
phone: +48 12 424 26 00
http://www.campanile-cracovie.pl/pl
Aparthotel
13 Grodzka Str.
phone: 0048 662 099 640
http://www.aparthotel-cracow.com/
Hotel Pollera
20 Szpitalna Str.
phone: 0048 12 422 10 44
http://www.pollera.com.pl/pl,kontakt.php
Hotel Polski pod Białym Orłem
17 Pijarska Street
phone: 0048 12 261 38 30
http://www.donimirski.com/hotel-polski
Hotel Wenzl
19 Main Square
phone: 0048 12 430 26 64
http://wentzl.pl/pl/contact.html
Cafe Młynek B&B
7 Plac Wolnica, Kazimierz District
phone: 0048 12 43 06 202
http://cafemlynek.com/
Budget Lodgings:
Goodbye Lenin Revolution Hostel
9 Dolnych Młynów Street, Kazimierz District
phone: 0048 12 421 20 30 or 0048 12 341 46 66
http://goodbyelenin.pl/
Trzy Kafki Hostel
29 Aleje Slowackiego
phone: 0048 12 632 94 18
www.trzykafki.pl
Ressources
Ka-Tzetnik 135633, Shivitti: A Vision (A must read – recommend by Bernie Glassman)
Primo Levi, Survival in Auschwitz (also published as If This Is a Man)
Elie Wiesel, Night
Etty Hillesum, An Interrupted Life: The Diaries of Etty Hillesum 1941- 1943
Charlotte Delbo, Auschwitz and After
Claude Lanzmann, Shoah – An Oral History of the Holocaust
Jean-Francois Steiner, Treblinka
Wladyslaw Szpilman, The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man’s Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945
Ka-Tzetnik 135633. Kaddish
Rudolf Hoess, Commandant of Auschwitz: The Autobiography of Rudolf Hoess
Primo Levi, The Drowned and the Saved
Jean Amery, At the Mind’s Limits: Contemplations by a Survivor on Auschwitz and Its Realities
Helen Epstein, Children of the Holocaust: Conversations with Sons and Daughters
of Survivors
Lawrence L. Langer, Admitting the Holocaust: Collected Essays
Lawrence L. Langer, Holocaust Testimonies: The Ruins of Memory
Simon Wiesenthal, The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness
Kathleen Battke (ed.), Pearls of Ash & Awe. 20 Years of Bearing Witness in Auschwitz w/Bernie Glassman & Zen Peacemakers
Laurence Rees, Auschwitz: A New History
Literary Works
Tadeusz Borowski, This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen
Yaffa Eliach, Hassidic Tales of the Holocaust
Markus Zusak, The Book Thief
Nicole Krauss, The History of Love
Bernhard Schlink, The Reader
Ursula Hegi, Stones from the River
Son of Saul (László Nemes; Hungary 2015)
Schindler’s List (Steven Spielberg; USA 1993)
The Pianist (Roman Polanski ; Poland, France, Germany, UK 2002)
Elle s’appelait Sarah (Sarah’s Key) (Gilles Paquet-Brenner; France 2010)
La vita è bella (Life is Beautiful) (Roberto Benigni ; Italy 1997)
Lore (Cate Shortland; Australia, Germany, UK 2012)
Au revoir les enfants (Goodbye, Children) (Louis Malle; France 1987)
Sophie Scholl – Die letzten Tage (The Final Days) (Marc Rothemund ; Germany 2005)
Nuit et brouillard (Night and Fog) (Alain Resnais ; France 1955 – documentary)
The Labyrinth (Jason Schmidt 2010 – documentary) Memory, art and hell collide as an Auschwitz survivor finally confronts the horrors of his past after 50 years of silence.
Collection of Past Retreat Writings
From the ZPI Journal
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Covid Information
Nous soutenons les préoccupations de nos participants en matière de sécurité et nous demandons à toutes les personnes qui s’inscrivent de fournir une photo de leur carnet de vaccination Covid. Bien entendu, nous suivrons également les règles Covid en vigueur au moment de la retraite sur place. Chaque pays peut avoir des réglementations différentes et des types de certificats requis pour l’entrée/la sortie/la ré-entrée à des moments différents. Par exemple, certains pays ont exigé une preuve de test négatif (avec un test d’antigène ou un test d’amplification d’acide nucléique (TAAN)) 3 jours avant la rentrée. Cela peut changer, mais les participants sont priés de se tenir au courant des mises à jour de la réglementation pour leur destination. Veuillez noter que les frais d’examen ne sont pas inclus dans les frais de retraite. Bien que les coûts soient couverts personnellement, nous aiderons à rendre ce service accessible.
Veuillez vous tenir au courant des restrictions de voyage dues au Covid-19 et organiser judicieusement vos préparatifs de voyage, en achetant soit un billet entièrement remboursable, soit une police d’assurance voyage, soit les deux.
Questions concernant le programme de retraite : lilli@zenpeacemakers.org
Questions concernant l’inscription et le paiement de la retraite : info@zenpeacemakers.org