Left to right: Efim Basin (member of Brest community), Drew Binsky, Rabbi Chaim Abramovitz, Artur Livshyts at the Ekdesh Synagogue, Brest
It just so happened that Artur Livshyts, co-founder and Belarus Country Director of The Together Plan, was on a rare trip to the UK and sitting with Debra Brunner in The Together Plan office when a message popped up on her phone saying ‘You need to see this’. The message came from someone who had recently attended a charity film screening for The Together Plan and knows about the work of the charity. Attached was a screenshot taken from travel vlogger Drew Binsky’s Instagram reel, where he had posted:
“Do I have any friends in Belarus?! I’m soon going to make a story where I’m going to trace down my ancestors’ villages and hometowns etc., and I’m looking for a local English-speaking friend to join me!”
Immediately, Debra turned to Artur, who wasted no time in sending Drew a direct message. A conversation began, and soon enough, plans were set in motion for an incredible journey.
For those unfamiliar with Drew Binsky, he is an American travel vlogger, content creator, and social media influencer renowned for his ambitious feat of visiting every country in the world—a journey he completed in October 2021. Through YouTube and other platforms, Drew shares his experiences, focusing on cultural discoveries, personal connections, and hidden gems around the globe. His content showcases budget travel tips, stories of local people, and explorations of lesser-known places.
This past week, Drew Binsky visited Belarus, with Artur as his guide. Over an exhilarating whirlwind 48-hour journey, they embarked on a deep dive into Jewish history, resilience, and heritage. Their travels took them to:
- Minsk, where they met with Frida Reizman, the Chairwoman of the Minsk Holocaust Survivors’ Association, herself a child survivor of the Minsk Ghetto.
- Novogrudok, to visit the Museum of Jewish Resistance and learn about the courageous acts of those who fought against Nazi persecution.
- Mir, en route to Brest, absorbing the history of the famous Mir Yeshiva and the town’s rich Jewish past.
- Brest, where they visited the Ekdesh Synagogue and met with Rabbi Chaim Abramovitz and visited the facility where 1,250 salvaged remnant gravestones are being stored and which will be incorporated into a new memorial currently under construction.
- The memorial construction at the site of the Brest-Litovsk Jewish cemetery, where they saw first hand The Together Plan’s efforts to honour and preserve the memory of Brest’s Jewish community.
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- Frida Reizman – Chair of the Minsk Ghetto Survivors’ Association
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- A pit stop in Mir for some Belarusian tasties
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- The historic Brest Jewish cemetery memorial under construction
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- The Brest Jewish cemetery memorial under construction
From dawn until dusk, Drew, his cameraman, and Artur traversed Belarus, exploring the country’s profound Jewish heritage. This encounter, sparked by a simple WhatsApp message, stands as a testament to the power of connections, the impact of shared history, and the importance of storytelling in keeping the past alive for future generations.
Stay tuned for more as we continue our mission to support Jewish cultural heritage in Belarus and Drew Binsky puts his next exciting video log together to share his visit to the country!
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- Left to right: Efim Basin (member of Brest community), Drew Binsky, Rabbi Chaim Abramovitz, Artur Livshyts at the Ekdesh Synagogue, Brest
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- Drew Binsky laying tefillin at the Ekdesh Synagogue, Brest
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- The original Ekdesh Synagogue, built before the First World War (in 1884) as a synagogue attached to the Jewish hospital.
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- The Ekdesh Synagogue today Image credit: The Together Plan
Read the article about Drew Binsky’s visit to Belarus by Virtual Brest here
Drew Binsky’s YouTube channel can be found here