Experiential learning of history through youth journeys to Poland: Israeli Jewish youth and the Holocaust

National history and collective memory and their impact on adolescents' knowledge and attitudes are the topic of this article. A follow-up study, it examines the longterm impact of a journey to historical monuments. Israeli Jewish high-school students have the option of experiential study, visiting cities and death camps in Poland. The first study, conducted immediately after the journey, revealed greater in-depth knowledge alongside participants' strong emotional reactions, and no impact on Jewish identity. The present study, conducted one to five years later, confirmed the long-term stability of the first results. It also revealed significant differences between recent participants and a contrast group - students who had never undertaken the journey to Poland - although no significant differences were found between veteran participants and the contrast group in most categories. The educational implications of these findings are discussed.