Ambassadors of Goodwill: The Płońsk (Poland) Delegation to Kiryat Motzkin
A summary of a moving and meaningful visit by a delegation from Płońsk, the city of David Ben-Gurion’s childhood, to Kiryat Motzkin. The Visit was rich and diverse, featuring high-quality professional tours that showed the very best of the city’s work. These included visits to schools and a fascinating glimpse into the world of education—from the Ben-Gurion Elementary School through the Junior high schools and the city’s high school. Everywhere they went, the delegation encountered professionalism and innovation.
4.12.2025
The visit of the delegation from the city of Płońsk—birthplace of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister—included distinguished representatives, led by the Mayor of Płońsk, Andrzej Józef Pietrasik, alongside senior municipal officials. The delegation also comprised educational teams from Płońsk’s school, where Ben-Gurion himself studied, and was accompanied by the Ambassador of Poland to Israel, Maciej Hunia.
Upon their arrival in Israel, the delegation was welcomed by the staff of Mashmaut Center, led by the Center’s Director and the Director of Foreign Relations of the Motzkin Municipality, Dr. Lea Ganor. the delegation continued to Ben-Gurion House in Tel Aviv, where a guided tour proved fascinating and generated great interest. The Mayor of Płońsk contributed significantly to the discussion, sharing examples of materials housed in the Ben-Gurion Museum in Płońsk.
The delegation then proceeded to the Polish Institute, where they were received by the Institute’s Director, Magdalena Kukuła. Following their arrival in Haifa, the delegation toured the region accompanied by the Mashmaut Center team, traveling from Haifa through the Krayot and onward to Acre.
The third day of the delegation’s visit featuring a particularly moving meeting with the Ambassador of Poland to Israel, Mr. Maciej Hunia, and the Director of the Polish Institute in Tel Aviv, Ms. Magdalena Kukuła. The morning began with a warm and extensive meeting at the office of Kiryat Motzkin’s Mayor, Tziki Avisar, attended by city council members and the Mashmaut Center team.
Later in the week, the delegation visited Ben-Gurion School, where they were warmly welcomed by first-grade students. The highlight of the visit was the face-to-face meeting between the teachers from Płońsk and Ben-Gurion School, who shared their experience in the Zoom program on Ben-Gurion’s leadership, guided by the Mashmaut Center.
The remainder of the day was dedicated to remembrance at a moving ceremony in Golda Garden, where wreaths were laid at the base of the “Flames of the Holocaust” monument. The Ambassador, the Mayor of Płońsk, Mr. Andrzej Pietrasik, and Mayor Ziki Avisar together planted a pomegranate tree—a symbol of friendship, memory, and shared growth.
From there, the delegation proceeded to Mashmaut Center for the launch of the exhibition "Jewish Sports in Poland Between the Two World Wars". The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Mira Sagi and Dafna Elkobi, daughters of the Maccabi Kraków player Romek 'Motorek' – a historic moment of closure and remembrance.
In this historical commemoration, the birthdays of Holocaust survivors Miriam Harel (101) and Shlomit Ben-Ari (90) were celebrated. Speeches by the Mayor and the Ambassador touched the hearts of all present. The beautiful performance by the Kalanit Club Choir, conducted by Snizana, who also sang in Polish, moved the Polish delegation to tears. Students Maya Gingold and Noa Nahum Moved the audience with their remarkable singing. Students from Yonatan & Rabin Junior High School shared their project "Youth for Holocaust Remembrance" and representatives of the Municipal Youth Council asked the Ambassador questions – proof that the bridges we have built are strong and enduring.
The wonderful delegation from Płońsk did not stop praising and expressing admiration for the visit and the events they experienced. Our heartfelt thanks go to them for the shared partnership, remembrance, and friendship. The visit in Kiryat Motzkin concluded with a tour to the city’s unique zoo and the beautiful municipal theater.
