We landed early this morning in Ben Gurion Airport and arrived at our hotel at 6 am. After a brief rest, we participated in a fascinating session with two well known journalists: David Landa, former editor in chief of Ha'aretz and Yossi Klein HaLevi, a senior writer for the Jerusalem Report.
The two discussed the contemporary political scenario in the State of Israel, dealing with issues ranging from the election to the Palestinian conflict and the looming threat of a Nuclear Iran. Fierce debate ensued between our speakers as to the correct course of action for the future – they posed the question, do we focus first upon the threat abroad in Iran or on the inner threat at home? One consensus seemed to have emerged; that politically, the core citizenship of the Land of Israel is neither on the extreme left nor on the right, and thus the outcome of the new coalition, should it be formed, will have reflect this reality.
We then had lunch and witnessed an incredible program, funded in part by the JNF, Susan’s House. Susan’s House is an artist’s workshop for troubled teens. Many of the young artists come from broken homes, past drug addictions and histories of theft and abuse. The program’s leaders help identify teens who are struggling with these problems and who have an artistic bend. We looked at the beautiful crafts that are being produced and interacted with a few of the young women who were working on their projects. The children also recieve regular private therapy if needed to help them boost their self confidence and self worth. What was most fascinating to me was that they displayed true talent in their work, it was not a chesed project, or a halfway house, but an honest way of bringing out the genuine skill set and interests in young adults who would have otherwise been lost. One of the core values of Judaism is the performance of acts of Chesed. According to our Sages, these acts of Chesed are considered far more valuable when they enable the recipient to develop their own talent and earn a living themselves; notwithstanding the beautiful art work and crafts, Susan’s House accomplishes precisely that.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Day 3 – Tuesday, February 17, 2009
We started our day with an excursion to the town of Pilsen. And though we did indeed visit the famous brewery, we began with a few Jewish locations first.
We met a young woman, Jana and her husband Boruch, who both converted to Judaism and have dedicated their lives to the Jews of Pilsen, and their community. Unfortunately not much but a couple of breathtaking synagogues remain of this once bustling Jewish epicenter.
One of the synagogues that we visited was the second largest in all of Europe. The shul, now empty, in a state of disarray, needs millions of dollars in repairs, and is impossibly cold during the winter. However, the shul was temporarily warmed up as we participated in a shiur led by the Av Beit Din
, Rav Gedalia Dov Schwartz. We then moved onto the castles of Prague, cloistered off in an exclusive area near a covenant and Governmental buildings. We even walked through a famous alleyway where Kafka used to sit and write in a local café. That café is now a bookshop, selling Kafka’s works, among others.
Finnally we had dinner at the Israeli Consulate, and met with the Consul General, learning about some of his important work here in the Czech Republic.
And now… it is off the Artzeinu Hakedosha – we will be arriving in the early morning at Ben Gurion International Airport.
Shalom and good night,
Rabbi Gelman
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Day 2 -Tuesday, February 17, 2009
My roommate and I, Rabbi Zvi Engel, received an early wakeup call from the front desk, and after joining the group for Shacharit we then grabbed breakfast at one of the two kosher restaurants in Prague (not only is it special to be in a European city with kosher restaurants, but the food is pretty good as well).
It was time to begin what was no doubt going to be a heavy day in Prague. It has been snowing lightly on and off, not too different than the weather in Skokie this time of year.
By 8:00 am we had departed for Terezin, a concentration camp also known as Theresienstadt.
Once a military fortress between the years 1780 and 1790, it was constructed by the orders of the Austrian emperor Joseph II in the north-west region of Bohemia. It was designed to be a component of a projected but never fully realized fort system of the monarchy. Terezín took its name from the mother of the emperor, Maria Theresa of Austria who reigned 1740–1780. By the end of the 18th century, the facility was obsolete as a fort; in the 19th century, the fort was being used to accommodate military and political prisoners.
During the dark era of the Holocaust – Jews from Prague, Austria, some areas in Germany were brought to Terezin, thus becoming a concentration camp. Some of the parts were kept in “nice” condition as it was used as a display camp in order for the Nazi’s to model for the Red Cross the way they care for the inhabitants. They went so far as to print up a currency, and frequently featured plays and musical recitals as well. We met with a survivor of the camp, named Elsa Levitska, who showed us around the different quarters and offered us a complete history of the Terezin. Like most of the Jews who passed through her walls, Elsa eventually was transferred to Auschwitz, where she spent only a number of days at the end of the war.
As I mentioned, much of Terezin was a façade, so much so, that most of the prisoners were unaware of what was going on the outside. As a few transfers of Polish children came to the camp, they quickly spread the word… “they were murdering Jews in Auschwitz”. So sheltered were the inmates by the lies of the SS, that this was simply unacceptable to many. Upon exiting the camp we realized how true the stories were first hand. Though Jews were not murdered en-mass in Terezin, and most were shipped off to death camps, still, 33,000 died of starvation and disease, their bodies burnt in a crematorium built outside Terezin’s walls.
Most impressionable was the fact that there were several hidden synagogues that existed, nestled in little hidden attics and basements. We entered one such synagogue, together sang a song or two. The synagogue was built in a dark cave-like structure under a building, remarkably there were Jewish verses of hope, faith and connection to God crudely painted on the walls and ceiling.
It was time to begin what was no doubt going to be a heavy day in Prague. It has been snowing lightly on and off, not too different than the weather in Skokie this time of year.
By 8:00 am we had departed for Terezin, a concentration camp also known as Theresienstadt.
Once a military fortress between the years 1780 and 1790, it was constructed by the orders of the Austrian emperor Joseph II in the north-west region of Bohemia. It was designed to be a component of a projected but never fully realized fort system of the monarchy. Terezín took its name from the mother of the emperor, Maria Theresa of Austria who reigned 1740–1780. By the end of the 18th century, the facility was obsolete as a fort; in the 19th century, the fort was being used to accommodate military and political prisoners.
During the dark era of the Holocaust – Jews from Prague, Austria, some areas in Germany were brought to Terezin, thus becoming a concentration camp. Some of the parts were kept in “nice” condition as it was used as a display camp in order for the Nazi’s to model for the Red Cross the way they care for the inhabitants. They went so far as to print up a currency, and frequently featured plays and musical recitals as well. We met with a survivor of the camp, named Elsa Levitska, who showed us around the different quarters and offered us a complete history of the Terezin. Like most of the Jews who passed through her walls, Elsa eventually was transferred to Auschwitz, where she spent only a number of days at the end of the war.
As I mentioned, much of Terezin was a façade, so much so, that most of the prisoners were unaware of what was going on the outside. As a few transfers of Polish children came to the camp, they quickly spread the word… “they were murdering Jews in Auschwitz”. So sheltered were the inmates by the lies of the SS, that this was simply unacceptable to many. Upon exiting the camp we realized how true the stories were first hand. Though Jews were not murdered en-mass in Terezin, and most were shipped off to death camps, still, 33,000 died of starvation and disease, their bodies burnt in a crematorium built outside Terezin’s walls.
Most impressionable was the fact that there were several hidden synagogues that existed, nestled in little hidden attics and basements. We entered one such synagogue, together sang a song or two. The synagogue was built in a dark cave-like structure under a building, remarkably there were Jewish verses of hope, faith and connection to God crudely painted on the walls and ceiling.
Among the other stops of the day were the Charles Bridge, and the Old Town Square, two locations that tell a tale of woe and persecution towards our brethren. I will share with you these fascinating yet painful tales from the middle age upon my return.
Thoroughly exhausted… have a great night,
Rabbi Gelman
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Day 1 – Monday, February 16, 2009
I am pleased to be sharing with you some of my reflections of my trip to Prague – I want to thank those of you who encouraged and enabled me to attend this important mission.
On the mission are 35 colleagues from around the Chicago area, representing synagogues and organizations of differing backgrounds and denominations. The mission is led by Rabbi Yechiel Poupko, and chaired by Rabbi’s Zev Shandalov and Sidney Helbraun. We are uniquely privileged to have on the trip Moreinu Harav Gedalia Dov Schwartz, the Av Beit Din of the CRC.
After flying for approximately 8 hours, we had a brief stopover in the Frankfurt Airport. I must confess, having never taken a German airline before, or even stepping foot in Germany, the stopover was profoundly jarring for me. Just to hear announcements in German, harmless as they were, conjured up some painful images. Words that are perfectly normal in the German vernacular have become tainted for us, such as Achtung, a word that we heard blasted several times over the loud speaker. Not at all relevant for this trip, but perhaps it is a lesson about the implications of actions – a terrible act can create horrific associations for the human mind, such that, even a kind word uttered at a later date will become easily misconstrued.
One hour later, we were on a connecting flight to Prague, and in no time landed, and prayed Shacharit at the airport.
We began in the Pinkas Synagogue:
It was built on the location of an old 15th century synagogue, after the synagogue in the German town of Regensburg had been destroyed, many of its Jewish population slaughtered. This Synagogue was a response to that destruction that befell the community of Regensberg. Its founder, R. Aharon Meshulam's goal was to build a larger and more splendid synagogue in Prague as a way of stating, that Judaism is still alive and vibrant.
“During the German occupation of World War II the Nazis planned to make the synagogue and the adjacent Old Jewish Cemetery part of a postwar "Exotic Museum of an Extinct Race". (quoted from the book "Gurevich, Gurovich, Gurvich, Gorvich, Gurvitz, Horowitz and others. History of A Great Family" by Rav Shlomo Gurevitch (Haifa, 1999,)
The word Pinkas – means notebook, or journal. A Pinkas was often kept by storeowners (in the time of the Talmud and onward) to log the sales and information regarding debts. After the Holocaust the names of the Czech Jews, 77,297 of them, who perished in the Holocaust, were inscribed on its inner walls, covering the entire interior of the Sanctuary and its hallways.
We visited a few other synagogues, including the Alt-Neu Schul (Old New Synagoge), dubbed colloquially as the Maharal’s shul, as he prayed there often. We discussed the myth of the Golem for a grand total of 30 seconds, and confirmed that it was indeed a fable, though very much part of the folklore of Prague. In fact, I almost purchased a few "Golem" T-shirts for my children but was detered by the 550 Czech Crown price tag (only about $25, though the high number scared me away).
We were then off immediately to visit the first of three cemeteries, the Old Jewish Cemetary. There we met a few familiar names: including the Maharal MiPrague, Rav Yehuda Loew whose ideas we study each Shabbat at our shul, as well as the Kli Yakar, Rabbi Shlomo Efraim of Luntchitz, who moved to Prague after living in Poland, and authored many famous works in addition to the Kli Yakar, such as the Olelot Efraim, the Amudei Sheish, and the Siftei Daat. Also noteworthy in the Old Cemetery was Rav Avigdor Kara, rabbinic scholar, and poet. Not only was Prague home to such Torah giants, but many of its personalities (aside from their acclaim within the Jewish world) were celebrated figures within the secular world; David Gans, for instance, a Talmid Chacham in his own right, was close with Rudolph II, the emperor in the late 16th and early 17th century in Prague . Gans was a celebrated mathematician and astrologer and kept regular ties with Tycho Brahe and Kepler. During his time, it is no coincidence that Judaism thrived in Prague as it had never before, with over 6,000 Jews in its population. We also saw the grave of Mordechai Meisels, perhaps the greatest philanthropist in the history of Prague, responsible for the construction of several synagogues as well as other notable historic locations.
We went to two more cemeteries: the Ziskov cemetery, visiting the Noda B’Yehuda, Rav Yechezkel Landau, and the new cemetery, with Franz Kafka. Kafka, is well known of course for his work Metamorphosis, a short story about a man who turns into cockroach and spins out of control in a fit of solitude and alienation, eventually dying of his metal anguish. Rabbi Poupko spoke of the message of sensitivity towards others who suffer from alienation and suggested that according to Kafka, man would be cured from his suffering if only someone else would care.
We also saw the home of the Prague Chevra Kadisha, a group of pious volunteers who would take care of all burial needs and rituals.
Though we spent much of the day exhuming the spiritual remains of a glorious city that is no more, it was uplifting to explore such history. We ended the day with a meeting with some of the Rabbinate in Prague. The Rabbi’s hailing from vastly different backgrounds, shared the sad reality of the conflicts that remain in a community that does not have many Jews leftover.
Nonetheless, my mind was on the miraculous survival of Yidishkeit and its legacy. As in the Pinkas synagogue, which commemorates not one but two major catastrophes in Jewish history, the names remain alive and accounted for by us who will continue to build Torah Judaism, despite our detractors.
Tomorrow… it is off to see some of the harsher aspects of Pragues history, including the Terezen Concentration Camp.
Have a wonderful night,
On the mission are 35 colleagues from around the Chicago area, representing synagogues and organizations of differing backgrounds and denominations. The mission is led by Rabbi Yechiel Poupko, and chaired by Rabbi’s Zev Shandalov and Sidney Helbraun. We are uniquely privileged to have on the trip Moreinu Harav Gedalia Dov Schwartz, the Av Beit Din of the CRC.
After flying for approximately 8 hours, we had a brief stopover in the Frankfurt Airport. I must confess, having never taken a German airline before, or even stepping foot in Germany, the stopover was profoundly jarring for me. Just to hear announcements in German, harmless as they were, conjured up some painful images. Words that are perfectly normal in the German vernacular have become tainted for us, such as Achtung, a word that we heard blasted several times over the loud speaker. Not at all relevant for this trip, but perhaps it is a lesson about the implications of actions – a terrible act can create horrific associations for the human mind, such that, even a kind word uttered at a later date will become easily misconstrued.
One hour later, we were on a connecting flight to Prague, and in no time landed, and prayed Shacharit at the airport.
We began in the Pinkas Synagogue:
It was built on the location of an old 15th century synagogue, after the synagogue in the German town of Regensburg had been destroyed, many of its Jewish population slaughtered. This Synagogue was a response to that destruction that befell the community of Regensberg. Its founder, R. Aharon Meshulam's goal was to build a larger and more splendid synagogue in Prague as a way of stating, that Judaism is still alive and vibrant.
“During the German occupation of World War II the Nazis planned to make the synagogue and the adjacent Old Jewish Cemetery part of a postwar "Exotic Museum of an Extinct Race". (quoted from the book "Gurevich, Gurovich, Gurvich, Gorvich, Gurvitz, Horowitz and others. History of A Great Family" by Rav Shlomo Gurevitch (Haifa, 1999,)
The word Pinkas – means notebook, or journal. A Pinkas was often kept by storeowners (in the time of the Talmud and onward) to log the sales and information regarding debts. After the Holocaust the names of the Czech Jews, 77,297 of them, who perished in the Holocaust, were inscribed on its inner walls, covering the entire interior of the Sanctuary and its hallways.
We visited a few other synagogues, including the Alt-Neu Schul (Old New Synagoge), dubbed colloquially as the Maharal’s shul, as he prayed there often. We discussed the myth of the Golem for a grand total of 30 seconds, and confirmed that it was indeed a fable, though very much part of the folklore of Prague. In fact, I almost purchased a few "Golem" T-shirts for my children but was detered by the 550 Czech Crown price tag (only about $25, though the high number scared me away).
We were then off immediately to visit the first of three cemeteries, the Old Jewish Cemetary. There we met a few familiar names: including the Maharal MiPrague, Rav Yehuda Loew whose ideas we study each Shabbat at our shul, as well as the Kli Yakar, Rabbi Shlomo Efraim of Luntchitz, who moved to Prague after living in Poland, and authored many famous works in addition to the Kli Yakar, such as the Olelot Efraim, the Amudei Sheish, and the Siftei Daat. Also noteworthy in the Old Cemetery was Rav Avigdor Kara, rabbinic scholar, and poet. Not only was Prague home to such Torah giants, but many of its personalities (aside from their acclaim within the Jewish world) were celebrated figures within the secular world; David Gans, for instance, a Talmid Chacham in his own right, was close with Rudolph II, the emperor in the late 16th and early 17th century in Prague . Gans was a celebrated mathematician and astrologer and kept regular ties with Tycho Brahe and Kepler. During his time, it is no coincidence that Judaism thrived in Prague as it had never before, with over 6,000 Jews in its population. We also saw the grave of Mordechai Meisels, perhaps the greatest philanthropist in the history of Prague, responsible for the construction of several synagogues as well as other notable historic locations.
We went to two more cemeteries: the Ziskov cemetery, visiting the Noda B’Yehuda, Rav Yechezkel Landau, and the new cemetery, with Franz Kafka. Kafka, is well known of course for his work Metamorphosis, a short story about a man who turns into cockroach and spins out of control in a fit of solitude and alienation, eventually dying of his metal anguish. Rabbi Poupko spoke of the message of sensitivity towards others who suffer from alienation and suggested that according to Kafka, man would be cured from his suffering if only someone else would care.
We also saw the home of the Prague Chevra Kadisha, a group of pious volunteers who would take care of all burial needs and rituals.
Though we spent much of the day exhuming the spiritual remains of a glorious city that is no more, it was uplifting to explore such history. We ended the day with a meeting with some of the Rabbinate in Prague. The Rabbi’s hailing from vastly different backgrounds, shared the sad reality of the conflicts that remain in a community that does not have many Jews leftover.
Nonetheless, my mind was on the miraculous survival of Yidishkeit and its legacy. As in the Pinkas synagogue, which commemorates not one but two major catastrophes in Jewish history, the names remain alive and accounted for by us who will continue to build Torah Judaism, despite our detractors.
Tomorrow… it is off to see some of the harsher aspects of Pragues history, including the Terezen Concentration Camp.
Have a wonderful night,
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