unclassified

WHAT DOES OCTOBER 7 MEAN FOR NELLY GUTMANN – THE DAUGHTER OF THE LAST RABBI OF PACOV?

Nelly Gutmann – the 98-year-old daughter of the last rabbi of Pacov – and her family now live in Kibbutz Dorot, just 15 km from southern Gaza. The terrible Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 have affected her too and changed her life, her feelings and her thoughts from one day to the next and forever. You can listen to what Nelly herself and her family members of different generations think about their present and future and how they assess the chances of living together with their Palestinian neighbors after October 7th in this moving ARTE video:

https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/118276-000-A/israel-from-the-holocaust-to-gaza/

Prayer shawl from Pacov at Brussels House of European History

A prayer shawl (tallit), which was found in Pacov synagogue during its archaeological assessment, has now been renovated and placed in a prestigious spot at the very beginning of the temporary exhibition “Throwaway – the History of a Modern Crisis” at the House of European History in Brussels. The exhibition continues until January 2024.

Further information on the exhibition is available here:

https://historia-europa.ep.eu/en/throwaway

https://historia-europa.ep.eu/cs/nepotrebne-vyhodit

The prayer shawl from Pacov synagogue. Photo by Pavel Tychtl

The Tikkun Pacov Synagogue Association wholly supports Ukraine as an independent and sovereign democratic nation. Our objective is to revive the memory of the lost Jewish community and renewal of their place in history, lest they be forgotten. The atrocities happening in the Ukraine and the mass exodus of refugees bring to mind the targeting of Jews and others in the Holocaust.

Tikkun Pacov warmly welcomes the Ukrainian refugees to the Czech Republic and to the Pacov community.

Every Little Helps: The 200 Campaign

The synagogue is now owned by the Tikkun Pacov Synagogue Association. After several years we have entered another phase of our efforts, in which we will turn the synagogue into a museum and venue for common-good activities. This year we intend to restore the original entrance, possibly even the original interior layout, and organize a public discussion on the future use of the synagogue.

We have just received the belowmentioned lovely letter with a donation of CZK 200 (ca. US$ 8.5), which along with the forthcoming bicentenary of the Pacov synagogue led us to the following idea: Are there 200 people willing to donate CZK 200 toward the costs of construction work like our graceful correspondent?

Our transparent bank account number is 2701205032/2010. Please do not forget to include the words 200 Campaign as payment description.

Thank you for your help and support.

Jewish communities all over the world are honored to have Torah scrolls from Pacov

American artist and teacher Karen Koblitz talks about her Czech roots

Karen (left) with cousin Beth in front of Julia Koblitz née Meller’s grave at the Baxter Cemetery, Cleveland.

My name is Karen Koblitz and I am a native of Los Angeles, California. I am an artist that works mainly in ceramics and an Associate Professor of Fine Arts, Head of Ceramics in the Roski School of Art & Design at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. My family heritage is Eastern European; Russian, Bohemian and Austro-Hungarian. I am married, my husband, Alan Friedenberg is a retired Elementary School Principal and we have one daughter, Gina, who is a university student, a senior at the University of Southern California studying Spanish and Psychology.

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