abstract from Die Stimme, Nov. 2002

<x-flowed>"Die Stimme" is the monthly newspaper of the World Union of Bukowina
Jews. It is published in Israel and written in German. Here is a
loose translation of a portion of an article written by the chief
editor, Josef N. Rudel.



"The Bukowina Reunion, One could not hold back the tears."
by JN Rudel

(loosely translated from the original, in German)

It was like each year, and nevertheless was it different. The
unexpectedly large number of participants, the impressive, solemn
tendency in the hall and particularly the presence of his eminence
the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Meir Lau.

It happened that in this afternoon 15. October in the hall of the
Tel Aviv hotel Basel no eye remained dry, because of the reminder of
the six million dead of the Holocaust. For six candles were lit, one
for each million, by Mrs. Natalie Schorr, the widow of the the long
term president of the World Union of the Bukowiner Jews, Dr. Karl
Schorr (may his memory be for a blessing).. Six million victims? -
an underestimate, argued the speakers.

After the opening words of the vice-president of the federation,
Isachar Locker, Itzchak Yalon, the representative of the Jews from
Vatra Dornei spoke. He referred to the inhuman procedures of the
Romanian authority, aforementioned from the war criminal general
Antonescu, who not only tolerated the murder of Jews in the cities
and villages of Romania even before the Deportation to Transnistria,
but even encouraged it. Thus still died around 150.000 innocent
Romanian Jews before the beginning of the "official" Shoah.

Today in Romanian, among circles oriented towards the right,
Antonescu, who hold the Jewish people of the Bukowina and
Bessarabiens on his conscience, is still celebrated as a national
hero.

The next speaker was a chairman of the World Union, the attorney
Izchak Artzi. His main point was that most of humans in the hall
were eye-witnesses to the brutality and murderous desire of the
Romanian Soldateska, both before banishing and during the
transportation and in the camps of Transnistria. (In our December
issue, a detailed rendition of the speech of our president will
appear.) Oberrabiner Lau, who took to the podium next, generalized
this aspect of the Holocaust, in this sense we uncovered Hitler's
plan, to destroy all the Jews in the world. Therefore, all Jews of
our planet must be regarded as "survivors of the Holocaust".

The traditional part of the Askara {reunion?} was carried out, like
each year, by the High Cantor, Abraham Solomon from Jerusalem.

With satisfaction it could be stated that among us were also the
representatives of our local federations, Emil Grabstein (Radautz),
Julku Klein (Kimpolung), Itzchak Yalon (Vatra Dornei), Jackie Jurgrau
(Gura Humora), Ruven Faerber (Strojinetz), Rika Hollinger) (Seret),
Sidi Gross (Stanesti) as well as Meir Schefi (President of the
Organization of Child Survivors of Transnistria).

For the excellent organization of the commemoration ceremony and for
the self-sacrificing, volunteer work for the federation, those
present spoke their thanks to the first Vice President Jula Weiner,
the soul of the federation, the second vice-president, Isachar
Lokker, as well as their crew, consisting of Schaul Merdler, Dita
Weiner, Lilli Sommer and Hermann Abraham as well.

With the masses of dear departed before our eyes, the Hatikva was
sung, by a hall full of men and women, who by a miracle remained
alive.
--


</x-flowed>
Received on 2002-11-18 08:09:19