Re: [Cz-L] Regarding cemetery restoration/preservation

Dear Friends:

In the messages below, I am sharing with you some very interesting
news about the Czernowitz Jewish Cemetery, with permission from the
writer, Berti Glaubach of Haifa:

August 30, 2005
>HI Bruce,
>
>I just talked to Andy Rosengarten (lives in Afula, Israel) on the
>phone and here is the information I got from him:
>
>1) Some years ago the Bukowina Jews World Union gave the Cz.
>municipality a sum of several thousand $ for the project of
>restoration, except some very minor works nothing was done.
>
>2) Andy is a civil engineer (retired) he made an estimate of 30.000
>to 4o.ooo $ for a minimal restoration of the cemetery - closing off
>prayer building, fence around and getting rid of weeds - but
>everybody including himself are convinced that the money will not
>get its worth through this channel (municipality) and even if works
>would be done there is no guarantee for continuance.
>
>3) Personally I am not sure about 1) but I will enquire to know how
>much (and if) was spent and to what purpose.
>
>4) Some months ago Andy wrote to the Mayor (in Ukrainian) and got
>very general assurance of collaboration, but as it looks to me the
>organization will not make any further move if fonds will not be
>raised by groups like us, of may be some donator who could easily
>cover the expenses for so minimum a project. There are several very,
>very rich Czernowithers around the world.
>
>So we will have to look for further information up to next June and
>may be contract there some first initial works, with local people or
>authorities.
>
>Andy's E-mail does not work temporarily, he did not know about this
>site and the information gathered about the tombs - he needs some
>personal information and I referred him to you.
>
>Berti Glaubach
>Haifa

Today, I received the following response to my reply to Berti:

**********
Hello Bruce,

Of course you can let the group know everything I wrote, or write to
you about now, either way you chose.

You can also reach Andy by mail through his son's Avi address :
rosengarten@ 012.net.il

As to the best results obtainable after the funding problem is at
least partially solved, I think we need a knowable representative,
either from the local Jewish community or somebody close to them, but
interested in the cities history and general welfare. Could also be
somebody who has business relations to locals and visits the town
several times a year. Then through him/her or with the help of the
municipality a local private contractor to do the work. I am sure
both bodies are available, preliminary contacts could be made, and
may be some definitivation next year in May/June.

I am aware of 3 main difficulties

a) Distance to the object and to the foreign customs, laws etc.
b) Collecting money - an enterprise probably unusual and may be
unpleasant to most of us.
c) Our common Jewish character heritage, you know => 2 Jews, three
opinions .

Let me finish on a more optimistic note : labor improbus omnia vincit

  Yours Berti
**********

Best wishes,

Bruce
Received on 2005-08-31 08:26:26