[Cz-L] Personal introductions

My name is Miriam Taylor, generally called Mimi and my maiden name
is Reifer. I was born in Czernowitz in June 1937. My parents were Salomon
Reifer and Rachel (Ruta) Steinmetz. Three of my grandparents were born in
the vicinity of Czernowitz and the fourth one, my maternal grandfather Saul
Leib Steinmetz came to Czernowitz from the district of Maramures (Marmoros)
as an infant, in 1880 or 1881. This grandfather eventually became well known
in Czernowitz as one of the founders of "Poalei Zion", publisher and editor
of the "Yiddishe Arbeiter Zeitung", city council member and the owner of
"Steinmetz Selchwaren".

My family and I were lucky in that we were not deported to Siberia by the
communists, despite being "burjui", not deported to Transnistria, despite
being Jews. I spent 9 weeks in the Czernowitz Ghetto, had to hide numerous
times, wore a yellow star from the age of 4 till the age of 7 and was not
allowed to go to school, but I did not suffer hunger or disease.

During the school year 1944-45 I attended the Yiddish school on the
Siebenburger Strasse (Strada Stefan cel Mare).

In the summer of 1945 I left Czernowitz, lived briefly in Radauti, then
moved to Oradea Mare, where I attended the Jewish school on Str. Fuchs.
>From the autumn of 1947 till the early spring of 1949, I lived in Holland,
where I was one of 500 Jewish Romanian children whom the Aliyat Hanoar had
managed to get out of Romania. In Feb. 1949, I arrived in Israel and was
reunited with my parents. I lived first in Kiryat Hayim, then in Kiryat
Bialik and eventually on kibutz Amiad. There I met and later married my
husband, Milton Taylor. In the fall of 1958 we left Israel for the US.
With the exception of Sabatical years; one year in Israel, one year in
England and one year in Italy, we have lived in the US ever since.

I initially studied biochemistry at Cornell University, but switched fields
and finished my studies at Indiana University where I obtained a B.A. In
Mathematics with an emphasis on computer programming. My work experience,
includes working in an analytical lab for the Israeli Ministry of Defense,
the analytical lab of Revlon Industries, Physical Chemistry lab. at Cornell
University and Biology lab. at Stanford University.

For the last 20 years I have been weaving highly textured, or 3D cloth,
which I make into garments.

My husband is a professor of Virology at Indiana University and involved
in medical research. I have two sons; Yuval and Jonathan. Yuval is an editor
and author. Jonathan (Jon) is a professor of Geography and a composer of
"techno" music.
I also have three most wonderful grandchildren, Thalia, Jacob and Rina.

My interest in Czernowitz is both intellectual and emotional.
I am interested to find out more about Czernowitz, as it was during the
years 1860 to 1945 and about the factors which contributed to it's
character, atmosphere and the lasting influence it has had on many
of those who were born in it.

Emotionally, I have strong ties, to the landscape, the city, the customs,
the atmosphere, the language and the food of the region and the city, I once
called home.

The Cz. - List has been sort of a home, away from home for me.
I am indebted to my cousin Jane Reifer and my very close childhood friend
Yossi Eshet (Jerry Wolf) for introducing me to the list, to Bruce Reisch,
for setting up and maintaining the list.

It is through the list, that I have reestablished contact with old friends
like Abraham Kogan and Irene Fishler and made many many new friends, too
numerous to mention here.
Received on 2006-06-06 12:44:35