[Cz-L] The Temple

I would like to add two recollections to the story of the temple:

1. In 1939, I attended a Jubilee Service at the Temple commemorating the
sixtieth anniversary of its dedication (though some sources give 1878 as the
year of dedication). I was part of a group of Jewish students from the Aron
Pumnul lyceum (secondary school). The service was in Hebrew and Dr. Mark,
the Chief Rabbi, delivered a sermon in German. I do not recall any addresses
in Romanian, though the prayer for King and Country may have been
translated. There was an impressive choir accompanied by a harmonium. Women
were sitting in the balconies. Rabbi Mark was assisted by Dr. Kessler, the
associate rabbi. (Dr. Kessler was the father of a renowned cardiologist and
also of my Latin teacher.)

2. The Temple was burned down by the Germans in 1941. Some of the details of
this crime can be found in the transcript of the testimony by the widow of
Rabbi Mark at the Eichmann trial. During 1941 - 44, a young Ukrainian was
selling used books in front of the Temple. Most of the books came from the
plundered homes of Jews who had been deported. I occasionally bought some
books there, after overcoming a certain guilt feeling. We referred to these
books as coming from the "Tempelverlag" (Temple Publishers). They were
important in allowing younger Jews for whom there were no schools to keep
up with some studies. These books, along with many from my fathers
impressive library, were left behind when we departed from Czernowitz in
1945.

Alfred Schneider
Received on 2007-05-21 15:48:15