[Cz-L] On Topic, Off Topic

Hello all,

I tend to agree with Hardy's assessment. I suppose for the most part that
long-term discussion group members have already asked their genealogical
questions though, of course, new questions may pop up, new members may join
with new questions, etc. Finding answers to genealogical questions is only a
small part of what this group is all about.

The value of a discussion group such as we have is to provide a means to
foster, honor and preserve the memory of Czernowitz, not only for those who
once lived there, but for the coming generations. By doing so, hopefully its
memory will be passed down to the next generation, etc. It also provides a
way for Czernowitzers to stay connected with each other and give meaning to
their shared past.

I often ask myself the following question, not necessarily about Czernowitz
but about our collective Jewish memory in general. When all the Jews who
were once born in Czernowitz are no longer with us, what and who will be
left to preserve the legacy of its Jewish past? I feel that must all be
proactive in this regard, One way to increase the probability that this
legacy will continue is to involve our children in our discussions about
Czernowitz. Hopefully some of them will be interested in its history and
wish to preserve it, maybe even become list members themselves. Another way
is to create and complete projects that will aid in this preservation.

Such projects that involve reminding those in Czernowitz today of the town's
Jewish past, whether it be in the form of a museum exhibition constructed
for some exposition or a plaque honoring Traian Popovici, publishing a book
or website about Czernowitz or creating an online exhibition about
Czernowitz's Jewihs past, each project in itself is a worthwhile effort and
should be discussed and promoted whenever the need arises. Of course this
means that our list members communicate more within the discussion group,
not less. We must even have a greater participation, even among those who
rarely, if ever, post a message.

In my humble opinion, it is most important that we look ahead, five, ten,
twenty years and envision how we'd like the world to see the history of the
Jewish past of Czernowitz, and work toward that vision. I don't believe I've
ever read anything on the Cz-L list that talks about long-term goals, etc.

I, for one, would like to know how others on this list would like the Jewish
past of Czernowitz to be remembered, five, ten, twenty years down the road.
In what form(s) might the legacy of Czernowitz's Jewish past be preserved?
Have we thought about this and kept it to ourselves, or have we ever
discussed this through the list? Or have we just talked with each other
about projects and goals that have to do only with the near future?

If we think some about this, we can set some goals and try to meet some
objectives for way down the line. It does require a great deal of
forethought though, but this is not the task of each of us to do this
thinking and planning alone. It does, however, require that we feel free to
discuss these goals through Czernowitz-L, that as many interested parties as
possible express themselves in a positive and constructive manner. Then the
discussion group will not only serve the immediate needs of its members,
perhaps even answer a new genealogical question or two, but will also offer
to both the younger and older generations of Czernowitzers the promise of a
continuing legacy that we can all be proud of.


Best,
Steven Lasky
New York
www.museumoffamilyhistory.com
steve_at_museumoffamilyhistory.com
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Received on 2008-06-23 15:05:17