[Cz-L] Jewish roots in Czernowitz

Dear Czernowitzers,
The different discussions, comments and the presented facts give us all a
better understanding of our past. Lately there was a discussion related to
the Yiddish language and its social status as well as to the humble origin
of most of our ancestors.
It was not a second to early to point out how the realities looked like. The
fact that later generation tried to forget and distance themselves socially
from the still Yiddish speaking was something to be seen in many places.
The list supplied to all of us, with the names of the different publications
in Yiddish which appeared in Czernowitz made me very happy, perhaps
more than the list supplied some time ago with Jewish publications in
German. It gave a depth to the Jewish identity of Czernowitz.
The Jews in Germany like those in Sweden and elsewhere had big difficulties
to accept "newcomers", whom they considered inferior when they immigrated
around 1905 or 1920 from Poland, Russia or other places. Similar situations
occurred both earlier and later in time.
The lists discussions supplies many details about the Ashkenazi Jews. From
the moment Bukowina became apart of the Austrian Empire the movement of
people and
their development increased dramatically in both directions.
One old postcard, on the website, depicts Jewish travellers in oriental
dress, probably Sephardic Jews from the Ottoman Empire. The region had even
an
influx of other groups.
It is difficult to know if Jews came to this area in Roman times. In
Budapest there is a head stone of a Jewish burial from Roman times, but this
although in Eastern Europe, is fare away from Bukowina.
Somewhat nearer in time and space was the Kingdom of the Chazars, stretching
from Kiev to the Aral Sea. Around 700-900 it was 1.5 mil.sq.km. large.
For a few hundred years it was a Jewish Kingdom since first its aristocracy
and then the people converted to Judaism as early as 750. Around 800 the
king was of Jewish faith. Latest archaeological research in Kiev have
revealed many artefacts with Jewish connections from the period 750-850.
2002 a treasure of coins from the period 850 from the Kingdom of the Chazar
was found in Sweden, they had the inscription "Moses is the messenger of
God". Hebrew letters on coins from that time where not uncommon in the
Chazar Kingdom.
The destruction and partition of the Kingdom of the Chazars around year
1000 has dispersed its people to different parts of Europe. Some of the
elite found refuge in Moorish Spain and help from the Sephardic communities,
a part of the Chazars moved to the kingdom of Hungary ruled by brethren
Turkmen tribes and again others remained on their territories or adjacent
places now under other rulers, like the case was with the Jews in Kiev. It
would not be difficult to imagine that the regions around Galizia and
Bukowina became one of the places for their refuge. Some of the family names
in these parts are of Chazar origin.
The history of the Chazars and their descendants of today is a very complex
and fascinating story still open for research.
Even nearer in time is the emigration and expulsion of the Sephardic Jews
from Spain and Portugal. Some of them reached Galizia through Polish
territory and some reached Bukowina through the Ottoman Empire. There are
family stories related to the period 1500-1600. Some kept their Spanish
names (a mixture of Spanish, Hebrew and Arabic), some changed them to other
names and some adapted their names to their new surroundings. I was told
that there was a Sephardic community in Czernowitz. Some years ago I
received photos of Jewish grave stones from the Sephardic Cemetery in
Bucharest, of two individuals from Bukovina buried, in the 1970-ties, in
at that time already closed Sephardic cemetery. I know of a grandmother
born not far from Czernowitz, a Jewish peasant, married to a Wiznitzer
Chassid of Sephardic origin, which brings me back to the beginning of this
letter. This grandmother came from a family who fled the persecutions in
Russia at the beginning of 1800 to Galizia and afterwards moved to Bukowina.
Interestingly I found some descendents of those from Galizia, here in
Sweden. They came around 1860 via Poland/Russia.
It would be interesting to read comments and additions to the above text.
GMAR TOV , CHATIMA TOVA.
Thankfully,
Wolf.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This moderated discussion group is for information exchange on the subject of
 Czernowitz and Sadagora Jewish History and Genealogy. The opinions expressed
 in these posts are the opinions of the original poster only and not necessarily
 the opinions of the List Owner, the Webmaster or any other members
 or entities connected with this mailing list. The Czernowitz-L list has
 an associated web site at http://czernowitz.ehpes.com that includes a
 searchable archive of all messages posted to this list. Please post in "Plain
 Text" if possible (help available at:
<http://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/PlainText.html>).

To remove your address from this e-list follow the directions at
http://www.cit.cornell.edu/computer/elist/lyris/leave.html

To receive assistance for this e-list send an e-mail message to:
owner-Czernowitz-L_at_list.cornell.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Received on 2010-09-13 14:37:00