RE: [Cz-L] June 1 in Czernowitz -

With the guidance of Sergei Bilichenko my wife, Shelly, and I set out to find any ghosts possible of her mother's youth in Moisyska-Rudnyki, outside of Lvov. We expected nothing.

Sergei asked and asked until we found her mother's house, the pond, the school, the site of their old mill and much more.

Then he located the site of the Jewish cemetery...we met people and confirmed the legend of the town that one righteous Gentile, "Josef Vyontsek", saved her mother's family by hiding them in a double walled garage. Apparently up until his death, he never spoke of this. One distant relative of his did say that "Josef Vyontsek" would say "you'll see, one day people will come looking for me".

The man who brought us to the cemetery knew the names of my wife's family who perished. He brought us to the site of the cemetery which to this day lays barren, despite the absence of memorial stones or other markers. We asked him why no one ever built on this land. He replied "how could we ever build on top of these precious bones". Then he pointed to the site where the mass grave of those brought one by one from surrounding areas and shot by Nazis were buried in a mass grave. The world stopped for a brief moment for us!

Sergi then got Shelly a meeting with the mayor, who summoned the town attorney and the man responsible for building memorial stones at the cemetery. With deep emotion and sensitivity Sergi helped make it possible for a substantial memorial stone to be placed at this seemingly lost grave site.

"Everything is illuminated"!

________________________________

From: bounce-34493434-14854854_at_list.cornell.edu on behalf of Ilana Gordon
Sent: Thu 6/2/2011 8:13 AM
To: Winters, Stephen
Cc: czernowitz-l_at_list.cornell.edu
Subject: Re: [Cz-L] June 1 in Czernowitz -

Stephen,

Thanks for this. I remember the feeling of excitement driving from
Lvov to Czernowitz, where my father is from. It was Easter Monday and
the entire countryside was filled with people tending with antiquated
equipment to plots of land. We also focused on the richness of the
earth, so black and fertile looking. I remember distinctly the same
feeling of numbness on the drive back to Lvov. It's really something
that cannot be described. Zoya was our shining path and guide
throughout the process linking us to memories that came alive.

Recently I did a presentation for my synagogue about our trip at the
urging of friends who had heard the details when we came back. Our
trip occurred in 2009 coinciding with the Popovici memorial ceremony.
People were fascinated with the fact that we went back in time and
found what we were looking for. I highly recommend something like this
for you as well. It is very rewarding.

Best,
Ilana Gordon

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Received on 2011-06-02 13:57:04