Re: [Cz-L] Its August Czernowitz is calling

Thank you Arthur for a most impressive report.
Yosef Eshet, Raanana, Israel

----- Original Message -----
From: "Arthur von Czernowitz" <vonczernowitz_at_yahoo.com>
To: "'CZERNOWITZ-L'" <CZERNOWITZ-L_at_list.cornell.edu>
Cc: "Lydia Schmerler" <lydia.sch_at_dbmail.com>; "Christian Herrmann"
<cyberorange_at_gmx.de>
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2012 9:01 AM
Subject: [Cz-L] Its August Czernowitz is calling

Its August, Czernowitz is calling, the SVIT volunteers (Solidarity
Volunteering Initiative Tolerance) are in town, and will be clearing the
vegetation in the cemetery.
Like every year I check the best way to get to Czernowitz. The connecting
flight from Kiev has been canceled. Fly to Kiev and take the 18 hour train
ride, I don’t think so. Fly to Belgrade and take the train to Timisoara and
from there Carpat Air the only airline still serving Czernowitz, is just too
complicated. So finally I decide fly Tel Aviv-Bucharest and from there to
Suceava, arrive OTP at 09:50 take a day room ($ 40) near the Bucharest
airport as the flight to Suceava leaves at 21:30. From Suceava, Ciprianu my
driver will take me to the Magnat Lux. (120 Euro roundtrip). At the border,
the same as every year long lines wait, wait.
I arrived at the Magnat Lux (40 Dollars a night) at 02:00 in the morning.
This time of the year in August, Czernowitz is extremely hot; the
aircondition in the room is broken just like last year, wi-fi not working
just like last year. You have to sit on the steps next to the reception
desk to be able to connect to the internet.
Next morning I am off to the cemetery, I meet the volunteers, what a great
bunch, nice young kids from 7 countries.
Later, I ask them if they would like to come with me to the grave of my
grandfather where I will say Kadish.
I thank them for the great job that they are doing and tell them that I
would like to do something for them. I tell them that I would like to buy
some meat for a barbeque as the next day is going to be their last day. I
went with Yuri Sulima one of the volunteers, to a large supermarket at the
outskirts of the city, where I bought the meat plus a charcoal barbeque.
We had a terrific party, I talked to each one of volunteers thanking them
and telling them what a great job they did. I also told them of my
connection to Czernowitz.

The volunteers cleared section 61, 52 and both sections of 34. (See Map)

My impression of Czernowitz.
I walk the old familiar streets. Next to the old Temple there are several
babushkas selling fruit and vegetables which they grow in their gardens. I
buy 2 large pears; in my room I wash the pears and bite in, vow, sweet and
juicy, so this is the way a pear should taste, memories are coming back.

In the street, beautiful skinny girls, long legs wearing stiletto heels and
walking on the Czernowitzer streets paved with cobble stones. Later you see
them walking with their mothers and you ask yourself what happened to their
mothers? too many varenikis too much borscht?

The stores are well stocked; you see new cars mostly German, sparkling clean
and well maintained.
New restaurants, which serve mostly the same menu and cheap.

At the Jewish Museum I saw Mykola Kushnir, the director I asked him if he
could help find a stonemason who will not overcharge with the restoration of
headstones at the cemetery. I constantly get complains at the office from
people who got overcharged for restoration of headstones.

I also went to see the restored Korn Shil, what a terrific job. The rabbi
was not there he was in Israel.

After 3 days Ciprianu my driver picked me up for the drive back to Suceava.
Again the border, long lines. The flight back to Bucharest from Suceava
leaves at 06:00, I am booked in to a new hotel in Suceava with great food,
the Sonnenhof. In the evening at the restaurant I order my evening meal and
as a condiment I was given “Mujdei” a Romanian garlic concoction. Next day
at the airport people are holding their noses when passing me; it took me 2
days to get over the smell of garlic.

Well, maybe, next year in Czernowitz.

Arthur

https://picasaweb.google.com/vonczernowitz2/CzernowitzAugust2012#

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Received on 2012-09-08 05:27:23