Prague (July 9)

Unlike many other major European cities, Prague was not bombed during WWII (with the exception of 2 bombs that were intended for Dresden and landed on Prague by mistake).  Prague is an extremely beautiful city with an almost Disney-like quality, especially the Clock Square.

We spent quite some time strolling the Jewish Quarter - or fighting the crowds of other tourists. Though there is a small Jewish community today (according to our guide - about 2,000 in Prague, 6,000 in the Czech Republic) with two "working" synagogues - one Orthodox and one Liberal, the Jewish Museum consists of five synagogues and the Jewish cemetery. The cemetery holds the remains of 12,000 Jews who lived in Prague from 1300-1750.  The stones are Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque.  It is here that Rabbi Judah Loew is buried.  He is probably best known as the creator of the Golem, the legendary clay "Superman" who protected the Jews of Prague.

In March of 1939, the Nazis occupied this part of what was then Czechoslovakia.  There were 92,000 Jews in Prague (20% of the population).  About 2/3 of them perished.  The synagogues of Prague were not destroyed.  It was here that the Nazis wanted to build their "Museum to an Extinct Race."  The synagogue buildings were used as warehouses to hold all of the Judaica that was stolen and collected for this "Museum."   Happily, today, we can see the Jewish Museum as a celebration of Jewish life.

In Prague, I found my first (and only, actually) "Stumble Stone" (or stolperstein in German). These "stones" are memorial markers in front of buildings where Jews and other Nazi victims lived before the war.  The stolperstein can be found throughout Europe, and the one I found was only a block from our hotel.  I literally stumbled upon it.  This woman, Marie Elisakova, was born in 1883, deported to Lodz in 1941, and she died there.  I searched for her in the Yad V'Shem database, but I couldn't find her.  At least we know and can remember her name.

YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW

Yesterday - 

You were here

In this town

On this street.

Today -

You are gone.

Today -

I am here.

In this town

On this street.

Tomorrow - 

I will tell the world.