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FROM THE WEB EDITOR
Two years ago, I received
a "letter to the editor" from Mr. Viktor Lewin
concerning the devastated Jewish cemetery in Losice
(in eastern Poland). Viktor expressed his plan to restore
it with the financial help of some survivors or children
of survivors born in that area. He explained that there
were "hundreds of Matzevot lying in the backyard
of a residence in Losice that had been brought by the
Nazis after Jewish cemeteries were raided in Losice,
Mordy and Sarnaki, to serve as paving stones for a courtyard
at this residence".
I published Viktor's letter
with his permission on our Web site. His quest has had
a great impact on various people whose ancestors lived
in those shtetls, because the publication of his letter
proved to be incredibly successful (cIick on our ARCHIVES
and go down the arrow to "Exchange of Letters on
Renovation of Cemeteries" published February 3,
2003).
Recently I received another
letter from Viktor, which I believe to be as important
and worthy of publication. I am greatly pleased to publish
his letter on our Web site, wishing him further success
and congratulating all those who already have participated
and did a wonderful job in the restoration of the Losice
Cemetery.
The letter is below :
Shalom Irena Bellert,
I am taking the liberty of sending
you some information about what we have been able to
achieve in Losice over the past five years. It is my
hope that you will consider the case in Losice worthy
of your time and attention.
My name is Viktor Lewin, the son
of a Holocaust survivor and but one representative of
Holocaust survivors who once lived in the Polish town
of Losice. I have been canvassing many individuals and
organizations in order to have the opportunity to tell
the story of the Jews of Losice, Poland and to secure
funding to facilitate its completion. You may ask, Why
is this project so important ? I believe that it's importance
can be explained in the following ways:
- The number and the beauty of these gravestones
which were buried since 1942. Their recovery will
provide comfort for family members to know that someone
really cares. Their recovery doesn't just involve
gravestones from the Jewish cemetery in Losice but
also those from the Jewish cemeteries in Mordy and
Sarnaki. Their recovery will also provide historians
and researchers with valuable information about what
lives and deaths of Jews during the 350 years in which
Jews called Losice home. This will come about by the
search through the civil records ( birth, marriage,
and death ) and the matching of these to the names
inscribed upon these gravestones.
- To the best of my knowledge this is the only active
cemetery restoration project in eastern Poland outlined
by an area running parallel from Wyszkow to the north-east
of Warsaw and Ozarow to the south-east to the Polish
- Soviet border. What an excellent opportunity this
would be to change a small portion of history by taking
part in the return of these gravestones to the place
from which they were stolen by the Nazis.
- The success of the Losice Memorial Project may
stimulate like restoration projects in other towns/cities
as for example, Janow Podlaska, Konstantynow, Miedzyrzec,
or Siedlce. Janow's Jewish cemetery is nothing short
of a wasteland. Konstantynow has a Jewish cemetery
complete with a fence and a sign, but no gravestones.
Miedzyrzec's Jewish cemetery has a beautiful brick
fence with gravestones set into the wall, however
the grass and weeds are so pervasive that nothing
can be seen. Siedlce's Jewish cemetery is being swallowed
up by weeds and the elements are claiming more and
more gravestones with each passing year.
- It is our responsibility to leave this legacy so
that when the survivors of the Shoah and their children
have left us, future generations will be able to look
back and learn from the efforts of those who dared
to change history.
- This will also be a legacy to be shared with the
residents of Losice who have cooperated and collaborated
with us every single step of the way. Knowledge is
power and with knowledge we can overcome many obstacles
in life. This is probably one of the many things which
we have been able to share. A lesson for all of us
!
Yes, I am a Canadian. I am but
one voice for Losice survivors living in Canada, and
the U.S. ( many of whom live in the New York area ).
I have been working very closely with the Poland Jewish
Cemeteries Restoration Project headed by Dr. Norman
Weinberg, Rabbi Michael Schudrich, as well as Warren
Grynberg of Great Britain and Yitzhak Eisenberg of Israel
- also sons of Losice survivors. Our supporters span
the globe, from Australia, to England, Israel, to Canada
and the U.S. The project has come a long way, however
we still have much to do, before we can make what was
once a dream, a reality. Last year 1500 matzevot were
removed from one residential property in Losice. Here
they laid since 1942 when the Nazis all but eliminated
the entire Jewish population of Losice. They have been
securely stored at a facility owned by the town of Losice.
Funding to date will allow us to begin construction
of the wall which will surround the former site of the
Jewish cemetery. There is also some consideration of
gates.
The proposed plan is to return
them to the original site of the Jewish cemetery in
Losice where they will take their place within a memorial
wall surrounding the cemetery. A few matzevot are inscribed
in Ladino which dates them around the time of the expulsion
of Jews from Spain. On a personal note, one of those
recovered was that of Mina Ruchel who was my father's
cousin. Further photos and translated portions of the
Yizkor Book can be found at: www.zchor.org/losice/losice.htm
or by doing a simple search -We Remember Jewish Losice
and going to the link - Matzevot. The Losice Yizkor
Book as it was written in Yiddish and Hebrew can be
found at the following website: www.nypl.org.
Many interesting photos are included. The New York Public
Library has included Losice as one of many Polish towns
to have their Yizkor Book placed online.
Ada Holtzman has very graciously
assisted us with all the website work. As well, Warren
Blatt is scouring through the Jewish civil records in
order to match given names to matzevot.
We have been lobbying many organizations, foundations,
and individuals over the past three years for funding
and it has been only recently that we have been successful
in securing a grant from a Jewish Foundation based in
Europe. As with all memorials there is the issue of
finances and it is for this purpose that two foundations
, one in Canada , the other in the U.S. have been set
up to act as repositories for any monies earmarked for
this memorial project. I know that I can speak for everyone
involved with the Losice Memorial Project that we would
be delighted for you to be supportive of our efforts.
I will look forward to hearing
from you.
Respectfully yours, Viktor Lewin..
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