EXPRESSIONS
OF INTEREST
ARE INVITED

Cultural centres,
museums and
other institutions,
interested in
hosting our
award-winning
exhibition
 
"The Jews of
Częstochowa"
 
should click
HERE
to download
full details
in English
OR
HERE
to download
full details
in Polish
 
Click
HERE
to download
a summary
fact-sheet.
 
International
enquiries are
most welcome.
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
Email our
Webmaster &
Email Group
Moderator:
Andrew Rajcher

 
 
 

Click to
subscribe to
czestochowajews
THE WORLD SOCIETY OF
CZĘSTOCHOWA JEWS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS

invites all Landsleit and friends to its
 
REUNION 2009
in Częstochowa, Poland
18th -20th October 2009

 
in the presence of
Federal and Local Government dignitaries
and members of the Diplomatic Corps,
 
featuring:

  • THE DEDICATION OF THE CZĘSTOCHOWA UMSCHLAGPLATZ
    AND UNVEILING OF MONUMENT
  • THE HONOURING OF TWO INDIVIDUALS FROM CZĘSTOCHOWA AS
    "RIGHTEOUS AMONG THE NATIONS"
  • A MEMORIAL SERVICE AT THE
    CZĘSTOCHOWA JEWISH CEMETERY
  • As part of the biennial
    BRONISŁAW HUBERMAN VIOLIN FESTIVAL
    - a performance by world-renowned violinist
    JOSHUA BELL
    playing the "Gibson" Stradivarius
    (once owned by Bronisław Huberman)
    with the
    CZĘSTOCHOWA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

  • Click HERE for more information about both the Częstochowa and Warsaw Concerts!

     
    Bronisław Huberman, born in Częstochowa on 19th December 1882, was a Polish-Jewish violinist known for his individualistic and personal interpretations. He was praised for his tone colour, expressiveness, and flexibility.
     
    His "Gibson" Stradivarius violin was stolen and recovered twice during the period in which he owned the instrument.
     
    In 1936, he founded the Palestine Orchestra, which gave its first performance on 26 December with Arturo Toscanini conducting. This laid the foundations of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, which, however, was not established until 1948, a year after Huberman's death.
     
    He died in Switzerland on 16th June 1947.
     
    Joshua Bell was born on 9th December 1967. At the age of fourteen, he appeared
    as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
     
    He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1985 with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.
     
    He has since performed with almost all of the world's major orchestras and conductors, and is a visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London

    To enable us to plan for catering and bus transportation to venues,
    we ask that you please
    REGISTER YOUR INTENTION TO ATTEND
    by emailing: aragorn@vicnet.net.au
     
    In your email please state:
  • the number of people attending and their names
  • your anticipated dates of arrival in and departure from Częstochowa

  •  
    While we cannot arrange accommodation for you,
    we recommend that you book at one of the following hotels:
     
  • Mercure Patria Hotel (where Reunion 2009 will be based)

  • Click HERE for the Mercure Patria website
  • Hotel Ibis Częstochowa

  • Click HERE for the Ibis Częstochowa website
  • Hotel Wenecki

  • Click HERE for the Hotel Wenecki website
     
    As more programme details are confirmed,
    they will be posted here and into our Yahoo email group.
     
     
    Israeli Landleit Meet in Ramat Gan (31st May 2009)
     
    More than 100 Landsleit, first, second and third generation of the Association of Częstochowa Jews and their Descendants.
     
    The meeting took place in the Association's new home in Ramat Gan.

     
    Click HERE for all the pictures!
     

    Częstochowa Council Supports Monument (April 2009)
     
    Częstochowa City Council has unanimously ratified the erection of a monument honouring the memory of Jews deported from the city during the Second World War. The ratification was approved without discussion and without any hesitation.
     
    The monument will stand on Strażecki Street, on the spot where once stood the old Warta Railway Station. It was there, between 22nd September and 7th October 1942, that the Nazis sent around 40,000 Jews on trains from the ghetto to the Treblinka extermination camp.
     
    "It will take a simple form", said Częstochowa Council President Tadeusz Wrona. "It will be a broken wall and track as on a railway ramp."
     
    The monument's creator was born in Częstochowa and now lives in Israel - Samuel Willenberg, a prisoner of Treblinka, a participant in the Warsaw Uprising. His father, Perec Willenberg, painted the interiors of Częstochowa synagogues.
     
    The initiator of the monument's construction on the Częstochowa Umschlagplatz is Sigmmund Rolat, President of the World Society of Częstochowa Jews and Their Descendants. He has also financed this project.
     
    The unveiling of the monument is planned for October 2009.
     
    Source: Gazeta Wyborcza
     

    Israeli Landsleit Hold Memorial at Yad Vashem (9th January 2009)
     
    More than 100 Landsleit, first, second and third Generation, attended the Annual Memorial visit to Yad Vashem of the Association of Częstochowa Jews and their Descendants.
     
    During their visit, a Memorial Ceremony was held in the Valley of Communities near the Częstochowa monument and exhibitions were visited.
     
    Members were also able to add family pages to the Central Database of Shoah Victims' Names.

     
    Click HERE for full story and pictures.

    Israel & Polish Students in Częstochowa Jewish Cemetery (Autumn 2008)
     
    The Reut Gidonim Project, as part of its goals, enables Israeli students to work in Jewish cemeteries throughout Poland. Among the thirteen Jewish cemeteries worked on thus far is the one in Częstochowa.
     
    Together with Polish students, they clean and document matzeivot, lift fallen matzeivot and deal
    with the vegetation that endangers the cemetery and prevents survivors and their descendant's
    the ability from finding their ancestors' resting places.
    The project was initiated by students who returned from Poland in 2003. They and felt a strong responsibility to these communities. Through this small act of "chesed shel emet" (true kindness), they restore dignity and memory of those who died.
     
    Also, the students learn about the communities in which they work and feel a responsibility for continuing their memory. They also create friendships with Polish students and learn about Jewish and Polish history while the Polish students learn about Judaism and Israel.
     

    Our Webmaster Meets Israeli Landleit (2nd November 2008)
     
    During a visit to Tel Aviv, our Webmaster, Andrew Rajcher, took the opportunity to attend a meeting of the Executive of the The Association of Częstochowa Jews and Their Descendants in Israel.
     
    Discussions centred very much around the future of the Częstochowa Jewish Cemetery and on future co-operation between the World Society and the Israeli Association.
     

     
    Association Chairman, Arye Edelist, invited Andrew to address a full meeting of Association members when he is next in Israel - an invitation which Andrew gladly accepted.
     
    The Webmaster especially would like to thank brothers Alon and Jakob Goldman (pic right) for their welcome to Tel Aviv and for their hospitality.

     

    A Biographical Guide to the Częstochowa Jewish Cemetery
     
    Dr.Julius Sętkowski and Wiesław Paszkowski are preparing the publication of a Biographical Guide to our Częstochowa Jewish Cemetery. The book will contain a register of identified tombstones, short footnotes about the deceased and more detailed biographies of more notable people buried there.
     
    They need the help of all our Landsleit!
     
    If you can supply biographies, details of graves and even pictures of people buried in our cemetery, then the authors want to hear from you.
     
    Click HERE for more information.


    This is OUR Website!
     
    Your suggestions, contributions and comments are always welcome. Either post your comments onto our Yahoo Email Group or you can email our Webmaster, Andrew Rajcher.
     
    To a large extent, where this website goes is up to YOU!
     
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