Shtetl Routes. Vestiges of Jewish cultural heritage in cross-border tourism in borderland of Poland, Belarus and Ukraine
Shtetl Routes. Vestiges of Jewish cultural heritage in cross-border tourism in borderland of Poland, Belarus and Ukraine
Pol. Oszmiana, Bel. Ашмяны, Yid. אָשמענע
I remember a man whose name I cannot recollect. […] On every Thursday, the market day, he would go around with a cloth bag and collect silver coins from the shopkeepers; by the way, some of the shops were so tiny that they looked like small cupboards [...].
Ukr. Белз, Yid. בעלז
Oh Belz, my little town Belz,
My home where I had
so many fine dreams...
Ukr. Березне, Yid. בערעזנע
Berezne had its venerable scribes. It had its Maskilim and its dissenters, tax collectors and social activists, and even its own lunatics. The Jewish life was a peaceful river. Szuls were crowded with the Jews studying the Talmud among the yellowed books.
Ukr. Бучач, Yid. בעטשאָטש
When they left the House of Study, the whole town was already deep in slumber. [...] Buczacz lies on a mountain, and it seemed as though the stars were bound to her rooftops. Suddenly the moon came out and lit up all the town. The river Stripa, which had previously been covered by darkness, suddenly gleamed silver...
Ukr. Чортків, Yid. טשאָרטקעוו
Writer – Karl Emil
From Chortkiv, in "Bristol" directly from Berlin
Happened to pop in – to anyone
By the Seret River – of milk and honey
White bread and yellow clay
Pol. Dawidgródek, Bel. Давыд-Гарадок, Yid. דוידהורודוק
Each and every individual was unique. […] Simple, unassuming – poor but always cheerful –each Horodoker had his/her own wit and mannerisms.
Ukr. Іжбиця, Yid.איזשביצא
My first home was in Izbica; this is where I was born. This was my inheritance – yerushe, as you say in Yiddish – my great-grandfather had built the house and passed it on to the following generations.
Ukr. Юзефув, Yid. יוזעפוף
Books printed in Józefów met with resistance from the state and from the rabbinical censorship. In a letter to Zamoyski, one censor called them “highly” sensitive.
Ukr. Казімеж-Дольни, קוזמיר Yid.
Even in terms of its landscape, Kazimierz belonged to the world of Polish Jews. It resembled a page from a women’s prayer book, a prayer book with shining, silver corners or old gravure which anonymous Jewish masters from a bygone era engraved with great piety on the Polish land, wanting to present vividly what Poyln means [...].
Ukr. Хуст, Hung. Huszt, Yid. חוסט
Here live the Ruthenian shepherds and woodcutters, the Jewish craftsmen і merchants. Poor Jews and rich Jews. Poor Ruthenians and even poorer Ruthenians.
пол. Kosów, їдиш קאָסעוו
Between Kosiv and Kuty
There is a bridge,
Where Baal Shem
Went for a walk...
From Krynki, I brought wine and mead brewed by widow Yocheved to my inn, a beverage famous for miles around.
Ukr. Лісько, Yid. לינסק
How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
Bel. МендзырэчПадляскі, Ukr. Межиріччя, Yid. מעזעריטש
On the wall of our youth club it was written: ‘Ignore your father’s preaching, remember your mother's teaching’.
