Romania -- Late News on a Jewish Heritage Conference

Siret synagogue, Romania. 2006. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

I just found out today about what could have been an interesting conference on Jewish heritage that took place this past week in Bucharest. I'm posting it in the "it's frustrating, but better to know about it late than never" category. This category, alas, is a big one! So many initiatives take place on an individual level that it is often hard (or impossible) to keep track.

The program as a whole looked terrific. Many of the topics were of particular interest to me because of my own research and writing -- and my own interest in regarding Jewish heritage as part and parcel of national, regional and European heritage -- and also because of my new "(Candle)sticks on Stone" project centering on the respresentation of women on Jewish tombstones, particularly on the richly carved stones in the Jewish cemeteries of Radauti and other towns in northern Romania.

Annual International Conference on JEWISH HERITAGE
PART OF THE WORLD AND NATIONAL HERITAGE
Bucharest, May 28-29, 2009

The University of Bucharest and the Goldstein Goren Center for Hebrew Studies
invite you to the annual international conference on Jewish Heritage Part
of the World and National Heritage.

Prominent scholars from Romania and abroad (Israel, France, Hungary, Turkey) will
lecture and debate on the Jewish intellectual heritage - its influence on local
and world culture and the current state of rehabilitation, restoration and
conservation options; a special panel will be dedicated to the Jewish monuments
of worship, synagogues and their art.

The event is open to the public and will take place on May 28-29, 2009, at the
Faculty of Letters, University of Bucharest (5-7 Edgar Quinet St., room 120 and
Council Hall).

On the occasion of the conference, the photo-documentary exhibition "Colors of
Time: The Synagogues of Moldova", belonging to the Romanian Cultural Institute
in Tel Aviv, will be on display.

The photographs presented in the exhibition are the work of Teodor Rafileanu, a
journalist and a photographer. These photographs were taken in the spring of 2007,
during the trip for the research of synagogues in Romanian Moldova, in which he
accompanied Dr. Ilia Rodov, lecturer at the Department of Jewish Art, Bar-Ilan
University. This tour was part of a research project supported by the Romanian
Cultural Institute in Israel.

----

JEWISH HERITAGE –
PART OF THE WORLD AND NATIONAL HERITAGE
Bucharest, May 28-29, 2009

Partners: Academia Romana – Institutul de Istorie a Religiilor
Federatia Comunitatilor Evreiesti din Romania – Centrul pentru Studierea Istoriei Evreilor din Romania
Institutul Cultural Român – Tel Aviv

Thursday, May 28, 2009
Opening, Council Hall
Chair: Andrei Oisteanu, Institutul de Istorie a Religiilor, Academia Romana – Romania

9.30 – 9.45
Welcome address by Prof. Dr. Liviu Papadima, Dean, Faculty of Letters/ Director, The
Goldstein Goren Center for Hebrew Studies, University of Bucharest

9.45 – 10.00
Welcome address by Traian Basescu, President of Romania, delivered by Dr. Bogdan Tataru-Cazaban, State Counselor for Culture and Religious Affairs

10.00 – 10.15
Welcome address by Prof. Dr. Aurel Vainer, President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania

10.15 – 10.30 Coffee break

Morning Session, Council Hall
Jewish intellectual heritage and its influence on local and world culture
Chair: Felicia Waldman, Goldstein Goren Center, University of Bucharest – Romania

10.30 – 10.50
“Patrimoniul cultural evreiesc – document istoric prea putin uzitat”
Liviu Rotman, SNSPA; Centrul pentru Studierea Istoriei Evreilor din Romania, FCER – Romania

10.50 – 11.10
“ ‘In Nehardea There Are No Heretics’ – The Purported Jewish Interaction with Christianity in Sasanian Babylonia”
Barak Cohen, Bar Ilan University – Israel

11.10– 11.30
“From Monologue to Dialogue: the Varying Relationships of Jewish Thinkers to European Intellectual Culture”
Raphael Shuchat, Bar Ilan University – Israel

11.30 – 11.50
“Jews and Central Europe – A Double Legacy”
Raphael Vago, Tel Aviv University – Israel

11.50 – 12.10
Discussions

12.10– 14.15 Lunch break

Afternoon session, Council Hall
Jewish monuments of worship – Synagogues and their art
Chair: Mariuca Stanciu, Goldstein Goren Center, University of Bucharest – Romania

14.15 – 14.35
“Ars brevis, vita longa: On Preservation of Modern Synagogue Art”
Ilia Rodov, Dept. of Jewish Art, Bar Ilan University – Israel

14.35 – 14.55
“Tradition and Innovation in the Romanian Synagogues – Structure and Decoration”
Ariella Amar, Center for Jewish Art, Hebrew University of Jerusalem – Israel

14.55 – 15.15
“The Great Synagogue of Budapest”
Rudolf Klein, St. Stephen University, Budapest – Hungary

15.15 – 15.35
“The Mural Painting of Romanian Synagogues – a surprising documentary source”
Mariuca Stanciu, Goldstein Goren Center, University of Bucharest – Romania

15.35 – 15.55
“Sinagogile din Bucuresti – perspective arhitecturala”
Alina Popescu, Goldstein Goren Center, University of Bucharest – Romania

15.55 – 16.15
Discussions

Friday, May 29, 2009
Morning session, Council Hall
The Jewish Cultural Heritage – A Multifaceted Approach
Chair: Liviu Rotman, SNSPA; Centrul pentru Studierea Istoriei Evreilor din Romania, FCER – Romania

9.30 – 9.50
“The transformed Jewish Heritage of Târgu Neamţ – Romania”
Felicia Waldman, Goldstein Goren Center, University of Bucharest – Romania

9.50 – 10.10
“Patrimoniul iudaic din Romania – reabilitare, restaurare si optiuni de conservare”
Rudy Marcovici & Lucia Apostol, Federatia Comunitatilor Evreiesti din Romania

10.10 – 10.30
“Reportajul interbelic prin textele lui F. Brunea Fox, ilustrate de Iosif Berman ”
Anca Ciuciu, Centrul pentru Studierea Istoriei Evreilor din Romania, FCER – Romania

10.30 – 10.50
“Evolutia artei funerare evreiesti din Cimitirul Filantropia – Bucuresti in secolele XIX-XX”
Gabriela Vasiliu, Centrul pentru Studierea Istoriei Evreilor din Romania, FCER – Romania

10.50 – 11.15
Discussions

11.15 – 11.30 Coffee break

Midday Session, Council Hall
Jewish heritage lost and found
Chair: Raphael Vago, Tel Aviv University – Israel

11.30 – 11.50
“Spatiul corpului si irealitatea targului”
Voichita Horea, University of Bucharest – Romania

11.50 – 12.10
“The preserved Jewish Heritage of Bursa – Turkey”
Bulent Senay, Uludag University, Bursa – Turkey

12.10 – 12.30
“The entirely lost Jewish heritage of Ştefăneşti – Romania”
Laurenţiu Ursu, Al. I. Cuza University, Iaşi – Romania

12.30 – 12.45
Discussions

12.45 – 14.45 Lunch break

Afternoon session, Council Hall
Jewish heritage lost and found (continued)
Chair: Carol Iancu, Paul Valery University Montpellier III – France

14.45– 15.05
“The lost and found Jewish heritage of Montpellier – France”
Michael Iancu, Moses Maimonides Institute, Montpellier – France

15.05-15.25
“Patrimoniul evreiesc din sudul Franţei – exemplul sinagogilor din Carpentras si Cavaillon”
Carol Iancu, Paul Valery University Montpellier III – France

15.25 – 15.45
“Intre exclusivism şi inclusivism: CazulRonetti Roman”
Michael Shafir, Babes Bolyai University, Cluj – Romania

15.45 – 16.05
“Romancero sau Istoria unei comori de suflet”
Cristina Toma, Societatea Română de Radiodifuziune – Romania

16.05 – 16.25
“Leaving the Jewish heritage behind: Wartime Jewish emigration from Romania”
Mihai Chioveanu, Goldstein Goren Center, University of Bucharest – Romania

16.25 – 16.45
Discussions

Poland -- Chmielnik Jewish Festival Program

Inside the Chmielnik synagogue, 2006. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

I put information on this blog's Jewish Culture Festival page, but I don't post the schedules for all Jewish culture festivals I learn about. I thought I would point out the festival in Chmielnik, Poland, however. This year -- June 19-21 -- marks the seventh edition of the festival, which is organized by some enthusiastic local activists in the village of Chmielnik, not far from Krakow.

Before the Holocaust, some 10,000 of the town's then-12,000 residents were Jewish. Today, only 4,000 people live there -- none of them Jews. As the festival's organizer, the local historian Piotr Krawczyk, once put it succinctly: "No Jews here; no people."

Chmielnik synagogue, 2006. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

A large synagogue building, which is under sporadic restoration, dominates the town center and is the focus of the festival. It is a large masonry structure with barrel vaulting, originally built in the 1630s. The Nazis turned it into a warehouse, but the interior still retains traces of lovely decoration, including 18th century stucco work and frescoes of lions, geometric forms, and the signs of the zodiac. There are also two Jewish cemeteries -- one has been recently restored, with a monument to the destroyed Jewish community.

This year, the festival takes place in Chmielnik and also in Szydlow, another small village nearby where there is a massive, fortress-style synagogue.

Krawczyk is one of dozens -- scores? hundreds? -- of non-Jewish Poles who have made a mission of recovering and promoting awareness of a past that was destroyed by the Nazis during the Shoah and then suppressed under communism. He has written a book about local Jewish history and spearheaded efforts to restore the synagogue and broaden knowledge of local Jewish history -- which, as he and others have often noted, is actually the history of the town itself.

VII MEETINGS WITH JEWISH CULTURE IN CHMIELNIK

19 june 2009 – Szydlow
19-20-21 june 2009 – Chmielnik

Friday 19 june 2009 – Chmielnik

Time: 15:00 (3 pm)
Movie projection in the House of Culture in Chmielnik:
“PO-LIN. Memory scraps”. Director Jolanta Dylewska, music Michal Lorenc, narrator Piotr Fronczewski. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReAZir_l3zc)

Friday 19 june 2009 – Szydlow

Time: 17:00 (5:00 pm)
Open the exhibition of the painting-sculpturing of the Plastic Arts Association in Kielce.

Time: 17:45 (5:45 pm)
Official open the ceremony in the Synagogue.

Time: 18:00 (6:00 pm)
The “Chmielnikers” Team concert from Chmielnik in the Synagogue.

Time: 19:15 (7:15 pm)
Open of the Jewish exhibition in the Synagogue.

Time: 20:00 (8:00 pm)
Theatrical performance called “NIGHT – TURNO” made by Poem Theatre “In Radziwill” from Szydlowiec.

Time: 20:40 (8:40 pm)
Theatrical performance called “Shabbat Supper” made by school children from Szydlow.

Saturday 20 june 2009 – Chmielnik

Time: 17:00 (5:00 pm)
Meeting with the Leopold Kozlowski in the House of Culture in Chmielnik.

Time: 18:30 – 19:30 (6:30 – 7:30 pm)
On the Chmielnik’s Market – Jewish dance training with the dancing show made by the children of the Elementary School in Chmielnik.

Time: 19:30 (7:30 pm)
On the Chmielnik’s Market – Show of the Hola-Hola Cabaret.

Time: 20:30 (8:30 pm)
On the Chmielnik’s Market – dancing show inspired by the Jewish music made by girls from the Basic School in Chmielnik.

Time: 21:00 (9:00 pm)
On the Chmielnik’s Market – band “SHARENA” concert.

Sunday 21 june 2009 – Chmielnik

Time: 12:00 (12 noon)
The solemn holy mass in the Church in Chmielnik.

Time: 13:15 – 13:30 (1:15 – 1:30 pm)
At the Synagogue put the wreath and inflammation before board ever-burning fire commemorating Jews of Chmielnik.

Time: 13:30 – 16:00 (1:30 – 4:00 pm)
In the Synagogue:
- Open the exhibition called “I see faces, hear steps” made by Malgorzata Gladyszewska and Andrzej Peczalski.
- Theatrical performance made by Elementary and Basic School children from Chmielnik.
- The Slawa Przybylska recital, Jan Krzyzanowski recite, Janusz Tylman accompaniment.
Time: 16:00 (4:00 pm)
On the Chmielnik’s Market – dancing show inspired by the Jewish music made by girls from the Elementary School in Chmielnik.

Time: 16:15 – 17:00 (4:15– 5:00 pm)
Ending of the First Youth Jewish Songs Contest in Chmielnik.

Time: 17:00 – 17:30 (5:00– 5:30 pm)
On the Chmielnik’s Market – Dance practice part 1.

Time: 17:30 – 18:00 (5:30– 6:00 pm)
On the Chmielnik’s Market – children show from the Basic School in Wola Jachowa.



Time: 18:00 – 19:00 (6:00– 7:00 pm)
On the Chmielnik’s Market – Results of the First Youth Jewish Songs Contest in Chmielnik and the “Chmielnikers” Team concert.

Time: 19:00 – 20:00 (7:00– 8:00 pm)
On the Chmielnik’s Market – Dance practice part 1 and dancing show inspired by the Jewish music made by girls from the Basic School in Chmielnik.

Time: 20:30 – 22:00 (8:30– 10:00 pm)
On the Chmielnik’s Market – band “Klezmafour” concert.

At the time: 13:00 - 20:00 at the Synagogue on the Sienkiewicza and Wspolna street will be the introductions of handicraft, Jewish food, plastic performances as well as the demonstrations of Jewish art of boiling, illumined the performance of klezmer team called the "Klezmafour".

Sarajevo -- Bob Cohen (and me) on Jewish Sarajevo

Ashkenazic synagogue interior, Sarajevo. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

Bob Cohen is back in Budapest after a trip to Sarajevo, and he has posted a colorful account of Jewish life and history in the Bosnian capital on his Dumneazu blog.

Today, the Ashkenazic Synagogue is the center of Sarajevo Jewish life, although the majority of the congragation is of Sephardi origin. The Jews of Sarajevo - as in most of former Yugoslavia - lived in a culturally tolerant world almost devoid of the antisemitic atmosphere that prevailed in pre-WWII Europe, and it all the more tragic that they were almost entuirely destroyed during the Holocaust. Local Muslims and Christians, however, were active in saving the lives of many Jews, and Jews were prominent in the Yugoslav Partisan movement, such as Moshe Pijade, Tito's right hand man. There is a photo in the Jewish museum of a Jewish Woman - wearing a Jewish star armband - walking along the main street of Nazi-occupied Sarajevo arm in arm with her Muslim friend, a woman maintaining the tradition of a complete face veil.

Read full post

I haven't been to Sarajevo for several years. But my last visit there coincided with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, when the 16th-century Old Synagogue, turned into a Jewish museum after World War II, was reconsecrated as a house of worship.

Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

As I wrote in an article at the time:

A mezuzah was nailed to the door of the austere stone building, from whose windows the slim minarets of neighboring mosques in Sarajevo’s Old Town are clearly visible. Services were held and the traditional melodies of the Sephardic Jewish liturgy were sung there for the first time in more than 60 years. “To be honest, all my life I’ve lived in Sarajevo, and this was the first occasion to have a service in the Sephardic synagogue,” said Jakob Finci, the head of the Bosnian Jewish Community. “This was the first time to have it on the right place on the right way. That means really a lot. Let’s hope that it becomes a tradition and not only for the High Holy Days but also for some regular Shabbats.” Originally built in 1581, the Old Synagogue was one of 15 that functioned in the city before the Holocaust, when Sarajevo was a major Balkan center of Sephardi culture and the city’s 12,000 Jews made up nearly 20 percent of the local population. Eighty-five percent of Sarajevo’s Jews were killed in the Holocaust. In 1965, during ceremonies marking 400 years of Jewish presence in Bosnia, the Old Synagogue, though still owned by the remnant Jewish community, was converted into a city-run Jewish museum. Jewish communal activities were shifted to an Ashkenazi synagogue, a grand, Moorish style temple built a century ago, which was converted to include offices and function rooms as well as a sanctuary. When the Bosnian War broke out in 1992, the Jewish Museum was closed and became a storage place for collections from other museums in the city. It remained closed until this summer, when it was reopened as a museum, under new management that includes Jewish-community as well as city representatives.

I was told at the time of the plans to update and convert the synagogue into a facility that would serve as a cultural and educational center for the Jewish and non-Jewish public, as well as a museum. The ground floor was to remain a consecrated synagogue where services would be held on special occasions, with an exhibition of ritual objects and Jewish religious traditions. The two upper floors, consisting of arched stone balconies surrounding the sanctuary area, were to house historical exhibits. Part of the museum was to show the richness of pre-Holocaust Jewish life. But for the first time, there would be a “huge” section on the Holocaust — as well as a section detailing the operation of the Jewish community during the Bosnian War.

Bob visited the completed new museum and reports on some of the exhibitions.

It is interesting to note that when the post-war conversion of the Ashkenazic synagogue took place, the lofty sanctuary was cut in half horizontally -- offices and function rooms are on the ground floor, and the synagogue sanctuary is on the upper floor. But, as you can see by the photo at the top of this post, all that remains is the upper horseshoe part of the arch over the Ark. It looks a little weird, with strange proportions, but it's functional -- and still ornate.

When I was in Sarajevo, Jakob Finci reminisced about the experience of the Jewish community during the Bosnian War, when -- as Ed Serotta has written in his book, Survival in Sarajevo -- the Jewish community came to the aid of their city.

During the war, the tiny local Jewish community and its social welfare arm, La Benevolencija, won international renown as a key conduit of nonsectarian humanitarian aid to all ethnic groups involved in the conflict. They ran a soup kitchen, medical and communication services, and organized exit convoys for refugees from besieged Sarajevo. “We have just 700 members, among them 180 survivors of the Holocaust, so we are an aging community,” Finci said. “At the same time, during the war we succeeded in helping at least 10,000 people.” Finci and other Jewish leaders transformed themselves from middle-aged, white-collar professionals into daring coordinators who juggled identification papers and navigated checkpoints, often risking death in the process. “It was really like a James Bond movie,” Finci recalled. “But if you ask me now if I would be ready to repeat it, the answer would be no. Because it’s only now that I realize how dangerous it was. At the time, it was a strange feeling of responsibility."

Read full Interview

Last year, Finci was named Bosnia's Ambassador to Switzerland.

ADD ON -- P.S.

In his blog, Sam Gruber reminds me I forgot to mention Sarajevo's most famous Jewish relic -- the Sarajevo Hagaddah, long a symbol of Jewish presence and survival in the Balkans! Handwritten and illuminated in 14th-century Spain, the lavishly illustrated 109-page manuscript was brought to Sarajevo after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 and remained intact through years of conflict and upheaval. It served countless family seders over the centuries, and wine stains mar some of the pages. Owned by the Bosnian National Museum since 1894, it escaped the Holocaust, hidden away in a remote mountain village. It also survived the brutal Bosnian War of the 1990s, either locked in a bank vault or stashed away in private custody. In December 2002, the book went on display at the museum in a special room (although the copy on display now is, I believe, a facsimile -- a fullscale facisimile of the book was produced a couple of years ago and is currently on sale).

Sarajevo Hagaddah. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

The Hagaddah and its story figured in the recent award-winning novel by Geraldine Brooks, People of the Book. Ed Serotta detailed the history of the Haggadah in a Nightline program.

To see a more complete account of Jewish heritage in Sarajevo and Bosnia, which I wrote (with Sam Gruber and the help of Ivan Ceresnjes) click HERE.

Upeh Guling Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor

Upeh Guling Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor. (N2°30.736' E103°20.993')
This is the nearest waterfall from Kuala Marong. It's about 560 meters away from Kuala Marong and it's located between Kuala Marong and Batu Hampar Waterfall.

"From Kuala Marong campsite, a short 15 minutes away is the Upeh Guling Waterfalls, with a series of whirlpools formed by ancient volcanic rocks – supposed to be the oldest existing landmarks in Malaysia at 240 million years old! The waterfall is rather wide and short but we saw at least 4 levels/cascades.
Good place to get a free massage from the falling waters. Interestingly, there were odd-shaped holes at the falls which resembled natural bathtubs. It has it's own legend too..."
-By Snail-Works

The Main Fall of Upeh Guling

The Upper Fall of Upeh Guling

The Upper Fall of Upeh Guling

The natural bathtub by ancient volcanic rocks

The natural bathtub by ancient volcanic rocks

If I cannot reach Buaya Sangkut Waterfall, at least....this is the closer waterfall I can visit! :)

The above photos are provided by Snail-Works. Thanks!

Waterfall at Johor :-
* Pulai Waterfall, Johor
* Sungai Bantang Waterfall at Bekok, Johor
* Batu Hampar Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Buaya Sangkut Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Kota Tinggi Waterfall, Johor

Waterfall at Perak :-
* Lata (Waterfall) Iskandar at Cameron Highland

MY TRIPS - Home

Buaya Sangkut Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor

After about 2 hours trek from Batu Hampar Waterfall, Snail-Works and the team finally reached the Ultimate Buaya Sangkut Waterfall (N2°29.835' E103°19.192') of Endau Rompin National Park.

"The journey required to climb 3 Steep Hills (Samanggong Hill - about 50° steep and approx. 2307 feet) during the jungle trek. And guide is compulsory for the trekking above Kuala Jasin.
This is one of the spectacular falls in Malaysia. Buaya Sangkut is the main attraction of Endau Rompin National Park. It's quite a something to behold in it's sheer height and vastness. In terms of numbers this waterfall is 30 meters wide and drops 17,000 gallons of water per second from a height of 120 meters.
This fall also famous with it's own legends." - By Snail-Works.

From the side of the Fall

Front of the Fall

The Legend Of Buaya Sangkut Waterfall
According to legend, the Jasin River and the Endau River were dwelled by thousands of dangerous crocodiles. The man-eaters often endanger people in the area. Several attack cases and near death experience were a common story among the people who use the river for their daily activities.
The ‘Orang Asli’ (aborigine) believe that the fear might be over if they could kill the crocodile king. After hunting for a period of time the ‘Orang Asli’ finally catch the crocodile king and then throw it at Seganggong hill. The crocodile was unable to move as it trapped at the rocky hill. The trapped crocodile causes the water to change it direction to the Endau River. Finally the crocodile died and the waterfall then named after the sank crocodile or known as the ‘Buaya Sangkut’.
Source from : http://www.myoutdoor.com/eco/eco.htm

Close up

From the side

An advise from Snail-Works : "Beware of the slippery rock surface. 'Kampung Adiddas' is very useful here. You can buy it at Kahang Town. If you fit enough, you can complete the trek to Buaya Sangkut Waterfall in one day."

Enjoy!

The upper fall of Buaya Sangkut

The above article and photos are provided by Snail-Works. Thanks!

Waterfall at Johor :-
* Pulai Waterfall, Johor
* Sungai Bantang Waterfall at Bekok, Johor
* Batu Hampar Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Buaya Sangkut Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Upeh Guling Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Kota Tinggi Waterfall, Johor

Waterfall at Perak :-
* Lata (Waterfall) Iskandar at Cameron Highland

Related post :-
* Explore in Endau Rompin National Park, Johor.

MY TRIPS - Home

Poland -- New Virtual Shtetl Resource

The Museum of the History of Polish Jewry has just launched the beta version of its "Virtual Shtetl" project, which aims to be an ever-growing online archive and database of photographs, video, texts, old postcards, maps and other reference material on Jewish history and heritage in towns, cities and villages in Poland. Users will have the possibility of adding their own material.

Check out the site by clicking HERE.

The web site states:

The Virtual Shtetl Portal is devoted to the local history of Jews. Although at the moment of the Portal launching it contains a lot of information, its future is based on the cooperation of Internauts using Web 2.0 solutions. Thus a medium is created which constitutes a sort of bridge between the history of Polish Jewish towns and the contemporary, multicultural world.

The Museum of the History of Polish Jews has been creating this modern tool at the time when the construction project of the museum building is just beginning. The Virtual Shtetl is a museum without walls, a logical consequence of the initiative to build the Museum , it also provides the answer to social expectations.

The Virtual Shtetl depicts the history of Polish Jews, which in great part was created in towns (Yiddish: shetl). On the Portal one can find the information pertaining to the past but also to the present, to little towns, but also to large cities. The Portal presents both contemporary and also pre-war Poland. The English version will enable the Polish Jews and their descendants scattered all over the world to use the Virtual Shtetl Portal.

A full picture of Polish-Jewish history and relations has been and will be presented thanks to the effort of many institutions, organizations and private persons. Due to the richness of the subject the list of initiatives to be taken up is unlimited. A source of precious information has been provided by the Polin Portal as well the local community portal Jewish.org.pl. In the execution of the Virtual Shtetl Project the experience of the following Internet projects has been used: izrael.badacz.org and Diapozytyw (Adam Mickiewicz Institute) as well as many years’ cooperation of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews with the Jewish Historical Institute.

The Virtual Shtetl is not a place, but the community by which it is created. Let us take pictures and look for the relics of the past, let us listen to accounts. Let us exchange information and encourage one another to take up initiatives. Let us get to know one another and act.

In some ways, the site is similar to the Polin portal of the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland (Fodz). (And in fact, some of the material appears to be the same -- looks like there is the same little video of the Jewish cemetery in Bielsko Biala.)

Jewish War Memorials

In honor of Memorial Day in the United States, Sam Gruber has posted pictures on his blog of war memorials to Jewish soldiers who fell while fighting for their (varied) countries in Europe....

Like Sam, I, too, have long been intrigued by these memorials and the stories that they tell -- at least the stories that they hint at. When you see a memorial in a Jewish cemetery in Germany, honoring Jewish soldiers who died fighting for Germany in World War I, a conflict that ended just 20 years before Kristallnacht and the start of the Holocaust, it does make you think.

Last week, in Bielsko-Biala, Poland, I photographed the World War I memorial in the town's Jewish cemetery.

Bielsko-Biala, 2009. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

The Israeli political scientist Sholmo Avinieri, who was born in Bielsko-Biala and who has restored the tombs of his grandparents in the cemetery, told me that the list of names included those of three Muslims -- two Bosniak Austrian soldiers (Dedo Karahodic and Bego Turonowicz), and one Muslim Russian prisoner of war (Chabibulin Chatybarachman) who died in an adjacent POW camp. "Who would bury them if not the Jews?" Shlomo commented.

One of the most poignant such War Memorials is in the wonderful, and historic, Jewish cemetery in Mikulov, Czech Republic -- it was founded in the 15th century and has about 4,000 tombstones. The oldest legible dates from 1605.

The World War I memorial honors 25 Jewish soldiers. "Oh, how the heroes have been cut down!" it reads, in German. The names of the dead include Moriz Jung, Max Fedsberger, Heinrich Deutsch, Hans Kohn, Emil Spitzer...

Mikulov. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

Mikulov. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

Batu Hampar Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor

"Some of the famous waterfalls in Malaysia are found here, ie. Buaya Sangkut, Upeh Guling, Takah Tinggi... This time i went in from Peta entrance, only manage to visit Buaya Sangkut, Upeh Guling, Takah Kunyit, Batu Hampar & Tasik Biru." By - Snail-Works

Batu Hampar Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
(N2°30.261' E103°20.639')

"Beside Kuala Marong, this is the another campsite with toilet and kitchen facilities." - Snail-Works

I noted from the GPS map....Kuala Marong (N2°30.829' E103°21.282') is about 2.3km from Kuala Jasin. Batu Hampar Waterfall and Campsite is about 1.6KM from Kuala Marong. They camp at Batu Hampar campsite for a night and continue their trekking journey to Buaya Sangkut Waterfall in the next day...

During their way, about 1.8KM away from Batu Hampar Waterfall, they passed by this small fall named - Takah Kunyit Fall (N2°29.560' E103°19.949')

The journey continue to Buaya Sangkut Waterfall in the next post....

The above article and photos are provided by Snail-Works. Thanks!

Waterfall at Johor :-
* Pulai Waterfall, Johor
* Sungai Bantang Waterfall at Bekok, Johor
* Batu Hampar Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Buaya Sangkut Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Upeh Guling Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Kota Tinggi Waterfall, Johor

Waterfall at Perak :-
* Lata (Waterfall) Iskandar at Cameron Highland

Related post :-
* Explore in Endau Rompin National Park, Johor.

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Sungai Bantang Waterfall at Bekok, Johor

Sungai Bantang Waterfall (N2°20.991' E103°09.388') at Bekok, Johor.

"There are two good reasons why Hutan Lipur Sungai Bantang is a top choice for family outings or adventures. The first is the Endau Rompin National Park and the second is an award it has won for being the Best Recreational Forest in Johor.

Since it shares the same ground with the centuries-old national park, a trip to Hutan Lipur Sungai Bantang comes quite close to a trip to the national park itself. The furthest accessible waterfall, Takah Putri, leads to the western section of Endau Rompin.

There is a wide rocky river that ‘splits’ into two at the secondary forest before rejoining downstream. These two `branches’ have created an island that offers many great spots for camps or picnics.

If you find Sungai Bantang too tame to give you an adrenalin rush, try the number of interesting and challenging treks with hiking times of between one and six hours. The treks lead to several waterfalls." - By Snail-Works

The main fall

The above article and photos are provided by Snail-Works. Thanks!

How to get there :
If you drive from Johor Bahru C.I.Q., approximately 150km to reach Bekok town, then another 6.3km to reach the junction to Sangai Bantang Rainforest (at your left).

* Next will be Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park of Johor.

Waterfall at Johor :-
* Pulai Waterfall, Johor
* Sungai Bantang Waterfall at Bekok, Johor
* Batu Hampar Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Buaya Sangkut Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Upeh Guling Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Kota Tinggi Waterfall, Johor

Waterfall at Perak :-
* Lata (Waterfall) Iskandar at Cameron Highland

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Pulai Waterfall, Johor

Pulai Waterfall (N1°35.480' E103°31.579')

"This trip supposed our Rest & Recce trip, but end up everybody become 'lok tang chi' (Wet in rain).

The fall is located in the Hutan Lipur Gunung Pulai. The park still closed for public after the several fatal landslides and flash floods. The alternate way to visit the Spectacular Kulai Waterfall is 'sneak' in thru the waterway....So i only share the waypoint here, and enter the park on your own risk.


Turn in from the main road as follow the signboard, park your car after crossing a bridge. It's a open compound belong to a Malay uncle. You'll need to pay RM1 as parking fee.

Follow the stream

Just follow the stream beside the car park, walk to the upstream direction. A lot of loose rocks along the way, which maybe washed down by flash flood. You'll pass thru a broken dam (N1°35.579' E103°31.425'), follow by 1st tier (N1°35.527' E103°31.501'), 2nd tier (N1°35.489' E103°31.539') then is the main spectacular fall. Estimate the main fall is about 5 stories high. You still can climb up to the fall peak by follow the staircase on the left of falls. Take care, the cemented staircase is very slippery due to the moss on it.

The Broken Dam

The 1st Tier

The 2nd Tier

The Pulai Waterfall (From far)

The Main Pulai Fall

From the peak of the Main Fall

The location of from the Broken Dam, 1st Tier, 2nd Tier, Pulai Waterfall & the Peak of the Main Fall.

The small cascade at the dam

The current of the stream is quite strong after the rain, we had a hard time to come back to the car park in the heavy rained afternoon." - By Snail-Works

The above article and photos are provided by Snail-Works. Thanks!

I've been searching for this waterfall long time ago. Never expect it still remain there until I read the post from Snail-Works, thanks.
Look like the trail will be challenging, I will try one of these day to visit this Spectacular Fall of Pulai!

Waterfall at Johor :-
* Pulai Waterfall, Johor
* Sungai Bantang Waterfall at Bekok, Johor
* Batu Hampar Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Buaya Sangkut Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Upeh Guling Waterfall at Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
* Kota Tinggi Waterfall, Johor

Waterfall at Perak :-
* Lata (Waterfall) Iskandar at Cameron Highland

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Train Travel: Trains in Italy

Ah, summer is almost here! :)
Planning to travel to Italy? This is one of the best times in a year to do it.
And if you think of experiencing all of this beautiful Italian Peninnsula's charm - there's no better way to do it than buying a ticket, taking a comfy seat by the window in a fast train and... Enjoy the view!

Italy train travel is fairly inexpensive and reliable. Traveling by train in Italy is a good way to travel once you know the ins and outs.



The railway network in Italy is approximately 16000 km in length and is managed by Trentitalia. The network includes all the railway tracks, connecting to Italy's offshore islands of Sardinia and Sicily by ferries.

The rail network provides good transport links to other neighbouring European countries. Switzerland is connected via the Sempione Pass tunnel across Ticino Canton heading towards Milan. You can reach Austria by the Brennero and Tarvisio lines and onwards into western and central Europe. And charming France is connected by the line that runs along the Nice, Ventimiglia and Turin.

Ferries connect the country with Greece, Turkey, Tunisia, Malta, Albania, Egypt and Spain. Since air travel within Italy is not cheap, the railway system, being good and inexpensive. The trains are generally on time, clean and comfortable, but one should remember to take some cash with you - Credit Cards might not be accepted.

The common trains in Italy are:

• the Eurostar(ES) which travels between Italy and the rest of Europe,
  
• Eurocity(EC) - travelling between european and italian cities,
  
• and Intercity(IC) which are, along with EC, more Italian-based and are cheaper than ES trains.

The map of the most popular train connections in Italy.

TICKETS

There are two types of train tickets:

1. First class seats often recline, there are fewer seats per car, and there is more space for luggage. On some Premier Trains, the price of a first class ticket includes a meal.
   
2. Second class accommodation are less expensive, but not as spacious, as there are more seats per car.

A ticket allows you to board the train, but does not guarantee you a seat. Remember to make a seat reservation to have a guaranteed seat on the train. This is especially important during the "high season" or Italian holidays (especially: August - whole month, Christmas and New Years, long weekends, etc.). If you plan to travel during that time, book your ticket early, in advance, to avoid any umpleasant surprises.

For certain trains, such as fast trains or Inter City, there's a supplement to be added to the ticket price.
In Italy, you have to purchase your train ticket before getting on the train. It's not acceptable to buy it on the train, and if you're found without ticket you'll be fined. There are often long queues at the ticket office of the railway stations.

The train prices vary according to type of class, destination and type of train. The prices are relatively more expensive than driving across. A three hour trip can cost about 30 euro.
However, Italian Railways offer special discount prices for kilometre tickets. For example, you can buy a 3000 km ticket at a discount of approx. 20% and you can accumulate the kilometres each time you travel until you reach the maximum kilometres. You also find (and buy) special cards for very young children, elderly people (over 65) and groups. Ask for special cards and tickets at the station's Information Office.

Important Tip: Train tickets have to be timestamped for validity before entering the train. The timestamp machines are located in the train station next to the train tracks/bins.
The travellers outside of Europe might not be used to the standard of locating trains numbers, destinations and times. The train name, number, time and the track/bin number are written on the train announcement boards. The platform number should be written in white to show that it is valid for the period of your travel.
Train timetables change at the beginning of autumn and the end of winter (September and March) so make sure you are using the right train timetable.

Validate your train ticket before boarding !
Booking is an obligation but the Station Information Service does give refunds to those who missed their trips for specific reasons. An Italian dictionary or phrase book might be of good use when asking for information. An alternative is booking at the travel agent, most of them sell train tickets for all destinations. Expect to pay more for a ticket bought through an travel agency.
You must validate the ticket by stamping it in one of the gold-colored machines, located at the front of the platforms.
Ticket dispensing machines can luckily be found on the platforms of train departures sometimes, but not always.
For this reason it's more practical and often cheaper to buy train tickets or make your seat reservations before, so you can avoid fully booked trains. The simplest way to do so is online, through the Internet.

When traveling to large cities such as Rome for two or three nights we recomend you use the train, First class is not that much more and is extremly comfortable.

Trenitalia - Italian State Railway

You'd probably like to visit the official site of the State Railway (Ferrovie dello Stato). Time-tables (in English and German, too!), railway network maps, stations. Tariffs and special offers. The Italian railway service offers an on-line buying service for Eurostar and Intercity tickets. The will be delivered to your home anywhere in Italy by an express Payment is by credit card, protected by the most advanced security systems.

Do you have any other travelling tips about Italy? If so -

Grand Straits Garden Seafood Restaurant, Johor Bahru

The first 'Halal' Chinese Seafood Restaurant at Johor Bahru - Grand Straits Garden Seafood Restaurant. (N1°29.069' E103°42.920') It's located beside Danga Bay and just next to Danga View Condominium.

Main entrance of the restaurant

Grand Straits Garden Seafood Restaurant has a good reputation about their Chinese Cuisine among Johor Bahru. The restaurant will be pack of customer during weekend or public holiday. It's same as that night...crowded...

We were having our second Mother's Day dinner over here on 10th May 2009. The package was fixed, that's mean we cannot choose our favorite dishes on that day...

Clean and well organize surrounding.

The setup was nice with garden environment at the outdoor area. They have a big hall which is indoor session for those who wanna celebrate their wedding dinner or lunch. They serve live seafood as the photos below...

Wondering what is the weight for each of the Australian Snow Crab?

The Brown-Marbled Grouper

I was impressed by the decoration surround...especially the water features....

The water features

This is really a good seafood restaurant which can be taste by all everyone...

This dinner was spent by my brother in-law, and I didn't notice the damage. But I believe the price should reasonable because it's proven by the customers...


Foods rated : 4/5

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