Prague Nuremberg Day 11

  

Today was a very hectic day. One stroke of luck was that we moved to daylight savings time overnight and were able to sneak in an extra hour of sleep. We were determined to get to see the Jewish Quarter in detail today but the bus was leaving for Nuremberg with or without us at one o'clock. It sounded doable but I have found that a ten minute walk may take a lot longer if Gila is side tracked by anything interesting and if I misnavigate..

The Jewish Quarter has greatly changed since we were last there in 1991. It has become considerably more expensive, more comprehensive and definitely better all round. More buildings are open now and the displays cover more of the history and traditions of Judaism through the centuries in Prague. As well, an excellent audio guide is available. It provides very interesting background information and details about the artifacts in the displays. The first synagogue called the Maisel Synagogue covered the texts and items associated with all the holidays. Next we went into what was called the Pinchas Synagogue. It was not open when I was there last. After the war all the names of the Czech victims were written on all the walls, organized in families and by camp. I remember hearing that there were about 180,000 names. When the Soviets took over, they desecrated the wall with the names. Very carefully, the lists were recreated and the building opened again later in the decade. A smaller room had the drawings made by the children of Terezin. I remember seeing this display on the walls of the Chevra Kaddisha beside the cemetery. The change of venue did not diminish the impact. The children's pictures documented the arrival of the Nazis, the deportations and the arrival in the camp. Some clearly depicted the tearing apart of families and how life normalized once in the camps. The effect was heart breaking.

The next stop was at the cemetery. It was dominated by all types of markers, some ornate, some large and some just a stone where the words have been eroded away. There were no rows, no order, just stones facing in every direction, leaning on one another, toppled over. The inscriptions were mostly faded away, but the audio guide was useful in identifying some of the more famous or infamous graves. The graves in this cemetery are ten deep. When the plots were all full, soil was dumped on the entire area, markers included and interment started again.

                                           

The Cemetery

The Chevra Kaddisha is now called the ceremonial hall. Instead of the children's art, there were paintings of life in the seventeenth century painted at that time. The display cases were full of artifacts related to medicine and the death practices. Then we moved on to the Klassen Synagogue. The displays in there were about Jewish life in general, bris, bar mitzvah, weddings and the celebration of holidays.

                                    

Chevra Kaddisha

The Spanish Synagogue is the equivalent of the Holy Blossom. It had been the site of more modest Shuls, but the reform community was acquiring wealth and wanted a place of worship that reflected their status. They built a huge sanctuary, totally in the Moorish style. All the walls, all the ceilings and all the floors were adorned with either mosaics or intricate painted designs. The women's gallery was beautiful, warm wooden pews overlooking three sides of the Shul.

The last building of this Jewish Museum was the Alte Neue synagogue. It was the first one built in Prague and continues to be used for services to this day. To enter, it is necessary to descend a few steps into a room with a soaring vaulted ceiling. References to biblical passages are painted on the wall. The bimah, as in all Sephardic Shuls is in the centre, surrounded by beautiful grillwork. The ark is at the front. The seats line the perimeter of the Shul and surround the bimah. Each seat had its own little lectern, with a compartment to store mahzorim, tallis etc. Except for the noisy crowds, it struck me as place where I could easily be carried by the service into soul searching and meditation.

The Alte Neue Synagogue                                 Memorial set into the cobblestone

The entire time, the clock was ticking. Trying not to be a nag, I had to keep track of the time and encourage Gila that it was to our benefit to catch the bus since our luggage was going to be on it. Surprisingly, we got to the hotel before the bus! There was time to use the bathroom and buy some drinks for the four hour trip.

On route we got a history of pilsner beer, when we passed the beer plant, some politics about why there is no passport control at the borders and the canal (not river) where our cruise would begin. The name of the ship is The Sound of Music. Guess what the decor is and what is hung on the ship walls. We are on the Moseldeck. I couldn't help compare the cabin to an ocean cruise liner. Unfortunately, there is no comparison. The ocean liner cabins look like hotel rooms and by comparison to these cabins are spacious. In order to use the bathroom, one of us needs to sit on the bed. There isn't enough room for both of us to get dressed at the same time. That being said, the beds are very comfortable and the staff is exceedingly welcoming. The Gate 1 staff are extraordinary. They ensure that every part of the trip is enjoyable. The food although not as good as on an ocean liner, is abundant, beautifully presented and tasty. Tomorrow is our first city tour from the ship, a city tour of old Nuremberg. I'm looking forward to it.