From the ashes of the Holocaust... Jewish culture grows Note: TUB article is one of a series resulting from a ent trip to the Soviet Union. By Morris I^aliae One cannot visit the city of Riga in Latvia without mfronting both the Holocaust and the rebirth of Jewh culture.: Remnants of the Holocaust are overpowering. In addition to the Salaspils slave labor camp (see last eek's paper) there are memorials for Jews burned to leath in a synagogue and for Jews who were shot-toleath in the killing forests of Rumbili and Bikernieks, and a sculpted monument dedicated to a righteous genile. There used to be 40 synagogues in Riga. One remains, Jut sees little usage. Before World War II, there were ibout 30,000 Jews in Riga. Today, about 20,000, and lerhaps another 10-15,000 in the rest of Latvia. By talking with some of the Latvian Jews, one is able 0 walk away with a grim feeling for what went on during, the Holocaust, but also a sense of hope for the remergence of Jewish culture. Short tour During a three-hour tour of Jewish interest, our bus itopped at a peaceful and pleasant-looking park in the nidst of a thriving neighboirhood—nice apartments and lusy-looking stores. We crossed the street, entered the park and walked 0 a Jewish star, a memorial to the Choral Synagogue. ; This is where the Nuia forced scores of Jews into the lynagogue apd set the building on fire. AU perished in lie fiery coffin. Again our group recited Kaddish and I wondered to nyself how many Kaddish prayers we woukl be recitng that day. I didn't have to wait long. 1 We drove less than 10 miles, passing railroad tracks, ibsorbing the scenery enroute. Soon we approached long ines of trucks and autos—all waiting for gasoline or as hey call it-petrol. , Our guide pointed out that a wait of two hours for petpl was not uncommon in that area. "We get our petrol from Lithuania and there's somehing wrong at that end," she said. Just outside the population center, the scenery ihanged to forests easily accessible from the main road. V» stopped and looked at a sign.
Thk |4ato 1IM telm In Leafa^TMi US.SLIU sariiei thk y««r (fairing miwitjr'a first obaervuwe of Yom Haahoak. Photo by Leeidd of LMII^TML No awtioB of Jews Trandation: "In the BikerBi^a forest, Geraiu fascist invaders killed 46,500 non-combatanto." We walked a few hundred feet along a six-foot-wide dirt path to a monument. Another translation: A place of mass burial of victims of Faadst tenor. No mention of Jews! This policy of the Soviets—not to mention Jews as victims—has been challenged in recent years by the Jews remaining in Riga.
Third annual workshop addresses prejudice among young people third annual Prejuice Reduction Workshop Dok place at the Jewish lommunity Center on (ov. \b. TIM d«y-k«g proram was attended by v«r 250 atudants, plus HMriors and fHcilitators P^Ps arm tekools. Recording to Barbara 'rohman, Omaha ADL/ »C aasiatnnt dimtor, D«inoffrH>tuc traida indiate thtt the porooatage of idQ-white and other ioinoritiw in AnMrica is inwaaing. Tlua ckaag* in itiucture of sodftty." potetsd out. "will liftoubtedly incroMO tk* DMiMMytkatintwfnMp iriU be
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Beth Israel to host Rabbi Shoham as scholar
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Not too far from Bikernieks we walked into another part of the forest. The name of this site is Rumbuli. Here, two Jewish guides who had joined our party explained that again Jews were the victims of mass killing and mass* burial. The young men. both in their early 20s, said that the Jews of Riga started meeting at this site several years ago in November to recite Kaddish for the victims. Not too long ago, the Jews of Riga pressured the city officials to allow the installatioo of a new monument—this one providing a refwence to Jews. Kighteow gentile Next, we stopped at the mi^or Latvian cemetery. A member of our group knew that the burial site of a "Righteous gentile" was located here and that the monument was sculpted by a Latvian Jew. When the Jews of Latvia announced completitjn of the sculpture and invited the city officials and the general
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Beth Israel Synagogue has invited Rabbi Gilbert Shoham to be its scholar in-residence the woakand of Dec. 1-3. The rabbi win speak on "New Age Orthodoxy." During the recent Hi|^ Holidays. Rabbi Shoham served as guest rabhi nt Beth IsfneL He is a profMsor of pkitoaophy at th» University of Misaouri ia KauMS City, and sorvoe aa executive diroctw of tht FaUovahipofTMKiltioBaV Orthodox Rahbia. Ho haa sarvad as apihtital landit of Oithadn (oa^fnMliMt inCailhmia.Cann3aMd most rocontly. Kansas City. According to a Both Inrao) spokesman, many QMHttbtra who hiard RahM
Shoham during the holidnys expressed a desire to have the opportunity to hear him again. Following an abbreviated (amity aarvice Friday' evening at 8 p.m. Rabhi Shoham will make a preaantntion and will answer OB Saturday ha ntt Miaint tht DVar TMh MliHriBg tha musnf sarvifce aaid on Saturday aftanooa ha «)• |)vt a piaaantntiaai MkwiMt thi aainchn asrvice. Rnhhi ShahMnvil afaak again
lowing tite Shncharit TW ankkt waokand pr»> Vraaa^ia apan to ths Jewish coouHwily.
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