NoahandMominPrague, part 2: The Jewish Quarter

Hey guys,

A little more solemn of a post today.  Although the tourist sites were wonderful, and I do have stories and pictures to post, the real reason I went to Prague was so that I could tour the Jewish quarter.  My grandmother, on my father's side, was a young Jewish girl living in Czechoslovakia.  Her parents, my great-grandparents, had the vision to see what was coming and the courage to uproot and leave their homes in 1934.  They left behind many of their possessions and numerous friends and relatives.  As far as I know, none of my other relatives on that side of the family survived

These pictures are from Pinkas Synagogue, on the walls of which are written the names of every Jew in Prague who was killed during the Holocaust

My grandmother's maiden name is Haber

This is but one wall in one of four rooms, all covered in names

Adjacent to the synagogue is the cemetery.  The  tombstones are slanted and the ground is a good 5 or 10 feet above street level because this was the only place where the Jews were allowed to bury their dead.  They were forced to bury bodies on top of each other, causing the ground to become uneven as the earth settled

And this apartment complex is located at 14 Husova street--the address my grandmother grew up in.  If my great-grandparents had not had the courage to leave it behind, I would not be here

A solemn and sobering experience, one in which I am very glad to have partaken

Noah out