i know that political issues are touchy matters, but this is more of a
cultural matter imho. i received the following from my friend zahava
doering and promised her that i would send it along. i am not jewish
myself and i know that the message as written is mainly targeted for a
jewish audience, but i feel it is something that anyone can respond to,
given the dictates of personal conscience.
thanks and if this message is a problem then please let me know privately
gary shank
shank@duq.edu
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Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 08:08:36 -0500
Subject: PRAGUE JEWISH CEMETERY
Dear Colleague: Yes, we each receive dozens of email requests... However, I
hope you will respond to this one and circulate it further. It is critical
to the survival of an important cultural monument.
Thank you,
Zahava
[It is being circulated by Tereza M. Scheiner in Brazil, President of ICOFOM.]
Sarah Gray of the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation has sent the
following appeal to US/ICOMOS for universal curculation
PRAGUE JEWISH CEMETERY
The Jewish community in Prague is being pressured by the Czech
Government to allow the construction of residential properties on the
site of the old Jewish cemetery in the Jewish Quarter there.
The 800-year-old cemetery, which survived the Nazi destruction of
Jewish religious sites in Central and Eastern Europe, is the last of its
kind and contains the grave of the Maharal of Prague (R. Yehudah Loewy,
17th century scholar) and other Torah greats.
Prague's Chief Rabbi Efraim Sidon has asked for Jews worldwide to take
urgent action to prevent the desecration of the cemetery, and it is
approapriate for all non-Jews also to support the conservation efforts
of this important heritage site.
Czech Minister of Culture Mr. Pavel Dorstal may be e-mailed at
minkult@mkcr.cz
Below is a sample letter which you can send. Simply copy and paste it,
and fill in your name and country at the bottom.
Please forward this letter to all you know.
(Date)
Dear Mr. Dorstal,
I am writing to you to protest the pressure being placed on Prague's
Jewish community by the Czech government, to allow construction of
residential properties on the site of the Jewish cemetery in the
Jewish Quarter of Prague.
This ancient cemetery, which survived the Nazi destruction of Jewish
religious sites in Central and Eastern Europe, is the last of its kind,
and contains the graves of many important Jewish scholars. As the
Minister of Culture in Czechoslovakia, I appeal to you to act
immediately to prevent the desecration of the cemetery.
Yours sincerely,
(Name and Country)
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