Prague Journal

Wednesday, September 15, 2004.

Today’s Fulbright schedule consisted of a “Survival Czech I” session and presentation by the director of the Prague Multicultural Center. The afternoon was spent at the American Embassy, meeting various dignitaries and officers and learning about consular and security issues (and registering our passports for safety). Security at the embassy is high for obvious reasons, but the consular office also has the responsibility of stepping in when bad things happen to Americans in the Czech Republic. For example, an American family was injured in a bomb attack in Prague last month. (The attack had to do with evening some scores in the Israeli mafia, and a suspect was apprehended in Israel just yesterday.) But the consular office also warned us that pickpocketing had increased in the last few years (this had been a problem even seven years ago), with a worrisome increase in the level of attendant physical harm (this is new).
We were given tickets for a performance of Rigoletto at the National Theater, but several of us opted out for Rosh Hashana services instead. It is a little strange that no one at the Fulbright office gave any thought to the Jewish holidays, especially since several of the recipients are Jewish, and one, who is not Jewish herself, is studying Jewish theater in Terezin during the Holocaust. But it is just one of many signs that Jewish life in Prague is more of a novelty to the local citizenry than an ongoing fact of daily existence which would be woven into their consciousness.
Rosh Hashana services were lovely. Sadly, Rabbi Arnold Turetsky, who has led High Holidays for Bejt Praha for several years passed away in July in New York. Happily, Rabbi Morton Narrowe, originally from Philadelphia, but most recently the head Rabbi in Sweden, has been involved with the Jewish Community in and around Prague for the past two years and filled Rabbi Turetsky’s shoes on the bimah of the Spanish Synagogue for the holidays. The Spanish Synagogue--so called for its style, not for any Spanish or Sephardic ties--was restored in 2000 and is now back in all its glory: vibrant and ornate red, blue, and gold décor. It has become part of the Education Center of the Jewish Museum, a venue for lectures and activities, in addition to the regular Bejt Praha “Open” Jewish Community services.
Following the service, we joined the Bejt Praha regulars at the Jewish Town Hall for dinner, complete with Košer wine, homemade Challah, and socializing. The community has many more Czechs now than when we were there in 1998, when the attendees were predominately tourists. Still, the most common language heard is probably English, with Czech and Hebrew close behind. Tomorrow’s service will include the Tašlich, walking along the Vltava River, casting stones of sins into the water.

posted by JWinn @ 7:46 PM