Mother’s Day is coming! I found a special “deal” online: two dozen roses for $50.00. You cannot resist such a deal. I love roses, so I quickly purchased them. I was a little apprehensive – was this for real or a scam? But the offer came from the Jewish Press, […]
History
21 posts
As recalled by my parents Salomon and Tosia Lederberger Pictured above: The City Synagogue, capable of holding some 10,000 people (the largest synagogue in Galicia). As its completion (c. 1910) coincided with an anniversary celebration for Austrian emperor Franz Josef, it was also known as the “Franz Josef Synagogue.” I, […]
I am a Jew. Unfortunately, once again (or maybe since time immemorial, it has never ceased) there is a rise in antisemitic (read Jewish, as the word includes Arab) acts, rhetoric, remarks, thoughts, etc. Those fours words are a proud, defiant, courageous and a bit crazy statement to make. So why […]
It is a cold winter evening in 1944. A group of farmers sits around the kitchen table in Chyliczki, a small village near Warsaw. Even though it is only four o’clock, it is already dark outside. This is the only heated space in the two-room wooden farmhouse. During the day, […]
An article in the Wall Street Journal weekend edition of July 2-3, 2022, by Joseph Skibell titled “When the Prayers at School Aren’t Yours” triggered some memories of events that happened during my teen years. Growing up in Lubbock, Texas in the 1970s, Mr. Skibell writes: “There were only a […]
My Dad is gone now.So too is the world over which he reigned.He owned a printing shop.Its demise was partly due to the unions.And like other professions, was conquered by a more recent warrior:Modern technology, even swifter than the industrial age.Efficient and cheaper, but with much less character. Entering the […]
Happy birthday, Israel! You are now 74 years young and have accomplished so much in so few years. You have always been part of my life. Remember Jewish National Fund tzedakah (charity) boxes? My pennies, nickels and dimes were collected religiously so that you could plant trees and turn a desert […]
Image: This photo is from my hometown, Tarnów, during the second deportation. “Always follow your logic,” was Salomon’s proud “leitmotiv.” Going against logic showed weakness, made no sense. Logic dictated his personal and business life. To this day, quips such as: “Always follow your logic,” “Don’t follow others,” “Follow your […]
On February 24, 2022, Russia began an attempt to invade Ukraine. For the last 47 days that country has been subject to constant vicious bombardment. Whole cities have been put to ruin; millions of civilians have fled the country seeking asylum abroad. The bombing has not been concentrated on military […]