November 20, 2011

“Man exists as long as he is remembered by the others”

Eva Halina Olszewska

On Wednesday 02.11.2011 in one of the teaching rooms of the Galicia Jewish Museum we could see a multimedial presentation concerning the well-known and eminent both in Polish culture and science people of Jewish origin. The presentation consisted of photographs and short biographies of 19 famous personalities. Many books, documentaries, biographies and films were devoted to them to show that these people are still remembered and to confirm that they are an integral part of our history and heritage we should be proud of.

You can find among them

v Leopold Infeld-eminent physicist, the author of works on general relativity, field theory and electrodynamics.

v Henry Sawicka-communist activist, participant of the Warsaw Uprising and the first President of the Walka Młodych Association .

Brandstaetter v Roman poet-playwright, writer, translator and scholar of the Bible.

v Irena Krzywicka-feminist, writer, journalist and translator. Brave propagator of the conscious motherhood, contraception and sex education.

v Vera Gran-famous cabaret singe and a film actress.

v Joseph Sare-Polish architect and builder, second President of the City of Krakow and a deputy to the national parliament.

v Herman Diaman-Excellent diplomat , specialist in Polish-German relations. Particularly concerned on the issue of policy in these two countries. Throughout his life actively involved in the defense of civil rights and social equality.

v-chemist Tadeusz Estreicher university professor in Krakow and Freiburg. He measured the boiling and melting point of hydrogen chloride, and constructed a device for liquefying hydrogen.

v Ida Kmińska-the author of many dramas, a writer, a film director. As the first actress from Communist countries was nominated for an Oscar. She conducetd the Warsaw Jewish Theatre before the war in Warsaw and up to 1968 was strongly connected with it.

v Adolf Beck, one of the world’s first electroencephalographs, physician, philosopher. He found that the electrical activity of the animals is altered by impulses.

v Louis Zamenchof-doctor, ophthalmologist, founder of Esperanto, the international language. Nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1913

v Andrzej Munk-participant of the Warsaw Uprising, a famous Polish film director, a representative of Polish Film School.

v-lawyer Raphael Lemkin who formulated concept of “crime and barbarism.” .During the Nuremberg process was an adviser to Jackson, Chief Prosecutor on behalf of the United States. In the 70`s nominated for seven times to the Nobel Prize

v Wladyslaw Kopaliński-lexicographer, translator, editor. In Poland, known as the author of fundamental works of lexicographical and encyclopedic works.

v Krzysztof Kamil Baczynski- one of the most famous Polish poets, Army cadet soldier, member of Szare Szeregi , one of the representatives of the Columbus Generation.

v Jan Kiepura-famous opera singer and actor. The artist of world fame, appeared in twelve musicals in Poland and abroad.

v-writer Stanislaw Lem, philosopher, futurologist, the representative of Science Fiction literary mainstream science fiction. One of the most popular Polish writers in the world. His books have been translated into 41 languages. His name was given to the asteroid and the first Polish satellite.

Helena Rubinstein v-creator of one of the greatest empires the world’s beauty. Millionaire, connoissere art and beauty.

v Joseph Klotz- football player, the defender, the one who scored the first ever goal for the Polish national team.

 

It is still hard for me to believe, but it did happen – first Limmud in Austria did take place in Vienna on November 13th. Couple of weeks before the event, when the most part of the preparation was already behind, the organizational team had a meeting with Clive Lawton, the man who founded the first Limmud 30 years ago in the United Kingdom. According to Clive, having returned from a Jewish educational festival in New York, he and his friends had the idea of organizing a similar event in the UK. This idea was said to be naive and unrealistic, as Jewish community in the UK was perceived as passive, discrete and lacked motivated young people comparing to the one in New York. Meanwhile, Clive was determined to realize his vision, which is now known as Limmud – at least so that do disprove that critical statement. As one of the coordinators of Limmud Vienna, I somehow feel just like Clive did 30 years ago.

Limmud is the internation festival of Jewish learning, one or several days of lectures, discussions, workshops, concerts, exhibitions and whatever else having a link with Jewish culture, tradition and identity. Here, in accordance with one of the core Jewish traditions, everyone has a chance to be both a teacher and a student, as long as he or she has something to share and is willing to discover something. Limmud is not a youth event, anyone can and encouraged to take part; still, obviously it requires young and active people to kick-start the organizational process. Holding a Limmud in Vienna, a city which Jewish background is legendary, seemed to me personally as a very honourable must-do. So the reason why Limmud didn’t take place in Vienna till now can only be that these motivated youth was not there to start it. Being one of those people meant a big honour and an important mission.

I joined the team of Limmud approximately one month before the event itself, so closer to the ending phase of the preparation. However, there was still enough of work to do. It is the moment when you find out that behind the shiny idea and vision there lies tonnes of routine, hard but yet necessary work. And seeing this work resulting in a, I might say, successful event is a great feeling.

Of course, the first Limmud in Vienna didn’t manage to reach the scope of the festivals in some other places for various reasons. However, what was pointed out by many guests is that this event managed to generate a very special, home and cozy atmosphere. Thanks to Lauder Business School which has offered us their facilities, bilingual English/German programme ranging from cooking workshop and theatre tryout to art exhibition and concert, of course with lectures on various topics in between. But the greatest reward was this special holiday joy, which everyone seem to smell during the last festive hours of the event, with exhibition, concert, wine, tired, hungry, but truly happy coordinators, volunteers and guests.

P.S. Someone asked me after the event: “So did you coordinators eventually get paid for the work you’ve done?”. Had he visit the event itself, he would understand why I was laughing after his words.