Announcing my new book, Klara's Journey: A Novel, coming in June. It's the story
of a 17-year-old-girl who must travel alone across Siberia just after the
Bolshevik Revolution in 1917.
http://bit.ly/WyVSWq
Monday, February 25, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Interviewed in the Huffington Post, Q & A
Interviewed in the Huffington Post:
Wandering Jews of the Diaspora: Where Are They?
Wandering Jews of the Diaspora: Where Are They?
Jews comprise a tiny percentage of the world's population -- about 0-2 percent (13.75 million). And they are scattered in communities across the planet, even in remote places. That wasn't always the case.
In the first century C.E., under the Roman Empire, Jews were mostly in the Middle East (concentrated in Judea and Galilee), and neighboring regions of Syria, North Africa, Greece and Asia Minor, totaling more than 2 million (with estimates as high as 4 million). Jews wanted to be within travel distance of the Temple in Jerusalem, the center for Jewish worship as prescribed in the Torah.
That era of Jerusalem as the center of Judaism came to an end after two disastrous wars. In 70 C.E., Herod the Great's Jerusalem Temple was destroyed and looted by Roman legions. A million Jews were killed and others fled, according to Jewish Roman historian Flavius Josephus. When Jews soon returned to the Jerusalem area their population swelled again. Then in 132 C.E., Simon Bar Kokhba led another revolt. His army of more than 100,000 soldiers was initially successful. He decimated two Roman legions, captured hundreds of villages and drove the Romans out of Jerusalem. But his victory was short-lived. The Emperor Hadrian sent in half of the worldwide Roman army to defeat Bar Kokhba -- with disastrous consequences for Jews. Five hundred thousand were killed, others sold into slavery, and Jews were banished from Jerusalem.
This was the beginning of the great Diaspora, in which Jews scattered and eventually settled in communities around the globe. Powerless and often persecuted, they typically lived on the fringe of societies; they had to survive by determination and ingenuity. But they did survive, as we learn from Ben Frank's thrilling and informative book, "The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond" (Globe Pequot Press).
Frank's curiosity about this extraordinary phenomenon of the Diaspora sparked his mission to find and visit remote and isolated -- sometimes forgotten -- Jewish communities in surprising locations. As a travel writer with a passion for Jewish history, Ben Frank is the perfect person to have undertaken the task. He eventually visited 89 Jewish communities. I interviewed him to learn more about his fascinating journey.
When did you first get the urge to undertake this demanding adventure? Did you have concerns about the difficulties you might face in remote locations?
It all began in 1964 on a trip to Algeria. As a reporter/journalist, I was fascinated by the emigration of Jews from that war-torn country to France, where they were guaranteed the rights and privileges of French citizens, since, according to the Cremieux Decree, they too were French. When I landed I met with the last few Jewish residents in Algiers. They called themselves "le Dernier Carre," the last unit in Napoleon's army to stand in battle and defend themselves in the form of a square.
How did you find out about these scattered wandering Jews?
In the case of Algeria, I contacted organizations, such as the Joint Distribution Committee, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and others who follow and aid Jews in the Diaspora. I discovered that Jews were scattered globally, including concentrations in Asia and South America. Jews have lived in India, for instance, for 2,000 years and they are still there. With contacts and research tools, I located them.
What did you learn about the state of the Jewish Diaspora? Has it changed?
It changes, depending on conditions and treatment of Jewish citizens in any given country. When anti-Semitism rears its ugly head, or dictatorships take over, there is usually emigration from that country to another. But the Jewish Diaspora has changed in a significant way since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Jews live in the Diaspora voluntarily, but they now feel they also have a home in the State of Israel should they need it.
As a skilled travel writer with lots of miles under your feet, you know how to get around. But arranging to get to these communities must have been challenging.
I am a firm believer in planning everything, especially because of tight security everywhere. Gone are the days when you could walk into a synagogue without prior arrangements. At one synagogue, in Costa Rica, they actually took my passport and gave it back to me when I exited.
How were you received in these communities?
Generally I was well-received. To ensure that, I'm careful not to criticize. And I never write that a Jewish community "is dead." I have seen numerous Diaspora communities survive when many predicted their demise. A perfect example is the Austrian Jewish community: Today, though small, it's still active. And even in Myanmar (Burma) a member of the 100-year-old synagogue in Yangon (Rangoon) opens the house of worship every day.
Looking back over you adventure, what surprised you most?
The vibrancy of Jewish life all over the world. Tahiti, for example. About 250 Jews reside there. They have a synagogue, obtain kosher food flown in from the U.S. and Australia -- and sometimes they have a rabbi for the high holidays
One thing that surprised me in reading your book was that many remote communities -- despite isolation from other Jews -- retained their Jewish identities and practices.
Correct. It's all about Jewish identity and keeping the community connected with co-religionists. Many far-flung Jewish communities send their young people abroad to study -- for example, summer programs in Israel. Even in Cuba, with its political isolation, there is a strong Jewish community and Jews are free to practice; visiting rabbis and students from South America come to Cuba to provide Jewish education.
What about religious practices? Have communities retained traditional practices? Or have they evolved their own unique ones?
Many communities have kept their own traditional prayers and practices. But with immigration and emigration, some have changed. For example, France went from being an Ashkenazic (eastern European) Jewish community to a Sephardim (Jews who trace their origin to Spain) in the 1950s and 1960s.
Are there divisions like Orthodox, Conservative and Reform movements of Judaism?
Definitely. Though in very small communities, the synagogues tend to be Orthodox or traditional. France has a number of reform congregations and is the third largest Jewish community in the Diaspora, outside of Israel. The U.S. is first, Russia/Ukraine second. Argentina has a large Jewish Conservative organization.
Who are the religious leaders in these communities? Do they have trained rabbis?
In Russia, more young Jews are entering the rabbinate under Chabad Lubavitch tutelage [an orthodox Jewish group centered in the U.S. and Israel]. Chabad has set up Jewish centers and synagogues throughout Russia. In Southeast Asia, Chabad rabbis have established Jewish centers in Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. And Argentina has a rabbinical seminary that serves Latin America.
What was the most unusual community that you visited?
Vietnam. There I did not find native Vietnamese Jews, but only American and French ex-pats, engaged primarily in the garment industry. They all meet in the Chabad Center in Ho-chi Minh City (Saigon).
What about economic and other opportunities? Is it any different today in the Diaspora than it was in the grim past when Jews were excluded from mainstream society?
I think Jews generally are in most professions in the countries where they live. But it depends on the economy. For instance, in India, many of the young Jews work in the telephone call centers. In Tahiti, a number of Jews are doctors, while others are engaged in buying and selling Tahitian pearls. In the democracies, more Jews are entering politics. For example, France has had three Jewish prime ministers. And in Germany there are Jews serving in national and local political positions.
One of the greatest challenges today for traditional religions is retaining young people. Christianity and Judaism, for example, are experiencing a rise in defections -- Jews embracing Buddhism (BuJews), Christians changing denominations, with increasing numbers declaring no affiliation. What about the scattered tribe?
Intermarriage is up, for sure. It depends on the community and the strength of Jewish education and ties to Israel. In several countries, I was told that many parents send their children to the U.S. or France to study and hopefully marry within the faith.
How has technology and the Internet affected the isolation factor for some of these communities?
Obviously technology has brought world Jewry closer together. Most Jewish community centers have computer rooms. They are a vital tool in keeping Jews around the world connected.
I'm sure that your book will entice others to start packing and replicate your trailblazing adventure. What advice would you give them for preparing for their trips?
Of course, I have lots of tips in my book. But number one on my list is to know something about the background and history of the communities, especially the exotic ones. And plan, plan and plan ahead!
Thanks Ben. I think I'm ready to pack. Passover in Tahiti?
Bernard Starr is a psychologist, journalist, and college professor. He is author of the newly published book 'Jesus Uncensored: Restoring the Authentic Jew', which is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other major outlets.
In the first century C.E., under the Roman Empire, Jews were mostly in the Middle East (concentrated in Judea and Galilee), and neighboring regions of Syria, North Africa, Greece and Asia Minor, totaling more than 2 million (with estimates as high as 4 million). Jews wanted to be within travel distance of the Temple in Jerusalem, the center for Jewish worship as prescribed in the Torah.
That era of Jerusalem as the center of Judaism came to an end after two disastrous wars. In 70 C.E., Herod the Great's Jerusalem Temple was destroyed and looted by Roman legions. A million Jews were killed and others fled, according to Jewish Roman historian Flavius Josephus. When Jews soon returned to the Jerusalem area their population swelled again. Then in 132 C.E., Simon Bar Kokhba led another revolt. His army of more than 100,000 soldiers was initially successful. He decimated two Roman legions, captured hundreds of villages and drove the Romans out of Jerusalem. But his victory was short-lived. The Emperor Hadrian sent in half of the worldwide Roman army to defeat Bar Kokhba -- with disastrous consequences for Jews. Five hundred thousand were killed, others sold into slavery, and Jews were banished from Jerusalem.
This was the beginning of the great Diaspora, in which Jews scattered and eventually settled in communities around the globe. Powerless and often persecuted, they typically lived on the fringe of societies; they had to survive by determination and ingenuity. But they did survive, as we learn from Ben Frank's thrilling and informative book, "The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond" (Globe Pequot Press).
Frank's curiosity about this extraordinary phenomenon of the Diaspora sparked his mission to find and visit remote and isolated -- sometimes forgotten -- Jewish communities in surprising locations. As a travel writer with a passion for Jewish history, Ben Frank is the perfect person to have undertaken the task. He eventually visited 89 Jewish communities. I interviewed him to learn more about his fascinating journey.
When did you first get the urge to undertake this demanding adventure? Did you have concerns about the difficulties you might face in remote locations?
It all began in 1964 on a trip to Algeria. As a reporter/journalist, I was fascinated by the emigration of Jews from that war-torn country to France, where they were guaranteed the rights and privileges of French citizens, since, according to the Cremieux Decree, they too were French. When I landed I met with the last few Jewish residents in Algiers. They called themselves "le Dernier Carre," the last unit in Napoleon's army to stand in battle and defend themselves in the form of a square.
How did you find out about these scattered wandering Jews?
In the case of Algeria, I contacted organizations, such as the Joint Distribution Committee, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and others who follow and aid Jews in the Diaspora. I discovered that Jews were scattered globally, including concentrations in Asia and South America. Jews have lived in India, for instance, for 2,000 years and they are still there. With contacts and research tools, I located them.
What did you learn about the state of the Jewish Diaspora? Has it changed?
It changes, depending on conditions and treatment of Jewish citizens in any given country. When anti-Semitism rears its ugly head, or dictatorships take over, there is usually emigration from that country to another. But the Jewish Diaspora has changed in a significant way since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Jews live in the Diaspora voluntarily, but they now feel they also have a home in the State of Israel should they need it.
As a skilled travel writer with lots of miles under your feet, you know how to get around. But arranging to get to these communities must have been challenging.
I am a firm believer in planning everything, especially because of tight security everywhere. Gone are the days when you could walk into a synagogue without prior arrangements. At one synagogue, in Costa Rica, they actually took my passport and gave it back to me when I exited.
How were you received in these communities?
Generally I was well-received. To ensure that, I'm careful not to criticize. And I never write that a Jewish community "is dead." I have seen numerous Diaspora communities survive when many predicted their demise. A perfect example is the Austrian Jewish community: Today, though small, it's still active. And even in Myanmar (Burma) a member of the 100-year-old synagogue in Yangon (Rangoon) opens the house of worship every day.
Looking back over you adventure, what surprised you most?
The vibrancy of Jewish life all over the world. Tahiti, for example. About 250 Jews reside there. They have a synagogue, obtain kosher food flown in from the U.S. and Australia -- and sometimes they have a rabbi for the high holidays
One thing that surprised me in reading your book was that many remote communities -- despite isolation from other Jews -- retained their Jewish identities and practices.
Correct. It's all about Jewish identity and keeping the community connected with co-religionists. Many far-flung Jewish communities send their young people abroad to study -- for example, summer programs in Israel. Even in Cuba, with its political isolation, there is a strong Jewish community and Jews are free to practice; visiting rabbis and students from South America come to Cuba to provide Jewish education.
What about religious practices? Have communities retained traditional practices? Or have they evolved their own unique ones?
Many communities have kept their own traditional prayers and practices. But with immigration and emigration, some have changed. For example, France went from being an Ashkenazic (eastern European) Jewish community to a Sephardim (Jews who trace their origin to Spain) in the 1950s and 1960s.
Are there divisions like Orthodox, Conservative and Reform movements of Judaism?
Definitely. Though in very small communities, the synagogues tend to be Orthodox or traditional. France has a number of reform congregations and is the third largest Jewish community in the Diaspora, outside of Israel. The U.S. is first, Russia/Ukraine second. Argentina has a large Jewish Conservative organization.
Who are the religious leaders in these communities? Do they have trained rabbis?
In Russia, more young Jews are entering the rabbinate under Chabad Lubavitch tutelage [an orthodox Jewish group centered in the U.S. and Israel]. Chabad has set up Jewish centers and synagogues throughout Russia. In Southeast Asia, Chabad rabbis have established Jewish centers in Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. And Argentina has a rabbinical seminary that serves Latin America.
What was the most unusual community that you visited?
Vietnam. There I did not find native Vietnamese Jews, but only American and French ex-pats, engaged primarily in the garment industry. They all meet in the Chabad Center in Ho-chi Minh City (Saigon).
What about economic and other opportunities? Is it any different today in the Diaspora than it was in the grim past when Jews were excluded from mainstream society?
I think Jews generally are in most professions in the countries where they live. But it depends on the economy. For instance, in India, many of the young Jews work in the telephone call centers. In Tahiti, a number of Jews are doctors, while others are engaged in buying and selling Tahitian pearls. In the democracies, more Jews are entering politics. For example, France has had three Jewish prime ministers. And in Germany there are Jews serving in national and local political positions.
One of the greatest challenges today for traditional religions is retaining young people. Christianity and Judaism, for example, are experiencing a rise in defections -- Jews embracing Buddhism (BuJews), Christians changing denominations, with increasing numbers declaring no affiliation. What about the scattered tribe?
Intermarriage is up, for sure. It depends on the community and the strength of Jewish education and ties to Israel. In several countries, I was told that many parents send their children to the U.S. or France to study and hopefully marry within the faith.
How has technology and the Internet affected the isolation factor for some of these communities?
Obviously technology has brought world Jewry closer together. Most Jewish community centers have computer rooms. They are a vital tool in keeping Jews around the world connected.
I'm sure that your book will entice others to start packing and replicate your trailblazing adventure. What advice would you give them for preparing for their trips?
Of course, I have lots of tips in my book. But number one on my list is to know something about the background and history of the communities, especially the exotic ones. And plan, plan and plan ahead!
Thanks Ben. I think I'm ready to pack. Passover in Tahiti?
Bernard Starr is a psychologist, journalist, and college professor. He is author of the newly published book 'Jesus Uncensored: Restoring the Authentic Jew', which is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other major outlets.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Announcing my new novel, Klara's Journey, out in June!
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jim Schuete (503) 888-4624,
news@marionstreetpress.com
Marion Street Press to Publish Klara’s Journey
Author Ben G. Frank’s first novel
tells the story of the journey of a 17-year-old-girl who must travel alone across Siberia just
after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917.
The novel, Frank’s fifth published
book, is entitled Klara’s Journey, and
will be published in June. “We’re thrilled to have this engrossing book as part
of our Spring list,” said Jim Schuette, publisher of Marion Street Press,
located in Portland, OR. Some recent
Marion Street Press books include Favorite
Words of Famous People by Lewis Burke Frumkes, The Book of the Poor by Kenan Heise, and A Tribute to Teachers by Dr. Richard Lederer.
A gripping account of the Russian
Civil War and its consequences, Klara’s Journey introduces an
unforgettable heroine. As civil war looms, an argument ensues in the Jewish
home of the Rasputnis’ over who should make the long trek to Canada to find
their father. He left Odessa for work in Winnipeg to send money for the family
to join him, but no one has heard from him in months. Despite objection from
her ambitious older brother, it is 17-year-old Klara who is nominated for this
impossible task. Leaving Moscow on the newly built Trans-Siberian railway she
confronts threadbare armies, famished beggars, violent protesters, and her own
hunger, but defies the odds when she meets a young soldier who offers her
protection. Painstakingly researched, this vivid portrait exposes the violence
of the time and explains why many Russian Jews left for America—all within the
realm of an adventurous and enduring love story. A brief historical and
political synopsis of the events around Klara's travels is provided at the
beginning of each chapter.
Frank, a noted Jewish travel writer,
traveled through Russia and the Ukraine, Siberia and the Russian Far East,
China and Japan, as well as Canada, before writing this historical novel.
The telling of the story, the secrets
of the Rasputnis family, the deadly struggles of a young girl to find her
father, the characters who seek fulfillment in overcoming jealousy and sibling
rivalry, make Klara’s Journey, a read
about human destiny.
About
The Author
Ben G. Frank’s previous books
include The
Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti and
Beyond, (Globe Pequot Press); A Travel Guide to Jewish Europe, 3
editions; A Travel Guide to Jewish Russia and Ukraine; A Travel Guide to the Jewish Caribbean and
South America (all Pelican Publishing Company). His
books have been cited and reviewed in the New York Times, Kirkus Reviews, Huffington Post, Chicago
Tribune, Associated Press, Pittsburgh Press, Miami Herald, Palm Beach Post, and
Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. His travel articles have appeared
in national newspapers and magazines, as well as Jewish publications.
About
the Book:
Klara’s Journey: A Novel
ISBN 9781936863471
Pub Date: June 1, 2013
http://bit.ly/WyVSWq
336 pages, paperback original
$17.95 (CAN $16.95)
Distributed by Independent
Publishers Group
Also
Available as an eBook
Monday, December 31, 2012
London, my article in the Jerusalem Post
A city washed in history
Photo: Wikimedia
12/29/2012 20:55
Photo: Wikimedia
“London is not said to be in England, but rather, England to be in London.”
London – as in Shakespeare’s day, London remains a world city. That’s why the English today are leaving the countryside and flocking to the capital in droves. And even though they constantly complain that the city is extremely expensive, they’ll tell you, “I wouldn’t live anywhere else.”
Moreover, besides the expense, one has to contend with the weather.
The whole world knows the English climate is “fickle.” And indeed people still carry an umbrella even on sunny days. In the words of the great English novelist Charles Dickens, when you come upon a day when “up came the sun, steaming all over London,” rejoice!
LONDON IS divided into 32 boroughs, each with its own character, such as the City of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea. I picked Covent Garden, where I stopped at Radisson Blue, Edwardian London, (www.radissonblu-edwardian.com), a refurbished and popular hotel located right in the heart of this famous section and situated on a delightful roundabout known as Seven Dials.
In this small circle stands a 40- ft. Doric column adorned with a sundial on each face. Legend has it that the column was erected at the center of seven radiating streets in the early 1690s. However, it was pulled down by a mob in 1773 on a rumor that treasure was buried underneath it. A replica of the pillar was then erected on the original site.
The neighborhood conveniently abuts the city’s majestic theater section, dating back to the days of William Shakespeare. Yes, this is the West End, where this season you can see such dramas and musicals as Billy Elliot, Cabaret, Disney’s The Lion King, Les Miserables, Chariots of Fire, Hedda Gabler, The Mousetrap, Uncle Vanya, Mama Mia, Wicked, Singin’ In The Rain, Shrek the Musical and Top Hat, just to name a few.
Indeed, the Radisson is mere steps from the Cambridge Theater, but I might as well have been residing on the moon; it’s frightfully difficult to obtain tickets to Matilde the Musical, now playing to a packed Cambridge house. If you’re lucky and snare tickets to this hit, get ready to shell out about $160.00 apiece for good seats.
The many pubs in the Covent Garden area, with such telling, native names as the Crown & Anchor, The Nags Head and The White Lion, do a brisk trade.
“COVENT GARDEN is important in the story of London as the birthplace of that architectural feature so characteristic of London, the ‘Square,’” notes H.V. Morton in his In Search of London. All the residential squares may be said to have originated with the Covent Garden Piazza, built in 1630 during the reign of Charles I.
Today, the square remains the central attraction in Covent Garden. Lively crowds enjoy the animation of the plaza with magicians and street entertainers surrounded by quality craft and antiques markets.
The refurbishment of the Opera House has given a new cachet to Covent Garden. Old warehouses have been adapted to house enticing small shops and boutiques selling designer clothing.
After the theater, pop into one of Covent Garden’s many “smart” restaurants.
A hundred years ago, the area was the home of “Eliza Doolittle,” the bedraggled cockney flower girl in the George Bernard Shaw play, Pygmalion.
Strolling through the neighborhood, I can’t help but begin to hum the tunes of the adaption of that play, My Fair Lady.
I browse around the stalls of Jubilee Market in Covent Garden.
It’s a grey and miserable day, typical British weather, when I meet Mel Silton, of “Original Designs,” in Jubilee Market, Covent Garden, Unit 20, along Tavistock St.
Mel tells me “business is not bad” among the many Jewish merchants in this neighborhood who, in their shops and stalls, sell caps, T-shirts and ladies’ tops.
These merchants are a long way from the old East End neighborhood of Petticoat Lane, where a few decades ago the Jews made way for Asian immigrants.
Near the market stands the London Film Museum Covent Garden and the London Transport Museum.
And close to the Leiscester Square station are two famous bookstores, Foyles Bookshop on Charing Cross Road and Stanfords on Longacre.
No visit to London, even a stopover, is complete without a visit to Harrods (harrods.com), the commercial institution which since 1905 claims to sell everything. Its food halls are decorated with art nouveau wall tiles and it is still regularly voted the world’s finest department store. If you are so inclined, there is a memorial book to Princess Diana and Dodi al- Fayed to sign.
THE SIGHTS and sounds of London will excite any tourist: the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, the changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Her Majesty’s Tower of London, the National Gallery, Hyde Park, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Bridge, Whitehall, the Strand, Trafalgar Square.
Since I had visited those sites previously, I headed over to the British Museum (“a museum of the world, for the world”), located in Great Russell Street, with tube stops at Tottenham Court Road, Holborn, Russell Square.
No wonder the British Museum housed “Shakespeare Staging the World,” a four-month exhibition this past fall that focused more on his world of London than the life of the actor himself.
Not to be missed in Jewish London are Bevis Marks Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in England; Marble Arch Synagogue, the Jewish Museum, and the Sternberg Center for Judaism. They are testaments to the country’s rich Jewish heritage.
The number of Jews in London in the Middle Ages probably did not exceed 500. By 1830, 30,000 Jews lived in England, two-thirds of them in London. By the start of World War I, with immigration from Eastern Europe, the Jewish population jumped to 300,000. During World War II, about 90,000 Jews fled from Hitlerism to the British Isles, of which 75,000 came from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Italy.
AS I departed England, I realized I was leaving London as the mist of a crisp fall afternoon hovered above this capital on the Thames. Nothing unusual about that, for I had walked about the city, including Covent Garden. I also met and talked to several RAF pilots, now seniors, who, during the days when England stood alone during the World War II blitz, stopped the dreaded Luftwaffe. I realized that in many ways each tourist comes away from London with thoughts about great periods in this city’s history.
For me, it was those young men who did, as Winston Churchill said of them as they were halting the Nazis in the Battle of Britain: “brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.”
Ben G. Frank, journalist and travel writer, is the author of the just-published, The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond, (Globe Pequot Press); as well as A Travel Guide to Jewish Europe, 3rd edition; A Travel Guide to Jewish Russia and Ukraine, and A Travel Guide to the Jewish Caribbean and South America (Pelican Publishing Company).
www.bengfrank.blogspot.com
@BenGFrank
London – as in Shakespeare’s day, London remains a world city. That’s why the English today are leaving the countryside and flocking to the capital in droves. And even though they constantly complain that the city is extremely expensive, they’ll tell you, “I wouldn’t live anywhere else.”
Moreover, besides the expense, one has to contend with the weather.
The whole world knows the English climate is “fickle.” And indeed people still carry an umbrella even on sunny days. In the words of the great English novelist Charles Dickens, when you come upon a day when “up came the sun, steaming all over London,” rejoice!
LONDON IS divided into 32 boroughs, each with its own character, such as the City of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea. I picked Covent Garden, where I stopped at Radisson Blue, Edwardian London, (www.radissonblu-edwardian.com), a refurbished and popular hotel located right in the heart of this famous section and situated on a delightful roundabout known as Seven Dials.
In this small circle stands a 40- ft. Doric column adorned with a sundial on each face. Legend has it that the column was erected at the center of seven radiating streets in the early 1690s. However, it was pulled down by a mob in 1773 on a rumor that treasure was buried underneath it. A replica of the pillar was then erected on the original site.
The neighborhood conveniently abuts the city’s majestic theater section, dating back to the days of William Shakespeare. Yes, this is the West End, where this season you can see such dramas and musicals as Billy Elliot, Cabaret, Disney’s The Lion King, Les Miserables, Chariots of Fire, Hedda Gabler, The Mousetrap, Uncle Vanya, Mama Mia, Wicked, Singin’ In The Rain, Shrek the Musical and Top Hat, just to name a few.
Indeed, the Radisson is mere steps from the Cambridge Theater, but I might as well have been residing on the moon; it’s frightfully difficult to obtain tickets to Matilde the Musical, now playing to a packed Cambridge house. If you’re lucky and snare tickets to this hit, get ready to shell out about $160.00 apiece for good seats.
The many pubs in the Covent Garden area, with such telling, native names as the Crown & Anchor, The Nags Head and The White Lion, do a brisk trade.
“COVENT GARDEN is important in the story of London as the birthplace of that architectural feature so characteristic of London, the ‘Square,’” notes H.V. Morton in his In Search of London. All the residential squares may be said to have originated with the Covent Garden Piazza, built in 1630 during the reign of Charles I.
Today, the square remains the central attraction in Covent Garden. Lively crowds enjoy the animation of the plaza with magicians and street entertainers surrounded by quality craft and antiques markets.
The refurbishment of the Opera House has given a new cachet to Covent Garden. Old warehouses have been adapted to house enticing small shops and boutiques selling designer clothing.
After the theater, pop into one of Covent Garden’s many “smart” restaurants.
A hundred years ago, the area was the home of “Eliza Doolittle,” the bedraggled cockney flower girl in the George Bernard Shaw play, Pygmalion.
Strolling through the neighborhood, I can’t help but begin to hum the tunes of the adaption of that play, My Fair Lady.
I browse around the stalls of Jubilee Market in Covent Garden.
It’s a grey and miserable day, typical British weather, when I meet Mel Silton, of “Original Designs,” in Jubilee Market, Covent Garden, Unit 20, along Tavistock St.
Mel tells me “business is not bad” among the many Jewish merchants in this neighborhood who, in their shops and stalls, sell caps, T-shirts and ladies’ tops.
These merchants are a long way from the old East End neighborhood of Petticoat Lane, where a few decades ago the Jews made way for Asian immigrants.
Near the market stands the London Film Museum Covent Garden and the London Transport Museum.
And close to the Leiscester Square station are two famous bookstores, Foyles Bookshop on Charing Cross Road and Stanfords on Longacre.
No visit to London, even a stopover, is complete without a visit to Harrods (harrods.com), the commercial institution which since 1905 claims to sell everything. Its food halls are decorated with art nouveau wall tiles and it is still regularly voted the world’s finest department store. If you are so inclined, there is a memorial book to Princess Diana and Dodi al- Fayed to sign.
THE SIGHTS and sounds of London will excite any tourist: the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, the changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Her Majesty’s Tower of London, the National Gallery, Hyde Park, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Bridge, Whitehall, the Strand, Trafalgar Square.
Since I had visited those sites previously, I headed over to the British Museum (“a museum of the world, for the world”), located in Great Russell Street, with tube stops at Tottenham Court Road, Holborn, Russell Square.
No wonder the British Museum housed “Shakespeare Staging the World,” a four-month exhibition this past fall that focused more on his world of London than the life of the actor himself.
Not to be missed in Jewish London are Bevis Marks Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in England; Marble Arch Synagogue, the Jewish Museum, and the Sternberg Center for Judaism. They are testaments to the country’s rich Jewish heritage.
The number of Jews in London in the Middle Ages probably did not exceed 500. By 1830, 30,000 Jews lived in England, two-thirds of them in London. By the start of World War I, with immigration from Eastern Europe, the Jewish population jumped to 300,000. During World War II, about 90,000 Jews fled from Hitlerism to the British Isles, of which 75,000 came from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Italy.
AS I departed England, I realized I was leaving London as the mist of a crisp fall afternoon hovered above this capital on the Thames. Nothing unusual about that, for I had walked about the city, including Covent Garden. I also met and talked to several RAF pilots, now seniors, who, during the days when England stood alone during the World War II blitz, stopped the dreaded Luftwaffe. I realized that in many ways each tourist comes away from London with thoughts about great periods in this city’s history.
For me, it was those young men who did, as Winston Churchill said of them as they were halting the Nazis in the Battle of Britain: “brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.”
Ben G. Frank, journalist and travel writer, is the author of the just-published, The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond, (Globe Pequot Press); as well as A Travel Guide to Jewish Europe, 3rd edition; A Travel Guide to Jewish Russia and Ukraine, and A Travel Guide to the Jewish Caribbean and South America (Pelican Publishing Company).
www.bengfrank.blogspot.com
@BenGFrank
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Revised, added material, re Chanukah in Yangon,
NEARLY
150 PERSONS ATTEND CHANUKAH CANDLE
LIGHTING CEREMONIES IN YANGON, MYANMAR
By
Ben G. Frank,
Author
of “The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora
from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond,” (Globe Pequot Press).
·
Nearly 150 guests attended the second
annual Chanukah Lighting Ceremony of the Jewish Community of Myanmar (Burma) at
the Park Royal Hotel in Yangon. Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs U Soe Win
told the gathering that he came to the ceremony to show support for the Jewish
community of Myanmar. The Minister also stressed the “good” relations between
Israel and Myanmar since 1950.
Aung San Suu Kyi was in the capital of Myanmar, Nay Pyi Daw,
at the time, and could not attend. But U Tin Oo, vice chair of the National
League for Democracy, (Suu Kyi’s party) said that Suu Kyi sent “her best wishes”
for the holiday to the community.
The event was held on the night of the
lighting of the Sixth Chanukah Candle
(December 13) according to Sammy Samuels, of Myanmar Shalom. “It was a
miracle for this small Jewish community of Yangon,” declared Sammy Samuels.
There are eight Jewish families in Myanmar, most of them in Yangon.
The U.S. Political/Economic Chief, Douglas Sonnek, also attended.
Lighting the six candles were: Moses Samuels, president of the Myanmar
Jewish Community with Israel Ambassador Hagay M. Behar; Deputy Minister U Soe
Win, Ministry of Religious Affairs;
Janet Benshoof, president of Global Justice Center; U Tin Oo, Vice Chair
of the National League for Democracy; Dr. Aung Myat Kyaw, chairman, Myanmar
Travel Association; and U Hane Latt, vice president of Popular Journals
Myanmar.
At the ceremony, Ambassador of Israel to
Myanmar, Behar---in his talk—connected the tradition of the holiday and its
universal values with the actual conditions in the region. In addition, he
emphasized once more the long lasting and good relations between the Jewish
community, the people of Israel and the republic of the Union of Myanmar.
Present at the event were numerous
ambassadors, EU Mission, UNDP and religious leaders from the Christian, Muslim,
Buddhist, Baha’I and Hindu communities.
The Jewish community in Yangon is proud
of the 100-year-old Musmeach Yeshua
Synagogue, which remains open thanks to the efforts of Moses Samuels. The
synagogues is located on 26th st. in Yangon.
For more information on the Jewish
community contact: www.myanmarshalom.com
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