Lithuania -- conference and news highlights

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

I've been at an intense, interesting and, I hope, productive seminar in Vilnius about Jewish heritage preservation and promotion. The meeting was supposed to focus on the plan that was floated some time ago to rebuild the destroyed Great Synagogue in Vilnius, but it soon expanded to take in all sorts of issues, from the status of former synagogues, including wooden synagogues, in the provinces, to amplifying signage and awareness in the old Jewish quarter of Vilnius.

The situation presents a number of depressing factors, including vandalism, apathy, lack of coordination and cooperation between stakeholders, and the usual "one Jew building three synagogues on a desert island" syndrome.

But the fact that the seminar took place was positive and I did learn some positive developments.

These included the news that:

-- a grant from Norway through the EU has been obtained to start rebuilding the "red synagogue" in Joniskis whose eastern wall collapsed in a hurricane two years ago.

-- both the Culture Ministry and the municipality of Pakruojis are committed to restoring the wooden synagogue there, which was seriously damaged by arson earlier this year.

Tong Heng Bak Kut Teh at Pekan Nanas, Johor.

Tong Heng Bak Kut Teh (N1°30.438' E103°30.737') is located in one Chinese Coffee Shop name 'Yoong Hee' along the main road of Pekan Nanas, Johor. (Next to the Pekan Nenas Police Station)

This Bak Kut Teh was recommended by one of the fellows Blogger - Ben. We had our breakfast here before the Tanjung Piai (Piai Cape) trip.

According to Ben, we Have to reach the shop before 11am. Because it will be Finish after that! So we started our journey from Permas Jaya around 9am and it took about an hour to reach the shop.

The environment of the shop

The shop wasn't crowded at that time, but the Bak Kut Teh gonna finish soon! Wah! So we quickly placed our order...which was included everything for 2 persons.
They served our meal about 10 minutes! Hmm...that was fast!

The boss busy preparing the Bak Kut Teh

Well, I can say the taste was above average. The pork served was gentle enough and so as other intestine...I'm satisfied with it. Thanks Ben!

The Bak Kut Teh serve in claypot

This shop also serve very nice Homemade Barley. We order One bottle and share each other...The damage was RM18.00 included drinks (for 2 persons). Reasonable price for what we ordered.
Beside, the shop also selling Wanton Noodle. But I'm not sure whether is this similar with the Famous Pontian Wanton Noodle...

The Wanton Noodle stall

It's worth visit again! I'll drop by if I'm around this area...

Location map for Tong Heng Bak Kut Teh

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Bak Kut Teh at Johor Bahru :-
* How Yu Bak Kut Teh, Permas Jaya, Johor (Closed)
* Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh, Tmn Daya, Johor Bahru
* Shi-Hua Bak Kut Teh, Permas Jaya, Johor Bahru*
* Soon Lee Bak Kut Teh, Taman Johor Jaya, Johor Bahru
* Soong Huat Bak Kut Teh, Taman Desa Tebrau - Johor Bahru
* Ah Soon Bak Kut Teh, Johor Bahru*

Bak Kut Teh at Muar :-
* Leng Kee Bak Kut Teh, Muar, Johor

Bak Kut Teh at Kulai :-
* Sze Hwa Bak Kut Teh, Kulai, Johor*

MY TRIPS - Home

Poland -- Restoration of the Wroclaw Synagogue Almost Complete

 White Stork Synagogue, restored facade (Photo: Bente Kahan Foundation)

 White Stork Synagogue before restoration. (Photo: Bente Kahan Foundation)

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

The Wroclaw, Poland-based Norwegian singer Bente Kahan reports that the restoration of the historic White Stork Synagogue in Wroclaw is nearly complete, and that the synagogue will be rededicated next May 6.

As I reported on this blog from Wroclaw last year, Kahan set up a foundation in 2006 (The Bente Kahan Foundation) whose main aim is the restoration of the synagogue and creation of a modern Jewish Culture Center and Jewish Museum there. The Center has already been operating in the partially-restored synagogue, organizing, the web site states: "exhibits, film screenings, workshops, lectures, concerts and theatre performances. Included in their programs are also their own productions 'Wallstrasse 13' and 'Voices from Theresienstadt' featuring local actors and musicians, as well as 'Sing with us in Yiddish', a concert with children from Wroclaw."

The Bente Kahan Foundation, supported by the Municipality of Wroclaw and the Association of the Jewish Religious Communities in Poland has a clear vision of future functions of the synagogue. The Center for Jewish Culture and Education will strengthen the role of the temple as one of the most attractive spiritual centres in the country by opening its doors for concerts, shows, theatre, workshops, films, lectures seminaries and so on. This living Jewish heart in the centre of Europe will beat even stronger!

The creation of the modern Jewish Museum in Wroclaw (2012) will definitely help to reach that goal. The Museum will be located in the basement and on the balconies of the synagogue floors. The Staircases and the separate entry will enable free communication with the building without disturbing the sacral and cultural space of the temple. By using of modern 3D and holographic techniques, the museum will show the rich and unique world of the Silesian Jews and their thousand-years-old history. It will also be a place for exhibitions, lectures and workshops. The museum will become no just another tourist attraction but also an important link in the educational proces, especially in the context of young people.

Kahan has set up web site dedicated to the synagogue and its restoration (only in Polish).

Interior before renovation. (Photo: Bente Kahan Foundation)

Interior after renovation (Photo: Bente Kahan Foundation)

Before World War II, Wroclaw, known in German as Breslau, was part of Germany and Germany's third-largest Jewish community. Originally inaugurated in 1829,  the White Stork synagogue is an elegant neo-classical structure designed by Karl Ferdinand Langhans. (For a complete history of the building, click HERE.) It is the only synagogue in the city to have survived the War and languished in disrepair for many years. It was returned to Jewish community ownership in the mid-1990s, after which sporadic restoration work was carried out. (A symbolic event in this process was the wedding there in 2000 of the American filmmakers Ellen Friedland and Curt Fissel, who run the documentary company JEM/GLO.)

There is still a small Jewish community in Wroclaw, which uses a refurbished prayer room in the synagogue complex. A big Jewish Culture Festival called Simcha takes place in Wroclaw each summer.

Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

Wroclaw also has two fascinating Jewish cemeteries.

The Old Jewish Cemetery, founded in 1856, is now maintained as a municipal Museum of Cemetery Art.  Located on Slezna street, it has about 12,000 graves, including 300 elaborate monuments ranged around the walls. The earliest known Jewish gravestone in Poland, that of a David ben Shalom, who died in 1203, is conserved here. Notable people are buried here include the German Social Democratic leader Ferdinand LaSalle (1825-1864) and the parents of Edith Stein, a Jewish intellectual and convert to Catholicism who became a nun, was killed at Auschwitz and was canonized by Pope John Paul II.

Detail of a Tombstone in the Old Jewish Cemetery: a snake circling an hour glass. Photo (c) ruth Ellen Gruber

Poland -- New Pictures of Lancut Synagogue

The Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland (FODZ) has posted a gallery of gorgeous new pictures of the synagogue in Lancut, Poland, part of the Hassidic route that it sponsors.

Click HERE for the gallery.

Siam House Restaurant at Taman Molek, Johor Bahru.

The restaurant is just open not long ago, I got the info from the Malfreemaps.com Free GPS map. So we decided to try out for our Sunday lunch.

Siam House Restaurant (N1°31.372' E103°47.095') is located at Jalan Molek 1/30, Taman Molek. Opposite of Scotiabank Taman Molek, Johor Bahru.

The entrance and the interior design was Well decorated! Nice ambience!

I'm not really good in ordering the Thai foods, so the photos in the menu was making the judgement! Haha!
Our order as below...

Siam Pineapple Fried Rice

Red Curry Chicken

Steam Squid

Beef Thai Kuey Tiow (Rice noodle)

This...I forgot what's the name of it. But nice!

The Damage : MYR55.00 included drinks (For 4 adults and one child)

The price was reasonable. All of the foods were delicious, I like the squid very much! We all enjoy our lunch here very much except....

The incidents was :-
First, the waitress deliver the wrong food to our table Twice!
Second, my daughter not feeling well that day, she vomited after taking some rice! My wife quickly brought her to the washroom and we were busy clean up the chair. During halfway on the cleaning, I noticed the waiter was just stand behind me and....SMILE at me!! He was Not Even Help to clean the vomit area but just smile and watching us! Suddenly, I felt so pissed off with their services.
The Manageress apologized to us later, the reason given was they are 'New'. I wondering and surprised The Management running their business with all these poor trained employee?!
I definitely not gonna accept the reason given, it's more like an excuse to me! Will you??

Due to the unhappy incidents, I rated : 2.5/5

If you ask me...will I come back again? Hmm...let me consider...there are many Thai Restaurant at Johor Bahru area...

Siam House Thai Cuisine
G-07, Jalan Molek 1/30,
Taman Molek,
Johor Bahru.
Tel : +607-3578113

* Apologies for the poor photos taken by my mobile phone.

Location map of Siam House Restaurant

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MY TRIPS - Home

Mount (Gunung) Brinchang Lookout Tower, Cameron Highlands - Pahang

Mount Brinchang Lookout Tower (N4°31.113' E101°22.973') is located the end of the same road from Mossy Forest. I just miss out this post within my Cameron Highlands trip.

After Mossy Forest, we visit this tower which is located just before the Telecom Communication Building at Mount Brinchang. It's situated at the 2032 meter above sea level.

Staircase to the Tower

We were quite fortunate because of the Good weather that day, and we be able to see Ipoh Town on top of the Tower.

Ipoh town from far away. It's on the left of the tower.

On the right, you will the see the Titiwangsa Mountains.

"The Titiwangsa Mountains range starts starts in the north as a continuation of the Phuket mountain range in Southern Thailand, running approximately southeast and ends in the south near Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The highest elevation is the 2,183 m (7,162 ft) Gunung Korbu." For more info, please visit Wikipedia.

Another view from the tower, are few Telecommunication Tower with Full of antenna.

The antenna on the left might be the MARTS National Link Antenna.

We spent about 45 minutes there and continue our journey to the Time Tunnel Musuem.

Location map to Mount Brinchang Lookout Tower

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My Cameron Highlands Trip - September 2009
* Rosa Passadena Hotel at Brinchang, Cameron Highlands (D1)
* Tanah Rata Town of Cameron Highlands 2009 (D1)
* Dinner at Rosa Passadena Hotel - Brinchang, Cameron Highlands (D1)
* The Mossy Forest of Cameron Highlands (September 2009) , Pahang (D2)
* The Sungai Palas BOH Tea Plantation, Cameron Highlands (D2)
* The Time Tunnel Musuem of Cameron Highlands, Pahang (D2)
* Lunch at Cameron Highlands, Pahang (D2)
* Mr Nachimuthu's Strawberry Farm at Brinchang, Cameron Highlands (D2)
* Big Red Strawberry Farm of Cameron Highlands, Pahang (D2)
* Bala's Holiday Chalet at Cameron Highlands, Pahang (D2) - Bad impression
* Traveler Pub and Bistro at Tanah Rata of Cameron Highlands, Pahang (D2)
* The Morning Fruits & Vegetables Market at Brinchang, Cameron Highlands (D3)

MY TRIPS - Home

Vatican -- Concern over transformation of disused churches

 Presov, Slovakia --- exterior and interior of a synagogue transformed into a department store. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber, 2006

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

What to do with abandoned or disused synagogues (in Europe but also elsewhere), and what constitutes appropriate use for them, are perennial issues affecting preservation agencies, congregants, and other interested parties. After the Holocaust, synagogues in many parts of Europe were sold or seized and transformed for secular use -- warehouses,  shops, apartments, workshops, fire stations, a bakery, libraries, museums, culture centers, restaurants, etc etc.

The Final Statement of the seminar last March on maintaining Jewish heritage sites suggested as best practice:

Synagogues and former synagogues should retain a Jewish identity and or use whenever possible, though each one does not necessarily need to be restored or fully renovated.

Former synagogues, no matter what their present ownership or use, should be sensitively marked to identify their past history.

As part of the effort to restitute communal and religious property, when a property of historic value - such as a synagogue - in disrepair or otherwise in a ruined condition (while in the government's possession) is returned, States should help either by modifying laws which impose penalties for not maintaining properties in reasonable condition, or by providing financial and material assistance to undertake necessary repairs and restoration.

Now, the Vatican has expressed similar concern over disused churches that are sold. According to AFP,
Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican's new chief of cultural affairs said Thursday that Roman Catholic churches where there were few worshippers could be sold off. But he urged "the greatest caution" in doing so.

A church in Hungary, he said,  was "transformed into a nightclub and where striptease took place on the altar."

The archbishop, who is president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, said dwindling numbers of worshippers at some churches meant it now made sense to sell, or even destroy, the buildings.

"Faced with falling number of worshippers, a phenomenon which we are also unfortunately witnessing in the centre of Rome, churches without any artistic value and which need significant work can be sold or destroyed," he told reporters.

Read full AFP story