Prague – Jewish Quarter (May 25)
We spent the day learning from our private guide, Barboro. She gave us a Czech history lesson, but most importantly provided thoughtful structure and education about the arc of Judaism in the Czech Republic. I needed basic information about the religious and cultural touch points and I now know a teeny bit more. I am grateful to have spent time with her.
The names of Czech Jews murdered during the holocaust are printed in the Pinka Sova Synagogue walls. It’s sobering.
The synagogue is now a museum and there are few Jews remaining in Prague. The Star Nova/New-Old Synogogue is tiny and the only one yet holding worship services. Some of the things we learned emphasized the cruelty of the Nazi extermination design intended to insult their religious beliefs and tenets. The history is preserved Barbora says because Hitler intended a museum of the elimination of their race. The local Jewish community proposed using empty synagogues to store Jewish history and objects. The Nazi’s agreed, supervised them to completion and then transported the religious academics who curated the collection to their deaths. Reopened some time after the war and with a woman administrator at the head.
Barbora shares that as a result of Catholic religion imposed upon the Czechs historically and banned during the communist era, Czechs largely identify as atheist (she was careful to say not agnostic). This differs from Poland where Catholicism is predominant.
Though this is from a couple days hence, I think I’ll share our return to the Jewish Quarter to visit the Spanelska Synagogue/Spanish Synagogue.
Note the Star of David in the chandelier.
Again this synagogue is part of their museum system, but on the other end of a design continuum. Where the other synagogues we visited were simple in architectural detail, this is a grand and opulent Jewish synagogue. Colorful and gilded.
Old Town Hall Astronimical Clock – 1350. Has three time conventions aligned and an hourly moving disciple show (glockenspiel style) which we managed to miss every time we were in the square.
The city and its square are quite spectacular and busy. It’s very metropolitan here and tourism is notable. If we were high end shoppers we’d be in paradise!
We’re nestled in a residential area just off the square that’s quieter and has a bit more of the old city look.
We just enjoyed cafe life after our walking tour and ended our day with dinner at the Mincova bar in the square. Both of us had Czech traditional meals – heavy on the beef! Which just means an excuse for wine. And we’re finding some reds that are nice.
Dobrou Noc.
Meanwhile & Far Away 