Newyorki Figyelő, 2000 (25. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)

2000-03-01 / 3. szám

6

V\jUdX/ \ ^ ________NEWYORKl FIGYELŐ

2000. március 1.

LAPZÁRTAKOR

A romokban heverő kunszentmártoni zsinagóga helyreállítására Magyarországon akció indult meg, amelynek kezdeményezője és intézője a Friendship Ambassadors Foundation. Utóbbinak ügyintézője, dr. Baross Gábor, aki Magyarországról ezév januárjában érkezett és, többek között, tárgyalt dr. Tauber Lászlóval. Utóbbi alapítványa kiemelkedő munkát végez a különböző magyar-zsidó jellegű kultúrcélok megvalósításában. Ennek kapcsán kívánta a fent nevezett Foundaüon, Tauber dr. szervezetének bekapcsolását a helyreállítási munkába, azzal az elképzeléssel, hogy a zsinagóga helyén emlékmű és állandó kiállítás létesüljön abban a közösségben, ahová a vészkorszak egyetlen áldozata sem tért vissza.

Ezt az elképzelést a MAZSIHISZ Zoltai Gusztáv ügyvezető igazgató levelével melegen támogatta. Tauber László dr. reakciója, amit az említett alapítvány képviselőjével, dr. Baross Gáborral személyesen közölt, negatív volt, amint azt az alábbiakban közzétett levelében széles mederben megindokolt.

Az alábbi levél olyan szemszögből ítéli meg a tervet, amelynek szem előtt tartása az emlékezés célját valószínűleg erőteljesebben szolgálja, mint az egyszerű anyagi hozzájárulás.

Tauber dr. igyekezetének a magyar vészkorszak emlékezetének megőrzésére eddig is kétségtelen bizonyítékait szolgáltatták nemes alapításai és számos irányú anyagi intézkedései. A levélben foglalt álláspontja kétségtelenül tiszteletre méltó és magas rendű szempontok figyelembe vételével keletkezett.

The Friendship Ambassadors Foundation of White Plains, NY sent me a letter soliciting funds to rebuild the abandoned Synagogue in Kunszentmarton. Attached was an official letter from the Jewish Congregation of Hungary endorsing the plan. 1 had the pleasure to talk to Dr. Baross who was extremely kind and I explained to him that any movement, which aims to restore Synagogues, is welcomed by the survivors of the Holocaust. No matter what happened to us I am a firm believer that the new generation, provided that they don’t perpetuate the sins of their parents and grandparents, should not be punished for the crimes they did not commit. However, any capital contributed for the revival of this old building should come from the descendants of the Christian citizens of this community whose parent and grandparents either actively or passively contributed to the murder of 600,000 innocent Hungarian Jews. We don’t ask them to do anything since not a single Jew is living there. The renovated building should stand as a memorial and a sign of deep regret, but no Jewish money should be accepted to restore this Synagogue. Let the new generation show that they are ashamed of the past and that they wish to remember those who perished. As far as I am concerned I will continue to contribute money to help the survivors of the Holocaust and their descendants and those Christians and their descendants who had the courage to be human in an inhumane society. The encouraging letter of the Jewish Congregation of Hungary is not surprising to us at all. Hopefully, there will come a time when Jews in the Diaspora will have the courage to stand up for what is right. Usually I would completely ignore this request but it is so outrageous that I had to publish this letter through your newspaper. Let us accept the noble gesture of the Christian people and let them do the restoration alone, if they wish but not with Jewish money.

The Jewish Congregation of Hungary should look after the old, helpless survivors of the Holocaust and not solicit money to rebuild Synagogues in a community where not a single Jew is living. “Once in ruins, a Synagogue should be left untouched because it is still a holy place. Let the wild grasses grow there to arouse anguish in all those who pass by so they remember how it was and pray for its renewal.” (Talmud)

Sincerely yours,

(Signed)

László N. Tauber, M.D.

P.s. I do not represent any organization; however, some of my close friends share my opinion and want to be a part of this protest. They are, Dr. Miklós Cserépfalvi, Mr. Imre Hecht, Dr. Leopold Scheiber, Dr. Leslie Peters, Dr. László Sokoly, Dr. Michael Vermess, Mr. Michael Felkai and Mr. George Pick.

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MARCH 15

Professor Attila Pok, Columbia University The Search for Scapegoats and the Holocaust

MARCH iS JL£j

Professor Randolph L. Braham, The Graduate Center/CUNY

Hungary: The Nationalist Assault on the Holocaust MAY 3

The Last Days (The 1999 Academy Award- Winning Documentary)

The Rosenthal Institute for Holocaust Studies is one of five institutes comprising the Center for Jewish Studies of The Graduate Center of The City University of New York. The activities of the Institute consist of the sponsorship of lectures as well as a variety of carefully planned teaching, research, and scholarship programs. Under the editorship of Professor Randolph L. Braham, the Institute also publishes a Holocaust Studies Series in cooperation with Social Science Monographs of Boulder, Colorado. These volumes constitute a major source for the documentation of the Holocaust The volumes may he obtained either through the Institute or Columbia University Press.

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