FW: [Cz-L] Czernivtsy at 600: Encouraging the Government to Recognize the Role of Jews

Hi Bruce!

Is there no danger for our group to be somehow involved in political
activities in the U.S.? There are many of us citizens of other
countries. Shana Tova and Gmar Chatima Tova. Asher Turtel.

-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-1837524-3499311_at_list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-1837524-3499311_at_list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Fishbein
Associates, Inc.
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 8:31 PM
To: Fishbein Associates, Inc.
Subject: [Cz-L] Czernivtsy at 600: Encouraging the Government to
Recognize the Role of Jews

Dear Friends:

I have read with great interest your discussion of the plans being
developed
by the Czernivtsy government for honoring the 600th anniversary of the
city.
I was quite disturbed by the suggestion that appropriate recognition is
not
being given to the contributions of the Jewish community in all areas of
civic and communal life over a period of hundreds of years. I
wholeheartedly endorse a full court press on the Czernivtsy government
to
ensure that this omission is quickly rectified.

In addition, I would like to propose that the U.S. Congress and
Administration be energized on this question. With our Presidential
election just around the corner, members of both the House and Senate
are
particularly sensitive to letters from constituents and eager to take
action
on matters of great concern to them. Having spent all of my
professional
career on and around Capitol Hill, I can assure you that this would be a
most effective means for bringing pressure on the Ukrainians. It has
worked
well in the past.

Please do not forget that the U.S. Congress has appropriated over 3
billion
dollars in foreign aid to Ukraine since the fall of communism. The
central
Ukrainian government is eager to make sure that nothing is allowed to
interfere with this flow. If the Ukrainian Government became aware of
Congressional displeasure over the way the Czernivtsy anniversary was to
be
commemorated, they would undoubtedly take swift action to correct the
problem.

Several years ago when a fire severely damaged the repository for the
vital
records of Kamenets-Podolsk I was able to get the U.S. Embassy and
Ukraine
Government to move quickly to provide assistance for the stabilization,
preservation and restoration of this priceless archive. I have no doubt
we
would find a similar responsiveness if our concerns were raised at a
sufficiently high level.

To give you some idea of the aid flows from the U.S. to Ukraine over the
years, I am including below an excerpt from a recently published
government
document.

        U.S. Assistance to Ukraine

        A cornerstone for the continuing U.S. partnership with Ukraine
and
the other NIS has been the Freedom for Russia and Emerging Eurasian
Democracies and Open Markets (FREEDOM) Support Act (FSA), enacted in
October 1992. Ukraine has been a primary recipient of FSA assistance.
Total U.S. assistance since independence has been more than $3 billion.
U.S. assistance to Ukraine is targeted to promote political and
economic
reform and to address urgent humanitarian needs. The U.S. has
consistently encouraged Ukraine's transition to a democratic society
with
a prosperous market-based economy. For more detailed information on
these
programs, please see the "Annual Report to Congress on U.S.
Government
Assistance to and Cooperative Activities with Eurasia," which is
available on the State Department's website at the following address:
http://www.state.gov/p/eur/ace/. Information is also available
on
USAID's website at the address: http://www.usaid.gov.

        In November 2006, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)
selected Ukraine to be eligible to apply for compact assistance.
Ukraine already participates in the MCC Threshold Program, and
in
December 2006 signed a $45 million Threshold Program agreement.
This
program, which began implementation in early 2007, aims to reduce
corruption in the public sector through civil society monitoring and
advocacy, judicial reform, increased government monitoring and
enforcement of ethical and administrative standards, streamlining and
enforcing regulations, and combating corruption in higher
education.
Ukraine is beginning the process of developing a Compact proposal,
and
successful implementation of the Threshold Program will be
necessary
before the MCC will enter into a Compact with Ukraine. Information
is
also available on the MCC website at the following address:
http://www.mcc.gov/. [Fact sheet on FY 2005 U.S. Assistance to
Ukraine.]
See: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3211.htm

I hope this information is helpful. Thanks to all of you who continue
to
track this important issue. We can not turn our backs on the memory of
our
ancestors, neither should we allow the world to do so.

With warmest regards for a healthy, sweet and prosperous New Year to you
all.

Sincerely,

Rand H. Fishbein, Ph.D.
fishnet_at_pipeline.com



-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-1828678-3499321_at_list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-1828678-3499321_at_list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Gabriele
Weissmann
Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 7:14 AM
To: Czernowitz Genealogy and History
Subject: [Cz-L] [Fwd: To Mr. Kylynych, Councillor to the Mayor of
Czernivtsy]


-------- Original-Nachricht --------
Betreff: To Mr. Kylynych, Councillor to the Mayor of Czernivtsy
Datum: Sun, 16 Sep 2007 15:41:54 +0200
Von: Gabriele Weissmann <G.Weissmann_at_gmx.de>
An: chernivci_600_at_rada.cv.ua



Dear Mr. Kylynych,
Recently I came across your official website regarding the 600th
Anniversary of Czernivtsy. I read with interest about your plans and
projects but was surprised by
the omission of a main issue regarding the history of Czernivtsy.
Between 1850 and 1945 the majority of the population of the town was of
Jewish origin. Their
contribution to the economic, social and cultural life in the city and
in the region was of major proportions.

The profile of the city and region was determined by this majority. The
overwhelming contribution of this major ethnic group made Czernivtsy a
place famous
in Europe. Jewish writers and poets, artists, musicians, scientists,
businessmen, became world-renowned and spread the name of their
birthplace throughout
the world. Unfortunately for Czernivtsy and the whole world, it suffered

a terrible set-back and loss through the Holocaust. My family and my
friends (most of them
of Jewish Czernivtsy Bukowina provenience are making efforts to preserve

the spiritual, social and artistic heritage, as well as dear memories of

this time. Our connection to this heritage is very strong, since it is
part of our identity.

I suupose you know about a lot of books and publications, documentary
films written and produced in the last decade on the subject of
Czernivtsy.
Dr. Josif Bursuc, Dr. Gurewitch, Prof. Rychlo, Josif Burg, Sergij
Ossatchuk and Johann Schlamp could be valuable sources of information.
Don't hesistate to contact me as well as www.ehpes.com for information
or assistance.

In order to complete the historic image of Czernivtsy and the Bukowina
one cannot ignore the historic facts I mentioned above. May I suggest
you approach
this matter and complete the historic identiy of Czernivtsy as written
by history.

On our next visit to Czernivtsy we would be happy to meet you
personally.

With best wishes,

Eduard Weissmann

--
Eduard Weissmann
Musician
Kaiserdamm 18
D- 14057 Berlin

Tel./Fax: +49.30.321 15 38
E-Mail: G.Weissmann_at_gmx.de




--
Gabriele Weissmann
Kaiserdamm 18
D- 14057 Berlin

Tel./Fax: +49.30.321 15 38
E-Mail: G.Weissmann_at_gmx.de



Received on 2007-09-21 05:34:12