Louie & Rena Do Minsk

Around Minsk

2007-07-27T20:31:00.000+03:00

Belarusians love flowers, monuments and street sculpture. When the weather warms up they're all in evidence.

Jewish Minsk

2007-07-26T23:49:00.000+03:00

Our tour of "Jewish Minsk" unfortunately left no time for examining all the positive artifacts of a rich cultural history that included a thriving Yiddish theatre scene even in the early Soviet years, during which, for a short period, Yiddish was one of Belarus' official languages.

After the pit at Yama, where 5000 Jews were murdered in one night and the trip to the site of the Maly Trostenetz concentration camp, as well as assorted other stops, we ended an emotional day.

The photos, from bottom right going clockwise show (1) detail from monument to German Jews brought to Minsk to be killed; (2) Yama; (3) sign at site of Maly Trostenetz, where 206,000(!) were killed by Nazis; (4) Yama; (5)Alla, the guide, explaining the monument at Yama, which includes a tribute to ordinary Belarusians who risked their lives to save Jews on that awful day; (6) Winding down at the Lido cafeteria afterwards with Lisa and Yvonne, the two Fulbrights, Yvonne's husband Mike, and Erica, an American volunteer at the Minsk Jewish Community Center.

US Embassy Film Fest

2007-07-26T23:25:00.000+03:00

The Pubic Affairs Section of the embassy sponsored a showing of American films in the original language in a large cinema in Minsk - not an easy thing in Eastern Europe where everything gets dubbed in the local language. When they asked me to do the introduction to "Annie Hall," I expected a handful of people. What I found was a packed house of several hundred people! I'd like to think it was for me, but somehow I think it was for Woody Allen.

I gave a short address in English after handing out a transcript in English and Russian, which, much to my surprise, generated several requests for my autograph. Quite an ego trip for an English teacher, but just another example of the generosity and graciousness of the Belarusians.

The pictures show us back in the audience with Rena having a good laugh about something and me speaking. The gentleman next to me is a film critic from a local publication.

Vitebsk and Chagall

2007-05-27T01:23:00.000+03:00

We visited Vitebsk, a four hour drive, home to Marc Chagall and Yuri Pen, Chagall's first teacher, on a cold rainy day in April. Chagall's childhood and teenage home has been converted to a museum with a knowledgeable guide and several preserved artifacts. Yuri Pen founded a painting academy in this small city, an unlikely setting for such an array of talent.

Khorujai Street

2007-05-27T01:11:00.000+03:00

The streets are full of surprises; the vivid warmth of a flower kiosk on a cold winter night; a lottery prize ceremony on a Spring day complete with a cowgirl hoedown and a samba with two half dead snakes.

Landlady

2007-05-27T00:41:00.000+03:00

Our landlady Zena and her husband Valentin, who, in spite of their dour expressions for the camera, laugh a lot and are charming, lovely and generous people. In spite of their meager ten word English vocabulary, our fifteen in Russian, and four or five shared German words, we managed to communicate quite well and shared a pleasant afternoon thanks partly to Rena's wonderful and creative pasta and Zena's magnificent home made cake.

The Metro

2007-05-26T23:51:00.000+03:00

Crowded, clean, safe and aesthetically graceful describes the Minsk subway system. Trains are frequent, every three minutes, and zip you uncomplicatedly through the city without adventure. At the end of each station a digital clock shows current time and the time elapsed since the last train left. It is cheap (25 cents a ride, 12 for pensioners and students) and relatively short, with two lines crossing and going to different parts of the city. It is augmented by suburban railroad lines and an amazingly comprehensive above ground system of busses, electric busses and trolleys that cover the entire city safely (if not always comfortably), cheaply and reliably.

English Classes

2007-05-26T23:33:00.000+03:00

There is a great desire to learn English here and we have sporadic evening meeting groups in a variety of venues- corporate, civic and private and have met with mixed success for a variety of reasons, the major one probably being that people work hard here, often having two jobs and attending university for advanced degrees. These photos are from the Minsk Jewish Center.

Museum of the Great Patriotic War

2007-05-26T23:08:00.000+03:00

World War II is still close for many Belarussians. 25% of the entire population of the country died during the war and much of the city was destroyed by the Nazis. During the celebration of the German surrender there is a huge city wide celebration and the old veterans, wearing their medals are honored.

The museum is an elaborate affair in the center of the city, with a striking exhibit of a full size German tank smashing through a wall mural of the Hitler- Stalin agreement. Many of the older people here still view the pact as a necessity at the time and I recently had a long discussion with a colleague about the results of dealing with the devil, which we still see from different perspectives.

The museum is impressive, loaded with weaponry and with two floors, awash with artifacts, devoted to the partisans. The hundreds of period photos are striking- German soldiers guarding hanged citizens in the steets while crowds stand by, underground press rooms, radio broadcasts in the woods, military actions.

One of my colleagues volunteered her daughter and a friend, two charming and multi talented girls who spoke wonderful English, to accompany us and explain things, a great help as all the explanations and captions were in Belarussian only.

Vilnius

2007-05-26T22:34:00.000+03:00

I'm way behind on my posting, so we'll just put things up in a random order. We visited Vilnius for a quick weekend about a month ago. It is, of course a city rich with Jewish history, but we'll be exploring that part on a longer forthcoming trip.

The train ride, actually about two hours, is doubled by stops at two border checks (Belarusian and Lithuanian), although other than that the checks are pretty routine and the officials friendly.

We found an 'old town' with churches, restaurants amber and linen shops, narrow streets and a western European attitude. The churches were beautiful as well as full of history, the amber and linen were exquisite and a bargain and the restaurants and pubs were great fun. Trying out our primitive Russian skills here led to a discovery that in general things Russian, including the language aren't that popular here.

The trip back in a friend's car at night, with the Lithuanians just waving us through and the Belarussians, in their Belarussian way, making some arcane bureaucratic adventure out of the process while we waited outside the window in the cold, was spiced up by a mysterious beautiful blonde in a Mercedes who managed to breeze through and roar off, much to the disgust of the waiting truckdrivers. Truckers have it hard here. They have to wait for hours in long lines at both borders.

We were there on Palm Sunday, so the church on Cathedral square was both crowded and colorful. A side trip to the huge Acropolis Mall enabled us to get a couple of Prescription drugs that weren't available in Minsk, and to enjoy the ice cream, crowds and the huge ice skating rink in the mall.

Murder Sites

2007-04-30T01:31:00.000+03:00

The trail of Jewish history in eastern Europe is a mixed one. Pogroms and random anti semitic murders during the centuries were a fact of life. The coming of the Soviets and their antipathy to religion in general squeezed most of the remaining vitality out of the Jewish religious community, which was already losing members due to changing values and emigration.

Nevertheless, there was a long history of a rich communal lifestyle full of tradition, and close family relations, with a joy and a love for life and learning.

The Nazis and their accomplices came along and decimated the remaining Jewish population with an unmatched vehemence and a lack of any discernible human feelings that defies belief. Many Belarussians stepped up to save their Jewish neighbors, some losing their lives in the process. The population of Belarus in general saw 25% of the population lost during the war years of 1941-1945, the villages and cities ravaged during a brutal occupation.

Driving through the Belarussian countryside, there are numerous monuments at murder sites where Jews were marched en masse into the forest and shot and buried in mass graves. There is an incredible sadness to being there at these spots, knowing the horror that occurred beneath your feet. There is also a feeling of appreciation for a country that remembers its own.

The photos are of two random sites we passed on our trip to Mir and Volozhin. 800 were murdered at one, 1600 at the other.

Jewish Cemeteries

2007-04-30T01:25:00.000+03:00

In both Mir and Volozhin, we found Jewish cemeteries, generally neglected, but with some updates. Each has memorials to people murdered by the Nazis.

Volozhin

2007-04-30T01:14:00.000+03:00

Volozhin was a town with a renowned yeshiva, known throughout the Jewish world. The photos show the yeshiva building and some village scenes.

Mir Castle and Village

2007-04-29T17:54:00.000+03:00

Mir Castle! A site designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site and a major source of Belarussian pride, it was built in the 16th Century, subsequently obtained by the Radziwill family and is a reflection of the mixed cultures and history of Belarus, a pastiche of Lithuanian, Polish, and Belarussian cultures. Not far away was Volozhin, a village with a rich history. Although Mir seems to have been a more prominent location, both villages still show remnants of an unchanged lifestyle.

Culture

2007-04-22T00:35:00.000+03:00

From classic Belarussian folk dance to operas, ballets and concerts, the city of Minsk enjoys and appreciates its culture and makes it available, inexpensive, accessible, and most of all, professional.
The artists as well as the production values are often world class. We won't soon forget the smugglers gradually appearing through the fog in 'Carmen' nor the whirling dancers of the Khoroshky troupe.

Students and Teachers

2007-04-21T23:29:00.000+03:00

Teaching, lecturing and consulting has been a load of fun as well as a rewarding experience. The level of motivation and enthusiasm I've experienced from students, teachers, and the general community has been truly marvelous. I've done classes in Business English at the Minsk Jewish Community Center, lectures and showings(together with Fulbright scholars) on American film at Minsk libraries, 'English Nights' at the corporate offices of British American Tobacco, classes on American business practices at the Belarus Academy of Public Administration, and several classes at Minsk State Linguistics University, which is where I am on the faculty as consultant/senior lecturer. Especially edifying have been the editing tasks that have helped faculty members here to feel confident concerning the English texts of various papers that they are publishing in professional journals, the ongoing work on a major Belarussian/ English/ Belarussian dictionary in the early stages, and the minor, but important clarifications that I've been able to provide to a wonderful Belarussian poet in the process of publishing an English translation of some of her poems.
It's been quite an eclectic experience!

A Night at the Minsk Philharmonic(or, a night with Ronald and Natalia)

2007-03-24T00:11:00.000+02:00

Culture in Minsk is inexpensive, accessible, and most importantly, world class. Both the Philharmonic Hall and the Ballet/Opera House are first rate venues. The acoustics and sight lines are wonderfully thought out, the seats comfortable, the audiences knowledgeable and enthusisatic.
We've gone several times without our camera, but a few nights ago our friend Natalia, a colleague from the Belarus Academy of Public Administration, joined us, replete with camera and determined to record the evening. We took pictures everywhere!
The evening's featured artist was Ronald Ebrecht, an American organist of note, and consisted of organ masterpieces by Bach, Frank and Jenkins... as well as an unscheduled photo op thanks to Natalia!
At intermission, while some of the audience hovered at the foot of the stage, taking photos as the organist made some adjustments to his instrument. Natalia, taking advantage of the opportunity, sweeping Rena along with her enthusiasm, strode across the stage and asked Mr. Ebrecht if he would pose for us. I hung back, not wanting to be exposed as 'the Ugly American,' but Natalia was not to be denied this evening as we posed for shots with the help of a stagehand (or maybe he was Security-I didn't want to know!).
Anyway, Mr. Ebrecht, in addition to being a magnificent musician, was wonderfully gracious, and we chatted a bit while Natalia, intent on her mission, posed everybody.
In the end, apparently Mr. Ebrecht was pleased to meet another American and the unscheduled encounter with a Belarussian fan. After the show, he spotted us in the Cafe Lido, and made a point of coming over to say hello and to leave his email address so we could send him the pictures.
All in all, a very interesting evening.

Seminar in Kiev

2007-03-18T22:59:00.000+02:00

Kiev was chosen due to its central location for the local regional meeting of the English Language Fellow program. In addition to sharing ideas and success stories, we got to meet our colleagues and associates who arrived from such exotic locales as Tbilisi(Georgia), Chisinau(Moldova), Yerevan(Armenia), and Nakhchivan(Azerbaijan) as well as Kiev. The seminar was organized and led by the RELO (Regional English Language Officer)
Everybody at the State Dept talks in acronyms-since my job description is English Language Fellow, that makes me an ELF, which has a rather peculiar connotation.I guess Rena would be an ELFette
Since all work and no play would have been disappointing, we all got together for a wonderful evening at the apartment of the CLO(Cultural Liaison Officer), a huge and magnificent two level duplex.
The photo shows most of our group, which includes ELFs, SELFs, FSNs,a CLO and a CAO, as well as spouses (I haven't yet learned that acronym but I'm sure there is one).

Kiev, Ukraine

2007-03-18T16:27:00.000+02:00

An overnight train trip (think Orient Express without the frills) brought us to the ELF seminar in Kiev.
Kiev is known as a religious city awash with golden domed churches and monuments to a variety of warriors of the past. And it is spectacular!
What we also found, though, was a great bakery tucked away on a side street, across from the Armani and Versace stores, and down the block from 'Puzata Kata.'
Ah, Puzata Kata! An endless variety of (mostly) Ukrainian specialties-outstanding for quality and freshness, not to mention value; a meal for the two of us with main dishes, beer and dessert for the equivalent of $10.
A big and bustling city is Kiev, great monuments to the past as well as high end current fashions; more expensive than Minsk, but with some nice surprises.The photos include Lou on the steps of the 'golden gate,' a partially restored remnant of an original entrance to the city; some of the domed churches; and some architectural embellishments, replete with gargoyles on one of Kiev's older apartment buildings.

Komarovski Market

2007-03-10T21:48:00.000+02:00

Down the underpass, under Kuibyshev Street and up the stairs to Komarovski-about four square blocks, covered and open, of fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, dairy products, and baked goods, bordered by an endless array of kiosks selling imported and local packaged products, delicacies, fresh ground coffee, bulk teas of all kinds; the place to go for elegant fruit preserves from Germany, pasta and olive oil from italy, and more mundane items like juices and mineral water, dried fruits and nuts.
Overseeing all the individual vendors are a mob of attendants who keep things running smoothly and monitor all aspects of the operation. In all the many hours we've spent here, in spite of the sometimes huge crowds, despite the normal Russian lack of shopping etiquette (normal here is if you're looking at a display and somebody else shares an interest, they think nothing of pushing in front of you to get a better view), we've never seen a dispute and the vendors have never been anything but scrupulously honest.

Khoruzei Street

2007-03-03T21:11:00.000+02:00

Looking out our window we can see down Khoruzei Street, past the Metro Station on the corner to Yakuba Kolasa Plaza (named after a popular Belarusian poet), with the Philharmonic Hall backing the statue.

The "Corn" Buildings

2007-03-03T20:42:00.000+02:00

After four nights in the hotel, discovering a little about the city and, in our usual frantic way, hunting for an apartment, we found the place! The "corn" building, or as the locals refer to it in Russian, the "kukurudzu."
The photos make it obvious where the nickname came from, but along with the eccentric architecture comes a huge enclosed balcony with a 180 degree unobstructed view of the city. New Year's fireworks were spectacular!
The apartment, relatively recently remodeled, has more room than we could ever use, not to mention the Jacuzzi and the heated tile floors in the foyer, kitchen and bathrooms, where, on a really cold day, we can sit down and warm our heinies.
It costs more than double our government allowance, but what the heck, how often do you get a chance to live in a corn shaped building!
The photos show the series of four buildings. Ours is the first, adjacent to "Mir Sumka," (World Handbags), across from Kamarovsky Market, of which more later. The photos show the front of the market on a quiet day and part of the market plaza with its bronze statuettes.

Welcome to Belarus!

2007-02-09T01:17:00.000+02:00

The parties in the retirement center are wonderful!
Click the link below the picture.

CLICK ME

On the way to Bobruisk

2007-02-08T01:12:00.000+02:00

On the way to Bobruisk, a two hour drive,we decided to stop for a tailgate picnic, Belarusian style. Bobruisk was known as the Jewish center of Belarus with a population that was over 80% Jewish before WW II. Legend has it that the first Jewish settlers in Belarus settled here in the 10th Century, although some people in Pinsk dispute that. "Don't believe the Pinskis!" says Maya, Cultural Director of the Bobruisk JCC, "we were here first by 48 years." There are a few thousand Jews in Bobruisk now, and after having been decimated by the Nazis, as well as enduring the restriction of cultural and religious identities during the Soviet era, are rebuilding a vibrant community.
The city was named after the beaver, which is the town symbol and refers to the abundant population of beavers which brought the early trappers and traders. Rena and I are posing with Maya and the bronze beaver in the town square.
Another monument, sadder but also inspiring, is the memorial stone, in Hebrew and Russian, paying tribute to some of the 'righteous Christians' who risked their lives and those of their families to give shelter and hiding space to their Jewish neighbors, some of whom barely escaped during the horrendous night when 10,000 were shot by the Nazis. The unveiling of the monument was widely attended by citizens and officials of all faiths.
The photo shows Maya standing behind the monument, and Erica Fishbein, an American volunteer from the JDC, beside it. There is also a path of individual stones with the names of those honored, but at the time of the picture, they were hidden under the snow.

So Here We Are!

2007-02-07T21:41:00.000+02:00

After a month and a half we're finally (more or less) organized. Our first two nights were dominated by the stunning urban landscape behind our hotel. The photos are of a small piece of Lenin Square.
And now, at last, we can begin to download some of the hundreds of photos we've taken and tell you more than you'll ever want to know about life in a 112 sq metre two bedroom apartment on the 13th floor of a corn cob shaped building with an elevator that bangs, clangs, hisses and moans, but always (so far) gets us up and down. Stay tuned for more.