Further Adventures of the Ner Tamid

After our abortive attempt to find a home for our “Hasag Holocaust Ner Tamid” in Chicago, there has been a flurry of new developments. No home yet, but we are getting closer. Two parties in the country to our north have expressed solid interest. By that I mean they want it. However, certain contingencies prevent us from making any commitments at the present time. That means we are not sure we have found the right home.

Our dear friend Lea Wolinetz, who seemingly knows everyone related to Czestochowa, Poland has been making connections for us all over the world. Two of them are in Los Angeles. One is a Rabbi with a pulpit in a large (nine rabbis) reform temple, and the other is the west coast director of the US Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Lea says he “knows everyone” and for her to say that means a lot. We will be leaving for Los Angeles on October 14 and have made appointments to meet the Temple Rabbi (his grandparents were in Hasag also) and we will also meet with the USHMM Director. While there we will visit the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust ( LAMOTH), the Museum of Tolerance and the Skirball Museum. We have mixed feelings about the Ner Tamid landing in LA, since it is so far from home, but there is a connection since Ruth lived in LA from 1956-1980. Also there is a significant Czestochowa Landsmannschaft in Los Angeles. We are not sure whether the 3rd generation of survivor descendants is keeping up the relationships that the Czestochowa survivors had. Perhaps they are. We will find out.

Well we have returned from the left coast and had some exciting meetings. Everyone we met was so enthusiastic about the Ner Tamid and its story. We now have several “advocates” in Los Angeles who are moving the light along, so to speak. Not sure I am ready for the Ner Tamid to land somewhere. We are having so much fun in the process. Next, the Ner Tamid travels to Orlando to be exhibited at the Reform Biennial.

The adventure continues. We will keep you “posted.”