No Jews Here

So, the other day, I went to the old Jewish Quarter (which is, like, down the street from my apartment). There are a bunch of beautiful old synagogues there. Each one has been converted into a museum. Some of the museums are focused on the history of the Jews in Prague and (what is now) The Czech Republic. Others detail what medieval Jewish life was like. Still others talk about the Holocaust and, specifically, the concentration camp Terezin (which is nearby). Most strangely, a couple talk about Judaism in general - what it was, how it was practiced, what the rituals were, etc... Everything is written in the past tense. It's very surreal.


Up until the war, Prague (and the Czech Republic) supported one of the most thriving and storied Jewish communities in Europe. Now, there are no Jews here. In the entire country there are (something like) a few thousand, and their average age is (something like) 75. The synagogues are now mausoleums to a people that have vanished from the country. As far as the museums are concerned, Jews may very well no longer exist. It's weird reading about yourself in the past tense.




Side note: Now that spring is slowly approaching (very slowly...) there are tourists all over Prague. Most of them seem to be Italian. I hear more Italian than Czech these days. Many of the Italians are student groups - from high school, I think. They must be on (the equivalent of) senior trip. They're everywhere. You can't walk ten steps without getting swept up in another tour filled with (largely disinterested) Italian kids. Oh, there are also French groups, and Spanish groups (haven't seen any Germans yet...). Western Europe must be conspiring to send all their youth to Prague for some reason. Maybe so that they develop a better appreciation of their own cuisine... and learn a little something about these "Jews" they keep hearing about while they're at it...