Sydney & Area Chamber of Commerce Recognizes Mr. Irving Schwartz I enjoyed your article about Irving Schwartz. He is a wonderful person and in my experience with him, a no-nonsense person who gets things done without a lot of fanfare. Several years ago, when I produced a documentary about my Uncle, the honourable Senator, Colonel Jack Marshall, I sent a copy to Irving and several other CEOs of various cable companies in the maritimes. While the others hummed and hawed, asking for copyright verification, various formats etc. Irving immediately took the video and put it on the air through his cable companies in Cape Breton. It was first aired around June 6th, D-Day remembrance which was extremely significant, as Col Marshall was only 22 years old when he landed with the Canadian forces on Juno Beach in Normandy in 1944. Irving saw the significance and didn’t hesitate to show a documentary about a young <strong>Jewish</strong> boy from Glace Bay, who was a true war hero and a source of pride to the maritime <strong>Jewish</strong> community. That was 7 years ago, and I’m still waiting for the other men of importance to get back to me and make up their minds. I really don’t need them when I have a great MENSCH like Irving Schwartz who makes up his mind and goes full speed ahead. I am forever grateful to him and so is my extended family. All the best, Dr. Larry Gaum Toronto, ON Dr. Gaum was born and raised in Sydney, Cape Breton. Letters to the Editor Sole <strong>Jewish</strong> Monument on Crete Being Revived By chance I discovered that you had a story about the Etz Hayyim Synagogue in Crete in your recent issue of <strong>Shalom</strong> (Vol. 35 #1). Since I am a member of the International Board of Trustees of the Etz Hayyim I read the article with special interest as I do anything about the synagogue. <strong>The</strong>re are only a few things that I would like to add to the article. First a correction (which I am sure has been pointed out to you). <strong>The</strong> photo of Alex Phoundoulakis was mis-labeled as being that of Bill Johnstone. While the article focused on the two arson attacks earlier this year, there is much more to the Etz Hayyim then this. It is a functioning synagogue that continues to survive. Things that are normally associated with synagogues are part of the life of the Etz Hayyim despite the small number of Jews who live in Crete year round. Since the synagogue was rededicated in 1999, there have been weddings (including our daughter’s in 2004). In fact, there were three in 2009 and one this past June. <strong>The</strong>re was one Bar Mitzvah several years ago and one Bat Mitzvah (in the beginning of August of this year). <strong>The</strong>re has even been one major family reunion hosted by the synagogue. Services are held for all the holidays and on Erev Shabbat (with or without a minyan). <strong>The</strong>re is a functioning mikvah, the reconstruction of which was much like “Heracles’ labour of cleaning the Augean stables” though it took more than a day to accomplish. In addition, the mikvah is the coldest one in Europe. Throughout the year, one can find lectures and concert series held at the synagogue. Page 60 Tishre 5771 - Vol 35 No. 2 During the school year, the Etz Hayyim is visited by various grades to provide the students with some understanding of the history of Jews in Crete. More interestingly, the Etz Hayyim is perhaps the best known synagogue in Greece. This is certainly the case for Israelis since there are many charter flights from Israel to Crete from Pessach until the end of Sukkot. All offer a visit to the Etz Hayyim as part of a tour package. As well, many <strong>Jewish</strong> and non-<strong>Jewish</strong> tourists from elsewhere make it a point to visit the synagogue. <strong>The</strong> Etz Hayyim is not just a memorial for a vanished Cretan Jewry. It is a living institution which continues to grow, perhaps not in numbers but in functions. For example, a Cretan <strong>Jewish</strong> Studies Centre is in the planning stages. In spite of the arson attacks, life goes on at the Etz Hayyim. And, while security has been enhanced, it still is a pluralistic open institution that welcomes everyone. All of this is due to the efforts of Dr. Nikos Stavroulakis who was responsible for the reconstruction and rededication of the synagogue in the late 1990s. Nikos is a unique individual, artist, writer, scholar, and author of the “Cookbook of the Jews of Greece” among other books. I suggest that anyone who is interested should visit the Etz Hayyim website or their blog site at: http://www.etz-hayyim-hania.org http://blog.etz-hayyim-hania.org <strong>Shalom</strong>, Dr. Morty Lazar Ra’anana, Israel Member, International Board of Trustees of the Etz Hayyim Synagogue, Hania, Crete.
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