Clifford Lester is a professor of photography and a student of the Jewish experience. This month, he embarked on his latest journey—a three-week tour of Berlin, Prague, Warsaw, Krakow and Budapest to document contemporary European Jewish life.
“I think what we’re trying to show here, is that the Jews survived, and that their lives are beginning to thrive again in these countries where Judaism was almost wiped out,” he explains. “So I want to show the full circle of life—the cemeteries and births, the kids and adults and the elderly, who are once more celebrating their faith in these places where Judaism was almost extinct.”
On his current tour of Europe, Lester, 57, says he wants to reveal—from a photographic perspective and trained eye—how the Jewish faith is practiced, especially the celebration of life and the beauty he sees in it. Below, Lester shares some of his photos, and the experiences behind them.
July 10, 2013: Berlin
Monday, we visited Weißensee Cemetery, the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe, where more than 115,000 Jews have been buried over the past 300 years. We walked around for hours on this 40-acre plot, impacted heavily by the beauty in this very somber version of an enchanted fairytale forest. We recognized that despite the many lost lives represented here, G‑d, in His amazing way, had touched so many people simply by creating those very people who now rest here eternally.
Miraculously, this area survived the Third Reich.
Having lost my uncle in the Holocaust, visiting the Berlin Holocaust Memorial impacted me profoundly.
Initially, as I wandered through a sea of countless concrete blocks, I felt a deep sense of loneliness, powerlessness and despair. How did my mother, her family and so many others feel during the tragic times?
At the same time, I felt certain that this memorial would help keep the memory of the atrocities alive; a reminder to all future generations.
A tree growing in the midst of this concrete monument reminds me of the Jewish people of Eastern Europe—roots planted firmly, branches reaching upward, as our faith and life flourishes.
July 11, 2013: Berlin
There is nothing that brings more happiness to a young couple than the birth of their child, and nothing more evidentiary of Jewish continuity in Berlin.
This morning I had the privilege and complete joy to witness the brit milah of a an infant boy at Chabad of Berlin. A huge crowd gathered to watch the mohel perform the circumcision, signifying the eternal covenant between Jews and G‑d. I really felt like part of the family in this beautiful shul. Having a camera has it’s perks—I was given a unique vantage point from the back side of the bimah. Thank you, Rabbi Teichtal for your warmth and hospitality during my wonderful visit to Berlin.
From my first encounter with Rabbi Teichtal at the Brandenburg Gate, until my last at his shul for the brit milah, I was overwhelmed by his graciousness, his energy and his passion for his faith. Obviously the enormous turnout for the brit milah is proof that many in this wonderful city have embraced what Rabbi Teichtal embodies—a deep love for Judaism.
July 11, 2013: Warsaw
Moving on to Warsaw, a beautifully rich city, filled with much history. Although there remains a dark shadow from the past, I know many take heart that, like Berlin, the future for Jews here is bright. Yesterday, I met Rabbi Stambler, the Chabad rabbi of Warsaw for the first time. An incredibly delightful man, he did so much to fill my visit with absolutely wonderful experiences. He picked me up at my hotel and off we went, non-stop photo ops both yesterday and today. I’m completely exhausted. Reminds me of the old days at the photo studio, feeling very satisfied at the end of a day’s work, yet ready for a good night’s rest.
To start with, I went to shul for the afternoon and evening prayers yesterday, and again this morning for the shacharit service. The rabbi's father is a wonderful chazzan (cantor), full of passion!
I am worn out from all the photo opportunities, but enriched by this vibrant community.
One of the many things I saw today was the newly completed mikvah in Warsaw. Rabbi Stambler very proudly explained to me that the observance of family purity, which the mikvah enables, is the highest order of priority in Judaism. So much so, that if a community has a Torah but no mikvah, and cannot afford to build a mikvah, then the Torah should be sold and the money used to build a mikvah. It seems to me that mikvah represents the essence of Jewish renewal and continuity.
In fact, I am told that the single greatest gift G‑d has granted humankind is the ability to do teshuvah—repentance; the possibility of return, to start anew and wash away the past. How moving to witness this extremely significant addition to the Warsaw Jewish community, an area that was almost completely destroyed by the Germans during WWII.
July 12, 2013: Warsaw
I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing the energy and stamina of Rabbi Stambler today as he went from location to location so that people in the community could perform the mitzvah of tefillin. Years ago, during a trip to Crown Heights, New York, with my good friend Yosef Eliezrie, I received my first pair of tefillin. Since then, I have come to recognize and appreciate the profound power of the mitzvah. The connecting of our head, representing our thoughts, with our hand, representing our deeds, brings harmony and purpose into our lives.
Today, we met Philip Bialowitz, a survivor of the Sobibor death camp, who travels around the world sharing his experiences. Then Rabbi Stambler helped David Tenenbaum, another Holocaust survivor, wrap tefillin in front of the Nozyk Synagouge—the only surviving prewar synagogue in Warsaw. From there, we rushed over to the Arkadia (mall) to meet Sharon Ovadia, a visitor to from Israel.
Rabbi Stambler mentions that these opportunities help him fulfill his “job” of bringing Jews closer to Judaism. I leave Warsaw feeling that despite Hitler's best efforts to annihilate the Jews, we not only have survived, but our traditions are our strength and our continuity towards the future.
July 15, 2013: Auschwitz
The trip to Auschwitz was certainly a departure from all of the uplifting things I have recently witnessed. Since the theme of my trip is essentially a celebration of life, I wonder how can I pull anything at all positive from a visit to the place where my uncle perished?
Seeing firsthand the spot where the trains dropped off the prisoners was the most difficult moment of my whole trip. That’s where their fate was determined. To the right meant they were headed for heavy labor and to the left meant immediate death in the gas chambers. It is impossible to fathom such evil.
Somehow, some way, my mother, may she rest in peace, managed to use the loss of her brother as a catalyst for good. She spoke to many students so the Holocaust should not be forgotten; she dedicated her life to helping others. She honored her brother's memory and touched many.
July 15, 2013: Krakow
Visiting the Kupa Synagogue in Krakow was awe-inspiring, to say the least. I got somewhat lost trying to find it, but then I found a chassidic looking man who I followed into the most beautiful synagogue I have ever seen. The room was filled with beauty, but hushed with a sense of sorrow as Rabbi Gurary led the Tisha B’Av prayers and study.
This synagogue was founded in 1643 and is located in the former Jewish quarter of Kazimierz.
July 16, 2013
I was out photographing the cemetery at the Rumah Synagouge in Krakow when Sharon (the Israeli tourist) motioned me indoors. She had seen a gentleman who appeared to have a lot of character, and she thought he would make a great photo subject. As soon as I asked him, people started coming up to him shaking his hand as if he were a celebrity. Little did we know that this was the famous Leopold Kozlowski.
July 17, 2013: Warsaw
We had to catch an early flight to Budapest this morning, so we found ourselves at the airport at about 5 a.m. I love to see scenes like this, where changes in schedule do not necessitate changes to one’s religious observance.
Interestingly, the morning prayer this man is reciting, Shacharit, is about ascending to the heavenly spheres and fortifying our sensitivity towards G‑d and spirituality. This guy is about to ascend 39000 feet as he joins us on our flight to Budapest.
July 18, 2013: Budapest
Up late working on images last night, only to have a very early wakeup call so I could attend morning minyan at the Obuda Synagogue in Budapest. I jumped in the taxi to travel across town for the 6:30a.m. start time, at the oldest shul in Budapest.
To my disappointment, on this particular morning there weren't enough people for a minyan, but I stuck around for the beginning of the summer camp which is held in the same building. As I milled about, four boys, led by Yossi, the only child who spoke English, came up to the front of the shul to pray Shacharit. What a beautiful sight. The boys prayed like pros, lighting up the sanctuary with their intensity and focus. The Obuda Synagogue could not have been filled with more spirit than I felt as I photographed these boys.
July 19, 2013: Budapest
Despite the look on the young man's face, Chassidic Jews are a common site, in particular before Shabbat, as they come into town from all parts of the world. In this case, these two rabbis are visiting from Israel, to spend the weekend in the Jewish quarter of Budapest.
I really enjoyed the vibrancy of the town as restaurants were preparing for Shabbat meals, Kosher markets were busy with customers, and Jews were scurrying around with palpable anticipation as the week drew to a close.
Some of the images, Lester expects, will wind up in a book he’s working on with Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie, director of the North County Chabad in Yorba Linda, California, who has encouraged him to get more involved with his heritage and to use his art in a more Jewish way. A collection of Lester’s photos are available at www.jewishphotoart.com, with the proceeds benefitting Chabad in Yorba Linda.
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