Photos - JEAA Judeo-Spanish at Auschwitz (Krakow)

These pages are a tribute to the work of the JEAA which after three years helped obtain an international memorial for the Sephardic Jews at Auschwitz. These pages will help memorialize the historic Sephardic event, the dedication of a plaque in Judeo-Spanish which took place in March of 2003.

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Presented by Shelomo Alfassa 2003 ©
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Photos of the JEAA Sephardic memorial which took place at Auschwitz in March of 2003. Participants came from seven countries to show their support and respect of the Sephardim who perished in the death camps of Europe during World War two at the hands of the Germans.
JEAA opening event held at the Jewish Cultural Center (operated by non-Jews) in Krakow, Poland. Speeches were given by some of the delegates, and a film on the Jews of Krakow which was produced in the 1920's.	Reception where many JEAA delegates from many different countries were able to meet each other. (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)	JEAA Vice President Michel Azaria (France) with the Consul General of the United States at Poland, Mrs. Siria Lopez.
S. Alfassa, vice-president of the FASSAC speaking to JEAA US Rep Albert Garih, JEAA Vice President Michel Azaria (France) and Siria Lopez, Consul General of the United States at Krakow, Poland.	S. Alfassa of the FASSAC with the director of the Krakow Jewish cultural center, Dr. Joachim S. Russek.	Prof. Haim Sephiha signing the guest register at the Jewish Cultural Center at Krakow, Poland.
Sephardic vocalist Flory Jagoda of Virginia speaking with Mr. Hasson of Chicago after arriving at the Krakow airport, waiting to greet the French JEAA delegation.	JEAA event was held at Auschwitz-Birkenau, this is the main gate at the camp, a place where over a million Jews perished.	The memorial service and unveiling took place just footsteps from the end of the rail lines which led across Europe into Auschwitz.
Prof. Haim-Vidal Sephiha and Flory Jagoda surveying the other plaques prior to the ceremony.	Three photos of the JEAA crowd (1) (2) (3)	A survivor of the Shoah saying the Mourner's Kaddish prior to unveiling the plaque.
JEAA Vice President Michel Azaria and Prof. Haim-Vidal Sephiha, founder of the JEAA addressing the crowd.	Sr. Ben Mayor, Vice-president of the Jewish Community of Salonica addressing the crowd of participants.	Sr. Perahya of Turkey and Serge Klarsfeld unveiling the plaque to a silent and excited crowd. (2)
Lighting the first memorial candle after the plaque was unveiled. Madame Simone Veil of France. Note: the young girl (who is Sephardic) just happened to be visiting Auschwitz with an Israeli group, and was invited to light the first candle. This was not planned.	Flory Jagoda singing a haunting and memorable version of "Arvoles yoran por luvias" (Trees Cry for Rain) to a crowd, many which were in tears.	Prof. Sephiha lighting a memorial candle after the ceremony.
A flood of people rushed to light candles after the ceremony. It was a mixture of happiness for finally obtaining a memorial to the Sephardim, and sadness for the reality of the location we were at. (2) (3) (4)	Members of the crowd posing for photos around their new Judeo-Spanish plaque. (2)	After the ceremony, people stood around for a long time, talking, exchanging family stories and taking photos.
The plaque took its place among the many other plaques in many other languages. The Judeo-Spanish plaque is the first, all the way to the left.	Two survivors, both who were imprisoned at Auschwitz stop for a photo.	Mr. Hasson of Chicago who came with his two daughters, lighting a candle.
S. Alfassa, former U.S. Rep. to the JEAA posing for a photo near the plaque.	Prof. Sephiha speaking to members of the crowd before we all started to depart.	The sun setting in the west, over the plaque provided a perfect ending to our memorial.

The JEAA international delegates toured the Auschwitz concentration camp. Presented here is a virtual tour of the facility.
Arriving at Auschwitz, you see the main gate, so infamous to history.	JEAA group arriving at Auschwitz, each group was divided by language and assigned a tour guide.	The wood fence was not there during WWII, this is the location where the Greek Jews were lined up.
The fences of Auschwitz (1) (2) (3) (4)	A block house, where prisoners were kept in cramped, unsanitary conditions.	A ceramic insulator that once held electrified wire which helped keep the Jews from escaping.
Warning! Halt!	A sign meets visitors.	The candles were left by visitors in the Jewish memorial block.
The German guard house at the main gate of the camp.	S. Alfassa of the FASSAC standing near the southern fence	The infamous Black Wall where thousands were hung or shot by German death squads.
A prisoner house at Birkenau	Toilets at Birkenau	German bomb shelter for one man, never used, as the Allies never bombed Auschwitz.
JEAA members on a tour of one of the empty block houses	Door to an early "testing" gas chamber, note the peep hole is picked away, like people tried to escape.	Members of the English speaking JEAA group on the tour of the camp
Prisoner Bunks at Birkenau	Member of the JEAA group showing his original prisoner uniform when he was in Auschwitz.	A sign mentioning women.
Gas Chamber where so many were killed.	Crematoriums (1) (2) (3) (4)	Entrance to the Gas Chamber and its attached Crematorium

The JEAA international delegates toured Krakow, Poland (one hour away from Auschwitz), once a home to a great Ashkenazi community. Presented here are some photos taken while in Poland.
Compare THEN NOW Tall Synagogue	Compare THEN NOW Krakow Street	Compare THEN NOW Krakow Main Square
Part of the old wall of the older part of the city of Krakow.	The "Tall" synagogue, long abandoned. (1) (2) (3)	The abandoned Yeshiva.
Street scenes in Krakow (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)	"Temple" synagogue, used by the reform movement for a few years, now a tourist attraction.	Art for sale on the streets of Krakow.
Wall surrounding the old Jewish cemetery.	Views of the Krakow cemetery attached to the only operating synagogue. The "Rama" (1) (2) (3)	Old Jewish homes in the heart of the old Jewish quarter (1) (2) (3) (4)
Old Jewish courtyard	Old square in Krakow where Jews once sold food, now a junk market, which was selling Nazi memorabilia.	A warning to Cohenim on a Krakow street.
Walls made partially from Hebrew inscribed gravestones. (1) (2) (3)	North wall of the old Jewish cemetery in Krakow.	Old mezzuot holes in previously Jewish owned homes. (1) (2)
Krakow central square, the largest in Europe. (1) (2) (3) (4)	The "Old" synagogue, one of the oldest in Europe, saved because the Germans used it as a stable. (1) (2) (3) (4)	The Isaac synagogue, built in the 1600's. It is owned by the Jewish community, and though this is the place where a German shop a Jew for not burning the Sefer Tora, the Tora cover sits on the floor in some sort of bizarre memorial today. It is a tourist stop today, not a synagogue.(1) (2)
Old Jewish buildings and vacant lots where buildings once stood (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)	Inside two old Jewish buildings, the second one is occupied, but looks as if it is ready to collapse, the 4th floor is already missing! (1) (2)	ITEMS FOR SALE IN POLAND JEWISH CULTURE CENTER (1) (2) (3)
Anti-Jewish graffiti and synagogue desecration in Krakow. (1) (2) (3)	Grave of Rabbi Isserles, the famous Ashkenazi Sage who wrote a commentary on the Shulchan Aruch, adding Ashkenazi customs in his Mappah.	BATHROOMS AT AUSCHWITZ