Wednesday, December 29, 2010

LIKE SHELLS ON A SHORE


I recently received the latest book from my Swiss friend Simon Geissbuhler, "Like Shells on a Shore". It briefly covers abandoned cemeteries in Bessarabia, including Botosani, Bucecea, Dorohoi, Rezina, Vadul Rascov and others. Although it's a short book (107 pages), it is at the same time deep, sad, beautiful and contains very nice pictures. I was particularly interested in the Vadul Rascov segment, with pictures and description I haven't seen before.

But more than just a research and collection of abandoned Jewish cemeteries, Simon wanders in a past that is slowly disappearing, as its monuments that attest the passage of time and are the proof of a big Jewish existence in these areas, are in decay.

He writes: "The Jewish cemeteries and the synagogues are often the sole testimonies of what once was. They are powerful memorials to a civilization that was wiped out in the Holocaust, fragments of a shattered world, and reminders of an enterprising Jewish existence."

3 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Can you tell me where to find/buy his book? I did not find it listed on amazon. My maternal grandfather's family, named Zonis, is from Ataki (now Otaci, on the Dnister River up near Soroca). I am looking for any clues too.
Thank you very much.
Elizabeth Winchester, NY
ewinchester@hvc.rr.com

Anonymous said...

I have the same question as Elizabeth - where to get this book? I am very much interested in Jewish life in Moldova/Bessarabia.

Yefim Kogan, Boston
Coordinator of Bessarabia Revision List project for JewishGen.org.

yefimk@verizon.net

Cassio Tolpolar said...

Hello,

Regading the book, you can write directly to Simon at s.m.g@gmx.ch

Thanks,
Cassio