The Hidden Scrolls

And there is the small matter of the hidden Scrolls. Jarmila Chytilova told Eva about Vera Laznovska, who used to work in a shop on the high street. She remembers a lot about the Jews who lived in Kladno. She gave the names of the Jews who had shops on the high street. She remembered many of the Jews who used to come into her shop. As the time of deportation grew near, she remembers the people coming to her shop and asking advice on what to take to Terezin.

Then Vera said to Jarmila "Can you remember? It was when the painters found the books, built in somewhere here. It was when your father was pastor here." She was referring to the Hidden Scrolls. Pastor Benes did not want the Communists to find out about the Scrolls. But Rudolf Salus was told. And Salus to me – and didn't know whether to believe him. So at last we know that it was true. But what happened next to the Scrolls. That is something that we have to find out.

On Sunday 8 June 2008 in Fairfield Scroll 458 from Kladno will be re-dedicated. And who will be there?

Mayor Jiranek, Irena Veverkova (the town archivist) and Eva Bodlakova - Kladno's Ellin Yassky

And what are we going to do? Our neglected Scroll from Kladno deserves our attention. It has a story to tell, and it can put us in touch with a group of Kladno people who want to share our link with the Jews of Kladno. Fairfield has shown how to connect with the Jews of Kladno and the Czech congregation that shares our interest in the Jews of our Scroll, their fate and their heritage.

We need to build on the partnership with the Americans. We need to go there and review the information that the local people had dug up and get to know the people who have provided so much background information. They should receive our recognition and encouragement. The Mayor, the museum, the archives, the church.

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