"My Heart is in Rymanov"

I have spent the last three days in Rymanov and have really fallen in love with this little picturesque town. My grandmother on my mother's side was born and raised here on the countryside and seemed pretty well off for the town's standards. They lived in a villa style house on 1 Wolla Street right off the main road. Her father, my great grandfather owned two different butcher shops where one was in the rynick (center of town) and the other in a bazar about a 7 minute drive away. We got to see the original property she grew up on but after the war they tore it down and replaced it with more modernized apartment building. A few other buildings including the school she attended are still intact and in use over 80 years later. 

We are here to participate in the friends of Rymanov program which includes a mix of former Jewish inhabitants of the town, their descendants, as well as educators and other current polish residents wanting to learn more about the history and culture of the area. People congregate from all over the World from places such as Rhode Island, New York, London, Switzerland, and Israel. Everyone is so warm and interesting and we all bonded very quickly. Although the town is gorgeous and very well kept it is also very small with an approximate population of around 1000. If you want to compare it to New York think of the story of country mouse versus city mouse. I actually think I can fit into both categories ;-)

We have traveled on our own and with out cousins throughout the town as well as nearby surrounding areas. They have a beautiful park here with a blue bridge and waterfall as well as a salt mine and mineral water spa park with little shops all around. A much bigger city nearby called Sanuk reminded me of the Lush mountain views of Switzerland. On top of the zomek (castle) you can see a panoramic view of the Sans River. 

Anyways one of my favorite parts of the program was the organized Chassidic wedding located outside the remaining synagogue of Rymanov. It was such an amazing sight to the see over 500 of the locals gather around to see and probably see this aspect of our Jewish culture for the first time. The Klezmer band was amazing and everyone joined into song and dance (I actually think I might have turned into a born again klezmer fan) the music is so rich in history and celebration. While I was taking photos with the horse and carriage I noticed they even played a song from my favorite tv show Curb Your Enthusiasm. I never realized Larry David took his entire soundtrack from Chassidhe Klezmer music but you learn something new everyday!

 On Friday we started the day at the Jewish cemetery in town (the last time someone was buried there was before the War) and the visited the kever of Rabbi Menachem Mendel, the Tzadik of Rymanov. We then went to the main church in the center of town to commemorate all the Rymanov Christians who saved Jews during the War. From there we started the March of the Living from the Rynik of Rymanov all the way to the train station 5 KM away called Wrublik Szlachecki: heavenly sparrow. We had a police escort the entire way there and several officials spoke as well as survivors once we got to the train station.

Shabbat was very spiritual and  the program started off with several recordings from a cantor who started his career in Rymanov before he went to New York. We then proceeded inside the synagogue which had an interior that was mostly destroyed but I appreciated the original artwork on the walls from the tanach. My father lead Mincha and then we had a very meaningfull kabbalat Shabbat Service. After services we all headed back to the hotel for a traditional Friday night dinner complete with chulant, kugel and of course 140 proof shlivovitz l'chaims. The rest is hazy.. ;) 

Shavuah Tov!