Press Release - 9 May, 2014  Translation of book about Jewish life in Pabianice, Poland The Pabianice Landsmanshaft announces the publication of the English translation of Seyfer Pabianice (The Pabianice Yizkor book) originally published in Yiddish and Hebrew in 1956, edited by A. Wolf Jasni. The book in English is available at these places world wide. Click here... How many of us today hear testimonies of what Jewish life in Europe was like before World War 2? We are well informed about the Holocaust but the generation that spent their youth in pre-war Europe has aged and diminished in numbers. There are Yizkor books for many of the hometowns of our ancestors. These include historical accounts in words and photographs of the establishment of towns and their Jewish populations, of ordinary Jewish working life, of education, religion, social and Zionist activities and the impact of the Holocaust, including the Jewish resistance to it. These were usually written in Yiddish and Hebrew by a diverse range of authors. The accounts preserve for posterity a fast vanishing history and bring to life the vibrant culture that existed before the war. After their mother died two years ago, Ian and Eva Light realised a dream to have the Yizkor book of their mother’s hometown, Pabianice, translated into English.  Pabianice is in south-west Poland near Lodz and became an important textile industry town in the nineteenth century.  Translators Bobbie Zylberman, for the Yiddish, and Sara Brott, for the Hebrew, were engaged to translate the Pabianice Yizkor book into English.  Editor Tony Thomas polished the final product. Seyfer Pabianice includes stories about many Jewish characters from the good years before and after the First World War, the establishment of Jewish schools, factories and banks, the interface between secular and religious Jewish life and relations with the non-Jewish population, accounts of the Jewish resistance in Belarus, and the moving story of how Rabbi Mendele Alter went bravely with his people to Treblinka. JewishGen at www.jewishgen.org is a source for copies of Yizkor books, and many national and international Jewish libraries including those in Melbourne hold copies. The Pabianice Yizkor book now takes its place beside them. Last month the Pabianice Landsmanshaft launched the new translation of the Pabianice Yizkor book. It was held at the home of a descendant of a Pabianice family. One hundred people with links to Pabianice attended. There were readings from the book as well as a reading of the late Bronka Light’s journal by her daughter, Eva, including evocative stories about her life in Pabianice before the war. SEE PHOTOS FROM BOOK LAUNCH... The Pabianice Landsmanshaft hopes that other descendants of Holocaust survivors will be inspired to follow their example and make available these historical accounts to a wider audience. Eva Light and Tony Thomas are available for interview. Contact literite@gmail.com I am sending you this copy of the English translated Pabianice Yizkor book to be shared with Libraries and Pabianice Landsmanshaftn communities in Australia, Argentina, Canada, England, Israel, Poland and U.S.A. Hopefully this book will be appreciated and enhance the knowledge of the Jewish Holocaust in these countries. Best regards, Pabianice Landsmanshaft of Melbourne PO Box1159,Elwood, Victoria, Australia 3184. For further enquiries contact Jack Ekstein, president of the Pabianice Landsmanshaft of Melbourne Australia at jekstein@alphalink.com.au The first sections of the Pabianice book are now online at: http://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/Pabianice1/Pabianice1.html Or download a scanned copy of the book (large file: 89MB) here The book in English is available at these places world wide. Click here...