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Publication of the book
"Jews in Turov: the unknown page of Byelorussian history" |
October 21,2004
Dear compatriots!
I am happy to inform that I have completed my work over the book “Jews in Turov: the unknown page of Byelorussian history”. It will tell about the life of Turov Jews for more than 100 years, showing the examples of friendship and cooperation between Byelorussian and Jewish people.
During many years I have been collecting materials on the history of the town in libraries, archives and museums. I have found dozens of former Turov residents who were as kind to answer my questions and send their photos. This enabled me to add historical documents with the stories by alive witnesses, contemporaries and participants of those events. While working over the book I have visited Minsk, Gomel, Moscow, Mozyr and Turov, collected documents in National Archive of the Republic of Belarus, National historical archive of the Republic of Belarus, State archive of public organization of Gomel region, State zone archive in Mozyr, Central archive of Israel and Yad-Vashem archive in Jerusalem.
The book “Jews in Turov: the unknown page of Byelorussian history” will be a new monument of deceased generations and will give the idea to our children and grandchildren about the place of their origin. It contains both unique historical information about the life of Jewish community and also rich statistics. In a special chapter “To be remembered…” I have included information about more than 500 people born in Turov, including relatives of many of you.
The book is to be published in Russian in Israel – not less than 200 pages with illustration. It should be a people’s action. In past times Jewish collected their modest contributions to maintain synagogue and kheder, to help those in need, to feed those hungry, to help a poor bride to get married, to put a monument, to repair the cemetery. Today we must recollect this tradition and leave over a thruthful book about joys and sorrows of our relatives. None except us would remember them.
I have started fund-raising for publication of this book, the approximate cost of which been $5000. I ask you to make your contribution in the form of a $200 check, which will give you the right to receive a copy of the future book. And, of course, your name will be stated in the foreword, where I will express my gratitude to all those who have supported the initiative.
Could you please tell about this initiative those who are interested in the history of Turov Jews and who would like to receive the book, the number of copies of which will be rather small.
If the necessary sum won’t be collected, you will receive your money back. The check should be subscribed to my name and sent to the address:
Dr. Leonid Smilovitsky
Thank you very much and accept my best wishes of peace, prosperity and health.
With deep respect,
http://www.jewishgen.org/Belarus/newsletter/authors.htm
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