On Saturday, August 23th we’ve met at 18 in the Bajs Nusn synagogue to begin the walk around the former Nowy Sącz ghetto. Our guides were Artur Franczak and Łukasz Połomski. We’ve walked the way from the former quarters of the Gestapo to the place were the walls of the ghetto were built. On its grounds we had the opportunity to listen about the tragedy of Jewish families. The walk concluded at the pedestal commemorating the borders of the ghetto on the 3rd May Square. At 20 we’ve began the Memory Appeal. A very special partaker of the Appeal was Mr Markus Mordecai Lustig, who has survived the ghetto liquidation. An introductory speech was given by Mayor Jerzy Gwiżdż. Pastor Jacek Orłowski and father Józef Polak SI have read the psalm and said a prayer together for the victims of the ghetto liquidation. After that participants of the appeal have lit candles under the pedestal together.

On the next day, Sunday, at 18 the meeting in the synagogue was opened by Alon Kaufman, grandson of Markus Lustig, who recited a psalm in Hebrew. Afterwards Łukasz Połomski introduced everyone present into the dramatic history of the Nowy Sącz ghetto, and after that the audience listened to the memories of Markus Lustig. Mr Lustig told us – among other things – about the executions organized by the Germans in April 1942 and also about the time he spent in the camp in Płaszów and his work in the Oskar Schindler factory. The evening was concluded with the screening of “The Shtetl of Tsanz” directed by Barbara Szewczyk and by presentation of the www.sadeckisztetl.com website and also by the announcement of the “Autumn Yeshiva” programme co-organized with the Ada Sari Culture and Arts Centre in Stary Sącz.
An additional surprise for Mr. Lustig after our meeting concluded was the screening of “The Extra” movie, that tells his story. This surprise was prepared by Mr. Jerzy Leśniak.
Before our commemoration of the anniversary of the ghetto liquidation we have organized another surprise for Mr. Markus Lustig. On Thursday, August 21th we’ve hosted a meeting with him together with a bigger circle of friends in the Prowincjonalna café. His favorite pre-war hit songs were performed by Danuta Głąb accompanied on the piano by Barbara Mirek. The guest were treated with cake baked for Markus Lustig by Justyna Michalska. Yet another gift was a painting by Wacław Jagielski depicting a view of the tower of the evangelical church on the Pijarska street The event was entitled “Pijarska majn hejm, Pijarska my home”, because it was there that Mr Lustig spent his childhood.

Ladies and gentlemen! We deeply appreciate your help, presence, support and participation in creation of these events. Thank you!