The opening reception for the exhibition of Tova's paintings will take place at the Center for Jewish Culture in Krakow on Wednesday evening, June 7, at 6 p.m. The title of the exhibition is "O Milosci i Smierci" (About Love and Death). To see the listing for the event in the publication of the Center for Jewish Culture, click here.
I saw Tova today, and she seems to be doing better. She is definitely in good hands, staying with the daughter of an unusual childhood friend. Her friend, Maryja, was Catholic, and friendships between Jews and Christians were uncommon at that time. Maryja died some years ago, but Tova has remained close with her daughter, Jadwiga, and stays with her whenever she visits Oswiecim. It was interesting to see Tova in this context, since I have really only ever known her in Jerusalem. Jadwiga calls Tova "Gusta," something that was confusing until I remembered that Gusta Wolf was Tova's given name. When I asked Tova a couple of weeks ago why she changed her name, she told me that when she and her husband came to Israel, they chose to take on Hebrew names. "I wish I hadn't chosen 'Tova,' though," she sighed. I asked why. "'Tova' is from tov, which means good," she answered. "So I have a name that is good, but I am not always feeling like I am so good like my name." Even though she is sick, she is clearly happy to be here in Poland, to visit again her life and language as Gusta Wolf.
Tonight it is cold and rainy in Oswiecim. Tomek, Ola, and I had dinner and watched "M jak Milosc" (which translates to "L is for Love"), Poland's evening soap opera. I watched it with Ola last summer, and the odd thing about "M jak Milosc" is that everyone on the show is good. No one is having an affair, families are intact, and grandparents, parents, and children live happily under the same roof. The big drama tonight was that a guy hadn't been completely honest with his two female roomates about his profession: he's a police officer. Also, two children who had been hiding a dog in their bedroom were allowed by their parents to keep the dog. This show is wildly popular in Poland, for whatever reason. It comes on two nights a week and has a huge following.
Tomorrow we will spend the day at the Jewish Center here in Oswiecim, then leave in the afternoon to return to Krakow. I'll be at Hotel Karmel on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, leaving from there on Thursday morning for the airport.
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