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Elliot Matz Project Description: Prior to WWII, there were more than 1500 market towns in Eastern Europe. Their two largest religious communities were Christians (Russian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox or Roman Catholic) and Jews. The daily life and cultures of these residents was complex, rich, and fraught with issues that are ripe for exploration and understanding. Prior to the two World Wars, for a variety of reasons hundreds of thousands of people emigrated from these towns, and there are millions of their descendants in diaspora. During World War II the Jewish populations that had remained were eviscerated in the Holocaust, and the traditional market town life was destroyed. This museum will offer visitors the opportunity to see and understand the daily life of the residents of such towns. Additionally, it will engage in research on how individuals and distinct communities interacted, including the role of ethnic, religious, gender, and other distinct identities in everyday life. In conjunction with Yeshiva University in the United States and the Vilnius University in Lithuania, the Museum will also offer students research opportunities. |
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