It is a pleasure to once again return to Ckyne, the home of our family for so many years. Last night, we spent the night here at Hotel Iren, the first night in over a century since a Wudl has slept here. This time I have brought with me another generation, my niece, Rebecca.

This journey began about ten years ago when I began to look for the grave of my great grandfather, David Wudl. I had no idea at the time that it would bring me here.

David left Bohemia in 1860s following his older brothers to America. He moved to Boston from New York, married and had seven children. Unfortunately, he died at a young age in 1885. After much hard research I found his grave in New York. However, I did not stop my research there. I discovered he had come from Ckyne. With the help of Julius Muller we began to piece together the family tree, tracing it back to the eighteenth century to Darmysl in West Bohemia. Our family lived in your country longer than it has in America.

Thanks to the incredible twenty-five year commitment of Jan Podlesak, the Jewish cemetery in Ckyne can once again reveal the names of Ckyne’s early Jewish inhabitants. In 2000,I asked Dr. Podlesak why he had undertaken this project. His reply says a lot about the man. “It was the right thing to do, many Jewish families had lived here for generations.” Dr. Podlesak is a very humble man, and on behalf of my family I wish to honor your goodness with a small gift. Thank you, thank you for all that you have done.

The restoration of this building is a large and difficult project. The commitment of this town to repair this building and honor the memory of an earlier community speaks to the kind of people who live here. Jindra has been tireless in her quest to raise monies for its repair.

My father’s last sibling passed away in 2007 and left his nieces and nephews an inheritance. My wish has been to somehow pay back the kindness and generosity of this community for their part in preserving the Jewish heritage that one time flourished here.

I wish I could have made this donation seven years ago when the U. S. dollar was worth much more, but I was unable to do so. It is a distinct pleasure for me to present to you, Jindra, this check for ten thousand dollars on behalf of the Wudl/Woodle family to go towards the continued efforts to rebuild this wonderful building.