Hundreds of mourners attended funeral services here Sunday for Desider Galsky, head of the Czech Jewish community, who was killed in an automobile accident on Nov. 24 at the age of 69.
The Jubilee Synagogue on Jerusalem Street, where the ceremony was held, was packed with dignitaries representing the government, the Prague municipality, the Jewish community and representatives of Jewish organizations abroad.
Karel Schwarzenberg, chancellor of the President’s Office, came as the personal representative of President Vaclav Havel. Galsky had accompanied Havel to Israel in April.
Deputy Prime Minister Milan Lukes also attended on behalf of the government. Israel was represented by its newly appointed ambassador to Czechoslovakia, Joel Sher.
The office of president of the Czech Jewish community is expected to remain vacant for the time being, while the community conducts what will likely be a difficult search for a replacement.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
