Jewish Heritage Europe is passing on an appeal on the Virtual Shtetl portal for aid in maintaining the 19th century Jewish cemetery in Brok, Poland. The Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland — FODZ — carried out work removing fallen trees last year, but according to this appeal, the overall status still prompts concern. It is calling for outside help, as it recognizes that FODZ and other Jewish organization do not have the resources to fully maintain the 1200 cemeteries and cemetery sites in Poland,
You can see pictures of the cemetery on Virtual Shtetl and also on FODZ’s Polin portal, where you can also see a slideshow of pictures of the shtetl of Brok from 1932.
Here is the appeal in full:
THE JEWISH CEMETERY IN BROK DESPERATELY NEEDS A GUARDIAN
The Virtual Shtetl portal has been asked to publicize the condition of the Jewish cemetery in Brok. One of the locals who does not want to reveal his name presents the scene in the necropolis as follows: ‘Last year, a gale caused damage in the town, including the Jewish cemetery. Several trees were uprooted and one tombstone was destroyed. It was not before last February that the town’s authorities had the windfalls restored. The cemetery is covered in scattered rubbish and bottles. Bushes overgrew the cemetery’s area to such an extent that it is difficult to pass through. This scene must be an eyesore for tourists coming to Brok and for Jews who pass by our town on their way to Treblinka. We must not let those who passed away to fall into oblivion, nor should we forget about their graves, of which no one wants to take care.
The Jewish cemetery in Brok was set up in the mid-19th century and is located on Konopnicka Street, very close behind the Catholic cemetery. In the wake of WWII and the years which followed, a few dozen orientated matzevos, mostly made of unhewn granite, have survived to this date. Avraham Jehuda Leib, a Brok Tzadik related to the Warka dynasty, dayan and the author or rabbinical responsa, rests here among other buried Jews.
Contemporary Jewish communities and organizations in Poland are scarce and are simply unable to attend ca 1200 cemeteries. In many towns, the graves of former Jewish inhabitants, former neighbors of our grandparents, are taken care of by local associations and local social activists and students, who, while doing basic cleaning works have an opportunity to learn the history of their hometown to gain an insight into historical monuments and Jewish culture. We do hope that Brok will follow the example and a similar initiative will be taken there soon. The Brok Jewish cemetery needs it.
By Krzysztof Bielawski
English translation by WJ.
1 comment on “Appeal for Jewish cemetery in Brok, Poland”
I visited the Brok cemetery in October 2012. My great grandparents lived there, my grandparents married there.
With all due respect to the description offered above, I found it a peaceful place, over grown, with rough hewn stones and one or two restored ones. I thought the site spoke elegantly of its distance past and the passage of time.
Restoring the cemetery would disrupt this story and possibly attract the types of random acts of protest which disturb similar locations. I offer no justification for locals who vent their frustration on foreigners building monuments for their own purposes and contributing nothing to the local community, except to say I recognize it and see no reason to encourage it.
Let our ancestors have their peace, let nature restore the site over a grand passage of time.
I thank you for considering my perspective, even if it seems at first glance far different from your own. AZG