The 17th annual “Preserving Memory” awards were presented last week in Krakow, honoring non-Jewish Poles who preserve, protect, maintain and promote Jewish culture and heritage.
The awards were presented at a ceremony June 29 at the Galicia Jewish Museum during the Krakow Jewish Culture Festival by the outgoing Israeli ambassador to Poland Zvi Rav-Ner to 10 individuals or NGOs who conduct a variety of projects in towns across the country.
The awards were established in 1998 by the American lawyer Michael Traison, who has an office in Warsaw and spends part of the year in Poland. More than 150 people, mostly volunteers and mostly from small, far-flung towns, have been honored for activities ranging from cleaning up Jewish cemeteries to running Jewish museums to carrying out school projects on Jewish history and memory.
The honorees this year were:
Anna Grużlewska, a history teacher in Dzierżoniów who works with the Beiteinu Chaj Foundation and supports efforts to restore the synagogue and transform it into a cultural center. She also contributes to Virtual Shtetl and creates educational programs.
Leon Gawąd, a 93-year-old who cares for the Jewish cemetery in Bochnia on a volunteer basis.
Capt. Rafał Kaczmarczyk, deputy director of the prison in Cieszyn. He has organized the restoration and clean-up of Jewish cemeteries by inmates, and also participated in this work.
Jacek Antoni Lupa, head of the Lelów district. He supports the care of the Jewish cemetry in Lelów and the ohel there of Rabbi David Biderman and works with Hasidic groups to organize yahrzeit visits.
Jan Myrcik, a write and teacher who has worked to maintain the Jewish cemetery in Cieszowa and renovate gravestones.
Barbara Olech, a professor at the University of Białystok and member of the Poland-Israel Citizens Educational Center. She co-organized six editions of the Zachor Jewish Culture Festival and has been involved in many other educational projects dealing with Jewish culture and history.
Tomasz Urzykowski, a journalist who has published many articles about Jewish, history heritage and culture in Mazowia region, around Warsaw. He is the son of a Righteous Among Nations.
The Dukla Shtetl Society, which cares for the Jewish cemeteries in Dukla and erected a memorial last year.
The Ekosan Society, which along with FODŽ is overseeing the renovation of the Jewish cemetery in Staszów; the society has also sponsored other initiatives related to Jewish culture and heritage.
The Włoszczowa Stop to Partition Society, which has been cleaning up the Jewish cemetery in Włoszczowa on a volunteer basis.