The Media for Social Jewish organization is organizing a trip this summer for volunteers to help clean up the historic Old Sephardi Jewish cemetery in Sarajevo.
Founded in 1630, the cemetery today includes about 3,800 grave and lies on a steeply-sloping site above the city. The form of the oldest stones is believed to be unique in Europe: large, rounded in shape and lying horizontally, often set into the hillside. They are almost identical in size and form, giving the hillside a patterned appearance.
The cemetery was seriously damaged during the siege of Sarajevo in the Bosnian war 1992-95, which it was in the front line of fighting; it was, in fact, the site of one of the Bosnian Serbs’ main artillery positions. Considerable damage occurred as a result of returned fire from the city below. The Bosnian Serbs extensively mined the cemetery before their withdrawal.
After the end of hostilities, an international effort was made to restore the cemetery, including the de-mining of the site, completed in 1998. The Ceremonial Hall was also restored, funded in large part by contributions from the United States Government and matched by grants from the city and region of Sarajevo.