Yesterday we ran a long post about questions and concerns after recent Jewish cemetery desecrations that have grabbed headlines around the world. We also noted the new EU grant toward mapping and surveying Jewish cemeteries.
We have written frequently about volunteer and civic initiatives aimed at preserving, protecting, and cleaning up Jewish cemeteries.
This AFP article by Beatrice Roman-Amat highlights such an initiative in the Alsace region of France, where there have been several high-profile vandal attacks.
The article describes how “Guardians of memory” watch over Jewish cemeteries. It says that the initiative was launched by the regional council in October as a network [to inform] the authorities of any problems at the cemeteries or their surroundings.
About 20 volunteer activists are taking part. They wear badges identifying themselves as a “veilleur de la memoire.”
The guardians judge for themselves how often to patrol in the cemeteries, ensuring a minimal presence and alerting the authorities to any problems.
They are advised not to intervene if they come across vandals in the act.
“You can’t put a policeman in every cemetery,” said Francis Laucher, who […] volunteers as a watchman at the Jungholtz cemetery along with his wife Solange.
Click here to read the AFP article
Click here to read our December 19 Jewish cemeteries post