The ESJF has published a handbook on Jewish cemeteries and sustainable tourism, co-authored by JHE’s Ruth Ellen Gruber.
Ruth’s report “Jewish Cemeteries and Sustainable Heritage Tourism,” starting at pg. 64-65, forms Part 2 of the book, after an introductory section that discusses heritage tourism (and Jewish heritage tourism) in more general terms. (See Table of Contents below).
In her report she examines the history and background of what we can broadly describe as tourism (religious and secular) to cemeteries in general and to Jewish cemeteries in particular, with examples and recommendations on how to encourage and manage visitors while retaining the sacred character of the sites.
She discusses examples ranging from religious pilgrimage and honoring loved ones to “Dark Tourism” and appreciation of landscape, funerary art, and history.
And she provides profiles/case studies of the different ways that visitors are currently managed and/or encouraged/dealt with at Jewish cemeteries in several towns and cities in Europe, including Prague; Warsaw; London; Biala (PL) and Osoblaha (CZ); Plymouth, England; Wroclaw; Brno (CZ), and Mád (Hungary).
The entire book is available online on ISSUU, from which it can also be downloaded.
See the Table of Contents:
