Jewish Cemetery Clean-ups 2022 — Round-up #1 — 42 initiatives in 15 countries

Every year on Jewish Heritage Europe, we post round-ups of various initiatives and projects aimed at restoring and cleaning-up Jewish cemeteries all over Europe that take place throughout the spring, summer, and, in some cases, also during autumn. Most of these actions are carried out by volunteers, and some take place within the framework of longstanding international volunteer programs. Some are organized by Jewish communities or civic bodies.

In the last two years, a number of initiatives and actions (particularly international initiatives) were halted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent measures that imposed restrictions on gatherings and international travel. After two years of forced break, we are happy to see that some international organizations are planning to go back to fieldwork in Jewish cemeteries this year.

This is the case of the US-based Matzevah Foundation, which (barring the unforeseen) will be back in Poland throughout the summer, with five actions in cooperation with local and international partners. Also, the German-based NGO Action Reconciliation Service for Peace will be back in several towns in Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, Hungary, Latvia, and the Czech Republic.

At the same time, the summer camp of the Netherlands-based Christian foundation “Penance & Reconciliation,” which usually organizes a significant clean-up action in a Dutch Jewish cemetery, was also canceled this year. However, small groups of volunteers will work in a few Jewish cemeteries all around the country, as it was in the last two years. (https://boete-verzoening.nl/projecten/)

But if the pandemic is slowly losing its strength, and our lives are gradually getting back to a “new normality” on that score, the Russian invasion of Ukraine represents a new factor of concern and apprehension.

For the last few years, we have included in our round-up the many activities and clean-up operations in this country, from Rohatyn and Lviv to Ivano-Frankivs’k and the Zakarpattia region. Only in 2021, for example, the ESJF – European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative alone, cleaned-up more than 50 Jewish cemeteries all over Ukraine. At the same time, with the support of the Hungarian government, the Jewish community of Berehove/Beregszász carried out cleaning actions and other work in several cemeteries in the region.

Another organization that was always present on our round-up was Rohatyn Jewish Heritage, whose volunteers last year carried out more than 30 cleaning actions at Rohatyn’s Jewish cemeteries. Rohatyn Jewish Heritage leaders Marla Raucher Osborn and Jay Osborn stated on their website that because of the war: “Our heritage work in Rohatyn and in support of others’ projects in the region is, of course, on indefinite hold.” We sincerely hope they’ll be able soon to get back to their life and work in Western Ukraine. 

Below is a first 2022 round-up of Jewish cemetery clean-up initiatives – initiatives that have taken place, as well as those we know are planned. Planned actions are marked in Orange. We know we have missed some — if you don’t see your project on this list, let us know!

AUSTRIA

Vienna, Währing Jewish Cemetery — January 9, February 13, March 13, April 10, May 8, June 12, July 10, August 14, September 11, October 9, November 13, and December 11 – The Association “Save The Jewish Cemetery of Währing,” has already organized volunteer clean-ups since January. Initiatives take place once a month, from January to December, and include the removal of vegetation and fallen leaves from the gravestones. The organizers provide gloves, scissors, rakes, and other equipment, but volunteers are also welcome to bring their own. Registration is not required. Click here to see more on the association’s website 

Waidhofen an der Thaya, from April to June/July – Thanks to a €100,000 grant from the Federal Monuments Office and funds from the state of Lower Austria, the local municipality will completely restore the town’s 1,300 square meters Jewish cemetery, founded in 1892. See more on local media

BELARUS

Mogilev, ongoing – Volunteer work at the city’s Jewish cemetery occurs throughout the year (when the weather allows it) and includes clean-up and restoration work. The Mogilev Jewish community is fundraising for the restoration of the cemetery via a GoFundMe campaign

 

See more details on the Facebook page 

Read our Have Your Say article about the cemetery and restoration work

 

BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA

Bijeljina, March 11-12 – Borivoj Bokij Senić, an entrepreneur from Bijeljina, cleaned the local Jewish cemetery. The action was carried out in preparation for a ceremony in memory of the local Jewish community, destroyed during the Holocaust. Click here to see more on Facebook

 

CZECH REPUBLIC

Bílina/Teplice, October 4-12 – The German-based NGO Action Reconciliation Service for Peace will bring a group of volunteers to clean up the Bílina Jewish cemetery in its summer camp for people over the age of 40. In the 6-days camp, the group may also work in the large Jewish cemetery in the nearby city of Teplice. However, as the description states, the location is not yet confirmed. Click here to see more  

Brno, April 10 and 24, May 22 and 29 – Starting from 10 AM, volunteers gather at the city’s Jewish cemetery on Nezamyslova Street to clean up the cemetery’s gravestones. Click here to see more on Facebook

Holešov, July 20-31 – Organizers of the yearly local Jewish cultural festival are seeking five international (or Czech) volunteers to join them in working at the local Jewish cemetery and in the Shach synagogue, where they will maintain the outdoor areas (cleaning pavements, weeding, cutting and raking grass, maintaining graveyards, etc.). Click here to see more details

Přistoupim, March 20 – A clean-up session at the local Jewish cemetery in this village in the Kolín District in Central Bohemia took place on an initiative organized by the NGO oPŘISe, which since 2018 has organized two volunteer clean-ups per year at the cemetery, one in the fall and another one in the spring. Click HERE to see pictures from Facebook and HERE to see the Facebook event 

 

GERMANY

Grünstadt, starting from April 20 – Richarda Eich, a local activist and member of the Antiquities Association, is looking for volunteers to help her to clean up the local Jewish cemetery and its gravestones. Volunteers can join her every Thursday from 4 PM at the cemetery, starting from the first Thursday after Easter. Contact her at +49 (0) 6359 1556 Click here to see more information and details from local media

Rödelsee, September – Every year, on the last Friday of September, the Friends of the Former Synagogue of Kitzingen organizes a cemetery clean-up day, from 9 AM to 5 PM. Click here to see more details on the association’s website

 

HUNGARY

Budapest, April 14 – Thanks to the initiative of András Salusinszky, director of the Foreign Trade Technical School of the Budapest Jewish Community, nearly two hundred students and several teachers gathered at the Óbuda Jewish cemetery to clean it up. Click here to read more 

Budapest, July 23 – August 6 – Around 15 volunteers will clean up and carry out other work at the Kozma street vast Jewish cemetery in a summer camp organized by the German-based NGO Action Reconciliation Service for Peace, in cooperation with the Jewish cultural association “Mazsike.” Click here to see more

Kömlőd, Rajka, Tata, and Böhönye – MAZSIHISZ, the umbrella organization of the Hungarian Jewish Neolog Communities, is funding restoration work of tombstones in rural Jewish cemeteries. In March, work was completed in Kömlőd, where around 40 matzevot were restored, and work started in Rajka, where 170 tombstones are under restoration. Shortly, work will be carried out also in Tata and Böhönye, where 30 and 40 matzevot will be restored, respectively. Click here to read more details from the MAZSIHISZ website 

Szabadszállás, February – After two years of work, thanks to the funds from MAZSIHISZ, MAZSÖK, and private citizens from other countries, around 100 gravestones as well as the memorial monument in the cemetery to the victims of the Holocaust were renovated entirely. More information can be found on the MAZSIHISZ website

Szentkirályszabadja, Summer – The Kibuci Bucik is a youth group from the Lauder Javne Jewish School in Budapest that every year organizes a clean-up session in a different Jewish cemetery in Hungary. This summer, the group will work in the Jewish cemetery of Szentkirályszabadja, a village in Veszprém county.

 

ITALY

Milan, March 27 – Around 35 people participated in the local Musocco Jewish cemetery clean-up. The Jewish Cemetery Association organized the initiative. Click here to see more details and pictures 

 

LATVIA

Višķi, August 16-30 – Around 12 international volunteers are expected to clean, restore, and carry out other maintenance work at the local Jewish cemetery and at the foundations of the destroyed synagogue. The action is organized by the German-based NGO Action Reconciliation Service for Peace. Click here to see more

 

LITHUANIA

 

Žagarė, July 25-31 – The Maceva Lithuanian Jewish Cemetery Project is seeking volunteers for its international summer camp that will help clean up and restore the Jewish cemetery in Žagarė as well as identify graves.  During the camp, volunteers will: Repair and clean up the cemetery; make a map of how graves are arranged; clean headstones; restore inscriptions; photograph all grave markers and fragments. Click here to read our article about the initiative and discover how to apply

 

MALTA

Marsa, upcoming – In March, the Tayar Foundation for Jewish Heritage in Malta signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure, and Capital Projects to renovate the Marsa Jewish cemetery. Works will include the restoration of the facade of the cemetery, the timber door, and the metal gate, refurbishing the entrance area and upgrading the wheelchair ramp. The burial ground will be extended in a second phase by incorporating the adjoining vacant lot and constructing a boundary wall and entrance to this extension. Click here to read more

 

THE NETHERLANDS

The Hague, the last Sunday of every month – The Foundation for the Preservation of the Jewish Cemetery in The Hague will clean up the local Jewish cemetery every last Sunday of the month, and at the request of several volunteers,also Friday, June 24th and Friday, September 23rd, from 12.00 to 16.00. The organizers ask volunteers to sign up beforehand by emailing [email protected]. Click here to find details on the Foundation’s website

Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, every Wednesday – From 8.30 to sunset, the management of the Beth Haim Portuguese (Sephardic) Jewish cemetery welcomes volunteers to clean up and restore the cemetery. The management provides all the tools and other materials, and at 1 PM, a kosher lunch is served for the volunteers. If you are interested in participating, you can send an email to [email protected].

Click here to read more on the cemetery web site

POLAND

The Matzevah Foundation, in cooperation with several partners, is planning to get back to the field after two years of interruption because of COVID. It is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine, however, which may cause it to change its plans. Here are the planned activities, and a fourth location is going to be announced soon:

Częstochowa, June 7-12 – The action is organized and will see the participation of volunteers from the Matzevah Foundation, the Fundacja Chrześcijańska “Adullam,” students from Staffordshire University (UK), high and elementary school students from Częstochowa and the surrounding area, and other volunteers. Click here to see more details from Facebook

Markuszów, June 26-29 – In collaboration with the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland (FODZ) and the organization Friends of Jewish Heritage in Poland, the Matzevah foundation will cleanup and re-dedicate the cemetery.

Oświęcim, August 1-5 – This cleanup action will be carried out by the Matzevah Foundation and volunteers from Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN, the Auschwitz Jewish Center, friends, and local partners.

Dukla, March – In February, a tree fell in the town’s Jewish cemetery after a storm, breaking some matzevot. In March, the tree was removed. Click here to see pictures AFTER and BEFORE the tree removal  Also in March, municipal employees and volunteers cut the grass was inside and around the town’s ruined synagogue. Click here to see more on Facebook

Łódź, ongoing – People sentenced to community service, led by probation officer Tadeusz Ołubek, regularly clean up the city’s Jewish cemetery. Click here to see pictures from the latest action on Facebook

Małogoszcz, mid-May, July, and September – Thanks to a grant allocated by the  Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA), further cleaning and restoration work will be carried out at the local Jewish cemetery.Click here to find more details on Facebook  

Mysłowice – Piasek, March 27 – Organized by the Jacob Lustig Mysłowice Historical Society, volunteers gathered to clean up the local Jewish cemetery starting at 10 AM. The association has taken care of the cemetery for nine years and is under an agreement with the Katowice Jewish community. Click here to see a report from the Coalition of Guardians of Jewish cemeteries  

Click here to see more on local media 

Pabianice, April 24 – The Association Guardians of Remembrance organizes the first clean-up session at the local Jewish cemetery. Volunteers are welcome to join. Click here to find out more on Facebook  

Przysucha, July – In the context of the JewishGen Future Scholars Fellowship, which will take place in Poland on July 5-14, international volunteers will participate in the clean-up and preservation of the local Jewish cemetery in partnership with a Polish university student group. Click here to read the JHE article about the Fellowship and its program

Radzyń Podlaski, mid-December – March – A group of local citizens and members of the Radzyń Regional Society gathered from mid-December to restore and clean up the local Jewish cemetery, intending to complete works by the end of March. Click here to read more from local media 

Wysokie Mazowieckie, March 20 – Volunteers and local citizens cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery on the first day of Spring. Click here to see more details on Facebook

Click here to see pictures on Facebook

Wroclaw, May 15-28 – Around 12 volunteers will clean the Lotnicza street Jewish cemetery, including gravestones and pathways, and carry out some restoration work. The action is organized by the German-based NGO Action Reconciliation Service for Peace and is primarily aimed at people over the age of 40 but is open to all adult volunteers. Click here to see more details

 

ROMANIA

Volunteers from the Jewish community of Zalău have already started to clean up and restore various Jewish cemeteries in the province, including:

Agrij, March – Click here to see more on Facebook 

Zalău, March – Click here to see more on Facebook

 

SLOVAKIA

Dolný Kubín, April 23 and 30 – Volunteers from the local OZ Aktiv-Relax NGO will meet at the Jewish cemetery to clean it up. Click here to find more information 

Považská Bystrica, March 19 – The local association “Historic Považská Bystrica,” with the support of a private company and the Slovak Jewish Community, cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to see the event on Facebook 

 Click here to find a report with pictures on Facebook

 

UKRAINE

Kamenka, February – Just a few weeks before the Russian invasion, a memorial monument was installed in the Jewish cemetery of the village, where only one matzeva, which dates back to 1901, still stands. Click here to see more on Facebook