Jewish cemetery clean-ups 2022 — Round-up #3 — Dozens of initiatives in 14 countries

In April and May, we published our first two round-ups of 2022, listing scores of the many Jewish cemetery clean-up initiatives taking place this spring and summer in various European countries. 

Here’s a third round-up listing actions from 14 countries — actions that have taken place since our last round-up, that are scheduled to take place, and that are (or have been) ongoing. Most of them are carried out by volunteers.

It is so important to emphasize these efforts, as they are largely overlooked (occasional vandalism, however, grabs headlines).

Click on the links to see details for each action on Facebook, local media, or dedicated website. The orange highlights show upcoming or ongoing initiatives.

We know we have missed some — if you don’t see your project on this list, let us know!

 

AUSTRIA

Baden, June 21 – After five years, the restoration of the Jewish cemetery in Baden, near Vienna, has been completed. At a ceremony on June 21, the cemetery was officially handed over to the local municipality, which will be responsible for its further maintenance. Click here to read more on JHE 

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 –Volunteer clean-up initiatives organized by the Save The Jewish Cemetery of Währing Association take place each month, from January to December, and include the removal of vegetation and fallen leaves from the gravestones. The organizers provide gloves, shears, 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

Kałyški, ongoing – The Jewish Cultural Center “Mishpokha” and the Vitebsk Jewish community have started to clean up the Jewish cemetery in Kałyški, in the district of Vitebsk. Throughout the summer, volunteers from Vitebsk will travel to Kałyški four times. The initiative includes the creation of a memorial complex, installing memorial signs, and some education programs. The program is open to volunteers. To support the initiative, write to: [email protected]. Click HERE  and HERE to see more on Facebook

Mogilev, ongoing – Volunteer work at the city’s Jewish cemetery takes place throughout the year 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  Click to read our Have Your Say article about the cemetery and restoration work 

 

CROATIA

Chernik, June 1 – The ESJF completed a pre-fencing clean of the Chernik Jewish cemetery in preparation for fencing later in July. This will be the first Jewish cemetery that the ESJF has fenced in Croatia.

 

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-day 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

Holešov, July 20-31 –  During the yearly local Jewish cultural festival a volunteer clean up action will take place at the local Jewish cemetery and at the Shach synagogue (cleaning pavements, weeding, cutting, and raking grass, maintaining graves, etc.). Click here to read more on JHE 

 

GERMANY

Attendorn, June – Since 1984, students from local schools, in coordination with the cemetery administration and the construction office of the Attendorn city, have maintained the city’s old Jewish cemetery every year. This year, students from St. Ursula High School cleaned up the site. Click here to see more on local media 

Duderstadt, June 28 – Students from the St. Ursula Catholic school aided by a group of pensioners cleaned up the memorials, laid a new path, and planted a ginkgo tree in the city’s Jewish cemetery, in a project called “Making Jewish History in Duderstadt visible again.” The mayor and a representative of the Hanover Jewish community took part in a ceremony at the end of the project. Click HERE and HERE to read more on local media

Düsseldorf, May – The small Jewish cemetery in the city’s Kaiserswerth district has been cared for in recent months by the Garden, Cemetery and Forestry Office and the Düsseldorf Youth Career Aid, and some of it has been fenced and redesigned. An information panel telling the cemetery’s history was unveiled there in a public ceremony on May 23. Click here to read more on the city’s website 

Grünstadt, every Thursday – Richarda Eich, a local activist and member of the Antiquities Association, welcomes volunteers to help her 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 association 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, July 23 – August 6 – Around 15 volunteers will clean up and carry out other work at the vast Kozma street 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 

Budapest, ongoing – The association Friends of Budapest Jewish Cemetery is currently completing renovation work of section 33 at the Kozma Street Jewish cemetery in the Hungarian capital. Click here to watch a video on Facebook

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

Tapolca, June – In recent weeks, the ceremonial building of the town’s Jewish cemetery was renovated and an artwork around the entrance door was installed. The artwork is made of glass mosaic and depicts Jewish and folk motifs. It was created by two Canadian artists of Jewish descent from Tapolca.  Click here to see more on Facebook

 

ITALY

Finale Emilia, ongoing – The small Jewish cemetery of Finale Emilia, north-central Italy, is constantly maintained by a local association. In May, volunteers restored the support of some of the tombstones damaged by the 2012 earthquake. Moreover, a restorer periodically visits the cemetery to clean the tombstones and remove mold and lichen from them.

 

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 the foundations of the destroyed synagogue. The action is organized by the German NGO Action Reconciliation Service for Peace. Click here to see more

 

LITHUANIA

Žagarė, July 25-31 – The Maceva Lithuanian Jewish Cemetery Project plans an international summer camp to 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, and photograph all grave markers and fragments. Click here to read our article about the initiative 

 

THE NETHERLANDS

Meppel, June 2 – A local foundation formed by people with different religious backgrounds carried out its annual volunteer clean-up at the city’s cemetery. Click here to find more on local media 

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 email [email protected]. Click here to read more on the cemetery website

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 on 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

Click here to see more on Facebook 

 

POLAND

The Matzevah Foundation (TMF) has returned to the field after two years of interruption because of COVID, with a number of initiatives carried working with various partners. More info can be found on their website  Or on their Facebook page (with lots of photos and daily reports)

Garwolin, June 30–July 1 – TMF joined the Rabbinical Commission for  Jewish Cemeteries Matters in Poland and local volunteers to clear and clean the Jewish cemetery in Garwolin.

Czestochowa, June 7-12 — Volunteers from the Matzevah Foundation joined Alon Goldman of the World Society of Częstochowa Jews, Fundacja Chrześcijańska “Adullam,” local high school and elementary school students and other volunteers from Częstochowa to clean and clear the Jewish cemetery. 

Krzepice, June 13-19 — Clean up of the Jewish cemetery, with partners including local high school students and a team of students from Staffordshire University, focused on non-invasive research such as ground-penetrating radar. See more on Facebook

Markuszów, June 29 – A ceremony of consecration of the reconstructed fence of the new Jewish cemetery in Markuszów took place. The reconstruction of the wall was possible thanks to the cooperation of FODŻ with the Friends of Jewish Heritage in Poland, the European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative (ESJF), and the MatzevahFoundation. Click here to read more 

Przysucha, July 6-15 – In the context of the JewishGen Future Scholars Fellowship, and in partnership with the Matzevah Foundation, international volunteers participated 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

Oświęcim, July 29- August 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.

Chrzanów, upcoming – On the initiative of Prof. Anna Michałowska-Mycielska from the history department of the University of Warsaw, all matzevot in the cemetery will be translated and scanned in 3D. Click here to find more on local media 

Gliwice, July 10 – Local volunteers carried out aclean-up action in the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to see more on Facebook 

Grybów, May 6, July, and October – After volunteers from the local association “Saga Grybów” carried out clean-up work in the local cemetery in May, the association foresees two new clean-up actions in July and October. Click here to see more on Facebook 

Jarczów, June 18 – Paweł Krawczyk, owner of part of the area where the local cemetery is located and its caretaker, cleaned up the cemetery. See more on Facebook 

Jedwabne, June 20-22 – The initiator of the cleaning works is Krzysztof Mrozowicz, a volunteer who cooperates with FODZ. This year, the Taube Center for the Renewal of Jewish Life in Poland also joined the cleaning actions, along with a group of students from Dartmouth Hillel. Click here to see more  Click HERE to see pictures on Facebook

Korczyna, May 23 – The action was carried out by employees, doctoral students, and students of the Institute of History of the University of Rzeszów, headed by Prof. Wacław Wierzbieńc and Prof. Elżbieta Rączy. During the clean-up, the group cleared vegetation and  also heard a lecture on the history of Jews in Korczyna by Prof. Wierzbieniec. Click here to find 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

Łódź, June 12 – The Guardians of Remembrance Association organized a clean-up action that saw the participation of volunteers of different ages. Click here to find more on Facebook

Łomża, beginning of June – On the initiative of Kazimierz Szczechura, a local volunteer and caretaker of the Jewish cemetery, cleaning works were carried out in the area of the cemetery. Click here to find more on Facebook 

Małogoszcz, May 13, 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. On May 13, the “Local Patriots” Association and the “Euros Wiatr ze Wschodu” set up the first clean-up of the season. Click here to find more details on Facebook. ClickHERE to see more about the first clean-up on Facebook

Mielec, May 16 – Local volunteers mowed, cut seeds, raked, cut down a tree, and planted seeds for flowers in front of the cemetery. Click here to find more on Facebook

Radomsko, June – Young volunteers from the Bnei Akiva Global Movement, led by Rabbi Rafi Ostrov, cleaned up the town’s Jewish cemetery. Click here to find more on Facebook 

Sokołów Małopolski, mid-June – Cleaning work at the local Jewish cemetery included cleaning the entire property from bottles, cans, and other rubbish, cutting trees, mowing the grass, etc. Works were carried out by the Social Cooperative “Czarna Galicja” from Rzeszów. Click HERE to see pictures on Facebook  Click here to read more from the FODZ website 

Sosnowiec, ongoing – Cleaning works have been carried out in the local Jewish cemetery with funds from the Jewish community in Katowice. Click here to see more on Facebook 

Szydłowiec, Sławatycze and Radomsko, June 27 – July 1 – A team from the Nissenbaum Family Foundation carried out clean-up work in these three Jewish cemeteries. Click here to see more on Facebook

Tarnowskie Góry, May 31 – Volunteers from the local NGO Gliwicka 66 cleaned up the village Jewish cemetery, as every year. Click here to see more on Facebook

Toruń, upcoming – The local municipality reached an agreement with the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland and will repair the fence of the historic Jewish cemetery, founded in the 18^th century. Municipal funds will cover costs.  Click here to read more on local media 

Warsaw, May 15 – Students from the Bednarska Szkoła Podstawowa participated in a clean-up action at the Okopowa street vast Jewish cemetery. Click here to find more on Facebook 

Warsaw, ongoing – Volunteers periodically clean up and carry-out restoration works at the vast Okopowa street cemetery. In June, volunteers cleared the alley between sections 20 and 26 and several nearby tombs, while other works are currently underway in section 12. Click HERE to find more on Facebook on the May action  Click HERE to read more on Facebook about the current action

 Włoszczowa, June 13 – Organized by the Association for the Development of the Radków commune, the clean-up took place in accordance with the recommendations of the Rabbinical Commission for Cemetery Affairs. Help was provided by the District Government in Włoszczów. In the end, however, only two volunteers participated in the initiative – but they collected over 24 bags of waste. Click HERE to see more on Facebook  Click here to read a first-hand report from one of the volunteers, in local media

 

ROMANIA

Alba Iulia, July 4-15 – A Conservation and Restoration Camp for volunteers at the Jewish Cemetery in Alba Iulia, with visits to other sites, including in Zlatna. This is the camp’s eighth edition. Click HERE and HERE to find details

Moineşti, July — The Leolam Jewish Heritage Foundation is carrying out cleaning of the Jewish cemetery, as every year in July. See pictures on the Foundation’s Facebook page.

Zalău, June 23 – For the second time this year, the city’s Jewish community cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to find more on Facebook

 

SLOVAKIA

Komárno, June – The Jewish community renovated the cement path around the local Jewish cemetery’s ceremonial hall. Click here to see pictures on Facebook

Šahy, ongoing – Led by Krisztina Kapusta of the local Hont regional museum, a team of local volunteers has been cleaning the Status Quo Jewish cemetery for several months. During the clean-up, they discovered what is believed to be a balcony from which Cohanim could have viewed  the cemetery without entering it. Click here to find more on local media

 

UKRAINE

Melnytsa Podilska, June – During the last week of June, the ESJF fenced the New Melnytsa Podilska Jewish Cemetery and cleared it. It was the ESJF’s first completed fencing project in Ukraine since the start of the war. Click here to see more on Facebook

Perechyn, July – The Perechyn Jewish cemetery, which the ESJF fenced in 2019, was cleared by the city council. Click here to see more on Facebook

Rohatyn, ongoing – Following the return to Ukraine, after five months, of Marla Raucher Osborn and Jay Osborn, Rohatyn Jewish Heritage started its annual clearing work at the town’s Jewish cemeteries (the old and new). Click to see more on RJH’s Facebook Page  and web site

Shatava, July – A local man, Vasyl Fodorov volunteered to clean the exterior fence, mow the grass, and plant flowers at the entrance of the Shatava Jewish cemetery, which the ESJF fenced in the past. Click here to see more on Facebook