(JHE) — For the fifth (and final) time this year, we are publishing a round-up of some of the Jewish cemetery clean-up initiatives by volunteers, NGOs, institutions and others in various European countries in 2022. We feel it is essential to highlight these initiatives, as they are so often overlooked.
All told, this year we have compiled initiatives from 21 countries and almost 180 towns, cities, and villages. And we know there are those that we missed!
In this round-up, we again list dozens of initiatives in more than a dozen countries—actions that have taken place since our last round-up, that are scheduled to take place, and that are (or have been) ongoing. Around half of the initiatives, we have information about are in Poland.
Earlier this year, we documented such initiatives in April, May, July, and September.
Below, click on the links to see details for each action on Facebook, local media, or dedicated website. Upcoming and/or ongoing initiatives are highlighted in orange.
AUSTRIA
Vienna, Währing Jewish Cemetery, September 11, October 9 and ongoing – The latest clean-up initiative of the year at Vienna’s Wahring Jewish cemetery took place on October 9. Volunteer clean-up initiatives throughout the year were organized by the Save The Jewish Cemetery of Währing Association and included the removal of vegetation and fallen leaves from the gravestones. Volunteer work begins again on January 9. Click here to see more on the association’s website
BELARUS
Various locations, July – In the context of the MEGA project (Memory, Education, Generation, Activity), volunteers from the Minsk Jewish Student Cultural Center “Hillel,” cleaned-up, documented, raised fallen matzevot, and carried out other cemetery work in the following Jewish cemeteries: Minsk, Volozhin, Vishnevo, Hrodno, Lida, Novohrudok, Berezovka, Litovka, and Iviye.
Click here to read JHE’s Have Your Say essay, and discover more about the MEGA project
Click here to read more and watch a video on Facebook
Click here to see more pictures on Facebook
Janavičy, ongoing – The Vitebsk-based Jewish Cultural Center “Mishpokha” is taking care of the local Jewish cemetery’s restoration, documentation, and clean-up. Works started in 2020 when more than 350 matzevot were raised, cleaned, and documented. Now work is underway in the old part of the cemetery, where over 70 stones were already restored. Click here to see more on Facebook
Kałyški, ongoing – The Vitebsk-based Jewish Cultural Center “Mishpokha” and the Vitebsk Jewish community, in collaboration with the Belarusian Jewish Community, the Simon Marc Lazarus Foundation, and the Kleter Family Foundation, is completing the restoration and clean-up of the Jewish cemetery in Kałyški, in the district of Vitebsk. Throughout the summer, volunteers from Vitebsk, Minsk, Kałyški, and other locations participated in the action. The initiative includes the creation of a memorial complex, installing memorial signs, and some education programsfounded by the JDC and descendants of the local Jewish community. Click HERE, 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
BELGIUM
Kraainem, September 30 – The Union of Belgian Jewish Students organized and carried out a clean-up action at the Jewish Cemetery in Kraainem, a town east of Brussels. The action was organized in response to the vandalization of a matzeva in the Jewish cemetery in Beersel, 10 kilometers south of Brussels. Click HERE and HEREto read more on local and international media — Click here to see more on Facebook
CZECH REPUBLIC
Bílina, October 4-12 – The German-based NGO Action Reconciliation Service for Peace brought a group of volunteers to clean up the Bílina Jewish cemetery in its camp for people over the age of 40. Click here to see more
Neveklov, October 2 – The Society of Jewish Women of the Czech Republic – CCJW organized an action at the cemetery in Neveklov. Click here to see more on Facebook
Plzeň, ongoing – The Tachov Archives and Museum Society (TAMUS), in cooperation with the local Jewish Community and municipality, hired Ukrainian refugees to clean the Plzeň Jewish cemetery. Click here to read our post — Click here to see more on Facebook
Polná, October 1 – Local volunteers cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to watch a video on Youtube
GERMANY
Erpel, from May to November – Seven local citizens carried out a maintenance project under agreement with the Koblenz Jewish community, which owns the site, and the Neuwied heritage authority, since the cemetery is a protected monument. The project included the clean-up, the installation of an enclosure made of plants, and the installation of information panels. Click here to find more on local media
Ingenheim, ongoing – Bernd Jantzer and other senior-citizen volunteers have maintained the local Jewish cemetery for years. This year, they were helped by a local pastor, Ralf Piepenbrink, who documents the matzevot. Click here to read more on local media
Gehrden, November 9 – For more than 20 years, boys and girls from the Margarethen Church have cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery on one afternoon every November. Pastor Wichard von Heyden spearheaded the initiative. Click here to read more on local media
Rödelsee, September – As every year, on the last Friday of September, the Friends of the Former Synagogue of Kitzingen Association organized a cemetery clean-up day from 9 AM to 5 PM. Click here to see more details on the association’s websit
Wankheim, until 2023 – Full-scale restoration works at the Jewish cemetery started in September and are expected to be completed in 2023. Repair work costs €300,000 and is financed, among others, by the Tübingen Regional Council, the cities of Tübingen and Reutlingen, and the Association for the Promotion of Jewish Culture in Tübingen. Click here to read more on local media and watch a video
HUNGARY
Budapest, ongoing – The Friends of Budapest Jewish Cemetery Association completed work in five sections, covering 33,000 sq meters and more than 9,800 graves. Work at the cemetery is ongoing and features different tasks, from the clearing of the sections to the instalment of new signage. During winter, work usually is suspended, waiting better temperatures. Click here to watch a video on Facebook
Mohács, October 8-9 – The Mohács Friends of History Association joined the “72 hours without compromise” international volunteer initiative, in which volunteers cleaned up the Jewish cemetery. The Boldog Gizella Catholic Primary School and Kindergarten students and staff also participated in the action. Click here to find out more details
Mór, December 4 – Volunteers from the Maccabi Vac Hungary cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery 100 kilometers west of Budapest. Click here to see more on Facebook — Click here to see more on media
Nyírkáta, September – In preparation for its fencing, the ESJF cleared up the local Jewish cemetery, which dates back to 1858. The cemetery was officially rededicated in early December. Click here to see more on Facebook about the clean-up — Click here to see more on Facebook about the rededication
Szaszvár, November 12 – The local municipality received a grant from the MAZSHISZ to restore the town’s Jewish cemetery. Work started on November 12, and on that day, local citizens volunteered to clean up the area. Click HERE and HERE to read more on local media
Szombathely, ongoing – The local Jewish community is cleaning and restoring some tombstones in the Jewish cemetery. The next task will include cleaning and restoring of the matzevot of the Rabbis buried there. Click here to find more on local media
LITHUANIA
Vištytis, September – Volunteers from the Sūduva Jewish Cultural Foundation cleaned the local old Jewish Cemetery. Click here to see pictures on Facebook
Žagarė, October 2 – For the second time this year, volunteers from the “Maceva” Foundation, together with teachers and students from Žagarė and Skaustgiris high schools, went to the Jewish cemetery to document and clean its tombstones. Click here to find more on local media
MOLDOVA
The ESJF – European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative, cleaned-up two Jewish cemeteries in Moldova:
Baimaclia, September – Clean-up in preparation for its fencing. Click here to see more on Facebook
Rîșcani, October – Cleaned up and fenced. Click here to see more on Facebook
THE NETHERLANDS
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 to [email protected]. The volunteer action takes place all around the year, and is suspended only due to rain or snow. Click here to read more on the cemetery website
The Hague, 29 January, 26 February 26, March, 30 April, 21 May, 25 June, Sunday, 30 July, 27 August, 17 September, 29 October – Throughout the year, the Foundation for the Preservation of the Jewish Cemetery in The Hague carried out clean-up work in the Jewish cemetery every last Sunday of the month. The organizers have already published the new dates for 2023 and 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
Baligród, September – In the last days of September, a group of local volunteers carried out preliminary cleaning works at the Jewish cemetery in Baligród. Click here to find more on the FODŻ website and See pictures on Facebook
Będzin, October – US-based descendant of local Jews Jeffrey Cymbler carried out clean up and documentation of the local Jewish cemetery. To do so, Cymbler also employed two Ukrainian teenagers to help him with this task. Click here to see more on Facebook
Brzesko, October 26 – In partnership with the Coalition of Guardians of Jewish Cemeteries in Poland and the Foundation for Cultural Heritage, more than 60 students from a local primary school and volunteers from the “Memory and Dialogue. Common History” association cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to find more on Facebook
Cieszyn, November 4 – Students participated in a clean-up organized by Irena French, an employee of the local museum who has been leading clean-up work in the cemetery since early 2021. Click here to read more on local media
Czechowice-Dziedzice, October 27 – For the second time this year, around 40 volunteers, the majority of whom were students from a local high school, gathered to clean up the local Jewish cemetery. The first action took place in July.Click here to see more on Facebook
Dębowa, October 25 – Organized by the Coalition of Guardians of Jewish Cemeteries in Poland, together with the local municipality and Jewish activist Sławek Pastuszka, volunteers cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery. Click HERE and HERE to see more on Facebook
Frysztak, October 23 – Two local volunteers carried out, for the second time this year, a clean-up initiative at the Jewish cemetery and foresaw a documentation inventory of the matzevot. Click here to see more from the FODŻ website
Gliwice, October 9 – Local volunteers carried out clean-up work at the cemetery for the second time this year. Click here to see more on local media — Click here to see the event on Facebook
Głogówek, October 25 – The local mayor, together with a group of scouts, municipal employees, and the chairman of the City Council, cleaned up the Jewish cemetery, thanks to an agreement between the local authorities and FODŻ, in which the local government undertook to take care of the memory of the former Jewish community. Click here to read more on the FODŻ website
Grybów, October 28 – After volunteers from the local association “Saga Grybów” carried out clean-up work in the Jewish cemetery in May and July, the association held another clean-up in October. Click here to see more on Facebook
Jędrzejów, September 14 – On the occasion of the anniversary of the German invasion of the city on September 14, 1939, students from two local schools, helped by the municipality employees, cleaned up the Jewish cemetery. Also, other citizens participated in the action. Click here to learn more on local media and see pictures
Jedwabne, November – In early November, the National Institute for Monument Conservation, in cooperation with the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland – FODŻ, initiated a clean up of the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to find more on Facebook
Karczew, October 13 – A group of young volunteers cleaned the local Jewish cemetery, with the participation of Rabbi Yehoshua Ellis, of the Polish Rabbinical Commission on Cemeteries. Click here to see more on Facebook, with many pictures
Katowice, September 9 – Organized by Jewish activist Sławek Pastuszka, students from a local school participated in a clean-up at the city’s Jewish cemetery. Click HERE and HERE to find more on Facebook
Kazimierz Dolny, October 27 – The clean-up was organized by the cemetery’s guardian and saw the participation of a group of activists, including students of the local school. Click here to read more on the FODŻ website
Krynki, September – Employees from the local municipality cleaned up the Jewish cemetery thanks to the support provided to FODŻ from a group of descendants of the former Jewish community of Krynki; the FODZ partner organization from the United States — Friends of Jewish Heritage in Poland; the Museum of the Jews of Białystok; and local authorities of Krynki. Click here to find out more on the FODŻ website
Łódź, September 25, October 23, and 30 – The Guardians of Remembrance, in collaboration with the Łódź Jewish community and Rabbi Dawid Szychowski, organized several clean-up actions at the city’s Jewish cemetery, which saw the participation of several dozens of activists, including Israeli citizens, scout groups, and high school students. Click HERE, HERE, and HERE to find more on Facebook
Lublin, October 9 – Volunteers from the “Studnia Pamięci” (“Well of Memory”) Association cleaned up the Old Jewish cemetery, on Kalinowszczyzna Street, whose oldest matzeva dates back to 1541. Click here to see more on local media
Małogoszcz, May 13 and July – Thanks to a grant from the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA), further cleaning and restoration work were carried out at the local Jewish cemetery. Click HERE and HERE to find more details on Facebook
Mikołów, September 12 – Organized by local Jewish activist Sławek Pastuszka for the second year, 150 students from a local high school participated in the clean-up of the local Jewish cemetery. The action took place in the context of the Coalition of Guardians of Jewish Cemeteries in Poland. Click here to read more on local media — Click here to see more on Facebook — Click here to see more on the Coalition’s website
Piotrków Trybunalski, ongoing – The US-based Heritage Foundation for Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries (Avoyseinu), in agreement with the Lodz Jewish Community, has been cleaning up the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to find out more on local media — See pictures on Facebook
Pszczyna, mid-October – The Jewish cemetery was cleaned-up by local volunteers led by Jewish activist Sławek Pastuszka. Click here to see more on Facebook
Radość, September – A group of nearly 30 students from a local school cleaned up a large area of this cemetery, located on the outskirts of Warsaw. The action took place in the context of the Coalition of Guardians of Jewish Cemeteries in Poland. Click here to find out more
Sosnowiec, ongoing – Since June, cleaning work has been carried out in the local Jewish cemetery with funds from the Jewish community in Katowice. Click here to see more on Facebook
Słubice – Local volunteer Roland Semik took active part in a clean-up action at the local Jewish cemetery. The work carried on from a decision of the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in November 2021 and included the felling of diseased trees threatening tombstones – the last trees were felled at the end of October. Click here to find more details on the FODŻ website
Suchowola, November 21 – Volunteers from the local association “Center of Three Cultures,” together with around 50 firefighters, cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery and cut some trees. Click here to see more on Facebook — Click here to read more on local media
Świdwin, October – About a dozen local volunteers cleaned up the 19th century Jewish cemetery. Among the volunteers, there were also Ukrainian refugees. Click here to read more on local media
Strzegom, November 8 – Students from a local school, with two teachers, met in front of the school, collected the equipment needed, and went to the Jewish Cemetery in Strzegom in order to clean it up. Click here to find more on Facebook
Tuszyn, October 10 – This town hosted the last action part of the “Jewish cemeteries – interventions for heritage” initiative implemented in the context of a program financed by the National Center for Culture. As part of the program, the cemetery clean-up was combined with educational and memorial actions. The project was supervised by the Coalition of Guardians of Jewish Cemeteries in Poland and saw the participation of volunteers from local schools. Click here to read more on the Coalition’s website
Warsaw, ongoing – Volunteers periodically clean up, and carry-out restoration works at the vast Okopowa street cemetery. The Cultural Heritage Foundation generally leads these actions as part of the Coalition of Guardians of Jewish Cemeteries in Poland. Click here to see more on the latest action on Facebook
Warsaw, October – Volunteers from the local Evangelical Christian Olive Tree Community cleared vegetations in Warsaw’s Bródno Jewish cemetery in the Praga district. Click here to see more on Facebook
Włoszczowa, November 18 – Seven volunteers from Poland and the Czech Republic met at cleaned up the Jewish cemetery. The action was part of the project “Włoszczowa: Two cultures – One memory,” implemented as part of the “We See! We Remember!” program, funded by the ORLEN Foundation. Click here to see more on Facebook — Click here to see more on local media
Zabrze, October – Students and teachers from a local school cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery under the auspices of the Zachor Association and in the context of the activities of the Coalition of Guardians of Jewish Cemeteries in Poland. Click here to see more on Facebook
ROMANIA
Volunteers from the Jewish community of Zalău have been cleaning up and restoring various Jewish cemeteries in the province, including:
Băbeni, September – Click here to see more on Facebook
Hida, October – Click here to see more on Facebook
Zalău, September – Click here to see more on Facebook
The US-based Heritage Foundation for Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries (HFPJC) – Avoyseinu sponsored the following clean-up:
Bârsana, Summer – Click here to read more (in Yiddish)
Rona de Sus, Summer – The local Jewish cemetery was cleaned up in preparation for its fencing. Click here to read more (in Yiddish)
Făgăraș, September – Volunteers, and students led by Daniel Dumitran, restored some matzevot in the Jewish cemetery. Click here to see more on Facebook
Siret, Summer – Jewish Galicia and Bukovina Organization returned to the field for its 12th annual documentation trip. During the trip, the delegation, made up of 11 Israeli volunteers and two staff members, documented two of three local cemeteries (the old cemetery probably operated between the 16th and 19th centuries, and the second, dating back to the 1830s and used until the beginning of the 20th century) and also carried out clean-up work, including pruning trees and thorny shrubs, removing weeds, and cleaning tombstones. Some 1500 matzevot were documented and photographed. Click here to see more on Facebook
RUSSIA
Rostov, May – In May, volunteers from the Rostov Jewish community cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to see more on Facebook
SPAIN
Madrid, October – About 30 high school students, together with some parents, cleaned up the Almudena Old Jewish cemetery in the Spanish capital under the supervision of the president of the Chevra Kadisha. Click here to find more on Facebook
UKRAINE
Nadvirna, November – Thanks to funds received by the Nadworna Shtetl Research Group and Steven Turner, President of Gesher Galicia, ESJF was able to clean up this cemetery. Click here to find more on Facebook
Rohatyn – The clean-up season in Rohatyn for 2022 officially finished in October. Following their return to Ukraine in June, Marla Raucher Osborn and Jay Osborn of Rohatyn Jewish Heritage joined their friends and other volunteers in cleaning the town’s Jewish cemeteries (the old and new) and the two town’s mass graves. Click to read RJH’s report on 2022 clearing activities in Rohatyn — Click here to see RHJ’s Facebook Page
Synevyr, September – The ESJF cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery located in Zakarpattya in preparation for its fencing. This burial site has 58 tombstones. The oldest dates back to 1828, which is thought to be the period the cemetery was established. Click here to find out more on Facebook