Jewish Cemetery Clean-ups 2023 — Round-up #4. More than three dozen initiatives in 13 countries. (We know we’ve missed some, so please add in the comments)

Every year, we post roundups of some of the many Jewish cemetery clean-up initiatives that take place in various European countries. It is so important to emphasize these efforts, as they are largely overlooked – while occasional vandalism grabs headlines.

To date in 2023, we have posted three round-ups, at the beginning of May  in mid-July, and late September. 

Here’s the fourth and final round-up of this year, listing more than three dozen actions from 13 countries— actions that have taken place since our last round-up, that are scheduled to take place, that we missed in our previous round-up, and that are (or have been) ongoing. Most are volunteer initiatives, but some are initiatives by Jewish organizations or civic bodies.

All told in 2023, we have traced actions from nearly 150 villages, towns, and cities in 19 countries.

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

We know we have missed some — if you don’t see your project on this list, let us know – and also put it in the comments!  And please inform us of upcoming actions, so that we can put them on the calendar!

 

AUSTRIA

Vienna, Währing Jewish Cemetery, March 12, April 16, May 14, June 11, July 9, August 13, September 10, October 15 – Regular clean-ups organized by the Association “Save The Jewish Cemetery of Währing.” They occurred once a month, from March to October, and included the removal of vegetation and fallen leaves. The organizers provide gloves, scissors, rakes, and other equipment, but volunteers can bring their own. Registration is not required. Dates for 2024 were not yet announced. Click here to see more on the association’s website 

 

BELARUS

Kolishky, until October – Throughout the Spring and Summer and until October, volunteers from the Jewish community, the “Hasday David” NGO, and the cultural center “Mishpokha”were working to restore the Jewish cemetery. Plaques with translations of epitaphs have been installed, and the cemetery area has been cleaned. Click here to find the latest news on Facebook

Mogilev, suspended – After three years of activities, including clean-up and restoration work, the project was suspended because most project organizers no longer live in Mogilev. Click here to see more on Facebook   

 

CZECH REPUBLIC

Golčův Jeníkov, ongoing – Since 2010, the Jewish community of Prague, which owns the cemetery, has been restoring this place. This year, plans included cutting trees, which are at risk of falling and are a threat not only to visitors but also to the surrounding tombs. Click here to see more on Facebook 

Kladno, October 22 and foreseen – On October 22, a local couple organized a group of volunteers to clean up the local Jewish cemetery. Throughout the season, there was also a gradual repair of the tombstones. After this last clean-up, the municipality and a private citizen donated funds for its maintenance and documentation, which will take place next year. Click HERE and HERE to read more on Facebook 

Litomyšl Lány, November 3 – Volunteers gathered to restore and clean up the local Jewish cemetery despite bad weather. Click HERE and HERE to read more on Facebook

Mnichovo Hradiště, ongoing – The municipality, the Prague Jewish community, and the Skoda Auto Foundation have begun to renew the overgrown area of the Jewish cemetery. It had been leveled, and its gravestones removed, under the Communist regime in the 1980s. Today, only a few broken gravestones remain, with a memorial stone reading, “Here was the Jewish cemetery, 1800 -1982.” The town wants to create an area that will be a dignified memorial site.  It will cost an estimated five million crowns (€211,000). Click here to see the project on the town’s website Click HERE , HERE  and HERE to read more on local media  

Slatina u Horažďovic, November – The local municipality carried out an autumn cleaning of the cemetery in cooperation with Matana, the administrative body for Jewish property in the Czech Republic. Click here to see more on Facebook 

 

FRANCE

Fegersheim, November 6 – A group of volunteers gather to clean up and do other work in the local cemetery. Click here to see more on Facebook 

 

GERMANY

Gehrden, November 10 – On the anniversary of the so-called Kristallnacht pogrom — Reichspogromnacht — in 1938, confirmation candidates cleared the paths of the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to see more on local media 

 

HUNGARY

Bátor, October – Thanks to the support of an anonymous donor, and with the coordination of Mazsihisz, the Jewish cemetery of Bátor, in Heves County, was completely cleaned and fenced. Click here to see more  

Budapest, September – A plot containing the  graves of Rabbis in the vast Jewish cemetery on Kozma Street was cleaned and restored. Also, a chapel in the cemetery was restored thanks to the company Euro Kőfaragó Bt. Click here to read more  

Császártöllés, foreseen – The local municipality will renovate the local Jewish cemetery with the support of the MAZSIHISZ. Click here to find more on local media 

 

LATVIA

Sukturi, since the spring – Since the spring, when several trees were toppled by strong winds, employees from Laidze County have been taking care of the local Jewish cemetery by cleaning it twice. Click here to find out more on local media 

 

LITHUANIA

Maisiagala, October — The old Jewish cemetery, near Vilnius, was cleaned up by the municipality, which removed overgrown weeds, grass, trees, and bushes. Diplomats from the U.S. Embassy and their families also took part in the clean-up. Then Maceva representatives documented and catalogued the revealed gravestones. Initially, it was believed there were only about 30 known gravesites; however, the clean-up revealed that the number exceeds 60. Click to see more on Facebook

Merkinė, December – Employees from the Varėna district took care of cutting bushes in the old Jewish cemetery of Merkinė and other public areas. The Varėna district routinely takes care of this cemetery. Click here to read more on the district’s website  

Žagarė, October – The Maceva Litvak Jewish Cemetery Catalogue announced that documentation Žagarė Jewish cemetery had been completed, with the help of volunteers at an International Summer Camp and pupils from local schools. It said 1,680 tombstones had been cleaned and translated, compared to the only 500 tombstones previously registered by the State Heritage Department.  Click here to see more on Facebook   And HERE on the web site 

 

THE NETHERLANDS

Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, every Wednesday – From 8:30 a.m. 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 p.m., a kosher lunch is served for the volunteers. If you are interested in participating, you can email [email protected]. The volunteer action occurs throughout the year and is suspended only due to rain or snow. Click here to read more on the cemetery website 

The Hague, 30 April, 21 May, 25 June, 30 July, 27 August, 17 September, 29 October – Throughout the year, the Foundation for the Preservation of the Jewish Cemetery in The Hague carries out clean-up work in the Jewish cemetery every last Sunday of the month. To participate, volunteers need to sign up beforehand by emailing [email protected]. Dates for 2024 have not been announced yet. Click here to find details on the Foundation’s website 

 

POLAND

Białystok, ongoing – The Białystok Cemetery Restoration Fund (BCRF) shared its 2023 Final Report detailing its restoration projects and major historical discoveries related to Bagnowka Jewish Cemetery in Białystok, Poland. Click here to read more  and click here to donate 

Bobowa, October – A group of Hungarian soldiers, accompanied by staff members of the Consulate General of Hungary in Krakow and Polish soldiers and volunteers, cleaned up tombstones from WWI soldiers in several cemeteries, including a small section of the Jewish cemetery of Bobowa — War Cemetery No. 132  — where 7 Jewish soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian army who died in 1914-1915 were buried.  Click here to read more https://honvedelem.hu/hirek/kozos-hadisirgondozas-del-lengyelorszagban.html

 Gliwice, ongoing – Throughout the Summer and Autumn, volunteers worked to clean up the Old Jewish Cemetery. The latest action occurred on October 29, when volunteers cleaned up seven cubic meters of trash. Click here to see more on Facebook 

Katowice, ongoing – Thanks to funds from the National Institute for Historic Preservation, the Jewish cemetery on Kozielska Street is under constant restoration, including cleaning. Click here to see more on Facebook  

Łódź, ongoing – The Guardians of Remembrance Foundation organizes clean-up actions in the city’s immense Jewish cemetery from Spring to early Autumn. The latest actions took place on September 1. Click here to access the foundation’s Facebook page 

Łódź, August-December – The Wykop na Poziomie archeology service carried out an intensive project for the Cultural Heritage Foundation to inventory all visible grave markers in the Jewish cemetery. See more on Facebook 

Nowy Targ, November – Students from a local military school participated in a clean-up action organized by Olympic athlete Dariusz Popiela and his “People, not Numbers” Foundation. Click here to see more on local media 

Olesno, November – The company Pro-Arbor Bartłomiej Hojdas from Bystra Podhalańska, commissioned by the Olesno Commune, carried out maintenance and clean up works and tree cutting at the historic Jewish cemetery on Młyńska Street. Click here to read more on the Municipality website 

Olsztyn, October – Students from a local high school cleaned up the Jewish cemetery in an action organized by the Borussia Foundation. Click here to see more on Facebook 

Oświęcim, October 6 –  Volunteers from Elementary School No. 2 in Zaborze cleaned up the historic Jewish Cemetery. This project was initiated a few years ago by Piotr Jan Daczynski. Click here to see more on Facebook and on local media

Praszka, November – Residents of the Praszka commune initiated a clean up campaign for the Jewish cemetery, which is owned by the municipality, and published an appeal not to throw trash at the cemetery. People who want to support the cemetery cleaning campaign can contact the Municipal Center of Culture and Sports in Praszka. Click HERE and HERE to read more on local media

Strzegom, August – Students and teachers from the School Complex in Strzegom carried ut a cleanup at the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to read more on local media 

Tarnów, ongoing — Members of the Committee for Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Tarnów search, uncover and clean hundreds of gravestones in the historic Jewish cemetery. Their inscriptions will be included in the online database of the Foundation for Documentation of Jewish Cemeteries in Poland. Click here to see more on Facebook (scroll for posts, videos, pictures) 

Warsaw, ongoing – The Okopowa Street Jewish cemetery is being cleaned by the Foundation for Cultural Heritage with funds from the Ministry of Culture. Archeological work is also being carried out. Click here to see more on Facebook 

Warsaw, ongoing – clean-up and archaeological work continues at the Brodno Jewish cemetery. Click 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:

• Jibou, November – Click here to see more on Facebook
• Zalău, November – Click here to see more on Facebook 

 

SLOVAKIA

Levoča, November – Scouts from the Podtatra Scout Region cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to see more and watch a video on local media https://www.snv.sk/aktuality/skauti-vycistili-zidovsky-cintorin-v-levoci/?fbclid=IwAR2_hecsGNkmkkgoAxp6n80CbUTXhwK1L0De4ZpW7p_vjzV7-NkoN27DlGI

 

UKRAINE

Rohatyn, from Spring to Autumn – In a detailed post on their website, Rohatyn Jewish Heritage reported that the Old Jewish cemetery was cleaned three times from late spring through mid-autumn, while the New Jewish cemetery got four complete clearings. During the season, also the two Jewish mass graves were maintained. Click here to read the whole post on RJH’s website