In August, members of the U.S.-based Białystok Cemetery Restoration Project (BCRP), carried out their first field work in the Bagnowka Jewish cemetery in Białystok Poland, since before the pandemic.
We posted earlier about some of the discoveries — particularly of the recovery of around 120 early 19th century matzevot buried beneath an artificial mound outside the fenced area of the cemetery.
In a detailed Report, “August with Tsvi,” Dr. Heidi M. Szpek, a translator, epigrapher and historian of the Bagnowka Jewish cemetery, and author of a book about it, describes the restoration work accomplished during the 2022 session, including statistics of work completed, highlights from the inscriptions — and what she defines as the 2022 story….the rescue of the matzevot from the early 19th century Rabbinical Cemetery that had been buried for decades under the mound.
All, as she writes, was carried out under the watchful presence of Tsvi — a deer….
Szpek’s Report is part of a JHE section of Long(er) Reads about Jewish cemeteries, where we have published other of her Reports and essays about the cemetery.
Click here to read her “August with Tsvi” Report from 2022
Access the Long(er) Reads section