Each year we post several roundups of Jewish cemetery cleanups in countries all over Europe. In these round-ups, we show how hundreds of volunteers and others clean, restore, and maintain Jewish cemeteries around Europe — actions that are generally ignored in the media.
Between May and October 2025, we posted three — in May, in July, and at the end of October — in which we listed more than 200 actions in 16 countries and around 175 towns, cities, and villages.
So much has continued to go on since then, that we’re presenting a clean-ups roundup winter edition. Because of the weather, actions in Jewish cemeteries usually take place in spring, summer, and early autumn. But this year we saw that many actions took place in the fall and early winter, when the weather is already cold and outdoor work can be difficult, especially in central and eastern Europe.
In this round-up, we list almost 60 initiatives in 14 countries — actions that have taken place since our last update, those scheduled for the future, and ongoing activities. A Dutch NGO has already set clean-up dates for 2026, as has the Währing Jewish cemetery in Vienna.
Thanks to all the dedicated individuals, groups, NGOs, civic bodies, and others who carry on this important work!
Click on the links to see details for each action we list — on Facebook, local media, or dedicated web sites. Upcoming and/or ongoing initiatives are highlighted 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, October 19 and ongoing – The last clean-up of the season organized by the Association “Save the Jewish Cemetery of Währing” took place in October. The Association reports that activities for 2026 will be held once a month from March to October, on regular opening days: March 8, April 12, May 10, June 14, July 12, August 9, September 6, October 11. Click here to see more on the association’s website
BELGIUM
Kraainem, November 9 – A community clean-up of the Jewish cemetery in Kraainem, a suburb of Brussels, took place on November 9, followed by a shared brunch. The initiative was organized by the UEJB, the Union of the Jewish Students of Belgium. Click here to see more on Instagram
CZECH REPUBLIC
Čížkovice, October – TAMUS cleared, cleaned, and documented the local Jewish cemetery creating 100 gravestone records now available for genealogical research. Click here to read more on Facebook
Dobruška, October – Students from a local Elementary School and the national scout group, in the context of the Dobráček (“good guys”) project, cleaned-up the local Jewish cemetery, learning history and responsibility while restoring graves and creating commemorative features like a Jewish star-shaped flower bed. Click HERE to learn more from local media Click HERE to see more on Facebook
Havlíčkův Brod, October – Czech boy and girl Scouts helped maintain the Jewish cemeteryas part of the nationwide Dobráček (“good guys”) project, combining hands-on care with learning about these cultural heritage sites. Click here to see more on Facebook
Kolín, January – Despite winter conditions, ongoing work at the old Jewish cemetery in Kolín continued with temporary workers clearing ivy from gravestones, contributing to the preservation of this historic site. Click here to see more on Facebook
Prague, New Jewish cemetery, November – During autumn, multiple volunteer groups helped clean leaves and manage ivy at the New Jewish Cemetery in Prague, followed by guided tours on Jewish history and funeral traditions. Click HERE and HERE to read more on Facebook
Prague, Žižkov Jewish cemetery, November 5-13 – Volunteers from MONETA Bank and ČSOB helped clear fallen leaves at the Old Jewish Cemetery in Fibichova Street, followed by a guided tour of the site. Click here to read more on Facebook
Přistoupim, October 19 – A clean-up session took place at the Jewish cemetery in this village in central Bohemia, 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 on Facebook
Slaný, autumn – The Slaný Jewish cemetery underwent gradual revitalization work in the fall, including ivy removal, clearing of overgrown trees, and overall improvement of the site. The initiative was spearheaded by Matana, the administrative body responsible for Jewish property in the Czech Republic. Click here to read more on Facebook
GERMANY
Feldafing, Spring 2026 – Feldafing has secured nearly all funding for the €90,000 renovation of its historically significant Jewish cemetery, with work set to begin in spring once the final €10,000 is approved.The cemetery was opened to serve Holocaust survivors – DPs. The town was the site of a large camp for DPs after WW2, and the cemetery is one of the few remaining testimonies of that period. Click here to read more from local media
Korschenbroich, December – Students cleaned and documented 19th–20th century gravestones at the Jewish cemetery in Korschenbroich, helping preserve and make accessible its historical inscriptions. Click here to read more from local media
Glehn, January – Students from a Düsseldorf high school volunteered to clean and restore gravestones at the local Jewish cemetery in Glehn. Click here to read more in local media
Opladen, October 24 – Scouts in Opladen – both youths and adults — cleared overgrown vegetation, uncovered graves and memorial stones, and tidied the Jewish cemetery on Robert-Koch-Straße. They stepped in to help after members of the Star of David Association, which to date had cared for the cemetery, were no longer able to carry out the work due to age and other factors and said they wanted to carry out the maintenance on a regular basis. Click here to read more on local media
HUNGARY
Hernádvécse, Szentistván, Diszel, Jászapáti, Örkény, Öcsöd, Tata, October and November – Jewish cemeteries in these towns were recently restored in Hungary, with graves tidied, greenery cleaned, tombstones repaired thanks to Mazsihisz and local contributors. Click here to read more from MAZSIHISZ website
Keszthely, November –Spearheaded by a local citizens’ group, “The Memory of the Jews of Keszthely, ”and with the help of the city and the cooperation of local residents and businesspeople, the complete cleaning and maintenance of the long-neglected more than 300-year-old cemetery got under way. Clearing vegetation was the first step. Click HERE to read about the initiative on the local TV web site
Watch a YouTube video from local TV:
Paks, November 6 – Volunteers cleared rubble from the collapsed preburial house at the Jewish cemetery as a first step in creating a memorial space there. The initiative was spearheaded by descendants of the town’s last Jewish family and supported by the city, with involvement of the city museum and consultation from the Jewish umbrella organization MAZSIHISZ, which owns the otherwise well maintained cemetery. Click here to read more from local media
Rácalmás, October 27 – Nearly fifty volunteers carried out clean-up in the Jewish cemetery in Rácalmás, clearing undergrowth, spreading mulch, and restoring the site to a clean and dignified state. The work was organized by the Rácalmás City Protection and Beautification Association. Before the volunteer action, workers hired by the city cleared the heaviest vegetation. Click here to read more on local media
ITALY
Pesaro, Summer/Autumn – The Mount San Bartolo Natural Park Authority carried out maintenance and restoration work in the cemetery, which is within the park and which had been closed in 2023 for safety reasons. The intervention—costing approximately €30,000— focused on clearing invasive vegetation and replacing deteriorated wooden steps with new oak structures along the lower 2,500 square meters of the 6,700-square-meter terraced burial ground.. Click HERE to read the directive (in Italian) Click here to read the JHE article about the cemetery’s restoration
LATVIA
Smiltene, October – The Smiltene municipality refurbished the memorial site and monument in the Forest Cemetery, where local Holocaust victims were reburied. The work entailed repairing the tombstonelike monument, carrying out landscaping, and installing a new information plaque with information about the events of the summer of 1941 when the Nazis murdered around 200 local Jews, destroying the Jewish community. Their remains were reburied at the memorial site in 1947. The cleanup was supported by the Restitution Fund of the Jewish Community of Latvia. Click here to read more
THE NETHERLANDS
Muiderberg, July 20-24, 2026 and ongoing – The Penitance & Reconciliation Foundation announced the dates for its main 2026 camp to clean up a Jewish cemetery. They will be cleaning the Muiderberg cemetery for the second year in a row. Other actions, with no exact dates yet, will be carried out in Alkmaar (April/May) and Overveen, while local groups will be working in Haarlem, Leeuwarden, Groningen, Arnhem, and Utrecht. Click here to see more on their website
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 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 throughout the year and is suspended only due to rain or snow. Click here to read more on the cemetery website
POLAND
Częstochowa, Autumn – The Association of Częstochowa Jews maintains the cemetery through donations, professional help, and the involvement of Israeli and local students, preserving the site and recovering lost graves. The Association hires loggers and other professionals to carry out heavy work. In September and October, about 300 high school students from Israel worked at the cemetery. Click here to read more on Facebook
Gliwice, Old Jewish Cemetery, ongoing – Local volunteers clean up the old Jewish cemetery all year round, creating partnership with local institutions, such as schools. Some 35 clean-ups were carried out in 2025. Since our last round-up, they have worked at the cemetery on October 20 and 22. Click HERE and HERE to see more on their Facebook page
Głubczyce, October 23-24 – The first volunteer clean-up at the New Jewish Cemetery in Głubczyce after years of neglect took place led by Sławek Pastuszka. Click here to read more on Facebook
Gorzów Wielkopolski, October 16 – The historic Gorzów Jewish Cemetery, the city’s oldest necropolis, was cleaned up by 30 volunteers in the context of the “Together for Heritage” program impremented by the National Heritage Institute and the Warsaw-based Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland (FODZ), with volunteers helping to remove vegetation, clear rubbish, and document tombstones. Click HERE to read more on local media Click here to read more on the FODZ website
Jasło, October 12 – The Jewish cemetery in Jasło was the focus of a lecture and cleanup organized by the Germanitas Center for International Cooperation Foundation. Researcher Roman Frodyma gave a talk on war cemeteries and shared heritage, after which volunteers, residents, and young people, coordinated by cemetery caretaker Inga Marczyńska, cleared moss and brush from graves and walls. Click here to read more on local media
Lublinec, November – The second phase of the Jewish Cemetery revitalization in Lubliniec, supported by the Municipal Office and local Fire and Safety Authority, involved volunteers restoring displaced tombstones and creating a. Click here to read more on local media
Miasteczko Śląskie, November 8 – Local activist Martyna Gabor organized and led volunteers in cleaning the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to see more on Facebook
Mysłowice, October 17 – The Jacob Lustig Historical Society of Mysłowice organized a cleanup of the Jewish cemetery in the Piasek district, engaging students, teachers, and community activists, while also affixing a plaque recognizing the cemetery’s historical significance as a listed monument. The cemetery was entered in the register of monuments of the Silesian Voivodeship in December 2024 Click here to read more on local media
Oleszyce, October 4 – Sixteen volunteers from the Folkowisko Association managed to clear less than half of the area of the Jewish cemetery in Oleszyce, but uncovered around 100 matzevahs. The scale of the initiative highlighted the need for regular maintenance. The action was carried out with support from the National Freedom Institute’s “Memory of the Borderlands” initiative. Click HERE and HERE to see more on Facebook and
Praszka, October – Volunteers from the OHP Training and Education Center in Olesno cleaned up the local Jewish cemetery. Click here to see more on Facebook
Przasnysz, December – At the request of FODZ, 16 hazardous dead trees were removed. Plans are underway, in cooperation with partner organizations Friends of Jewish Heritage in Poland and Friends of Jews from Przasnysz Poland, to erect a memorial honoring those buried there. Friends of Jewish Heritage in Poland is also working to raise funds for the installation of boundary markers at the cemetery and plans to install a new informational signboard. Click here to read more on the FODZ website and Click here for more about the project.
Przemyśl, September – As part of the annual “Cleaning the World” campaign, seventh-grade students cleaned up the old Jewish cemetery on Rakoczego Street and learned about its history and the former Scheinbach synagogue. Click here to see more on Facebook
Przytyk, November – The POLANSKI Foundation and volunteers recently restored the Jewish cemetery in Przytyk, cleaning overgrown areas, repairing the fence, and uncovering hidden tombstones. Click here to read more on local media
Nowy Targ, November – First-year cadets from Nowy Targ’s General Józef Haller School continued their annual Jewish cemetery cleanup, inspired by athlete Dariusz Popiela, combining community service with Holocaust remembrance and educational trips to Bełżec. Click here to read more on local media
Radomsko, September 10 – The Kesselman Museum in Radomsko organized its annual pre–Rosh Hashanah clean-up of the Jewish cemetery, with the participation of 50 students. Click here to see a video on Facebook
Tomaszów Mazowiecki, ongoing – The latest action took place on December 9. Actions are led by Paweł Kulig, of the Guardians of Memory Foundation, who brings volunteers with different backgrounds, including high school students and teachers. Click here to find more on Facebook
Wieruszów, November – Beginning in July, cleanup and restoration work was carried out at the Jewish cemetery in Wieruszów. Centerpiece of the operation was the return in November of matzevot that had been removed from the cemetery, rescued, and piled up in storage since 1985. These were used to create a lapidarium around the site of a mass grave of local Jews murdered in August 1942. The mass grave itself was also cleaned and repaired. Click here to read more on Facebook
ROMANIA
Volunteers from the Jewish community of Zalău have been cleaning up and restoring various Jewish cemeteries in the province, including:
Bobota, December – Click here to see more on Facebook
Cehu Silvaniei, November – Click here to see more on Facebook
Hida, October – The two Jewish cemeteries of the town were cleaned four times this year, with an autumn clean-up carried out at the beginiing of October. Click here to see more on Facebook
Sâg, December – Click here to see more on Facebook
Surduc and Cristolț, November – Click here to see more on Facebook
Zalău, October – Autumn clean-up was completed here at the end of October. This year the cemetery was cleaned five times, carried out by community volunteers. Click here to see more on Facebook
SERBIA
Sremska Mitrovica, November – The Jewish cemetery in Sremska Mitrovica, which has around 30 matzevot, has been cleared, cleaned, landscaped and completely fenced and a new information panel was installed. The project was implemented within the framework of the cooperation of the Jewish Community of Novi Sad (JONS) and ESJF – the European Initiative for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries, and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Serbia. Click here to read more and here on the ESJF FB page
SLOVAKIA
Levoča, ongoing – A new civic association, Mekomot Slovakia, is gradually restoring, cleaning, and maintaining the 19th-century Jewish cemetery in Levoča, through a five-phase plan running until 2030 to preserve cultural heritage and honor the town’s Jewish history. Click here to read more on JHE and the Mekomot web site
Košice – Krásna district, November – Volunteers have been gradually renovating the abandoned Jewish cemetery as part of the “Unforgettable Neighbors in Krásna” project, aiming to preserve its history and create a place of remembrance. They concluded the project, which was funded by a grant from the Carpathian Foundation, November. Click here to follow the efforts on the Facebook page
Sobotište, November – The process of cleaning up the Jewish cemetery in Sobotište began, carried out by the local municipality and the Central Union of Jewish Religious Communities. Click here to see more on Facebook.
Vráble, September – Students in Vráble cleaned the local Jewish cemetery, learning about and preserving the history of the town’s Jewish community. Click here to see more on Facebook
UNITED KINGDOM
London, ongoing – The Willesden Jewish Cemetery, which operates as a place of public heritage as well as an active cemetery, is looking for volunteers to help with gardening, research, administration, or storytelling as a tour guide. On December 7, they organized a “Mitzvah Day,” in which volunteers could also carry out greenery work. Click HERE to see more Click HERE to see more from their latest action
UKRAINE
Nadvirna, October – The ESJF has carried out regular vegetation clearing at the Nadvirna Jewish cemetery in Ukraine, keeping the 2019-fenced site neat thanks to support from the Nadworna Shtetl Research Group. Click here to see more on Facebook
Rohatyn, from Spring to Autumn – Despite the ongoing war, this summer Rohatyn’s “old” Jewish cemetery and south mass grave were each cleared 3 times, the north mass grave 5 times, and the “new” Jewish cemetery 4 times, with work (organized by Rohatyn Jewish Heritage) set to continue in 2026. Click here to see more