Jewish Heritage Europe

Poland: Memorial park at site of destroyed Great Synagogue dedicated in Oświęcim, the town where the Nazis built Auschwitz

In Oświęcim, the town in southern Poland where the Nazis built the Auschwitz death camp, a memorial park has been opened on the site of the destroyed Great Synagogue to honor the town’s once-thriving pre-WW2 Jewish community. The Great Synagogue … continue reading →

Council of Europe issues far-reaching report, resolution, recommendations on Jewish heritage preservation

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has adopted a far-reaching Resolution and set of Recommendations  that recognize the importance of Jewish heritage and call for local, national, and international efforts to preserve and protect Jewish heritage sites around … continue reading →

Poland: News from Poznan – synagogue sold (apparently for hotel development); and city wants to rescue Jewish gravestones used to reinforce an artificial lake built by the Nazis

Recent Jewish heritage developments in the city of Poznan in western Poland have made headlines: the Jewish community is reported to have sold the former synagogue, apparently to a hotel developer, and the city wants to rescue Jewish gravestones that … continue reading →

Slovenia/Italy: Nova Gorica and Gorizia in bid for joint transborder “European Capital of Culture” 2025

The twin cities of Gorizia, Italy and Nova Gorica, Slovenia are vying to jointly become the European Capital of Culture (ECC) in 2025, based on the unique transnational nature of the two cities, which lie next to each other on … continue reading →

Ukraine: Fire Guts former Great Synagogue in Illintsi. Had long been used as a carpentry workshop (UPDATE: Much of structure appears to have survived)

The former Great Synagogue in Illintsi, in southwest Ukraine, was gutted by fire this past week, according to local media and video. UPDATE: a picture posted on Facebook after the fire was extinguished showed the at least parts of the … continue reading →