Jewish Heritage Europe

Poland: More than 150 matzevot & fragments uncovered under Lezajsk market square; dozens more uncovered in a former prison courtyard in Lviv

More than 150 Jewish headstones and fragments have been unearthed over the course of the summer during construction on the main market square in Lezajsk, Poland — a town noted as the center of pilgrimage by thousands of Hasids each … continue reading →

Russia: Jewish cemetery St. Petersburg vandalized — Jewish community web site posts photo documentation of each damaged grave

Vandals toppled or otherwise damaged several dozen headstones in the vast St. Petersburg Jewish cemetery earlier this week. The Jewish community has documented the damage and posted on its web site pictures of each affected gravestone along with a map … continue reading →

Germany: Dozens of gravestones in the medieval Jewish cemetery in Worms — Europe’s oldest in situ — vandalized with paint. Woman detained

Ancient gravestones in the Worms Jewish cemetery.

At least 50 gravestones in the medieval Jewish cemetery in Worms, Germany were smeared with paint in a vandal attack. A person the local media said appeared “confused” was detained. An investigation is under way but the city has initially … continue reading →

Ukraine: Jewish community in Ivano Frankivsk launches fundraising campaign to repair serious water damage in its synagogue

The Jewish community in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine (formerly Stanisławów) has launched an emergency fund-raising campaign to repair the Tempel synagogue, which has suffered considerable water damage due to recent heavy rains. According to the web site jewishnews.com.ua, the community is seeking … continue reading →

Ukraine: alarm raised in Odessa that construction of a multistory apartment block could damage the former synagogue hosting the Migdal JCC

Jewish activists and local media in Odessa have raised an alarm about the potential impact of a six-story apartment block about to be built next door to the former Meat Butchers’ synagogue, which has housed the multi-purpose Migdal JCC since … continue reading →