Jewish Heritage Europe

Poland: Record number of visitors to Auschwitz-Birkenau in 2019

A record number of people from around the world visited the former Nazi camps at Auschwitz and Birkenau in 2019. A report on the Auschwitz.org web site said 2,320,000 people visited the sites, located in southern Poland and administered as … continue reading →

Happy Hanukkah 2019 from JHE!

Jewish Heritage Europe wishes all our readers and friends a Happy Hanukkah! Thank you for your interest and support — and thanks especially to those of you who have contacted us with questions and comments, with news of publications and … continue reading →

Jewish cemeteries: ESJF gets new €1 million grant for mapping in 7 countries; recent desecration in Slovakia is latest in spate of vandalisms, raising concerns and questions

Days after a vandal attack that toppled dozens of headstones in the Jewish cemetery in Namestovo, Slovakia, the European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative (ESJF) announced that the European Commission has awarded  €1 million to a consortium it leads to continue the … continue reading →

Poland: Mazel tov to 2019 POLIN award winner Natalia Bartczak and Special Award recipient Auschwitz Jewish Center

The POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews has granted its 2019 Polin award to Natalia Bartczak, who has cared for the Jewish cemetery in Wińsko, in western Poland, for 16 years — starting when she was just 13. … continue reading →

Poland: Renovation of 16th century Szydłów synagogue complete, building reopened as cultural center

The renovation of the historic fortresslike synagogue in Szydlów, Poland has been completed after a year and a half of restoration work, and the 16th-century building, one of the oldest preserved synagogues in Poland,  has been reopened as the town’s … continue reading →