News

ESJF European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative is proud to announce the completion of its 400th Jewish cemetery protection project – a major milestone achieved after more than 11 years of work. This achievement would not have been possible without the commitment of our team, the support of our friends, partner organisations, private donors, and our principal […]

The Butsni Jewish cemetery is now protected by a metal fence, becoming the first Jewish cemetery in the Khmelnytskyi region that ESJF has fenced this year with the financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office. The exact date of the cemetery’s establishment is unknown. The oldest surviving gravestone inscription dates to 1749, while the […]

This time, grass was mowed at the Jewish cemeteries in Klatova Nová Ves, Jacovce, Sobotište, Cerová, Boľ, Ivanka pri Nitre, Nové Sady, and Kuchyňa, Slovakia. We are sincerely grateful to our partners in Slovakia, UZZNO, whose support makes this work possible. Keeping these sites clean is a way of showing respect for the people buried […]

Jews first settled in Chichișa in the first half of the 19th century. Over the following decades, they became an integral part of the town’s economic and social life. By 1941, 29 Jews lived in Chichișa. During the Shoah, the Jews of the town were persecuted and murdered. Among the victims were members of the […]

ESJF’s Coordinator for Central Europe, Ian Galevskii, together with Rabbi Moshe Hershaft of the Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe (CPJCE), visited both sites to assess the condition of the cemeteries and discuss cooperation with local authorities. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Marta Kowalczyk from the Department of […]

In 2025, the ESJF conducted a comprehensive survey of Jewish cemeteries across the territory of the Republic of Serbia. Preparatory work took place from January to June, and fieldwork was carried out from July to November 2025. During the survey, 129 Jewish burial sites were identified, visited, and documented, resulting in the most accurate and […]

We invite representatives of local public authorities, cultural institutions, tourist information centres and museums, as well as guides, researchers, and community leaders to take part in a two-day international educational seminar dedicated to the preservation, protection, and promotion of Jewish heritage as an integral part of the cultural heritage of the Republic of Moldova. When: […]

Experienced local surveyor Jevgenijs Luhņevs has just started work and has already documented the Jewish cemeteries of Jelgava, Jūrmala, Riga (new cemetery), and Tukums. ESJF is grateful to the Riga Jewish Community and Ilya Lensky, Director of the “Jews in Latvia” Museum, for their support and cooperation. ESJF’s surveys in Latvia are part of a […]

Remarks were delivered by Mayor Dr. Albert Bálint Ópályi Község Önkormányzata, Chief Rabbi Zsolt Markovics, Philip Carmel, CEO of ESJF, and Dr. András Zima, Director of the Páva Street Holocaust Memorial Center, who spoke on behalf of the President of MAZSIHISZ. Leaders of all churches in Opályi were also present and shared a few words […]

ESJF Coordinator for Central Europe, Ian Galevskii, and Rabbi Moshe Hershaft of the Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe (CPJCE) met with local authorities in Kazimierz Dolny to discuss plans to install a protective fence around the old Jewish cemetery. The discussion brought together Jan Łazicki, Plenipotentiary of the Minister of Foreign […]

As part of our regular maintenance efforts, the burial sites in Palárikovo and Veľký Šariš have undergone cleaning work. A few more will also be cleaned and mowed soon. These cemeteries were fenced by the ESJF in previous years with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office. Although fencing is the most important step […]

Our Senior Surveyor, Ian Galevskii, visited 38 locations where Jewish cemeteries were believed to exist. Fieldwork confirmed Jewish burial sites at 32 of these locations. We are now preparing a list of sites that require urgent fencing and protection. ESJF’s surveys in Bosnia and Herzegovina are part of a broader plan to document Jewish cemeteries […]