The US Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad (USCPAHA) has contracted with the European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative (ESJF) to survey Jewish cemeteries in Latvia, Estonia, and the countries of the former Yugoslavia.
With the agreement in place, ESJF will begin work with country partners immediately. The comprehensive surveying of Jewish cemeteries will take place in the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Estonia, Kosovo, Latvia, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, and Slovenia. The work will be done in coordination with local authorities, institutions, and organizations and include ground and drone surveys.
USCPAHA and ESJF anticipate that the work will be completed in late 2026 or early 2027.
The survey follows a previous Commission collaboration with ESJF in 2017 when a survey of Jewish cemeteries of Belarus was conducted. The Belarus survey was conducted in over 700 historically identified sites and over 400 were physically located, visited, surveyed, and catalogued, representing the most comprehensive survey of Jewish burial grounds in the country to date.
Commission Chair Lesley Weiss said, “the Commission is pleased to work again with ESJF to support our mission to identify and report on cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings in Eastern and Central Europe that are associated with the heritage of US citizens.”
The preservation of Jewish cemeteries in these countries is crucial for maintaining the memory of a vibrant and diverse Jewish community that flourished for centuries before being devastated during the Holocaust. Balkan Jewry is unique in its cultural diversity, comprising Sephardic Jews who arrived after their expulsion from Spain in 1492, Ashkenazi Jews who migrated from Central and Eastern Europe.
These cemeteries serve as irreplaceable historical documents, containing inscriptions in Hebrew, Ladino, German, and local languages that tell the stories of merchants, scholars, artisans, and families who contributed significantly to the economic, intellectual, and cultural life. Many of these cemeteries represent the only remaining physical evidence of Jewish communities that were almost entirely destroyed during World War II, making them essential for understanding the multicultural heritage of the Balkans. Research and preservation of these cemeteries not only honors the memory of those who perished but also helps reconstruct the lost history of Jewish life in the region.
ESJF CEO Phil Carmel said, “We are very much looking forward to working again with the Commission and getting started on this joint venture.”
USCPAHA was established by Public Law 99-83 as an independent agency of the Executive branch. The Commission is comprised of 21 Members appointed by the President of the United States, including a Chair designated by the President.
The legislation directs the Commission to
Identify and report on cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings in Eastern and Central Europe that are associated with the heritage of U.S. citizens, particularly endangered properties.
In cooperation with the Department of State, obtain assurances from the governments of the region that such properties will be protected and preserved.
Consistent with expressed congressional intent, the Commission also conducts, encourages, and facilitates private and foreign-funded site marking, restoration, and preservation projects.
ESJF was set up in 2015 as an international non-profit registered in the Federal Republic of Germany with the core objective of preserving the sanctity of Jewish cemetery sites.
For more information, visit www.heritageabroad.gov, https://www.esjf-cemeteries.org/
Contact information:
202-254-3824
uscommission@heritageabroad.gov
alona.myshakova@esjf-cemeteries.org