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Austria: Children clean Cemetery; France: 18th-Century Bordeaux Cemetery to open for Visitors; Germany: Cemetery Vandalised, 400 Years Hamburg-Altona Jewish Cemetery, Plaque unveiled at Langenfeld Cemetery;Netherlands: Foundation aims at Restoring Amsterdam Cemetery Site; Romania: Reburial of Holocaust Mass Grave Remains… |
Reburial of Remains from Romanian Holocaust Mass Grave
April 4, 2011 – A reburial of the remains of Holocaust victims from a recently discovered mass grave in northern Romania took place at the Jewish cemetery in the city of Iasi. The ceremony was carried out in the presence of rabbis from Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States. Read the original article.
Jewish Cemetery desecrated in Istanbul
April 27, 2011 – During the Jewish holiday of Passover, eight gravestones at the Istanbul Beyoglu Jewish Cemetery were smashed in acts of vandalism. Local police are investigating the incident with the help of tapes from security cameras installed in the cemetery area. Read the original article.
Dillingen Jewish Cemetery vandalised
May 6, 2011 – Unknown vandals toppled 19 gravestones at the Jewish cemetery in the German village of Dillingen. The damage was discovered by municipal employees, who alerted the police. An investigation has been launched. Read the original article (in German).
Foundation organises Information Session on Restoration of 18th-Century Amsterdam Cemetery
May 17, 2011 – The Foundation for the Restoration of Zeebrug Cemetery organised an information session for neighbours living close to this 18th-Century Jewish burial ground in the Amsterdam area of Oost. Established by private individuals in 2008, the foundation aims at reintegrating the neglected 8 hectare cemetery into the urban fabric. A plan has been proposed to the municipality to establish an educational centre at the cemetery site. Read the original article (in Dutch).
Acid Attack at Brighton Jewish Cemetery
May 23, 2011 – Twenty square metres of paths were vandalised at the Meadow View Jewish Cemetery in Brighton in an acid attack. The perpetrators stole hydrochloric acid form the caretaker’s shed and poured about 15 litres of it. Firefighters were alerted and diluted the spill with 4000 litres of water. Nobody was hurt in the incident. Read the original article.
UK Chief Rabbi visits Jewish Cemetery in London’s East End
May 24, 2011 – The Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Lord Jonathan Sacks, visited the Whitechapel Brady Street Cemetery in order to mark the 250th anniversary of this burial site. The Chief Rabbi was shown around by Jewish East End tour guide Rachel Kolsky. Opened in 1761 and closed in 1857, the burial site is the final resting place for Nathan de Rothschild, the founder of the Rothschild Bank, who was buried here in 1836. Read the original article.
Plaque unveiled at Langenfeld Jewish Cemetery
May 24, 2011 – A new plaque identifying the Jewish cemetery in the German city of Langenfeld has been unveiled. Hidden behind thick vegetation, the site is not easy to access and until recently was not clearly marked as a Jewish cemetery. The plaque, which was financed by a local environmental organisation, has been affixed to the entrance gate. According to local researchers, 51 gravestones remain at the site, 22 of which date back to the 19th century. Read the original article (in German).
18th-Century Bordeaux Jewish Cemetery to open for Visitors
May 24, 2011 – The Bordeaux Consistoire has decided to carry out restoration works at one of the local Jewish cemeteries in order to render it accessible to visitors. Established in 1764, the burial site is known as the cemetery of Avignon Jews. Many of the gravestones at the site are of particular historic interest and illegible inscription will be restored, enabling further research on the history of Bordeaux Jews. Visitors will be able to access the site after contacting the local Tourist Information Centre. Read the original article (in French).
400 Years of Hamburg-Altona Jewish Cemetery
May 31, 2011 – The Jewish cemetery in Hamburg Altona is turning 400. Purchased by Portuguese merchants on May 31, 1611, the area originally constituting the burial site has expanded to cover a vast terrain over the centuries, representing one of the biggest Jewish burial sites in the world. As researchers continue to document the historically unique diversity of both Sephardic and Ashkenazi gravestones at the site, the cemetery is now listed on a national proposal list for obtaining UNESCO World Heritage Status. Reseachers and officials involved in the application process are confident that the status will be secured in the near future. Read the original article (in German).
Children Clean Klosterneuburg Jewish Cemetery
June 1, 2011 – As part of an educational project, a group of elementary school children carried out clean-up works at a local Jewish cemetery in the Austrian town of Klosterneuburg. Under the guidance of a teacher, excess vegetation and waste were removed by the children. Read the original article (in German).
