"To Bring Memory Back" edition 2006-2007

Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących w Skwierzynie

Who are we

Why we do this project

Since a dozen or so years our students participate in the Jewish-related enterprises. One of the causes of our involvement is also the fact that the local Jewish cemeteries were devastated numerous times, which means that the matter of protecting the Jewish heritage is very important in our town.

Jewish community in our town

Jews of Skwierzyna.


1. The Beginning.

Jews in Skwierzyna – today it is a very abstract idea. The way from Poland to Israel is approximately 2170 miles long. What were the representatives of a Chosen Nation doing in our town and when exactly? Their presence in Europe was one of the consequences of the Roman liquidation of the Jewish Country in II B.C. That was when Diaspora began, the Jewish Disperse. One of the biggest agglomerations of Jewish nation was the German Reich. Any Jew living there was called “Ashkenazi” On the basis of a German language Yiddish, the common language of Ashkenazi, was created. Hebrew was though still the language of prayer. These Jews settled in Poland along with Germans, running from persecutions which were then a common practice. Christendom from its beginnings was rather hostile to Judaism – the main difference was the attitude to Jesus Christ. Jewish negation of his divine nature undermined the very existence of Christianity and, as concerning the greatest of sacredness, it completely disqualified any possibility of a compromise between the two beliefs. Exactly this sort of conviction shaped Christian dogmas and determined the behaviour towards the Jews. The persecutions of Judaism believers began from the Crusades. The charges (ritual murders, desecration of Host) and pogroms of Jewish communities were caused by religious fanatics. The obvious reluctance was caused also by economical problems. The German bourgeoisie treated Jews as an inconvenient competitor who is to be eliminated with non-economical means.  Then the Chosen Nation began to settle in Polish lands. Why were they accepted? Were our kings less pious or maybe more tolerant than those in West? It is far more complicated than that and relates to – as usual – the money. At that time in Poland there were no bourgeoisie who were the term of creating a new type of economics based on common finance. They had been lacking well educated, money-knowing people who had the needed funds. In this situation one had to look abroad and bring the people who could manage new challenges. These are the origins of German settlement, that is also the way one should understand the positive response to Jewish settlers in Poland, but there is one difference: Jews were „cheaper” than Germans who demanded Magdeburg law. Persecuted Jews negotiated from other position and had to satisfy with much worse conditions. The taxes were also much higher. They had been assured with guarantee of so-called normal life, and that, after the persecutions in the West, was more than enough. In Wielkopolska district (western regions of Poland), Jews had settled relatively early. In the end of 12th century there was a Jewish town in Kalisz, in 12th century in Gniezno and Poznan. Gradually increasing number of arriving Jews caused the necessity of regulating their legal status. Kalisz prince, Bolesław Pobozny, did that in 1264 for the first time in Polish history. Later king Kazimierz Wielki extended the document to all Polish lands, supplementing it with additional privileges. The fact such document existed show that in Wielkopolska had to be many of the Chosen Nation. When did they appear in Skwierzyna?

2. The Middle Ages and Modern Times.



One should honestly say that our knowledge about Skwierzyna’s Jewish Community is not so broad. Along with the town’s archives the community’s documentation was systematically destroyed. What was left was burnt in World War II , erasing every remembrance after Jews’ presence in town. That’s the reason why so many divagations have to be only hypothetical – but their construction will be based on analogical examples from different Jewish settlements of the time and the area (as Miedzyrzecz, Miedzychod).  One can suppose also that Jews arrived to Skwierzyna in the beginnings of 14th century. The town’s location, important on merchants’ route, attracted their attention. After the banishment of Jews from Brandenburg in 1510 their number (like in vicine Międzyrzecz) still increased. From Jewish point of view it was important if Skwierzyna or Miedzyrzecz were royal properties. From definition they were subordinated to the King who was their protector, guarding both people and property, putting them under jurisdiction of a starost or a voivode. Jews lived within borders of the town. They could not settle on lands which belonged to Cistercian Order, who did not tolerate non-believers, especially Jews. Bledzew and other localities had the “de non tolerandis Judaeis” privilege which forbade Jews to settle in the area. Of course Judaism believers did not have the same rights as Christians had. They could live only in specially marked out, lest attractive parts of town which were located far from the main square and Christian temples. In many European cities they were closed districts, surrounded with high walls. In Wielkopolska most probably the ghettos were not closed but Jews were forbidden to settle behind the gates. Of course it ended with terrible crowd and worsening of already bad sanitary conditions in town. On a map from 1780 Skwierzyna’s ghetto was located on the both sides of town’s gate, on south-west side. The bridge before the gate on Katzbach was called The Jewish One, ”Judenbrucke”, most probably from nearby Jewish District. Maybe Jews had to keep the bridge and that was the way it received the name. The isolation of the Jews was not caused only by Christians’ reluctance. At the same time they wanted to separate from hostile Word. Only this way they could preserve their way of life in Diaspora imposed by religion – that was the only way to create the inner world which was ruled only by them. Living in one place eases the defense and emphasizes the independence (most often an illusionary one) from the magistrate.



Jewish Community ruled by itself. It was represented by kahal, the board which was established from people chosen from local men of substance. The Community employed religious functionaries, including a rabbi who was the first authority among them. Kahal under the leadership of a rabbi judged in internal problems and represented, on the outside, not only political and religious, but mostly economical attitudes of the believers.  Still the main task was to divide taxes between families and money enforcement, because the tax was set as a lump sum on individual communities and its division was an internal affair. The synagogue was the centre of life. To the end of 18th century it was located by Rowowa St. (today it’s Powstancow Wielkopolskich). There were other community’s buildings nearby: cheder (school) and mikva (bathhouse). The community had also a slaughterhouse and kosher slaughter, Passover bread bakery and a cemetery. The cemetery is the only material evidence which is left after Skwierzyna’s Jews. It is located on so-called Jewish Peak (Judenberg) near the road to Miedzyrzecz about a mile from town’s centre. The oldest preserved tombstone is from 1747. The graveyard was used also by Jews from Murzynowo. The life of a community was complemented by numerous religious and economical committees which were equivalents to Christian guilds, where Jews were not accepted. Education always played an important role in Jewish life. According to religion, studying the holy books was one of the most important deeds. That resulted in most amazing thing at the time – among Jews there were almost no analphabets! The education started in cheder, when the child was five. The program included learning how to read and translate Torah from Hebrew to Yiddish, studying Talmud and some arithmetic. Skwierzyna’s community did not have a yeshiva – Jewish “high school”. The closest one was in Międzyrzecz and was highly esteemed. Its fame ended abruptly in 1656 when hetman’s Stefan Czarniecki’s army destroyed the Jewish Community.  Beside Międzyrzecz Jews from Skwierzyna could study in other centers like Poznan or Leszno.  They could even learn in Frankfurt nach Oder. Jews were also into economics and merchandise. It was particularly important due to many taxes they had to pay. The most important among them was the Capitation Tax which originally was to replace all the other taxes paid before. The Capitation was set as lump sum – and Jews themselves organized the payment. One of the eleven tax-collectors appointed for by king Zygmunt I in 1519 was Szymon (Simon) from Skwierzyna. Only respected and wealthy Jews gained the position. On the other hand it can mean that the position of Skwierzyna’s community was rather high. Jewish capitation tax was assigned to keep the royal army. Due to constant cash flow problems Jews were to pay more and more taxes. Skwierzyna’s community paid i.a. „security tax” – in 1836 it was 78 thalers, 22 silver groshes and 6 pfennigs. The place of payment was Miedzyrzecz District Office. Many sums were paid to the town also. In 1456 every Jew had to transfer 4 groshes of capital tax. Later the duties increased very quickly and became a serious burden. Both Skwierzyna’s and Miedzyrzecz’s communities were much in debt for most of the time. To save themselves from bankruptcy they borrowed money from Bledzewo’s Cistercians leaving the synagogue as a pledge. To accomplish these Jews had had to take up many activities. Because the guilds were closed, they turned to merchandise and finance. They had almost monopolized agriculture trade, together with cattle- and horse trade. Small Jewish tradesmen supplied people with various products; richer ones regularly were going to fairs in Reich. In 1532 Skwierzyna’s Jews gained a privilege to visit fairs in Brandenburg. Gradually the gentry passed to Jews many leases: collecting taxes, bridge tax, mills, inns and distilleries leasing. Despite many proscriptions Jews tried to compete with Christian merchandisers and craftsmen also in Skwierzyna’s area. The fact lead to numerous conflicts and disputes which the Christian side tried to solve by brute force.  Jews were under royal protection and only he could make such decisions. In 1519 began the next and the last war between Poland and Teutonic Order. Their commander asked for help many henchmen knights who under the command of Wolf Schonberg reached Prussia. On the way they have destroyed two royal towns: Międzyrzecz and Skwierzyna. Taking the opportunity the bourgeoisie (who’d had to rebuild their estates) could count on king’s allowances, the residents demanded Jews to be banished from the town. On July 3rd 1520 king Zygmunt Stary gave and order to banish all the Jews from Skwierzyna, because “in their customs there is a rule to take away food and disturb in leisure in various and deliberate ways, harming the residents of Real Belief”. Similar decision was made concerning Miedzyrzecz. The king hedged it however with the sentence that the residents will have to take over – after 12 years of freedom – the payments the Jews had to make. Financial problems of the ruler were more important and they really decided on the matter. Was the banishment really accomplished?  One should really doubt it, because in Poland such orders were rarely obeyed. The bourgeoisie undoubtedly had not been in a hurry to pay Jewish taxes. Anyway, in 1594 we have another confirmation of Jews in Skwierzyna. It does not mean that Jewish-Christian relationship were idyllic. The conflicts, mainly on economic master, were occurring now and then. It’s really hard to say if they were as harsh of nature as in Międzyrzecz where local weavers attacked Jews in their district and destroyed their workshops. Then a compromise was made – as in Miedzyrzecz. The agreement from January 6th 1641, confirmed by Wladyslaw IV, signed by representatives of bourgeoisie- and Jewish side, assumed well defined demarcation of activities and determined Jews’ obligations from the beginning. As in this agreement, the other guild privileges range of work of Jews was very limited. It clearly shows the main reason of the conflicts were economics. The sources do not say anything about religion-based attacks.  It should praise common good sense of Skwierzyna’s residents. More reasonable explanation is as follows: Lutheran majority was subordinated to Catholics’ limitations concerning religious practices. Those who are restrained, watch over the fate of other.

3. Jewish community to Word War II.


According to the oldest preserved inhabitant list, made by the Prussians in 1793 in Skwierzyna lived 720 Jews, which was around 30% of the whole. The Jewish community was the most numerous and most important in western Wielkopolska. Despite it had not have a yeshiva and the education stopped on cheder level, the interest in learning and care to employ only the best known rabbis was significant. Professor Simon ben Israel, Amsterdam’s rabbi (died there in 1712), author of „Sefer hachajim”, was born there. Of course there were more rabbis active in the area in 18th century:  Mordechaj ben Meier-ha Kohen (around 1710), Ibi Hirsch from Prague (1763), Josua Spira from Frankfurt upon Oder (1771) or Hirsch Aron London (1777-90). All those rabbis were highly esteemed but undoubtedly the most distinguished one was born in 1760 as Eliakim ha-Kohen Schwerin Goetz who later was known as the greatest Hungarian rabbi of XIX century. He started his education in Skwierzyna; next in yeshiva in Poznan, later in Bratislava and Prague where beside Talmudic studied he had studied secular sciences, mainly mathematics. His ideas were so innovative for his times however that even the most progressive Jews were distant.


In Skwierzyna’s community, always attaching great weight to education, ideas of Moses Mendelsson (1729-86), Haskala leader, were commonly known. Berlin’s proximity, as the Haskali headquarters and earlier connections with local Jews caused great influence of the Enlightement ideas which got commonly known by the community. In the first half of 19th century Skwierzyna’s area was counted in (as Wolsztyn) to most pro-reform Jewish communities in Wielkopolska district. The reforms made people think – they wanted the same rights the Christians had had for a long time. Jews of Skwierzyna, as all other Jews, were deprived of civic rights. Also the Constitution of May 3rd (1791) – like in case of peasantry – had not changed their situation. After the fall of Poland the Jewish problem changed hands - to the occupants’ who solved it according to their own opinion. Most advantageous was the Prussian territory where the emancipation was a resultant of two processes: Haskala and Prussian politics. Prussians wanted to „civilize” Jews using germanization. In the first regulation concerning Jews was published in 1797, the next in 1812 and 1833. The last disposition divided the Jews in two categories: naturalized and tolerated. Naturalized ones were speaking German fluently, abandoning Jewish garments, accepting German names, sending children to public schools and have had appropriate financial status. The people had all civic rights but without any politics. To 1842 in Skwierzyna for 1569 Jewish inhabitants there were 138 naturalization patents. Finally all rights, together with the political, Prussian Jews were granted in 1869. The Prussians’ solutions were more beneficial than the Russians’ or Austrians’. It caused greater identification with the country and even some kind of patriotism which was disliked in Poland and was one of the main causes of Polish-Jewish antagonism in Wielkopolska. From 1802 Prussian authorities cancelled medieval privilege „de non tolerandis Judaeis” which ended in Jewish occurrence in Cistercian Bledzewo. The guild privileges have also been cancelled. The constraint of living in ghettos was also no more. Gradually the wealthiest Jews settled in the main street of the town – some even on the main square. The poor stayed in horribly narrow and reeking shanties of old Jewish district. Poor Jews were much more traditional, treated new reforms with reluctance and used rather Yiddish than German. Jewish intelligence, merchants and craftsmen used the latter and tried to identify with German bourgeoisie. This group supported the reforms and decided to use a new model of education for their children, with much more secular sciences.



Education was always the most important thing for Jewish nation; all life was subordinated to it. In the half of 19th century Jewish students made 20% of all students of Poznan province, Albert Jewish population made only 4.5% of inhabitants of the region.  Before it came to pass, to 1833 Jewish communities could own only private schools, mainly of religious origin. Pro-reform Jews of Skwierzyna wanted to change unfavorable situation. Two Christian schools: evangelical and catholic did not accept Jewish children. In 1826 there were 276 of them in the town, so community’s bard was doing everything to solve the problem. In the same year Prussian government agreed to give a permission to build new private school to David Mayer – Jewish teacher from Skwierzyna.  Further strains put unto the government and passing a bill from 1833 enforced an acceptance to open Jewish elementary school which in 1833 was located in spacious building (it still exist today and stands in Czerwonego Krzyża St.). The school was given – as the two others – 200 thalers a year for defrayal of expenses. In the school there were four classes and four teachers. The rector of the place was aforesaid David Mayer. He was one of the most interesting figures in 19th century Skwierzyna.  As a Haskala follower he    understood the necessity of creating new model of education for the Jews. He taught Hebrew, German, French, Latin, Italian and music. Both authorities and his co-believers esteemed him very highly. He died on April 1st 2007. On the tombstone there is an inscription which reads as follows :”(…) many years he troubled himself to make his aim real, to establish a school for the children of his nation, to lighten the darkness of Hebrew in his congregation (…).” The highest attendance the school reached in 1836 when 290 children had been its students. Later the number gradually decreased to sudden drop in 1914 to 25 pupils. From 1833 Jewish communities gained legal status and were leveled with Christian ones. Numerous community of Skwierzyna needed a New House of God. The old synagogue, built after a fire in 1784 was too little to hold all the believers. On April 15th 1839 on Krzywa St. a cornerstone was built in. Besides in a special can there was built in a scroll of parchment with the most important information concerning the old synagogue and the Jewish community. On January 1st 1841 the synagogue was ready. It was a cubic, very massive building with high windows with semi-circular crowns and flat, two-side roof.  Ceremonial opening of the synagogue was accompanied   with bestowal of 48 paragraphed „The Synagogue Statute” which regulated functioning of the shrine in accordance with principles of reformed Judaism. The sermons were held in German – one may suppose all of the Jews spoke that language fluently.  Evidently not always were they on time, because paragraph nr nine said: “During reading from Torah and during the sermon the door stay closed”. The beginning of changes in liturgy can be dated from term of office of Rabbi Heymann Joel (1832-1845) whose successor was the first Skwierzyna’s rabbi with a Ph.D – Simeon Schwabacher – earlier a rabbi in Prague, Hamburg and Gorzow. After Skwierzyna (to 1856) Schwabacher moved to Odessa where under his supervising the first reformed synagogue in Russia was established. His students were also followers of reformed Judaism, patterned upon some of Lutheran solutions.  Among sparse symbols on Skwierzyna’s tombstones prevails the „Eye of Providence”. It is a symbol specific for sepulchral art of German Jews, descendants from Lutheran religion. The fact clearly shows the Jews of Skwierzyna in half of the 19th century were a part of German Jewry and even if they’ve had some earlier connections with Polish Jews, they had not left any important trace. Skwierzyna’s community surely was different to less numerous and more orthodox equivalent in Miedzyrzecz. In 1824 a synagogue was built there, a typical orthodox one, divided to men- and women part. In half of the 19th century German language was not used in services and none of innovations common in Skwierzyna were introduced. From Heinrich Heine’s description from 1923 we know Miedzyrzecz’s Jewry had nothing in common with German ones and reminded of typical Polish Jews. Presumably their influence stopped the reforms there. In Skwierzyna things were different – the Jews originating mainly from Germany, quickly accepted changes arriving from the West.



Despite the school nearby Skwierzyna’s synagogue there was a Jewish hospital and built in 1865 orphanage for boys which was funded by newcomer form Berlin, Jean Benda. The building stood by Pocztowa St. On the ground floor there were teacher’s lodgings and on the first floor orphans were living. After 1833 naturalized Jews could qualify for a place in town’s council.  In 1844 Jews had 1/3 in the council though they made only 22% of the town’s population. That is the reason why the mayor decreed that during supplementary election only Christians might be chosen. According to this decision Skwierzyna’s community lodged a complaint against it to the king. He however upheld the ruling. It was ascertained the Jewish aldermen can make only 1/3 of the whole. At the time in Skwierzyna there were eight Christian aldermen, Jewish – four.



Bestowing Jews with civic rights was connected with a possibility of choosing the place of living. After 1933 the emigration to big cities started to be visible. Mainly Berlin was chosen, where work and anonymity were easier to have. Only in 1836 thirty-four Jewish families left Skwierzyna. From the time their number in the town systematically decreased. Through the years there were 1543 Jews in the town in 1838, in 1849 – 1198, in 1880 – 473, in 1899 - 300, in 1905 - 203, in 1913 - 115, in 1932 - 78 and in 1936 - 44 people. According to ex-residents of Skwierzyna in Reuter St. mother of Henry Kissinger, famous American politician, was born and raised – until her departure to Nuremberg. Liquidation of guild privileges gave Jews a possibility of free business.  Earlier due to limitations the could employ themselves only in merchandise and this kind of earning the living will dominate in the first half of the 19th century. In 1830 in Skwierzyna there were only 2 Christian merchants and 15 Christian traders – and 12 Jewish merchants together with 112 Jewish traders.  Big number of traders results from the fact that only few shops were located in the town, and traders supplied surrounding villages by peddlery. Together with the cancellation of medieval limitations the structures of economics and Jews’ participation in it have changed also. The first big Jewish company was established by Simon Boas in 1914. It was a wholesale, selling iron articles, coal and spirit. Its importance reached far beyond Skwierzyna and vicine districts. The Boas family ran the company to 1936 when by virtue of Nuremberg bills Adolf Hitler’s followers have taken over their shop. Wheat, potatoes and seed trade was Jacob Levy’s business. His company had big granaries. Arthur Joel was a big meat wholesaler. Cattle bought in whole district had been sent in 95% in Berlin and other big cities. Two Jewish merchants, Hermann Schlesinger and Gustav Kramm, were busy with horse trade. Their business fell into decline after 1918 when the areas annexed to Poland were to be counted no more. In 1933 Schramm emigrated to Israel and together with his son worked as a veterinarian in Haifa. 



To 1918 the biggest enterpreneur in Skwierzyna was Jacob Cohn. He was an owner of the biggest wholesale of hides in eastern Germany. He bought untanned hides in Wielkopolska and on terrains annexed by Russia – after tanning he was selling them further. Cohn was the biggest taxpayer in town. After his death in 1920 the business was taken over by Julius Hiller, who had it to the half of the thirties. The second merchandise potentate was Salomon Stargardt’s company, established in 1959. He had a wholesale with colonial products and a shop in Pocztowa St.  In 1935 NSGWP forced the Stargardt family to sell it all and leaving Skwierzyna.

Jewish Merchant had also numerous shops and craftsmen workshops. One of the most famous was the one belonging to Adolf Jonas, selling furs and hats, taken over by the Nazis in 1939. Felix Mendel had good-prospering shoe shop located in the main square. Kupcy żydowscy posiadali również liczne sklepy i zakłady rzemieślnicze. The shop existed from the half of the 19th century. The owner had to give up in 1936. Also Stern, Pinkus and Gerson families had shops with long tradition. Anti-Semitic politics after 1933 had also to do with the closing of the branch of the Eastern Bank. All Max Hanff’s businesses were closed down too: publishing house located on the main square and editing of the “Skwierzyna’s District Gazette”. Hanff was half-Jewish and a Christian but according to the racist politics of the III Reich was the same threat as other Jews.  In Shabbat, mainly in Saturday afternoon, festively clothed Jews walked in the town, greeting their Christian neighbours who were waiting impatiently for Sunday to stop with common day activities. After 1933 this characteristic picture was lost forever. To the day Hitler had taken over the government Christian-Jewish relations were correct. Firstly Prussia, then, after 1871, Germany, were lawful countries and after the bestowal of civic rights to Jews there were no considered threats. Private contacts depended on intellectual level of individual people. Many Jews merited for the town and were highly esteemed. The history of Hermann Gerson and his wife, to whom the mayor together with town council had personally wished happiness at the occasion of their golden wedding anniversary, was not anything special. Big Crisis (1929-1933) and Hitler’s nomination to the Chancellor (1933) who in Jewry was seeing the source of all evil, have changed the situation completely. As B. Thome has written, „ provincial Skwierzyna took the heading from the capital” and Skwierzyna’s unemployed believed Jews had taken their jobs away. The same Hermann Gerson, four years earlier feted by town council and the major, had seen his son Arthur carried through the town on a cart filled with manure with a tablet hanging on his neck, saying: “I’m a filthy Jew”. Anger and repressions became commonplace practice. The few Jews who still lived in Skwierzyna, had to sell all their properties for a small price and emigrate. The biggest shop in Skwierzyna, located on the corner of the main square and Pocztowa St. (today’s TAFF), belonging to Jewish owner, had a big signboard „Schweriner Kaufhaus” (eng. Skwierzyna’s Shop). The Nazis changed the name to "Schwein muss raus" (eng. “Pigs go out”). After passing Nuremberg bills (1935) the repressions and administrative pressures have even worsened. After 1936 there were almost none Jews left in Skwierzyna.  That most probably saved the building of the synagogue which during Kristall Nacht (Nov. 9th/10th 1938) was only devastated, and later changed into wheat warehouse. Above all the tablet commemorating Jews fallen in Prussian and Emperor Germany wars. It did not fit to Nazi’s conception of alleged enemy who was a constant threat to German race and culture. The fate of synagogue was fulfilled in January 1945 when somebody set fire on wheat stored there. The remains were taken to pieces in the sixties of 20th century and at the place two buildings were built (Jagielly St., near Jubilatka coffee house). Some part of Skwierzyna’s Jews avoided annihilation and manager to leave Nazi’s III Reich Those who stayed, were killed like Hermann Gerson’s sons: Arthur shot to death in 1941 in Berlin, Leo executed in gas chamber in 1943 in Auschwitz.
Few descendants of Skwierzyna’s Jewry live mainly in the USA and Israel. After 1945 in Skwierzyna lived some people of Jewish origin (Polish Jews). They had nothing in common with the old community. Today the only remain after over 600 year old Jewish part of Skwierzyna’s history is a cemetery located on Jewish Hill near road to Miedzyrzecz.

What we do in the project

- protect the Jewish cemeteries in northern part of the Lubusz Voivodeship, with a special regard for the Miedzyrzecz County (Miedzyrzecz, Bledzew, Skwierzyna);
- make the students discover the Jewish culture through a series of cultural events (Jewish Culture Day, night movie show, scientific session, expositions, meetings with Children of the Holocaust, and the Righteous Among the Nations);
- do fundraising for the projects related to the Jewish subject (Batory Foundation, Nissenbaum Foundation, Embassy of Israel- expositions);
- make a documentary movie about the history of Jews in Miedzyrzecz County;
- prepare a special edition of the school newspaper;
- promote the project in media (TVP 3 Lubuska, Gazeta Lubuska, Gazeta Wyborcza);
- get in contact with Bledzew city council to negotiate fencing of the local Jewish cemetery and the placement of information signs;
- renovate the cemetery in Trzemeszno Lubuskie;
- plant trees on the cemetery to border it in natural way with help of Skwierzyna’s forest inspectorate and private enterprises.

What we are going to do next

 - Secure Skwierzyna’s Jewish cemetery with planting trees around it - with support of Skwierzyna’s forest inspectorate;
- Prepare a documental about the past of the Jews in Międzyrzecz district;
- Conduct a competition for children and youth of lubuskie province (artistic for elementary schools, and of knowledge for high schools);
- Organize a concert of klezmer music;
- Organize a movie show of Israeli movies (now we are discussing it with Embassy of Israel in Warsaw).

Who is helping us

- Lubuska Fundacja Judaica (Judaica Foundation from Lubuskie province);
- Skwierzyna’s forest inspectorate;
- Private enterprises;
- Embassy of Israel.