Prefer Jewish News on Google
Jewish tombstones found beneath rubble in Polish town of Lezajsk
Town used to have 90 percent Jewish population, and was a pilgrimage site for 18th century rabbi, Elimelech Weisblum, before the pandemic
When renovation work began on the market square of the sleepy town of Lezajsk, in south-east Poland, there was a surprise waiting beneath the builders’ rubble – 150 tombstones, the last record of the Jews of Lezajsk.
Lezajsk is the site of the grave of an 18th century rabbi, Elimelech Weisblum of Lizhensk, who attracted similar annual pilgrimages from Chasidim every year – until this year’s pandemic when the Polish authorities asked them not to visit.
But the absence of Jewish visitors was deeply felt and so there was wide excitement when the first of the gravestones was uncovered on 8 July.
Before the war, 4,500 Jews lived in Lezajsk, about 90 percent of the entire population. When the Nazis occupied the town, those Jewish residents who had not fled were confined to a ghetto, murdered in 1942, and the Nazis used the rubble of Jewish homes and of the synagogue for construction. When that material was used up, they went to the Jewish cemetery and raided gravestones. This is why the gravestones were found in the market square, where they had been used to pave roads and build pavements.
The mayor, Ireneusz Stefanski, is insistent: “These gravestones need to find their appropriate place, and it certainly is not underground.”
Now discussion is taking place between the municipality, the national government and Jewish organisations as to what will be the last resting place of the gravestones.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
