This section contains the following headlines (you may read the document as a whole or press any of the headlines in order to get to that particular section more easily):
 
Introduction
How to get there
Restoration and preservation
Mode of proper behaviour
List of photos - May 2008
List of photos - September 2008
List of photos - August 2009
The pictures tell you more
How to read Hebrew tombstones
Transliterate Yiddish tombstones
 

Introduction

According to Wroclaw Centre for Networking and Supercomputing there are about 1,000 Jewish cemeteries on the present territory of Poland. Only 400 of them still contain tombstones, of which only 150 cemeteries have more than 100 tombstones each. The one in Bodzentyn is not one of the largest. It was established in 1867 and contains about 90 preserved tombstones.
 
Note: In the time of WWII Germans placed some of the tombstones on the ground around the church in Bodzentyn. These stones may or may not have been preserved. At the Cemetery some of the tombstones are in fact broken and have been laid directly on the ground. One of the stones are also said to have been used in the process of reparation in one of the corners of the church building.
 
The cemetery is mentioned by the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies – Cemetery Project (US Commission No. POCE000270) in this fashion:
 
“The cemetery is located on a hillside called ‘Gora Miejsica’ in Kielce region at 50°53 N / 20°54 E, about 30 km. from Kielce [...] This isolated, suburban hillside with no sign, marker, fence, or wall is reached by crossing private agricultural property and is open to all. The cemetery before WWII was 1-2 ha. But now is about 1 hectare. 20 to 100 gravestones are visible in original locations with 50% to 75% toppled or broken. The 1870 to 19th century flat sandstones with carved relief decoration have inscriptions in Hebrew and Yiddish. Vegetation is a constant problem preventing access, disturbing stone and graves. Municipality owns property used only as a Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural. Occasionally, private visitors stop. Security and weather erosion are slight threats. No other threats. Adam Penkalla […] completed survey and visited site on August 28-29, 1991.”
 

Note that the tombstones at the Jewish Cemetery of Bodzentyn contain texts both in Hebrew and in Yiddish. It was established in 1867; a few years after the Jews had received civil rights and started to form their own district. The last Conservative Jewish burial was held in 1942. Other villages nearby used this site too. © Ewa Wymark, 2008.
 

How to get there

If you enter Bodzentyn on your way from Kielce you must stop at this sign:
 

 
On the same side of the road you will see a sign that directs you towards the Jewish cemetery.
 

Restoration and preservation

On 26 August 2009 a special ceremony was held at the Jewish cemetery of Bodzentyn.
 

The beautiful gate has been designed by Marek Cecula, a renowned ceramic artist. © Ewa Wymark, 2008.  
The progress of restoration started mainly in 2008, on the initiative of several people, also from Sweden. For Manes Szafir, who was born in Bodzentyn and survived the Holocaust, it was a dream coming true. Several people who are related to the former Jewish Community of Bodzentyn – as well as churches, associations and many private persons in Sweden – contributed to the funds that were raised to cover the immediate costs of the gate and wall. The funds were transferred by The Swedish Committee Against Antisemitism to The Dawid Rubinowicz Society, who handled all practical preparations.
 
Bogdan Bialek, who is the Editor-in-Chief of the publishing house Charaktery, and the president of the Jan Karski Association, an anti-racism organization, engaged Marek Cecula to design the gate:
 
“It is really not about buildings monuments everywhere. Our soil, our nation, many of our nation’s sons and daughters deserve to be immortalized in stone and metal. What matters is stopping the memories from dying, for this is the sole thing that we can still do” says Bogdan.
 

Mode of proper behaviour

There are rules concerning what may be done and what may not be done at the Jewish Cemetery according to Jewish law.
 
Press this line to view the guiding rules of the Rabbinic Commission as a pdf-file.
 
Note: If you come to look for members of your family, note that some of the monuments contain only information about the given name and that of the father. However, at some of the monuments there is also a note of the family name. You will need to know how to read Hebrew and Yiddish in order to read the matzevot. However, in the near future they may be deciphered.
 

List of photos - May 2008

List of photos - September 2008

List of photos - Augusti 2009

The pictures tell you more

“Symbols on the tombstone can be clues: Two hands, with four fingers each divided into two sets of two fingers, is the symbol of a priestly blessing — this signifies a Kohen, a descendant of Aaron. A pitcher signifies a Levite — the Levites were responsible for cleaning the hands of the Temple priest in ancient days. A candle or candelabra often is used on the tombstone of a woman; and the six-pointed Star of David on that of a man. A tombstone with the motif of a broken branch or tree stump often signifies someone who died young.”
 
Press this line to open the guide that has been quoted. It will help you “read” the texts and symbols on the Hebrew tombstones.
 

How to read Hebrew tombstones

Directions, how to do it.
Further instructions.
Get to know more.
 

Transliterate Yiddish tombstones

Yiddish Transliteration Table at www.jewishgen.org.