KRIVOY ROG, Ukraine – The Jewish community of Krivoy Rog will participate in the international project “Lo Tishkach” that involves researching Jewish cemeteries and mass burial sites. Igor Romanov, the director of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the Dnepropetrovsk Region, visited Krivoy Rog in order to provide more information about the project. Yulia Romanov, the Federation’s chief accountant, also advised the community’s leadership on the necessary expenses of the project.
The Romanovs received a tour of the Ohr Avner Chabad Day School and the “World of Childhood” dormitory. Mr. Romanov noted that the local Jewish community is developing very dramatically. "Since my last visit to your city, there have been many positive changes. The Krivoy Rog Jewish community’s pace of development clearly demonstrates how much the community’s leadership is engaged in reviving Jewish life in this city," he commented.
During their meeting with community leaders and Tatiana Kutz, director of the Krivoy Rog Ohr Avner Foundation, Mr. Romanov spoke in detail about the “Lo Tishkach” Foundation, the work that needs to be carried out in Krivoy Rog, and provided the questionnaires and manuals needed for the project. ‘Lo Tishkach’ translates from Hebrew as "Do not forget."
The Lo Tishkach European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative was established in 2006. It is now one of the leading European organizations involved in the indexing and modernization of Jewish cemeteries. The first priority is to fund the restoration and protection of Jewish cemeteries and mass graves throughout Europe. The organization recently launched the first stage of its Jewish cultural heritage educational project in Ukraine, which is supported by the Genesis Foundation.
Now that Krivoy Rog will take part in this project, groups of young people will visit the Jewish cemetery in the city and nearby villages, where they will gather important information. They will be recording data on Jewish life, history and culture in the area, they will be taking photographs, as well as participating in the cataloging of every cemetery. Jewish youth will also be involving in the preservation and protection of such sites.
Not only will the data collected from these studies be combined into a single information database accessible to researchers around the world, but this project will also succeed in involving Jewish youth in the discovery of their own history and values, without which it is impossible to imagine modern life. The project will facilitate and enhance cross-cultural communication and relationships, bolster tolerance within society, and foster a respectful attitude to the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Jewish people.
You Can Help
