KALININGRAD, Russia – Thanks to the timely response and intervention by the Jewish community, the excavation of an historic Jewish cemetery has been halted. Following up on a message received by the Jewish community of Kaliningrad, which indicated that the human remains of Jews and gravestones with Hebrew inscriptions have been found during excavation works at a local construction site, Chief Rabbi of Kaliningrad David Shvedik immediately came to the site in question.
While a Jewish cemetery indeed existed on this site in the 19th century, city maps printed in the 1930s showed that this site was occupied by apartment buildings.
The 'Alta' Burial Service Bureau assisted in collecting the human and gravestone remains, after which community members and Rabbi Shvedik reburied these remains at the old Jewish cemetery on Gagarin Street. During the ceremony, the Jewish leader recited a commemorative prayer in their memory.
As news about this find spread within the Jewish community, Rabbi Shvedik received calls from the USA Consulate in S. Petersburg, offering their assistance in resolving this sensitive issue. The Kaliningrad City Administration suggested reburying the remains in another place, but local Jews didn’t accept the proposal, since exhumation of bodies is strictly prohibited by Jewish law.
The city’s Mayor then received a message from Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar requesting that the city cease the construction work, which has resulted in the exhumation of more and more human bones and Jewish gravestones. "The current situation is absolutely unacceptable, since preserving burial sites is required under the Code of Religious Laws. This is not just a 'tradition' but an ultimate requirement of Jewish law," explained Rabbi Lazar in his letter.
"In addition, we are speaking about land where lies the remains of prominent Jewish rabbis, whose written creations have become world classics," wrote the Chief Rabbi. "I am thankful to the City Administration for preserving some of these remains and appeal to you now with the request to declare this site as historical monument, including the under layers of earth, and therein cease construction. The cemetery's renovation may also be achieved through collaborative efforts."
A similar letter was sent to the Mayor by the Chief Rabbi of Kaliningrad, David Shvedik.
At last, thanks to this timely response by Jewish leaders, the excavation of this site has been stopped and the remains of those Jews buried there will go undisturbed.
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