«Le Dor Va Dor» | Annual Report 2011

«LE DOR VA DOR» PROJECT

P R O J E C T H I S TO R Y PLANS FOR 2012 P R E S E R V I N G J E W I S H C E M E T E R I E S VO L U N T E E R I S M YO U C A N M A K E C H A N G E A N T I - S E M I T I S M

Memorizing the past,Aspiring for the future!

CONTENT

2 “Le Dor Va Dor” projectReport for 2011

p. 3 – thinking aloudp. 4 – 2011p. 5 – project mapp. 6 – about the projectp. 7 – web-sitep. 8 – project progressp. 9 – 5-year history in figuresp. 10 – volunteersp. 11 – our common deedp. 12 – plans for 2012p. 13 – you can make a changep. 14 – our partnersp. 15 – anti-Semitismp. 16 – 2012

In hallowed memory of Shmuil ben Itskhak Kraizman and Kalman ben Ruvim Sverdlov

THINKING ALOUD

When my grandmother came back upset from a cemetery she told me that she wasn’t able to find the grave of her aunt. I didn’t believe it and went there myself. Well, neither me, nor the cemetery workers, who had old dusty books with entries about deaths in the alphabetical order, could find the grave. Even having found the appropriate information in that pile of paper, we were unable to apply it to the map of the cemetery and to find the grave.That was in spring 2007. A year later our Jewish Community already had the full database of all 7500 graves of 4 Jewish parts of the city with a photograph of each and information about its place on a cemetery. The database was created by our project, where me as well as tens of young people

volunteered, honoring those, who had kept for us Jewish traditions and Jewishness as such during three generations of the Soviet power.Now the team of the project not only includes more than 50 people all over the world. During the 5 years of constant project activities we have collected more than 100000 graves on 37 cemeteries in 24 cities in 5 countries.We wouldn’t have reached that without support of our partners and sponsors. Last year we doubled our databases and we plan to double them again in 2012 including Siberia, Kazakhstan and Odessa, Kiev and Kharkov in Ukraine into the map of our project. We hope that you will do what one can to reach these objectives.

Moti Sverdlov, Executive Director of «Le Dor Va Dor» project.

3“Le Dor Va Dor” project Report for 2011

4

2011

We started the project of collecting biographies “Nobody is forgotten, nothing is forgotten”, “Three generations of Soviet Jewish who kept the traditions for us”

2011

24 cities in the project 37 cemeteries catalogued

5 countries in the project

67 volunteers took part in the project

More than 1450 people took part in cleaning Jewish cemeteries

9 communities joined the project that year

107921 graves in the database with a photograph of each one

More than 79400 graves in the lists and databases of our partners

More than 1500 gravestones were cleaned during the fall cataloguing season in Yekaterinburg, more than 18000 in Moscow

Development of a system of interactive cartography of Jewish cemeteries was started

“Le Dor Va Dor” projectReport for 2011

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ABOUT THE PROJECT

According to the tradition a cemetery as a holy place can never be disturbed. Jewish cemeteries and places of mass grave brightly illustrate how Jewish communities were destroyed in the past, e. g. during the Holocaust (The Catastrophe of European Jewry during the Second World War). They are like alive witnesses of the history of Jewish community life all over the world and they are an important part of Jewish cultural heritage, showing its variety.At the same time thousands of Jewish graves today are not attended and guarded by anybody. They are in a poor condition and their destruction continues.Disregard, urbanization, vandalism, robberies and unqualified attempts of renovation threaten to eliminate

for ever what is often the only existing source of knowledge about Jewish communities of the prewar period. Without immediate intervention many of them can completely disappear. “Le Dor Va Dor” is a project of cataloguing Jewish graves in Russia and the countries of the Former Soviet Union, which was created in 2007 by an initiative group of enthusiasts, who had returned from an expedition to Jewish places in the Crimea. The objective of forming a group were activities on renovation of Jewish cemeteries. Since then not only methodic and technology of cataloguing were developed, but also was created software for creation of catalogues and a website. The resource you are looking at now doesn’t only let you find Jewish graves with minimum information. It also gives an opportunity to distantly

“Le Dor Va Dor” projectReport for 2011

order services of maintenance of gravestones of your relatives and friends.The foremost task of the project is renovation and protection of Jewish cemeteries and mass graves all over the territory of the Former Soviet Union. Now the website has information about more than 100000 graves on 37 cemeteries in 24 cities of Russia, which is 95% of information about graves in the mentioned regions. Only several parts are not covered – about 2500 graves. If you haven’t found the grave of a relative, don’t lose your hope – we are working with the rest of them and this work will be soon completed.These cemeteries are a part of European-Jewish heritage and being often in a poor condition they need our attention and care.


WEB-SITE

Today we suggest you taking a real part in the project development, by a feasible material donation. It’s not an act of charity, it’s a suggestion for partnership, the invitation to cooperation. It’s the way to contribute to the advancement of our common business and, accordingly, the way to strengthening the integrity of the Jewish communities of FSU. Only together we can

preserve the heritage of our ancestors. For your convenience we’ve created accounts in the most popular payment systems.

For making a deposit from Russia you can use any terminal in any branch of mobile-center “Svyaznoy”. The account number you’re to make a transfer to is: 2 989218 904097 of “Svyaznoy-bank” .

If you want to make a transfer from abroad , «PayPal» is there to help you. For this purpose go to www.beitkvarot.ru, choose an option to «donate» (on the right menu). Besides, you can always contact with us and we will find a way convenient for you.Donation is not the only way to take part in the project . Pass the information around or become a volunteer, and it’ll be your own feasible

contribution.In case you have problems with the transfer, or you have some interesting offers, contact us via e-mail [email protected] or call 43 – 6768-3181550.

***We do one good work. Let G-d bless our efforts!We express our gratitude to all those people who helped and are helping the project, to all our partners!

All these years the project «Le

Dor Va Dor» was striving for being indispensable for

our users. It is not easy; developing

and improving such a large-scale

project by the efforts of a mere handful

of people — is a utopia. This is why

one of our essential goals is working

in a close tandem with volunteers

and portal users. Only by common

efforts we can keep the project «Le Dor Va Dor» going and

advancing.


THE CURRENT PROGRESS

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total:Russia 11036 24254 46911 86730 107921

Moscow 2879 10395 22893 74054 74054Vostrjakovskoe 2879 9136 18893 67693 finished 67693Saltikovka - - - 151 in progr. 151Noginsk - - - 292 in progr. 292Malahovka - 1259 4000 5918 in progr. 5918Perlovskoe - - - - in project 0

Nizhniy Novgorod 2530 5656 7495 7811Marijina Rowcha 1397 2836 3616 - - finished 3616Krasnaya Etna 899 2344 3288 - - finished 3288Olgino 234 476 581 - - finished 897Fedyakovo - - 10 - - finished 10Old Sormovskoe - - - - - in project 0

Arzamas - - 244 - - finished 244Omsk - - - - 160 in progr. 160Tobolsk - - - - 60 finished 82Tyumen - - - - 70 finished 52Ufa - - - 3782 - finished 3782Chelyabinsk - - - 2215 - in progr. 2215Ekaterinburg - - - 2404 - in progr. 2404Perm - - 2500 2692 - in progr. 2692

Kazan 1812 3037 3037Arskoe - 1348 2199 - - finished 2199Polish part - 123 274 - - finished 274Samosyrovo - 341 564 - - finished 564

Uljanovsk 689 374 689Old - 287 - - - finished 287New - 402 - - - finished 402

Tver - - - 58 - finished 58Kaluga - - - 150 - in progr. 150Vladimin - - - 166 - finished 166Rjazan - - - - - in project 0Pochep - - - - 33 finished 33

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5 YEARS OF HISTORY

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total:Russia 11036 24254 46911 86730 107921

Samara 245 3546 3546CEK - - 245 2665 - in progr. 2665СEK Tatatian - - - 321 - in progr. 321Metallurg - - - 357 - in progr. 357Gorodskoe - - - 203 - in progr. 203

Saint-Petersburg - - - 0 - in project 0Yoshkar Ola - - - 58 - finished 58Solnechnaya - - - - 54 finished 54

Ukraine 567 900 1467Mariupol - - - 200 - in progr. 200Poltava - - - 167 - finished 167Korosten - - - 200 - in progr. 200Dnepropetrovsk - - - - - in project 0Kharkov - - - - - in project 0Odessa - - - - - in project 0Kiev - - - - 900 in project 900

Hungary 3671 3671Budapest - - - - 3671 in progr. 3671

Moldova 2500 2500Tiraspol 2500 in progr. 2500

107.921

37

24

5

- burial places in the base followed by photos

- cemeteries are still in the project with a map of each and every burial place

- cities and towns overed all over FSU

- countries covered with the project catalogues


VOLUNTEERSThe maintenance of a large quantity of historical Jewish monuments wouldn’t be possible without the support of our local partners. This support and the fruitful work of volunteers allow us to protect and keep the remains of Jewish heritage in the FSU. Thank you!

Ekaterina Avriskina, the volunteer of the project «Le Dor Va Dor» since 2008

Participation in this project made me think. Why do I really need it? I essentially identify myself with the people I belong to.

Marina Giter, The volunteer of the project «Le Dor Va Dor» since 2009

The Task Peoples Time

Web-page management 3 150Text translation 4 20Taking photos of the graves 17 557Digitization of materials 13 1268Creation of cemeteries maps 2 113Project marketing 2 78Office work 2 180Transportation 12 130Logistics 5 344Lecturing activity 2 30Group leader 3 240Call-center 2 87Post box 3 89Web-page moderating 2 159Fundraising 4 174Web-design and programming 4 280

Total: 80 3899

Time Bank “Le Dor Ve Dor” project . The annual report 2011. At the moment 67 volunteers took part in the project. They accomplished the work of 3899 hours, equaled to 20894,6 Euro

«Have you ever noticed the pressing sense of loneliness and soul distress, coming over when looking at abandoned graves? Have you ever felt the pain coming over when remembering the burial places of our nearest and dearest, those we can’t visit for various reasons? In case these

I know my roots and the graves location of my ancestors. However I can imagine the feelings of those people who have lost this connection.Dear friend, together we can do a lot. And it’s not only paying a tribute to the dead. Although we should always remember and revere. We are cultivated by the history and the culture of our people, we belong to. Reuniting with it, having conceived all that’s making you and your people just that they are, you become a part of your nation’s greatness.

feelings are quite familiar to you; Or if you had to desert the burial place of your close relatives or the stressed lifestyle

doesn’t allow you to visit them as often as you’d wish to, you can find the solution in our project. We would desirably help you...»


OUR COMMON BUSINESS

«After the death of our relatives, their grave becomes their last abri. It’s nice to see well-groomed graves. It takes time and efforts. However, not everybody has got the opportunity to take care of the burial places due to different circumstances.Our web-page is created in order to help people to take care of it. Those wishing to help for the project realization, you’re welcome!»

Irina Stepanets, the volunteer of the project «Le Dor Va Dor» since 2009

«The moment when a person realizes that he has Roots, it comes to everyone, sooner or later. Roots are the basis of our life. For a human being, those Roots are his nearest and dearest, without whom our existence would be impossible.

Irina Korotkov, the volunteer of the project «Le Dor Va Dor» since 2009.

«Nowadays, the condition of burial places in Russian cities is unsatisfactory, to say the least. The maintenance of most of them is usually kept by the Jewish

communities or the relatives of the buried. Jewish communities and organizations often just don’t have the means and potential to take care of it. In solving of this problem, we, as the volunteers of the project consider our respect to our ancestors, history and to the Jewish people in general.

There is an opinion that our Earthly existence is an artful design of inexplicable chainsof cause - effect relations. You can’t change the world on your own, but each person can try to make it a bit more perfect.

You can join the project too!»

Dmitry Shtejn, the volunteer of the project «Le Dor Va Dor» since 2009

People who pass away with the lapse of time.Due to the feeling of loneliness or to some other reason, everyone realizes this connection. However because of the life twists and turns, this connection is sometimes lost. Isn’t it regretful? Sometimes the person you’re looking for is already dead. Our web-page is created for helping those people who would like to find the burial places of their relatives, friends, former neighbors and acquaintances. Not all the graves are in the decent state, some are needed to be repaired and taken care of. What is the other way to say to those people, how dear they were to us.

The project «Le Dor Va Dor» depends on the volunteers taking an initiative in all current actions and plans realization. We can’t make it alone.


PLANS FOR 2012.We realize that the global economic climate has left an indelible impact upon all of us. In these tough times, we take nothing for granted, and appreciate that you are the part of the Jewish community, sharing with us this understanding of “Le Dor Va Dor” project. Holding thecommunity membership, we hope that even if you are not currently able to contribute financially to help us rich our 2012 goals, you will still use, publicize, and benefit from the “Le Dor Va Dor” project and our web-site.

Country City Graves Required6 countries 29 cities 224600 $ 36615

Ukraine 4 cities 76100 $ 11764Odessa:

3-e evrejskoe* 56000 7840Tairovskoe 4000 560

2-е international 5000 700Kiev:

Baykovskoe* 2900 696Кривой Рог 1500 360

Kharkov 6700 1608

Kazakhstan: 3 cities 8000 $ 1970Almaty 5000 1250

Karaganda 2000 480Шымкент 1000 240

Georgia: 3 города 11300 $ 1857Tbilisi 9500 1425

Tskhinvali 1000 240Poti 800 192

Moldova: 3 cities 28800 $ 4662Kishenev* 25000 3750

Bendery 2000 480Tiraspol* 1800 432

Country City Graves RequiredRussia: 13 cities 67700 $ 11509

Moskow:Saltykovka* 3500 595Perlovskoe 2600 442

Noginsk* 1300 221Ekaterinburg* 600 102Chelyabinsk* 2000 340

Omsk* 6800 1156Novosibirsk 6300 1071Krasnoyarsk 2500 425Khabarovsk 3900 663Vladivostok 2500 425

Saint-Petersburg 28000 4760Bryansk 2400 408

Voronezh 2300 391Penza 1500 255

Ivanovo 1500 255

Belarus: 3 города 10700 $ 1498Minsk* 7100 994Vitebs 2000 280Gomel 1600 224

* the cities where the cataloging is partly finished, but for completion the extra means are required.

City, Country – the location of the cemetery catalogued by the projectGraves - the number of burial places according to our esteem, which will be catalogued in 2012; and considering the required finances.Required – the cost of cataloging according to our esteem concerning the quantity of burial places on the definite cemetery and all over the country.


YOU CAN CHANGE THE SITUATION

During the process of Jewish burial places cataloging in the FSU , more than 2850 abandoned burial places were found. They can’t be identified due to the absence of gravestones and tablets. According to the Jewish tradition, a burial place doesn’t have an «expiration date», it is a sacred place which can’t be disturbed. We hope that together we can keep the memory of those people who don’t have relatives anymore.

To install a monument on an abandoned grave- 5000 rubles(1490 are to be restored; current finances are sufficient for137)

Last5771 year, thanks to the support of several Jewish communities, our partners, and sponsors“Le Dor Va Dor” was able to double the data base . More than100 thousand graves are available for the search. The cataloguing ofMoscow Vostrjakovkoe

cemetery was finished as well as the cataloguingof 7 cities of Ural region (Perm, Ufa, Samara, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg, Tyumen, Tobolsk.)

To contribute to the creation of the full catalog of cemeteries of Siberia, Far East, Kazakhstan regions -52.000 rubles

To contribute to the creation of the full catalog of cemeteries (in such cities as Omsk, Novosibirsk, with estimated Jewish burial places up to 5-8.000) - 15.000 rubles; (Odessa, Kiev holding about 40-60.000 burial places according to our estimations)- 37.000 rubles.

Last year during the cleaning on Jewish cemeteries, all over the cities we found about 1315 monuments in a poor state. They require an immediate reconstruction. 37 were reconstructed on our own , however substantial finances are required to finish the work

Thousands of fences on Jewish cemeteries are in a sad state, they are shabby, the paint is distended and flakes off.

To paint a fence of an abandoned grave - 2000 rubles (1347 are awaiting to be painted, 26 are done)

To restore a destroyed monument – 3500 rubles (4815 are on the list, 293 are restored)

Nowadays thousands of Jewish burial places are visited and protected by nobody. They are in a bad condition – and their destruction is going on. Neglect, an urbanization process, vandalism, thefts and inefficient attempts of restoration are threatening to erase the only unique source which has reached up to now in order to pass the knowledge about Jewish communities of the pre-war period. Without an immediate intervention many of them may simply disappear for ever.


The Foundation cannot remain indifferent

with regard to any manifestation of

anti-Semitism; we consequently report to the authorities about

all the anti-Semitic incidents (leaflets, public

statements, graffiti) and other acts of

vandalism against the historical heritage of

Soviet Union Jewry. A list of all the incidents

reported to the police or prosecutor offices by

the Foundation can be found on our website.

ANTI-SEMITISM


2012Thank you for reading.

Please send suggestions and comments to [email protected] We look forward to hearing from you.

Published thanks to generous support of «Le Dor Va Dor» Friends , Moscow-Jerusalem-New York-Vienna

Text: Moti Sverdlov, Poly Shimkevitch, Yan Shulman

Edited by: Moti Sverdlov

Translated by: Anna Litovskaya, Poly Shimkevich

Consultation: R’Menachem Rabinovitch, R’Shaya Boas, R’Sender Garber

Graphic Design: Moti Sverdlov Logo Design: Pop-Art

Photographs: the «Le Dor Va Dor» project for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in FSU, Moti Sverdlov, Asya Mikhailova, Alexander Hasin, Dmitry Shtein. Information and educational materials concerning Jewish cemeteries and complete databases are available on the website of the «Le Dor Va Dor» project www.beitkvarot.ru and on websites of our partners

© by The "Le Dor Va Dor" project for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Former Soviet Union

«Le Dor Va Dor» | Annual Report 2011

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