Monday, August 10, 2009

Save Jewish Graves

I had the opportunity this past week to attend the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies Conference on Jewish Genealogy. While my own roots (to the best of my knowledge) are not Jewish, my grandparents migrated from an area of Poland/the Ukraine, Galicia, where many Jewish people come from. I felt fortunate to sit in on these sessions and learn more about so much of the history and culture of that region (both painful and fascinating).

I'd like to encourage you to visit the website of The Association for the Preservation of Abandoned Jewish Cemeteries. The organization is located here in Philadelphia, and their mission is to help restore these cemeteries, as well as educate individuals about the conditions that exist, and encourage volunteers to assist in the cleanup efforts.

If you've been looking for a volunteer project, maybe this is your opportunity!