Jewish Cemeteries of Vojvodina
Cultural Monuments and Testimonies of Community
With the support of the European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative (ESJF) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, Terraforming and the Jewish Community of Novi Sad organized a series of visits to recently renovated old Jewish cemeteries throughout Vojvodina, with appropriate guided tours and lectures.
As part of the project Jewish Cemeteries of Vojvodina: Cultural Monuments and Testimonies of Community , Terraforming, in cooperation with the Jewish Community of Novi Sad, organized visits to recently renovated old Jewish cemeteries in Erdevik, Stara Pazova, Ruma, Kisač and Temerin. The project is implemented with the support of the European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative (ESJF) and the Foreign Ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany.
In the previous period, with the coordination of the Jewish Community of Novi Sad, the renovation of old Jewish cemeteries was carried out in several towns in Vojvodina, primarily repairing or installing new fences.
Through the project Jewish Cemeteries of Vojvodina: Cultural Monuments and Testimonies of Community, Terraforming works primarily on the educational aspect of this work, where through visits to recently renovated Jewish cemeteries and accompanying lectures, we point out the importance and contribution of the Jewish community to the overall social, economic and cultural development of Vojvodina, as well as the importance of preserving Jewish cultural heritage and history in Vojvodina, with the emphasis on the continuity of Jewish life despite the terrible suffering in the past.
From October 28 to November 1, 2024, the program included visits to Jewish cemeteries in Erdevik, Stara Pazova, Ruma, Kisač and Temerin. During the cemetery tour, the attendees, under the expert guidance of Ladislav Trajer, Acting President of the Jewish Community of Novi Sad, were acquainted with interpreting symbols and signs on Jewish tombstones. Trajer spoke about the importance of preserving these monuments not only as a place of remembrance but also as a valuable cultural and historical heritage that sheds light on the history and tradition of the Jewish community in Vojvodina. Trajer also pointed out that in this project, the priority was those cemeteries that have not been fenced so far and that during 2025, the focus will be on cemeteries in the territory of Srem, where several cemeteries cannot be located at the moment.
Erdevik on October 28
In Erdevik, the German Ambassador to Serbia, Anke Konrad, joined the tour and supported this event with her presence. After the visit to the cemetery, the program continued in Erdevik’s local municipal space. The attendees were greeted by Nevena Bajalica on behalf of Terraforming, Jelena Šuškić, Assistant to the President of the Municipality of Šid, as well as Predrag Sremčić, Commissioner of the Local Community of Erdevik, followed by lectures on the Jewish community in Vojvodina and Erdevik, held by Dr. Gordana Todorić and Radovan Sremac. Among the attendees were Goran Kovačević, a member of the Municipal Council, Milan Gerber, the principal of the Elementary School “Sava Šumanović” from Erdevik, as well as representatives of the Jewish Community of Novi Sad.
Stara Pazova and Ruma on October 31
On the program’s second day, visits to Jewish cemeteries in Stara Pazova and Ruma were organized, where the largest Jewish cemetery in Srem is located. With the expert guidance of Ladislav Trayer, visitors had the opportunity to hear about the historical value of Jewish cemeteries and symbols on monuments. The program continued at the Cultural Center “Brana Crnčević” in Ruma, where Ljiljana Ćumura addressed the attendees on behalf of Terraforming, Katarina Filipović, director of the Cultural Center Ruma, Stevan Kovačević, Assistant to the President of the Municipality of Ruma, as well as Anton Unterberger, member of the Jewish Community of Novi Sad and a resident of Ruma. Dr. Gordana Todorić held a lecture on the history of Jews in Vojvodina. In her presentation, Todorić especially referred to the story of Dina Rajs, who left a unique mark on the local Jewish community, further emphasizing her contribution to cultural heritage. Stevan Kovačević, Assistant to the President of the Municipality of Ruma, thanked the organizers for recognizing Ruma as an important destination and pointed out that “without nurturing historical and cultural traditions, our future development projects are meaningless and doomed to failure.” He further emphasized that “members of the Jewish community in the history of our city, our municipality, have made an undoubted and immeasurable contribution to its development.”
Kisač and Temerin on November 1
The last visit in the series was to the Jewish cemeteries in Kisač and Temerin, where the participants had the opportunity to learn more about the symbols and signs on Jewish tombstones through the expert guidance of Ladislav Trayer. The program ended in the Jewish Community of Novi Sad, where the attendees were welcomed by Ljiljana Ćumura on behalf of Terraforming, and Ladislav Trajer on behalf of the Jewish Community, after which Dr. Gordana Todorić gave a lecture on the Jewish community of Vojvodina.
Media
The entire program was covered by local and regional media, which thus enabled the general public to get acquainted with the project Jewish Cemeteries of Vojvodina: Cultural Monuments and Testimonies of Unity and Its Cultural and Historical Significance.
