ART OF ABANDONED JEWISH CEMETERIES ZINE
We created this zine with goals in mind – our one aim was to present and preserve at least a small part of the very rich cultural and and artistic values that we can find in the jewish cemeteries of Hungary. Our goal is to introduce the reader to the fascinating and interesting world of symbols of the jewish cemeteries, and also to preserve the memories of the former rural jewish communities of the country through this zine.
The zine’s aim also to raise attention to the state of jewish cemeteries in Hungary (and in Eastern- Europe in general). Today in Hungary there are approximately 1600 jewish cemeteries, most of them, according to some estimates close to 1200 of them are abandoned, neglected cemeteries. Due to the Holocaust and the extermination of the rural hungarian jewry, these cemeteries remained without owner and caretaker, and slowly they are going towards destruction. In many cases, these cemeteries are the only remained build heritage or sight that left of the once thriving rural, hungarian jewish communities.
A lot should be done in order to save this unique and important heritage – and this zine is only a small step in that direction.
During the research and the creation process, we tried to choose ten unique representation of the commonly used jewish cemetery symbols. The symbols of the zine were made in a digital program, using a lino-cut type of style.
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Creators:
Illustration:
Judit Borsi. Instagram: @juditborsi @jdt_borsi
Texts and research:
Bence Illyés. Instagram: @csodak_vandorai
Lecture:
István Balogh.
Special thanks for the help of István Balogh, Andor Tóth, Attila Patkós, Péter Somos, Viktória Bányai, Mátyás Király, Bálint Laszlóczki and Krisztina Bogó, and for the generous support of the Paideia The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden.
Order the zine:
Contacts:
Facebook:
csodakvandorai@gmail.com
Support our work through the Mahaza Foundation:
11713012-21462566
