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Hello Bardejovers and friends!
We are so excited to share the latest news from Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee!
As we begin 2026, we pause to reflect on our organization’s many accomplishments, while also looking forward to watching our Bardejov heritage education expand in the year to come. We continue the work of spreading awareness of the rich Jewish heritage in Bardejov before the Holocaust. As always, we recognize the vital responsibility of educating the world, and most especially our children and grandchildren, about our Bardejov roots.
Greetings from Mr. Emil Fish
On January 27th we observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the day designated by the United Nations to remember the victims of the Holocaust and commemorate the 1945 liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.
The Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee is dedicated to remembering and honoring the lives of those who were killed in the Holocaust, from Bardejov and throughout Eastern Europe.
Together, we can ensure that the history of our ancestors is never forgotten, and that their legacy continues to inspire our children and future generations forever.
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WHAT'S INSIDE
- Jewish Suburbia Updates
- French Ambassador Visits Bardejov
- Beautification in Bardejov – A UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Kosher Certified Hotel to be opened in Bardejov
- Yeshiva University Fish Center Event
- Our Next Commemoration Event in Bardejov
- 2025 Commemoration Ceremony Video Available Now
- BARDEJOV Film Available Now
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JEWISH SUBURBIA UPDATES
The Jewish Suburbia complex, a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been a major part of our preservation work in Bardejov. The complex includes three buildings connected by a shared yard, adjacent to the Bardejov Holocaust Memorial.
The three buildings—The Old Synagogue, Beith Hamidrash, and the Mikveh—are vacated and restored. We are happy to let you know that we are finally moving forward with the plan of developing the complex in its entirety as a Living Heritage Center that will also include a museum.
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Restored Old Synagogue
Complete restoration finalized in 2017 and opened to the public
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Bardejov Holocaust Memorial
Inaugurated in 2014
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Vacated Mikvah
Reclaimed as part of the heritage complex in 2024
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Restored Beith Hamidrash
Complete restoration finalized in 2024
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Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee hosted many enthusiastic tourist groups throughout the year, and we are eager to keep welcoming visitors to view our ongoing heritage restoration.
The Jewish Heritage of Bardejov also includes two additional Jewish Heritage Sites: The restored Jewish Cemetery, with graves dating back to the 18th Century, and the Bikur Cholim Synagogue, remarkably preserved through WWII, are two integral landmarks of Bardejov's Jewish heritage.
Please visit our website for more information and how to arrange a visit to any of these sites.
| | Bardejov's Jewish Cemetery | | |
FRENCH AMBASSADOR VISIT
We have been privileged to welcome many dignitaries to our Jewish Suburbia and especially to our Holocaust Memorial.
On Thursday, November 27, 2025, we had the honor of welcoming Nicolas Suran, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to the Slovak Republic. Ambassador Suran was accompanied by Sébastien Girard, First Secretary of the Embassy, and Bronislava Sinčáková of the Press Department.
During his visit, the Ambassador met with representatives of local civic organizations for a series of meaningful and productive discussions. In the Jewish Suburbia, he was warmly received by our Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee local staff. There, Ambassador Suran toured the heritage sites and paid his respects at the Holocaust Memorial.
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BEAUTIFICATION IN BARDEJOV
The town of Bardejov, including the Jewish Suburbia complex, is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its completely intact medieval town center and appreciated for its historical architecture.
To better accommodate visitors, the street adjacent to the Mikveh was replanned this past December. This will provide more space and easy access when visiting the Jewish Suburbia.
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KOSHER CERTIFIED HOTEL TO BE OPENED IN BARDEJOV
Hotel Bellevue of Bardejov is now under new ownership. The Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee is involved in the updating and remodeling of the property, which is expected to reopen in approximately one year as a fully Kosher-certified hotel.
It will be a luxury establishment offering panoramic views of Bardejov, along with amenities such as tennis courts and a swimming pool.
With this new Kosher-certified destination, we will be able to accommodate visiting groups with a wide range of needs.
| | | | Bird's-Eye View of the Hotel | |
EVENT BY THE EMIL A. AND JENNY FISH CENTER OF YESHIVA UNIVERSITY
November 10th, 2025, marked the anniversary of Kristallnacht—the “Night of Broken Glass” pogrom that occurred on that date in Germany, in 1938. To commemorate the date, Yeshiva University and The Emil A. and Jenny Fish Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies organized an event at Congregation Agudath Shalom in Stamford, Connecticut in coordination with several synagogues and a local Jewish school.
Our Founder, Emil Fish, was invited to participate in the program to share personal stories about his childhood in Bardejov, his family’s experiences during the Holocaust and his mission to preserve the Jewish heritage in Bardejov and Eastern Europe. The audience was moved by Mr. Fish’s Holocaust experiences and, most especially, by his “Neder”—his vow and his commitment to share the rich culture of Jewish life in Bardejov before the Holocaust.
| | Mr. Emil Fish and Dr. Shay Pilnik, Director of the Fish Center at Yeshiva University, speak at a Kristallnacht commemoration event at Congregation Agudath Shalom in Stamford, Connecticut. | |
EVENT & GATHERING IN BARDEJOV—
SAVE THE DATE!
A commemoration ceremony honoring the holocaust victims from Bardejov, together with the Essay and Art contest for local school students, will continue to take place every year. This year, the ceremony will take place on June 24th.
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FULL CEREMONY VIDEO: JUNE 2025 HOLOCAUST COMMEMORATION IN BARDEJOV
We are pleased to share the full video of our 2025 Holocaust Commemoration Ceremony in Bardejov on June 25th, 2025, complete with English subtitles.
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HAVE YOU SEEN THE FILM BARDEJOV?
The Bardejov film is available for viewing online. Produced by Emil Fish in coordination with the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee, the film was directed by Danny A. Abeckaser and stars Robert Davi.
Bardejov tells the true story of the daring and ingenious plan devised by Rafuel Lowy, the President of the Jewish Council, in attempts to save the young women of Bardejov from being included in the first official Jewish transport to Auschwitz. It is a moving portrayal of the devout and brave Jews living in Bardejov during the Holocaust. Parts of the film were shot in Bardejov, giving an authentic view of our unique hometown.
Click here to learn how you can watch the film.
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