Polish Archbishop Personally Leads Return of Looted Jewish Tombstones in Act of Interfaith Solidarity

Report by Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

Jewish tombstones looted during Poland’s communist era and used as building material have been returned to the Jewish cemetery in Przysucha. The restoration was led and personally funded by Cardinal Grzegorz Rys, the Archbishop of Lodz.

The project was initiated after years of advocacy by the Biale Hoif Foundation and Prof. Radek Taczynski of the University of Szczecin. They had long attempted to persuade a local family to dismantle a house wall built with the gravestones. Previous efforts had failed until Prof. Taczynski reached out to Cardinal Rys for help.

Cardinal Rys negotiated directly with the family and offered to cover all financial and structural costs. His intervention enabled the wall’s removal without burdening the homeowners. Once dismantled, the gravestones were respectfully returned to the cemetery.

In a symbolic act, Cardinal Rys visited the site, removed his clerical garments, and joined workers in restoring the tombstones. The Biale Hoif Foundation called the gesture a sign of “repentance, respect, and interfaith solidarity.”

Equipment and logistical support were provided by J-nerations, a Jewish preservation group led by Meir Bulka. The organization praised the effort as an example of real cooperation between Christian and Jewish communities.

The restored tombstones mark a historic effort to reclaim Jewish heritage and confront past injustices. The project is being recognized as a model of moral leadership and interfaith unity.