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Radecznica, Poland 2016A few years ago the late, Mr. Stanislaw Zybała of Radecznica, a small village near Lublin, wrote a letter to the Foundation of the Forgotten (Fundacja Zapomniane) asking them to help him tell the story of a young Jewish woman by the name of Raźla.
Raźla was a classmate and friend of Mr. Zybała, who on December 22, 1942 along with her mother, Ajdla and several other Jews, was murdered in one of the ravines of a secluded forest near Radecznica, Poland. Mr. Zybała unexpectedly learned of her death a few days prior to Christmas Eve in 1942. He and a friend were on a quest to find a Christmas tree one day out in the forests near their home. While they were searching, they heard several gun shots in the distance. Being uncertain of what had transpired, they waited and later went to see what had occurred. When they approached the area from where they heard the gun shots, they discovered a large, freshly dug grave along the embankments of a deep gorge. From what they saw, he and friend knew it was a grave but they did not know who was buried in it. Later that day he learned that Raźla and her mother were among a group of Jews who were executed by the Nazis and then buried in the ravine. The group had been living in a well-hidden dugout for some time and had been betrayed to the Nazis by residents of a nearby village. Mr. Zybała was so moved by the death of Raźla and the other Jewish victims that in the place where the group laid, he carved a cross in the bark of a nearby tree. Even though the victims were Jewish, he carved the cross because it was the only symbol that he knew that would commemorate a grave. |
Through the years he and his wife, Marianna, would return to the ravine and visit the grave of Rażla, her mother and the other Jewish victims. They came to honor their memory and to remember them. Mr. Zybała and his wife faithfully kept the memory alive of these innocent victims for more than 70 years ago.
Sadly, Mr. Zybała died some time ago, and did not see his wish to have their grave properly commemorated. Nevertheless, I am passing along to you that his wish was realized.
With a grant from the Jewish Historical Institute and funds from several donors, Fundacja Zapomniane and The Matzevah Foundation erected a matzevah (Hebrew for headstone) for the innocent Jewish victims. We also protected and secured their grave.On Friday, September 2, 2016, along with Mr. Zybała’s widow, the Chief Rabbi of Poland, Michael Schudrich, Bishop Mieczyslaw Cislo from Lublin, local government officials, residents and students of Radecznica, I had the opportunity to take part in a ceremony to commemorate their memory. As the leader of The Matzevah Foundation and as a Baptist minister, I was one of the three spiritual leaders asked to speak and pray at the ceremony. For my prayer, I simply read in Polish, Psalm 25:6.
Below you will find a series of photographs that I made documenting our work in preparing the site and the following ceremony.
Sadly, Mr. Zybała died some time ago, and did not see his wish to have their grave properly commemorated. Nevertheless, I am passing along to you that his wish was realized.
With a grant from the Jewish Historical Institute and funds from several donors, Fundacja Zapomniane and The Matzevah Foundation erected a matzevah (Hebrew for headstone) for the innocent Jewish victims. We also protected and secured their grave.On Friday, September 2, 2016, along with Mr. Zybała’s widow, the Chief Rabbi of Poland, Michael Schudrich, Bishop Mieczyslaw Cislo from Lublin, local government officials, residents and students of Radecznica, I had the opportunity to take part in a ceremony to commemorate their memory. As the leader of The Matzevah Foundation and as a Baptist minister, I was one of the three spiritual leaders asked to speak and pray at the ceremony. For my prayer, I simply read in Polish, Psalm 25:6.
Below you will find a series of photographs that I made documenting our work in preparing the site and the following ceremony.
Steven D. Reece, PhDDr. Reece is actively engaged in Jewish-Christian dialogue and leads The Matzevah Foundation, Inc. in educating the public about the Shoah and Jewish cemetery restoration projects in Poland. He is an author and experienced speaker.
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