The following is a letter from Congressman Ed Towns (NY-10) sent to Ambassador Kupiecki, Poland’s Ambassador to the United States, regarding the destruction of the old Jewish cemetery in Wroclaw, Poland.

July 1, 2008

Dear Ambassador Kupiecki:

I hope this letter finds you well. It has been brought to my attention by the prestigious Asra Kadisha organization based in my district that there is a construction project slated to be built on the site of the Old Jewish Cemetery near the train station of Wroclaw. I appreciate this opportunity to work with you in resolving this important matter.

Poland, prior to World War II, was home to the largest Jewish community in the world. It was a community that thrived and flourished, only to be decimated by the Nazi war machine. Today, a mere fraction of what once was exists and memories of pre-Holocaust Polish Jewry are sadly fading. Because of this, I firmly believe it is incumbent upon the Polish government to ensure whatever remains of Polish Jewry do exist be preserved for future generations. The story of the Polish Jewish community, during the Holocaust, must be taught to not only foster an environment of understanding and acceptance of the Jewish community, but Poland must also memorialize and eternalize the memories of those Jews who are still buried there.

It is with this in mind that I was very troubled to hear that construction is scheduled to begin a top the Old Jewish Cemetery near the train station of Wroclaw. I must express my concern over the prospect of this occurring. In a time where we must be preserving, we cannot be destroying, especially at a site as significant as the Wroclaw Jewish Cemetery.

I am informed that members of Asra Kadisha are reaching out to the Polish government for a swift, just and moral solution to this situation. I hope you will heed their request and ensure the cemetery is preserved for all future generations. I look forward to hearing from you soon and being kept appraised of this serious matter.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my District Legislative Director Jonathan Noble with any questions you might have on this or other issues.

With warmest wishes, I remain

Sincerely yours,
Edolphus “Ed” Towns
Member of Congress