Local authorities in Harbin, North China, have ordered the removal of all graves within the city limits, including the Jewish cemetery which contains 3,500 graves, the World Jewish Congress reported.
Thus far, only graves still tended by relatives or friends are being moved. Unless the others are moved, at community expense, they will be levelled without exhumation to make way for new building projects. However, the community has no funds available for this purpose and has appealed to Jewish communities throughout the world and to the United Hias Service for assistance.
(In Rome, the Union of Italian Jewish Communities issued a notice to all Italian Jewish communities to inform all former residents of Harbin of the problem and to enlist their aid.)
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
