The Committee to Save the Cemetery in Opatów

Opatów (Apta), Poland

The old Jewish cemetery of Apta

Resting place of the holy Ohr LaShamayim and other tzaddikim of Opatów.

Founded in the 1630s, it is where the community's rabbis and tzaddikim were laid to rest for generations.

Directions to the tziyunPlan a visit
Hilula25 Tammuz
The keverRow 5 Seat 6
EntryOpen 24 hours
A minyan davening at the holy tziyunThe curtain over the holy Tziyun
A minyan davening at the holy tziyunThe curtain over the holy Tziyun

Three eras, one place

The story of the cemetery

I

Holy ground for centuries

The cemetery of Apta was founded in the 1630s. The community's rabbis and tzaddikim were buried here, first among them the Ohr LaShamayim, rav of Apta.

II

Destruction

In 1942 the Germans turned the cemetery into an execution site. During the German occupation the matzevos were torn out and used as building material. In 1962 it was decided to turn the ground into a park, and in October 1962 the rest were removed. A culture house, a kindergarten and an amphitheater were built on part of it.

III

Hope

Archival maps, 1944 aerial photographs, the memories of former residents and a 2022 radar survey all point to the same spot: beneath the amphitheater seating.

1639Earliest documentary mention of the cemetery
25 TammuzYahrzeit of the Ohr LaShamayim, who passed away in 5587 (1827)
1962The authorities decide to turn the cemetery into a park
2022Research points to the ohel: beneath the amphitheater seating
Today

With Heaven’s help, we are doing everything in our power to restore this holy place to its former glory, and we ask each and every one of you to pray that our efforts succeed.

General view of the Opatów amphitheater; the holy tziyun lies beneath the seats, Row 5 Seat 6.
The holy tziyunBeneath the seats of the Opatów amphitheater

Explore the site

The tziyun

The Ohr LaShamayim's resting place: exact location and one-tap navigation.

The cemetery

Its history, what remains today, and an interactive map of the site.

Tzaddikim of Apta

The town's rabbis and tzaddikim, their seforim, and a yahrzeit calendar.

History

A timeline of Jewish Apta, from its beginnings to today.

Visitor guide

Getting there, what to know, and a route of nearby kevarim.

Mayor vs. Facts

The mayor's words, set against what the documents show.

PL

The site in pictures

November 2022: the Opatów surveyor marked the likely place of the ohel and the tahara house, from the 1947 survey map and 1944 aerial photos.A matzeva fragment carved with candlesticks.Present-day aerial view with the cemetery border as identified from archival aerial photographs (red line).The synagogue of Opatów (historic photograph).The rows of seating in the Opatów amphitheater; the kever is beneath the seats: Row 5 Seat 6.The amphitheater rows seen from above; the kever is beneath the seats.Aerial photograph of Opatów, 1944.Prayer at the site of the tziyun, on the amphitheater seating in Opatów.
25 Tammuz

Prayer at the holy tziyun

The gathering at the holy tziyun
The gathering at the holy tziyun
Prayer at the holy tziyun
Prayer at the holy tziyun
The hilula seudah
The hilula seudah
The hilula seudah
The hilula seudah
Prayer at the holy tziyun
Prayer at the holy tziyun
Gathered around the holy tziyun
Gathered around the holy tziyun
Prayer at the tziyun
Prayer at the tziyun
Gathered around the holy tziyun
Gathered around the holy tziyun
Prayer at the tziyun
Prayer at the tziyun
Prayer at the tziyun
Prayer at the tziyun
Gathered around the holy tziyun
Gathered around the holy tziyun
Tehillim at the tziyun
Tehillim at the tziyun
Among the amphitheater rows
Among the amphitheater rows
Prayer at the tziyun
Prayer at the tziyun
The tziyun among the rows of seats
The tziyun among the rows of seats
Prayer at the tziyun
Prayer at the tziyun
Tehillim at the tziyun
Tehillim at the tziyun
Prayer at the tziyun
Prayer at the tziyun
The tziyun among the rows of seats
The tziyun among the rows of seats
The tziyun among the rows of seats
The tziyun among the rows of seats
Prayer by the Tziyun
Prayer by the Tziyun
Candles beside the tziyun
Candles beside the tziyun

Next yahrzeit

25 Tammuz 5787 · Friday, July 30, 2027

Yahrzeit of the Ohr LaShamayim. The Hebrew day begins the evening before.

0Days
00Hours
00Minutes
00Seconds
Add to calendarAll yahrzeits

"יעדער וואס קומט אהין האט א חלק אין ראטעווען דעם מקום קדוש!"

"Everyone who comes there has a share in saving the holy place."

Plan a visit

How you can help

Come and pray

A visit to the tziyun is the greatest help. The visitor guide explains how to get there.

Visitor guide

Share documents and photos

Old photos, documents or memories of Apta help document the site.

How to send

Contact the committee

Questions, suggestions, or want to help? Write to us: [email protected]

Contact form

Contact the committee

For questions, suggestions, or to share photos and documents from Apta, write to us here or by email: [email protected]

Plan a visit