About us
About the organization
Fond židovského dedičstva v Bardejove, n. o., was established. is a non-profit organization established in 2016 as a partner organization of the US-based non-profit BJPC – Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee.
EMIL A. FISH
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
BJPC
Since its founding in 2006, the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee has been carrying out projects focused on restoring and preserving Bardejov's Jewish heritage. Its major achievements include the restoration of the Jewish Suburbium, the Orthodox Jewish Cemetery, and the construction of the Holocaust Memorial.
Emil Fish, born in Bardejov, is a Holocaust survivor. Together with his mother and sister, he was deported to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, from which he was liberated in 1945. Later, they were reunited with his father. The family moved to Canada and arrived in Los Angeles in 1955. In 2006, Emil Fish founded the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee (BJPC). .
Emil Fish earned an engineering degree from the University of Southern California (USC) and serves as president of Fish Construction Co., Inc. and Regency Park Senior Living, Inc. In Los Angeles, he has served as president of several Jewish organizations. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed him to the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad.. (www.heritageabroad.gov)
Our Mission and Vision
To RESTORE, EDUCATE, and REMEMBER Bardejov’s Jewish cultural heritage, preserve the memory of the local Jewish community, and pass its story on to future generations.
Our Origin Story
Before World War II, the Jewish community in Bardejov was a prominent part of the city's life. In 1940, 2,441 Jewish residents lived in Bardejov, accounting for 28.7% of the total population. During the Holocaust, this community was tragically destroyed as its members were deported to ghettos, concentration, and extermination camps in occupied Poland. By 1948, only 256 Jewish residents remained in Bardejov.
Emil A. Fisha Bardejov native and Holocaust survivor, returned to his hometown in 2005 after more than 50 years. Moved by the sight of neglected cemeteries and decaying synagogues, he decided to take action. He began funding the restoration of these historic sites as a tribute to those who once lived, prayed, and died there..
In 2006, he founded Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee (BJPC). to preserve and document Bardejov’s Jewish heritage and honor the victims of the Holocaust. Ten years later, its Slovak partner organization, Fond židovského dedičstva v Bardejove, n. o., was established.
Team
JUDr. Pavel Šteiner
Executive Director and Legal Representative
He serves as the Executive Director of our non-profit organization and also acts as its legal counsel.
Contact:
steiner@bardejov.org
Mgr. Ľuboslava Mačejová, DiS.art.
Educator and Tour Guide
She has a long-standing background in tour guiding and promoting Bardejov’s Jewish history. She provides expert guided tours to visitors in the historic Jewish Suburbium while also co-creating educational and cultural programs held within the venue.
Contact:
luboslava@bardejov.org
+421 949 324 664
Laura Gutiérrez
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT & GRAPHIC DESIGNER
At the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee, she handles administration, manages the website, and designs promotional materials such as brochures, newsletters, and posters.
Orit Stieglitz
DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS
She joined the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee in 2011 and served as its Executive Director starting in 2012. After a break in 2020, she returned to the BJPC in 2023 and currently oversees our projects in both Bardejov and the US.
Giora Solar
LEAD ARCHITECT OF THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL IN BARDEJOV
He was born in Prešov. His mother, Edit Atlas, came from Raslavice, a village near Bardejov.
Mr. Solar, the lead architect and designer of the Holocaust Memorial in Bardejov, is a world-renowned heritage architect. In 2000, he evaluated UNESCO World Heritage nominations and recommended the inclusion of the Jewish Suburbium in Bardejov. His private architectural firm, Solar Architects, is based in Israel.
Viliam Semanko
SITE MANAGER OF THE JEWISH SUBURBIUM
Support & Partners
Our activities and projects are made possible through the generous support of Emil A. Fish and the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee (BJPC). .
Notable supporters include
Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic
Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic
The City of Bardejov is a key partner in our initiatives. We also collaborate with the Federation of Jewish Communities in Slovakia (ÚZŽNO), regional government authorities, and various civic, cultural, and professional organizations both in Slovakia and abroad.
Contact us
Make an appointment
Our location
Mlynská 13, 085 01 Bardejov
OPENING HOURS
Mon-Fri: 09:00 - 17:00
Sat-Sun: order
Contact
Mobile: +421 949 324 664
E-mail: luboslava@bardejov.org
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