Publication of Mezuzy — ślady obecności (Mezuzahs: Traces of presence), a project of the Mi Polin / From Poland Foundation, whose goal is to preserve the traces of mezuzahs. Although those traces can be found all over Poland, on the door frames of many older buildings in cities, towns and villages, they are disappearing because today’s residents are often unaware of what they mean. When they renovate their houses, they remove the traces of the mezuzah that was once affixed there. With each disappearance, fewer and fewer traces remain.
During the last few years, the Mi Polin / From Poland Foundation has identified almost 140 traces of mezuzahs from the former territory of Poland and Romania. Each of them tells the story of a family. Through their research, Mi Polin rescues the memory of those families. The bilingual book for which they received support will include photographic documentation, stories of the fates of the families that lived in the buildings before the Holocaust, and an explanation of the historical and cultural meaning of the mezuzah.
Text: Mi Polin / From Poland Foundation
Amount granted by the Association: 5.000 PLN