The revitalization of the Jewish cemetery strengthens the mosaic of the capital

Pristina, July 24 – A green space around the tombstones, sidewalk with wooden seats on the sides and light poles will be the new look of the Jewish cemetery in the "Arbëria" neighborhood in Pristina. As traces of the Jewish community, which for several centuries was an integral part of the cultural mosaic of Pristina, these cemeteries have not been treated by the relevant institutions for years.

In the database of the Ministry of Culture, the Jewish cemetery in the "Arbëria" neighborhood is included in the list of monuments under temporary protection with the identification number 3399.

With the support of the Office of the European Union, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Municipality of Pristina, on Tuesday, the works for the revitalization of cemeteries dating from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries began.

As part of the project "Inclusive Intercommunity Dialogue for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage", funded by the EU Instrument for Peace and Stability (IcSP) and implemented by UNDP, the works will focus on highlighting the history of the presence Jewish community in Pristina, the beautification and regeneration of the surrounding area, as well as the creation of a small square for various activities.

The British historian, Noel Malcolm, writes that at the end of the nineteenth century, 305 Spanish-speaking Jews lived in Pristina, while in 1910, it was estimated that 3 lived in all of Kosovo. Some street names and Jewish cemeteries (even in the "Velania" neighborhood) are still evidence of the historical presence of Jews in Pristina. The population census in 1991 recorded 112 Jews in all of Kosovo.

(Widely, today in the "Daily Time")