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WHO WE ARE: OUR HISTORY & VISION

Prior to World War II, the town of Bardejov, Slovakia included a vibrant Jewish community. It served as the epicenter for diverse groups of Jews that contributed their talents and skills to a blossoming integrated town. Estimates suggest that at its peak in the early 20th century, nearly 40% of individuals who lived in the area—both rural and urban residents—were Jewish. Moreover, dozens of businesses and secular social institutions that gave Bardejov its unique flavor and intrigue were founded by these Jewish residents.

However, as is the story of so many places throughout Europe, the Holocaust brought an end to this success story. From 1942-45 more than 3,000 Jews from the Bardejov area alone were deported to various places in occupied Poland, including ghettos, concentration camps, and extermination camps. As a result of the death and displacement wrought by the war, a mere 250 Jews remained in Bardejov in 1948. Prominent places of worship and Jewish cultural life fell into disrepair or were repurposed by the non-Jewish community.

Today, after nearly three centuries of continuous Jewish presence in Bardejov, there are no Jews living in the town. Their ghosts wander the Jewish Suburbium that has outlived them. As Bardejov renewed itself in the post-war era, it did so without the Jewish chapters of its past.  Modern-day visitors walk by the traces of these lives and this history on a daily basis, but few are aware of the precious heritage that is sealed in brick or buried below the earth. 

The Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee (BJPC) envisions a different possibility. One in which this vibrant Jewish history is no longer ignored but celebrated and honored. This is why, in 2005, the forgotten history of Jewish Bardejov was given a renewed life when Bardejov-born Holocaust survivor Emil Fish returned to his hometown to discover the degradation of places he once knew intimately. Then and there he resolved to restore and preserve these treasured spaces and he founded BJPC the following year.

READ MR. FISH’S PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THE FOUNDING OF BJPC

BJPC STAFF

Emil A. Fish

FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT

Emil Fish, who was born in Bardejov, Slovakia, is a Holocaust survivor. He was sent with his mother and sister to Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp, where he was liberated in 1945. They later reunited with his father. The family immigrated to Canada and arrived in Los Angeles in 1955. Mr. Fish founded the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee in 2006.

Mr. Fish, who has an Engineering degree from USC, is the president of Fish Construction Co., Inc. and Regency Park Senior Living, Inc. He has served as president of several Jewish organizations in Los Angeles. In 2009, he was appointed by President Obama to the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad (www.heritageabroad.gov).

Cheryl Wolf

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Cheryl joins us with a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to preserving the rich history and heritage of Bardejov and the entirety of Eastern Europe. Her dedication to cultural preservation and community engagement makes her a perfect fit to help lead our organization’s expanded mission.

LAURA GUTIÉRREZ

EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
& GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Born and raised in San José, Costa Rica, Laura Gutiérrez graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2013 with a BFA in Graphic Design. Soon after, she relocated to Pasadena and began working for the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee.

In addition to performing various administrative duties for the organization, Laura is also in charge of designing and maintaining our website, and producing our design materials such as brochures, newsletters, and posters. She assisted with the production of the Memorial Book of Jewish Bardejov and is currently involved with our new book publication.

ORIT STIEGLITZ

DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS

Orit Stieglitz holds a Master’s degree and a PhD from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). She joined the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee in 2011 and served as the organization’s executive director since 2012. After taking a leave of absence in 2020, Orit came back to BJPC in 2023. She directs our projects in Bardejov and the USA. 

PAVEL ŠTEINER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FOND ŽIDOVSKÉHO DEDIČSTVA V BARDEJOVE, N.O.

JUDr. Pavel Šteiner, practices law since 2006 and is the owner of Steiner & Associates s.r.o. law firm in Kosice, Slovakia, since 2009. Mr. Šteiner serves as both the Executive Director of our local nonprofit organization in Slovakia and as our legal consultant.

GIORA SOLAR

PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT, BARDEJOV HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL

Giora Solar was born in Presov, Slovakia. His mother, Edit Atlas, is from Raslavice — a village near Bardejov.

Mr. Solar, the principal architect and designer for the Bardejov Holocaust Memorial, is a world-renowned preservation architect. In 2000, he evaluated UNESCO’s World Heritage nominations and recommended the inclusion of the Bardejov Jewish Suburbia. His private architectural firm, Solar Architects, is based in Israel.

BARDEJOV TODAY

Today, Bardejov is known primarily for its authentic old town square, which due to extensive restoration and preservation of its Medieval, Renaissance, and Gothic architecture has made Bardejov a popular tourist destination. As might be expected, tourism has become one of Bardejov’s main industries for its approximately 35,000 residents. The town draws on its rich heritage to further develop cultural traditions, such as an annual trade fair and the Roland Games (commemorating its medieval past).

In 1950, Bardejov, then part of Czechoslovakia, was declared a protected city core and extensive restoration of its cultural heritage began. These efforts culminated in Bardejov receiving the European Gold Medal by the International Board of Trustees in Hamburg in 1986—the first town in Czechoslovakia to receive the award. On November 20, 2000, Bardejov was selected by UNESCO as one of its World Heritage sites, recognized for its Jewish Suburbia and historic town center.

VISIT JEWISH BARDEJOV

If you plan a visit to Bardejov and would like to visit the Jewish SuburbiaBikur Cholim Synagogue, and the Jewish Cemetery, please contact us so that we can provide you with information regarding access (these places are locked but available to visit upon request).

LINKS:

350 Cordova St., Pasadena, CA 91101  |  626.773.8808  |  info@bardejov.org
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