The foundation will oversee the preservation work at the Jewish cemetery. Catholic churches, monuments and cemeteries have been among the organization's focus. In Warsaw on Friday, Polish Culture Minister Piotr Glinski signed a contract with Laszczkowski that formalized the government donation. The money established an endowment, returns from which are supposed to go to cleaning the cemetery, preserving its tombstones and monuments and reinforcing an outer wall.
Anna Chipczynska, the head of the Warsaw Jewish community, and Michael Schudrich, an American who is the country's chief rabbi, attended the signing. While many Poles see Jews as a foreign nation or separate people despite centuries of co-existence, Glinski described the cemetery as an element of "Poland's cultural and national heritage."
"It's the duty of the Polish state to care for our heritage," the culture minister said. Schudrich called Glinski's words "honey to my heart" and added: "It's obvious, but sometimes it needs to be said." Sky more