Our World Society of Częstochowa Jews and Their Descendants

ABOUT US

The World Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation which grants the Society tax-exempt status under the United States Department of the Treasury and the United States Internal Revenue Service. Our organisation is exempt from Federal Income Tax under the IRS code and all charitable contributions to us, be they donations, bequests, devises, transfers or gifts, are tax deductible in the USA.

The World Society acts a clearing house for information and education. Its purpose is to foster and support research into the history of Częstochowa Jewry – their vital contribution to the commerce, industry, and culture of Częstochowa and beyond.

Częstochowa, the most sacred Roman Catholic city in Poland, and the home of the Black Madonna, has for centuries been a pilgrimage site for millions of Catholics.

Before World War II, around one-third of the population were Jews (almost 40,000). After the Germans invaded Poland in September 1939, they first confined the Jews to a ghetto and then deported them to the Treblinka death camp. Some 5,200 survived in HASAG, a forced labour camp on the outskirts of the city. Today, there are fewer than 100 Jews in the city.

The World Society of Częstochowa Jews and Their Descendants is a focal point for all seeking contact with other Częstochowers.

One of our major projects was to establish the Jewish Museum of Częstochowa. In 2016, with the help of the Mayor and City Council of Częstochowa, that dream became a reality and our exhibition, “The Jews of Częstochowa”, now has a permanent home . Our website contains more information about the Museum.

Our other major project is to restore the Częstochowa Jewish Cemetery – the third largest Jewish cemetery in Poland. While a great deal of cleaning up has been done and while the gates and martyrs’ monuments have been restored, a permanent restoration solution for the cemetery, as a whole, has still not been achieved. The World Society continues to focus on this project.

We invite all Jews, who can trace their roots to the city of Częstochowa and its surrounding area, to contact us either directly or through our Facebook page. We are a worldwide family comprising four generations – we warmly invite you to become a member of our family.