Nissenbaum Foundation

The Nissenbaum Foundation (Polish: Fundacja Rodziny Nissenbaumów) is a Polish non-profit foundation established in 1983 and headquartered in Warsaw at ul. Edwarda Gibalskiego 21. It was founded by Sigmund Nissenbaum, a Polish-born Holocaust survivor, and describes itself as the first foundation established in Poland after the Second World War. Its mission is to rescue and preserve the traces of Jewish culture in Poland, including the restoration of Jewish cemeteries, ohels (tomb structures of revered figures), synagogues and memorial plaques at sites of Jewish martyrdom. The foundation has carried out work across the whole country. Its official website lists projects in dozens of localities, including Mielnik, Lubliniec, Mszczonów, Radzymin, Tykocin, Kazimierz Dolny, Lublin, Kolbuszowa, Tarnogóra, Gliwice, Kock, Okuniew, Tarnów, Głowaczów, Puławy, Chełm, Legnica, Gorlice, Mława, Słomniki, Chorzele, Gołdap, Słubice, Sędziszów Małopolski, Przysucha, Krosno, Cieszanów, Treblinka, Czarny Dunajec, Krościenko nad Dunajcem, Wiślica, Busko-Zdrój, Zamość, Leżajsk, Szydłów, Grójec, Szydłowiec, Kielce, Łódź, Bielsko-Biała, Bobowa, Kalisz, Andrychów, Czechowice-Dziedzice, Karczew, Kraśnik, Płońsk, Radomsko, Rzeszów, Sanok, Seroczyn, Sochaczew, Strzyżów, Wolbrom, Zabrze, Gąbin, Muszyna, Buk, Dębica, Sopot, Krynki, Różan, Góra Kalwaria, Częstochowa, Sławatycze, Puszcza Niepołomicka, Warsaw, Kraków and Lelów. Among its most notable efforts was active participation in renovation work at the New Jewish Cemetery in Łódź, the second-largest Jewish cemetery in Europe. The foundation is one of the 21 Distinguished Donors of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. Its leadership has remained within the Nissenbaum family: Sigmund Nissenbaum served as president from 1983 until his death in 2001; his wife Sonja Nissenbaum led the foundation from 2001 until her death in 2018; and Gideon Nissenbaum has served as president since January 2019. The foundation continues to operate as a private, non-profit organization funded through donations and its own resources.

The Nissenbaum Foundation was established in 1983 by Sigmund Nissenbaum, a Polish-born Holocaust survivor. According to its official website, it was the first foundation created in Poland after the Second World War, and its initial activities and financial outlays began that same year. From the outset, the foundation focused on rescuing the traces of Jewish culture on Polish soil, a mission that reflected the founder's personal history and the broader need to preserve a heritage largely destroyed during the Holocaust. Under Sigmund Nissenbaum's leadership, the foundation carried out numerous projects throughout Poland. Work included fencing and tidying Jewish cemeteries, restoration of ohels and synagogues, and the placement of memorial plaques at sites of Jewish martyrdom. A particularly significant undertaking was the foundation's active participation in renovation work at the New Jewish Cemetery in Łódź, the second-largest Jewish cemetery in Europe. Over the years, the foundation's projects have reached dozens of localities across the country, from large cities such as Warsaw, Kraków, Łódź and Lublin to smaller towns and villages. Sigmund Nissenbaum served as president of the foundation until his death in 2001. He was succeeded by his wife, Sonja Nissenbaum, who led the organization from 2001 until her death in 2018. During her tenure, the foundation continued its restoration and commemoration work and became one of the 21 Distinguished Donors of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw, a major cultural institution opened in the Polish capital. In January 2019, Gideon Nissenbaum became president of the foundation, continuing the family's leadership into a new generation. The foundation remains active, headquartered in Warsaw at ul. Edwarda Gibalskiego 21. Its official website presents an interactive map of projects across Poland, listing dozens of cities and towns where it has worked, including Mielnik, Lubliniec, Mszczonów, Radzymin, Tykocin, Kazimierz Dolny, Wola, Wodzisław-Świątniki, Lublin, Kolbuszowa, Tarnogóra, Gliwice, Kock, Okuniew, Tarnów, Głowaczów, Puławy, Chełm, Legnica, Gorlice, Mława, Słomniki, Chorzele, Gołdap, Słubice, Sędziszów Małopolski, Przysucha, Krosno, Cieszanów, Treblinka, Czarny Dunajec, Krościenko nad Dunajcem, Wiślica, Busko-Zdrój, Zamość, Leżajsk, Szydłów, Grójec, Szydłowiec, Kielce, Łódź, Bielsko-Biała, Bobowa, Kalisz, Andrychów, Czechowice-Dziedzice, Karczew, Kraśnik, Płońsk, Radomsko, Rzeszów, Sanok, Seroczyn, Sochaczew, Strzyżów, Wolbrom, Zabrze, Gąbin, Muszyna, Buk, Dębica, Sopot, Krynki, Różan, Góra Kalwaria, Częstochowa, Sławatycze, Puszcza Niepołomicka, Warsaw, Kraków and Lelów. The foundation's long-standing commitment has made it a notable actor in Polish-Jewish heritage preservation and Holocaust commemoration.

• 2019

  Gideon Nissenbaum becomes president in January.

• 2018

  Sonja Nissenbaum dies after serving as president since 2001.

• 2001

  Sigmund Nissenbaum dies; Sonja Nissenbaum becomes president.

• 1983

  Foundation established by Sigmund Nissenbaum; first activities and financial outlays begin.

A family-led, non-profit heritage foundation dedicated to rescuing and preserving Jewish cultural traces in Poland, operating nationwide since 1983.

• Restoration of the New Jewish Cemetery in Łódź

  Active participation in renovation work at the second-largest Jewish cemetery in Europe.

• Cemetery fencing and tidying projects

  Numerous Jewish cemeteries across Poland have been fenced and cleaned up.

• Ohel and synagogue restoration

  Restoration work at ohels and synagogues throughout Poland.

• Memorial plaques at martyrdom sites

  Placement of commemorative plaques at sites of Jewish martyrdom.

1. 1Strona główna - Fundacja Rodziny Nissenbaumównissenbaum.pl
2. 2Fundacja Rodziny Nissenbaumów – Wikipedia, wolna encyklopediapl.wikipedia.org
3. 3Nissenbaum Foundation – Wikidatawikidata.org