the Brest Jewish cemetery memorial officially opens

Under the solemn skies of Brest on 28th July 2025, history whispered anew as The Together Plan unveiled the Brest-Litovsk Jewish Cemetery Memorial – the sacred culmination of a twelve-year odyssey of remembrance. In this hallowed moment, weathered stones returned home and fractured memories were made whole, bearing powerful witness to what determined hearts can achieve when united in sacred purpose. More than a memorial, this became living proof that no grave remains forgotten when the community becomes keeper of its stories.

At the heart of this achievement lies the dedication of our team and supporters worldwide. Our CEO and co-founder Debra Brunner, alongside co-founder Artur Livshyts, led final preparations in Brest with our core team – Sonya Shaipak, Vasily Zaitsau, and Elena Livshyts – joined by dedicated volunteers including Neil Adams from the UK. Despite torrential rains in the days before the opening, the team worked tirelessly into the night to ensure every detail honoured the site’s significance. In what felt like a divine intervention, the skies cleared precisely as the ceremony began, remaining dry until the last guests departed.

We owe special recognition to Stephen Grynberg, whose cornerstone funding and commissioning of the memorial’s design made the vision of Arkadiy Bliakher, former head of the Brest Jewish community, a reality. Stephen’s commitment to preserving Jewish heritage in Brest has created an enduring legacy. Equally vital was the contribution of Texas-based landscape artist Brad J Goldberg, whose sensitive and thoughtful design transformed the space into a dignified place of contemplation that bridges past and present. Thanks also goes to our sister non-profit in the USA Jewish Tapestry Project.

The opening ceremony brought together an extraordinary gathering of diplomats from the UK, US, Germany, Austria, Poland and Bulgaria, alongside leaders from Brest’s City Municipality and Belarusian Railroad. The speakers were Andrei Filanovich, Head of the Brest City Council, Religious leaders Rabbi Mordechai Raichenstein, Chief Orthodox Rabbi of Belarus and Rabbi Chaim Rabinovich of the Brest Jewish Community, Artur Livshyts, Chair of the Jewish Religious Union of Belarus and co-founder of The Together Plan and Debra Brunner.  Also in attendance were members of Jewish communities from Brest, Novogrudok, Minsk and Polotsk and  the Head of Brest’s Muslim Religious Community, demonstrating the power of interfaith unity. The Head of the Board and the Vice Chairman of the Historical Workshop named after Leonid Levin (Minsk) along with the specialist of their educational programmes were also in attendance.

The unveiling itself was deeply moving – military cadets stood guard as a blue veil, lifted by the wind, revealed glimpses of Hebrew inscriptions beneath. A military band played solemnly as the speakers reflected on the importance of memory. The ceremony’s most poignant moment came when attendees laid stones on returned gravestones, each one a permanent tribute to lives once buried there.

This memorial stands on foundations built by many hands. We honour the contributions of many people, including Brest’s dedicated Jewish archivist Efim Basin, Vladimir Gubenko author and illustrator of ‘Brest of My Memory‘,  researcher and translator Jenni Buch in Australia. To all our supporters and the descendants worldwide who kept faith in this mission – your belief made this possible.

The day’s commemorations continued with a wonderful reception that brought together all participants in a spirit of shared purpose and reflection. Here we proudly displayed an exhibition produced by our Minsk team, presented in both Russian and English, which told the compelling story of the cemetery’s history, explained the rich symbolism of Jewish gravestones, and documented the remarkable journey to creating this new memorial. The exhibition served and will continue to serve as both an educational resource and a poignant tribute to the site’s significance.

Among the reception’s distinguished speakers was Kathleen Balgley from San Diego, who had travelled specially to Belarus for this historic occasion. Kathleen moved attendees with her heartfelt words about her book “Letters to My Father” and her deep personal connection to Brest through her father, who was born in the city. Her speech added a powerful personal dimension to our collective remembrance, bridging generations and continents through shared history. We were also delighted to have with us some of our wonderful volunteers who had made the journey specially to be a part of this historic day – Natalie Baskin with her husband Stanley and Andrea Batsman.

As Debra Brunner expressed in her powerful address, this is more than a memorial – it is history reclaimed, memory triumphant over oblivion, proof of what we can achieve together. The opening marks not an end, but a new chapter in our commitment to ensuring these stories live on. Through twelve years of perseverance, through storm and sunshine, this moment stands as proof of The Together Plan’s mission realised – a promise kept, a sacred space restored, and a community united in remembrance.

The memorial will continue to evolve. There are plans to plant more trees at the site, sow flowers, add benches and QR codes where visitors can learn more about the history of the cemetery, the community of Brest and how it was destroyed.

To access the Brest-Litovsk Jewish Cemetery headstones online database – click here

To watch Debra Brunner deliver her speech at the opening ceremony on July 28th – click here

To read the article in the UK Jewish News – click here

To read the article in the Los Angeles Jewish Journal – click here

To watch the news report on Brest News TV – click here

A landmark agreement has been signed in Belarus to to establish a Belarusian Museum of the Holocaust and Resistance in the historic town of Novogrudok.  To read more – click here

For more information please contact us by email – [email protected]