a journey of memory – returning to Belarus to embrace the past

By Debra Brunner

After a five-year absence, I returned to Belarus on July 22nd, 2025. For me, this was more than a trip; it was a pilgrimage back to the heart of a mission that had sustained me through years of global isolation. Before the world shut down in 2020, I travelled to Belarus nearly five times a year, immersed in the vital work of connecting with communities, running summer programmes, and bearing witness to the fading echoes of Jewish life—visiting neglected cemeteries and decaying synagogues that once pulsed with community.

My last visit was in January 2020. I had flown via Kiev to Minsk and from Minsk, I travelled with a film crew, intent on solving a mystery: locating the salvaged gravestones from the historic Jewish cemetery of Brest-Litovsk, which had been mysteriously relocated. That expedition was the beginning. The film we made that winter captured the first steps of a quest that would become a major quest. In 2021, an exclusive agreement granted us the sacred responsibility to work with these stones, launching our formal campaign to catalogue the collection and fundraise for a permanent memorial.

Then, the world paused. COVID-19 made travel impossible, and for two years, our work continued remotely over Zoom. Our vibrant summer youth programmes were put on hold, though we supported local initiatives from a distance. Just as the pandemic receded, the war in Ukraine began, making travel difficult once again. Despite it all, our dedicated team in Belarus persevered, and the project with the Brest gravestones not only continued but gained momentum.

A significant breakthrough came in 2024 with a successful match-funded crowdfunding campaign. The cause was so compelling that in June 2025, I walked a marathon through London with my business networking group to raise the final funds. Suddenly, the dream of the Brest-Litovsk Jewish Cemetery Memorial was within reach. In a whirlwind nine months, from October 2024 to July 2025, the “Memory Embrace” memorial was transformed from a vision into a powerful reality.

My return in July was profoundly moving. I finally saw the renovated Jewish Heritage Centre in Minsk, now a bustling hub of community projects, and was able to reconnect in person with the incredible team who had made it all happen. I was joined by one of our dedicated volunteers, Neil Adams, for whom seeing the fruits of our long-distance labour was a deeply impactful experience.

Before our departure for the memorial opening in Brest, we detoured to Novogrudok for a symposium on establishing a new Holocaust Museum—a testament to the ongoing work of memory. Then, we were off to Brest.

I watched in awe as our team meticulously organised every detail, transporting a travelling exhibition and everything needed for the opening reception. We were joined in Brest by a small, heartfelt delegation from the UK and the USA, including Kathleen Balgley, an author and educator whose father was born in Brest. For her, this journey was a poignant return to her roots.

The day before the opening, eleven of us laboured tirelessly at the site from morning until late night under torrential rain, driven by a shared commitment to honour the lost community. I awoke the next morning to the same relentless rain, my heart sinking with fear that the weather would overshadow the day. But as we arrived at the memorial, a miracle occurred: the clouds parted, and the sun shone down. Hundreds of people were waiting in anticipation. The sun stayed with us throughout the entire ceremony, leaving only after the last guest had departed, when the clouds gathered and the rain returned. It felt like a blessing.

The warm reception that followed was filled with shared emotion as guests browsed the exhibition, enjoyed refreshments, and reflected on the significance of the day.

Personally, I am still processing the enormity of what we have achieved. The Brest-Litovsk Jewish Cemetery has its name back; it can no longer be forgotten. This memorial tells an immense story, pulling hidden history into the light. It honours a vanished world and provides a sacred space for descendants from across the globe to connect with and honour their families.

Yet, this opening is not an end. It is a new beginning. Our work continues, and there is still much we hope to accomplish:

• Onging Care: Cleaning and polishing the installed gravestones; mapping them with GPS for the catalogue.
• Digital Access: Installing QR codes linked to multi-lingual web pages (Russian, Belarusian, English, Hebrew) detailing the cemetery’s history and the memorial’s creation.
• Site Enhancements: Installing visitor benches, an irrigation system, litter bins, and additional trees and wildflowers.
• Future Discoveries: Maintaining the site by installing new gravestones as they are found, continuing the vital work of cataloguing.
• Understanding Impact: Installing an eco-counter to analyse visitor footfall and trends.

If you feel moved to support any of these next steps, we would be delighted to tell you more and welcome your partnership.

For now, I extend my deepest gratitude to every person who helped bring ‘Memory Embrace’ to life. This project stands as a powerful testament to what is possible when we unite for a single, sacred purpose.