Wall of Memory on the grounds of the Jewish Resistance Museum
unearthing memory – history that refuses to stay buried
Welcome to the June edition of The Together Plan newsletter – a collection of stories that span the fragile line between memory and loss, discovery and danger. This month, we take you to Novogrudok, where the future of a site synonymous with one of the Holocaust’s most daring escapes now hangs in the balance as private developers move in; to Minsk, where a long‑destroyed cemetery is quietly defying erasure; and into our archive, where a single name has helped to unlock mysteries in search of 800 years of lineage. We also celebrate six years of transforming how young people engage with Jewish Belarusian history, and pay a heartfelt tribute to Neil Adams, a volunteer whose passion for uncovering hidden narratives left an indelible mark on us all. These are not just histories – they are living, contested, and urgent. We hope you’ll read on.
All the best,
The Together Plan team
upcoming events
Join our events to support us and learn more about what we do!
open volunteer roles
We are growing our team and we need your help!
- 12th July – live online charity auction fundraising event (8am – 8pm UK time)
- 12th July – The Jews of Belarus: From the Pale of Settlement to the USSR and Beyond (online event by Qesher in support of The Together Plan)
- 23rd July – The Jews of Galicia (Western Ukraine): A Virtual Tour of Lviv and Brody (online event by Qesher in support of The Together Plan)
- SAVE THE DATE: 6th September – online talk with Philip Maymin, a client of The Together Plan’s Archive Services
- aid sorting & packing volunteer
- human resources coordinator
- events team volunteer
- eBay and online sales volunteer
a site of silence – the future of Novogrudok and the tunnel escape
What happens when a place of profound Holocaust history, where more than 130 prisoners escaped through a hand-dug tunnel, is sold to private developers. From mannequins and watchtowers to questions of public ownership and historical integrity, the future of Novogrudok hangs in the balance. Descendants, historians, and community leaders are asking: who gets to decide how this story is told.
preserving memory: a new chapter for the Sukhaya Street Jewish cemetery in Minsk
Destroyed, erased, and left with barely a trace, the Sukhaya Street cemetery was meant to be a wound that never healed. Yet amid the silence of Minsk’s lost Jewish community, something extraordinary is unfolding – proof that some stories refuse to stay buried.
a name, a street, and 800 years of history: how our archive service is changing lives
Five years ago, we began building something we believed could be transformative. Today, we know it is. No DNA. No complete family tree. Just a name, a belief, and 800 years of silence. Here’s how our archive service uncovered the truth about one family’s descent from Maimonides.
six years, 96 students, and a lot of hidden history
Thanks to The Together Plan young people are exploring the history of Belarusian Jews during the Holocaust through interactive games, archive activities, court case simulations, and personal reflections. They leave knowing things that most British adults have never been taught.
a tribute to Neil Adams – a journey through history
Neil Adams traded lecture halls for the muddy roads of Belarus, walked 27 miles through Manchester to map Jewish heritage, and dedicated his retirement to uncovering the hidden stories of Eastern Europe’s Holocaust. A trusted and passionate volunteer, he became a hugely valued member of The Together Plan family – until we lost him unexpectedly. This is our tribute to Neil Adams and the journey he took with us.
