On September 12 the U.S. Embassy announced a new grant of $200,000 to be awarded to the National Jewish History Museum of the Republic of Moldova through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation for the preservation of the Beit Kaddishim (funeral hall) within the Chisinau Jewish Cemetery.
This three-year project is a partnership between the U.S. and Moldovan governments and will conduct an archaeological site survey, historical research, and ultimately restore the Beit Kaddishim.
The Jewish Cemetery of Chișinău was established in the early 19th century. The Beit Kaddishim, a funeral hall hidden in the heart of the cemetery dates from the second half of the 19th century, and still bears traces of shelling from the Second World War. Eight decades of neglect led to the loss of part of the roof, but the original interior decoration and dome remain intact.
Since the establishment of the Museum of Jewish History in 2018, the Jewish cemetery on Milano Street has become an integral open-air part of the museum.
