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Treasures of Jewish culture in Holesov | SDA203 | 2024-07-16 - 2024-07-28 | RENO,FEST | Age: 18 - 99

The workcamp is organised in cooperation with Municipal Cultural Center Holesov, a non-profit organization that manages most of the Jewish monuments in the city and organizes the Festival of Jewish Culture. It takes place in Holesov, a small Moravian town, known for its large pre-war Jewish community. This community was almost exterminated during World War II and there are very few members left today. There is an important Jewish heritage in Holesov – an old synagogue and also a grave of one of the greatest Jewish scholars - Rabbi Shakh. The goal of this workcamp is to maintain the Jewish cemetery, help with the organization of the festival and learn about Jewish heritage. At this workcamp, you will actively contribute to the achievement of UN SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Work: Most of the time you will work at the Jewish cemetery and in the Shakhs synagogue where you will help with the maintenance of outdoor areas (cleaning pavements, weeding, cutting and raking grass, maintaining graveyards, etc.) You will also help with the preparation of the Jewish Culture Festival which takes place in Holesov during the workcamp. Please, bring suitable shoes and working clothes. You will also work on the weekend (because of the festival) but you will get enough time off on other days.

Accomodation and food: Volunteers will be accommodated in a house near the place of work, sleeping on matrasses. Please, bring a sleeping bag. There are 2 toilets, and showers are part of the castle complex approximately 500 meters from the accommodation. WIFI is not available in the building - only at the synagogue and the castle. Volunteers will cook meals together as a group.

Location: Holesov

Location and Leisure: The project takes place in Holesov (12,000 inhabitants), a historical town located in the south-east of the Czech Republic. It is well known for its important Jewish heritage such as a rare synagogue from the 16th century or Holesov cemetery - an important place of pilgrimage for Jews. There is good phone coverage everywhere around the town, ATMs and pharmacies. In the free time volunteers can go on a trip to the UNESCO site of Kromeriz, visit the pilgrimage hill of Hostyn or the open-air museum of folk architecture in Rymice. You will also have free entry to all cultural activities organized by the Cultural Center.

Airport: VIE

Train/Bus station: Train station: Holesov

Requirements: Volunteers interested in the Jewish or Moravian culture are especially welcome and we happily learn something about their cultural background. Please beware that the work will take place outdoors and suitable clothes and shoes are needed. We recommend a hat to protect from the sun and a raincoat in case of light rain. Please bring a sleeping bag.

From the airport take the bus 119 to Nadrazi Veleslavin stop. Change to green metro line A in the direction of Depo Hostivar, get off at “Muzeum” and change to red metro line C in the direction of Letnany, go 1 stop and get off at “Hlavni Nadrazi” stop (main railway station). Take the train R 891 Slovacky Express towards Luhacovice at 13:03 to Hulin, and then change to the train Os 13914 towards Bystrice at 16:04, getting off in Holesov at 16:13.Detailed travel information will be provided in the Info sheet.

Language: eng

Extra Fee: 10 EUR

You will learn a lot about Jewish culture and its heritage through visiting local monuments and experiencing the Jewish Culture Festival (concerts, performances, films etc.). You will also have a chance to meet the local community during a barbecue or at a traditional lunch with the representatives of the town.