Get involved! Let us build Virtual Shtetl together!

Everything published on the portal is the fruit of the committed work of the small Virtual Shtetl team, of the support and great effort of more than one hundred volunteers from all around the world and of the feedback from many portal users who have decided to share their knowledge, photographs and memories with others. All of this effort has resulted in the creation of the largest data base on Jewish history in Poland, which comprises extraordinary archival materials and photo documentation.

In this way, a project engaged in local activities for the benefit of the preservation and promotion of Jewish heritage, including the news regarding the signs of Jewish cultural life in contemporary Poland, has been created. Additionally, the project forms a state-of-the-art educational tool.

Today, we need your help in order to continue this mission. Get involved in any manner you like such as, write a reportage, compile a documentation of Jewish heritage, make a schedule of a trip around your town. If you know any of the portal languages, you can translate a history of your town into the foreign language of which you have command. Visit the Volunteer section and check out what else you can do or propose something totally different. Thousands of people from all around the world will read your article and see your pictures. Thanks to you, they will become familiar with the Jewish history and heritage of your town.

Support us with a financial donation, if possible. By sending us any sum of money, you will enable further work regarding our current research, educational and community projects. You can specify the purpose of your donation and, if we are able to carry it out, your support will go to the undertaking that you wish to complete.

Additionally, you can take ownership of a specific town. For financial contributions, you will receive a donation certificate. Your support will make it possible for our co-operators to do research, create historical studies in as comprehesive a way as possible, to purchase and publish archival photographs and to compile an up-to-date documentation of Jewish heritage. A website banner honoring your contribution will appear on the website of the town, which will be managed by you. You will have the opportunity to publish a dedication on the website of the town as well.

Furthermore, you can take care of one of the hundreds of Jewish cemeteries in Poland. Thanks to you, we will be able to photograph all matzevot, place them on the virtual map and then transcribe and translate the inscriptions.

You can also make a designated donation and become the guardian of our activities with regard to the Education, Journal and News sections. Thanks to you, we can publish a book or carry out an interesting project.

We are open to innovative ideas of new research and documentation projects, which we could complete in the future. There is much to be done. We invite you to participate in our mutual project – let us build Virtual Shtetl together!