On behalf of the residents of the City and Municipality of Gabin, I wish to convey our sincere gratitude for your steadfast commitment to preserving the heritage of the Jewish community that resided in Gabin until 1942. Your dedication not only revives the memory of your ancestors but also illuminates the rich multicultural history that made Gabin a significant and vibrant place. Four centuries of shared life in our town laid enduring foundations, which, despite many adversities, continue to shape our community today. These foundations provide a meaningful basis for continued cooperation and the restoration of Gabin’s historical legacy as a city that once united three cultures.
Your tireless efforts have already yielded remarkable achievements. The pre-war materials preserved in your archives have enabled our local organizations to fill important gaps in the historical record of our town. Equally noteworthy is the restoration and care of the Jewish cemetery, which suffered devastation under the German occupation. Through cooperation and dialogue, you have helped restore honor and dignity to those who lived and died as residents of Gabin.
Most recently, your work led to the discovery of the only intact tombstone (matzevah), miraculously spared from destruction during the occupation. This represents a vital step in the preservation of memory, and for this, we offer our deepest thanks on behalf of the entire Gabin community.
With regards,
Mayor of the City and Municipality of Gabin
Krzysztof Jadczak
Gabin, 16.10.2025
Krzysztof Jadczak, the long-serving Mayor of Gąbin recently honored the Gombin Society for its years of work dedicated to preserving the town’s Jewish history. In a moving proclamation delivered during our visit on October 16, 2025. Mayor Jadczak recognized our steadfast commitment to reviving the memory of our ancestors and to the multicultural legacy of the town. In his proclamation Mayor Jadczak noted:
” Your dedication not only revives the memory of your ancestors, but also illuminates the rich multicultural history that made Gąbin a significant and vibrant place. Four centuries of shared life in our town laid enduring foundations which, despite many adversities, continue to shape our community today. These foundations provide a meaningful basis for continued cooperation and the restoration of Gąbin’s historical legacy that once united three cultures.”
This proclamation stands as a powerful testament to our role, not only in Gąbin, but in the wider movement dedicated to honoring Polish-Jewish memory. It validates thirty years of effort – from the preservation of the Jewish cemetery and the construction of the memorial lapidarium to the dedication of the commemorative plaque in the Market Square. These achievements were made possible through the essential connections we have forged with civic authorities, local organizations, and ordinary people in Gombin.
During this trip, the importance and depth of these relationships was more apparent than ever. Over the years we have built a robust network of Polish friends who share our goals. Foremost among them are Wojtek and Karen Wasilewski. We first met Wojtek when he built the model of the Gombin Synagogue for the Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw. Later he designed the plaque placed on the Market Square remembering Gąbin’s Jewish community. Karen nurtured our work teaching students from the Staszica School and has served as translator extraordinaire. Today Wojtek and Karen are our Representatives in Poland, serving as cultural ambassadors connecting our projects to the local community and to a wider network.
We are grateful for the continued friendship and collaboration of longtime supporters like Father Darek Pisorski, Ela Młodzejewska, and artist Michal Sroka. We were pleased to work with new partners: Gabriela Nowak and Piotr Dąbrowski from the Nobiscum Foundation; Wojciech Olszewski from the Mayor’s office; and Roman Smoczynski. While in Warsaw, we renewed ties with others who work to support Jewish life and memory including Chief Rabbi Michael Shudrich; Helena Czernak and Aleksander Prugar from Mi Polin; and Olga Kaczmarek and Michalina Jadczak from Forum for Dialogue.
The Mayor’s official recognition of our work inspires us to deepen these vital relationships as we continue our mission to educate future generations about the enduring legacy of Gombin’s Jewish community.
On behalf of the residents of the City and Municipality of Gabin, I wish to convey our sincere gratitude for your steadfast commitment to preserving the heritage of the Jewish community that resided in Gabin until 1942. Your dedication not only revives the memory of your ancestors but also illuminates the rich multicultural history that made Gabin a significant and vibrant place. Four centuries of shared life in our town laid enduring foundations, which, despite many adversities, continue to shape our community today. These foundations provide a meaningful basis for continued cooperation and the restoration of Gabin’s historical legacy as a city that once united three cultures.
Your tireless efforts have already yielded remarkable achievements. The pre-war materials preserved in your archives have enabled our local organizations to fill important gaps in the historical record of our town. Equally noteworthy is the restoration and care of the Jewish cemetery, which suffered devastation under the German occupation. Through cooperation and dialogue, you have helped restore honor and dignity to those who lived and died as residents of Gabin.
Most recently, your work led to the discovery of the only intact tombstone (matzevah), miraculously spared from destruction during the occupation. This represents a vital step in the preservation of memory, and for this, we offer our deepest thanks on behalf of the entire Gabin community.
With regards,
Mayor of the City and Municipality of Gabin
Krzysztof Jadczak
Gabin, 16.10.2025
