Brama Cukermana Foundation (The Cukerman’s Gate Foundation) was established on March 10th, 2009 in Będzin at the initiative of Karolina and Piotr Jakoweńko.
The impulse for which it has come into existence was the strong need of saving the Jewish House of Prayer, situated in the so-called Cukerman’s Gate (Brama Cukermana), where the historic polychromes have been preserved.
Since July 2024, we have owned the Ghetto Fighters’ House in Będzin. It was here that Jewish youth from the Zagłębie resistance movement, inspired in part by the visit of Mordechai Anielewicz, put up active resistance during the brutal liquidation action in August 1943. This new object is a challenge for us, because it tells a completely relevant story about evil, which is persistent, resurgent, and about successive generations actively opposing it.
The major goals of our activity are:
The care and protection of Jewish culture monuments as well as the commemoration of the Jews’ many centuries-presence in Będzin and within the region.
The education of the local community together with actions to the benefit of mutual tolerance and understanding amongst cultures.
Conducting research on the history and life of Jews in Będzin and within the region
Creation of a modern educational and research institution in the House of Ghetto Fighters in Będzin