International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

Print

(Cyrillic: Зеница).  Zenica is the largest and most industrial town in central Bosnia and is the political, administrative and cultural centre of the Zenica-Doboj Canton. Zenica is located about 70 km N of Sarajevo on the Bosna river, and surrounded by mountains and hills. The town's Stara čaršija (old quarter) contains the synagogue, which is now the City Museum and Art Gallery. General town information. [September 2010]

"The former synagogue, a Moorish-style building, was given to the municipality in the 1960s in exchange for two residential flats; today it is used as the town museum. The move was initiated by an impoverished Jewish community which thus has no claim to the site. The building is well-maintained, though no original interior features are visible. The sanctuary has been divided into two floors with an exhibition area downstairs and storage above. The small museum office occupies part of the former women's gallery, above what was once the vestibule. The museum has a collection of Jewish ritual objects which include silver Torah finials from 1896, Hanukah menorot, and Torah staves with mother-of-pearl inlays. Muzej Grada Zenice, Jevrejska 1. Tel: 032 02 020.

Cemetery: This 1875 cemetery lies on a steep, north-facing hillside outside the town. It is fenced and gated but heavily overgrown; only a few stones near the front are accessible. Inscriptions are in Hebrew/Ladino and German. Location: Raspotocje, outside the town". Source [January 2009]

photos of cemetery. Gravestones are about 100 years old. The entire cemetery is neglected with the last burial in 1964. It is located on the right sideon the way to Raspotočju. See the Story of the Jewish Cemetery from the book Vlastimir Jovic "Zenica, which is no longer". Read more. [September 2010]