Green Velo

The Jewish cemetery is located on ul. Pakosz, which in the 19^th century was far away from the town. The foundation of the cemetery was the result of Jewish settlement after the law of 1862, which prohibited Jews from settling in Kielce, was repealed. The author of the layout was a well-known architect from Kielce, Franciszek Ksawery Kowalski.

The custody over the cemetery remained with one of the most important charitable organisations, i.e. the Society for the Aid to the Poor Jewry (Towarzystwo Pomocy dla Ubogich Wyznania Mojżeszowego) and the Chevra Kadisha burial society, which also carried out burials in accordance with the rules of Judaism.

In the first half of the 20^th century, work was undertaken to expand the cemetery. The matzevot were made of marble, sandstone or granite. The oldest one came from 1873, and many of them had artistic value. During the Second World War, the cemetery was largely destroyed and used as an execution site. Between 1945 and 1946, bodies from the former Kielce ghetto buried on the bank of the Silnica River were exhumed and moved here. In 1946, the 42 victims of the Kielce pogrom were buried here. Since 1965, there have been no new burials.

Currently, the cemetery covers the area of 3.12 hectares. In 1981, 150 tombstones were arranged in the form of a lapidarium. In 1986-1987, the cemetery was restored and fenced thanks to the efforts of the Nissenbaum Foundation and the Kielce Jewish community.