Virtual Shtetl
VIRTUAL SHTETL
Virtual Shtetl (Polish: Wirtualny Sztetl) is an innovative multimedia platform dedicated to history of Jewish communities in Poland. It is a project of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland.
Launched in June 2009, Virtual Shtetl has amassed one of the most comprehensive collections of material related to the history of local Jewish communities in Poland but neighboring countries. As of June 2013, Virtual Shtetl has collected almost 68,300 contemporary and archival photographs, over 1000 audio and video recordings, and more than 30,000 pages of text related to 2246 towns and villages. The uniqueness of Virtual Shtetl lies not only in its comprehensive content, but also in its use of social media. Based on Web 2.0, Virtual Shtetl mobilizes thousands of users throughout the world in a massive collaborative effort to document Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust.
Activity
The content of Virtual Shtetl is dynamic. In addition to providing historical accounts and archival materials related to local Jewish communities in Poland, Virtual Shtetl features contemporary documents, street maps, memorabilia, photographs and other pictorial material, as well as audio and video recordings and scholarly essays.
Contributors include academics, local history activists, and people who simply want to share their knowledge of the Jewish past of their towns with others. Participants are motivated to put their knowledge to work. They not only contribute to building the portal, but also they support local educational activites, foster dialogue, and take part in preservation projects. As an educational project, Virtual Shtetl encourages active and collaborative learning. Educational materials designed for teachers and students and suitable for classroom use can be downloaded from the portal. As a news portal, Virtual Shtetl is one of the liveliest sources of current information about ongoing projects and events relating to Jewish heritage and Jewish life today in Poland and neighboring countries.
Community
Virtual Shtetl offers unlimited access to contributors and visitors. Based on Web.2.0 solutions, Virtual Shtetl is a social community portal. Users co-create the portal’s content. In this open museum without walls, everyone with an interest in the history and culture of Polish Jews can contribute materials. By so doing, they foster awareness and appreciation of the Jewish past in their localities. They also help to preserve both the tangible and intangible heritage of the 3,500,000 Jews who lived in Poland before the Holocaust.
Virtual Shtetl is available in eight language: Polish, English, German, Hebrew, Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Lithuanian.
Virtual Shtetl depends not only on individuals but also institutions and organizations, most importantly the Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland. It also collaborated with Polin, an Internet portal, jewish.org.pl,izrael.badacz.org, and Diapozytyw (Adam Mickiewicz Institute).
References:
1. Dwa lata projektu Wirtualny Sztetl w sieci!. Kulturalna Warszawa, June 19th, 2011 [accessed on Dec.17th, 2011].
2. Mobilny Wirtualny Sztetl. Multi Communications, Jul.6th, 2011 [accessed on Dec.17th, 2011].
3. Wirtualny Sztetl. Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich. [accessed on Dec.17th, 2011].
4. Wirtualny Sztetl. Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki w Warszawie, Jan.24th, 2011 [accessed on Dec.17th, 2011].
6. BBC
External links:
• Wirtualny Sztetl
• Wirtualny Sztetl, YouTube video recordings
• Wirtualny Sztetl on Facebook
See also
- The Holocaust in Poland
- History of the Polish Jews
- Włodawa Synagogue at the List of active synagogues in Poland
Notes and references
