A group of guardians forming part of the Braxia and Addolorata army, an NGO working on bringing cemeteries back to life, are now tackling the Jewish part of the Addolorata. NGO founder Ruth Bezzina explains what the members are doing and what they have accomplished so far.

Since the Braxia and Addolorata army (BADa) was set up last October, as a team we have managed to accomplish a great deal. So, we thought we’d share some of the things we have been up to lately.

Being based at Ta’ Braxia Cemetery in Pieta’, over the past seven months we have focused our energy on maintaining the cemetery grounds.

This work involves mainly landscaping and the clearing of the pathways to give it an overall tidier appearance. The French Ambassador was one of the first people to contact us and expressed an interest in supporting our work. Furthermore, the Ministry for Health and the Environment is looking into how they can support our endeavours.

Some might be aware that adjoining the main cemetery is a beautifully secluded part which belongs to and was used for burials of the Jewish community. This section happens to be the oldest part of the cemetery. There was a major clean-up of the area in the early 2000s by Din l-Art Ħelwa and a few weekends ago BADa organised another much-needed clean-up.

Such a feat was possible with the support of Wayne Lee Valentine, head of facilities management at Mita (as the grounds are connected to Gatard House), the Jewish community and, of course, the Friends of Ta’ Braxia, who are always there to encourage BADa projects.

In a matter of an afternoon’s worth of work our objectives were reached and we could look onto what seemed to be a brand new area. Tombstones we did not even know existed were uncovered, others simply cleaned of too much dust, gates scraped and painted to look good as new. Also worth noting is that we managed to translate the oldest tombstone text, which was very fulfilling for us as a team.

In line with our aim to gain a better understanding and thus appreciation of other religions, BADa took this opportunity to get in touch with the Jewish community in Malta. Rabbi Reuben Ohayon most especially welcomed our efforts as a group and showed appreciation for our work.

We want to rekindle traditions but we also see the relevance in reinventing them

Showing us round the cemetery they currently use in Marsa, the element and sense of dedication shines through in the way they tend to the cemetery and look to restore the monuments and boundary walls. This is what makes doing what we do – this passion for cemeteries – so much more than simply cleaning paths and landscaping. It’s about creating connections and building relations we, as a group, wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do otherwise.

It’s about respect and keeping beautiful traditions alive. Having the privilege to visit the Jewish cemetery but a few days ago, this feeling of love and care is palpable.

The ground is attended to by a family who have taken care of the burials in the cemetery for over a century, while the Ohayon family are responsible for other rituals. It is definitely a community affair and it is truly motivating.

We are planning a restoration project for the summer, on a very beautiful cemetery gate, which is in dire need of a pick-me-up. It is quietly situated on the outskirts of Lija and has a small olive grove at the back, which we will also be taking care of.

BADa is very glad to say that the Malta Parole Unit was the first organisation in our volunteer and work/internship scheme to join us at the beginning of the month, so much more work is being done on site. It is incredible how much can be accomplished by a couple of extra helping hands.

As a team we want to rekindle traditions but we also see the relevance in reinventing them and thinking outside the box, so to speak. Over the past few weeks there have been a couple of articles regarding the devastating state of our Addolorata cemetery.

I, for one, am glad some people are taking an interest, actually going and acknowledging the problems facing buildings of our heritage. From our work, what we have come to appreciate is that a little goes a long way.

So even though it might seem like a huge undertaking (and let’s face it, the Addolorata is just that), it is still manageable as long as we simply start.

Therefore, I urge all those who care about what we do with our heritage and anyone who can give a helping hand to just get in touch with BADa.

All we are looking for is interest and motivation to see things get done, and get done properly. So anyone who has a few hours to spare, loves history, companies who can help with landscaping or pond maintenance – get in touch and see how you can help us reach our goals.

badarmymalta@gmail.com