In the Wiki Loves Monuments 2023 photo contest, the best series of photographs in the special category "Jewish Heritage" were the works of military photographer Taras Zolotavin, featuring images of the cemetery in Delyatyn, located in Ivano-Frankivsk region. The list of top photos was published on the contest's website.
Three photographs by Taras Zolotavin made it to the "Best Series" category. The author captured the Jewish cemetery in Delyatyn, which is currently not protected by the state.
"The jury noted not only the artistic quality of the works but also the detailed documentation — over a hundred photographs of the cemetery were uploaded, which was previously represented in wiki projects by only three photos," the post said.
Among the jury of the special category were the Osbornes, a couple who restore and organize Jewish cemeteries in Rohatyn.
"This photograph depicts one of the few surviving Jewish cemeteries in the western part of Ukraine, which is aging naturally without external intervention. The photo illustrates the typical density of burials that existed in these old cemeteries, as well as the unique style of carving inscriptions and symbols (both primitive and more refined)," Marla and Jay Osborne commented on one of Taras Zolotavin's photographs.
The author of the series made his debut in the photo contest in 2021. Back then, he ranked among the top ten most successful participants. Currently, Taras Zolotavin serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Wiki Loves Monuments is a photo contest of cultural heritage sites held by regional branches of the Wikimedia Foundation in approximately 50 countries worldwide, including Ukraine. The organizers aim to collect photographs of all cultural heritage sites worldwide and place them on Wikipedia pages. Participation in the contest is free and open to both professional photographers and amateurs. The only requirement is that the submitted photos must be the author's own work and uploaded during the contest period.
Marla Raucher Osborn and Jay Osborn (San Francisco/Lviv) are co-founders of the volunteer NGO "Jewish Heritage Rogatyn" (JHR). They have been long-time participants in the Ukrainian, Polish, and French editions of Wiki Loves Monuments and are Wikipedia contributors. Marla holds a Juris Doctor degree and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. She previously worked at the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland in Warsaw. Supported by the Fulbright programme in 2019–2020, she conducted research and created a demonstration project on Jewish heritage in western Ukraine. Marla is a dedicated researcher of family history and is one of the founding members of the Rohatyn District Research Group, established in 2009 for Jewish descendants living abroad. She has also served on the boards of "Gesher Galicia" and "Remembrance and Reconciliation" organizations. Marla has authored numerous publications on genealogy and heritage and delivers lectures at schools, meetings, and conferences in the USA, Israel, Europe, including in Rohatyn. She serves as the president of JHR. Jay holds a Bachelor's degree with honors in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Irvine, and has worked as a computer design engineer for 30 years. He holds over 20 American and British patents for Sun Microsystems and Apple. Having worked in California, Europe, and Asia, Jay is currently responsible for historical map research and creating a digital Map Room for "Gesher Galicia." He chairs the supervisory board of JHR. More information about JHR and how to help can be found here.
