Source: Text – Izabela Sobańska-Klekowska, Photographs – Asia Sidorowicz, Video – Marcin Bocian

Częstochowa Roundabout Named in Honour of Zygmunt Rolat z”l

June 25, 2026

On Thursday 25th June 2026, the City of Częstochowa, in conjunction with the Częstochowa branch of Social and Cultural Association of Jews in Poland (TSKŻ), conducted a Roundabout Dedication Ceremony in honour of the World Society’s founding President, Zygmunt Rolat z”l.

The roundabout (rondo) is located at the gateway to the Stare Miasto (Old Town), at the intersection of ul. Krakowska and ul. Księdza Wróblewskiego, not far from the Częstochowa Jews Memorial monument on Samuel Willenberg Square.

According to Częstochowa’s First Deputy Mayor, Zdzisław Wolski, the Częstochowa City Council had decided to name the roundabout in Zygmunt’s honour in order to acknowledge the contribution he had made to the city’s Jewish history and heritage, as well as to the city itself.

The ceremony was attended by Zygmunt’s son, Geoffrey Rolat, and Zygmunt’s cousin, Alan Silberstein, who both addressed those attending the ceremony. Others to speak included Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich and Częstochowa TSKŻ Chair Izabela Sobańska-Klekowska.

Other honoured guests included:

- - Henryk Kiepura, Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Education;
  - Marcin Biernat, Chair, Częstochowa City Council;
  - Łukasz Kot, Second Deputy Mayor of Częstochowa;
  - Helena Grzebień, Member of the National Board of TSKŻ;
  - Paweł Grabiec, Chair, Katowice Branch of TSKŻ;
  - Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka, President, Jan Karski Education Foundation;
  - Piotr Puchta, Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland;

Also in attendance were directors of Częstochowa schools, foundations and cultural institutions, descendants of the Righteous Among the Nations, members of the Częstochowa branch of the TSKŻ, residents of the city and Zygmunt Rolat’s friends from the United States and the United Kingdom.

In her address, Izabela Sobańska-Klekowska, Chair of the Częstochowa Branch of TSKŻ, thanked the Częstochowa City Council for adopting the resolution naming the roundabout in honour of Zygmunt Rolat. She emphasised his longstanding support for the local Jewish community and his outstanding role as a patron of culture.

The final speech was delivered by Geoffrey Rolat, who spoke movingly about his father as a successful businessman, philanthropist and devoted son of his hometown. He also thanked Izabela Sobańska-Klekowska, who initiated the proposal, and the City Council for approving the naming of the roundabout.

An artistic performance was presented by students of the Juliusz Słowacki 1st General Lyceum in Częstochowa.

Event participants then gathered at the Częstochowa Jews Memorial monument on Samuel Willenberg Square,
where a memorial ceremony took place in memory of the victims of the Częstochowa Ghetto.

Speeches were delivered by:

- - - Łukasz Kot, Second Deputy Mayor of Częstochowa;
    - Michael Schudrich, Chief Rabbi of Poland;
    - Alan Silberstein, Zygmunt Rolat’s cousin and partner in projects commemorating the Jewish community of Częstochowa.

One of the most moving moments of the ceremony was the reading by Geoffrey Rolat of his father’s address from the 2015 March of the Living, in which Zygmunt Rolat explained the four reasons why he believed it was essential to remember the Holocaust.

The participants then observed a minute of silence in memory of all the victims of the Częstochowa Ghetto.

Afterwards, the host invited delegations to lay flowers and light memorial candles at the monument.

The ceremony concluded with Zygmunt Rolat’s favourite song, “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav” (“Jerusalem of Gold”),
performed by Adam Klocek, Director of the Bronisław Huberman Częstochowa Philharmonic.