Novye Mlyny
Novye Mlyny is a village located in the Nezhin district of the Chernihiv region on the left bank of the Seim River. The population was 905 people as of 2006. During its prime, around 400 Jews were living in Novye Mlyny, and I am describing on this website shtetls where more than 1,000 Jews lived. However, in 2015, I accidentally purchased a book on Amazon called “Mother and Son” by Abram Vilcher. He describes in detail the Jewish town of Novye Mlyny in the early 20th century. The book’s author left the USSR in the 1920s and immigrated to the US with his family. Text from this book was used for this article. Also, there is possibly the last wooden synagogue in Ukraine. I visited the town during my expedition in 2020. Besides the synagogue building, no traces were...
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Nosovka
Nosovka, a city (since 1960), is a district centre in the Chernihiv region of Ukraine. The population is 13,310 people, according to the 2020 census. The city stands on the Nosovochka River, which is a tributary of the Ostra. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, there was a town of Nezhinsky district of the Chernihiv province. I could only find very little information about the Jews of Nosovka. Article was translated by Daniel Pesin. 542 Jews lived in Nosovka in 1910; in 1920 Jews made up 1.2% of the town’s population, in 1939, 116 Jews lived in Nosovka. In 1864, a synagogue was operating. In 1886 a Jew owned a pharmacy in Nosovka. In the 19th century the rabbi of Nosovka was Yitzchok Teleshevsky; from 1887 it was Chaim Sheyniuk (1863-?); from 1908 it was Shmuel Goldshmid (1881-?)....
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Oster
Oster (German), Ostor (Yiddish), Ostr (Polish), Остер (Ukrainian), Остер – Oster (Russian), Старогородка – Starogorodka (Old Name) Oster is a historic town located in Kozelets district of Chernihiv region in northern Ukraine. Kozelets is located on the Desna River. The city’s estimated population is 6335 (as of 2011). Oster became a part of the Russian Empire in 1667, in XIX – beginning of XX century it was center of Oster Yezd of Chernigov Gubernia. Jews have lived in Oster since the 18th century. In 1862, there was a wooden synagogue in Oster; in 1867 – two synagogues; in 1886 – four synagogues, of which two were of stone and two of wood. Jewish population of Oster: 1847 – 633 jews 1897 – 1596 (29%) 1910 – 1582 jews 1920 – 1523 jews 1926 – 1267 (18,5%) 1939 – 841 (13,3%) The...
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Gorodnya
Horodna (Polish), Городня (Ukrainian), Городня – Gorodnia (Russian) Gorodnya is a historic town (since 1957) located in Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, center of Gorodnya district. Gorodnya is located on the Chibrizh River. The city’s estimated population is 12,766 (as of 2011). Gorodnya became a part of Russia Empire in 1667, in XIX – beginning of XX century it was center of Gorodnya Yezd of Chernigov Gubernia. In 1626, Jews were forbidden to live in the Chernigov and Siversk voivodeships. The censuses of the early 19th century did not record the presence of the Jewish population in Gorodne. A Jewish burial society existed in Gorodnya in 1845. According archival documents a synagogue was erected in the city in 1863. Jews began to settle in Gorodne in the mid-19th century. In 1847, 577 Jews were living here. Jewish population of...
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Mena
Mena (Polish), Myena (German), Мена (Ukrainian), Мена – Mena (Russian) Mena is a historic town located in Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, center of Mena district. The city’s estimated population is 12,900 (as of 2005). Mena became a part of Russia Empire in 1667, in XIX – beginning of XX century it was center of Mena Yezd of Chernigov Gubernia. Many details about the Jews in Mena were taken from interviews with Ziama Pergamentshik, who lived in Mena before the war and survived the Holocaust. He gave an interview to Shoa Foundation in the 1990s. Beginning Records from the early 19th century describe the general population in Mena at around 6,000 people. The Jewish population of this time is not mentioned but reference is made to the existence of a synagogue and another Jewish house of worship. Jews began to settle actively...
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Repki
Репки – Repki (Russian), Ріпки (Ukrainian) Repki is a historic town located in the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine and the center of Repki district. The city’s estimated population is 7,458 (as of 2011). Before the Revolution Repky was a mestechko of Gorodnta Uezd, Chernigov guberniya. Jewish population of Repki: 1897 – 3049 (91,3%) 1939 – 79 2014 – 1 In 1873, there was a synagogue in Ripky. According to the 1897 census, the total population stood at 3,336, including 3,049 Jews. The business directory of 1903 lists few names of Jewish entrepreneurs in Repky: Grocery stores: Aleksandrov Hatsk. Gersh., Glukhovskiy Israil Avram. Haberdashery: Zhezmer Mih. Zalm. In 1905, pogroms took place in the town following the Manifesto of October 18. The town Rabbi in the beginning of XX century was Shneur-Zalman Schneerson (? – 1928). In 1912, a...
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Korukovka
Most of information obtained for this article was presented by Oksana Tolkachova from the Korukovka historical museum. Korukovka is a historic city located in Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, and is the center of Korukovka district. It was founded in 1657. Korukovka is located on the Brech River, a tributary of the Snov. The city’s estimated population is 14,805 (as of 2005). In XIX – beginning of XX century it belonged to Sosnitsya Yezd of Chernigov Gubernia. Judging by what we know of Jewish settlement in Sosnitsya Yezd, we can surmise that Jews first appeared in Korukovka at the beginning of XIX century. In 1887 the local sugar factory was bought by Lazar Brodskiy. Brodskiy was famous for his philanthropy. In 1896 he funded the construction of a school and from 1902-1904 a hospital as well as housing for...
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Korop
Korop is a historic town located in the Chernihiv region in the north of Ukraine and is the center of the Korop district. Korop is located on the Desna River. The town’s estimated population is 5,600 (as of 2005). Korop became a part of the Russian Empire in 1667, and in 1796 it was a shtetl in Krolevets Yezd of Malorossia Gubernia and further Chernigov Gubernia. In 1862, there were 218 Jews living in Korop, reaching to over a thousand by 1920, although this figure dropped slightly in the subsequent decade with the Jewish population of 787 in 1926, accounting for some 12% of all Korop residents. Jewish population of Korop: 1865 – 255 1897 – 873 (13,9%) 1910 – 1102 1920 – 1014 1926 – 787 (12,1%) 1939 – 350 (5,6%). In the late 18th century, Korop was...
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Sosnitsa
Sosnica (Polish), Sosnitza (Yiddish), Sosnyzja (German), Сосница – Sosnitsa (Russian), Сосниця (Ukrainian) Sosnitsa is a historic town located in the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine and is the center of Sosnitsa district. Sosnitsa is located on the Ubid River, a tributary of the Desna. The city’s estimated population is 7,695 (as of 2014). Sosnitsa became a part of Russia Empire in 1667, in XIX – beginning of XX century it was the center of Sosnitsa Yezd of Chernigov Gubernia. In the 17th century, Sosnytsia, one of the oldest cities in the Chernihiv region, became a district center. During Khmelnitsky’s uprising, a total expulsion of Jews from Sosnytsia took place. The Jews returned to this area in the early 19th century, when Chernihiv province was included into the Pale of Settlement. According to the census of 1847, the county had...
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Snovsk
Snowska (Polish), Коржовка – Korzhovka (Formerly called), Сновськ (Ukrainian), Сновск (Russian). Snovsk is a historic town located in the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine and is the center of the Snovsk district. Snovsk is located on the Snovsk River, a tributary of the Desna. The town’s estimated population is 11,471 (as of 2013). Snovsk appeared after the building of the Libavo-Romen railway line in 1878. The location was convenient as the city was built around a major railyard. It was renamed to Snovsk in the end of XIX century. Snovsk get status of city in 1924. In 1935-2016 the city was names Schors in the honor of famous red army general of the Civil War, Nikolai Schors (1895 – 1919). In 2016, town was renamed back to Snovsk Beginning Jews first appeared in the city at the end of XIX century. The town of...
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Kozelets
Kozeletz, Mushkev (Yiddish), Kozielec (Hungarian), Myszkov (German), Nowy (Polish), Козелец – Kozelets (Russian), Козелець (Ukrainian) Kozelets is a historic town located in Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, center of Kozelets district. Kozelets is located on the Oster River, a tributary of the Dnieper. The city’s estimated population is 8,305 (as of 2007). Kozelets became a part of Russia Empire in 1667, in XIX – beginning of XX century it was center of Kozelets Yezd of Chernigov Gubernia. Since 1932 it became a town of Chernigov region. In 1666, there were already several Jewish homes in Kozelet’s, of which four belonged to artisans and four were owned by merchants. By 1766, Jews accounted for about 8% of Kozelets’ residents (a total of 2,273 people). The census of 1847 mentioned only one ‘Kozelets’ Jewish community’, comprising 658 people but according to...
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Borzna
Borzna is a historic town in northern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Borzna district in the Chernihiv region. The estimated population of the town is around 10,640 (as of 2011). Beginning The local Jewish community in Borzna was destroyed in 1648 and Jews did not resume living there until the mid-18th century. In 1736, there lived 3 Jewsih families. Thereafter, the local Jewish community grew rapidly, reaching its peak at the end of the 19th century. In 1881 a pogrom took place in Borzna. Market in Borzna, beginning of 20 century: Main street in Borzna, beginning of 20 century: In 1863, a synagogue operated in the town. The most common occupations among Jews were garment manufacturing and trade. Many Jews of Borzna were skilled tailors. In 1881 a pogrom took place in Borzna. In the 1890s,...
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Berezna
Berezna is a town in Chernigov oblast, Ukraine. Population in 2011 was 4902 persons. Beginning There were no Jews in the town at the beginning of the 19th century. In 1847 the Jewish community of Berezna had 292 men and 252 women. In 1897, the population of the town numbered 9,922 of whom 1,357 were Jews. The Orthodox Christian population number 8,500. In Russian Empire Business Directories by 1903 mentioned next Jewish enterpreneurs: – Butovskiy Samuil Izrailev (grocery) – Zalmanzon Izrail Aronov (grocery) – Magilner Toiba Shlemovna (haberdashery) – Poritskiy Todres Leibov(grain) In the end of XIX century local Rabbi were David Arie Bakalieshchik and Shmuel Waltchek. Shneur-Zalman Gorelik (1880-1974) was Berezna Rabbi from 1901 till 1926. After this he became a rabbi in Snovsk. After publication of the October Manifesto in 1905, there were progroms on 22, 23 and 24...
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Novgorod-Seversky
Novgorod-Seversky, city in Chernigov district, Ukraine. During the 14th century, Novgorod-Seversky was conquered by the princes of Lithuania; in the 16th and 17th centuries it was alternately in the hands of the Poles and the Russians; and in 1667 it was definitively annexed by Russia. Beginning A Jewish settlement is mentioned for the first time in a residence permit granted to the townspeople by King Sigismund III Vasa (1587–1632) of Poland. According to the permit Jews were forbidden to sell meat in the town, except in the courtyard of the synagogue. Also included were several tax levies which Jews were ordered to pay. During the Chmielnicki persecutions of 1648 many Jews in Novgorod- Seversky were massacred by the Cossacks. The community was renewed only in the late 18th century. In 1847 1,336 Jews were registered in the community; by...
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Bobrovytsia
Bobrovitza (Yiddish), Bobrowica (Polish), Bobrowyzja (German), Бобровица – Bobrovitsa (Russian), Бобровиця (Ukrainian). Bobrovytsia is a city (since 1958) in Chernihiv region of Ukraine. Population is 11,916 (2001). Before Revolution it was a town of Kozelec Uezd, Chernigov Gubernia. Beginning The earliest known Jewish community was first half of XIX century. Jewish prayer house was opened here in 1869 but I haven’t find information when it was closed and in what building was situated. In 1875 there was registered only one Jewish marriage: Zelik Berkov Resnik and Beila-Enta Sruleva Altshuler. In Chernigov Archiv stored documents about Bobrovitsa rabbi’s electing in 1889. It gives interesting details about small Jewish community in the end of XIX century. In that year rabbi became Abraham Getselev Tseitlin, gabay – Mezhirov Berko Mihelev, treasurer – Eliyash Epshtein. In same document mentioned next Bobrovitsya Jews: Shevel and Moses Volinskie,...
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Chernihiv
Cernigovas (Lithuanian), Charnihau (Belarusian), Czernihów (Polish), Tschernigow (German), Tshernigov (Yiddish), Чернигов – Chernigov (Russian), Чернігів (Ukrainian) Chernigov is a historic city in northern Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of the Chernihiv Oblast, as well as of the surrounding Chernihiv district within the oblast. My locationGet Directions Beginning In the first half of the tenth century, Chernihiv was part of the lands which paid tribute to the Khazar Empire. During this period, Khazar Jews settled in the city. In the XIth century, a Jewish community was established in Chernihiv. During the existence of the Principality of Chernihiv (1054 – 1239), the city was a centre of Jewish scholarship. A number of Jewish sources from the XIIIth century, for example, respons of Rabbi Yitzhak (England) mention Rabbi Itsh (Yitzhak) from Chernihiv. In 1239, the city was destroyed by the Tatar...
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Nezhin
Nizyn (Polish), Нежин – Nezhin (Russian), Ніжин (Ukrainian) Nezhin is a historic city located in Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, center of Nezhin district. Nezhin is located on the Oster River, a tributary of the Dnieper. The city’s estimated population is 72 422 (as of 2015). In XIX – beginning of XX century it was center of Nezhin Yezd of Chernigov Gubernia. Beginning It is difficult to assume when Jews first appeared in Nezhin. It might have been in the XVII century. Nezhin was one of the centers of Cossacks’ fighting against the Polish under Khmelnitskiy’s leadership. It is clear that Nezhin’s early Jewish community was during the uprising of 1648-1651. This was long period of the civil war and internal strife in Left-Bank Ukraine known as The Ruin. Because of this Nezhin’s Jewish population was only able to reestablish itself...
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Priluki
Прилуки – Priluki (Ukrainian), פרילוקי (Hebrew) If your ancestors are Myasnikov from Priluki (or you have any information about them) – please contact me. It is possible that we are relatives 🙂 Priluki is a historic town located in Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, center of the Prilutskiy region (not to be confused with Old Priluka – a village in the Vinnitsa region, a former shtetl). Priluki is located on the Udai River, a tributary of the Sula. The city’s estimated population is 61,600 (as of 2005). Before the Great Socialist Revolution of 1917, Priluki was the center of the Priluki Uezd of Poltava gubernia. Most valuable genealogical sources: – Jewish metric records 1855-1917 here and here – Jewish families list 1889-1918 – heads of the Jewish families 1889-1918 Beginning Priluki first appears in the historical record in 1085....
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