Emilchino
A village named Emilchino has been known since the year 1585; however, little information exists about pre-revolutionary life there. We do know that the town was originally incorporated into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. However, in 1793, Emilchino became part of the Russian Empire. We find some references to a Jewish population in the town during the XIX – XX centuries. Most Jewish residents worked in petty trading or in various crafts. During that time frame, the town became an integral part of Novograd-Volynskiy uyezd, Volyn gubernia. The town locates 40 minutes from Novograd-Volynskiy, only 154 kilometers from the regional center of Zhitomir. Today, the population of Emilchino has grown in size since its days as a small shtetl and is a sizable Ukrainian village with no remnants of its Jewish past. My locationGet Directions The basic information for this article...
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Gostomel
Hostoml (Polish), Гостомель – Hostomel, Hostomel’ (Ukrainian) Gostomel is a town in the Kiev region. In the XIX – early XX centuries, it was a shtetl of the Kiev uyezd, Kiev gubernia. Very little is known about Jewish history of this former shtetl. Some information on the post-war Jewish population of Gostomel was provided by Genia Mezhiritskaya, born in 1938. We met in Gostomel in spring 2018. My locationGet Directions Following the second partition of Poland in 1793, when the Russian Empire acquired vast swathes of Central Europe of what is now Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and Lithuania and the pale of settlement was drawn, prohibiting Jews from settling anywhere in Russia outside of a restricted area, Kiev, even though geographically within the pale, was excluded from the list permitted settlements; Jews were not allowed to live there. They would...
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Ovruch
Ovruch is a city in Zhytomyr region. In the XVI – XVIII centuries, it was a part of the Commonwealth of Poland. In the year 1793 the town was incorporated into the Russian Empire. Since 1795 it has been a district (uyezd) center of the Volyn gubernia. More information about history of the Ovruch can be found in the Facebook group . The first mentioning of Jews living in Ovruch dates back to 1629. At that time Jews there owned three houses and paid taxes to the owner of Ovruch. The main occupations of the Jews in Ovruch back then were crafts (currying of sheepskin, shoemaking, tailoring) and trade. By 1765, Jews living in Ovruch owned 80 houses. By the XVIII century, there was a significant Jewish community there that was a branch of Chernobyl community. My locationGet Directions In...
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Alexandrovka
Alexandrovka is a city located in Kirovograd region of central Ukraine, center of Alexandrovka district. Kozelets is located on the Tyasmin River, a tributary of the Dnieper. The city’s estimated population is 8721 (as of 2017). In XIX – beginning of XX century it was shtetl of Chigirin Yezd of Kiev Gubernia. Information about the Jews of Alexandrovka was collected and organized by the head of the local museum Vasyl Viktorovich Biloshapka. My locationGet Directions The first written mention of the Jews of Alexandrovka district dates back to the second half of the XVIII century, beginning from 1765. It was found in some Polish documents. Rabbi Nakhman from Bratslav (1772 – 1810), the future founder of Bratslav (Breslovsky) Hasidism used to live in the village called Stara Osota of Alexandrovka district after his marriage at the age of 13....
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Novoarkhangelsk
Novoarkhangelsk is an urban-type settlement since 1957 and a district center of Kirovograd region. It was established in 1742. In the XIX to early XX centuries, it was a shtetl of Yelizavetgradka uyezd, Kherson guberniya. Novoarkhangelsk stands on river Sinuha. On the opposite side of river locates former shtetl Torgovitsya. We were in Novoarkhangelsk in the summer 2017, but we couldn’t gather any information about the history of Jews living in this former shtetl. My locationGet Directions Jews have been living in Novoarkhangelsk since 1764. In the XVIII century, the main occupations of the Jewish population of the shtetl were crafts and trade. Jewish population of Rizhanovka: 1897 — 943 (15%) 1923 – 570 Jews 1939 – 209 Jews In the 1880’s Jews owned the majority of trade and industrial enterprises including mills and smithies. In 1913, Jews owned the...
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Zlatopol
Zlatopol is a settlement in the former Kiev guberniya. In 1959, Zlatopol was incorporated into Novomirgorod in the Kirovograd region. In the XIX – early XX centuries, it was a shtetl belonging to the Chigirin uyezd, Kiev guberniya. In the late XVIII century, Jews began to settle in Zlatopol. By 1787, the town belonged to the noble Polish Liubomirskiy family. Ksaveriy Liubomirsky stimulated the development of Zlatopol. He used to hold fairs there, and gave credit to Jewish merchants. In the late XVIII – early XIX centuries Hasidish tzaddik Arie-Leib from Shpola (Shpoler Zeide) lived in Zlatopol. My locationGet Directions In 1800, Rebbe Nakhman from Bratslav settled there. However, in 1802, the tsaddik’s wife died of consumption. He buried her in the Zlatopol Jewish cemetery and moved away. 2 more lists In the mid-XIX century, a lot of Jewish...
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Shpola
Shpola – Шпола (Ukrainian), Shpole, שפּאָלע (Yiddish) Shpola is a town in Cherkassy region, a center of Shpola district, a geographical center of Ukraine. 18,112 lived in the town in 2011. Before the Revolution, Shpola was a town of Zvenigorod Uezd of Kiev gubernia. I could find very little information about the history of Shpola Jewish community before 1917 🙁 My locationGet Directions The heyday of the Jewish shtetl and its emergence as a Hasidic center in the 18th century were connected with the tzadik Shpoler Zeide (“the grandfather from Shpola”). Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib ben Boruch (Saba from Shpola), also known as (1725, Uman – 1812, Shpola) – (‘grandfather’-a nickname given to him by the Baal Shem Tov at his circumcision), is famed as a miracle worker and devoted to the succour of poor Jews in distress. In...
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Torgovitsa
Torgovitsa is a village of Novoarkhangelsk district, Kirovograd region. Before the Revolution it was a shtetl of Uman uyezd, Kiev province. Torgovitsa stands on river Sinuha. On the opposite side of river locates former shtetl Novoarkhangelsk. We visited Torgovitsa in 2017 and took a few photos of the Holocaust mass grave and the remains of the Jewish cemetery. Most of information for this article was provided by the descendants of Yakov Gorbatov (b. 1921, Torgovitsa – d. 2013, New York). He was a WWII veteran who left Torgovitsa before the war. His whole family perished during the Holocaust. My locationGet Directions In the 1870s, in Torgovitsa, the spiritual rabbi was Froim Wolfman. In the 1880s, he served as a rabbi in Germanovka, and by the end of the 19th century, he became the rabbi of Fastov. According to 1897...
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Luginy
Luhin (Yiddish), Лугины – Luginy (Russian) Luginy, an urban-type settlement (since 1967)is a district center in the Zhytomyr region. In the XVII-XVIII centuries it was governed by the Kiev voivodeship as part of the Commonwealth, and since 1793 by the the Russian Empire. In the XIX – early XX centuries it was in the township of Luginy Ovruch uyezd, Volyn Gubernia. My locationGet Directions Jewish population of Luginy: 1847 – 1154 Jews 1897 – 1599 (64%) 1923 – 1709 Jews 1939 – 857 (37%) 1989 – 20 Jews 2017 – 2 Jews In the early XVII century, there was a Jewish community in Luginy. In 1648, Jews escaped from Luginy, rescuing themselves from attacks by Cossack detachments of B. M. Khmelnitsky. In 1721, the Jewish community was reborn. In 1867, there were two synagogues in Luginy. Basic occupations of the Jewish...
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Slovechno
Словечне – Slovechne (Ukrainian), Словечно – Slovechno (Russian) Slovechno is a village in Ovruch district, Zhitomir region. The population is 1,725 people (in 2001). In the early XX century, Slovechno was a shtetl of Ovruch uyezd, Volin gubernia. The village was a district center of the Zhitomir region from 1923 till 1962. Part of the information for this article was provided by local historian Oleksiy Gorbachevskiy. Much more of information about Jews of Slovechno can be found in the book Slovechno is My Shtetl by Isaak Kipnis. But it is in Yiddish 🙁 In 2017, local historian Oleksiy Gorbachevskiy provide for us good excursion in Slovechno. You will be able to see him on all videos in this article. My locationGet Directions There isn’t much information about the pre-revolutionary history of Jews in Slovechno. In 1913, Jews owned all...
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Olevsk
Olevsk is a city in Zhytomyr region. It is the administrative center of Olevsk district. In 2001, population was 10,896. In the XVI – XVIII centuries it was a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Olevsk has been incorporated into the Russian Empire since 1793. In the XIX – early XX century it was a shtetl of Ovruch uyezd, Volyn gubernia. Olevsk has been known since 1488. In 1641, it received the Magdeburg right. Much more information about Holocaust and PreWWII Olevsk can be found in the book by L.Znakovskaya. Beginning Jews in Olevsk were mentioned for the first time in 1704, as leaseholders of the town. In the second half of the eighteenth century there were between 21 and 32 Jewish houses in Olevsk; by the mid-nineteenth century (1867) the number of Jewish houses reached 106. My locationGet Directions...
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Norinsk
Norinsk is a village in the Ovruch district, Zhitomir region. In the XVI-XVIII centuries, it was a shtetl in the Ovruch district of the Volyn voivodship in the Commonwealth of Lithuania. In 1793, it became part of the Russian Empire and until early XX century, it remained a shtetl of Ovruch uezd in the Volyn gubernia. According to the 2001 census, its population is 1,360 people. Some information in this article was provided by Aleksandr Efman. He was born in Norinsk before the war and has been living in Ovruch since 1955. In 1847, 566 Jews lived in Norinsk, in 1897, this number went up to 584 (34.7%), in 1923, to 329. Jews have been living in Norinsk since the XVIII century. The Jews of Norinsk were mainly engaged in different crafts, retail trade, and rent. In the XIX...
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Horodnytsa
Horodnytsa is a town in Novograd-Volynskyi district of the Zhitomir region. Its population was 5,470 in 2011. Before the revolution of 1917, Horodnytsa was a small town in the Novograd-Volynskiy uyezd of the Volin gubernia. Horodnytsa is situated on the River Sluch, 42 km northwest of Novohrad-Volynskyi and 121 km northwest of Zhytomyr. The small town initially belonged to the Korecki family and from 1651 – to Princes Chartoryski. In 1810 it passed to Princes Lubomirski, and in 1856 – to Waclaw Rulikowski. We don’t know for sure when the Jews first arrived in Horodnytsa. We can only assume that it was sometime in the XVII century. My locationGet Directions In the XIX century, the history of Horodnytsa was connected to the local faience and porcelain factory, which was established by Prince Jozef Chartoryski in Korets in 1799 but moved...
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Korosten
Искорость – Iskorost’ (Russian), Коростень – Korosten’ (Ukrainian) Korosten (Iskorosten – by 1923) is a town, a district center in Zhitomir region. Since the XIV century it has been incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Since 1569 it has been a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Since 1793 – a part of the Russian Empire. In the XIX – early XX centuries it was a shtetl of Ovruch uyezd, Volyn gubernia. History of the streets and neighborhoods in Korostens (Ukr) Beginning Jews in Korosten were first mentioned in 965. My locationGet Directions In the mid-XVII century, Cossack squads of Bogdan Khmelnitskiy almost completely destroyed Jewish population of Korosten. A Jewish community was reborn in the XVIII century. In 1865, there were two synagogues in Korosten. In the XIX century, the construction of the Warsaw – Kiev – St Petersburg railroad...
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Medvedovka
Medvedovka (Yiddish Transliteration), Медведовка, Medvedovka (Russian) Medvedovka is a village in Chigirin district, Cherkassy region. In the XVI-XVII centuries it was a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, in the early XVII century it got Magdeburg Rights, and from 1793 it was incorporated into the Russian Empire. In the XIX-early XX centuries it was a shtetl of Chigirin Uyezd, Kiev Gubernia. In 1790 an 18-year-old rabbi, Rebbe Nachman and his family, settled in Medvedevka surrounded by numerous Hassidim. In 1798, he decided to visit Eretz HaKodesh,The Holy Land for the holidays of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. Having sold all his belongings he gathered money for the road and on the 18th of Iyar, on Lag ba-Omer, he left Medvedevka together with one of his students. The Rabbi’s family waited for him in the village until he returned in...
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Pokotilovo
Pokotilovo is a village in the Novoarkhangelsk district of the Kirovograd region in the Ukraine. In the XIX and XX centuries, however, it was considered a shtetl in the Uman Uyezd, and part of Kiev province. Beginning According to historians, the first Jews settled in Pokotilovo in the XVIII century. By 1897, more than half of its residents were Jewish. Reports differ on the number of synagogues or prayer houses that existed during the XIX century. Some say two; others report three. The number appears to be dependent on what constituted a synagogue and how stable and prosperous the community was at any given time. My locationGet Directions One historian identified a rabbi by the name of Khaim (or perhaps Chaim) Goldstein (1845-?) in 1866. Another identified Matvey Leonovich Galperin as a state rabbi in the 1900’s. From the...
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Vasilkov
Vasilkov is a city in Kiev region with a population, as of 2013, of 36,672. Vasilkov was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1686 and belonged to the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery till 1785. In 1796, it became a center of the Vasilkov uyezd of Kiev gubernia. In 1648, Vasilkov was conquered by chmielnicki’s cossacks who massacred its inhabitants, Jews and Poles alike. Since Vasilkov was annexed to Russia in 1686 no Jewish community existed there until the second partition of Poland in 1792. My locationGet Directions Vasilkov was a Chasidic community and for some time David b. Nahum Twersky of Chernobyl lived there. The Jews in Vasilkov engaged in crafts, small-scale business, and worked in local tanneries. Vasilkov entrepreneurs list from Russian Empire Business Directories by 1913: Jewish population of Vasilkov: 1799 – 1478 Jews 1802 – 1889 Jews 1861 – 2999...
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Rotmistrovka
Rachmastrivka, ראחמסטריווקא (Yiddish), Rotmistrzowka (Polish), Ротмистровка, Rotmistrovka (Russian) Rostmistrivka is a village in the Smiliansky district, Cherkassy region. Its population was 2,156 people in 2001. Before the revolution, Rotmistrovka was a shtetl of Cherkassy uyezd, Kiev guberniya. In 1905, it had two synagogues. My locationGet Directions A Jewish community appeared in Rotmistrivka in the XVII century. In 1863, the population of the town consisted of 1,946 Christians and 965 Jews. According to the census of 1897, 4,823 people lived in Rotmistrivka, including 1,785 Jews. In the second half of the XIX century, the spiritual leader of the community was Rabbi Yohanan Tversky, and Rotmistrivka was transformed into one of the centers of Hasidism. He was succeeded by his son Rabbi Mordechai. Rabbi Yohanan Tversky (1812, Chernobyl – 1895, Rotmistrivka) – the eighth son of Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl, the...
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Kagarlik
Kagarlik has been a town since 1971, a district center of Kiev region. It’s history goes back to 1590. In the XVII – XVIII centuries Kagarlik was a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Kagarlik was incorporated into the Russian Empire since 1793. In the XIX and early XX centuries, it was a shtetl of Kiev uiezd, Kiev gubernia. Part of the information for this article was provided by Lubov Petrovna Tkachenko, who had been the head of the Kagarlik museum for 40 years. My locationGet Directions In the XIX – early XX centuries, most Jews of Kagarlik worked in crafts as well as the wholesale and retail trade. The town had market days and fairs where people could buy and sell cattle. Jews owned 83 industrial enterprises, shops, and bars. 15 factories out of 16 were owned by Jews....
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Rokitne
Rokitne is an urban-type settlement located on the Ros River in Kiev region. It is the administrative center of Rokytnianskyi district. In 2001, population was 13,790. In the XIX-early XX centuries, it was a shtetl Rakitne of Vasilkov uyezd, Kiev governorship. The town of Rokitne had already been known before 1518, owned at that time by Prince Ostrozkiit. In the XVII century, Rokitne was a remarkable settlement with a palace in it. In the mid of May 1648, Kazaks and Tatars captured Rakitnoye and destroyed the local Jewish community. In 1683, Rokitne belonged to landlord Gurskii. I couldn’t find any facts of the history of Jews in Rakitne from the pre-revolutionary period 🙁 In 1905, workers of Rakitne carried out a pogrom but it was put down by local peasants. Steven Dranow provided a memories of her grandmother Chasyia Dranov...
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Veledniki
Novi Velidnyky (English), Wieledniki (Polish), Новые Веледники – Novye Veledniki (Russian) Veledniki is a village in the Ovruch district, Zhitomir region. The village’s estimated population is 783 (as of 2001). The settlement dates back to 1545. In the XVI-XVIII centuries it was in the Ovruch povet (district), Volyn voivodship of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1793, it was incorporated into the Russian Empire. In the XIX-early XX centuries, it was a shtetl Veledniki of Ovruch uyezd, Volyn governorship. Facebook group with translation of the stories about Viledneker Rebbe. Beginning First Jews settled in Novyye Veledniki in the XVII century. My locationGet Directions In the early XIX century, Veledniki was the center of Khasidism in the Volyn region. In the XIX-early XX centuries, small-scale crafts and trade were the main occupations of the Jewish population. Jewish population of Veledniki: 1897 – 659 (50%) 1924...
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Malin
Malin is a historic city located in Zhytomyr region, center of Malin district. The city’s estimated population is 26,934 (as of 2013). In 1793, when Poland was divided for the second time, the town of Malin became part of Russia. Four years later, in 1797, government authorities formally incorporated Malin into the Radomishl district of Kiev Gubernia. My locationGet Directions Although the first mention of Jews in Malin was in 1784, many historians believe the community existed earlier. By the late XIX century, records show a synagogue, two Jewish prayer houses and a Jewish hospital there. In addition, we know that a Jew named Yakov Rabinovich and his brother Aron owned a furniture factory, dairy farms, and a dairy plant. Pre-Revolution center of Malin: Malin entrepreneurs list from Russian Empire Business Directories by 1913: At the turn of the century, Nakhum Vaisblat (born...
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Mokra Kaligorka
Kalihórka Mokra (Polish), Мокрая Калигорка, Mokraya Kaligorka (Russian) Mokra Kaligorka is town of the Katerinopol district, Cherkassy region. It has been known since the early XVIII century, at which time it was incorporated into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It has been a part of the Russian Empire since 1793. In the XIX-early XX centuries, it was the town Kaligorka Mokraya of Zvenigorod uyezd, Kiev gubernia. Most information for this article was provided by teacher of the local school Ludmila Diduk. My locationGet Directions We don’t know when Jews first appeared in Mokra Kaligorka. In 1896, a Jewish almshouse was functioning in Mokra Kaligorka. In 1914, Jews owned a drugstore, bakery, and 52 stalls including 13 factories and two grocery stores. There was also a landlord’s mansion, a Jewish synagogue, a bakery, the Jew Benia’s inn (he was mentioned in the book “Black Raven”...
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Moshny
Moshny is a village of Cherkassy district, Cherkassy region. Its population was 4,799 people in 2001. In the early ХХ century it was a shtetl of the Cherkassy uyezd, Kiev gubernia. Moshny is situated sixteen miles west-northwest of Cherkasy, a short distance north of the Vilshanka River, and about five miles southwest of the Dnieper River. Moshny was granted Magdeburg rights in 1592. My locationGet Directions The Moshny Jewish community was primarily a Hasidic community. Its population in the late eighteenth century was a mere one-hundred-thirty. There were several tragedies, not unique to a Ukrainian Jewish shtetl, that befell the Moshny Jews. A fire in 1881 destroyed sixty Jewish homes. In the early ХХ century, there were three synagogues and a Jewish cemetery in the village. We know where two of the synagogues were situated. Before the Revolution a Jew named Lakhman...
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Khotin
Khotin is a district town in the Chernivtsi region, Ukraine. It was founded in the X century in Kievan Rus. Since the second part of the XIV century, it was part of the Moldavian principality. It was also under the power of Poland. Since 1711 it has been under the influence of Turkey. According to the Bucharest Peace Treaty of 1812 Khotin together with Bessarabia was incorporated into Russia. In 1918 it was annexed Romania. By 1940 the Soviet Union annexed the territories of Moldova including Khotin. By 1963 Khotin had been a district center of Chernivtsi region, USSR. Much more information about Jewish life in Khotin can be found in Khotin Yizkor book. Beginning A Jewish population first appeared in Khotin in the late XIV – early XV centuries. In the XV and XVI centuries, Jewish merchants passed through Khotin which was...
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Pereyaslav
Pereyaslav-Khmelnitskii (Pereyaslav by 1943) is a city of Kiev region, Ukraine. It was first mentioned in the chronicles in 906 and joined the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569. It was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1654. In the XIX-early XX centuries, it was a centr of Pereyaslav Uezd of Poltava gubernia. Most information for this article was taken from the book of Tsilya Gehtman “Jews of Pereyaslav”. Beginning Jews have been living in Pereyaslav-Khmelnitskii since the XVII century. In 1620, the Polish King received complaints from his citizens about a large number of Jews in the town and their active participation in trade. Jews were prohibited to trade and own breweries, malt houses, and distilleries. My locationGet Directions In 1623, the town council and the local Jews entered into an agreement about giving the Jews equal rights with other...
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Makarov
Makarov is a city, district center of Kiev region. The city’s estimated population is 11.860 (as of 2006). It is known since the early 17th century. In the XVII-XVIII centuries it was a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1793 it was incorporated into the Russian Empire. In the XIX and early XX centuries, it was a shtetl of Kiev uyezd (district) in Kiev gubernia. Beginning According to some historical sources, Jews in Makarov appeared in the second part of the XVIII century. A synagogue was built there and it became the residence of one of the first rabbis of Kiev region. My locationGet Directions In 1754, a fact of beating several Jews by the local police was recorded in documents. Jewish population of Makarov: 1765 – 217 Jews 1852 – 1150Jews 1897 – 3953 (74%) 1926 – 582 (14%)...
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Vinohrad
Vynohrad – Vinohrad – Виноград (Ukrainian), Vinograd (Polish), ווינאָגראַד – Winorod (Yiddish) Vinohrad is a village in Lisyanka district of Cherkassy region. The village’s estimated population is 1294 (as of 2001). Information concerning Holocaust in Vinograd was given by local History teacher O.Koshman. Most of this article was taken from book Childhood in a Shtetl by Abraham P. Gannes. Beginning The Jewish community existed in Vynohrad since the XVIII century. The village received Magdeburg rights 1850. My locationGet Directions Vinograd means “a town of vineyards” but grapes were not grown in the area. Abraham Mindich, estimated that “the town was about one-half mile wide and a mile long with all the stores and shops located in the middle of the town. There was also space next to the stores where farmers brought their fruits and vegetables every Monday to sell to...
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Yagotyn
Yagotin is a town in Kiev region, the center of Kiev district. It is situated on the river Supoy. According to the census of 2015, its population is 20,232 people. Before the revolution Yagotin was a shtetl of Piriatin uyezd, Poltava province. In 1957, the village Lisniaki was incorperated into Yagotin. In the pre-revolutionary period a considerable number of Jews were living in this village. In 1910, there were 34 Jewish families; which was 85% of the whole population. That is why the statistics on the actual size of the Jewish population throughout the history of Yagotin has been quite inaccurate. Some information for this article was taken from the interview of native of Yagotin Miron Manilov (1921-?) from centropa.org. Beginning Yahotyn was founded in 1552. At the end of XVII – beginning of the XIX century, Yahotyn, which...
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Medvin
Medvin is a town in Boguslav district of Kiev region. The town’s estimated population is 3,450 (as of 2007). It was founded in 1362. In 1569 it was incoporated into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and in 1620-1648, Medvin recieved Magdeburg Rights. In 1793 Medvin was incorporated into the Russian Empire. In XIX – early XX centuries it was a shtetl of Kaniv district, Kiev gubernia. Beginning Jews have been living in Medvin since the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In XIX – early XX centuries the main occupations of the Jewish population were crafts, petty trade, and rent. My locationGet Directions In the early XIX century Jews owned five stalls and three mills. In 1896 – 1901, Shimshon-Aron Polonskiy (1876-1948) was a rabbi in Medvin. In 1910, there were two synagogues and a Jewish cemetery in Medvin. In 1914, Jews owned a drugstore,...
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Katerinopol
Katerinopol (Kalniboloto by 1795) is an urban-type settlement (since 1965), a district center in Cherkassy region, Ukraine. It was first written about in the mid XVI century when it acquired Magdeburg right. In the XVI-XVIII centuries, it was a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1793 it was incorporated into the Russian Empire as a district town of Kiev province. Since 1798 it was a shtetl Yekaterinopol, Zvenigorodka uyezd, Kiev province. In the 1930’s, it was a center of the village council. My locationGet Directions Beginning The Jews of Katerinopol are first mentioned in documents from 1720. During the XVII and XVIII centuries, Jews were repeatedly victims of pogroms. The Polish census of 1764 included 19 Jews from Katerinopol kahal. It means that the Jewish community was destroyed during Haydamaks’ uprisings in right-bank Ukraine in the 1760’s. Jewish population...
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Orynin
Оринін (Ukrainian), Орынин(Russian) Orynin is a town of Kamenets-Podolskiy district. The town’s estimated population is 2664. Orynin was first written about in 1474. Since 1569 it was a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth In 1672-1699, it was under the power of the Ottoman Empire. Since 1793 it was incorporated into the Russian Empire. Since 1797 Orynin was a town of Kamenets-Podolskiy uyezd, Podolia gubernia. Information for this article was taken from a book written by Beril Segal and Naum Bernstein. The head of Kamienets-Podolskiy community Aleksandr Shulyk originated from Orynin and Orynin historian Vladimir shared their memories. My locationGet Directions Beginning Orynin is first mentioned in archival documents dating back from 1474. A Jewish community in Orynin dates back to 1582. During the times of Khmelnitskiy uprising the shtetl was ruined, many Jews and Frankists left it, a lot of them...
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Sokolets
Sokolets is a small village in Dunayivtsi district, Khmelnitskiy region. In 2001, 676 people lived in the village. In the era of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Sokolets had been a shtetl of Podolia voivodship (district) by 1793. In the early XX century, it was a shtetl of Podolia district, Ushitsa uezd. An abandoned part of the village is located in the bottom of the picturesque Ushitsa gorge. My locationGet Directions Beginning Jews started to settle in Sokolets in the XVIII century. After the murder of local Jews during the Haidamak uprising (1768), the Jewish population of Sokolets dropped significantly. Jewish population of Sokolets: 1765 – 356 Jews 1847 – 457 Jews 1897 – 747 (27% of total) 1926 – 616 Jews 1931 – 425 Jews In 1765, there were 356 Jews in Sokolets and nearby villages. In XVIII century Polish...
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Korostyshev
Korosteszow (Polish), Korostysiv, Коростишів (Ukrainian), Коростышев – Korostyshev (Russian) Korostyshev, is a town and district center in Zhitomir region. It was founded in 1471 and was included into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Since 1569 it was a town in Zhitomir county, Kiev voivodeship (province) in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1793 it was incorporated into the Russian Empire. In XIX – early XX centuries, it was a shtetl in Radomysl district, Kiev province. Beginning Jews have been living in Korostyshev since XVI century. In 1602, a synagogue was functioning there. My locationGet Directions Jewish population of Korostyshev: 1765 – 316 Jews 1847 – 2657 Jews 1897 – 4160 (53% of total) 1926 – 3017 (37%) 1939 – 2170 (19%) 1989 – 215 1995 – 70 In 1772, the kahal paid 1,240 zloty of poll tax. The kahal was the...
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Ivankov
Ivankov is a city in Kiev region, center of Ivankov district. The city’s estimated population is 10,678 (as of 2012). Ivankov is located on the Teterev River, a tributary of the Dnieper. In XIX – beginning of XX century it was the shtetl of Radomyshl Uezd, Kiev Gubernia. Ivankov is approx. 80 km from Kiev and in 50 km from Chernobyl. Most data was taken from the publication of the head of Ivankov Jewish community Nelli Grigorovich “Born in shtetl”. In it, she organised various sources into a single narrative, interviewed dozens of people and collected hundreds of photos. Beginning A settlement has existed on the site of Ivankiv since ancient times. Originally named Trudynov, it became Pasynkovschina in 1524 and has been known as Ivaniv since 1589 (later Ivankiv) after the owner of the territory, Ivan Proskura. Jewish population of...
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Obraztsovaya
Obraztsovaya was a former Jewish Agricultural colony. It was located in territory which is now a part of Fastov, Kiev region, Ukraine. Information for this article was collected with the help of Fastov local historian Vladimir Dorosenko. It was founded in 1854 as a Jewish agricultural colony in Vasilkov district, Kiev province. In 1854, 15 Jewish families (263 people) lived in Obraztsovaya, in 1898 – seven Jewish families (35 people). The colony was built at the expense of Abraham Markovich Brodskiy. Every family was given 15.5 desiatine (appr.42.6 acres) of free state land. In 1875, there were 75 Jewish men in Obraztsovaya. The absence of experienced agriculturalists and lack of equipment and cattle made most of colonists lease their land. In 1898 – 1899, three families engaged in agriculture, two of them had horses. In 1900, the society of...
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Tarashcha
Tarashcha is a city located in Kiev region, center of Tarashcha district. The city’s estimated population is 13,307 (as of 2001). In XIX – beginning of XX century it was the center of Tarashcha Yezd (county) of Kiev Gubernia. Holocaust information was provided by local historial Leonid Lashenko. Much more information can be found in Yiddish book “Tarashcha, a History of a Small Shtetl in Kiev Guberniya”. It was published in USA, 1930’s. Beginning A Jewish community has existed in Tarashcha since the mid-XVIII century. My locationGet Directions In 1722, Tarashcha received a status of a shtetl. In 1765, 134 Jews lived in Tarashcha. According to the lustration of 1789, the Jews owned 31 houses in the market and 41 houses in the side streets. City plan, 1826 City plan, 1913 By the early XIX century, more than 5,300...
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Kadlubitsa
Kadlubitsa is a former Jewish colony, now it is a part of Fastov, Kiev region. Before Revolution it was a Jewish agricultural colony in Vasilkov district, Kiev province. Since 1925, it’s been Kadlubitsa Jewish National village council of Fastov district, Belaya-Tserkov region. Information for this article was collected with the help of Fastov local historian Vladimir Dorosenko. Beginning Kadlubitsa was founded in 1850 as an agricultural colony by Jews from Fastov. According to a local legend, the name ‘Kadlubitsa’ comes from the word ‘kadosh’ (Hebrew – sacred). My locationGet Directions There were 29 households, 434 residents (207 men and 227 women) in 1900. Their main occupation was grain production. Some local Jews were engaged in trade and reselling goods, visiting fairs at nearby villages and towns. Jewish population of Kadlubitsa: 1859 – 430 Jews 1896 – 826 Jews 1906 –...
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Chervonianskaya
Chervonianskaya was a Jewish colony located nine kilometers from Fastov, in Kiev region. Now it was a village called Krasnoye, Fastov district. Before the Revolution it was a Jewish agricultural colony in Vasilkov uezd of Kiev gubernia. It was founded in 1851 on state land. In 1898, there were 44 Jewish families, 312 people. The residents had 378 dessiatines (1,040 acres) of land. The colony was destroyed during Denikin’s pogrom in 1919 but it was reestablished at the expense of AgroJoint (US funded) organization in the 1920’s. Several typical houses based on a American project were built here. During my visit in 2016 only one of those houses was preserved in its original appearance. I haven’t found any information about the Jews of Chervonianskaya colony after the 1920’s. In 2016, the locals didn’t even know that their village used to...
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Zvenigorodka
Zvenigorodka is a city and district center in Cherkassy region. The city’s estimated population is 17,400 (as of 2016). It was first mentioned in the historical record in 1545. According to another version, it existed during the Kievan Rus period. In 1569 Zvenigorodka was in Kiev district, Kiev province in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1793. In the XIX-early XX centuries Zvenigorodka was a district town of Kiev gubernia. Beginning In 1765, there is mention of a single Jewish tenant living in Zvenyhorodka among 134 homes in the village. My locationGet Directions In the late XVIII century almost all the inns, mills, and distilleries of Zvenigorodka were rented by the Jews. The names of the tenants are present in Polish documents from 1792: Mendel Shmuylovich, Chaim Mortkovich, Moshko Genikhovich, Yankel and Leyzor Peysakhovich, Abram...
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Buky
Buky is a small town in Mankovka district, Cherkassy region. The town’s estimated population is 2,134 (2007). Since 1793 it’s been a part of the Russian Empire. In the XIX – early XX centuries, it was a shtetl of Uman district, Kiev province. Beginning The first mention of Buky in historical record was in 1554. My locationGet Directions In the early 18th century a synagogue was built in Buky and two more ones in the late XIX. In the 1740’s, count Kiselev sold his Buky-Antonovka estate to duke Liubomirskiy who had attached nearby village Antonovka to Buky. At that time there were 496 households in both settlements. 3,133 people lived there including 260 Jewish households which contained 1,558 people. Jewish population of Buky: 1847 – 1182 Jews 1897 – 2298 (59%) 1923 – 281 Jews 1939 – 546 Jews 1950’s...
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Liantskorun
Лянцкорунь, Зарічанка (Ukrainian) Zarichanka (Liantskorun by 1947), is a village in Chemerovtsy district of the Khmelnitskiy region. The village is located on the river Zhvanchik and the tributary Letavka. In 1793 it was incoperated into the Russian Empire. By the late XIX – early XX century it was a shtetl in Kamenets district of Podolye province. In 1923-1928 it was a district center. According to the census of 2001 its population was 892 people. In 2000 a local resident Ruslan Kozak (born in 1979) tried to write down the history of Liantskorun while he was studying in Kamenets-Podolskiy University. A lot of facts about the life of Jews from Zarechanka were mentioned in his work. Beginning The name Liantskorun appeared in the first half of the XVIII century when the family Liantskoronskiy owned the village and managed to elevate it to the...
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Stepantsy
Степанци(Russian), Степанці(Ukrainian) Stepantsy is a village located in Kaniv district of Cherkassy region. The villag’s estimated population is 2,770 (as of 2007). In XIX – beginning of XX century it was village of Kaniv uezd of Kiev gubernia. Beginning The first mention of Jews in Stepantsy dates back to 1765, when 12 people lived here. My locationGet Directions In 1845, Stepantsy was bought by Rogozinskiy for his daughter Antonina. She was married to Liudvik Klementyevich Khamets. By 1863, the local population consisted of 2,370 Christians and 3,171 Jews. In 1882, Jews were expelled from the village by the authorities. Jews could come back to the shtetl only after Kiev trader Iona Zaytsev had rented the land from the local Polish landlord Khamets in 1903. The letter is invitation to wedding in Zolotonosha which was send to Burshtein , Stepantsy...
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Lysianka
Lysianka is district center in Cherkassy region, Ukraine. The city’s estimated population is 8,161 (as of 2001). In the XIX – early XX centuries, it was a shtetl in Zvenigorodka district of Kiev province. Beginning Jews appeared in Lysianka in XVII century. In 1702, The Haydamaky rebels killed almost all the Jews in Lysianka. The Jewish population of Lysianka suffered a lot in 1768 during the period “Koliyivshchyna”. My locationGet Directions Burials in the Jewish cemetery which date back to 1761 prove the existence of Jews in Lysianka in the XVIII century. By 1867 there were three synagogues in Lysianka and in the 1890s there was a Jewish almshouse. In the 1890s Mordko Teplichnyy was a rabbi, in 1895 Mordko Weitburd was rabbi’s assistant. In 1907 Moyshe Weiserman was the rabbi in Lysianka and in 1914 his role was filled by...
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Tagancha
Tagancha is a village in Ukraine in Kanev district, Cherkassy region. The settlement’s estimated population is 1,413 (as of 2001). In XIX – beginning of XX century it was a shtetl of Kanev Yezd of Kiev Gubernia. Beginning Tagancha first appears on the map of the territory adjusted to Kiev in the early XV century. We can assume that Jews appeared in Tagancha at the beginning of the XVI century but there isn’t any documentary evidence. During Bohdan Khmelnitskiy’s uprising (1648-1654) neighboring Kanev was the center of Kanev regiment. The Jewish community was supposedly destroyed by Cossacks during this time. In 1750, the Haydamaky detachment led Aleksey Liakh killed one Jewish trader who served the Polish gentry. This is the first mention in historical record of the Tagancha Jewish community. In 1678, Tagancha became the property of great Polish...
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