Pages Navigation Menu

Berdichev

Posted by on Apr 7, 2014 in Shtetls, Zhytomyr region | 6 comments

Barditchev (Yiddish), Berdyczow (Polish), Бердичев – Berdichev (Russian), Бердичів (Ukrainian) Berdychiv is a city in the Zhytomyr region.  The city’s estimated population is 78 523 (2013). Before 1917, it was a center of Uezd (county) in Kiev gubernia. How it all began Jews were first mentioned in Berdichev in 1593. Towards the mid-eighteenth century, the city became one of the main Jewish centers of Ukraine, earning the esteemed title “Jerusalem of Volhynia.” From 1785, Berdichev was home to Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev, a prominent Hassidic leader, as well as Rabbi Yitzhak Ber Levinzon, a famous advocate of Jewish Enlightenment. My locationGet Directions In 1797, prince Radziwill granted seven Jewish cloth merchants the monopoly of the cloth trade in Berdichev. In 1798, a Jewish printing press was established in the city, one of the greatest in Russia. The ideas of enlightenment...

Read More

Narodichi

Posted by on Sep 25, 2013 in Shtetls, Zhytomyr region | 3 comments

  Naroditch (Yiddish), Народичи – Narodichi (Russian), Народичі – Narodychi (Ukrainian) Narodichi is a district center in the Zhytomyr region. It is known from the XV century. In the XVI-XVIII centuries it was in the Ovruch uezd of Kiev province within the Commonwealth, which became a part of the Russian Empire in 1793. In the XIX to early XX century, it was a shtetl in the Ovruch district of Volyn province. My locationGet Directions Beginning The first mention of a Jewish community in Narodichi was in 1683.  In 1875 the chief rabbi of Narodichi was Elia-Leib Juravel (1847 – ? ). The main occupations of the Jewish population in XIX-early XX century were crafts and trade. Jews owned the only pharmacy, the two bakeries, all 9 hotels, a mill and 44 shops in Narodichi. They also owned all 24 grocery shops, all...

Read More

Skvira

Posted by on Aug 20, 2013 in Kiev region, Shtetls | 16 comments

Skver, Skvir, Skwere (Yiddish Transliteration), Сквира – Skvyra (Ukrainian), סקווירא (Yiddish) Skvyra is a town in the Kiev Oblast (province) of central Ukraine.  It is the administrative center of the Skvyrskyi Raion (district), and is currently a regional municipality. In the end of XIX – beginning XX century, Skvyra was a center of uezd in Kiev gubernia. My locationGet Directions Information about post-WWII Jews of Skvira was provided by the chairman of the community, Yefim Schwarzburd. He was born in 1948. Some book with a description of the pre-revolutionary town was published in Israel by a native of Skvira. However, I couldn’t find the author’s name, nor the title, nor the book itself. Skvira Hasidim now living in the United States have some memories and materials about Skvira of the XIX – XX centuries, but it is difficult to find...

Read More

Boguslav

Posted by on Jul 30, 2013 in Kiev region, Shtetls | 8 comments

Bohsla (Yiddish), Богуслав – Boguslav (Russian,Ukrainian) Boguslav is a town in the Kiev region. In XIX – beginning of XX century, it was a center of Boguslav uezd, Kiev gubernia. Information about after-war Jews of Boguslav was provided by the head of Boguslav Jewish community Roman Tivin during our visit to Boguslav in the summer 2018. He is a seventh generation Boguslav resident. My locationGet Directions Beginning The first known instance of Jewish settlement in Bohuslav dates from the late 16th/early 17th century. Jewish population of Boguslav: 1765 – 574 jews 1847 — 5294 jews 1897 — 7445 (65,5%) 1910 — 14 236 (72%) 1926 — 6432 (53%) 1939 — 2230 jews 1989 — 179 jews 2004 – 50 jews The Jewish population of Bohuslav suffered during the Khmelnitsky pogroms in 1648, from the Cossack raids of 1702, and...

Read More

Chernobyl

Posted by on Dec 27, 2012 in Kiev region, Shtetls | 0 comments

Chernobyl – Чернобыль (Russian), טשערנאבל (Yiddish) צ’רנוביל (Hebrew) Chernobyl is a historic town located in Kiev region of northern Ukraine. Chernobyl is located on the Pripyat River, a tributary of the Dnieper. All population was evacuated in 1986 after nuclear disaster. Now in town located only few offices of “30km Exclusion Zone” and temporary stuff. Chernobyl became a part of Russia Empire in 1793, in XIX – beginning of XX century it was shtetl of Radomyshl Yezd of Kiev. Chernobyl is approx. 32 km from Radomyshl and in 280 km from Kiev. Beginning It had one of the oldest Jewish settlements in the  Ukraine, dating from the end of the XVII century (first mention in documents dated by 1193). It was originally under the jurisdiction of the Lithuanian Council and attached in 1710 to the Council of the Four Lands. In 1691 a Cossack...

Read More

Konotop

Posted by on Jul 13, 2012 in Shtetls, Sumy region | 6 comments

Konotop is a city in northern Ukraine within the Sumy Oblast. Before Revolution, it was a center of Konotop Uezd, Chernigov gubernia. Most information for this website was taken from 3 books which were published in 2000’s and provided by Emilia Ayzenshtat. Konotop Jewish community on Facebook. Beginning At the beginning of the 19th century, only about 80 Jews lived in Konotop, but by 1847 the number had grown to 521. Jewish life in the town during the 19th century is described in memoirs by Pauline Wengerof, who lived there for some years. The numbers increased considerably during the second half of the 19th century as a result of the movement of Jews from the northwestern provinces of the *Pale of Settlement to the southeastern ones, reaching 4,426 (23.5% of the total population) in 1897. Centre of Konotop, beginning of 20 century:...

Read More

Belaya Tserkov

Posted by on Jul 10, 2012 in Kiev region, Shtetls | 6 comments

    Shvartze Timme (Yiddish Transliteration), Біла Церква – Bila Tserkva (Ukrainian) Belaya Tserkov is a historic city located in Kiev region of Central Ukraine, center of Belaya Tserkov district. Belaya Tserkov is located on the Ros’ River, a tributary of the Dnieper. The city’s estimated population is 212,090 (as of 2016). Belaya Tserkov became a part of Russia Empire in 1793, in XIX – beginning of XX century it was a shtetl of Vasylkov Yezd of Kiev Gubernia. Belaya Tserkov is approx. 85 km from Kiev, 38 km from Fastov and 37 km from Skvira. If you want help to Belaya Tserkov Jewish school “Mitzva-613”: in UAH: Р/С 26006060214751; ПАО КБ “Приватбанк”; МФО 321842; ЕДРПОУ 33519562 получатель НВК”Міцва-613″ in USD: Полное название: Branch #10026/0877 Main administration in city Kyiv and Kyiv area Public Joint Company State Savings bank of Ukraine...

Read More

Kiev

Posted by on Jun 26, 2012 in Kiev region, Shtetls | 0 comments

Article don’t complited Киев – Kiev (Russian), Київ – Kyiv (Ukrainian), קיִעוו (Yiddish), קייב (Hebrew) Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. Beginning Kiev’s central position on the river Dnipro at the commercial crossroads of Western Europe and the East attracted Jewish settlers (Rabbanites and Karaites) from the foundation of the town in the eighth century C.E. At first most of them were transient merchants from both east and west. According to letters dated 930 from the Cairo Genizah there were Jews in Kiev at this time. Ancient Russian chronicles relate that some Jews from Khazaria Visited Vladimir, the prince of Kiev, to try to convert him to Judaism (986). About that time a Jewish community already existed in the city. Jewish merchants from the West took part in...

Read More

Uman

Posted by on Jun 13, 2012 in Cherkasy region, Shtetls | 4 comments

  Imen, Human (Yiddish Transliteration), Умань (Ukrainian), Умань – Uman’ (Russian) Uman is a historical city in Cherkassy region. The estimated population is 86.911 (as of 2010). In XIX – beginning of XX century it was center of Uman Yezd of Kiev Gubernia. More information about Jews of Uman can be found in academic works of Irina Melnik , T. Kuznets or plan of excursion by Olena Andronatiy. How It Started A Jewish community appeared in Uman in the early 18th century. The first mention of Jews in Uman relates to the events of Haydamaks’ uprising. In 1749 the Haidamacks massacred many Jews of Uman and burned part of the town. In 1761, the owner of Uman, Earl Pototsky, rebuilt the city and established a market, at which time around 450 Jews were living in the city. During this time, Uman began...

Read More

Cherkassy

Posted by on Jun 8, 2012 in Cherkasy region, Shtetls | 4 comments

Cherkassy is a city in central Ukraine. It is the capital of the Cherkassy Oblast. In XIX – beginning of XX century, it was center of Cherkassy Yezd of Kiev Gubernia There have been Jews in Cherkassy for almost 500 years. Jews settled in the city in the XVI century. However it is known that Jews were in the city previously, from 1487-8, and from 1500. In 1581, Jewish wine merchants were beaten and robbed by Cossacks. In the days of Chmelnitsky upraising (1648-1654), Jews fled from the city. In 1664, the local population murdered the Jews and the Poles. After this, no Jews lived in the city until the end of the XVII century. The Jewish community re-appeared in the city at the beginning of the XVIII century but suffered greatly from Haidamak attacks. Zhelezniak’s forces captured the city in the second half...

Read More

Kanev

Posted by on Jun 8, 2012 in Cherkasy region, Shtetls | 7 comments

Kaniow (Polish), Канiв – Kaniv (Ukrainian), Канев – Kanev (Russian) Kanev is a historic city located in Cherkassy region of central Ukraine, center of Kanev district. Kanev is located on the Dnieper River. The city’s estimated population is 25 224 (as of 2015). In XIX – beginning of XX century it was center of Kanev Yezd of Kiev Gubernia. Beginning Jewish settlement began in the end of the XVII century or the beginning of the XVIII. My locationGet Directions From 98 (including the surrounding villages) in 1765, the Jewish population grew to 1,635 in 1847 and 2,682 (30% of the total population) in 1897. In 1910, the town had a synagogue, two prayer houses, two male and one female government-sponsored schools. Before WWI most of the petty trade in town was in Jewish hands, all groceries and textile shops...

Read More

Priluki

Posted by on Feb 19, 2012 in Chernigov region, Shtetls | 81 comments

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....

Read More