Ivnytsya Jewish Cemetery
Cemetery Information
Historical overview
The exact period of the cemetery’s establishment is unknown. It emerged no later than the late 19th century, as the earliest preserved tombstone dates to 1894. It is marked on a Russian map from the 1900’s as a Christian graveyard.
Ivnytsya (Ukr. Івниця, Rus. Ивница, Yid. איווניצע) had a Jewish population of 88 as early as in 1765. The community grew to 1,060 in 1847 and reached 607 in 1897, which was 20% of the total population. The synagogue was first mentioned in 1865. According to their birth certificate, Ivnytsya is the birthplace of the Hebrew poet Hayim Nahman Bialik (1873–1934), although he actually spent the first years of his life in the nearby village of Hrada. In July 1941, the town was occupied by the advancing German army. It is likely that the majority of them were murdered not long after this.
It is unknown when the cemetery was founded. The earliest tombstone dates back to 1894. A new ohel has been built over R. Zeev Wolf’s grave. Few of the stones remain intact and the cemetery is being used as pasture land.
