Khotyn Jewish Cemetery

Presumably, the Jewish Cemetery in Khotyn was established at the beginning of 19th century. According to epigraphic data, it already existed in the 1820s. The cemetery was operating after WWII, the latest gravestone relates to 2016.

Presumably, in the 14th-15th century, a Karaite community was in the town. The local Jews suffered by the Khmelnytskyi’s troops raids. A few Jewish tradesmen lived there from the second half of the 15th century. In 1756, Yakov Frank and his followers found the shelter in Khotyn. The Jewish population was 340 in 1808. It reached a peak of 9,291 (50% of the total population) in 1897 in spite of the commenced immigration caused by pogroms. In the late 19th century, a Jewish hospital was opened. The first synagogue was erected in the 19th century. A Jewish school was established at that time as well. The Jewish community of Khotyn was officially established after the Russian revolution of 1917. The Romanian authority recognized the community in 1929. In the interwar period,  the largest library of Yiddish and Hebrew books in Bessarabia operated in the town. The Jewish population declined to 5,781 (38% of the total) in 1930. In July 1940, during the Soviet regime, the major part of the Jewish community was exiled to Siberia. The Jewish activists and officials were arrested. The Romanian troops occupied Khotyn on July 7, 1941. 2,000 Jews were executed on the first days of occupation. On July 30 1941, 12,000 Jews were exiled to the Secureni camp. Only 300 Jews survived.