Nova Ushytsya Jewish Cemetery

The exact period of the cemetery’s establishment is unknown. Presumably, it was established in the mid-19th century. The oldest preserved gravestone relates to the 1840s. First, it appears on Soviet maps of 1939.

In the late 18th century, the congresses of the Admorim took place. 229 Jews were inhabitants of Nova Ushytsya in 1765. In 1838, 82 Jews of Nova Ushytsya and outskirts were arrested on suspicion of the entering wrong data into census list. Most of them were arrested, and 30 were tortured to death. The head of the Hasidic dynasty, Israel Friedman (1796–1850), was arrested, but due to lack of evidence, was released. It was known as the Novoushitsky case. Four synagogues functioned in the late 19th century. In 1847, 725 Jews resided. In 1897, the Jewish population reached 2,213 (34,6% of the total population). Many of the Jews were employed in factories. In the early 20th century, a Jewish bookstore and five pharmacies were owned by the Jews. In 1907, the Jewish community collected taxes to maintain an orphanage, ambulatory, hospitals, synagogues, mikvahs and Jewish cemeteries. In 1910, five synagogues, a private Jewish school, and Jewish cemetery operated. In 1923, the Jewish population dropped to 1,991. In 1913, the Zionists and Bundists protested against the Beilis case. In the early WWI, the Jews of Nova Ushytsya were expelled. In 1918, Mendel Daychman organised a self-defence detachment. In 1922, two kindergartens for Jewish children were opened. In 1925, secret Zionist organizations Gehalutz and OSM were active. In the 1920-30s, a Yiddish school operated. In the 1920s, a Jewish kolkhoz was created. There were 1,547 Jewish residents (54,9% of the total population) in 1939. On July 14, 1941, the German troops occupied the town. A ghetto was established in September 1941. The group of Jews from the surrounding villages were imprisoned in the ghetto in Spring 1942. 3,222 Jews were murdered after in August. Some Jews were deported to Letichev ghetto later. On October 16, 1942, the ghetto was liquidated.