Ovidiopol Jewish Cemetery

The Jewish cemetery was created in the 1870s. It was marked on a Russian map of 1917. Supposedly, the graveyard was demolished during the Soviet period after WWII and probably was used after the war. Neighbors of the cemetery remember that about 50 years ago, the rabbi’s mother was buried on this cemetery. It seems that the gravestones were demolished recently, as locals thought there were still gravestones remaining on the cemetery.

The earliest known information about the Jewish community of Ovidiopol dates from the mid-19th century. In 1856, a synagogue existed in the town. In 1865, 72 Jews lived here. The Jewish population grew to 394 (8% of the total population) by 1897. In October 1905, the Jews of Ovidiopol suffered a pogrom. In 1910, a cemetery operated in the town. In 1913, the Jews owned 27 stalls. The Civil War facilitated pogroms in 1918 to 1920. In 1926, many Jews left the town and the population decreased to 78. In September 1941, six Jews were murdered in Ovidiopol.