Vyzhnytsia New Jewish Cemetery

Cemetery Information

Country
Ukraine
Region
Chernivtsi
District
Vyzhnytsia
Settlement
Vyzhnytsia
Site address
The cemetery is located opposite to the house at 36, L. Kobylytsy Street.
GPS coordinates
48.25114, 25.20645
Perimeter length
220 metres
Is the cemetery demolished
no
Type and height of existing fence
No fence
Preservation condition
Unfenced Jewish cemetery
General site condition
The part of the cemetery site is well-maintained, and the rest is severely overgrown.
Number of existing gravestones
1,000
Date of oldest tombstone
1866 (the oldest found by ESJF expedition)
Date of newest tombstone
2004
Urgency of erecting a fence
High
Land ownership
Property of local community
Preserved construction on site
There is an ohel on the cemetery site.
Drone surveys
No

Historical overview

Presumably, the Jewish Cemetery in Vyzhnytsya was established in the 19th century. According to epigraphic data, it already existed in the 1860s. It was marked on a map of the 1880s. The cemetery is still operating.

Jews were present in the mid-18 century. The local Jews were mostly engaged in trade and crafts. A Hevra Kadisha society was organised in 1768. In 1774, 191 Jews were inhabitants of Vyzhnytsya. A first synagogue was erected in 1826. By 1888, the number of synagogues grew to eight for Jews of different professions. The Sadigur and Boyan Hasidic dynasties predominated in Vyzhnytsya. The Jewish population of Vyzhnytsya increased after the setting up of the Vizhnitsya Hasidic dynasty by Rabbi Menachem-Mendel Hager (1830–1885) in 1854. In 1873, the Jewish population stood at 2,975 and, by 1890, Vyzhnytsya was 90% Jewish city with 4,247 Jewish residents. The Jewish population reached a peak of 5,080 (89% of the total population) in 1910. During the WWI, many Jews moved to Vienna. The Jewish Joint Distribution Committee assisted the Jewish community of Vyzhnytsya after WWI. In 1918, a yeshiva was opened. In the 1920s-30s, a Hebrew high school, heder, Jewish hospital, cemetery and Talmud Torah were maintained by the Jewish community. The Zionist youth organizations were active. The Agudat Israel group was established at that time. In 1930, 2,666 Jewish residents (56% of the total population) lived in the city. On July 5, 1941, a pogrom claimed lives of 21 Jews. By August 8, 1941, 1,820 Jews were deported to Transnistria and the remnants in October 1941. The number of the Jewish population decreased to 800 people in 1945. Most of them immigrated to Eretz Israel. In 1990, three Jewish families resided in Vyzhnytsya.

3D model