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Statue of Shalom Aleichem in Ukraine
Photo: Joseph Jackson

Jewish tombstones used to lay pavement

Israelis searching for grandfather's grave in Ukraine shocked to discover that stones at entrance to Bogoslav's municipality building are actually ancient tombstones taken from Jewish cemetery

KIEV - Brothers David and Zvika Gorvitch, who travelled to Bogoslav, Ukraine, in search of their grandfather's final resting place, were shocked to find at the entrance to the city's municipality building, that the stones on the pavement were actually ancient tombstones taken from the Jewish cemetery.

 

The city of Bogoslav, located in the Kiev district, was once home to a thriving Jewish community. Well-known Jews of last century even lived there, such as author Shalom Aleichem, who spent many years at his grandparents' home in the city.

 

Today, the Jewish community of Bogoslav contains just 70 people, out of a population of 17,000 residents. The municipality building where the problematic pavement was found was once a Jewish school.

 

"I came here in search of my grandfather's grave, and this is what I find! I am shocked," said Zvika Gorvitch, "Go figure what road his tombstones is a part of now."

 

A member of the Bogoslav Jewish community said the pavement in question was built from the tombstones after the Second World War. "Many people visited the site and promised to take care of the problem, but nothing has changed," the source said.

 

"One of the wealthy Jews sent money to the city to remove the tombstones and transfer them to the cemetery, but the city chose to use this money to fix up the public park across the way," he added.

 


פרסום ראשון: 07.02.10, 09:17
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