Dozens of headstones stolen from a Jewish cemetery have been discovered in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, a Jewish community leader said.
Vitaliy Kamozin, CEO of the United Jewish Community of Ukraine, said the gravestones were found near the site of the old Jewish cemetery in the city’s Kalantyrivka district. Some had been repurposed as steps and sidewalks, while others were used in building renovations and new construction.
Local historian Konstantin Antonets located the stones near the cemetery, which was founded in 1903 and originally covered about 900 square meters. During the 1960s, as part of a broader urban renewal project, contractors demolished private homes in the area and used the stolen headstones as construction material.
The recovered gravestones will not be returned to their original location but instead transferred to a secured cemetery in the Khortytsia district near the Dnipro River. That site underwent partial restoration several years ago through the efforts of social activist Anna Holovko and with support from Kamozin. Additional renovations are planned.
Kamozin has overseen the installation of more than 130 memorial plaques at Jewish cemeteries and Holocaust mass graves across Ukraine. He has also led efforts to install security cameras at Jewish community properties.
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Under his leadership, the United Jewish Community of Ukraine has worked to preserve Jewish burial sites and recover displaced headstones. The group’s efforts extend beyond remembrance, incorporating broader humanitarian initiatives.