The Jewish cemetery is one of the oldest landmarks in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. It occupies almost four hectaresofurbanland. According to city guide sits age equal stoapp. 1000 years. Many burials are in poor condition. However, the cemeteryis stillope rating.It is famous not only for centuries-old history. There are burials of victims Stalin repressions and Holocaust. Basically there are communal graves.
Historical facts
The word “massacre” went down in history. After countless facts of destruction Jewish people in Akkerman (now it is Belgorod-Dnestrovsk) and near towns victims were buried here according to Jewish laws.
The first eliminations occurred in the early 19th century in Odessa. The elimination in Akkerman occurred in 1862. If what is said it true, Greeks were the cause. The cause of hatred was envy and competition. The reasons were so absurd and they seemed completely invented.
The terrible massacre was in Kishinev in 1903. There were killed several hundred Jews. Odessa, Akkerman and Rostov-on-don had experienced evils days in 1905. Thousands Jewish men, women and children were killed.Almost all of victims were buried in this cemetery. Monuments were installed on the graves. They looked like cut trees, because it symbolizes interrupted life. Torah scroll was desecrated during the massacre and it was buried here immediately.
Akkerman city is for more than 25 centuries. Representatives of Jewish community approve that Belgorod-Dnestrovsk Jewish Cemetery was about 2,000 years. It is one of the oldest graves in Ukraine. There are many ancient graves such as the grave of Turkish Pasha’s advisor. There are many ancient graves, which are more than 200-300 years old. But you can find graves, which are more than 1000 years old! Here were buried not only ordinary people, but many famous Jews over the centuries.
During The Great Patriotic War locals were robbing and killing Jewish people, before Romanian-German army broke in the city. When German army entered the city, more than 700 Jews were killed and buried, the rest of Jews were killed in July 1941. Their bodies were also buried here in communal graves.
The cemetery today
For many years graves were in a very poor condition, they were neglected. Nowadays it restores its well-kept and tidy appearance thanks to the funds collected from the former citizens of the White CitywhocametoIsraelduringoutrages. Money transferred to fellow countrymen were used to finance cleaning of monuments, tree cutting, removalofdeadwoodandgarbage.
The Jewish cemetery is still working. Dead Jews were brought to the cemetery from all Ukraine. Burials are accomplished only according to Jewish canons.
The author of the article @vpodessa