The Jewish cemetery of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) is an enchanted garden. In his jungle you meet lions, deer, blessing hands, and people who are long gone. This morning I had some time to explore it once again. Even after many visits, it is a fascinating place to me. The cemetery tells of rise and fall of Jewish Czernowitz. I spent the afternoon with the volunteers of SVIT Ukraine who work in the cemetery.

Czernowitz Jewish cemetery

Czernowitz Jewish cemetery

Czernowitz Jewish cemetery

Czernowitz Jewish cemetery

Czernowitz Jewish cemetery

Czernowitz Jewish cemetery

Czernowitz Jewish cemetery

Czernowitz Jewish cemetery

The volunteers in the synagogue

Together we explored Jewish Czernowitz: the Temple Synagogue, the Groisse Shil, the Jewish national house, the site of the former ghetto. In the evening we were invited to Shabbat service in one of the two working synagogues. The reception by the Jewish community was warm. Rabbi Mendel welcomed the volunteers, invited them to dance around the bimah during the service and at the end there was a snack for everyone.

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