Tag Archives: Chişinău (Kishinev)

News from Chişinău Jewish cemetery

Posted on by under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

Since Thursday, 28 February, my friends Marla, Jay, Iryna, Anna, Vasyl and I are on the road again. Our 7 days trip through Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova has begun. We spent a day in Chişinău and from there are encouraging news – the last remaining Jewish cemetery of the city is undergoing restauration works.

Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery

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Two Days in Bessarabia

Posted on by under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

It turned out to be difficult to report from the road when traveling with a big group and having a dense itinerary. Now, already back home, I have time to take up the narration. Last time I wrote from Chişinău on May 21 but did not report what we experienced there. On May 22 we were out for a day trip to Vadul Raşcov Jewish cemetery and the cave monasteries of Tipova – both magic places.

Chişinău – market, view from my hotel window
Chişinău – being guided by Irina Shikhova
Chişinău – former synagogue of the Jewish hospital
Chişinău – former laundry of the Jewish hospital
Chişinău – former Jewish hospital
Chişinău Jewish cemetery – bullet holes in the gate of the ruined mortuary
Chişinău Jewish cemetery – ruined mortuary
Chişinău – being guided by Irina Shikhova
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery – wall made of tombstone fragments
Vadul Raşcov – Jewish cemetery
Vadul Raşcov – Jewish cemetery
Vadul Raşcov – Jewish cemetery
Vadul Raşcov – Jewish cemetery
Vadul Raşcov – Jewish cemetery
Vadul Raşcov – Jewish cemetery
Vadul Raşcov – Jewish cemetery
Vadul Raşcov – Jewish cemetery
Tipova – view over Dniester river
Tipova – cave monasteries
Tipova – cave monasteries

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Some Summer Black and Whites

Posted on by under Bessarabia, Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

After working a lot on my colour photos I finally found time to return to the analogue black and whites. Here is a selection of images I took in August during the trip to Ukraine and Moldova. Represented are Jewish cemeteries in Chişinău (Kishinev), Orhei and Vadul-Raşcov (Vadul Rashkov) in Bessarabia/Moldova, cemeteries in Rîbniţa (Rybnitsa) and Raşcov (Rashkov) in the break away “state” of Transnistria, as well as the former synagogue of Sniatyn in Galicia, Ukraine.

Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Orhei Jewish cemetery
Orhei Jewish cemetery
Rîbniţa Jewish cemetery
Orhei Jewish cemetery
Raşcov Jewish cemetery
Raşcov Jewish cemetery
Raşcov Jewish cemetery
Vadul-Raşcov Jewish cemetery
Vadul-Raşcov Jewish cemetery
Sniatyn synagogue

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In Chişinău

Posted on by under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

Chişinău’s Jewish cemetery is the most important witness of the city’s Jewish past. Unfortunately it is in a miserable state – densely overgrown and with rubbish everywhere. Sylvia and I went there today.

Chişinău Jewish cemetery – mortuary hall
Chişinău Jewish cemetery – mortuary hall
Chişinău Jewish cemetery – mortuary hall
Chişinău Jewish cemetery – mortuary hall
Chişinău Jewish cemetery – Irina Shikhova guiding
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Chişinău Jewish cemetery
Sylvia and I – double selfie
Chişinău market
Chişinău market
Chişinău market
Chişinău market
Chişinău market
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Return to Transnistria

Posted on by under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries, Podolia, Synagogues

Our journey to Ukraine and Moldova goes on. The wish of my friend Sylvia to visit Bessarabia gave me a good pretext to return to Chişinău (Kishinev). While our friends Marla and Jay returned to Lviv yesterday, Sylvia and I took the bus to the Moldovan capital. Today we were out for a long day trip to Transnistria, a break-away ‘state’, only aknowledged by Russia. We visited Dubăsari (Dubasari), Raşcov (Rashkov) and Rîbniţa (Rybnitsa).

Dubăsari (Dubasari) mass grave
Dubăsari (Dubasari) mass grave
Dubăsari (Dubasari) mass grave
Raşcov (Rashkov) Jewish cemetery
Raşcov (Rashkov) Jewish cemetery
Raşcov (Rashkov) Jewish cemetery
Raşcov (Rashkov) Jewish cemetery
Raşcov (Rashkov) Jewish cemetery
Raşcov (Rashkov) Jewish cemetery
Raşcov (Rashkov) – ruin of a Christian church
Lenin is still alive in Transnistria
Raşcov (Rashkov) – view towards river Dniester
Raşcov (Rashkov) synagogue
Raşcov (Rashkov) synagogue
Rybnitsa Jewish cemetery
Our marshrutka from Chernivtsi (Czernoeitz) to Chişinău (Chisinau)
Chişinău (Chisinau) – view from Cosmos hotel
Chişinău (Chisinau) – view from Cosmos hotel
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First black and whites from the recent trip to Bessarabia

Posted on by under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries, Podolia

About two weeks ago I received the scans of the films I shot during the trip to Bessarabia/Moldova in March and April. Since then I spend most of my evenings with going through the images, select those of which I think they are worth to work on, and to correct them. A quite time consuming but also satisfying work. Here is now a very first selection of images from Chişinău, Făleşti, Tirgul Vertiujeni, Mărculeşti, Călăraşi in Moldova and Mohyliv-Podilskyi in Ukraine. More is going to come during the next weeks.

Chişinău Jewish cemetery – wall made of tombstones
Chişinău Jewish cemetery – mortuary
Făleşti Jewish cemetery
Călăraşi Jewish cemetery
Mărculeşti Jewish cemetery
Mohyliv-Podilskyi Jewish cemetery
Mohyliv-Podilskyi Jewish cemetery
Tirgul Vertiujeni – former Jewish home
Tirgul Vertiujeni – former Jewish shop
Tirgul Vertiujeni – former Jewish shop
Tirgul Vertiujeni – remains of the Jewish cemetery

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Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty reports on Jewish cemeteries in Moldova

Posted on by under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries, Media

The Moldovan edition of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty broadcasted a documentary about Jewish cemeteries in the country. Represented are the cemeteries in Chisinau, Orhei and Vadul-Rashcov. They are outstanding witnesses of Jewish heritage in Moldova. Hopefully this will contribute to raise awareness of public, politics and administrations towards these cemeteries and their worthiness of protection. I am grateful to have been interviewed by editor Eugenia Pogor and for the chance to express my view of the significance of these places for all of us.

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On the road to Bălţi

Posted on by under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

On our way to Bălţi (Beltsy) were Orhei and Teleneşti. The Jewish cemetery of Orhei is one of the oldest in Bessarabia. Rarely I have seen such an impressive cemetery. A unique place!

Chişinău – Gleizer Shil
Orhei – Jewish cemetery
Orhei – Jewish cemetery
Orhei – Jewish cemetery
Orhei – Jewish cemetery
Orhei – synagogue
Teleneşti – Jewish cemetery
Teleneşti – Jewish cemetery
Teleneşti – Jewish cemetery
Teleneşti – Jewish cemetery
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Going deeper into Chişinău’s Jewish past

Posted on by under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

Day 2 of our trip through Bessarabia. The Jewish cemetery is certainly the most significant legacy of the Jews of Chişinău. In a long walk, we explored it.

Chişinău – synagogue of the Jewish community centre
Irina Shihova, head of the Jewish museum
Chişinău – memorial for the pogrom of 1903
Chişinău – stump of a gravestone in the older Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery
Chişinău – Jewish cemetery

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