Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine:

Vinnitsa.

Chairman of the community: Yeva Bgomol'naya 
Tel: +38 0432 61 16 11
Address: Mayakovskogo Str., 202A

 

  

 

Community history

Vinnitsa is the administrative center of the Vinnitskaya region of Ukraine. The city was known since 1363 as a fortress of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, since 1596 it was the center of povet in the Brazlaw voevodstvo* within Poland. The first evidence of Jews in Vinnitsa refer to 1532. In the middle of the 17 century some dozens of Jewish families were living in Vinnitsa. In June 1648 the troops of Bohdan Khmel’nitskiy entered the city and killed all the Jews who haven’t left the city. In 1767 691 Jews lived in Vinnitsa, in 1847 - 3882 Jews, in 1863 - 3633 Jews. In 1897 11689 Jews (over 36% of all the population)lived in Vinnitsa, and in all Vinnitsa region there were 31035 Jews. Most of Jews were tailors and traded agricultural products. In 1905 Vinnitsa saw a rout that resulted in loss of life.

In 1910 17 synagogues were functioning in Vinnitsa, 2 private Jewish women colleges, man’s college. During 1917-1921 the government in Vinnitsa changed several times and Jews suffered from routs of all of them.

In 1939 Jews of Vinnitsa counted 33150 persons. On July 19 1941 Vinnitsa was occupied by German troops. Part of the Jewish population managed to evacuate. During the war many of the Jews in Vinnitsa were destroyed. There was underground resistance.

After the World War Two Vinnitsa became a major industrial city. In 1959 19 500 Jews lived in Vinnitsa. According to the 1970 census 42,251 Jews lived in the area of whom 17 984 Jews were in Vinnitsa (8.5% of the population).

Since 1971 the Jews of Vinnitsa sought the right to emigrate to Israel.

Since 1991 after Ukraine became independent Jewish life revived in Vinnitsa and different Jewish organizations were established. In 1992 Vinnitsa got a Jewish Mayor. At the same time anti-semites became more active. According to the 1989 census 15 thiusand Jews lived in Vinnitsa.

Since 1999 the Makor youth theatre studio works there and classes at the Mechina Sunday school are held regularly. The Jews of Vinnitsa obtain help from the Chesed-Emuna Jewish Charity Center and from the Emuna Centre for Social and medical assistance. муна». Associations of former prisoners of the Nazis and the Righteous Among the Nations function, the city society of former child prisoners of ghettos, concentration camps and their rescuers.

Rabbi Shaul Horowitz continues to develop the Jewish school founded in the city of Vinnitsa by rabbi Label Surkis from New Skvira. With the help of the Or Avner charity fund a spacious building for the school, boarding school, prayer hall, dining room and a large kitchen was found. At present the rabbi gives lessons to students on STARS program as well as lessons for the elderly. In the future he plans to rebuild the beautiful spacious kosher mikvah and Community Center "Chabad" for social activities.

35 Jewish organizations function now in Vinnitsa.

* voevodstvo – an administrative item in Poland at that time