- December 21, 2025
- 3:42 pm
- Ukraine
Why not? Heading “Jews from Ukraine” on the website NAnews is dedicated to the unique history and achievements of Ukrainian Jews, their contribution to the development of Israel and Jewish communities around the world, strengthening cultural and historical ties between peoples.
This article is just research for now 🙂 by an enthusiast……
History often brings amazing surprises. This time she shed light on family Jared Kushner's roots, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
As it turned out, his maternal great-grandfather born in Ukraine, or rather, in a small town PodgaitsyTernopil region. Here it is on the map.
About this “Suspilny” told historian, local historian and teacher, former mayor of the village of Podgaitsy Stepan Kolodnitsky.
Stepan Kolodnitsky is the compiler of the publication “Podgaitsy and Podgaechchyna”, in which he collected all the historical information about the region and a tourist guide “The paths of the shtetls. Travels to the Forgotten Continent”which contains information about ancient Jewish cities.
Enthusiast Stepan Kolodnitsky, who devoted his life to researching his region, found documentary evidence that sheds light on Kushner’s pedigree.
As the historian said, surviving documents indicate that the Stadtmauer family, from which Jared Kushner’s great-grandfather on his mother’s side comes, lived in Podgaitsy for a long time.
“At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Jewish population in Podgaitsy was 53 percent. Over time, the majority emigrated to Israel, the USA and other countries. Among them are the ancestors of Jared Kushner,” said Stepan Kolodnitsky.
The Stadtmauer family: the path from Podgaitsy to America
The Stadtmauer family immigrated to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century to escape poverty. Like many other Jews from Ukraine, they were looking for a better life overseas.
Jared Kushner, a member of New York's “Modern Orthodox” Jewish community, was raised in the traditions passed down by his ancestors. Kushner does not hide his pride in his origins.
Jewish heritage of Podgaitsy
By the way, I was born in Podgaitsy Mendel Zacharias – son of Rabbi Aryeh Leib (died 1791), author of the books “Menorot Zechariah” (“The Lamp of Zechariah”), “Zechariah Meshulem” (“Allegories of Zechariah”), “Zechariah Yamevin” (“Zechariah the Expert”).
Podgaitsy is a small but history-rich city.
Jews began to settle in Podgaitsy at the beginning of the 16th century, and the first documentary mentions date back to 1552, when Jews were recorded as taxpayers. Already at that time, the community differed in size compared to other neighboring cities. From 1580 to 1620, Rabbi Aron Benjamin Solnik, author of the famous book “The Speeches of Benjamin,” lived and served in Podgaitsy, which made the city an important religious and cultural center.
By the beginning of the 20th century, the Jewish community made up about half of the city's population: out of 6,000 residents, 3,200 were Jews. They were engaged in trade and crafts, and actively participated in cultural and economic life. However, the First World War and subsequent events were the first blows for the community. Despite this, in the 1910s, a local printing house owned by the Jewish Weinles family published books and materials for Ukrainian organizations.
Tragedy struck the community during World War II. In 1941, with the arrival of German troops, attacks, forced labor and fines for Jews began. On Yom Kippur in 1942, about 1,000 Jews were sent to the Belzec extermination camp, and in 1943 the community was finally exterminated: the remaining residents were shot and buried in mass graves on the outskirts of the city. The last Rabbi of Podgaytsev, Yitzchak-Aizik Aichenstein, died along with the community.
Today the Jewish cemetery in Podgaitsy is a unique historical monument. About 1,500 matzes have been preserved here, some of which date back to the 17th century. It is one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Ukraine, reminiscent of the past greatness and tragedy of the city's Jewish community. Interestingly, the city's coat of arms, decorated with a gold letter “P”, resembles the Hebrew letter “ח” (chaim – life), which symbolically connects the city with its Jewish history.
This thriving shtetl was known for its cultural diversity and active Jewish life. However, the events of World War II and subsequent repressions significantly changed the face of the city.
About 1.5 thousand matzes have been preserved in the old Jewish cemetery in Podgaitsy, and the oldest tombstones date back to the 17th century. During a survey of the cemetery in 2011, scientists discovered a matzeva from 1596, one of the oldest in the region.
When asked whether there is Stadtmauer’s grave in the Jewish cemetery in Podgaitsy, the historian replied: “There is no grave itself, because you see what the Bolsheviks, the Germans, and other people destroyed.”
Interesting twist in history
It would seem that the connection between Donald Trump, his son-in-law Kushner and Ukraine sounds like an unexpected twist. However, the story of the Kushner family is another example of how Ukraine and Israel are connected by a common Jewish destiny.
“Europe is over,” said the Jews who left at the beginning of the last century. But the legacy of their families lives on in their descendants who reach heights on the other side of the world.
A look into modern times
Ukrainian Jews left a deep mark on the history of Israel and Jewish communities around the world. As the example of the Kushner family shows, such connections not only remain, but also remind us of the importance of culture and historical heritage.
Our website NAnews – Israel News continues to highlight unique moments in the history of Jewish communities, their interaction with Ukraine and contributions to the modern world.
Quote from a historian:
“Pidgaytsy is a unique place where the histories of peoples are intertwined. By studying its past, we open new pages of world history.”
Read more in the section “Jews from Ukraine” website NAnews – Israel News.
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