- December 23, 2025
- 3:45 am
- Israel
January 27, International Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust Victims.
In Israel, on the mountain of memory in Jerusalem, is located “Yad Vashem” – A place that for many has become a symbol of sorrow, memory and hope. Today we want to tell in the heading “Jews from Ukraine “ You are a story Mordechai Shenhavi – A person thanks to whom the dream of preserving memory has become a reality.
The story of Mordechai Shenhavi from Dilok, the creator of the Israeli Memorial “Yad Vashem”, emphasizes the deep connection of the Jewish community of Ukraine while preserving the memory of the Holocaust.
Mordechai Shenhavi (Alpenbein), a native of the Ukrainian city of Volochisk (now the Khmelnitsky region, Ukraine), went down in history as the creator of the Israeli memorial “Yad Vashem”, dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
His personal history is an example of not only the struggle to preserve the memory of the tragedy of the Jewish people, but also the unique connection of Ukraine and Israel.
Mordechai Shenhavi was born in 1900 in Voloshka, a small town on the territory of the modern Khmelnitsky region of Ukraine. His family, like many Jewish families of that time, was engaged in trade, but because of difficult living conditions, he first emigrated to Budapest, and then to Vienna.
Already in his youth, Mordechai was fond of socialist and Zionist ideas, which became the basis for his future life. He became one of the founders of the organization Ga-shomer Ga-Tsair (“Young Guardians”), uniting young Jewish activists.
Volochisk, located in the Khmelnitsky region of Ukraine, has deep Jewish roots, which have been formed for centuries. The first mention of the city dates back to 1463, and from the 18th century the Jewish community began to actively develop here.
By 1765, 384 Jews lived in Voloshka, by 1897 their number increased to 3295 people, which was 49.1% of the city’s population. Jews played an important role in the economic life of a drag, engaged in crafts, trade and banking. There were several synagogues in the city, as well as educational and charitable institutions.
At the beginning of the 20th century, in Voloshka, the heyday of Jewish public life was observed. The Women’s Jewish School, a private male school, as well as a loan-saving partnership acted.
The tragedy of the Holocaust
During the Second World War, Volochisk became a place of tragedy for the Jewish community. After the occupation of the city, by the Nazis in 1941, a ghetto was created in Voloshka, where thousands of Jews were kept. In August 1942, 8634 Jews were killed, and about 4,000 people were shot on September 11 of the same year. In total, 9975 people became victims of the Holocaust in the area of the Dilogysk.
On the site of these terrible events today, monuments are erected, reminiscent of the tragedy of the Jewish people. The old Jewish cemetery and the memorial in the new cemetery retain the memory of the dead.
Volochisk in Soviet times and today
After the end of the Second World War, the Jewish community of Dilot began to gradually recover, although its number never reached the pre -war level. In Soviet times, Jewish life was significantly limited by the anti -religious policy of the USSR. Most synagogues were closed, and cultural and religious activities were suppressed.
By the 1970s, only about 150 Jews lived in Voloshka. Many of them emigrated to Israel, the United States and other countries during the Great Aliyah 1970-1990s.
Today, the Jewish community of the drags has been significantly reduced. According to data in the 2020s, only a few Jewish families live in the city. The memory of the once flourished community is preserved thanks to preserved monuments, cemeteries and local initiatives to restore historical memory.
Moving to Palestine and the first steps to the “poison of yours”
In 1919, Mordechai through Odessa emigrated to Palestine. Working in Kibbutz, he continued to develop his ideas about the importance of memory and heritage.
According to legend, in 1942 he had a dream: the Jews carried a tombstone on his shoulders and put them in a large monument, symbolizing the memory of their life. This dream inspired Mordechai to create a memorial where the names of all the victims of the Holocaust would be immortalized.
“We must create a place where every victim of the Holocaust will be remembered by a name where the history of our people will be preserved forever,” wrote Shenhavi.
The idea “poison of yours”
On September 10, 1942, Mordechai presented the first project of the memorial in the leadership of the Jewish National Fund. His idea included:
- A park with an area of 200 hectares.
- A symbolic cemetery for those who died in exile and Palestine.
- The pavilion, where the names of all the victims of the Holocaust will be collected.
- Archives, museum, research center and even a hotel complex.
Although the project met criticism and misunderstanding, Schenhavi continued to promote it. In 1945, after the end of World War II, the idea of “poison of Vashem” received support for leaders such as David Ben-Gurion.
Project implementation
In 1953, the efforts of Mordechai Shenhavi adopted the State Law on the creation of the Yad Voyem memorial. Shenghavi himself became the first director of the memorial, actively collecting exhibits and archival materials.
However, due to political intrigues, he soon left this position. Despite this, his contribution became fundamental: “poison of yours” became one of the most significant monuments of memory of the Holocaust in the world.
| Facts about Mordechai Shenhavi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Was born | 1900, Volochisk, Ukraine |
| Founded | “Evad of Vashem”, Israel |
| Honorary citizen of Jerusalem | 1981 |
| The number of visitors to “poison of yours” annually | More than 1 million people |
The meaning “poison of yours” for the world
Today, “poison of yours” is not just a museum, but a symbol of memory and struggle against evil. He is the second in attendance by a place in Israel after the crying wall. The memorial annually visits more than a million people, including heads of states and international leaders.
Conclusion
The history of Mordechai Shenhavi and the Jewish community of Dylochiska shows how important the memory and connection of generations are to preserve heritage. Read more amazing stories about the contribution of Jews from Ukraine in the heading “Jews from Ukraine“ on Nanovosti – Israeli News.
Nanovosti – Israeli News He continues to tell stories uniting Jewish and Ukrainian peoples in order to preserve the past and build a better future.
#єvra
…
Read whatsApp – Channel Nanovo ↓ – Israeli news
Read In Telegram – Channel Nanovo ↓ – Israeli news
(Tagstotranslate) !! ukr.co.il
