Chernobyl before Chernobyl

CHERNOBYL BEFORE CHERNOBYL

THE HASSIDIC JEWS PILGRIMAGE

There is a Chernobyl before the nuclear accident occurred on April 26, 1986, not well known but of great historical importance, especially for the Jewish people. In fact, in Chernobyl one of the major branches of the Hassidic movement, one of the most important currents of Judaism - the reforming current of orthodox Judaism - developed.
A Hassidic dynasty was born in Chernobyl from Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twersky, born in 1730 and a student of Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Hassidic movement. Twersky became a community preacher in Chernobyl, where he founded the Hassidic dynasty which spread throughout the world.

Chernobyl has a deep history related to the Jews. The first traces of the city of Chernobyl date back to 1193, but it is in 1566 that the first Jewish settlements begin. In the second half of the 18th century 60% of the population of Chernobyl was Jewish, and the city became a major center of the Hassidic movement. But life for the Chernobyl Jews became extremely difficult. From 1881 to 1921 pogroms took place across Ukraine: the anti-Semitic uprisings, and the resulting massacres and looting against the Jewish population, supported by the Soviet government. Moreover, with the fall of the Tsar and the rise of communism all religions were persecuted and banned, including Judaism. All traces of religions were erased. Chernobyl had 5 synagogues, they were all destroyed, except one that is still standing today and became a military recruitment center under the Soviet period.

With the advent of the First World War, Jews continued to be persecuted and the Twersky dynasty decided in 1920 to leave Chernobyl moving primarily to Israel and the United States. In New York, a branch of the family founded a new Chernobyl town in New Square, 40 miles from New York. At that moment Chernobyl ceased to exist as the center of this branch of Hassidism. During the Second World War Chernobyl was occupied by the Nazis and most of the Jewish population was exterminated. After the Second World War the remaining Jews in Chernobyl constituted just under 5% of the population, to disappear definitively with the Chernobyl accident in 1986, and the consequent evacuation of the city.

Chernobyl today, as well as a place of nuclear disaster and tourist destination, is also a historical memory of worship and pilgrimage for Hassidic Jews. In fact the devotees of this current every year come from all over the world to visit the graves of the founders of the dynasty, Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky Admur of Chernobyl, as well as his grandson, Grand Rabbi Aharon Twersky Admur of Chernobyl and great grandsons, Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky Admur of Chernobyl (son of R ‘Aharon), and Grand Rabbi Yeshaya Meshulam Zusia Twersky Admur of Chernobyl (son of R' Aharon).

The graves are located in Chernobyl City, near the former school, forgotten for many years and recovered in the early 90s thanks to the Jewish community that restored and preserved them. Each year, with the anniversary of the death of the Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky Admur of Chernobyl, which occurred on 31 October 1787, a pilgrimage takes place to pray at the graves of their founders and venerate the places of worship of their religion, such as the synagogue, now reduced to an anonymous abandoned building, but still steeped in history. Chernobyl is not only the place of the worst nuclear accident ever, but it is also the place where the history of Hassidic Twersky Dynasty was born.

Distributed by Parallelozero

A Jew inside the Chernobyl synagogue. Chernobyl had 5 synagogue, which were destroyed during the pogroms and communism period. Only one is still standing today and under the Soviet period became a military recruitment center.

The old Jewish cemetery of Chernobyl Today the old jewish cemetery of Chernobyl lies abandoned after the nuclear accident of 1986, but still today many Jewish that live around the world, and are originary from Chernobyl, want to be buried in the cemetery

Jews while praying on the tombs of Grand Rabbi Aharon Twersky Admur of Chernobyl and Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky Admur of Chernobyl.

Jews while praying on the tomb of Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twersky.

Jews in front of the tomb of Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twersky. The graves are located in Chernobyl City, inside Chernobyl exclusion zone, near the former school. During the Soviet era the tombs were destroyed and a school was built over the Jews cemetery.

Jews while praying on the tomb of Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twersky. The tombs were forgotten for many years and recovered in the early 90s thanks to the Jewish community that restored and preserved them.

Jews while going around in the abandoned part of the Chernobyl town.

Jews while exploring the abandoned Chernobyl Synagogue.

The Lenin statue in front of the house of Culture. Before becoming the house of culture, the building was the Residence of the religious community.

Jews inside the abandoned Chernobyl Synagogue.

jewish while writing their names as a memory inside the former Synagogue of Chernobyl.

Yitz Twersky at Dytatky check point where the Chernobyl exclusion zone begin. Yitz Twersky lives in New York and he is one of the last descendant of the Hassidic movement founder Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky Admur of Chernobyl.

Jew inside the abandoned Chernobyl Synagogue

Yitz Twersky in front of the former synagogue while showing some old pictures of the Synagogue to Rabbi Leibel Sirkes

A jew while exploring the roads on the abandoned part of Chernobyl City

the monument of the Holocaust mass grave in Chernobyl city where 400 jews were shot during the Holocaust

Jews in front the tombs of Grand Rabbi Aharon Twersky Admur of Chernobyl and Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky Admur of Chernobyl.

Yitz Twersky while praying and crying on the tomb of his ancestor and the Hassidic movement founder, Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky Admur of Chernobyl.

Jews in front of the Chernobyl synagogue.

Yitz Twersky in front of the monument of Chernobyl entrance

Monument for a jews mass grave. It’s supposed to be one of the places where most of the jews were shot during Holocaust

A jew while exploring an abandoned house in the evacuated part of Chernobyl City

Originally the main synagogue was here before the accident, but during the soviet period the synagogue was torn down and they built over there a bar and a public toilet. Today only the original floor of the Synagogue still exist

Yitz Twersky and Rabbi Leibel Sirkes inside the former synagogue in Chernobyl City

Proletarskaya Street. On this road there where 3 other synagogue and some jewish schools, all destroyed during the soviet period

Jew in front of the tombs of Grand Rabbi Aharon Twersky Admur of Chernobyl and Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky Admur of Chernobyl.

Yitz Twersky and Rabbi Leibel Sirkes while going away from Chernobyl

the bus for the Hassidic heritage Jews tour while leaving Chernobyl City after the visit

Yitz Twersky and Rabbi Leibel Sirkes in the office of Interinform agency in Chernobyl expressed the desire of the Jewish community to buy all the land within the Chernobyl exclusion zone where the sacred sites for the Hassidic Jews reside

Yitz Twersky while praying inside the abandoned Chernobyl Synagogue. On 2017 he did his first trip to Chernobyl to visit the grave of his ancestor and the sacred places for Hassidic Jews.