Activists have started work on landscaping abandoned old Jewish cemetery, which is more than 300 years, is located in the street Romanenko in Malin. It is at this cemetery are buried prominent Jewish clergyman. The cemetery want to make a memorial park.
For many years, this place is more like "region, which was formerly a cemetery." On a small plot of land preserved for hundreds of graves, most of which struck down. Inside the cemetery all overgrown trees, shrubs, weeds. And on the perimeter, under the same graves lie here and there, piles of sand, crushed stone, stones, and more - pieces of old brick and slate. There were, of course, and no garbage ... All this left the people whose houses opposite the old Jewish cemetery.
There is even a place to swing, in which local children ride ...
And some residents have not invented anything better than to build a house next to the cemetery. And not just at the cemetery, and right on the bones - the place where previously children's Jewish cemetery.
- I remember as a child we were running here were played ... then I saw the remains of the small Jewish graves - says a resident of the adjacent streets, Vasil. - Gradually those pieces of gravestones were removed. People there made gardens. And then one resident and the house began to build for children ... but the children dispersed. The house was not built, would like to sell. And the buyers who came to watch, seeing that the cemetery next - go away. So the house and is here...
The locals also said that this cemetery is almost no one knows. Its not find on a map. And despite the fact that the cemetery is located in the city, it is not for anyone not listed - not on balance ME "Improvement" or ME "Grief" or even the City Council. So for decades is no work for the improvement was not performed.
By the way, the Internet came across an article from the newspaper "Kyiv Jewish" - "Save the remnants of Jewish heritage sites" (11.07.2011). The author Emile Kamenir raises the issue of the preservation of places of worship in Ukraine, in particular, remembers the old Jewish cemetery in Malyn, about which writes : "it is more consistent with the concept -" area, which was once a cemetery. " Thus, appeals to online communities and synagogues of Israel, hoping that they "may have common ground in this and may provide support.
"Before the war in Malin lived at least 4,000 Jews. The town had a synagogue and cemetery. After the war appeared two cemetery - old and new, but was not synagogue ...
This (old - Aut.) Cemetery gravestones and steles smooth, in the form of conventional shapes. This area has close came near residential area now. (На цьому (старому — прим. авт.) кладовищі надгробки і стели гладкі, виконані у вигляді звичайних фігур. Зараз до цієї ділянки вже впритул підступила житлова зона).
New Jewish Cemetery separated from the old. It is far from homes now. Opens cemetery common grave, where a monument to more than 1,200 victims of the Holocaust in 1941-1943.
According to the census of the USSR in 1959, in Malin lived 1200 Jews. After the "cold war" Malin’s Jews, like most Jews of the Soviet Union, departed to different continents and countries. In Malyn’s community at least than forty people now. They provide support clean and tidy, the Jewish cemetery monument to victims of Nazism. Those who have departed, each year raising money to care for the graves of their ancestors and relatives. It is thanks to the care of this small community and, above all, its coordinator L. Budilovskoho, this funds can hold the new cemetery in well maintained ... " Read more here: http://evreiskiy.kiev.ua/spasti-ostatki-nasledija-evrejjskikh-10176.html
Since then, five years have passed and the situation has not changed. If the new Jewish cemetery well maintained in Malyn, then the old cemetery, for some reasons were not taken activity or local community of Jews, or those to whom asked for help by the said author.
- Periodically few Jews come here to visit their ancestors or relatives - continues to tell Vasil. - Sometimes even bus with children - slightly cleaned territory graves corrected. But because that's all.
Locals admit that the place is really not well maintained, littered. But these people are worried about something else: they are not afraid to live next to the cemetery, they terrified by the tall old poplars that grow over the road. These trees - emergency. Any of them could fall any moment not only cut the power lines or damage someone's house, but ... deprive a person of life.
Repeatedly residents appealed to ME "Improvement" and City Council - asked to trim at least branches. Without effect. One tree fell middle of the road, took the power lines after the storm. People summoned correspondent, who highlighted the issue in a local newspaper. And only after the utility company workers started to do something: brought tower, took off electric line, a little clipped branches.However, not all the trees took - because was broke. In fact all ... It was a decade ago
Then local residents tried again to reach officials in the office, they wanted to be heard and they(officials) will decide the problem of emergency trees. And all in vain.
And now there are people who help them to live in rest, though at the cemetery, hoping to residents Romanenko street.
- This year, before May 9, in expensive car drove to the cemetery several rabbins - came between the graves, photographed thicket on the tablet - says Mr. Vasil. - I came to them, talking ... On this occasion, asked us somehow rectify the problem of emergency trees. One rabbin, introduced Meyer says, "it is all you need to cut". We exchanged phone numbers and they went ... I turned to local activists CO Foundation "Volunteer 2015" - Alexei Semeniva and Oleg Stepanchuk, because I know that they, unlike those of ordinary residents, we have at least some impact on power ... Gave them a number of Meyer and the case moved from the spot.
Activists took an active part in improving of the old Jewish cemetery in Malin. First, authorized by eco-inspection to cut emergency poplar, what this could not achieve the locals and utility company workers. Even a little cleared cemetery area of the trees, shrubs, garbage.
Improvement requires significant funds. While solving the problem of financing through donations sponsor, who are the representatives of the Jewish community. Work must be extensive - the area of the cemetery will be fenced, and will be made the area at the entrance where we could park the car.
