Alternate names: Rîbniţa [Mold], Rybnitsa [Rus], Râbniţa [Rom], Ribnitza [Yid], Rybnica [Pol], Rybniza, Rybnitsy, Russian: Рыбница. Ukrainian: Рибниця. Formerly Podalia.
47°46' N, 29°00' E, 28 miles NNE of Orhei (Orgeyev), 42 miles SE of Soroca (Soroki), in N Transnistria. 110 kilometers from Kishinev, Rybnitsa's current population is 70,000. Founded in 1650, several dozen Jewish families lived in Rybnitsa as early as 1800, though neighboring localities preexisted it. During Rech Pospolita (Polish rule), a synagogue functioned in Rashkov and was destroyed by the Cossacks in the 18th century. Rybnitsa with 450 Jews was the regional center for eleven small surrounding towns and villages with 115 people and became part of the Soviet Union after 1918. After 1990, it belonged to Pridnestrovye/Transdniestria of the unacknowledged Transdniestrian Republic. Rybnitsa is an industrial center with big steel works and produces construction materials, food, and clothing. The "Hesed Rahel" Welfare Center runs both welfare and cultural programs for community members. [March 2009]
CEMETERY:
The Jewish Community Center maintains the Jewish cemetery. [March 2009]
New Jewish Cemetery of Rybnitsa was photographed and indexed. 825 records uploaded with 825 photographs. Please see the overview, maps, photos, and more at New Rybnitsa Cemetery Report. (August, 2015)
photos and story [April 2016]
