RAKHOV

ShtetLink. [October 2011]

US Commission No. UA06070101

Alternate name: Akhna Raho (Yiddish), Bocsko Raho (German), Berlebas (Hungarian), Rachov (Czech), Rachev (Russian), Rokhiv (Ukraine) and Raho (Hebrew). Rakhov is located in Zakarpatskaya at 48°10 25°_, 120 km from Mukachevo. The cemetery is located town N, 300m from highway. Present town population is 5,001 - 25,000 with 11 - 100 Jews.

• Town officials: Town Council of Zhiliznyak Iliya Stepanovich [Phone: (03132)21686]. Rakhov Regional Dept. of Culture, Kukhor Vasiliy Vasiliyevich [Phone: (03132)21931].
• Regional: Zakarpatskiy Oblast Executive Council - Ustich Sergey Ivanovich [Phone: (03122)33051]. Town officials: Zakarpatsky Oblast Dept. of Culture, Gavorets Vasiliy Stepanovich [Phone: (03122)35373]. Rakhov Regional Executive Council - Daskalyuk Mikhail Alekseevich [Phone: (03132)21338]
  The earliest known Jewish community was 18th century. 1926 Jewish population (census) was 2000. Effecting the Jewish Community was 1918. The last known Hasidic burial was 1985. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A continuous fence with non-locking gate surrounds the cemetery. 101 to 500 stones, most in original location with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 19th century. The cemetery has no special sections. Some tombstones have portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site used for Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are residential and forest. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. Frequently, organized individual tours, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II Jewish individuals within country and abroad did re-erection of stones, patched broken stones, cleaned stones, cleared vegetation, fixed wall and fixed gate in 1945-1946. Jewish survivors and contributions pay the regular caretaker from visitors. Within the limits of the cemetery is an ohel. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, pollution, vegetation and vandalism.
  Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Odessa, Varnenskaya St., 17d, apt.52 [Phone: (0482) 665950] visited site on /07/1995. Interviewed was Voronyuk Stepan on /07/1995. Oks completed survey on 18/08/1995. Documentation: Short Jewish Encyclopaedia, v. 2, Jerusalem, 1982. Other documentation exists but was inaccessible.
  
• UPDATE: Retainer wall urgently required to support eroding earth. Gathering interested family members and descendants. Source: HFPJC This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [September 2004]