RUZHIN

RUZHIN I:     US Commission No. UA05300101
Ruzhin is located in Zhitomirskaya, 109 km from Zhitomir and 58 km from Berdichev. The cemetery is located at center, corner Lenina Street. Present town population is 5,001 - 25,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.

• Town: Village Council, Zharskiy Vitaliy Ivanovich, Burdy St., 42 [Phone: 21062]. Schignik Mikhail Yakovlevich of Ruzhin, Zhitomirskaya St. 2a [Phone: 91572]. Blyum Boris Aleksandrovich of Zarechye, Ruzhin region [Phone: 22499].
  

The earliest known Jewish community was 1784. 1897 Jewish population (census) was 2917. Effecting Jewish Community was 1905 Pogrom and 1926 Jewish Village Council. Living here was Israel Fridman (1797-1850). The Jewish cemetery was established in the 18th century with last known Jewish burial 1993. 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. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds site. 501 to 5000 stones, most in original location with 25% - 50% toppled or broken, date from 1776. The cemetery has special sections for men and women. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces, 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 agricultural and residential. The cemetery boundaries have not changed since 1939. Rarely, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized occasionally in the last ten years. There is no maintenance now. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Vegetation overgrowth is a constant problem, disturbing graves. Serious threat: pollution and vandalism. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access and vegetation. Slight threat: weather erosion and proposed nearby development.
Kogan Leonid of Novograd-Volynskiy, Lenina St. 107, Apt. 42. [Phone: (04141) 54259 ] visited site on 12/7/95. Interviewed were Schignik Mikhail Yakovlevich on 13/07/1995 and Blyum Boris Aleksandrovich of v. Zerechye on 12/7/95. Kogan completed survey on 01/08/1995.
RUZHIN II:     US Commission No. UA05300502
In 1941, synagogue was closed. Living here was Tsadik Israel Fridman (1797-1850). The Jewish mass grave was dug in 1941. Jews from no other towns or villages were murdered at this unlandmarked mass grave. The isolated rural (agricultural) flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A continuous fence with no gate surrounds the mass grave. 1 to 20 common tombstones, all in original location with none toppled or broken, date from 1967. The site contains marked mass graves. Municipality owns property used for mass burial site. Properties adjacent are forest and highway. Rarely, local residents visit. This mass grave was not vandalized. Occasionally, authorities clean or clear. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Vegetation overgrowth is a seasonal problem, preventing access. Moderate threat: pollution, vegetation and vandalism. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion and proposed nearby development.
Kogan Leonid of Novograd-Volynskiy, Lenina St. 107, Apt. 42. [Phone: (04141) 54259] visited site on 12/7/95. Interviewed was Blyum Boris Aleksandrovich of v. Zarechye, Ruzhin Region on 12/7/95 and Schignik Mikhail Yakovlevich of Ruzhin, Zhitomirskaya St., 2a on 13/07/1995. Kogan completed survey on 01/08/1995.
RUZHIN III:     US Commission No. UA05300501
The mass grave is located 2 km from village. The Hasidic mass grave was dug in 1941. Jews from no other towns or villages were murdered at this unlandmarked mass grave. The rural (agricultural) flat land, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker. Reached by crossing municipal cemetery, access is open to all. A continuous fence with no gate surrounds the mass grave. 1 to 20 stones, all in original location with none toppled or broken, date from 1960. No stones were removed. Some tombstones have metal fences around graves. The site contains marked mass graves. Municipality owns property used for mass burial site. Properties adjacent are agricultural. Rarely, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit. This mass grave was not vandalized. Jewish individuals within country did re-erection of stones in 1960. Occasionally, authorities clean or clear. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, pollution, vegetation and vandalism.
Kogan Leonid of Novograd-Volynskiy, Lenina St. 107, Apt. 42. [Phone: (04141) 54259] visited site on 13/07/1995. Interviewed was Schignik Mikhail Yakovlevich of Ruzhin on 13/07/1995. Kogan completed survey on 01/08/1995.