Alternate names: Shepetivka and ШЕПЕТІВКА [Ukr], Shepetovka [Rus Шепетовка , שעפּעטיווקע Yid], Szepetówka [Pol], Schepetowka [Ger], Shchepetovka, Schepetiwka, Szepietowka, Sepitivka, Shepetifke.. 50°11' N, 27°04' E, 47 miles SE of Rivne (Rovno), 13 miles ENE of Izyaslav (Zaslav). Jewish population: 3,880 (in 1897), 4,844 (in 1939).
- JewishGen Ukraine SIG
- Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), XI, pp. 898-899: "Szepetówka".
- Shtetl Finder (1980), p. 89: "Shepetovka".
- Encyclopedia of Jewish Life (2001), p. 1170: "Shepetovka"
- Wikipedia [Mar 2014]
Source in Russian with photos: "Schepetovka (Shepetovka) - town in Volhynia., Zaslavl County. 1847 census "Shepetovetskoe Jewish community" of 1042 souls. According to the 1897 census, residents in Shepetovka 8033, including 3,880 Jews. Means (1910), one male private Jewish school. (Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron) At the beginning of July 1941 Shepetovka captured by German troops. In the first weeks of the occupation in the area of police regiment acted subordinate senior SS and police chief of Army Group South. In a report on its activities in this period says: "The operation to cleanse the region Rivne Shepetovka over. 370 and 1,643 Russian Jews shot as instigators and their accomplices." In January 1942 Shepetovka a ghetto where collected about 6,000 Jews from the city and its environs, as well as from the village Sudilkov. Due to overcrowding and unsanitary conditions in the monstrous ghetto outbreak of typhus and other diseases spread. During the occupation, killing about 5,000 Jews Shepetovka and neighboring villages and towns In 2013 the Jewish community Shepetovka has around 200 employees. Sudilkov - in the era of Speech Commonwealth place Volyn province, Kremenetsk district. In 1765, lived in the surrounding villages and Sudilkove 397 Jews. Nowadays - place Volhynia., Zaslavsky County. The 1847 census "Sudilkovskoe Jewish society" consisted of 1207 souls.According to the census of 1897 inhabitants. 5551, including 2,712 Jews. Available (1910) Talmud Torah and Jewish private school. (Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron) During the occupation Sudilkova Jews were flown to the ghetto Shepetovka. Those who could not walk were shot in one of the courtyards. Detailed photos . Photo Sudilkova site Ginzburg-author Doyv Vilher
CEMETERY and MASS GRAVES
- OLD SHEPETOVKA CEMETERY: US Commission No. UA22080101
- Alternate name: Szepetovka (Polish) and Shepetivka (Ukraine.) Shepetovka is located in Khmelnitskaya at 50º11 27º4, 75 km from Rovno, 100 km from Khmelnitskiy and 280 km from Kiev. The cemetery is located at Kotika St. 9. Present town population is 25,001-100,000 with 101-1,000 Jews.
- The earliest known Jewish Community was 17th century. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 3916. The unlandmarked Jewish cemetery was established in the 17th century with last known Conservative Jewish burial 1910. The 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 the cemetery. No stones are visible. Stones were removed to another cemetery (Shepetovka. Shevchenko St. 44.) The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Local Jewish community owns site used for recreational use (park, playground, sports) and other. Properties adjacent are residential. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of housing development. Rarely, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors stop. The cemetery was not vandalized in the last ten years. There is no maintenance. Within the limits of the cemetery is housing. Very serious threat: existing nearby and proposed development. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, vegetation and vandalism.
- Peysahov Dmitriy Berovich of Kiev, 40-let Oktyabrya Street 48, Apt. 6 [Phone: (044) 2650346] visited site on 10/30/94. Interviewed were not listed. Peysahov completed survey on 10/30/1994.
- NEWEST SHEPETOVKA CEMETERY: US Commission No. UA22080102
- The unlandmarked cemetery is located at Pyasotskogo Street and was established in 1945. The last known Conservative Jewish burial was 1994. The urban flat land, part of a municipal cemetery, has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. No wall or fence but a non-locking gate surrounds the cemetery. 501 to 5000 stones, all in original location with none toppled or broken, date from 1945. Location of any removed stones is unknown. The cemetery has no special sections. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces, iron decorations or lettering, portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site used for "other." Properties adjacent are residential. The cemetery boundaries are larger now than 1939. Frequently, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized occasionally in the last ten years. Local/municipal authorities cleaned stones and cleared vegetation 1945-1994. The government pays the regular caretaker. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Water drainage at the cemetery is a seasonal problem. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, vandalism, existing nearby and proposed development.
- Peysahov Dmitriy Berovich of Kiev, 40-let Oktyabrya St. 48, Apt. 6 [Phone: (044) 2650346] visited site and completed survey on 10/30/94. Interviewed were local non-Jewish residents.
- NEW SHEPETOVKA CEMETERY: US Commission No. UA22080103
- The unlandmarked cemetery is located at Shevchenko St. 44. Shepetovka Caretaker with key: Diduk Lidiya Stanislavovna of Shevchenko St. 44. The Jewish cemetery was established in 1900 with last known Hasidic burial 1994. The isolated urban hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a private road, access is open with permission. A continuous fence with locking gate surrounds the cemetery. 101 to 500 stones, most in original location with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 1900. Location of any removed stones is unknown. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site used for Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are residential. The cemetery boundaries are larger now than 1939. Organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit frequently. The cemetery was vandalized occasionally in the last ten years. Local/municipal authorities and Jewish groups within country patched broken stones and fixed wall in 1970-1994. Now, the Jewish Congregation and government pay the regular caretaker. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Vegetation overgrowth is a constant problem, disturbing stones. Serious threat: vegetation. Moderate threat: pollution. Slight threat: weather erosion, vandalism, existing nearby and proposed development.
- Peysahov Dmitriy Berovich of Kiev, 40-let Oktyabrya Street 48, Apt. 6 [Phone: (044) 2650346] visited site and completed survey on 10/30/94. Interviewed was Diduk Lidiya Stanislavovna 0 of Shevchenko St. 44 on 10/30/94.
- photos and long history."Rebbe Pinchas was buried in the 18th century cemetery that existed at the time. After the Russian Revolution, that cemetery was destroyed. A landsmanschaft organization in the U.S. funded the construction of a new cemetery in 1928. The tombstones were transferred to the new cemetery, where they were photographed by ASJ during his visit a few years ago. However, the actual tomb of R' Pinchas was not moved. As the town of Shepetovka grew, the site of the old cemetery was now near the center of the town and was used for a police station and a house. When Rabbi Gabai began his restoration, he first confirmed that the tomb was not located near the tombstone. His organization purchased the property where the old cemetery had been, and he confirmed that the grave was still there. He then constructed the ohel, as well as a small guest house to accommodate visitors." [Mar 2014]
- The mass grave is located NW, 3 km from town, right from hayway to Novgorod-Volynskiy.
- Town officials: Mayor of Shepetovka Trischuk Valentin Samoylovich (03840)51450. Town Dept. of Culture - Matischina Valentina Petorvna [Phone: (03840)54107].
- Regional: Rayispolkom Bondarchuk Ivan Petrovich [Phone: (03840)51370]. Khmelnitskiy Oblispolkom - Guseynikov Evgeniy Yakovlevich [Phone: (03822)65024] Rayispolkom, Berezovskaya Lidiya Pavlovna (03840)521196.
- The earliest known Jewish Community was end 18th century. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 3916. Living here were Hassidic rabbis Shapiro Linhas ben Avrum from Korets (1726-1791), Shapiro Mordehay ben Moysha (1758-1838), Tsadeyskih Shapiro Has, and Shapiro Moyshe-Linhas. The Jewish mass grave was dug in 1941. No other towns or village's Jews were murdered at this unlandmarked mass grave. The rural (agricultural) flat land has signs or plaques in local language mentioning the Holocaust. Reached by turning directly off a public road. A continuous masonry wall and "other" surround the mass grave but no gate. The approximate size of mass grave is now 0.01 hectares. No stones were removed. The mass grave has only common tombstones from 1972. The site contains marked mass graves. Municipality owns site used for mass burial site. Properties adjacent are forest. Organized individual tours and Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors visit occasionally. This mass grave has not been vandalized. Now occasionally, individuals clear or clean. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access and vegetation. Slight threat: weather erosion and pollution.
- Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Odessa, Varnenskaya St. 17D, Apt. 52 [Phone: (0482) 665950] visited site on 3/29/95. Interviewed were Pol'sky B.I. of Shepetovka on 3/29/95 and Berezovskaya L.P. of Shepetovka on 3/29/95. Oks completed survey on 04/18/1995.
- Also see: SUDILKOV