Rybinsk Jewish cemetery

Rybinsk cemetery

Courtesy of Aryeh Zafransky

Rybinsk is a town in the center of European Russia, 200 miles from Moscow, on the banks of the Volga river in her upper reaches. Located outside the Jewish Pale, historically the town was closed to Jews. An exception was made for several categories, such as merchants of the first guild, retired soldiers and specialists in the so-called "useful professions". But starting from 1860, a Jewish population began to appear in the town. By the end of the 19th century, it numbered about 30 families. The community had a synagogue and a cemetery, the only one in the district. The Jewish population of the town significantly increased during the First World War, when Jews of the front-line were forcibly transferred to the center of the empire.

The Jewish cemetery in Rybinsk existed until the middle of last century, and had about 2,000 graves, of which only 10 monuments with epitaphs in Hebrew have survived to this day.

Khava Sarah Rakskin

"Here is buried
Khava Sarah, daughter of Yitzhak Rakshin is buried"

Shneur Zalman Liberman

"For these I weep; my eye, yea my eye, sheds tears (Eichah – Lamentations 1:16)
To death of Shneur Zalman, son of Joseph, Liberman taken in the days of his youth
Joseph Nachum, son of Yehuda
Taken for half his days to his people
Let his Soul Be Tied In the Knot of Life"

Yeruham Fishel Yagodin

"The oldest honest of mortal people Yeruham Fishel, son of Gershon, Yagodin
Who passed into his world in old age on the first day of the month Av year 5666 (1905)
Let his Soul Be Tied In the Knot of Life
1825-1905"

Note : a retired soldier, served 25 years. Probably the first Jewish resident of Rybinsk. Grandfather of Heinrich Yagoda, the infamous People's Commissar of Internal Affairs of the USSR (1891, Rybinsk – 1938, Moskow).

Joseph Markon

"For these I weep; my eye, yea my eye, sheds tears (Eichah – Lamentations 1:16)
Here is buried
On the death of my son Joseph, son of Yehuda, Markon, who was born on the 5th Tammuz 5646 and died ..."

Note: brother of professor Yitzhak, son of Yehuda, Markon

Abraham Yitzhak Markon

"This monument testifies
About the peace of a respected and God-fearing person
Outstanding, loving Torah
And honoring our rabbis
Abraham Yitzhak, son of Yedidya, Markon
Died on the 12th of Cheshvan ... 79 years old
Let his Soul Be Tied In the Knot of Life"
Note: probably, the grandfather of the famous scientist - Hebraist professor Isaak, son of Yehuda Markon (Petersburg, Minsk, Berlin, Amsterdam, London)

Abraham Hillel, son of Perez, Grinberg

"Inside of Magen David is written "Zion"
For these I weep; my eye, yea my eye, sheds tears (Eichah – Lamentations 1:16)

The delight of my soul, the deer of my beauty
Abraham Hillel, son of Perez, Grinberg
Born 9 Elul was taken to his people in the name of the Lord
Let his Soul Be Tied In the Knot of Life"

Zimerikin

"For these I weep; my eye, yea my eye, sheds tears (Eichah – Lamentations 1:16)
Here is buried
A man seeking truth, living sincerely, honest and faithful, an old man ...
Zimerikin"

Menashe Ashnin

"For these I weep; my eye, yea my eye, sheds tears (Eichah – Lamentations 1:16)
Here is buried
On the burial of my father and teacher Menashe, son of rabbi Isaak, Ashnin
Who passed away on the first day of the month of Cheshvan of the year …
The beauty of the generation of Rybinsk"

Eliyahu Averbakh

"Here is buried
The straightforward and pure man
Eliyahu, son of Rabbi Yoseph Eliakim, Аverbakh.
1836-1909
Note: a merchant of the first guild, head of the board of the Sheksna shipping company, great-grandfather of the famous film director Ilya Averbakh."

Zelig Zafransky

"Zelig, son of Israel, Zafransky, died at 24-th of December 1923, 52 year old."

Note: businessman, hat maker. Was born in 1871 in Chernigov.

Unknown

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