On her recent Jewish heritage trip in Romania, JHE’s Ruth Ellen Gruber came across two rare examples of matzevot made of wood — one in the Jewish cemetery in Botosani, and the other in the “New” Jewish cemetery in Dorohoi.
We called upon our readers to help us with the epitaphs and any other information they may have about these monuments — and you came through! Thanks so much!
This post now reflects the help provided (which you can also see in the comments).
Surviving wooden matzevot are quite uncommon these days, though a number are known to exist. The Jewish cemetery in Lenin, Belarus, is known for its wooden grave markers, for example. There are others elsewhere, and also some displayed in museums.
The wooden matzevot seen by Ruth are two different types.
BOTOSANI
In Botosani, it is a tall, narrow pillar, similar to those in Lenin, that stands in the midst of other stone matzevot dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
It is in such bad condition, however, that its inscription is illegible so we don’t know the date. We hope the marker can be conserved to halt further deterioration!
DOROHOI
In Dorohoi, there is a different type of marker, in much better condition. (It looks like stone in the picture, but from the feel it was clearly wood….)
It is that of a woman named Bracha, who died (as far as one of our consultants could make out) in 1912.
Her grave stands alone in a small building, like an ohel. It is marked by the candlesticks, flanked by hands blessing the Shabbat flames, that frequently mark the gravestones of women in this part of eastern Europe.
Her epitaph reads (thanks to one of our readers — see comments) “A pure, modest, and holy woman, well known, rebitzin (means the wife of a rabbi), mrs. bracha daughter of eliezer zev, wife of ??????? (illegible)”
From what we were able to find (via geni.com and elsewhere), she was Bracha Tirer who was the daughter of R’ Eliezer Zev Rabin, Admur in Buczacz and wife of Rav Yechiel Mechel Michl Horowitz Tirer who died in 1908 and was a rabbi in Dorohoi.
Thanks so much to our readers who helped us out on this!
11 comments on “Romania: We find rare wooden Jewish gravestones in Botosani and Dorohoi — thanks to our readers for help with the epitaph!”
How would I get names of people interned in Beresti?
There are 2 cemeteries.
Looking for Jancu Vainberg (Weinberg) and his wife, Ita Froimovich Vainberg
Looking for Moses Vainberg and his wife Fruma Sarasohn Vainberg
Anyone with the surnames of Vainberg, Froimocich or Sarasohn.
If anyone has abetter idea on where to direct this inquiry, please advise.
Sincerely,
Mary Manderfeld
Her figure and tomb are (fictionally) described in the surrealistic book (in Hebrew) Great Journey to Bucacea by Nachmi Drimer
https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH997008859834305171/NLI
Hi! Please send me a better quality of the photo(s) of Botoshany by mail
I will try)
This is very interesting to me because my grandparents came from Botosani county.
0040727662003 send text messages in WhatsApp. I send you to much pictures of Dorohoi. tombs of Jewish
the one in Dorohoi reads:
A pureת modest and holy woman, well known, rebitzin (means the wife of a rabbi), mrs. bracha daughter of eliezer zev, wife of ???????
this is as far as i could make out. sorry for my bad english. my first language is yiddish.
Thanks so much!
… her father, not her husband! He is eulogized as a Tzaddik (!) , not explicitly as a Rav, rabbi. She, however, is a “rabbanit” – i.e. the wife of a rabbi. The name of her husband seems lost, als well as the date of her demise.
Rare, very rare, wooden markers still extant.
The other one, Botosani, is barely decipherable, just the last benediction, t’ ‘n ts’b’ h’, is clearly lisible.
Too many other objects in that photo, (get nearer, much nearer…) – kudos!!
Thabks Michael!
of course she was the daugther of the Admur and not her husband !!
Thanks!