Mikvah of Besht
Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, later known as Ba'al Shem Tov ("Master of Good Name"), also called by the acronym Besht, was the founder of Hasidism. In the 1830s, he lived in the Carpathian Mountains, digging clay for bricks. Legend tells of the existence of Mikvah of Besht, a creek where Ba'al Shem Tov conducted spiritual cleansing. Nobody knew where the exact location was. Finally, the village elders pointed us to a location where we came upon a small mountain spring not indicated on any map. A small waterfall provided the only place where the water was deep enough for a person to bathe. Since that time, this place has become one of the centers for pilgrimage for Hasidim from all over the world.
Vizhenka, Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine. 1988.
Jewish Cemetery at Chernovtzy
At the Mass Grave
Half the Jewish population of Mejibozh lies in this mass grave. The other half is buried a few meters away in an identical grave. On September 22nd of every year, the anniversary of their execution, relatives come from every corner of the country to pay their respects to those who perished. As the years go by, the number of visitors dwindles.
Mejibozh, Ukraine. 1988.
Medjibozh Geese
Medjibozh, the hometown of Ba'al Shem Tov, was once one of the greatest spiritual centers of Judaism. Before the Second World War, its Jewish population numbered 5,000 people. After the war, only two remained.
Mejibozh, Ukraine. 1988.
Vilnius