Searching for Family: The Legacy of Ukraine's Pogroms

Tears Over Russia: A Search for Family and the Legacy of Ukraine's Pogroms

by Lisa Brahin

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled

FREE

In the summer of 2019, I traveled to Ukraine to search for the traces of my family's past. My great-grandmother, Anna, was born in the town of Berdichev in 1890. In 1919, when she was 29 years old, her family was murdered in a pogrom, a violent attack on Jews. Anna survived and eventually made her way to the United States, where she raised a family and never spoke of what she had witnessed.

I had always known that my family had been affected by the Holocaust, but I didn't know the details of what had happened. I decided to travel to Ukraine to try to learn more about my family's history and to pay my respects to the victims of the pogroms.

I started my journey in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. I visited the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial, where more than 100,000 Jews were murdered by the Nazis during World War II. I also visited the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, which tells the story of the Jewish community in Ukraine from its beginnings to the present day.

From Kyiv, I traveled to Berdichev, my great-grandmother's hometown. I visited the local synagogue, which had been destroyed by the Nazis during the war. I also visited the Jewish cemetery, where I found the graves of my great-great-grandparents.

While in Berdichev, I met with a local historian who told me about the pogrom that had destroyed my family. He said that the pogrom had been carried out by a mob of Ukrainian nationalists and that more than 1,000 Jews had been killed. My great-grandmother had been one of the few survivors.

I was deeply moved by my visit to Berdichev. I could feel the pain and suffering that my family had endured. I also felt a sense of gratitude for the fact that my great-grandmother had survived and had been able to build a new life for herself in the United States.

My journey to Ukraine was a life-changing experience. I learned about the horrors of the Holocaust and the importance of remembering the victims. I also learned about the resilience of the Jewish people and their ability to overcome adversity. I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned about my family's history and to have paid my respects to the victims of the pogroms.

The legacy of the Ukrainian pogroms is a reminder of the dangers of hatred and intolerance. We must never forget the victims of these horrific crimes and we must always work to promote peace and understanding.

Tears Over Russia: A Search for Family and the Legacy of Ukraine's Pogroms

by Lisa Brahin

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled

FREE