Photos of Steven Gershman's Trip to Ukraine, Summer 2005 (continued)

50). Local Ukrainian townspeople greet guests with bread and a pinch of salt in the middle.


Shanah Tovah (Jewish New Year card) with the portrait of Rivka and Izak Bebczuk

51). The group and the local townspeople meet at the entrance to the mass gravesite in Nevirkov. The locals presented each member of the group with flowers.


Izak Bebczuk’s Jewish invalid card

52). A view of the monument in memory of the 3,000 Mezericher Jews slaughtered by the Nazis. This monument was erected in 1992 by Meziricher descendants in Israel, USA, and Canada. This picture also allows one to see the vastness of the area covered. In July, 2005, the area was rededicated and a steel rod reinforced cement block wall was erected.


Rivka Bebczuk’s identification papers in Italy

53). Also erected was a Wall of Honor. Prior to dedication of this wall, a Ukrainian flag and an Israeli flag cover the plaques.

Shmuelik (Sam) Honigman, a fellow Mezeritsher

54). Cantor Ze'ev Portnoy recited memorial prayers.


Erwin and Riva Baker in the late 1970s

55). The Wall of Honor is dedicated. The large plaque on the right commemorates the Jewish partisans and soldiers from Mezerich who fought in the war. Names listed include Morris (Moshe) Gershman, father of Steven Gershman and uncle of Mary Zafran, and Bezalel Gershman, uncle of Steven Gershman and Mary Zafran. The plaque on the left commemorates the Righteous Gentiles, non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews. Standing in the white coat is Sofia Anjekovich, whose parents saved Jews and in uniform is Valentin Charmucha, a Righteous Gentile.


Riva Baker and Steve Gershman

56). An aerial view of the entire group standing at the memorial site.


57). Israel Zinman speaking at the memorial site. The same scroll with the names of the 3000 Mezericher Jews used at the dedication of the woodlands in Israel is unfolded here. A similar scroll was placed inside the monument when the monument was dedicated in 1992. At the base of the monument stand six lanterns, in memory of the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust.