Pogrebishche, 1648
1648
Pogrebishche, Poland
Jewish history is full of massacres. During some periods, dozens of communities were attacked in quick succession, often wiping them out. The stories of these communities, especially the small ones, are often untold; we don't know the details of how the Jews were killed. For this reason, it is very likely that there are many, many more instances of synagogue massacres that are unknown and unreported.
This can be demonstrated with the case of Pogrebishche (then in Poland, now in Ukraine) during the Chmielnicki massacres that started in 1648 and wiped out a good number of Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. My grandfather was born in Pogrebishche and I have done a lot of research about the town's Jewish history; that is the only reason why I happened across the following obscure story, passed down orally for generations and recorded on paper in the early 20th century by an immigrant to Israel, H.M. Lieberman-Weiner:
"Behind the synagogue there was a large dirt courtyard covered in soft grass, which no one ever enters. There are many legends about this courtyard, but I will tell the most common version.
In the days when Chmielnicki, may his name be erased, began his awful actions in Little Russia, on that exact day there was a wedding in town. The chupa was arranged with great beauty, with instruments and much joy. But the wrath of God fell on the community of Pogrebishche and the joy turned to sorrow. At the moment when the groom put the kiddushin ring on his bride's finger and began to say "you are betrothed to me" the evil savages entered the city, and when they saw the happy crowd at the synagogue, they fell upon the Jews and slaughtered them. The two first victims were the bride and groom, the much-loved couple. One of the murderers beheaded them with a large ax, and afterward they fell upon the guests. All those who were killed next to the synagogue were afterward buried, not in the cemetery but rather next to the synagogue. Around their graves a wooden fence was erected for eternal memory, and until this day the Jews of Pogrebishche refrain from passing by the synagogue at night, since the dead pray there at night; until today, many of the people believe that the dead who are buried in the synagogue courtyard arise every night, pray together, read the Torah and celebrate the wedding. We, the students in heder, have heard much about this old synagogue in the city of Pogrebishche." ("The Legend of the Old Synagogue in Pogrebishche" in Reshumot, 4)
This gruesome tale is mentioned only in this one source, recorded as an oral history. Yet it describes a vivid memory that stayed alive in the minds of the Jews of Pogrebishche for 250 years. We can only imagine that other towns had similar stories that have been lost. Even in the event that this story is not historical (and since the Jewish community of Pogrebishche was completely destroyed in 1648, we might suspect that such a narrative would not have survived), it does represent the type of oral history which kept the nightmare of synagogue massacres alive in the Jewish psyche.
In Chmielnicki massacres in general, also known as Gezerat Tach ve-Tat, were marked for many years by a fast day on the 20th of Sivan. Numerous selichot prayers were written to be said on this day, including this one, written by Shabtai ben Meir HaKohen (the Sha"ch), which mentions Pogrebishche. The 20th of Sivan had previously been established as a fast day by Rabbeinu Tam, to mark the Jewish massacre in Blois in 1171. (Adam Teller, "The Jewish Literary Responses to the Events of 1648-1649")
Pogrebishche, Poland
Jewish history is full of massacres. During some periods, dozens of communities were attacked in quick succession, often wiping them out. The stories of these communities, especially the small ones, are often untold; we don't know the details of how the Jews were killed. For this reason, it is very likely that there are many, many more instances of synagogue massacres that are unknown and unreported.
This can be demonstrated with the case of Pogrebishche (then in Poland, now in Ukraine) during the Chmielnicki massacres that started in 1648 and wiped out a good number of Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. My grandfather was born in Pogrebishche and I have done a lot of research about the town's Jewish history; that is the only reason why I happened across the following obscure story, passed down orally for generations and recorded on paper in the early 20th century by an immigrant to Israel, H.M. Lieberman-Weiner:
"Behind the synagogue there was a large dirt courtyard covered in soft grass, which no one ever enters. There are many legends about this courtyard, but I will tell the most common version.
In the days when Chmielnicki, may his name be erased, began his awful actions in Little Russia, on that exact day there was a wedding in town. The chupa was arranged with great beauty, with instruments and much joy. But the wrath of God fell on the community of Pogrebishche and the joy turned to sorrow. At the moment when the groom put the kiddushin ring on his bride's finger and began to say "you are betrothed to me" the evil savages entered the city, and when they saw the happy crowd at the synagogue, they fell upon the Jews and slaughtered them. The two first victims were the bride and groom, the much-loved couple. One of the murderers beheaded them with a large ax, and afterward they fell upon the guests. All those who were killed next to the synagogue were afterward buried, not in the cemetery but rather next to the synagogue. Around their graves a wooden fence was erected for eternal memory, and until this day the Jews of Pogrebishche refrain from passing by the synagogue at night, since the dead pray there at night; until today, many of the people believe that the dead who are buried in the synagogue courtyard arise every night, pray together, read the Torah and celebrate the wedding. We, the students in heder, have heard much about this old synagogue in the city of Pogrebishche." ("The Legend of the Old Synagogue in Pogrebishche" in Reshumot, 4)
This gruesome tale is mentioned only in this one source, recorded as an oral history. Yet it describes a vivid memory that stayed alive in the minds of the Jews of Pogrebishche for 250 years. We can only imagine that other towns had similar stories that have been lost. Even in the event that this story is not historical (and since the Jewish community of Pogrebishche was completely destroyed in 1648, we might suspect that such a narrative would not have survived), it does represent the type of oral history which kept the nightmare of synagogue massacres alive in the Jewish psyche.
In Chmielnicki massacres in general, also known as Gezerat Tach ve-Tat, were marked for many years by a fast day on the 20th of Sivan. Numerous selichot prayers were written to be said on this day, including this one, written by Shabtai ben Meir HaKohen (the Sha"ch), which mentions Pogrebishche. The 20th of Sivan had previously been established as a fast day by Rabbeinu Tam, to mark the Jewish massacre in Blois in 1171. (Adam Teller, "The Jewish Literary Responses to the Events of 1648-1649")
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