Historic Cemetery of “Hidden Tzadikim” Fenced

by COLlive reporter

A historic Jewish cemetery that was created over 600 years ago and was the burial site for many Jewish martyrs has recently been returned to Jewish ownership and control.

The cemetery is the oldest one in the town of Lubavitch in the Smolensk region of Russia. According to the memoirs of the Rebbe Rayatz, “hidden tzadikim” are among those buried there.

As the years passed, a second cemetery was established and it is there where the Chabad Rabbeim and Rebbetzins, and many chassidim are buried. It is frequently visited by Jews from around the world.

The location of the first cemetery, however, was not known. 2 years ago, a new road was being paved in the town and bones were discovered in the area called by locals as “Trash Hill” since it had become a dumping ground.

R’ Gavriel Gordon, the Shliach who oversees the holy sites in the town of Lubavitch, was able to identify the area as the original Jewish cemetery, and recently part of the property was redeemed from local authorities.

Gordon was assisted in the investigation by Rabbi Yitzchok Gelbstein of Chevra Kadish Perushim in Jerusalem, Rabbi Yisroel Meir Gabbai of Derech Tzadikim, and Rabbi Abraham Ginsberg of the Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe.

This fencing project was completed by Rabbi Gordon and “Geder Avos”.

It should be noted that first stage of the restoration of the holy sites in Lubavitch was completed by the European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative (ESJF).

All of the restoration projects in Lubavitch are fully sponsored by the noted philanthropists Yossi and Batshevah Popack through the efforts of the askan Mendel Levin.