By COLlive reporter
The city of Uzhgorod, located in western Ukraine and bordering Slovakia and Hungary, was once home to an important Jewish community and a center of many smaller ones in the Carpathian district.
Leading the community in the time before the Holocaust was Rabbi Avrohom Yosef Greunwald, author of Avnei Shoham. The author of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried, lived there as well.
All that vanished during the Holocaust when the Jews of Uzhhorod and its vicinity were deported to Auschwitz in seven transports.
In recent years, Chabad Shliach Rabbi Mendel Teichman has been living there with his wife and children, trying to revive some of what was tragically lost.
With the Carpathian Mountains making the region an important tourist and travel destination, housing many ski and spa resorts, he hopes his new guest house will attract Jews once more.
The Ungvar Guest House (how the city is known in Yiddish) includes new wooden cabins, a dry sauna, a garden with wall art and beautiful landscaping, and kosher meals.
“People come here to visit their family’s roots, to daven at kivrei tzadikim, or for research or medical treatment this area has to offer,” he says.
With a fully functioning shul and a state-of-the-art mikvah – some of it built with the help of the Rohr family and Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky – a Jewish couple has all it needs for a relaxing stay.
For more info, email: ungvar770@gmail.com
I would love to get some photos of Rabbi Felberman or of his wife Reb, Rochel, if anyone has any information’ please send to ruzanger @ gmail,com thank you rz
Rabbi Aaron Felberman lived right outside of the gates to the right, His house is still in existence & looks the same as it did 75 yrs ago, r,z,
The Felberman family (37 members) went to Uzsgorod in 2008 to the Gevetz shul where we had a Hachnosos Sefer Torah. We also donated money to build the kosher mikvah. There should be a plaque on the outside wall of the shul mentioning the Kedoshim. He was a Rav there for 22 yrs, R, Zanger (My father was Reb Mordche Felberman a son of R, AAron. He passed away in 2002. R. Zanger
This shul was built by my grandfather Rabbi Aaron Felberman in 1922. It was called the Gevetz shul.My grandfather & most of his family were deported in 1944 to Auschwitz . My father & his youngest sister were the only survivors. Rachel Zanger
I was born there, and lived about 5 min. from that shul. On Friday nights I would go and meet my father, coming home from shul. I was very young but it seems like it was not such a long time ago–in the 60’s! Yes, young ppl were
not allowed to go (although we went anyways on holidays)–the parents were watched to make sure they are not teaching any yidishkeit to the young. SK from Seattle
Geri, Los Angeles
My Fisch great great grandfather was living in Ungvar.
I am so proud to see what has been done. I hope to visit one day. I hope the Jewish cemetery is in good shape and being taken care of.
I’m from Ungvar/Uzshorod Rabbi Teichman did a great job.
Money well spent I hope to be there soon. This was the original Geyotser shul on the Minkatcer Street , where during
the soviet times we attended shul on Shabes and High Holidays.But most of the times it was off limit for young jews since the kgb was watching us.
gorgeous….i am in awe
its beautiful! i dont intend to make a negative comment, but i was wondering if and why those animal statues in the garden are permissable al piy halacha?
amaising
This is really awesome….Keep it up!! Such a beautiful place!!!!!!!!!!
its really a nice place
UNBELEIVABLE!!!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!
My mother, zol zein gezunt and father Ohev V’shalom were from this area. The town of Nelipena (sp?) They spoke often of the Rebbeim that used to come for mineral baths.
A Chabad “B & B”! Great concept!! Bring it to the US!
i think the Kranzes were the first with this idea.
really nice. you should be matzliach
its soooooooooooooooooooo pretty
Yes we want to go to Russia
wow !!! amazing and beautiful!!
I really like that Shul
good job
A Chabad “B & B”! Great concept!! Bring it to the US! B & B…can be renamed…B & B & D & D (Bed & Breakfast & Daven & Dip). We need them in all the states!!
Good luck!!
STUNNING!