The Moscow Jewish community originated in Moscow in the middle of the 19th century, and during this not so long period, the pages of its history were marked by many bright names and events. Today in the capital it is not easy to meet people who speak Yiddish, and every year there are fewer and fewer of them. Nevertheless, the life of the Jewish community continues, and the memory of the people involved in it is forever preserved on the memorial tombstones of the Vostryakovskoye cemetery, the main Jewish necropolis in Moscow.
History of the Jewish cemetery in Moscow
At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. not far from the village of Vostryakovo, a cemetery appeared for the burial of local residents. A little later, in the 1930s, the board of the Moscow Jewish community received permission to create their own cemetery next to it. It was supposed to replace the former Jewish cemetery in Moscow - Dorogomilovskoye. Allthe old burials were moved, and now they are given a place on the right side of the main alley of the necropolis.
For several years of its existence, the Vostryakovskoye Jewish cemetery in Moscow has expanded significantly, and today it includes four territories: Monastic, Old, New and Newest. Many Jews are buried here, whose names are inextricably linked with the history of the development of Soviet and later Russian science and culture. These are well-known figures of literature and cinema, scientists. On the territory of the old cemetery and the monastery wall, you can honor the memory of prominent civil servants and their families.
Vostryakovskoye Jewish cemetery in Moscow: famous Jews
In many cities of Russia there are necropolises where representatives of Jewish communities are buried. A considerable number of famous and not so famous Jews are buried in Jewish cemeteries in Moscow: Khina Leib Srulevich, Vaksberg Arkady Iosifovich, Iofe Simon Izrailevich rest here … These names are little known to the modern generation, but their long list is replenished day by day. There are, however, among them people whose burials stand out thanks to majestic monuments and extraordinary epitaphs. Read about some of them below.
White Magician Yuri Longo
Yuri Longo, a healer known for his experiments in reviving the dead, died in 2006. There are legends that he was able to transfer part of his life energy to the dead, which allowed them to move parts of the body and open their mouths, apparently in an attempt to communicate something to those who are still alive. Some seriously believe that the famous magician only took a breather in his life cycle. However, the official cause of death is aortic rupture. On February 20, 2006, Yuri Longo was buried at the Vostryakovskoye cemetery.
Wolf Messing: man of mystery
Which of us has never heard the name of this legendary prophet, whose incredible abilities even Stalin and Hitler admired? It was this man who predicted the collapse of the fascist regime and indicated the exact date for the end of World War II - May 8, 1945. He repeatedly urged Stalin to stop anti-Semitic actions, but, having failed to convince the Soviet leader to listen to himself, he predicted that he would die on the Jewish holiday - Purim, which is traditionally celebrated by Jews around the world on March 5. This is what happened in 1953.
Wolf Messing definitely knew the date of his own death, so when the date of his death approached, the predictor was ready to leave this world. November 8, 1974 Wolf Messing died. His grave is located on the 38th section of the Jewish cemetery in Moscow, next to the grave of his wife.
"The Friend of Paradoxes" Dietmar Rosenthal
Reformer of Russian spelling, born and raised in Poland, Jewish by nationality, Dietmar Rosenthal spent his entire adult life in Germany. In Russia, he was engaged in the study of the Italian language, but is known to millions of people thanks to the numerous textbooks on the style of the Russian language and the dictionaries, manuals and reference books he developed. Rosenthal died on July 29, 1994years in Moscow, forever retaining the title of the last pathological expert on the Russian language.
Infrastructure and organization of the Vostryakovskoye cemetery
To date, the area of the Vostryakovsky Jewish cemetery in Moscow is about 137 hectares. On the territory there is an Orthodox church of John the Baptist. It was opened in 2000 and solemnly consecrated a year after this event, on April 3, 2001. There is also a discreet building with a height of only 1 floor - a ritual and funeral center from the Moscow Choral Synagogue - a place for commemoration of the dead, who belonged to the Jewish community during their lifetime. Thus, the Jewish cemetery in Moscow is not only the largest necropolis, but also a symbol of the peaceful coexistence of two cultures. In addition, the cemetery has a mass grave of 1,200 soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War, to whom a monument was erected.
Thus, the Vostryakovskoye Jewish cemetery in Moscow can be considered without exaggeration one of the main memorial monuments of the capital. Today, anyone interested in the history of the Jewish people can come here on their own or as part of an excursion to see the cemetery and honor the memory of the Jews buried here.
Vostryakovskoye cemetery is open to the public every day from 09:00 throughout the year. In autumn and winter, you can get here until 17:00, in spring and summer - until 19:00. Burials are held on any day of the week until 17:00.
How to get there by public transport?
Vostryakovskoe cemetery is located at: g. Moscow, st. Ozernaya, 47. The territory is divided by Borovskoye Highway and surrounded by a ring road along the perimeter. The cemetery itself is very reminiscent of an old dilapidated park, as it has long been overgrown with perennial trees, whose branches stretch far into the air.
In order to get to the cemetery, first of all, you need to get to the Yugo-Zapadnaya metro station. It is most convenient to take the first carriage from the center. From there, buses No. 66, 718, 720, 752 and minibuses No. 71 and 91 go to the Vostryakovskoye Cemetery stop.
How to get there by car?
With the help of a navigator, you can easily get to the territory of the cemetery on your own transport. Enter the following coordinates: 55.661362, 37.442931 - and hit the road.
If you drive from the Moscow Ring Road, it is important not to miss the exit to Borovskoye highway, which is located on the 46th km. Having left on Ozernaya Street, after 350 meters turn and continue moving up to the fence of the necropolis. Please note that the number of visitors to the cemetery increases during the summer and during holidays and holidays, so parking may be a problem. Please contact the property prior to travel to make sure you can visit by private car.
Finally, a few photos of the Jewish cemetery in Moscow. Have you ever visited this amazing place?
There is an alley here, which is very similar to an old park, where you can take a walk and sit on one of the benches.
In the cemeterythere are beautiful monuments.
In the photo you can see how some of the tombstones of the Jewish cemetery look like.
