Breaking, Dissolving...
Always when I came to a village where Jews used to live, I searched for the cemetery. Oftentimes, only its traces remained. However, some cemeteries, even being abandoned, remained almost intact, dating back as far as the 17th century. For Jews of the Pale of Settlement, the tradition of carving gravestones was well-developed. Frequently, the symbols on the gravestone determined the profession and social status of its owner. Birkat Cohanim ("Blessing of Cohen") usually marked Cohens' graves.
Medzhibozh, Ukraine. 1988.
Door
This photograph was taken in a nearly-abandoned Jewish cemetary. Kaunas' Jewish population decreased significantly after WWII. As often happened with abandoned cemetaries, local people took bricks from the cemetary for building purposes.
Kaunas (Kovno), Lithuania. 1988.
Orgeyev
Orgeyev, Moldavia (former Bessarabia). 1988.
Polonnoye - Birkat Cohanim
Color painting was rarely used at Jewish monuments. This is a 1920s tombstone in Polonnoye. The photograph features a fragment of the tombstone with the Birkat Cohanim ("Blessing of Cohen").
Polonnoye, Ukraine.
Sadgora
Jewish cemetery in Sadgora, near Chernovtzy, Ukraine.
Brody
Jewish Cemetery in Brody, Ukraine.
Brody, Ukraine. 1988.
Goats and Stones
Jewish Cemetery in Koretz, Ukraine.
Koretz, Ukraine. 1988.