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Voronkov (Voronkov, Ukraine) |
Voronkov in the 1800s
In the 1860s, the Szlona
River (a small tributary of the Dnieper) ran by Voronkov.
On the other side of the river, when one crossed the bridge, was a
meadow followed by a tall hill.
Voronkov had a market with Jewish shops, stands and stalls.
It contained a study house, bathhouse, post office, Jewish and
Christian cemetery and a cheder (school) for young boys. There was a
schochet (ritual butcher) and a chevre kaddisha (burial society).
There were chasids in the town as well as those who also were reading
Haskalah (Enlightenment) literature.[1] Voronkov
also had a wooden church. It
contained little houses with wooden roofs and small courtyards.[2]
In
the late 1800s, Voronkov had 4,837 inhabitants, living in 634 houses.
It hosted two fairs, had eleven mills and two windmills.
In addition to the synagogue, there were two churches.
The Pereyeslav Regiment was quartered there.[3]
[1] Sholom Aleichem, Funem Yarid/From the Fair,1908-1915, translated by Curt Leviant, 1985, Penguin Books, NY.
[2] Volf Rabinovitsh, Mayn Bruder Sholem Aleichem-Zikhroynes/My Brother, Sholem Aleichem: Memories, Kiev, 1939, pp.15-16.
[3] Sulimierski, Filip, ed., Slownik Geograficzny Krolestwa Polskiego i Innych KrajowSlowianskich/Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and Other Slavic Countries, vol. XIII, Warsaw, 1887, p. 954, “Woronkow”.