Mogilev-Podolsky and Czernowitz

Trip Report

By: Melita Fuhrman Vickter

Part III: Back to Mogilev-Podolsky

Sunday morning, as planned, Sasha picked us up at the hotel in Czernowitz and drove us back to Mogilev-Podolsky. We arrived on schedule and after a quick stop at the hotel, we picked up Mr. Kaplan and a religious Jew who would conduct a service for us. We arrived at the cemetery and inspected the stones. We were very satisfied with the work. We paid the workers and then had a short ceremony. Here are the finished products:

And so, each of these two grandparents finally have a "Matzevah"--A gravestone, 60 years after their deaths. This was my main mission and I feel gratified that we accomplished it. To my husband Steve, a very big "Thank you."

There is one grandparent, my maternal grandfather, who remains without an individual marker. Mendel Spitzer. He died in a camp close to Mogilev-Podolsky called Skazinets. Every time my mother said the word Skazinets she would get a dark look on her face. It must have been a terrible place. We drove to Skazinets immediately after the service at the Mogilev-Podolsky cemetery. We found a memorial to all those Jews that were killed there.

The one grandmother not mentioned here did survive Transnistria. Miriem Fuhrman is interned in Las Vegas, Nevada next to my mother and father. May they all rest in peace.

THE END

Credits:

My husband, Steve. My strength and anchor. I wouldn't have had the nerve to do half the things I did without him to back me up.

Sasha Yusin, our guide in Mogilev-Podolsky and a wonderful human being. Shown below was our last evening in Ukraine when we were invited to his home for dinner.

Zoya and Sacha: Our delightful guide and driver in Czernowitz.