(To see everything from my Ukraine trip, see
here.)
On the overnight train from Vinnitsa to Mukachevo (formerly Munkacs), I actually slept. The solution: sleep with noise-cancelling headphones playing a white noise app. I highly recommend that strategy!
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| View from the train |
The train arrived mid-morning, so we were able to see the scenery as we entered the Carpathian Mountains. There were lots of rolling hills with small villages scattered throughout.
When we got to Mukachevo, we walked through the center of town a bit.
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| Center of Mukachevo |
In the center of town is a monument to Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust.
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| Plaque dedicated to Raoul Wallenberg |
We found the local shul (synagogue), although it was locked so we couldn't see inside.
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| Mukachevo (Munkacs) Shul |
We then headed towards the castle, perched up on a hill overlooking the town.
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| Mukachevo Castle |
The castle has a series of external walls, built over time for fortification purposes.
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| Mukachevo Castle |
From the castle, there were spectacular views of the surrounding area.
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| View from Mukachevo/Munkacs Castle |
We then set out for Khust, which was to be our base for the next few days. It was a beautiful drive through farmland with mountains off in the distance.
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| On the way from Mukachevo to Khust |
In Khust, we stayed right in the center of town on a pedestrian mall.
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| Pedestrian mall outside our hotel in Khust--note the "I Love Khust" in the center |
Just down the block is Khust's shul (synagogue).
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| Khust shul/synagogue |
The inside showed what must once have been a spectacular building but one which is now not in the best of conditions.
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| Inside Khust's shul |
The art was once done with intricate detail, and much of it remains.
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| Inside Khust's shul |
There are thousands of disintegrating books--I was able to see siddurim (prayer books), chumashim (bibles) and gemaras (talmuds).
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| Books in Khust's shul |
Outside in the shul's courtyard is a monument to the Jews from the town and the area who were killed in the Holocaust.
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| Memorial in Khust's shul's courtyard |
Then I went up into the mountains--and that'll be in the next post.
So where was I geographically in this post?
Note: I'm on Twitter.
Follow me (@larasgenealogy).
Laura, is the Khust shul still in use? I know in the past a congregation in Delaware got new prayer books and donated the old to a European shul but I don't know if there's a organization that arranges things like that or if it was just a lucky connection someone had.
ReplyDeleteIt is in use, but by only a handful of people. These books seemed to all be pre-war.
DeleteDo you have any idea what the outcome for those beautiful books will be? So sad to think they will continue to disintegrate. Enjoyed the post! Pictures were wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI don't know--there was no one in there to ask. :(
DeleteBeautiful beautiful photographs! What a bittersweet trip for you!
ReplyDeleteyou've brought joyful tears to my eyes. my family was from Munkacs (Mukechavo). when I was a kid and whenever the family got together this is what I remember them talking about. My great grandfather Solomon Gottesman left in 1880 and I've no clue how many family were left there. love the photos and you've inspired me. thank you
ReplyDelete