Jews from around the world to hold a pilgrimage to Tysmenytsia: a famous Rabbi is buried there

On April 25, representatives of Jewish communities of Ivano-Frankivsk, New York, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, among whom were descendants of the famous Rabbi Jacob Kopel Hasid attended a session of Tysmenytsia city council with a letter of gratitude.

Representatives of the Jewish community found that Rabbi Jacob Kopel Hasid, who once lived in the city, was buried in Tysmenytsia. Jakob Kopel Hasid is a grandfather of the famous Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810), who is buried in Uman. The tomb of Nachman became a place of pilgrimage for followers of his teachings - Bratslav Hasidism.

“Through this message we express our gratitude for the important work to preserve the old cemetery in Tysmenytsia, the holy resting places of our fathers, the heads of our families, the holy Rabbi Jacob Kopel Hasid of the blessed memory,” goes the letter of gratitude.

According to Tysmenytsia councilors, last year representatives of the Jewish community came to Tysmenytsia in search of the tomb of Rabbi Jacob Kopel Hasid. Earlier, many Jews lived Tysmenytsia, so there are several abandoned Jewish cemeteries in the city.

According to the councilor Lilia Krokhmaliuk, last summer the Jewish community even brought home a psychic who said the rabbi buried in the territory of the city lake. Artificial lake, before there's been a truly Jewish cemetery.

The Jews appealed to the executive committee for permission to establish a chapel near a kindergarten near the lake. Some residents of Tysmenytsia were against it, and the session did not provide land for the building.

As Tysmenytsia Mayor Stepan Svorak told KURS, according to local archives, the Jewish cemetery was located also in the center of Tysmenytsia, near the old bakery. Cureently the market is located there. Perhaps this is where Jacob buried Rabbi Kopel Hasid. But during the Second World War, in 1945, the cemetery was destroyed. Thus, the Jewish community requested the executive committee of Tysmenytsya to install a small chapel dedicated to Rabbi Jacob Kopel Hasidim.

The Executive Committee gave permission for the installation of temporary facilities.

On April 25, representatives of Jewish communities said that after the chapel was built they plan to organize a pilgrimage to Tysmenytsia to “worship their ancestors.”