Yerusalimka

Yerusalimka or Ierusalimka, the name derived from Jerusalem, was a Jewish quarter of the town of Vinnytsia. In the beginning of the 20th century Vinnytsia, the chief town of Podolia Governorate, was inhabited by 40,00 people, half of which was Jewish. Ierusalimka started to build up as handicraft suburb of the town of Vinnytsia at the end of the 18th century. Ierusalimka became famous for its architectural style, so called Jewish borough Baroque.

Jewish quarter of Vinnytsia.

The Last Jew in Vinnitsia

In 1942, a large part of the quarter was destroyed by German occupation troops. One infamous photo, The Last Jew of Vinnytsia, shows a member of Einsatzgruppe D about to execute a Jewish man kneeling before a mass grave.[1] The text The Last Jew of Vinnytsia was written on the back of the photograph, which was found in a photo album belonging to a German soldier. It was captured by the Red Army on 20 March 1944.

Today, some Jewish buildings are still in the quarter, particularly the synagogue, which was erected, as is written on its wall, in 1903.

Here is the verse of the modern poet Monya Shuster on his home quarter:

Oh Ierusalimka
Jewish quarter of poor
On your narrow paths
My footsteps could be seen
Here first thunderstorm
And sunset and sunrise
Here children cries
And mothers tender eyes

Ierusalimka is now one of the central quarters of the town of Vinnytsia.