The International Interdisciplinary Certificate Program in Jewish Studies, in partnership with the ESJF European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative and with financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office, organized an autumn epigraphic field expedition for students.

The program’s two-day field trip took place on October 19–20. Its main goal was to research and photographically document the Jewish cemetery in Horodok, Khmelnytskyi region, a task the participants successfully completed.

The Horodok Jewish cemetery was chosen intentionally. The aim of this year’s field research conducted by the Certificate Program was to document as many matzevot (Jewish gravestones) as possible at the site – some of the oldest known examples date back to the early 18th century – for further scholarly study.

During the work at the cemetery, Eugene Levinzon, Executive Director of the Certificate Program, also held a workshop for local residents titled “How to understand a Jewish cemetery.”

Later that day in Horodok, participants also visited the G-Museum, where a guided tour was organized for the group.

The following day, the group traveled to Medzhybizh, where they visited the reconstructed Baal Shem Tov Synagogue, the Bach Synagogue, the Apter Rebbe Synagogue, and the old Jewish cemetery.

The program also included a guided tour of the Medzhybizh Castle.

Participant Feedback

“Many thanks to the organizers and participants of the seminar for the incredible emotions, remarkable places, and the time we shared together!”

Tetiana Fedoriv

“Thank you all very much. It was an unforgettable experience of interfaith dialogue, culinary diversity, museum impressions, and of course the ‘scratching of matzevot.’”

Olha Yashna