Paulownia to be planted in destroyed Jewish cemetery in Ternopil

Two paulownias will beplanted at the site of the oldest known Jewish cemetery in Ternopil. The initiative was put forward by utility officers, says our reporter Volodymyr Moroz.

A plan emerged when a bone which is presumably human was foundin the beginning of spring during the renovation of stairs in Knyaza Ostrozkoho street. The picture of the finding was taken by enthusiastic Ternopil residents, but when a special commission came to the site, the bone has disappeared.

“We explained to public utilities officers who work there they should report us once they discover bones again. We will submit everything to the police to determine whether these are human bones. Then we will rebury them properly again,” said deputy head of Improvement section of the Department for of housing and communal services of Ternopil City Council Oleh Sokolovsky.

According to the official, public servants are well aware that the slope on which the stairs are repaired and the neighboring house are in the former territory of the Jewish Cemetery. So the bones may be from this cemetery as well.

"In memory of those buried here we will plant two paulownias. They were ordered in Poland,” said Sokolovskyy.

Background

The Old Jewish Cemetery in Ternopil, popularly called Okopske, had for centuries operated on a hill in Knyazya Ostrozkoho Street. It was destroyed in the mid-1950s under the government order to expand residential area. Some gravestones stones were used for making curbs. Also there is a newer Jewish cemetery on Mykulynetska Street.

‘Adam tree’ or Paulownia is a deciduous tree 10-25 meters high, its birthplaces are Japan, Korea, China, Laos and Vietnam. Its flowers are light purple, in inflorescences. According to legend, Paulownia grew abundantly in Eden and Adam enjoyed rest underneath it.