Seventy years have passed since the horrific days in the beginning of November, 1941, when 17,500 innocent people were murdered. On November 6, the Jewish community of Rovno gathered to commemorate this horrific occurrence.
There were a series of events to remember this tragic date in Jewish history which left virtually no Jews in Rovno. The events included gatherings for both adults and children, as well as children visiting the memorial in the town of Zdolbunov, where the remaining Jews of Rovno and Zdolbunov were shot in 1942. Children also participated in the creative workshops “Nobody can forbid flowers...”
The memorial events culminated in a rally in the Sosonka area. To the sounds of a mournful Jewish melody on violin, people approached the plaque listing the names of the deceased. Chief Rabbi of Rovno Shneur Schneersohn, who is also a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary serving in the region, read the Kaddish prayer in memory of the martyrs. The community’s chairman, Gersh Fraerman, then shared his thoughts about the massacre. Following Mr. Fraerman, representatives of the local and regional authorities and leaders of various religions, also spoke to honor the memory of these innocent victims of 1941-42.
The program ended with a song performed by the Freileche Neshama choir and with everyone placing stones near the memorial to form a six-pointed star. The Jewish community of Rovno is a member of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine.