Two weeks ago a gravestone left Eretz Yisroel for Kovna which commemorates
HaRav Elchonon Wassermann Hy"d and the other kedoshim killed by the Nazis
ym"sh and buried together with him in a communal grave.
It is generally thought that his burial spot is in the ninth row, but according to
the testimony of local people and of former Kovna residents living in Eretz
Yisroel, amongst them HaRav Moshe Gibraltar who witnessed the executions, the
kedoshim are buried in the seventh row. At the moment there is only a
decorative plaque in Russian on the communal grave, which makes no allusion to the
massacre.
Even this plaque became eroded over time and it became necessary to renovate it.
Derech Tzaddikim, an organization headed by Rabbi Yisroel Meir Gubbay made
preparations for the erection of a new gravestone referring to HaRav Elchonon
zt"l and his final place of rest. Two weeks ago the gravestone was flown from
Eretz Yisroel to the Ukraine and once the authorities have issued the necessary
permits it will be put up.
Recently the grave of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chassidism in Mezhibezh, also
underwent a serious restoration. The ohel which was refurbished and set up on
his grave in the past, was placed in an unsuitable location. The walls of the
structure stood on the graves of two of the great talmidim of the Baal Shem
Tov, and the need arose to move the structure. Those responsible for the renovation,
in addition to taking meticulous measurements, also used plans provided by HaRav
Moshe Bik, a rov in Borough Park, whose father, HaRav Avrohom Yehoshua Heshel Bik
zt"l, was the rov of Mezhibezh and a descendant of rabbonim of the town. In
addition, a guest house was built, as well as a mikveh and a shul.
Rav Gubbay told Yated Ne'eman that in the past the place was locked up and
visitors were dependent on the graces of a local non-Jewish man who demanded money
every time he had to open the gate. He also lived far away and was difficult to get
hold of. The whole area became desolate and neglected. Since the renovation the whole
area has become much more accessible, and anyone coming to the grave can make use of
the guest house. The renovations took three months, and the gravestone, which was
prepared by an expert stonemason, was brought from Eretz Yisroel. The
tombstones of the Ohel Yisroel from Apta, the Degel Machane Ephraim and Rav Boruch
Mezhibezh were renovated at the same time. They are all buried within the new
refurbished ohel.
Derech Tzaddikim works tirelessly at renovating the graves of tzaddikim
and gedolei Torah, especially in Eastern Europe. The gravestone of the Maharsho
in the Ukrainian town of Ostrof which was renovated, had to be renewed after
antisemitic elements destroyed it.
Efforts are now concentrated on Kalish, where the Mogen Avrohom is buried. His grave
is situated inside the grounds of a school and restoration work got under way, but
the principal opposed the renovation and was successful in preventing the completion
of the work. Negotiations are currently taking place with the authorities to enable
the work to be completed.
Another focus of attention is Turkey, where the graves of gedolei Yisroel have
been renovated, amongst them that of HaRav Naftali Hakohen the Semichas
Chachomim. A lack of funds is preventing the refurbishment of other cemeteries in
Russia, the Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland.
