Cemeteries & Tombstone Translations
The New Cemetery on Synagogue Street, Sopockin
The new cemetery on Synagogue Street on the outskirts of town — not to be confused with the old cemetery on Synagogue Street near the center of town.
How to Read a Jewish Tombstone Anywhere in the World
The following scanned pages are from the article How to Read a Jewish Tombstone Anywhere in the World by Judith Shulamith Langer-Surnamer Caplan. They provide essential background for understanding the Hebrew inscriptions in the gallery below.
The New Cemetery — Tombstone Gallery
Photographs were taken during a cemetery restoration visit. Where Hebrew inscriptions were legible, translations and analysis were contributed by Israel Pikholz. Hover over any annotated entry and click “Translation notes” to expand.
Series 111 & 112
Translation notes
Line 1–2: An honourable, dear and honest man
Line 3: Morenu harav Gutman
Line 4: b’R’ Avraham
Line 5: Died on the twelfth day
Line 6: [Mostly buried — date unclear, aleph at end suggests year ending in 1; month possibly Heshvan]
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N [here is buried]
Line 2: Our dear father
Line 3: The avrech
Line 4: Mr David b’R’ Yaakov
Line 5: Rolski
Line 6: Taken in the days of his youth
Line 7: 22 Sivan 5664
Line 8: In his thirty-fourth year
Line 9: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Curved line: illegible. Lines 3–5: Liba [rest unclear]. Line 6: Sixth (or seventh) of Menahem Av, or Friday 23rd of Av. Line 7: 5654 [or 5656]. Line 8: short, illegible.
Translation notes
Line 1: Here
Line 2: is the grave of our father
Line 3: dear father David [or morenu harav] Moshe
Line 4: Shraga b’R’ Yaakov
Lines 5–10: illegible; line 8 appears to show the fifteenth of the month.
Translation notes
Yitzhak visible at beginning of line 3. Otherwise only isolated letters.
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N
Line 2: The beautiful virgin [a rare expression on a grave!]
Line 3 et al: only scattered letters, nothing coherent.
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N
Lines 2, 4–6: cannot see
Line 3: Moshe visible in center
Line 7: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N
Line 2: The old man R’
Lines 3–5: scattered letters
Line 6: 5645 TNZB"H
Translation notes
Some letters visible but nothing meaningful.
Translation notes
Some letters visible but nothing meaningful.
Translation notes
Appears to be a second exposure of 111_1174. A bit better, but not much.
Translation notes
Not clear enough to see anything.
Translation notes
Other than it being a woman, cannot make out a thing.
Translation notes
Cannot see anything on these either. Not for want of trying!
Translation notes
Better than some others, but the little that can be made out does not seem to make sense in context.
Translation notes
Line 1: Memorial for a soul
Line 2: The modest woman Esther, may her soul rest in Eden
Line 3: Wife of R’ Gedalyahu Horlivitzki
Line 4: bat R’ Israel Cohen
Line 5: After your wick of life has been broken
Line 6: Your rays of sunlight have been darkened and dimmed
Line 7: For sixty-eight years
Line 8: The first day of Rosh Hodesh Tammuz [30 Sivan] 5652
Line 9: On the Sabbath, the choicest of days
Line 10: The good rest came
Line 11: In the shadows of the wings of Him who dwells in Heaven
Line 12: [ends with] for the end of days [Messianic era]
Note: The Hebrew in this one was very interesting.
Translation notes
Ribbit (Frog)
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N
Line 2: Our dear father
Line 3: A pure and honest man R’
Line 4: Avraham Yitzhak
Line 5: b’R’ Zeev HaKohen
Line 6: Woshinsky
Line 7: Died 15 Teveth 5650
Line 8: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N
Line 2: Our mother, the important woman Mrs.
Line 3: Pia
Line 4: bat R’ Yosef Mintz
Line 5: Wife of R’ Israel Leib
Line 6: Bonowitz
Line 7: Died on the fifth day of Nisan 5662 [might be 5682]
Line 8: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Line 2: Our dear father [plus one word I cannot see — probably another adjective]
Line 3: Morenu verabbeinu Mordecai Leib
Line 4: ben David [I think] Grinb… [can’t see far left]
Lines 5–6: left side of line 5 looks like a place name — possibly Bobruisk or similar.
Translation notes
Only scratches and a few isolated letters.
Translation notes
Some letters visible, but not clearly and with no context.
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N
Line 2: A God-fearing man, who put
Line 3: nights as days [all his time]
Line 4: into Torah and service
Lines 5–6: possibly states he was in his eighties
Line 7: The extraordinary rabbi
Line 8: Morenu harav Pinchas Zelig ben R’
Line 9: [largely below vegetation line — cannot read]
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N [seems to be followed by another word, unclear]
Line 2: The modest and esteemed woman
Line 3: Feige bat R’ Arie Leib
Line 4 onwards: some letters but cannot form words.
Translation notes
Line 1: Meir Dov ben R’ Ephraim [maybe Avraham?]
Line 2: Blankovski
Line 3: [last word seems to be “holiness”]
Line 4: The third day of Adar in the year [may be 5690]
Line 5: In his sixty-seventh year
Line 6: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Very blurred. Probably legible with a better photograph.
Translation notes
Line 2: An honest man
Line 3: our dear father Mr.
Line 4: Yaakov Ben R’ Pinchas Zelig
Line 5: Permanski
Line 6: Died 12 Iyyar 5684 [maybe 5685]
Line 7: TNZB"H
Translation notes
This can probably be made very legible by someone who knows how to enhance contrasts, so there is no point struggling to make out a few letters.
Translation notes
Line 1: Grave monument
Line 2: Our dear mother
Line 3: The modest and honest woman
Line 4: Mrs. Yacha Liba
Line 5: bat R’ Avraham Moshe
Line 6: Osatzki
Line 7: Died 6 Nisan in the year 5671
Line 8: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Line 1: Liba
Line 2: bat [something with a “sh” — may be Moshe or R’ Shemuel]
Line 3: Rubiner
Line 4: Died 2 [or 20] Second Adar 5687
Line 5: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Line 1: Our dear mother [gut feeling more than certainty]
Line 2: possibly “God-fearing and educated”
Line 3: Liba or Feige [best guesses]
Line 4: bat R’ Yehudah
Line 5: Wife of R’ Israel Yitzhak z"l
Line 6: [surname — illegible without contrast enhancement]
Lines 7–8: Died on the second day of Kislev 5666
Line 9: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Line 1 [inside star]: P"N
Line 2: [cannot see]
Line 3: The modest woman
Line 4: [given name — cannot see enough to read]
Line 5: bat R’ Yehezkel
Line 6: Died 5 Teveth 56?
Line 7: 1932
Line 8: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Would probably be reasonably legible if the photograph were a better quality.
Translation notes
Line 1: [cannot see enough of the top line]
Line 2: [died?] 27 [maybe 26] Iyyar [maybe Adar] 567?
Line 3: date that seems to be Teveth 5640 — possibly a birth date.
Translation notes
Last line has 5669. Cannot see enough else to say.
Translation notes
Last line: second day of Rosh Hodesh Heshvan 568?
Translation notes
Probably legible but the photograph is blurred.
Translation notes
Needs contrast enhancement. Probably fairly legible.
Translation notes
Lines 1–2: Here is buried a God-fearing man morenu harav
Line 3: [possibly Yaakov something — may not be a given name]
Line 4: R’ Meir Ben R’ David
[Rest unclear — may say he was a member of the Hevra kadisha.]
Translation notes
His name is Zvi Hirsch, but contrast help is needed to see more.
Translation notes
TNZB"H in bottom left corner. Year 56?1 (possibly 5651). Month appears to be Second Adar, possibly the fourth. The grave is a woman, but nothing more specific is visible.
Translation notes
About all that can be seen is that it is a woman. The bottom rows are eroded entirely.
Translation notes
Lines 1–2: Burial monument of our dear mother
Line 3: the modest and esteemed Mrs
Line 4: Malka
Line 5: Bat R’ Shemaryahu [I think] died
Line 6: the ninth day of the month of
Line 7: First Adar of the year 5662
Line 8: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Also a woman, but nothing of significance visible.
Translation notes
Believed to be a woman, but cannot see anything further.
Translation notes
Might be partly legible, but the angle throws it all off.
Translation notes
Can barely see that it is right-side up.
Translation notes
Might be partly doable with some professional enhancement.
Translation notes
Line 1: My son [second word unclear]
Line 2: [begins with something about “no children”] and lived
Line 3: few days [relatively young], the hatan [young unmarried man]
Line 4: Mordecai Shraga, died
Line 5: on the first of Tishrei [year unclear]
Line 6: [should be TNZB"H but only three letters visible]
Translation notes
????????
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N
Lines 2–4: cannot make out [last word on line 3 is “suddenly”]
Line 5: twenty-one years old
Line 6: [died] 24 [or 25 or 28] of the month of
Line 7: Menahem Av of the year 5663 [or 5643]
Line 8: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Professional enhancement might help. “Zvi” visible below and to the left of the dark stain.
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N
Line 2: Our dear father R’
Line 3: Meir Zvi
Line 4: ben R’ Mordecai
Line 5: Rosenstein
Line 6: Died fifteenth…
DSC 352–400
Translation notes
ר' ליב
...יא
נ'בןלח
טוטבת
תהיצבה
Partial. First name: Leib.
Translation notes
Additional shot of DSC00352. Incomplete. 6 lines. Month and day of death: 15 Tevet. First name: Leib.
Translation notes
Same as DSC00352.
Translation notes
Same as DSC00352.
Translation notes
Name: Yitzhak. Date: 12 Nisan. Title: Mr (not R’).
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N
Lines 2–3: name not visible; “died” at end of line 3
Line 4: On the fifteenth [or sixteenth] day of Heshvan
Line 5: looks like 5680 with an abbreviation afterwards.
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N
Lines 2–5: unclear; possibly Moshe on line 3; line 5 ends with “died”
Line 6: Rosh Hodesh Nisan
Line 7: in the year 5694 [or 5695]
Line 8: TNZB"H
Translation notes
Upside down. Bottom lines: died x Av 5599. TNZB"H. Definitely a male.
Translation notes
Same grave as DSC00359, better angle. Father’s name: Shelomo Zalman. Upper lines still not clearly visible.
Translation notes
Does not look like the same stone as DSC00360, but everything visible looks identical. Father’s name: Kalman.
Translation notes
Line 1: P"N
Line 2: The modest woman
Line 3: Chinka bat the rav R’
Line 4: Feivel who died
Line 5: on the nineteenth day of Shevat in the year
Line 6: 5599 TNZB"H
Translation notes
Can’t see a thing.
Translation notes
Cannot see anything.
Translation notes
No stone here.
Translation notes
All I can see here is the month of Teveth.
Translation notes
Upside down. The word “died” and what seems to be the month of Av.
Translation notes
רבקה מרים
-רנה שנפטרה
טבת שכח
Incomplete. 6 lines. First name: Sarah. Mother’s name: Rivka Miriam. Month and year: Tevet 5728 (1968).
Translation notes
משה צבי
חיים
שנפטר
ביום ח' סיון
שנת
Incomplete. 6 lines. First name: Moshe Tzvi. Father’s name: Chaim. Date: 6 Sivan.
Translation notes
-טרה
--בציר
ב הל עי
ביום
-
Incomplete. 6 lines. Possible first name: Atara or Petra.
Translation notes
Incomplete. 6 lines. TNZB"H — May His/Her Soul Be Enmeshed In The Eternal Tapestry.
Translation notes
לאות נצבה
על קבר איא
תם וישר מ"ר שאול
-משה פרלוב
יהי פונ נבה
Incomplete. 6 lines. First name: Shaul. Father’s name: [–]Moshe. Qualities: Righteous and Honest.
Translation notes
-
שנפטר ביום יח ניסן
שנת תרטו לפק
תנצב"ה
Incomplete. 5 lines. Year: 5615 (1845).
Translation notes
ה"ה מוהר"ר
שכרי ב"ר משה
-כסליוו
נרטו נב"ק
Incomplete. 5 lines. Title: Rabbi and Teacher (possibly Chassidic Rebbe). First name: Sachri (?). Father’s name: Moshe. Date: Kislev 5615 (1845).
Translation notes
ה"ה מוהר"ר
חיים במו"ה
עזרואל לעמל
נפטר ביום ט
תשרי תרטו
תנצב"ה
Incomplete. 7 lines. Title: Rabbi and Teacher (possibly Chassidic Rebbe). First name: Chaim [–]. Father’s name: Ezriel Lemel. Date: Tishrei 5615 (1845).
Translation notes
שנת תיט
תנצב"ה
Incomplete. 6 lines. Date: Tevet.
Translation notes
-
ברוך בן
ביום כב טבת
שנת תדם
תנצב"ה
Incomplete. 6 lines. First name: Baruch. Date: 22 Tevet.
Translation notes
חשוון
תנצב"ה
Incomplete. 3 lines. Date: Cheshvan.
Translation notes
א—יצחק
ב"ר
שרגא י"ר יח
טבת תצה
Incomplete. 5 lines. Opening: “Streams of water have fallen and our eyes are filled…” First name: Yitzchak. Father’s name: Shraga [–]. Date: Tevet 5615 (1745).
DSC 401–447 & 617–619
Translation notes
האשה
הצנועה רבקה
ב"ר שמרי- נפ-
שרה כסליו
תריח נבת
Incomplete. 6 lines. First name: Rivka. Father’s name: Shmarya Naf[–]. Date: Kislev 5518 (1758).
DSC 620–673
Translation notes
שיש
ברר ירוחם בת
מרר
חיים
Incomplete. 8 lines. Father’s name: Haim.
Translation notes
ר' אריה ליב
ב"ר שרגא
ינבי כ"ח
טו טבת תרי נבת
Incomplete. 6 lines. First name: Reb Areye Leib. Father’s name: Shraga. Date: 15 Tevet 5510 (1750).
DSC 723–752 & 849–856
All translations on this page have been done by Israel Pikholz