This book is a translation of the Ruzhany Memorial (Yizkor) Book that was published in 1957 in Hebrew and Yiddish; it is based upon the memoirs of former Jewish residents of the town who had left before the war. Ruzhany, called Rozana in Polish and Ruzhnoy in Yiddish, is now a small town in Belarus. It was part of Russia at the time of World War I and Poland afterwards for a short period, and then the Soviet Union. In 1939, the Jewish population was at its peak 3,500, comprising 78% of the town's population. In November 1942, every Jewish resident was murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. Founded in the mid-1500s, Jews were welcomed by the private owner, the Grand Chancellor, Duke Leu Sapeiha. He valued Jewish settlers who would create a variety of businesses that would produce profits and generate collectable taxes. They opened schools, built many small synagogues, and the Great Synagogue in the main square. In addition they established many social institutions. The market town thrived. Starting in the early 1900s, many young Jews immigrated to the United States so that the young men could avoid prolonged conscription into the Czar's army.

Orhei, Moldova (originally Orheyev, Bessarabia) has had a long history of a Jewish presence. Gravestones dating to the early 1700 s have been found in the Jewish cemetery. This Memorial (Yizkor) book has numerous personal accounts of the Holocaust. However, it is much more than that. It contains detailed discussions of the history of the town and the area. Most importantly it discusses the social and political organizations in the town during the early 1900 s, including the people involved in those organizations. This book was written by a committee of former Orhei residents with the hope that their town would not be forgotten. This English translation is an attempt to offer descendants of the inhabitants of Orhei information about all aspects of their ancestors and their ancestral town. Let us honor the memories and wishes of the Orhei victims and survivors by reading this wonderful testimony to the town and inhabitants of Orhei - our ancestors and our ancestral town. This publication by the "Yizkor Books in Print Project" of JewishGen, Inc., serves to provide the English speaking community with these first-hand accounts in book format, so that researchers and descendants of Jewish emigrants from the town can learn this history. 520 pages with illustrations, Hard Cover