PODKAMEN

PODKAMEN, town in Tarnopol district, Ukraine. A Jewish community existed in Podkamen in the 17th century at the time of the Council of the Four Lands, when the town was within the "province of Russia." During the 18th century its rabbinical seat was held by Ḥayyim Segal Landa, who also played a role in the Council of the Four Lands. The town economy was greatly helped by the yearly trade fairs. In 1765 there were 922 Jews living in the town. During the 19th century its Jewish population increased. By 1910 it numbered 2,000 persons. As a result of World War I, it decreased to 822 (or about 27.4 percent of the population) in 1921. In spite of this decline, the Jewish community maintained an active public life. In the   elections to the communal organization in 1932, the delegate of the Zionists was elected to the presidency. There was a Hebrew school in the town and a home for Jewish orphans. (Shimshon Leib Kirshenboim) -Holocaust Period At the outbreak of World War II there were about 1,000 Jews in Podkamen. The Germans occupied the town on July 2, 1942. The first Aktion took place in August 1942, and the second at the end of September, when most of the Jews were deported to the death camp Belzec. The remaining Jews were deported on December 3, 1942 to brody , and shared the fate of that community. After the war the Jewish community of Podkamen was not reconstituted.