Ahead of October 30, members of the Irkutsk Jewish community gathered at the Pivovarikha Memorial to honor the memory of those who lost their lives during the Soviet era, including members of the local Jewish community. For 20 years, this annual visit has been an important tradition, bringing community members together in prayer and remembrance. Despite unfavorable weather conditions, a large number of participants attended this year’s gathering, including enough men to form a minyan, the quorum required for communal Jewish prayer.

Participants laid floral wreaths and recited memorial prayers at several locations throughout the site, including the memorial stone at the entrance, the Jewish monument, and a granite memorial bearing the name of Yitzhak Brodotsky, a former shamash (synagogue attendant) of the Irkutsk Synagogue who was executed in 1938.

Community member Elena Ivanova also laid flowers at the memorial plaque bearing the name of her grandfather, Z. D. Tepper (1891–1938). A cutter at a shoemaking cooperative, he was arrested on accusations of being a Polish spy and executed at Pivovarikha on October 11, 1938.

Throughout the visit, participants lit memorial candles and shared words of remembrance, reflecting the community’s enduring commitment to honoring those who perished. As the saying goes, “Only those who are forgotten are truly dead.” For the Irkutsk Jewish community, preserving their memory and passing it on to future generations remains a deeply meaningful responsibility.