Translation of
Sokal Yizkor Book

Project Synopsis

This project is being initiated to fund the translation of Sefer Sokal, Tartakov, Varenzh, Stoyanov Ve-ha-Seviva (Memorial Book of Sokal, Tartakov, Varenzh, Stoyanov and Surroundings). Edited by: Abraham Chomet, published 1968 in Tel Aviv by Irgun yots'e Sokal veha-seviva. 576 pages* (pages about Sokal: 396) Note that the scope of this project is limited to the portions of the Memorial Book related to Sokal, and does not include the translation of chapters related to Tartakow, Varenzh, Stoyanov and surroundings.

Several sections of the Memorial Book have already been translated and are available on Jewishgen, including the table of contents, chapters on the history of three Zionist organizations (Mizrakhi, Hashomer Hatzair, and Tzeirei Mizrahi), Moshe Maltz's testimony on life in Sokal during the Soviet and Nazi occupation, and the list of Shoah victims.

The goal is to provide an English translation for the most significant portions of the remaining pages, focusing on the history of the Jewish community, its major institutions and organizations, and personal testimonies and memorials. Approximately 230 pages need to be translated, 180 from Yiddish and 50 from Hebrew. The translated text will be made available online on Jewishgen.

Key Audiences

Descendants of the Jewish community of Sokal who are interested in learning about their ancestral community and lost relatives, and want to contribute to the preservation of their heritage and making it accessible for future generations.

Yizkor books are unique sources of information on once vibrant towns, primarily in central and Eastern Europe, whose Jewish populations were destroyed in the Holocaust. Written after World War II by émigrés and Holocaust survivors.

As funds become available, Yiddish and Hebrew sections will be translated into English according to importance, by a professional translator.

The project coordinator will review the translation and work closely with the translators.

Estimated Cost

A full translation is currently estimated to cost $9,000.