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Jewish Brest-Litovsk (Brisk)

Web Address (URL) Change Notice

As of 12/1/2007, the Brest-Belarus Group website

  www.brest-belarus.com

will no longer be valid. Currently, and for the future, the Brest-Belarus Group website may be found the location you are viewing now, that is, at

  www.brest-belarus.org

This change has been made to better reflect the non-commercial nature of the Brest-Belarus Group.

We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this change.

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The shield on the left was used since the 16th Century and until the city came under Russian Rule in the 19th Century. Under the Russian Rule the original shield was replaced with the shield on the right.

The bison (zubr) used to be a very numerous animal in the region, that's why we see it on the shield. Bierascie was an important border city for Russia, so in the lower part of the shield we see a flag with the Russian eagle.
We are a group of family tree researchers tracing our Jewish family roots from Brest-Litovsk or Brisk, Russia (now called Brest, Belarus) or any Shtetl in an approximate fifty (50) mile radius.

We currently live all over the world. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Israel, Australia, Argentina, Brazil and Russia.

This site is dedicated to our ancestors, who continued to struggle despite the tragedies of anti-Semitism, economic hardship and many unexpected and uncontrollable political events. In creating this web site we are preserving their memories by remembering the times in which they lived. Many of us would not be alive today, had not one of our ancestors emigrated from Brest-Litovsk.

All over the world family tree researchers are piecing together the lives of their Jewish ancestors. Whether they died peacefully in their beds or their lives were cruelly cut short, they are now remembered by their descendants. Genealogy is more than recording dry facts of birth, deaths and marriages. It is a life-enhancing, and then often heartbreaking, journey into the past to find out what makes your family unique and why you are here today.

Our goal is to share information and resources through this web site, e-mails, forums, newsgroups, visits to Brest and face to face conversations. We believe that the Shtetls in our area shared many common experiences of schooling, commerce, and marriages. We hope that by studying the entire region we will find links that would not be apparent from studying individual Shtetls.

Please click on any of the images to enlarge the picture to the full screen size.
Picture of the Market Place, circa 1900.
Great Synagogue after the fire, circa 1914. The text reads "The synagogue of the Israelites". Old Great Synagogue (Di groyseh shul) on Palitsejskaya (Savetskaya) Street. The Cinema "Belarus" was erected in 1959 and now stands in place of the Synagogue. Market Place, circa 1900.
Picture of a street in the Jewish quarters, circa 1913.
Street in the Jewish quarters, circa 1913. Brest (Brzesc) - Circa 1915 - German soldiers watching the Citadel burn. Brest (Brzesc) - Circa 1915 - Shoseynaya Street.
Currently, Brest (Latitude: 52.06N - Longitude: 23.42E) is in the Western part of Belarus (Belorussian Polessye). The city is a major city and administrative center of Brest Province. It is situated at the junction of the navigable Mukhovets River and the Western Bug (Soviet Ukrainian name is Buh zakhidnyi [meaning Western Buh] )River. Brest has an airport. Brest is situated in the geographic center of many major cities:
  • To the N is Grodno, Belarus - which is a distance of 110 miles (176 kilometers)
  • To the NE is Minsk, Belarus - which is a distance of 203 miles (327 kilometers)
  • To the E is Pinsk, Belarus - which is a distance of 102 miles (165 kilometers)
  • To the SE is Kovel, Ukraine - which is a distance of 75 miles (120 kilometers)
  • To the S is Lvov, Ukraine - which is a distance of 157 miles (253 kilometers)
  • To the SW is Krakow, Poland - which is a distance of 215 miles (346 kilometers)
  • To the W is Warsaw, Poland - which is a distance of 115 miles (185 kilometers)
  • To the NW is Siemiatycze, Poland - which is a distance of 42 miles (68 kilometers)
Over the centuries Brest has been overrun and annexed by many counties and has had many different names:
  • Brest-Litovsk was the Russian name for Brest of Lithuania. In Russian documents it is also referred to as Brestye, Berestye, Berestei or Berestov.
  • Brzesc, Brzesc nad Bugiem (Brest on the River Bug) and Brzesc-Litevski (Litewski) were the Polish names.
  • Brisk was the Yiddish name. In Yiddish documents it is also referred to as Brisk D'lita (Brest of Lithuania). The Jews from Brest called themselves Brisker. The Brisker Jews refer to themselves as Litvish - or Litvaks, which means Lithuanians. This is confusing, as Brest is nowhere near modern Lithuania.
  • Brest or Brest Litousk is the Belarusian name.
  • Berestia is the Ukrainian name.
  • Brastas is the Lithuanian name.
  • Brest-Litowsk is the German name.
  • It has also been called Brest-L'Tov, Brest L'Vov and Brest L'Wow .
  • Etymologically the name of the town comes from the word "Bieroza", which stand in English for "birch".
The population of Brest over the years:
  • 1556 - Jewish house owners in Brest numbered 106 (12.4%), in a total population of 852. The houses were small, insignificant frame buildings. The only synagogue was also a frame building.
  • 1566 - Jewish house owners in Brest numbered 85.
  • 1776 - The Jewish population of Brest was 3,175.
  • 1862 - The total population of Brest was 20,000.
  • 1882 - The total population of Brest was 35,000.
  • 1887 - The total population of Brest was 44,124.
  • 1897 - The Jewish population of Brest city was 30,252 (65%), in a total population of 46,568 (25,509 men and 21,059 women).
  • 1897 - The Jewish population of Brest district (including the city) was 45,902 (21%), in a total population of 218,366.
  • 1909 - The population of Brest city (mainly Jewish) had increased to 53,000.
  • 1981 - The population of Brest city was estimated at 194,000.
  • 1983 - The population of Brest city was estimated at 286,400.
  • 1992 - The population of Brest city was estimated at 284,086.
  • 1996 - The population of Brest city was estimated at 293,086.
The following towns are close to Brest. Even in the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries people traveled from city to city for trade, education, medical care and marriage.
The COORDINATES column indicates the latitude and longitude as found in the JewishGen ShtetlSeeker.
The MILES column indicates the approximate distance from Brest.
The DIRECTIONS column indicates the compass direction from Brest.

CITY, COUNTRY
COORDINATES
MILES
DIRECTIONS
Berezovka, Belarus 5207 2343
1.4
 NNE
Rechitsa, Belarus 5206 2339
2.1
 W
Trishin, Belarus 5206 2345
2.1
 E
Volynka, Belarus 5204 2341
2.4
 E
Gershony, Belarus 5203 2342
3.1
 S
Terespol, Poland 5205 2334
5.8
 WSW
Chernavchitsy (Czernawczyce)), Belarus 5213 2344
8.2
 N
Zabinka (Zhabinka), Belarus 5212 2401
15.1
 ENE
Volchin (Wolczyn), Belarus 5217 2319
20.6
 NW
Zamosty, Belarus 5224 2348
21.1
 NNE
Kamenets, Belarus 5224 2349
21.3
 NNE
Chernyany, Belarus 5159 2412
22.7
 ESE
Rasna (Ryasno), Belarus 5223 2325
22.9
 NNE
Wysokie-Litovsk, Belarus 5222 2322
23.2
 NW
Zalese (Zales'ye), Belarus 5219 2315
24.2
 NW
Domacheva (Domaczow), Belarus 5145 2336
24.5
 S
Makarevo/Makarovo, Belarus 5222 2319
24.5
 NW
Melnik/Mielnik, Belarus 5224 2401
24.7
 NNE
Khodosy, Belarus 5228 2343
25.3
 N
Lukovo, Belarus 5154 2414
26.5
 ESE
Chersk, Belarus 5143 2342
26.5
 S
Malorita (Maloryta), Belarus 5147 2405
27.3
 SE
Konstantynow Nad Bugiem, Poland 5213 2305
27.3
 WNW
Korchitsy (Velikiye Korchitsy), Belarus 5207 2422
28.3
 E
Kobrin (Kobyyn), Belarus 5213 2421
28.7
 ENE
Bereza, Belarus 5218 2422
31.4
 ENE
Panasyuki, Belarus 5234 2337
32.4
 N
Selets, Belarus 5214 2429
34.4
 ENE
Girsk, Belarus 5209 2433
36.2
 E
Shereshev (Szereszow), Belarus 5233 2413
38.0
 NE
Divin (Dywin), Belarus 5158 2435
38.6
 N
Vlodavka (Wlodawka), Poland 5132 2334
39.5
 S
Gorodets (Horodetz), Belarus 5212 2440
41.5
 E
Linevo/Linovo (Horodetz), Belarus 5229 2430
42.9
 NE
Berezna, Belarus 5218 2440
43.2
 ENE
Pruzhana (Pruzhany), Belarus 5233 2428
44.9
 NE
Antopol, Belarus 5212 2447
46.4
 E
Popelevo, Belarus 5245 2405
47.7
 NNE
Gorsk (Horsk), Belarus 5224 2444
48.3
 ENE
Malech, Belarus 5229 2442
49.8
 ENE
Chorewo (Khorevo), Belarus 5238 2435
52.4
 NE
Bereza Kartuska, (Byaroza), Belarus 5232 2459
61.9
 ENE
Drogichin, (Drohitczn or Drohiczyn), Belarus 5211 2509
61.7
 E
Zubludow, Poland 5301 2321
65.0
 NNW



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If your Jewish ancestors were born, died, married or emigrated from any Shtetl within 50 miles of Brest-Litovsk (in either Belarus, Poland or Ukraine) or you have an interest in the Jews of Brest-Litovsk, the below listed groups are ready to help you with information and research leads. Join all of them today!
Brest, Belarus Research SIG
To join, click on the above "Brest, Belarus Research SIG" and send an e-mail with the word JOIN in the Subject Area.
This discussion group is a forum for researchers with Jewish family roots in the
Shtetl of Brest and the Shtetls within a one hundred (100) mile radius.
Belarus SIG Discussion Group
This discussion group is a forum for researchers with Jewish family roots in the country now known as Belarus.
JewishGen Discussion Group
This discussion group is a forum for researchers with Jewish family roots in every country of the world.



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  • You are the visitor 03692 to this web page since July 11, 2004
  • © 2004 ~ Last updated October 21, 2006
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  • This is a web site for Brest-Litovsk, Russia (Brest, Belarus) Brisk, Brisker, Brestye, Berestov, Brzesc, Brzesc nad Bugiem.
  • Information is also included for many close by Belarusian Shtetls to include Antopol, Bereza, Drogichin, Gorodets, Grodno, Kamenets, Khomsk, Kobrin, Malech, Malorita, Pinsk, Porozovo, Pruzhany, Selets, Shereshevo, Telechany, Volchin, Volya, Wysokie-Litovsk and Zhabinka.
  • Information is also included for many close by Polish Shtetls to include Bialystok, Konstantynow Nad Bugiem, Malaszewicze and Terespol.