Bereza Area Research Group (BARG)
Bereza, Belarus
I. Introduction

The Bereza Area Research Group (BARG) is dedicated to serving as a discussion forum and information exchange among its participants in regard to Jewish genealogical questions, family research and existing information about the past Jewish residents of the shtetl of Bereza.  The town has also gone by the name of Kartuz Bereza, Bereza Kartuska, and Byarosa.  It was located in the Bellorussian Republic of the Soviet Union (except for the period between the world wars when it belonged to Poland) but is now part of the independent republic of Belarus..  Also included in our area of research are the nearby shtetls within a 25 mile radius of Bereza which includes Antopol, Drogichin, Kobrin and Pruz'hany. See Part II for a list of shtetls that are within 25 miles.

Through the interaction of the membership we hope to share with one another the genealogical information about our families from the Bereza area.  We may in the future: acquire archival records from the 19th and 20th centuries in the Bereza area; employ professional researchers and thus achieve substantial cost savings; attempt to locate volunteer researchers in Belarus from the Jewish population there. As we gather information, we will post it on our BARG webpage.

This group was originally founded in 1998 by Stuart Liss.

Websites and Discussion Group

BARG maintains a BARG website containing the information we have collected.  As we gather more information, we will add it to that website.  Furthermore, Bereza is in the Pruzhany District of Grodno Gubernia.  So additional information about the region can be found on the Children of Pruzhany and Surrounding Area (CPSA) website, the Grodno Genealogy Group website, as well as the Belorus Special Interest Group website.

BARG and CPSA maintain a joint discussion group.  You can subscribe to this group by clicking here.  Once you are subscribed, you can post messages to the group by sending e-mail to cpsa_group@yahoogroups.com.  When doing so, please abide by these key rules:
  - Provide a meaningful Subject: line
  - Don't ramble off the topic.
  - Sign your article (full name and your location, please)

Family Names Project

New and current subscribers are encouraged to send information regarding their family names, towns, and any other pertinent facts to the BARG/CPSA discussion group. Please put "FAMILY NAMES" in the subject line.  This will enable all members of the discussion group to review your family connections in the hope of making family connections.

History, Maps, Yiskor Books

BARG is compiling information on the history of the Bereza area including Pruzhany, Antopol, Kobrin, etc. as well as in gathering maps and photographs of the area.  Members are also working on translating portions of Yiskor books.

As a subscriber, you can send e-mail to the BARG/CPSA Discussion Group and ask for information concerning all the above.  If prefer not to join our group, please email Stephen P. Morse for more information on any of our projects.

Coordinator
Bereza Area Research Group
Stephen P. Morse
 

II. List of shtetls that are within 25 miles

Bereza is located at latitude 52 32 longitude 24 59. If you're not sure where your shtetl is in relation to Bereza, you can use JewishGen's ShtetlSeeker to perform a search.  You can also obtain your shtetl's location from the Shtetls of Belorus website.  If your shtetl is near Bereza, please join our group and tell us about your family research.

Here is a list of the shtetls that we have found to be within a 25 mile radius of Bereza.
 
Al'ba Khodaki Pervoye Vereshki
Alekseyeviche Khoroshcha Peschanka Vil'yanov
Alekseyevka Khryssa Peshchanka Viry
Antopol Klepache Peshki Vitorozh
Arabniki Kolozuby Peski Vol'ka-Obrovskaya
Bakuny Kolyadichi Pinyany Volya
Bayki Komlishche Podkraiche Voroniloviche
Belavichi Belinek Korechin Podose Vorotno
Beloozersk Koshelevo Podstariny Vorotyniche
Bereza  Kosov Poroslyany Voyteshin
Bereza-Kartuskaya Kovale Postolovo Vul'ka
Bereza-Kartuzskaya Koziki Pruzhany Vysokaya
Berezna Kozly Rat'kevichi Vysoke
Bereznitsa Krasnoleski Rechitsa Yablonka
Berezovskiy Kremno Revyatichi Yakoviche
Bezdezh Kushnery Rewiatycze Yastshomb
Bluden Kustoviche Roviny Yatvez
Bol'shoye Kvaseviche Rozana Yelki
Borki Ladowicze Ruda Yundilovichi
Bortnoviche Leoshki Rudniki Zagaliche
Brasheviche Leskovichi Samoylavichy Zagor'ye
Bulla Linevo  Sashytsa Zalese
Burmaki Lisichitse Segneviche Zanive
Busiaz Losintse Selets Zapole
Buzuny Lososin Senkevichi Zaprudy
Byaroza Lovovtse Seradovo Zastave
Chakhets Lubishchitsy Shcitno Zavershe
Chomsk Luka Shene Zditovo
Chorewo Lukamyer Shilin Zelovo
Dedkovichi Malech Simonovichi Zhaber
Demidovshchina  Mateyevichi Skorce Zhechytsa
Derevna Mendzylese Slabodka Zhitlin
Dobuchin Menevezh Slonimtse Zhychin
Droboty Michalin Smolanica
Drogichin Mikhalin Smolyany
Dubitovo Mikhalki Sokha
Dubrovki Mikitssk Sokolovo
Dziatkowicze Mileyki Sosnovka
Fol'vark Mormazhava Sovin
Galik Moshkoviche Sporavo
Gichitse Mostki Staromlyny
Gnilets Narutavichy Staromlyny
Golenchitsy Navasyolki Starosele
Golitse Navasyolki Starozhevshchina
Gorbovo Nekhachevo Staryye
Gorodnyany Nemerzha Stayki 
Gorsk  Nivki Strigin
Goshchev Novosady Studzyanka
Goshevo Novoselki Subboty
Grivda Obech Sudilovichi
Grushevo Obrovo Sukache
Gumnishche Ol'shanitsa Sutki
Guta Ol'shany Syalyets
Ilosk Ol'shevo Tkache
Imenin Opol Tolkovo
Iodchiki Oranchitsy Truchonowicze
Ivantsevichi Osawtsy Uglyany
Jaglewicze Pan'ki Ulitsa
Kabaki Peresudoviche Varazhbity
Kartuz-Bereza Pervomayskaya Verchitsy