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Chernigov region has always been a frontier area. Many nations passed through it. Many languages were spoken there through the 15-18 century, including Polish, Ukrainian, Belorussian, Yiddish, Russian, etc. The region was under the control of different government every ~100 years or so. Some documents (written in various languages) have already surfaced, and likely more to come soon.
Although the history of the place is quite fascinating, we shall concern ourselves with two questions:
Timeline of the waves of Jewish migration and resettlement after the next antisemitic attack?
What has happened to the Jews during the multiple wars taking place between 16th and early 19th century?
We know that Chernigiv region became a part of Grand Duchy of Lithuania in cir. 1503. From circa 1611 small groups of Jews began migration to the city. It is quite feasible to assume that Jews were also settling in the Chernihiv environs.
Almost immediately wealthy slavic traders appealed to the Polish king, asking for a banishment of Jewish traders. In 1623 Polish king Ladislav IV in fact issued a decree for removal of the Jews from Chernigov voevodeship. The official records of the time indicated that this decree has not been enforced due to the province's distance to major government offices.
In reality this was simple financial calculation. Polish crown enjoyed a steady income from taxing Jewish kahals.
Removing Jews from the land would have reduce government income significantly. Sensuses records conservatively indicate Jewish population of > 200,000 across the Commonwealth. On the other hand, the local lands were granted to nobles (szliachta) and sold to large land owners (magnates). Each of those categories in fact invited Jewish traders and craftsmen to their estates. Magnates also employed Jews as bankers and estate managers. Very few Jewish people belonged to those elite categories.
We have a specific Rzepki estate censuses record from 1636 . At that time Rzepki (probably together with the hamlets belonging to the estate) had 109 homesteads with a total population of 553 people. We can safely estimate at least few Jewish families resided in Rzepki estate then. This preliminmary assumption is based on the records from Kijov (modern day Kyiv) voevodeship. It shows that each hamlet had an extended Jewish family group averaging 5-12 relatives. Similar records for Czernihov (modern day Chernihiv) are likely awating to be discovered in the Polish archives.
The 1648 insurrection of Khmelmytsky has changed the dynamic of the Jewish settlements. A common perception of 19th-early 20th centuries was such that cossacks murdered or expelled the entire Jewish population. However, the modern-day studies suggest that 'some Jewish families survived'. By the 1663 hetmanate in fact was converted into Little Russia Governorate (Russian: Малоросси́йский прика́з). From this time onwards, the cossack hostilities were tempered somewhat. It is assumed that Jews began to return in larger numbers after 1709 insurrection of Hetman Mazepa against Peter the Great. By 1760ies Jewish communities were rebuilt to some noticeable levels.
Number of Jews in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth per voivodeship (administrative district) in 1764
(See full map for color key)
A good starting point for Jewish population dynamics analysis is the year 1764, where some sections of Ukraine where still under Polish control
From the map of the period, we can see that Chernigov (POL: Czernihow) region shares borders with Polish Minsk Voivodeship (that has less than 10,000 Jews - yellow) and Polish Kiev Voivodeship (that has 22, 352 Jews - red).
Note: by 1764 both Chernigov and Kiev cities were not a part of Polish crown. However the voivodeship's old names have remained in Polish records and maps.
It would be reasonable to assume that entire Chernigov area had at least ~3,000-5,000 Jews. It is quite feasible that Rzepki was one of the areas where some Jewish families survived. There was a reson for this. Rzepki was situated in a very 'protected' geography. The other townships were on the open plains. From 1648 till ~ 1651 the open plains area near Rzepki was completely destroyed by two major battles: 1st battle of Loyew and 2nd battle of Loyew . Whatever was not burned by cossacks was destroyed by the Polish army. Many decades after, Russian Imperial censuses reported the complete devastation of the river Dnieper (Ukrainian: Dnipro) left bank plains. Rzepki was situated between the two rivers and huge Zamhlai wetlands. There were plenty of places to hide in. As the battles raged, some polish civilians and the Jews probably ran eastwardly towars the Rzepki estates.
The living under the hetmanate rule must not have been easy. Even after Pereyaslov agreement of 1654 (when Ukraine was brought under the protectorate of Russian Tsardon) the cossacks remained a major force in the area. Almost immediately their military detachments were converted into the Russian border guard.
The Chernigov was populated by Chernigov Regiment or Polk (Russian: Полк). Repky area was under control of Roiska 'sotnia' (UKR: Рої́ська/Ройська ) with the HQ in the hamlet Roische situated within 30 min ride from Repky. This was already too close for comfort.
REF: The term sotnia is literally translated from Ukrainian/Russian as 100 men. In fact it meant something else in the cossack army. Usual number of armed guard per sotnia ranged anywhere from 500 to 1,000 men. In addition, sotnia had a contingent of 'helper-cossacks' of about the same number. By 1654 most of those cossacks settled in the nearby hamlets accordning to their regimental territory assignment. The Russian record shows that Roiska sotnia had a total of 1,704 cossacks spread across 47 villages and hamlets of the Ripky region. At the same time the population of civilians (a total of 'dvorian', 'mieszchan', and 'pospolity' people) was 6,245. The pospolity category (specifically identified as former Polish subjects) is where the Jews might have been included. At a much later time Jews were reassigned into mieszchane category.
In 1699 Roiska sotnia actually moved its headquarters to Repky. Undoubtably an unwelcome news for the Jews. This however was under the Russian law. No records (found to date) indicate any continuous atrocities against the Jews. This said some random acts of personal violence continued through the end of 18th century.
The interesting fact is that all alcohol production facilities (of which were many), drinking establishments, and flour mills were transferred from the Polish nobles to local cossack commanding officers. From various historical records we know that many Jews worked in those businesses during the Polish times. As cossacks were busy patrolling the Polish border, one would envisage that small number of Jewish laborers were permitted to work for cossack commanders. Existing records say nothing about the composition of said workforce. All we have are legal grants / property purchase deed records with their new owners names. This 100 year period is still heavily researched. Perhaps new interesting records will emerge.
According to Jewish Virtual Library , the city of Chernigov had 1,385 Jewish residents (by 1801 censuses) and Chernigov provinces - 1,113 (by 1797 censuses). Given the normal population growth of about 1.0% to 1.5 % there had to be noticeable Jewish population (circa 1700-1750) to result in 2,498 residents number. Hence those consistent antisemitic claims of Jews being newcomers of 1850-1890 period are false indeed. It seems that Jewish families resettled Chernigov area well before the Napoleonic war of 1812.
The unusual percentage of Jewish population of Repky is also an indication of continuous pressure on Jewish residents to exit city of Chernigov (number of records depicting such pressure have been digitized already). Similarly the government of Minsk and Mogilev gubernias pushed their Jews out of the cities. There was a transfers of population from Belorussia during the 1760-1790 period. However such incoming transfers could not have happened unless there was a Jewish presence in and around Repky and other shtetles.
As Repky was situated on the busy trade route, it amassed temporary storage facilites for incoming Jewish traders arriving to local agricultural fairs Note: by Tsar's decrees, Jewish traders were allowed to visit Chernigov gubernia during the fairs. Repky and Gorodnia had multiple fairs and weekly markets taking place throughout the year. We can assume that Jewish traders rented rooms and storage barns from the locals. Repky also became a center for consumer services, such as blacksmithing, tailoring, shoe and bootmaking, thread weaving and fabric dyeing, etc. The commercial transportation of incoming imports (brought in by Jewish merchants) was popular as well. The rest of the 'trade occupations' were likely servicing local Jewish population primarilly.
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