Ciechanoviec-Bialystok District;
Memorial and Records
(Ciechanowiec, Poland)

52°40' / 22°31'

Translation of
Ciechanowiec; mehoz Bialystok, sefer edut ve-zikaron

Edited by E. Leoni

Published in Tel Aviv, 1964

 

Acknowledgments

Translation Coordinator and Editor of the English Edition

Arthur Menton

Project Coordinators/Facilitators

and Susan Kaplan Stone

 

Our sincere appreciation to Arthur Menton and the Ser-Charlap Family Organization
for their efforts in the translation of the Ciechanowiec Yizkor Book.

This is a translation from: Ciechanowiec; mehoz Bialystok, sefer edut ve-zikaron (Ciechanoviec-Bialystok District; Memorial and Records),
ed. E. Leoni, Tel Aviv, The Ciechanovitzer Immigrant Association in Israel and the USA, 1964

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Originally published in Israel and the USA in 1964 by the Ciechanovtzer Immigrants Association

EDITORIAL BOARD FOR 1964 EDITION

IN THE U.S.A.

M. Gelfand B. Leve
S. Gelfand B. Siegel
M. Harris B. Ptashek
M. Solondz L. Feldman
J. Zlizer S. Pasternack
P. Chazan M. Kagan
B. Yarmus M. Kalish
E. Yarmus  

IN ISRAEL

Zvi Alisar (Kaminkovsky) Rachel Heller-Levin
Shoshana Avner (Yarmus) Chava Sir Werba
Tehila Ashlagi (Silberberg) Menachem Levin
Dvora Blumenkrantz (Peretz) Zvi Pasternak
Batya Baksht (Lubovitz) Tuvia Peretz
Shimon Drori (Yaskolka)  

Table of Contents

Translated by Judy Baston and Ros Romen

English Section of Book
 
E3 Marginal Comments Professor Benjamin Mazar
E7-E67 The Jews In Ciechanowiec Eliezer Leoni
E68-E76 Atrocities and Hell Ester Kleinoth (Goldberg)
E77-E79 Chechanovtze in the New World Dr. David Tabak
 
Preface
 
3 Names of the Members of the Editorial Board in Israel and U.S.A. **  
4 Map  
5 Expression of thanks to the editor by the members of the committee of the organization Ciechanoftser Relief in America
6 Ciechanovitzer Relief in America  
7-8 On the Cover of the Book Zvi Elyasher (Kamenkowski)
10-12 This Should be the Last Yizkor Book Memorial Book Committee in America
13-16 Great Heritage for Posterity Eliezer Leoni
 
History of the Community of Ciechanowiec
 
21-70 Early History of the Jews in Ciechanowiec ** Eliezer Leoni
71-74 Rabbi David Saul Katzenelbogen Head of the Rabbinical Court Meir-Shalom Sitzidrovski
 
The Scenery of Ciechanowiec
 
77-79 The River Nurzec Peretz Hirschbein
80-86 The Nature and Climate of Ciechanowiec Ephraim Eliyahu Ribak z”l
87-89 The Nurzec and the Forest Tehila (Ashlagi) Zilberberg
90-91 Beauty Spots in Ciechanowiec Yeshayahu London
 
That We Remember
 
95-108 Our Twin Town Ciechanowiec Ephraim Eliyahu Ribak z”l
108-120 Sad Days and Yamim Noraim  
121-131 The Past Zvi Matison (Niavadomi)
132-137 Ciechanowicz 70 Years Ago Gitel Pakciarz
138-142 The Character of Ciechanowiec Chana Vetman (Kozovski)
143-146 Ciechanowiec during the First World War Moshe Zlotolow
147-149 The Fire in our Town in 1915 Yitzhak Steinberg
150-153 The Battlestorms Abraham Kozovski
154-156 A Lamentation On My Burnt Shtetl Yitzhak Bloom
157-158 Memories Malka Meisler Peles (Kaplansky)
159-165 Diaspora Route Zvi Elyashar (Kamenkowski)
166-167 Pogroms During the Polish Uprising Yeshayahu London
168-170 After the First World War Dr. Avraham Spielman
171-172 Mutual Aid Among the Ciechanowiec Jews Chaya Yehudit Yarmus (Wiadro)
173-175 My Birthplace Ciechanowiec Eliyahu Feldman
176-185 These I Shall Remember Gamliel Chaim Zilberberg
186-202 Jewish Wolia Chava Werba (Ser)
203-204 The Shtetl between the Two World Wars Joseph Gebali (Yabkowski)
 
The Economy and Institutions
 
207-212 Making a Living in Ciechanowiec Ephraim Eliyahu Ribak
213-214 "Frufintzia" and "Monopol" ???? Issur Smoliar
215-216 The Economy of our Shtetl Yitzhak Steinberg
217-218 Industry and Trade Yeshayahu London
219-222 The Character of the Jewish Economy of Ciechanowiec Shimon Drori (Yaskolka)
223 Artisans and Workers Simcha Pasternak
224-228 The Economic Destruction of the Jews of Ciechanowiec Eliezer Leoni
229-230 The Jewish Community after World War I Joseph Pasternak
231-237 Charitable Institutions of Ciechanowiec Yitzhak Steinberg
238-246 Medicine and Sanitation Dr. Avraham Spielman
247-249 Fires and Fire Brigade in Ciechanowiec Yeshayahu London
 
The Zionist Movement, Youth Movements and Parties
 
253-254 The Beginning of Zionism in our Shtetl (Yiddish) Yitzhak Steinberg
255-258 The Beginning of the Zionist Movement in our Shtetl (Hebrew) Mordechai Bachrach
259-260 The Sails that Brought our Ship to Israel Chana Webman(Kozowski)
261-265 Collections for the Jewish National Fund in 1913 (List of Donors) Issur Smoliar
266-268 The Jewish National Fund in Ciechanowiec after the Balfour Declaration Tehila Ashlagi (Zilberberg)
269-272 The Start of the Hechalutz Movement Menachem Lewin
273-274 The Founding of the Pioneers in Ciechanowiec Bertche Shtiegel
275-278 Hechalutz During the 1930's Chana Ben-Yosef (Ptashek)
279-282 The Courageous Journey of Ciechanowiec Pioneers Aboard the Ship Welos Shimon Ben-Yosef Schlechter
283-286 Hechalutz Junior in Our Town Zvi Elyashar (Kamenkowski)
287-292 The Freiheit in Ciechanowiec Yaacov Lew
293-300 Betar of Ciechanowiec Shalom Cohen
301-313 I Made Aliyah Tuvia Peretz
314-316 The Zionist Worker Organization of Ciechanowiec Yitzhak Soloveitchik
317-318 Mizrachi and Hashomer Hadati Zvi Pasternak
319-321 The “Torah V'avoda Organization” Velvel Zagodny
322-324 Agudat Yisrael and The Youth of Agudat Yisrael Gamliel Chaim Zilberberg
325-327 The Leftist Poalei Zion in Ciechanowiec Joel Treibatsh
328-330 The Left Zionist Workers Party Yehuda Mondri
331-333 A Bloody Party Struggle Abraham Rudi
 
Education, Culture and Art
 
337-339 The Cultural State at the End of the Nineteenth Century Issur Smoliar
340-342 The Reformed Cheder Golda Porat ( Winer)
343-345 How They Began the Craftworker School Yitzhak Steinberg
346-348 The Vocational School Chana Turinski
349-351 The Russian Municipal Pro-Gymnasium Yitzhak Farber
352-353 The School of Sheintshe Meisler and Alter Herschke Krebnogy Chaya Mondri (Steinberg)
354-362 The History of the Hebrew Elementary School Shimon Drori (Yaskolka)
363-365 The Hostel of the Tarbut School Pinchas Aron (Abramson)
366-369 The Character of the Tarbut School Kalman Abramson
370-371 The First Hebrew Kindergarten in" Nystadt" Rachel Wilkanski (Rozen)
372-373 The Education of the Teenagers in Ciechanowiec Chaya Hagidos (Etkes)
374-379 Hebrew Cultural Activities in Our Town Zvi Elyashar (Kamenkowski)
380 The "Tarbut" Library Shayntshe Rubenstein
381-382 The Maccabi Sports Club Shimon Drori (Yaskolka)
383-384 The Hapoel Sports Club Feivel Mandelsberg
385-388 Amateur Entertainers in Ciechanowiec Rivka Paremba (Kotik)
391-393 The Cheder of Rebbe Yechezkel Eidem Rachel Bloomstein (Wengorz)
394-396 Cheders and Teachers Yaacov Lew
397-398 The Beit Yosef Noverdik Yeshiva in Ciechanowiec Gamliel Chaim Zilberberg
 
Personalities
 
401-413 Chronicles of My Father's House Meir Hillel ben Shamai
414-426 The House of Kozowski Eliezer Leoni
427-429 Important Figures in our Shtetl Ephriam Eliyahu Ribak
430-431 Rabbi Yehudah Hachanochi Rabbi Aviezer Tzitzowitz
432-434 Rabbi Shneur Zalman Schneerson Rabbi Aviezer Tzitzowitz
435-442 My Grandfather Chaya Farber (Cukiernik)
443-448 My Father Moshe David Heller Rachel Heller Lewin
449-450 Moshe David Heller and the Ciechanowiec Working Youth Bertche Shtiegel
451-452 Baruch Zvi Cohen One of his students
453-460 Reb Yosef Tuvia Ziberberg Z. Hagai
461-466 Reb Avram Meir Zilberberg Z. Hagai
 
Local Color and Folklore
 
469-472 The Local Color of the Chassidim in out Shtetl Rachel Konopiaty
473 The Beit Midrash of the Gerre Chassidim Yitzhak Pasternak
474-477 The Fate of an Apostate Abraham Rudi
478-480 The Story of a Blind Cantor Mottel Rosenthal
481-483 The Selling of Mitzvot Rachel Malka Elkes (Kishner)
484-487 The New Cemetery and the Chevra Kadisha in "Nystadt" Chaim Gamliel Zilberberg Gamliel Chaim Zilberberg
488-489 Enjoyment Elyanek (Leib) Spielman
490-493 Ciechanowiec Humor Hersch Ber Pasternak
494-495 Folklore of Ciechanowiec Tehila Ashlagi (Zilberberg)
496 The Incident of the Dead Person Zissel Berg (Weissberg-Kalamarz)
497-498 Sharp and Sharper Yehoshua Mordecai Rosenblum
 
Personalities and Dynasties
 
501-503 The Humble People of the World Chana Vetman (Kozovsky)
504-507 My Brother R'Shabtai Cohen (Kalish) Moshe Kalish
508-511 Jews of Eretz Yisrael Chava Werba (Ser)
512-514 Der Nister (The Hidden Saint) Avraham Moshe Wrubel
515 The Fathers of my Family Rabbi Aviezer Tzitzowitz
516-518 My Sister Rivka Hachanochit Pnina Rotem (Hachanochit)
519-521 Two Types Yitzhak Bloom
522-525 The Cantor and the Composer Reb Kalman Abramson Eliezer Leoni
526 The Teacher Reb Simcha Avraham Moshe Wrubel
527-528 The Teacher Reb Yerucham Shimon Drori (Yaskolka)
529-531 Reb Yerucham Kashtan Yaacov Farber
532 My Father the Schochet Reb Chaim Itzel Szedlitzki Pinchas Ben-Yair (Szedlitzki)
533-534 The Death of the Schochet Reb Itzchak Szedlitski Leah Mozeh (Steinberg)
535-536 The Chevra Kadisha of "Nystadt" Yaacov Ptashek
537-538 My Father Sander Plonski Miriam Barzanik (Plonski)
539 My Father Shmuel Lichtenberg Tamar Shamir (Lichtenberg)
540 Mt Father Meir Lavendesh Aryeh Lavendesh
541-543 My Father Yosef Schweider Tziporah Mondri (Schweider)
544 The Devotion of my Grandfather Shmuel Kirschenbaum
545 Yossel the Deaf Chana Turinski
546-550 My Family Yitzhak Ben-Eliezer (Rozen)
551-552 David Heller Rachel Heller Lewin
553-554 The High Priest: Moshe Holtzman Tehila Ashlagi (Zilberberg)
554-556 About Chaya Lubowitz By her sister and her friends
556-557 Eliezer Turynski Chana Karmon (Zilberberg)
558 R' Dov Lis Reuven Ptashek
559-560 Nechama Kaplan Rachel Konopiaty
561 Dr. Yitzhak Brenner Rachel Konopiaty
562 Dr. Yitzhak Brenner Bertche Shtiegel
563-565 In Memory of Souls Yitzhak Shlatzki
566-570 Ciechanowiec Characters Hersch Ber Pasternak
571-573 The Twenty-Second Day of Cheshvan Peshke Kaplan (Kazan)
574 At the Empty Crib Yitzhak Bloom
 
Under Soviet Rule, 1939-1941
 
577-581 Ciechanowiec Under the Soviet Regime Berl Lew
582-583 "The Red Messiah" Entered Our Shtetl Alter Piuro
584-586 In Soviet Captivity and My Escape from Ciechanowiec Shmuel (Munia) Yabkowski
587-595 The Aliya to Israel Under Soviet Rule Shoshanna Avner (Yarmus)
596-600 My Pain in Soviet Russia Dr. Avraham Spielman
601-608 Under Soviet Rule Devorah Blumenkrantz (Peretz)
609-612 In the Battallions Zvi Pasternak
 
The Holocaust
 
615-618 Kaddish (Prayer for the Dead) Eliezer Leoni
619-625 Kaddish (Prayer for the Dead) (Yiddish) Eliezer Leoni
627-629 The Last Days of Ciechanowiec Jews Simcha Burstein
630-635 In Days of Terror, Anguish and Murder Leibel Soloveitchik
636-638 The Brutal Murderer Romanus Yehuda Ritz
639-642 The Bloody Days of the Ghetto (Hebrew) Zvi Blutman
643-648 The Bloody Days of the Ghetto (Yiddish) Zvi Blutman
649-657 A Chapter From the Destruction of Ciechanowiec Ephraim Winer
658-661 The Massacre in Pobikry (Yiddish) Velvel Ptashek
662-668 Terrible Scenes and Massacre (Hebrew) ** Esther Kleinoth (Goldberg)
669-678 Terrible Scenes and Massacre (Yiddish) ** Esther Kleinoth (Goldberg)
679-680 Struggling with Death Chaya Mylnarz (Kozik)
681-687 In the Death Camps Zvi Blutman
688-689 Why I Was Saved? Chaya Chazan
690-696 The Road to Liberation Leibel Soloveitchik
697-700 Yiddish Aryeh Weissbord
701-704 In the Ruins of Our Town Simcha Strussman
 
They Fell on Guard
 
705 For Father and Mother Zvi Elyasher (Kamenkowski)
707-708 Morris Leve (Lew) "Morgen" Journal
709-710 Shlomo Zlotolow Yaacov Kotik
711-712 Dov Berele Genezdovitz Benjamin Genezdovitz
 
The Conclusion of the Book
 
713-715 In the Margins of the Book Prof Benjamin Mazar
 
In Memorium
 
719-809 Jewish Martyrs of Ciechanowiec  
810-811  
813-839 Memorial Notices  
841-842 Irgun Olei Ciechanowiec in Israel  
843-859 The History of the Irgun Olei Ciechanowiec on Israel Eliezer Leoni
861 Irgun Yotsei Ciechanowiec in the USA  
863-864 Ciechanowiecers in the USA Zvi Matison
865-868 32 Years of Relief Work Eliyahu Feldman
869-872 "Chevra Anshe Ciechanowiec" in New York A. Sol-Podolowski
873--874 Active Figures in the "Chevra" in New York Moe Bernstein
875-877 Chevra B'nai Moshe Anshe Neustat Ciechanowiec Batsha Lewe
878-879 Ciechanowiec Youth Branch No. 495 L.P.
880-881 Two Warm Ciechanowiec Homes In America Yaacov Zelizer
882-885 Moshe Yakov Gelfand Betzalel Kotler
886-889 To the History of the Community Eliezer Leoni
891-892 Index of all the contributors to the book  
893-897 Index of places  
898-925 Index of names  
926-930 Index of drawings and photos  

** Translated as part of English section of the book Return

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