Karelichy, Belarus

Korelitz; the life and destruction
of a Jewish community
(Karelichy, Belarus)

53°34' / 26°08'

Translation of
Korelits; hayeha ve-hurbana shel kehila yehudit

Edited by: Michael Walzer-Fass, Korelicze societies in Israel and the U.S.A.

Published in Tel- Aviv, 1973

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

Ann Belinsky

Merle Horwitz (emerita)

Our sincere appreciation to Reeva Kimble for
obtaining the pictures to facilitate their addition to this project.

This is a translation from: Korelits; hayeha ve-hurbana shel kehila yehudit
(Korelitz; the life and destruction of a Jewish community),
Editors: Michael Walzer-Fass, Tel Aviv, Korelicze Societies in Israel and the U.S.A., 1973 (H,Y,E, 357 pages).

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Korelicze

Purchase details for a printed copy of this translation can be found at http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ybip/YBIP_Karelichy.html

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Translated by Sara Mages[Hebrew] and Gloria Berkenstat Freund [Yiddish]

Part One – Hebrew and Yiddish

Photos
Editor's Foreword	Michael Walzer-Fass	13
The Poem of My Little Town of Korelitz [Y]	Yitzchak Katzenelson	15
Map of the town		16

History and Recollections

A map of the city of Korelitz and the surrounding area		18
A History of the Jews of Korelitz	Hassia Turtel–Oberzhanski	19
A. The history of the city		19
B. The Jewish settlement in Korelitz		19
C. Life in the community during the Polish reign		20
D. The community in the 19^th century		23
E. The Community during the First World War		27
F. The Second World War and the destruction of the community		28
G. The establishment of a Ghetto in Korelitz		31
H. The liquidation of the community		31
I. The liquidation of the Ghetto in Novohorodok		33
Bibliography		34
A Hundred and Fifty years ago (Excerpts from the Book of Records of the Holy Community of Korelitz)	C. A. Kaplan	35
Little Pages of History [Y]	Hassia Turtel-Oberzhanski	39
From The Community Records of Korelitz [Y]	A. Litvin	42
Yitzchak Katzenelson's Native Town [Y]	Zippora Katzenelson-Nachumov	49
The Two Times I Visited Korelitz [Y]	Dovid Einhorn	54

Torah and Rabbinate

The Poem of Korelitz's Bet-Hamidrash [Y]	Yitzhak Katzenelson	58
Once there was the Rabbi's house	Yehoshua Ovseyewitz	60
The Korelitz Shochet	David Cohen	62
Rabbi Moshe son of Rabbi David	Moshe Cinowitz	64
Rabbi Chaim Tur	Moshe Cinowitz	64
The Jaffe Family in Korelitz	Binyamin Benari Jaffe	67
A. The “Luminary of the Exile” Naftali Hertz	Moshe Cinowitz	68
B. Rabbi Yitzchak Yechiel Davidson	Moshe Cinowitz	68
C. Rabbi Eliahu Feinstein	Moshe Cinowitz	69
Rabbi Eliahu Baruch Kamai	Rabbi Zvi Menachem Tsizling	71
Sketch in Ink of Rabbi Mordechai		72
Rabbi Mordechai as Rabbi in Korelitz [Y]		73
Rabbi Mordechai as “Righteous Rabbi” in Korelitz		75
The Departure of the “Righteous Rabbi”	Zalman Yudelevtich	76
Rabbi Meir son of Rabbi Yosef Feimer	Moshe Cinowitz	77
Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Bruck	Moshe Cinowitz	78
An appeal for help		79

Torah Scholars born in Korelitz

Rabbi Nissan Broidah	Moshe Cinowitz	79
Rabbi Yisroel Michal Yeshurun	Moshe Cinowitz	80
Rabbi Uri David ben Yosef		81
Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Cohen		82
Rabbi Abrazshinsky	Moshe Cinowitz	83
Rabbi Yosef from Korelitz	Moshe Cinowitz	83
My father Rabbi Idel Isaac (Alter) Osherovitz	Bat-Sheva Shula Osherovitz	84
The Talmud Groups in Korelitz	Moshe Cinowitz	86
A. Rabbi Tzvi Menachem Zisling	Moshe Cinowitz	86
B. Rabbi Meir Levin	Moshe Cinowitz	87
C. Rabbi Yehudah Leib Davidson	Moshe Cinowitz	87
D. Rabbi Malkiel and his connection with Korelitz	Moshe Cinowitz	88
Rabbi Meir Hillel Zunser	G.	89
Dvorah and the Talmud Association	Alter Gitlin	90
History of Korelitz's Ritual Slaughterers [Y]	Sarah Beigin (Gal)	92
A Shortcut to the Past	Yechezkel Zaks	95
How Did We Study?	Esther Shkolnik–Hurwitz	97
R' Zvi–Hershel HaCohen Boyarsky [Y]	Zippora Katzenelson–Nachumov	100

Before and between the two World Wars From the Jewish Press, recollections and way of life

“Hibbat Zion” [Lovers of Zion] in Korelitz		104
A visit to Korelitz in 5661 [1900]	Rabbi Y. Nissanboim	106
Hatzfirah, 1912, Issue: 134		106
My Little Town Korelitz [Y]	Malka Faloozshski	109
My town	Hassia Turtel–Oberzhansky	112
Korelitz Before the First World War [Y]	Alter Bayarsky	115
Memories of the Old Home [Y]	Mordechai Meyerovitz	119
Korelitz During and After the First World War [Y]	Reuven Obseivitch	126
Rebuilding Activity in Korelitz [Y]	Shalom Cohen	129
Between the two wars	Noach Gershonovski	134
From the distant and the close past	Mordechai Malchieli-Krolavetsky	135
My Homeland…	Y.A. Malchieli	137
Return to Korelitz	Leah Kornfeld-Lubshansky	140
Portrait of a Town	Raya Schneur Kaplan	144
When a visitor came to Korelitz	Esther Shkolnik-Horowitz	147
Occupations of the Korelitz Jews [Y]	Yaacov Abramowitz	149
The Fire Brigade - Volunteer Firemen in Korelitz [Y]	Yaacov Abramowitz	151
Theaters [Y]	Yaacov Abramowitz	155
Sports Groups in Korelitz [Y]	Yaacov Abramowitz	156
A Drill in Town [Y]	Michael Begin	159
On the Main Road	Arye Shalit-Karolevsky	161
Cucumbers	Gutka Nochumovsky-Gancezewitz	162
My Visit to Korelitz in 1937 [Y]	Vitel Arieli	162
There, Where I was Born – Grows A Tree [Y]	Leah Kornfeld-Lubchanski	165
The Bank and Benevolent Fund in Korelitz [Y]	Fruma Gulkovitch-Berger	167
The Dramatics Club [Y]	Frumeh Gulkowitz-Berger	168
Theater and Orchestra	Raya Schneur	172
A History of “Hechalutz” and “Hashomer Hatsa'ir” in our Town	Kalman Osherowitz	175
“Hashomer Hatsa'ir”	Malka Polozhesky-Pomerchik	182
“Hashomer Hatsa'ir” (The Young Guard) [Y]	Malka Polozhesky-Pomerchik	184
Betar	Gutka Nachumovsky-Ganczewicz	187
Yitzhak Katzenelson in his Home Town Korelitz [Y]	Zippora Nachumov	189

Personalities and Figures

Yaakov Binyamin Katzenelson [Y]		192
Moshe Avraham Wolpin	Raya Schneur (Rishe Kaplan)	193
Moshe Avraham son of R' Shaul Naftali Osherowitz	Kalman Osherowitz	194
Pessach Kaplan	Chasia Turtal-Abrazhansky	196
Pessach Kaplan	Y.H. Biletzki	197
Gershon Eliasberg		198
Shalom Cohen [Y]		199
Rina Garabalsky	Chasia Turtal-Abrazhansky	200
Alter Greenfeld [Y]		201
Yossel der Zalamanker	Leah Lubshansky-Kornfeld	202
A. Feivel Nisselevitz [Y]	Yaacov Abramowich	203
B. The Porush, Kalman Marashiner [Y]	Yaacov Abramowich	204

Destruction and Heroism

I Am the Last [Y]	Frumeh Gulkovitch-Berger	206
Jewish Partisans [Y]	Frumeh Gulkowitz-Berger	207
The road of suffering [Y]	Malka Pomerchik	208
In peace and in days of war	Dov Cohen (Berel Kagan)	210
On the Brink of Destruction [Y]	Ben-Ir	212
A. The Ghetto B. Bread in the Ghetto [Y]	Frumeh Gulkowitz-Berger	226
Memories of the Ghetto [Y]	Frumeh Gulkowitz-Berger	228
Under the Yoke of the Nazis [Y]	Ben-Zion Gulkowitz	231
The Experiences I went through in the Second World War [Y]	Mordechai Mayerovitch	235
Memories of the Holocaust Period [Y]	Chaya Niegnievitski	245
In the Shadow of Death [Y]	Chaim-Leib Dvoretski	248
Idel Kagan	Michael Walzer-Fass	250
The First Partisan from Korelitz [Y]	Ben-Ir	255
The heroism of the Korelitz young men [Y]		256
The Karelitz Partisan Yaacov Slutzky [Y]		257
A Drill in Town [Y]	Michael Begin	259
Hershl Shkolnik the Carpenter [Y]		260
Yoel Meirovich [Y]		261
The Death of Korelitz Boys [Y]		263
Shaul Kopilovitz	Bezalel-Kalman Osherovitz	265
The Hero Efraim [Y]	Frumeh Gulkowitz-Berger	266
The Ghetto (continuation from page 266) [Y]	Frumeh Gulkowitz-Berger	267
A partisan [Y]	Frumeh Gulkowitz-Berger	268
The Visit to Korelitz After the War [Y]	Yaakov Avramovitz	270

The Fallen

Shlomo Stoler (The Little “Keiderel”) [H & Y]	BEN-IR	273
Yaacov Oberzhinsky		275
Tzvi (Tzvika) Malchieli		276
Two who fell	Kalman Osherovitz	277
The Poem of the Annihilated Jewish People [Y]	Yitzhak Katzenelson	278

The Korelitzer Societies in Israel and the World

The Korelitzer Society in Israel	Michael Beigin	282
Good Friends Meet [Y]	Yaacov Abramowitch	290
The Korelitzer Society of America Inc.	Morris Kesslem, Guttel Simon	292
A memorial candle	Aharon Marshinsky (Mor)	296
And These are the Names…		297
A memorial candle [Y]	Frumeh Gulkowitz-Berger	312

In Memoriam		313

Rabbi Moshe Hurewitz	Aharon-Leib Oshman	314
Rabbi Avraham Hirshovitz	Sarah Osherovitz	316
My father Leib Londin	Tova Londin-Rogovin	317
Shlomo Londin [Y]	Yaacov Abramowitz	318
Tzvi Kivilevitz	Michael Beigin	318
Alter Avraham-Yitzchak Mordechovitz	Leah Kornfeld-Lubshansky	319
Kalman Mordchovitz (Avrahami) [Y]	Michael Beigin	320
Leah Kaplan	Chasia Tutel-Oberzhansky	321
My brother Yona son of Shlomo Oberzhansky	Chasia Tutel-Oberzhansky	322
In Memoriam		324
Yizkor [Y]	Fruma Gulkovitch-Berger	356

Part Two – English

Editor's Foreword	Michael Walzer-Fass

Life and History

The History of the Jews of Korelitz	Hassia Turtel - Oberzhansky	IX
Korelitz – The Idyllic Town of Pre–World War One Days	Alter Boyarsky	XIV
How they made a living	Yaacov Abramowich	XV
Education in Korelitz	Yehezkel Zaks	XVI
This is how we Studied	Esther Shkolnik–Hurwitz	XVIII
R' Zvi–Hershel Hacohen Boyarsky	Zippora Katzenelson–Nachumov	XIX

Korelitz: Sages and Students

The Poem of Korelitz's Bet-Hamidrash	Yitzhak Katzenelson	XXI
Once there was the Rabbi's House	Yehoshua Ovseyewitz (Y. Ovsi)	XXIII
Men of stature and scholarship	Yehoshua Ovseyewitz (Y. Ovsi)	XXIV
The Rabbis of Korelitz	Moshe Cinowitz et al.	XXVI
Torah Scholars born in Korelitz		XXVIII
The Korelitz Shochet	David Cohen	XXIX
The story of Korelitz's Shochtim	Sarah Begin (Gal)	XXX
Dvorah and the Talmud Association	Alter Gitlin	XXXI

Institutions and Organizations

The Korelitz Bank and Free Loan Fund	Fruma Gulkowich-Berger	XXXIII
The Drama Circle	Frumeh Gulkowitz-Berger	XXXIV
Korelitz's Fire-Fighting Brigade	Yaacov Abramowich	XXXV
Korelitz's Sports Organizations	Yaacov Abramowitz	XXXVII
The Chalutz youth in Korelitz	Kalman Osherowich	XXXVIII
Betar	Gutka Nachumovsky-Ganczewicz	XL

Personalities

Yitzhak Katzenelson: in his birthplace	Zippora Katzenelson-Nachumov	XLIV
Yaakov Binyamin Katzenelson		XLIV
Moshe Avraham Osherowitz	Kalman Osherowitz	XLV
Pesach Kaplan	Chasia Turtal-Abrazhansky, Y.H. Biletzki	XLV
Gershon Eliasberg		XLVI
Shalom Cohen		XLVI
Rina Garabalsky	Chasia Turtal-Abrazhansky	XLVII
Alter Greenfeld	Hassia Turtel Obrezhansky	XLVII
Yossel der Zalamanker	Leah Lubshansky-Kornfeld	XLVII
Feivel Nisselevitz	Yaacov Abramowich	XLVIII
The Porush, Kalman Marashiner	Yaacov Abramowich	XLVIII

The Holocaust

The Road of Suffering	Malka Pomerchik	XLIX
On the Way to Destruction	A townsman	XLIX
The heroism of the Korelitz young men		LI
The “Bielshchiks”	Herzl Nachumovsky	LII
What they went through	Frumeh Gulkowitz-Berger	LV
Idel Kagan	Michael Walzer-Fass	LV

Aftermath

A visit to Korelitz after the war	A townsman	LVII
The Korelitzer Society of America Inc.	Morris Kessler, Guttel Simon	LIX

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