Antopol, Belarus

Shards of Memory:
Messages from the Lost Shtetl of Antopol
(Antopol’, Belarus)

52°12' / 24°47'

Edited by: Alicia Esther Goldberg

Published in Austin, Texas 2003

Acknowledgments
Project Coordinator

Our sincere appreciation to Alicia Goldberg Funk who has kindly donated this book
for online presentation on the JewishGen web site.

Shards of Memory: Messages from the Lost Shtetl of Antopol
Edited by: Alicia Esther Goldberg, Published in: Austin, Texas 2003. pp 303

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Dedication

This book is dedicated to the Antopol survivors and the memory
of the 3,000 martyrs, whose names and stories fill these pages.

Survivors

Prof. P. Czerniak, with his wife and daughter
Ita Wolinetz
Shoshe Wolowelsky
Itka Mazurski
Reizl Kagan

Acknowledgements

I must acknowledge the significant effort of the Memorial Book Committee of Tel Aviv, who first published this book in 1972, as well as the American landsleit organization which generously supported the work of the original publication. I apologize for any errors present in the translation and editing of this noble work.
This edition would not be possible without the dedication and translation expertise of Nathan Snyder, a professional librarian in the Hebrew and Yiddish Studies Program at the University of Texas at Austin.
For inspiration and editorial insight on the Yiddish messages, I recognize my father, Professor Jack Otis, and his wife, Patricia Folmar Otis. Leanne Hunt and Bonnie Glendinning were invaluable in providing encouragement as well as editing and designing this work.
Finally, I pay homage to all of the descendents of Antopol, who have created new lives of freedom and prosperity for themselves and future generations.
May these messages reach our hearts and remind us of the strength of our heritage.

Preface		1

At The Gates
Introduction		3

English Messages

Antopol History	Prof. P. Czerniak	7
Our town	A. Ben-Ezra	8
The Synagogue Court	Dr. P. Berman (O.B.M.)	12
R. Pinchas Michael (Of Blessed Memory)		18
Rabbi Moshe Berman, O. B. M.	P. Licht	25
The Belachovitzes	Abraham Warsaw	26
The Roof Corroded	Abraham Warsaw	26

The Holocaust
War Years in Antopol (1939-1944)	Prof. P. Czerniak	29
The Ghetto of Antopol	Prof. P. Czerniak	37
Memoirs of an Antopol Physician-Partisan	Prof. P. Czerniak	42
Verdict Without Appeal	Prof. P. Czerniak	47
The Story of a Martyr	Prof. P. Czerniak	49
Survival	Ita Wolinetz	49
Antopol in the Years 1957-1959	Prof. P. Czerniak	51
In Fire	A. Warsaw	52

Yiddish Messages

Antopol, My Town	Aharon Gofer	57
The Fires of Antopol	Y. Varsha and M. L. Ben David	57
The Beginning		58
The Political Picture		59
Economic Conditions		61
Cultural Change		62
Colonies of Antopol Jewry		64
The End	Israel Fernik	65
My Town and My Family	Morris Asif	67
War and Occupations, 1914-1921	Shmuel Lifshitz	71
Religious and Cultural Life	P. Berman	74
The Synagogue Courtyard	A. Varsha	77
Memories of the Elementary School, 1923-1926	Rabbi Shalom Podolevski	82
Bertshe and Education in Antopol	Yosef Veitsel	83
R. Henokh, the Elementary School Teacher	M.L. Koshtshuk	83
R. Meir Yosel, the Elementary School Teacher		85
Rafael, the Elementary School Teacher	Mosheh Leizer Koshtshuk	86
The Tarbut School	Beylah Kletski-Libenfroynd	86
Aharon Lifshits, the Hebrew Teacher	Shemuel Lifshits	89

Political, Social, Economic, and Fashion of Life
Political Movements in Antopol	Dr. Meir Kletski	90
Zionism in Antopol	E. Tsaytelzon	92
Revolutionary Movement	Aryeh Shkolnik	93
Women Revolutionaries	Mosheh Setavi	93
Medical Help and Medical Institutions	Prof. P. Czerniak	94

Photographs		100

Hebrew Messages

History of the Community	Akiva Ben-Ezra	108
Antopol	Prof. P. Chernyak	109
History of the First Jewish Settlement in Antopol	Mosheh Falk	111
Location of Antopol and its History	Akiva ben Ezra	112
Antopol, as I Saw it in My Childhood	Shemuel Turnianski	120
Antopol and its Jewish Population up to WWI	Abraham Lifshits	121
WWI	Mosheh Falk	123
In the Gates of Torah	A. Ben-Ezra, R. Pinchas Michael	124
R. Mordekhai, of Blessed Memory	A. Ben-Ezra	136
Rabbi R. Shemuel	A. Ben-Ezra	145
Rabbi Mosheh Tsevi	A. Ben-Ezra	146
R. Hirsh (Rabinovits)		147
Rabbi Mosheh Berman	P. Likht	147
R. Mosheh Soloveichik	A. Ben-Ezra	147
Rabbi Mosheh Wulfson	A. Ben-Ezra	148
Rabbi Yosef David	Zalman Zeev Shahor	148
Rabbi Yitshak Elhanan Walkin	A. Ben-Ezra	152
R. Binyamin Rosh Yeshivah	Mosheh Falk	152
R. Yaakov Hayyim, the Ritual Slaughterer	Rabbi Aharon Asher Volinets	153
R. Mosheh Leizer, the Ritual Slaughterer, and His Friends	Tsivyah Shneider	154
R. Avraham Yehudah Margiliyot	Aryeh Shkolnik	154
A Society to Study Mishnah and Societies for Other Studies	Rabbi Aharon Asher Volinets	155
For the History of Rabbi Binyamin Sakirlski	A. Ben-Ezra	155
Rabbi Yitshak Lifshits	Shemual Varshah	156
R. Aharon Asher Volinets	M. Falk	158
The Walled Study Hall	Rabbi Aharon Asher Volinets	159
Memories of the Walled Study Hall		160
Education, Culture, Institutions, and Movements	Sh. Turninski	161
My Teachers	M. Polak	162
The Founding of the Tarbut School	Belah Liberfroind	165
Free Loan Association	M. Polak	167
First Aid Development in Antopol	Belah Liberfroind	167
The Pioneering Youth in Antopol Between the Two Wars	Mikhael Kosht	169
Fradl the Revolutionary	Mosheh Stavi	172
The First Zionists in Antopol	Mosheh Polak	172
Ha-shomer Ha-tsair	Hayyim Asif	173
The First Pioneer Group	Mosheh Polak	174
Economic and Social Life: Employment in Antopol	M. Polak and Sh. Turninski	176
My Dear Town	Vardah Kusht	184
Memories of My Youth	Miriam Valodovski	186
My Grandfather's Farm	Belah Liberfroind-Kletski	186
Jewish Holidays	M. Polak	190
Water for Tashlikh	A. Varshah	194
The Murder of Yonah the Miller	A. Slonimski	196
From the Memories of a Teacher in Antopol	Dr. M. Zagor (Zagorodaski)	197
Personalities and Surroundings	Mosheh b. R. Akiva Yeruham Lifshits	204
Lifshits Family	Aryeh Eliav	206

People and Families of Antopol
Sarah Itah Lifshits, The Baker	Peshe Ben-Tovim	207
R. Avigdor Sirotah, of Blessed Memory	Dr. Menuhah Gorvits	208
R. Avraham Klorfin	Eliyahu Klorfin	208
Yosef and Esther Glashtein	Eliyahu Klorfin	209
R. David'l	The Rabbi's Wife, Lifshah Shahor, of blessed memory	209
A Daily Page for the Soul of My Father, My Teacher, R. Lazar, of Blessed Memory	Mosheh Polak	210
R. Shelomoh B. R. Henakh (Greenberg) and His Wife Heniah Hadas, Daughter of R. Mosheh Shemuel, of Blessed Memory	Mosheh Polak	211
R. Yaakov Fridman (Yenkel the Person from Oblie)	A. Antopolski	211
In Memory of My Dear Parents, Brothers, and Sister, Who Shall Not Be Forgotten	Rinah Asif	213
R. Yaakov Hayyim Kotler, the Ritual Slaughterer and Examiner	Rinah Asif	214
Shelomoh'ke Menahem of the Family Gershtein	Rinah Asif	215
The Family of Hayah and Aharon Shemuel Kaplan	Avraham Kaplan	215
Itse Sarah-Menies Berkovits	Mosheh Polak	216
R. Yisakhar-Dov Rovashavski (Berish the Leaseman)	Rayah Kliman-Rovashavski	216
In Memory of Artsak and Sarah Gelershtein	Rayah Kliman-Rovashavski	216
R. Zalman Ben Shelomoh Shayah	Yehudah, Nadel, and Tovah Altberg	217
Memories	Shemuel Lifshits	217
R. Yaakov Meir of Osmolovits		218
Meir Shub, of Blessed Memory	Maniah Volodovski	218
R. Alter Zisuk (Alter Shelomoh the Housepainter)	A. Antopolski	219
In Memory of the Family Zonshein	Esther Gamerman	219
Segal family	Esther Gamerman	220
In Memory of My Family	Shoshanah Edre	221
In Memory of My Mother Elke Rahel and My Sister Mirah'leh	Sefulah Sosnik	221
In Israel: Mosheh Stavi -- Abu Naman	Prof. P. Czerniak	222
Points About Mosheh Stavi's Writing	Daniel Ben Nahum	225
For the Memory of Manan Lifshits Fihanan	Rinah Asif	232
R. Avraham Yitshak Weinstein, of Blessed Memory	Yaakov Rimon	233
R. Avigdor B. R. Yosef, the Mason	Shmuel Dov Hayyim Kris	234
Tsevi Volodovski, of Blessed Memory	Miriam Volodovsk	234
In Memory of Frumah Ben Tsevi of the Fridman Family	Yosef Pen Tsevi	235
Zaidel (Yehudah) Barshavitski, of Blessed Memory (1908-1963)	Rinah Osip	235
My Wife Vardah, of Blessed Memory	Mikhael Kusht	236
Belah Libenfroind – Kletski	G. Nahmani	236
Naftali Volinots, of Blessed Memory	Ester Ton (Volinots)	237
In Memory of Our Sons, Who Fell in Combat	Vardah Koshet	238
To Our Son, Mezer Shahor, of Blessed Memory	Fridah Shahor	239
The Dear and Unforgettable Frumah Ben Tsevi	Rinah and Hayyim Osip	240
Berish Dov Matolski, of Blessed Memory	Malkah Yentah Shvarts	240
Nahum Volinets, of Blessed Memory		241
Yehudah Slonimski		242
Avraham Kotler		242
The United States, Dr. Fabius Feitil Berman	A. Ben-Ezra	242
Leibl Valovalski	P. Czerniak	243
Avraham Varsha's Book: Years of Blood and Fire	Avraham Barbau	244
Akiva Ben Ezra	Eliezer Leidiger	246
Avigdor Varsha		247
Avraham Leaf (Lifshits)		248
[Poem]	Vardah Kusht	248
Holocaust and Destruction	Gitl Tserniak	249
I Cry Over These	Rabbi Yaakov Pester	258
My life of Terror in the Ghetto of Antopol and My Salvation	Shoshanah Kats	259
The Action of an Underground Doctor from Antopol	P. Czerniak	263
Our Being Saved from Destruction	Gitl Feldshtein-Czerniak	270
Mosheh Dor Ber Pomerants, Poet of the Holocaust		277
About the Graves of our Dear Ones, Sons of Antopol	P. Czerniak	279
Activities of the Organization in Israel	H. Osip	281
Synagogue in Memory of the Martyrs of Antopol in Tel Aviv	Z. Z. Shahor	282
Translation of a Letter	Isar Yehudah b. R. A. Unterman	284
Memories From Erecting the Synagogue	Shemuel Lifshits	285
The Free Loan Association in Memory of the Martyrs of Antopol	Mosheh Polak	287

Antopol Martyrs of the Holocaust		291

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