Piesk and Most, A History of Two Cities

eski blanc Piesk and Most, a Memorial Book
(Belarus)

Piesk (Peski and Piaski)
53°21' / 24°38'

Most (Masty)
53°25' / 24°32'

Translation of
Pyesk ve-Most; Sefer Yizkor

Edited by: Piesk and Most Societies in Israel and the Diaspora

Published: Tel Aviv, 1975

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

Ellen Sadove Renck

This is a translation of: Piesk V'Most; Sefer Yizkor (Piesk and Most, a memorial book),
Piesk and Most Societies in Israel and the Diaspora, Tel Aviv, 1975 (726 pages, Hebrew, Yiddish, English)

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

This material is made available by JewishGen, Inc. and the Yizkor Book Project for the purpose of
fulfilling our mission of disseminating information about the Holocaust and destroyed Jewish communities.
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Our mission is to produce a translation of the original work and we cannot verify the accuracy of statements or alter facts cited.

[Hebrew 6]

Yizkor Contributors and Officers of the

Organization of Piesk and Most Émigrés

Yehuda Borovsky, Chana Dikter, Meri Bendor, Zalman Kaplan, David Reitbord, Ekhezkal Lisovsky, Tzipora Galnitz, Yehuda Rozinsky, Reuben Brezili, Moshe Shakuri, Eizer Shebach, Sara Dobensky,
Tenakhum Kaplan, Sarah Karmi, Itzak Brodzinsky Archive, Shmuel David Levin Archive, Chaim Rozinsky (Argentina), Abraham Valak (Argentina)

Book: Yehuda Borovsky, Chana Dikter, Moshe Shakuri, Zalman Kaplan, Yehuda Rozinsky,

In Israel: Tzipora Galnitz, Meri Bendor

In Argentina: Hinda Veiner, Chaim Rozinsky, Abraham Valak, Boruk Borovsky

Archive: Shmuel-David Levin (New York), Chaim Shebach (Boston)

Untranslated words are in italics.

English Portion

Forward	by Abraham Emikem	7
My Grandfather from Piesk		17
History of Two Cities	by Yehuda Borovosky	19
The Hidden Light of the People of the Little Town of Piesk (see p. 452 for Yiddish Version and also English Section)	by Chana Dikter	76
An everday town		82
Educational Activity and Tarbut of Piesk	by Yekhezkal Lisovsky	85
“Gemilut Chasadim”	by Naftali ben Israel Kaplan	92
Images of Organizers of Youth and Instruction	by Moshe Shakuri (Zlotnitzky)	94
Of Piesk in Israel	by Yekhezkal Lisovsky	97
Memories of “Hechalutz Hatzair” of Piesk	by Meri Tzin Bendor (Bendormaker)	99
The Life of the Branch of Hachshara Training	by Sara Kaplan	100
The Betar Movement	by Zalman Kaplan	101
Founding of Chalutz and Betar in Piesk	by Moshe Shakuri	102
The Hetzair Organization of Piesk	by Miriam Bendormaker	104
Meir Kaplan of Most	by Itzak Yelin	105
Training of Shedlitza and Zaludok	by Sara Karmi	106
Training of the Lutzk Group	by Khonon Shebach	106
Training of Baranowitz	by Aviva Kaplan	107
Training	by Mendel Finkelshtein	108
Visit to Joint Center: Chalutz Hetzeir	by Moshe Shakuri	109
My town	by Sarah Kaplan	110
Start of Organizations in Piesk	by Natan Shebach	111

Section: Memorials

Alone (poetry)	by Miriam Toirshtein (Plekowitz)	115
Memories of a lumberjack	by Yehuda Rozansky	116
Children of Piesk	by Pelta Igel (Penina Abstikhi)	118
Memories	by Menachum-Mendel Finkelshtein	119
Memories of Broad Zaretz (note: a section of Piesk)	by Sara Karmi (Shebrowsky)	120
Village Visit	by Rachel Enkor	121
Eirti Piesk		122
Memories from Tkupft hakibush hagdmni b'mlkhmut-haeulim ga harashuna		126
herb hakhron bbit huri	by Devora Shvakhdovorsky-Yeshinsky	127
Eirtnu Piesk	by Sara Kaplan	128
Memorial: The Late Shmeyahu Orshovsky	by Meri Tzin Bendor (Bendormaker)	131
Memory of the late Gershon Pekovitz	by Meri Tzin Bendor (Bendormaker)	132
Memory of Social Etel, daughter of Chaya-Edes and Boruk Borovsky	by Meri Tzin Bendor (Bendormaker)	133
Malka the Seamstress	by Chaim-Leib Lamudni	134
Memories of Brother, the Late Zeidel	by Tzipora Galnitz	135
Memory of the Late Chana Pogrim (Lev)	by Zanvil Pomgrin	136
Kalman – Simple, Honest, and Popular	by Tzipora Galnitz	138
Memory of the Late Teddy Boyarsky	by Yehuda Boyarsky	139
Memory of the Late R' Zelig	by Miriam Pekovitz (Toyrshtein)	140
Zalman Goldberg	by Chana Dikter	141
__ wife, the late Freda Yehudi	by Yehuda Yehudi	143
The Late Avigdor Dikowsky	by Chana Dikhowsky	145
My Late Sister Sarah'la	by Chana Dikter	146
Jewish Memories	by Sara Karmi (Srbowsky)	148
National Emigration	by Tzipora Galnitz	149
The Dybok [or the obsession]	by Chaim Shebach (Buenos Aires)	150
Memory of the Family of Leiba (Aryeh) and Chaya Zelda Borovsky	by I. Borovsky	153
Memory of a Large and Numerous Family	by Moshe Shakuri (Zltnitzky)	155
Family	by Freda Shaprio-Rozantzveig	158
Memory of Himim and Horrors of Households	by Miriam Proshbitzky Boruch	159
Memories	by Rabbi Yehoshua Egel	161
Memories of My Father's House	by Teiba Domanshitzky	163
Sister Leisure – Time _______ Sister Khesya	by Meri Tzin Bendor (Bendormaker)	165
Memories of Family	by Shoshana Alperowitz (Glembotzky)	168
Freda Mami	by Yaffa Kaplan, wife of Tenachum Kaplan	169
Huri Household	by Chava Lamudni	171
Abraham Orshevsky and Family	by Chana Orshevsky-Kinel	173
Memories of Family from Piesk	by Sara and Rachel, daughters of Bunia Vinokur	174
Kuim of the Late Yoel Godes	by Ida Godes	176
R' Shlomo Orhaftig of Piesk	by Sholom Orhaftig	177
Bet Dreizl Partisans		178
Memories	by David and Devora Reitbord	181
Family History	by Aviva Kaplan	184
House of My Father	by Sara Shapira	186
Conflagration of Piesk Yeirtnu	by Miriam Palkovitz (Morshtein)	187
The House of my Parents	by Chaim Pshinsky	188
_____ of Father Shraga-Feivel	by Chaya Borovsky	190
History Khei	by Yehuda Rozinsky	193
Father the Teacher (Note: Shivovsky)	by Sara Epshtein	195
House of the Family Prosbitzky	by Chana Felsher, Zahava Goldberg and Miriam Brom	196
The Bright Sons of Father, The Late A. Sh. Amiel	by Sadya Amiel and Yakob Ufruf	198
History Chai	by Shmuel Z'ukowsky	203

The Holocaust and Heroism

The Holocaust	by Leib Israel	207
Hazmanim hara'im	by Shimon Orshovsky	211
Nduri b'tkuft the Holocaust		221
Life of Suffering and Torment	by Meir Rakkhin	223
Gale-ed l'kodshe ayarotenu Piesk and Most		238
Memory of Abram Shebach	by Yehuda Borovsky	247
The Late Mordechai Grodovsky		247
The Late Shimon Lonsky		248
The Late Yoel Godes		248
The Late Shraga-Feivl Godes		249:
The Late Shraga Borovsky		250
The Late Shraga Donshvitzky		250
Fate of Haefla by Zvi Lebna		252
Chalutz Hemi, The Late Shraga Borovsky	by Chana Dikter	258
Two Aliyahs	by Devorah Reidbord	261
Group Wound/Comprehension	by Chaim Lev	262
History of Aliyah to Israel	by David Reitbord	264
Pain of Adapting to Israel and Activity of Protection	by Chana Shela	265
Adjusting to Israel: Defense Activity	by Ekhutial Shebach	266
Memories of Beginnings of Life in Israel	by Yaffa Shebach	267
Ekhutial Shebach	by Chana Dikter	269
Historical Obituary of Zalman Goldberg	by Tenachum Kaplan	271
Memory of Freda Yehudi, daughter of Rabbi Kviat	by Yehkhezkal Lisovsky	272
Memory of the Life of the Figure, The Late Chaya Borovsky	by Yehuda Borovsky	274
Bmlau Thirty Stalks of Grain, The Late Chaya Borovsky	by Yehuda Rozansky	300
The Sisters Association, Khaya, 30 Days	by Meri Bendor	301
To the Memory of the Late Chaya Borovsky	by Yehuda Borovsky	302

Yiddish Section begins

Grodno District [see Hebrew and English sections]		343-386
To the Life of the Late Rabbi Mordechai Amiel		386
Memories of the Talmud Torah		386
The Talmud Torah		387
The Zeiden House		388
Bet Sba Moshe Borovsky		388
List of the Souls of the Borovsky Family / Their Death in the Holocaust		389
The House of Noach Eizenman		390
List of the Children of the Izenman Family Killed in the Holocaust		392
The Chapter of the Physical Destruction of the Jews of Piesk and Most		392
Peace Talk		393
My Shtetl Mosty	by Zlata (Kaplan) Ben Chaim	395
The First Pioneers	by Hindy Veiner (Argentina)	398
Muzker – Liturgy for the Commemoration of the Dead A History with an Attic, A Strategic Plan, The Evil Lust Work, The Catastrophe	by Chaim Shebach (Cambridge, England)	399
Memories of my Shtetl Piesk in 1924 The Sabbath Afternoon Walk, The First World War, Organization Life, The Economic Situation, Cultural Society Life	by Zipora Galnitz (Haifa)	404
The Little Shtetl Piesk The Velderer, Elected Heads of the Community, The Bet-Midrashim	by Chaim Shebach (Argentina)	407
The Dam	by Chaim Shebach (Argentina)	411
Piesk at the End of the First World War With a Scar from the Time, The First Hebrew School, A Drama Society, Dreams	by L. Aryeh Lonsky (Canada)	413
“Still Life in Piesk” Jewish Elected Heads of the Community, A Street in Zaretz	by Hindy Benkovich (Veiner)	415
A Jewish Cow	by Chaim Shebach (Argentina)	417
Perpetual Israel	by Chaim Shebach (Argentina)	418
And the Sun Stood Still in the Middle of the Heavens	by Chaim Shebach (Argentina)	419
Piesk on a Wintry Night	by Chaim Shebach (Argentina)	420
The Proud Watermen Inene Gezetzn, Contact with the Goyim, The Mass Arrest	by Chaim Rozansky (Argentina)	422
MyAusgerunener Nightmare The Savage, Evil Decree, Is a Stream of Hurt	by Glika Vand Rozansky (Argentina)	425
The Vide [Confession of Sin] of a Socialist Fighter A Letter-A Confession, Lived His Little Shtetl	by Devora Reitbord	427
The First Seder Night Veit of Piesk	by Sarah Levin-Glazer (New York)	430
A Spoiled Yom Kippur An Arrest on the Eve of Yom Kippur, Between Hammer and Anvil, To Kol Nidre in the Synagogue, The Sorrowful Gentile, Yom Kippur Signatures, The Last Glimpse	by Abraham Valak (Argentina)	433
The Cultural Activity in our Shtetl The Economic Situation on the Eve of the War, The Establishment of a Zionist Organization in our Shtetl, The Source to Cover the Complaints from the Shul, Balfour Declaration, The Farewell	by Yekhezkal Lisovsky	438
Founding of the Chalutz and Beteir	by Moshe Shakuri	447
The Chalutz Hetzeir in Piesk	by Miriam Bendormaker	449
The Chalutz Movement in Piesk	by Khonon Shebach	450
Creation of the Tarbut School in the Chalutz Movement	by Yekhezkel Lisovsky	451
Hidden Light of the People of My Shtetl Piesk (p. 76 for Hebrew)	by Chana Dikter	452
The Hebrew School and our Education in Piesk	by M. Shakuri	457
Parity	by Chana Tzin Dikter	460
The Water Routes of Piesk	by Chaim Shebach	467
Pictorial of the Past [poetry] The Silk Melody, Nostalgia, Seen in a Shtetl	by H. Vand Elegy	468
Memories of My Old Home	by Leah'chy Levin (America)	472
The Mother from the Alley	by Leah'chy Levin	474
The Shebach Dynasty	by Eizer Shebach	475
Reb Leib Ber [Wendrowsky]	(no author, possibly written by Rabbi Shabtai Egel)	478
The Miracle of the Jewish Doctor Aik Ruf the Doctor, Litevsky's Long Foot	by Chaim Rozhansky (Argentina)	480
Memories of Our Shtetl Piesk In Soviet Russia, Back in Poland, Encounter with the Sister	by Zeidl Shmuel Danielevich	482
The Family Frei	by Chana Rozhansky	485
Pesach Eve in Our Little Shtetl	by Hindy Benkovich-Veiner	488
The Binkovich Family written by Feigl Binkovich, daughter of Abraham Binkovich	By Tzipora Galnitz (Haifa)	490
Yona the Psalm Reader	by Chaim Shebach (Argentina)	492
Zamky the Meshugener	by Chaim Shebach (Argentina)	493
My Rabbi Eshkeh	by Chaim Shebach (Argentina)	495
The Dybok	by Chaim Shebach (Argentina)	496
Our Shtetl Mother – The Late Chaya-Leah Levin	by Itzak Dikter	500
Care for my Father's Tombstone [father: Abraham ben Shlomo]	by Hindy Benkovich Veiner	503
The Late Itzak Shebach	by Chaim Shebach (Cambridge, England)	504
R' Moshe-Yudl – The Village Tailor	by Ozer Shebach (Argentina)	506
The Gravedigger of the Little Shtetl	by Chaim Shebach (Argentina)	508
Shtetl Childhood The Misfortune, On the Poter, Our Uncle, In Traffic from Schedule, Even the Military Years, My Voyage to Father	by Shmuel-David Levin (New York)	510
The Good Advice of my Father	by Chaim Lev (Boston)	515
The Wedding in the Hospital		518
To the Memory of Seven Friends	by Yehuda Borovsky	522
The Late Meir Borovsky		522
The Late Shimon Lonsky		523
The Late Yoel Godes		524
The Late Shraga-Feivel Godes		525
The Late Shraga Borovsky		526
The Late Shimon Domashevitzky		527
The Form of the Organization and Instructors of the Young Women		528
In Memory of the Family of Leiby (Aryeh) and Chaya-Zelda Borovsky		530
The Fight for an Eight-Hour Workday Cultural Activity, The Student has his Oynsgelozt, Even the Military	by Chaim Rozhansky (Argentina)	533
The Beteir Movement in Mosti by Zalman Kaplan		535
The Late Chaya-Leah Levin by Rabbi Abraham Egel		536
Letter from Moshe-Reuben, Malka, and Zeidl Shebach–November 13, 1936		537

The Destruction and Heroism

With the Partisans	by Freda Varshavsky	541
Jewish Partisan The Russians are Coming, 22 June 1941, My Wandering Continues, An Encounter with Two Germans, The First "Aktion", My Search for a Hideout, Even Gerodft Jews, Out of The Fresh Graves, In the Forest, The First Arms, Combat with the Germans, Families in the Forest, The Big Oblovy, Anti-Semitism on the Part of the Russian Partisans, General Maier Kapostin, An Army Truly, Back in Piesk, Back in the Sector, Ve a Foter	by Israel Lev	544
The Fateful Year 1939, In Two Captivities, The Short Military, Soviet Order, Refugees in Piesk, 22 June 1941, The First Days with the Germans, The First Partisans, Surrounding the Ghetto, In Volkovysk Prison, Captivity Because of Escape, My Escape, I Procure Jewish Food, My Encounter with Jews in the Forest, Genuine Partisans, Germans Around, An Encounter with Partisans, The Best Comrades Die, The Last Jews in Piesk, My Sworn Revenge, In Piesk after the War, Out of the Cemetery	by Shimon Varshavsky	556
A Trick to Live for Misery and Fear – From a Remnant and Refugee from the Horrific Shoah In Military and in War, The Russian Occupation, The German Assault, A Ghetto in Piesk, A Scent of Death, The Chevra-Kedisha, My Wandering in the Forest, Persecution From the Germans, Becoming a Partisan, Alone in the Woods, The Jewish Forest, Again Passed Between Partisans, Arrest via the Russian, Exiled without Kolima, Set as Cook, We were Liberated, Back in Piesk, Thanks to a Russian Family, Arrival in Israel	by Meir Rakhkin	575
Martyrology-Necrology		591
List of photographs

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