Memorial book of Suvalk

Memorial Book of Suvalk
(Suwałki, Poland)

54°06' / 22°56'

Translation of
Yisker Bukh Suvalk

Editor: Berl Kagan

Published in New York, 1961

Our sincere appreciation to Arthur S. Leonard, President,
Independent Suwalk & Vicinity Benevolent Association for permission
to put this material on the JewishGen web site.
Translations by Dr. Ida Selavan Schwarcz, unless otherwise noted,
and text retyped by Genia Hollander, unless otherwise noted.

We wish to thank Larry Freund for his considerable efforts
and assistance in obtaining scans of the originally typed translation.

This is a translation of: Yisker Bukh Suvalk (Memorial book of Suvalk),
Editor: Berl Kagan, New York, The Suvalk and Vicinity Relief Committee of New York, 1961 (Y, E 825 cols)

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Suwalki (1961)

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

This material is made available by JewishGen, Inc. and the Yizkor Book Project for the purpose of
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Preface 7-8

A.    The First Hundred Years

The first hundred years of Suvalk and surroundings – Berl Cohen^*

   1. How old is Suwalk? 11-19

   2. History of the Jewish settlement 19-29

   3. The economic situation 29-39

   4. Jews in agricultural settlements 39-45

   5. Emigration from Suwalk 45-60

   6. Education and culture (haskalah) 60-76

   7. Hibat Tsiyon (Love of Zion) 77-98

   8. Jewish Labor movement 97-102

   9. Institutions, societies, & community leaders 101-122

   10. Rabbis 123-196

   11. Writers 197-218

   12. Publishers 219-231

   13. Pioneers of the Yiddish & Hebrew press 231-238

   14. Press correspondents 239-240

   15. Cantors 239-243

   16. Actors 243-244

   17. Folksongs of the Suvalk region 243-250

   18. Jews and Christians once upon a time 249-251

   19. Curious Episodes 251-252

   20. Subscribers to books 252-266

   21. Bibliography 267-280

From an old journal –Eliezer Mordehai Altschuler 279-286

B.     Before and between the two World Wars

The last 40 years – Yekhezkel Berlzon 291-316

A city of active social involvement – Shmuel David Bernshteyn 315-324

In the days of the First World War – A.M. Altshuler 323-328

The progrom in Suvalk in 1914 327-332

Germans in the Talmud Torah – Eliezer Oranovsky 333-336

After the First World War – Shlomo Stutsinski 337-340

The Lithuanian Occupation – M. Shlomi-Firdman 339-342

The pogrom in 1936 – Mordekhay Zlotnitski-Zahavi 343-344

Episodes from my youth – Shmuel Sinanski-Siman 345-346

The shtetl of Ratsk – Avraham Moshe Kliman 347-348

The shtetl of Punsk – Leib Shperling, Albert Kirsh 348-350

My shtetl Baklerove – Shlomo Borowski 349-352

The shtetl Filipove – Mordekhay Pivovarski, Moshe Oshinski 351-354

C.   Institutions, Societies, Parties

Suwalk – a nest of Torah – Moshe Raziel (Rozntal) 359-362

Suwalk, city of compromise – Shmuel Shori (Shvarts) 363-366

The Yeshiva crowd in Suwalk – Rabbi Yehoash Zavoznitski 365-372

The Revolution Years – Hayim Zeligson 371-380

Suvalk institutions – Yakov Arieh Trop 379-386

Schools and Hadorim (Kheyders) – Caleb Khahovits 387-388

Hoveve Zion in our city – Hayim Zeligson 387-390

Poalei Zion in Suvalk – Leybl Hen 391-400

Zionist activities – Gedaliah Simhoni 399-403

Reminiscences of Suwalk Jews – Hannah Altshuler 403-406

Beitar – Shlomoh Riman 405-407

Suwalk “Toz” – Eliezer Sherer 407-411

Makabi – Shlomo Riman 411-420

D.    Characters

R'Binyamin and R'Mordekhay Magentsa 427-430

Portraits of scholars, community leaders, and benefactors – Rabbi Yehoash Zavoznitski 431-474

Haim Mendl Fridman – Rabbi Ahron Reuven Tsharni 473-476

Barukh Roznberg – Eliezer Perlshteyn 477-480

My family – Moshe Shlomi–Fridman 481-485

Mordekhay Shpindlman – Eliezer Perlshtyen 485-488

Hayim Koyfman – Yehudah Leyb Blekhman 487-490

Avraham Shemuel Lizshevski 489-492

Aharon Sinenski – Hava Glatshtein 491-492

Once there was… – L. Shimoni 493-504

Melamdim (Teachers) – Moshe Shelomi–Fridman 503-506

Sketches and Episodes – Yehoshua Bakhrakh 505-510

Rabbi R'Mordekhay Tsevi Ha-Levi Vaysman – A. Suwalker 510-512

Suwalk Figures – Reuven Boyarski 511-514

Bizarre happenings in Suwalk – Ben-Yisrael 513-518

The Hidden Saint – Rabbi Abraham Magentsa 517-518

Suwalk Nicknames – Zalman David Roznblum 519-524

E.     People from Suvalk in the wide world

Suvalk Relief Committee – Haim Zeligson 531-566

The first people from Suvalk in New York – Haim Zeligson 567-580

Suwalk Landsmanshaft in Israel – Avraham Koyfman 579-580

F.     Holocaust

Destruction of Suwalk – Yehezkel Berlzon 595-628

On the bloody road – Hanah Levitan-Ribald 629-632

Suwalk Jews in the Slonim Ghetto – Dr. Katriel Aylender 633-636

In the Camps of Estonia – Dr. Aharon Kreshkovski (Ker) 635-636

With Jews from Suwalk in the Death Camps – Yaakov Fraymark 637-638

Perished in Lithuania – Avraham Leyb Vays 639-640

From Arkhangelsk and Back – Shlomo Gutman 639-642

Suvalk in 1957 – Hana Altschuler 643-649

Destruction of Ratzk – Mordekhay Mishel 649-650

Suwalk is No More – Kalman Abramavits 651-654

Photographs of victims from Suwalk and environs 655-672

On the fresh grave of friend, Lazar Pearlstein – Hayim Seligson 673-674

* * *

Mourning announcements 675-788

Name index 789-814

Names of Cities 815-820

English pages 821-826

* Berl Kagan, editor of the Suwalki yizker bukh, also wrote some articles under the Hebrew name, Berl Cohen

Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page Suwalki, at Kehilalinks

Yizkor Book Director, Lance Ackerfeld
Emerita Yizkor Book Project Manager, Joyce Field z”l
This web page created byLance Ackerfeld

Preface	7-8

A. The First Hundred Years

The first hundred years of Suvalk and surroundings – Berl Cohen^*
1. How old is Suwalk?	11-19
2. History of the Jewish settlement	19-29
3. The economic situation	29-39
4. Jews in agricultural settlements	39-45
5. Emigration from Suwalk	45-60
6. Education and culture (haskalah)	60-76
7. Hibat Tsiyon (Love of Zion)	77-98
8. Jewish Labor movement	97-102
9. Institutions, societies, & community leaders	101-122
10. Rabbis	123-196
11. Writers	197-218
12. Publishers	219-231
13. Pioneers of the Yiddish & Hebrew press	231-238
14. Press correspondents	239-240
15. Cantors	239-243
16. Actors	243-244
17. Folksongs of the Suvalk region	243-250
18. Jews and Christians once upon a time	249-251
19. Curious Episodes	251-252
20. Subscribers to books	252-266
21. Bibliography	267-280
From an old journal –Eliezer Mordehai Altschuler	279-286

B. Before and between the two World Wars

The last 40 years – Yekhezkel Berlzon	291-316
A city of active social involvement – Shmuel David Bernshteyn	315-324
In the days of the First World War – A.M. Altshuler	323-328
The progrom in Suvalk in 1914	327-332
Germans in the Talmud Torah – Eliezer Oranovsky	333-336
After the First World War – Shlomo Stutsinski	337-340
The Lithuanian Occupation – M. Shlomi-Firdman	339-342
The pogrom in 1936 – Mordekhay Zlotnitski-Zahavi	343-344
Episodes from my youth – Shmuel Sinanski-Siman	345-346
The shtetl of Ratsk – Avraham Moshe Kliman	347-348
The shtetl of Punsk – Leib Shperling, Albert Kirsh	348-350
My shtetl Baklerove – Shlomo Borowski	349-352
The shtetl Filipove – Mordekhay Pivovarski, Moshe Oshinski	351-354

C. Institutions, Societies, Parties

Suwalk – a nest of Torah – Moshe Raziel (Rozntal)	359-362
Suwalk, city of compromise – Shmuel Shori (Shvarts)	363-366
The Yeshiva crowd in Suwalk – Rabbi Yehoash Zavoznitski	365-372
The Revolution Years – Hayim Zeligson	371-380
Suvalk institutions – Yakov Arieh Trop	379-386
Schools and Hadorim (Kheyders) – Caleb Khahovits	387-388
Hoveve Zion in our city – Hayim Zeligson	387-390
Poalei Zion in Suvalk – Leybl Hen	391-400
Zionist activities – Gedaliah Simhoni	399-403
Reminiscences of Suwalk Jews – Hannah Altshuler	403-406
Beitar – Shlomoh Riman	405-407
Suwalk “Toz” – Eliezer Sherer	407-411
Makabi – Shlomo Riman	411-420

D. Characters

R'Binyamin and R'Mordekhay Magentsa	427-430
Portraits of scholars, community leaders, and benefactors – Rabbi Yehoash Zavoznitski	431-474
Haim Mendl Fridman – Rabbi Ahron Reuven Tsharni	473-476
Barukh Roznberg – Eliezer Perlshteyn	477-480
My family – Moshe Shlomi–Fridman	481-485
Mordekhay Shpindlman – Eliezer Perlshtyen	485-488
Hayim Koyfman – Yehudah Leyb Blekhman	487-490
Avraham Shemuel Lizshevski	489-492
Aharon Sinenski – Hava Glatshtein	491-492
Once there was… – L. Shimoni	493-504
Melamdim (Teachers) – Moshe Shelomi–Fridman	503-506
Sketches and Episodes – Yehoshua Bakhrakh	505-510
Rabbi R'Mordekhay Tsevi Ha-Levi Vaysman – A. Suwalker	510-512
Suwalk Figures – Reuven Boyarski	511-514
Bizarre happenings in Suwalk – Ben-Yisrael	513-518
The Hidden Saint – Rabbi Abraham Magentsa	517-518
Suwalk Nicknames – Zalman David Roznblum	519-524

E. People from Suvalk in the wide world

Suvalk Relief Committee – Haim Zeligson	531-566
The first people from Suvalk in New York – Haim Zeligson	567-580
Suwalk Landsmanshaft in Israel – Avraham Koyfman	579-580

F. Holocaust

Destruction of Suwalk – Yehezkel Berlzon	595-628
On the bloody road – Hanah Levitan-Ribald	629-632
Suwalk Jews in the Slonim Ghetto – Dr. Katriel Aylender	633-636
In the Camps of Estonia – Dr. Aharon Kreshkovski (Ker)	635-636
With Jews from Suwalk in the Death Camps – Yaakov Fraymark	637-638
Perished in Lithuania – Avraham Leyb Vays	639-640
From Arkhangelsk and Back – Shlomo Gutman	639-642
Suvalk in 1957 – Hana Altschuler	643-649
Destruction of Ratzk – Mordekhay Mishel	649-650
Suwalk is No More – Kalman Abramavits	651-654
Photographs of victims from Suwalk and environs	655-672
On the fresh grave of friend, Lazar Pearlstein – Hayim Seligson	673-674

*** * ***

Mourning announcements	675-788
Name index	789-814
Names of Cities	815-820
English pages	821-826

* Berl Kagan, editor of the Suwalki yizker bukh, also wrote some articles under the Hebrew name, Berl Cohen