Skala Podolskaya, Ukraine

Memorial Book of Skala
(Skala Podolskaya, Ukraine)

48°51' / 26°12'

Translation of
Sefer Skala

Editor: Max Mermelstein

Published in New York-Tel Aviv 1978

Our sincere appreciation to Yad Vashem
for the submission of the necrology for placement on the JewishGen web site.

This is a translation of: Sefer Skala (Memorial book of Skala),
Editor: Max Mermelstein, Skala Benevolent Society, Published: New York-Tel Aviv 1978 (H,Y,E 359 pages)

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Skala-Podilska

A complete translation of this book can also be found at the NY Public Library site:
Skala-Podilska (2009) which was kindly donated by Tony Hausner

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.
This material may not be copied, sold or bartered without JewishGen, Inc.'s permission. Rights may be reserved by the copyright holder.

JewishGen, Inc. makes no representations regarding the accuracy of the translation. The reader may wish to refer to the original material for verification.
JewishGen is not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in the original work and cannot rewrite or edit the text to correct inaccuracies and/or omissions.
Our mission is to produce a translation of the original work and we cannot verify the accuracy of statements or alter facts cited.

Table of Contents

TOC translated by Gloria Berkenstat Freund (Yiddish) and Shalom Bronstein (Hebrew)

Introductory Words Maks Mermelsztajn (Wajdenfeld)

I Chapters in the History of Skala

History of Jewish Skala Gdalia Lakhman 3

Skala at the Zbrucz River Ben-Tzion Fiderer 26

II The Holocaust

The Way Skala Was Laid Waste & Destroyed Gdalia Lakhman 49

These I Remember & I Pour Out My Soul for Them Chaim Bretler 73

Memories from the Forest Maks Mermelsztajn (Shlomo Wajdenfeld's son) 93

Chapters from the Diary Sosya Cymerman (Gotesfeld) 112

Janowski the Lemberger Extermination Camp Avraham Brandes-Tratowski 124

Humor from the Dark Days Chaim Bretler 130

How We Saved the Torah Scrolls of Skala Ester Yegendorf-Herzog 133

Our Remnants after the Liberation Chaim Bretler 135

List of Skala residents who survived the Holocaust and their newly acquired residences 143

The Survivors (a poem) Chaim Grade 147

One Night in the Soviet Prison Esther Boner-Gelbart 148

At the Trials of the Nazi Murderers in Germany Chaim Bretler 150

III Memories and Experiences

Paragraphs from the Journal of Memories Chaim (Moniu) Fiderer 161

Skala - My Town Dvorya (Dora) Zandberg 172

The Last Leaders of the Skala Community - My Father Moti Vidberg z”l Bruria Szbrutzboch 186

Yisrael-Leib Freifelder z”l Yakov Herzog 189

R' Hayim Roiz z”l, The Respected Teacher Ester Boner-Gelbart 190

A Judgment from The Skaler Rebbe B. Resler 193

The Pioneering Group “Hehalutz” in Skala Moshe Bisn 198

Theater in Skala and the Founding of the Jewish Library Yakov Herzog 201

Folklore and Humor in the Life of the Skaler Youth Gdalia Lakhman 204

The Stone of Shlomo Lemberg Ester Boner-Gelbart 209

At the Mill Fradl Sztok 211

The Land Bishop Fradl Sztok 216

At the Post Office in Skala Khona Gotesfeld 223

Skala Figures from the Past Chaim Bretler 229

Reb Itsikl Iwankawer the Estate Lessee Becomes a Minter of Money Lou Menszel 242

The Non-Jewish School and My Father's Shtreiml [fur hat worn by Hasidic men] Yakov Wizental 243

Three Figures from the Past Ben-Tzion Fiderer 245

A Gas Lamp and a Kerosene Lamp Yakov Herzog 247

The Great Aliyah l'Torah [being called up to read from the Torah] in Skala 249

A Folk Song 252

The Skaler Supporters Union in New York Yakov Herzog 256

English Section

Foreword Max Mermelstein (Weidenfeld)

The History of Skala Gedalia Lachman 1

The Destruction of Skala Gedalia Lachman 22

Document - Crimes perpetrated by the German-Fascist
occupiers and their collaborators 48

List of Martyrs - Skala residents who perished
during the Holocaust years 1941-1945 55

Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page Skala, at KehilaLinks

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

Introductory Words	Maks Mermelsztajn (Wajdenfeld)

I Chapters in the History of Skala
History of Jewish Skala	Gdalia Lakhman	3
Skala at the Zbrucz River	Ben-Tzion Fiderer	26

II The Holocaust
The Way Skala Was Laid Waste & Destroyed	Gdalia Lakhman	49
These I Remember & I Pour Out My Soul for Them	Chaim Bretler	73
Memories from the Forest	Maks Mermelsztajn (Shlomo Wajdenfeld's son)	93
Chapters from the Diary	Sosya Cymerman (Gotesfeld)	112
Janowski the Lemberger Extermination Camp	Avraham Brandes-Tratowski	124
Humor from the Dark Days	Chaim Bretler	130
How We Saved the Torah Scrolls of Skala	Ester Yegendorf-Herzog	133
Our Remnants after the Liberation	Chaim Bretler	135
List of Skala residents who survived the Holocaust and their newly acquired residences		143
The Survivors (a poem)	Chaim Grade	147
One Night in the Soviet Prison	Esther Boner-Gelbart	148
At the Trials of the Nazi Murderers in Germany	Chaim Bretler	150

III Memories and Experiences
Paragraphs from the Journal of Memories	Chaim (Moniu) Fiderer	161
Skala - My Town	Dvorya (Dora) Zandberg	172
The Last Leaders of the Skala Community - My Father Moti Vidberg z”l	Bruria Szbrutzboch	186
Yisrael-Leib Freifelder z”l	Yakov Herzog	189
R' Hayim Roiz z”l, The Respected Teacher	Ester Boner-Gelbart	190
A Judgment from The Skaler Rebbe	B. Resler	193
The Pioneering Group “Hehalutz” in Skala	Moshe Bisn	198
Theater in Skala and the Founding of the Jewish Library	Yakov Herzog	201
Folklore and Humor in the Life of the Skaler Youth	Gdalia Lakhman	204
The Stone of Shlomo Lemberg	Ester Boner-Gelbart	209
At the Mill	Fradl Sztok	211
The Land Bishop	Fradl Sztok	216
At the Post Office in Skala	Khona Gotesfeld	223
Skala Figures from the Past	Chaim Bretler	229
Reb Itsikl Iwankawer the Estate Lessee Becomes a Minter of Money	Lou Menszel	242
The Non-Jewish School and My Father's Shtreiml [fur hat worn by Hasidic men]	Yakov Wizental	243
Three Figures from the Past	Ben-Tzion Fiderer	245
A Gas Lamp and a Kerosene Lamp	Yakov Herzog	247
The Great Aliyah l'Torah [being called up to read from the Torah] in Skala		249
A Folk Song		252
The Skaler Supporters Union in New York	Yakov Herzog	256

Foreword	Max Mermelstein (Weidenfeld)
The History of Skala	Gedalia Lachman	1
The Destruction of Skala	Gedalia Lachman	22
Document - Crimes perpetrated by the German-Fascist occupiers and their collaborators		48
List of Martyrs - Skala residents who perished during the Holocaust years 1941-1945		55