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He was a tall Jew with yellow hair and a beard. He was a strong man. He earned his livelihood through the needle. He would travel through the nearby villages all week long and sew the clothing and garments of the farmers. He was like Ephraim the Tailor in David Frishman's story “The Sambatyon.” However, Frishman's Ephraim was one of the lamed vovniks^[1]. He sewed during the day and studied Torah during the night without anyone knowing, for he was discreet about it like all the hidden lamed vovniks. Our Eli HaKohen, however, was not among the hidden ones. On the contrary, he showed his face and essence on every occasion and opportunity as he pursued the cantorial arts. Some sort of a demon possessed him to serve as the prayer leader in the synagogue. He had his desire for the amud [prayer leader's podium] and the congregation was against him (his voice was not particularly pleasant, and his Hebrew pronunciation was not especially fine.) There was always a battle between Reb Eli and the congregation. In order to make him bitter, they would not honor him with the first aliya, which should have been his right as a Kohen, and they would call up a Levi instead of a Kohen^[2]. This enraged him greatly. However, Reb Eli took the initiative and found an occasion to protest for his rights. During the Priestly Blessing on festivals, he would deviate from the accepted Hassidic custom in the synagogue and would elongate the melody once or twice, as he repeated the words after the cantor, in the manner of the Misnagdim. This would enrage the zealous Hassidim, especially Reb Yaakov Zingerman. He would rejoice in the synagogue on the festivals. On the Sabbath before the end of the day, prior to the Maariv service, he would recite the entire Ashrei Temimei Derech, Psalm 119, by heart^[3]. He would treat this like an offering on the altar by a Kohen.

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He was very proud that he had a female relative in the Land of Israel, and that he would exchange letters with her. Who wrote his letters – this was his secret. However, he would request that one of the maskilim [followers of the Haskalah [Enlightenment] movement] of the city inscribe the address for him, and he would bless the writer heartily, “May you have a long life.”

There were two brothers. One, Shlomo Chaim, was one of the snatched people^[4]. He was proud that he maintained his Jewishness throughout all the difficult tribulations that he experienced. Like all the snatched ones in those days, he loved to talk about his experiences. He would still march a soldier's march, strong and proper, left, right, left right, even when he reached old age. He was a scholar. He participated in the study of Mishnah with the rabbi between Mincha and Maariv.

His brother Leizer was also among those who studied. He was a modest, quiet man, G-d fearing in private and in public. He acted in a miserly fashion at his table, even though he was not all that poor. He sold textiles to the farmers, and his children were together with him. Avrahamel's two children were saved from the slaughter in the village and were part of the partisan army. The partisan Michael Nosanchuk met them there.

He was a whitewasher, and also made ovens and cleaned chimneys. At times he was white as snow, and at other times as black as a raven. He would instill fear in young children, but he also knew how to joke with children and make them happy. He excelled especially in Purim games. He would dress up as a Cossack. He would wear a Cossack hat on his head, have a Cossack sword on his side, and instill fear and trepidation to those around him, but within a moment he would start to sing and dance, run about and joke, bringing boundless joy.

We would gather around Grandfather's table for the Purim feast. However, it wasn't Grandfather's radiant face, Grandmother's pleasant eyes, not these that caught our heart and filled it with joy and the gladness of the holiday, not even the strong song in which we children took the main part – it was not all this, but rather the appearance of Moshe Kotsh with the Purim players – that was the main thing on the holiday. We waited for him impatiently and with longing all evening. To our great dismay, he would come to Grandfather's house very late, apparently at the end of his making the rounds to all the houses of the villages. When he appeared, we children went out of our minds with great joy and mirth at the appearance of the players, and especially of Moshe himself. This was Moshe Kotsh, who was poor and indigent all the days of the year.

We will also remember “positively” his wife Chaya. This Chaya was literally “an animal”^[5], or even worse than that. She was like a stork standing on the top of the roof and chattering toward the sky with her beak pointed upward; or more accurately, like a frog croaking incessantly from evening to morning in the heart of the bogs. That is how that would go out to the middle of the street – their house was isolated next to the field – and send forth “blessings” without end or without bound. She would utter curses atop curses, each more terrible and frightful than the next. Upon whose head were her blessings cast? On the head of her husband? Her children? Her enemies? Nobody wanted to hear. If one heard them, the hair would stand on end and the heart would be overcome by horror. Everyone escaped and avoided her so that a trace of her “golden tongue” would not reach their ears. Even the gentile farmer women would be afraid of coming too close to her so as not to be hurt by the flames of fire bursting forth from the mouth of that frightful woman standing in the middle of the street and casting “her blessings” into the air of the village…

He was a short Jew, who worshipped G-d with a full heart and soul. His place in the synagogue was behind the bima, and he never made his voice heard in prayer in the manner of the Jews at prayer. Nobody even heard the voice of his speech. He was a taciturn person of the family of “Bontshe Schweig [Bontshe the Silent]” of Y. L. Peretz.

Both of them earned renown and a unique history. Speech came to them in another place in this book,

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(in the chapter “Aliya to the Land of Israel”). They did not have money for a train or ship ticket. They reached the port city of Odessa on foot, and they traveled to the Land of Israel on a rickety boat.

He was called by the name of his wife, like Peretz's Mendel Breina's. He was a modest man who avoided publicity, and she was a talkative woman with lots of energy, pleasant with other people and loved by the women. He was a carpenter by trade. He was graced with a special talent, and that is how he obtained his renown. He would serve as the prayer leader in the synagogue on festival nights. He would place his hand behind his ear, stamp his foot, and begin Barchu^[6]. The entire place was filled with light. The congregation followed after him with holy devotion. Yossel's Maariv service was a great experience for the worshippers. The entire congregation joined in his devotion, and reached the sublimity of the soul and Hassidic enthusiasm that cannot be described in human language. The experience was especially great in the women's section. Even they, or especially they, were affected by Yossel's sweet voice. They would return home full of amazement from this prayer service. They say repeatedly: “He is a Jewish craftsman with a harp in his throat. Wonder of wonders, from where did he get this?” When children wanted to imitate the voice of a cantor in the synagogue, they would only imitate Yossel. His voice penetrated everyone's hearts deeply.

This Jew had an angry face. He was like the heaviness and hardness of the iron that he hammered with his heavy hammers every day. He was very exacting, and this too was from his trade. He also understood the “black dots” and had some knowledge of medicine. He would utter incantations for the “evil eye.” He would peer into the throat of someone in pain, and he knew how to calm the sick person with his words. He also owned a thermometer, the only thermometer in the village. From whom did he learn the art of medicine? Perhaps from his neighbor, the goodhearted Vyncus the medic, who lived in the village for many years and worked as the director of the government liquor monopoly. That Polish gentile loved Jews, and his hand was outstretched to help anyone who turned to him in the event of illness.

Baruch Yeshayahu was one of the Misnagdim, even though the accepted prayer rite in the synagogue was Nusach Sephard^[7]. There were years when he and his friends organized an early minyan on Sabbaths. It was said about him that his face was raging from his anger toward the Hassidim whom his soul hated. However, how joyous was his appearance, and how changed was his spirit when the Hassidim in the synagogue would begin to sing Vayeetayu and Hayom Harat Olam^[8], or Ki Anu Amecha on Yom Kippur.

During such moments, not only did he not object to the melodies during the services, but he encouraged the musically inclined youth to ascend the bima and sing together with the congregation.

He belonged to the group that studied Mishnah together with the rabbi between Mincha and Maariv. He was an expert in religious questions and answers, second only to the rabbi.

He was a Jew with a fine appearance and a solid build. His beard was black and splendid, and his entire appearance exuded nobility and splendor. He was upright in his ways. Anyone who ordered shoes from him (ready-made shoes did not yet exist) was certain that the work would be done faithfully and with full diligence, for his work was a holy task, and the words of his mouth were more precious than gold. The youth in the village would be effusive in their praise of that craftsman, more so than the rabbi of the city, and certainly more than many of the wealthy, well-pedigreed Jews. In short: he was one of the Jews of Y. L. Peretz.

He was a Jew who was honest with his G-d and his work. He loved work (he was a lumber worker.) The idlers would say about him that if he were asked, “Reb Mendel, how are you?” He would respond, “I have the energy, but I am lacking wood and beams.”

He was killed by a bullet from the Balachowiczes, may their names be blotted out, in the middle of the day of Simchat Torah, as he was defending with his own body the honor of a Jewish girl. May G-d avenge his blood.

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J. Aunt Devora

Jews and gentiles alike both called her Aunt Devora. She possessed the gift of words. She would pray every day, and she served as the prayer leader in the women's section. When wicks were placed in the candles for Yom Kippur, she would arrange the prayers and petitions for each wick, in accordance with the traits of the deceased man or woman.

On the eve of Passover, her house turned into a matzo bakery. She kneaded the dough. She instilled fear upon the women who were rolling the dough, telling them to wash their hands after every three matzos. She was especially meticulous during the baking of the matzo shmura. She was also a “medic” to the many ill people who turned to her.

Most of the residents of Rubel earned their livelihoods from manual labor. Even the merchants were upright individuals, and there was not even the hint of suspicion that they were using dishonest weights and measures, and the like.

Who can imagine your pain and agony, Rubel? Who can describe what happened to its residents during the times of murder and the Holocaust.

May the memory of your martyrs be blessed forever.

Jerusalem, Holocaust and the Ghetto Uprising Memorial Day, 5711 [1951]

1. According to Jewish mythology, there are 36 [numerically: lamed vov] hidden righteous people in every generation. Return
2. The formula used to call up the first aliya when a Kohen is not present. Return
3. This is the longest chapter of the book of Psalms, with an eightfold acrostic. Such a recitation would take a fair amount of time. Return
4. Chatufim [snatched ones] is the term used for those Jews forcibly conscripted to lengthy army service in Russia. Return
5. The Hebrew word chaya means a living creature, generally and animal as opposed to a human. Return
6. The opening word of the festival evening service. Return
7. The prayer rite used by those with a Hassidic background. Return
8. Vayeetayu is part of the Musaf service on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and Hayom Harat Olam is recited following the blowing of the shofar during the Musaf service on Rosh Hashanah. Return
9. The letter Zayin (which would correspond to G) is skipped in the original. Return

Uncaptioned. Mordechai Nosanchuk and his wife.

He was a simple Jew, a builder who succeeded at his business, and an honorable householder in his community. He devoted all of his free time to communal work.

That Jew, portly and with difficulty breathing, would run from one end of the town to the other (a distance of two kilometers) collecting coins. He would call a meeting of parents (even though he himself no longer had children in school), sometimes standing alone at the event, and present contracts of obligation to the teachers, mostly signed by himself, to ensure that the classes would not stop and that the school would exist. No matter what, one would be full of reverence and honor for this purehearted Jew. When something had to be worked out, either with the authorities

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in Stolin, or, on the other hand, with the local rabbi who sometimes complained that the studies in the school were too much in Hebrew… that Jew would spring into action and engage others. He did not rest or quiet down until the matters were settled, and the work of the school was not interrupted, Heaven forbid.

With regard to helping relatives, his wife Sara Leah, may G-d avenge her blood, was as active as he was. If a girl from near or far reached marriageable age, the husband and wife would offer help with a wide heart and an open hand, as they would provide a fine, good arrangement for the bride, without even being asked. They perished in the Stolin Ghetto along with the entire community on the eve of Rosh Hashanah 1942. Their son Michael (today in the United States) who was hidden and survived and was among the partisans, tells about their many days in the ghetto and their final days. His words are included in Davar from October 14, 1946, and in our book.

He was a good friend. He played an active role in all areas of communal work in the village.

He always fulfilled the tasks he was given: whether it was the emptying of the Keren Kayemet [Jewish National Fund] boxes, setting up a stage for a performance, the income of which would be dedicated to the benefit of the local Tarbut school or for the benefit of the local library. He was always prepared to stop his work from which he earned a living so as to respond to the task that he was given.

His brother Feivel is in the Land, but Yaakov was too late and did not come. He perished with his family in an untimely fashion. May his memory be blessed.

He was a Jew who feared sin, was dedicated to his G-d, was careful about the easy and difficult commandments, and was happy to fulfil any good deed when the opportunity arose. Every Maggid [itinerate preacher] and emissary who would come to the village, or even just a regular Jew in need, would be brought to all the Jewish houses of the village by Noach Leib to collect money. If there was a need to raise money for the Keren Kayemet or for any communal matter, this person was prepared to respond immediately.

Uncaptioned. Noach Leib Zezik and his family.

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A poor person never left his home hungry. His wife Alta knew in which manner and with what to feed hungry people, for they themselves knew the soul of a poor person. When they sat around the table on the Sabbath (and there as not always wine for kiddush!)^[1] he would elongate the hymns in honor of the Sabbath until he fell asleep at the table.

Their children traveled to Argentina. Only their oldest son Baruch, known to us as Bucha, remained with them. He was a good friend and a dedicated Zionist. He got sick and died, leaving behind a widow and three orphans, who remained with the grandparents until they were murdered.

May their memories be a blessing.

1. Aharon Lifshitz

He was a resolute, faithful Zionist, a political man who knew how to debate about G-d, his Messiah, and their separation. He was a maskil [a follower of the Haskalah [Enlightenment] movement], a nationalist in heart and soul, who loved to peruse newspapers and Hebrew books. He taught his children beyond his capabilities, with his wife Tzipora assisting him. They sent their four daughters to the Land, and they themselves waited, waited more, and were too late to conclude their accounting with the gentiles in the city before they were murdered by Hitler's soldiers, may their names be blotted out.

May their souls be bound in the bonds of eternal life.

Uncaptioned. Shalom Durchin.

May his memory be a blessing.

His mother Basha-Batya should also be remembered positively. She had a brave soul similar to Bruria, the wife of Rabbi Meir^[3], who comforted him on the loss of their two sons on a single Sabbath: G-d has given and G-d has taken. When her dear, most beloved son Aharon Hershel, a precious, pleasant lad, was murdered on Simchat Torah by the Balachowiczes, may their names be blotted out, in the anteroom of the synagogue – she accepted the tragedy with wondrous bravery. She buried her very deep sorrow in her heart. However, her heart did not persevere for a long time. A year did not pass before she returned her pure soul to G-d.

He was a wise Jew and a great joker. He always appeared with his jokes, even when the situation was dire, and he did not have the ability to sustain his large family of nine children. His sharp witticisms were transmitted from mouth to mouth. His appearance and expressions on his face always aroused healthy laughter. He had some of the traits of Sholem Aleichem's Tevye the Milkman. He was a Jew “to whom it did not matter.” He was always “I will rejoice and be happy.” His income was meager. Even the gentiles liked him very much. They would say “Jaka Sana Kasza” which means “as Sunya says.” He was among the last to remain when many left the village and moved to nearby towns. With his large family and meager belongings, he could not arrange things for himself in a different place. He perished with his entire family, and not a trace remains.

May his soul be bound in the bonds of eternal life.

1. If one does not have wine for the Sabbath, either by chance or because one cannot afford it, one is allowed to recite Kiddush over the challahs. Return
2. On their final journey out of town. Return
3. A Talmudic sage. Return

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It was a summer night, and quiet around. We children were already lying in bed. A voice from across the river called out “Leibe, Podvy from!” (Leib, cross the crossing). At times, the call was directed at us, “O, shov tovi, zdorovya, podvy from!”… (By your life, cross the crossing).

The call repeated over and over again.

Alta and Noach-Leib were our close and best neighbors. We considered their home like ours. On winter nights, we would sit in their house at a late hour together with mother. Mother knitted, Alta plucked feathers and we children helped her. The house was full of farmers who were smoking and telling stories. Reb Noach-Leib would be perusing a book at the table. He did not take part in the mundane discussions. He was immersed in his own world. Alta told many stories, and how wonderful were her stories! We did not pay attention to the tobacco smoke or the steam from the oven, until my sister Meril gave the signal. She was the first to faint.

It was the Sabbath eve. The house was clean and shiny. We had bathed and were wearing our Sabbath clothes. Father appeared in the wagon hitched to two horses that he drove. He came only for a short while. He had to return the wagon. This was during the time that he taught in the Karlin House in Bobruisk. We accompanied him in the wagon when it was time to return. I wanted to travel with him. Mother admonished me, but it was to no avail – I was stubborn, and I did not get off the wagon. It seemed that father accepted this unwillingly. The journey was wonderful. Father prodded the horses, told jokes, and talked to me the entire way.

It was Lag B'Omer. A group of children, my sister Leah and I among them, went out to a hike on the other side of the river. We gathered berries. We returned in the evening. The crossing was full of people. The gentile women were chatting with each other. As we were holding on to the rope to do the crossing, I also placed my hand on the rope and pulled with all my strength. I was at the edge of the crossing. Suddenly, the ground shifted under my feet. I was over the water, holding onto the rope with both of my hands, and the crossing [i.e. the main group holding onto the rope] disappeared – it moved forward from me. The rope was dropping lower and lower, and the danger was approaching. Then, one of the farmer women noticed me. The gentile women began to make the sign of the cross, and with all the noise, the crossing returned and approached me. I was saved. Mother was quite shaken up, and did not calm down until they brought a lachshan^[1] to recite an incantation for fears.

In the Russian public school, I was introverted, quiet, and afraid. Even the route to the school was full of scary things, shkotzim [a derogatory term for gentiles], dogs, and especially spirits and ghosts.

It was the first day in cheder. Chaim Baruch was my teacher. He was full of amazement, for he taught me the entire Torah on one foot [i.e. she absorbed the lessons quickly]. It was the first day of my Hebrew studies, and I could already read. Mother appeared, and he stressed my knowledge to her. A mishap occurred, and I made a mistake. He scolded me, “Goya!” [gentile].

I reached the book of Bereishit [Genesis]. My cousin Miriam Henie's, an older girl, teased me as a young girl. “Vayitrotzetzu – in s'hobn zich geshtoisn, Habanim – di kinder, bekirba – in der boich.”^[2] She passed by the cheder and heard my studies.

Father taught me. I was the only girl in a large group of boys. My best friend was Velvel Leibe's. We reviewed our lessons together in Reb Leib Durchin's home. Reb Leib Durchin regarded our diligence positively, and he confirmed this by reciting a verse, as was his custom: “Two are better than one!”^[3]

It was April 1. Mother stood next to the oven with enthusiasm. Suddenly the kitchen door opened, and the frightened voice of our neighbor Sobistinya was heard. “Chavanku, the Jewish children are drowning!” Mother ran to the river in a panic. This was an April 1 prank. Mother immediately took to her bed feeling ill, and I decided to take revenge. In the evening, I came to Sobistinya and informed her that Lipa Durchin had brought the mail, and there was a letter for them as well. She asked, “Is the address printed?” “Yes,” I responded with certainty. The letter was addressed, however, to her daughter Yelena. She put on her boots and walked to Lipa Durchin's house at the edge of the village

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to get her letter. Apparently, they figured out what was going on, and sent her to Mordechai Nosanchuk at the other end of the village. I saw her returning after she had crossed the village from one end to the other, wandering about in the mud of Passover eve. “Wait, wait until next year, I will put you in your place,” she threatened me.

I had nightmares that night: a tapestry of terrifying images, including Sobistincha chasing me with a long stick in her hand.

I was reading. It was very sad. I was crying. Is this not “Baruch of Mayence?”^[4] Father was sitting next to me. He was describing that era in a graphic fashion. I was choking on my tears. The teacher Buchkin appeared, “What happened?”

Father was proud of me. They were discussing among themselves: disturbances, anti-Semitism, etc. I heard. I was living through the terrifying stories, but knowing for certain in my heart that none of this makes sense, “Can people in our times do such deeds?”

I was an independent teacher. I had my own cheder. I was only twelve years old. Can this be believed? I have a group of girls of my own age, some much taller than I. Some would cause disturbances. I especially remember Dinaka Chana's who wore down my patience.

It was the Sabbath evening. Father had come home for the Sabbath. He was a teacher in Horodok. At that time, my brother Hershel was among my students. Father and Mother were whispering, and were effusive in my praise: Hershel is very successful in his studies.

Mother had difficulty giving birth. I was in the synagogue, standing on a chair next to the holy ark, feeling Father's beard above my head. I heard the voice of the rebbetzin near us. She was comforting Father, “This will be a son, do not worry!” Ada was born on the eve of Passover before the Seder. Uhpeh Yitzkis was the midwife. “Uhpeh is a great expert. She did well with the physicians in Kiev. There in Kiev, they did not worry about a child.” Then mother had a stillbirth.

I accompanied Ada to Uhpeh. Every year at Passover, we would bring her matzos and wine, a gift from the granddaughter.

I traveled to Dubrowna to study in the house of my uncle. I again sensed Father's beard above me. He kissed me. This was his last kiss. I never saw him again.

Years passed. I returned home excited for the meeting with my parents and the children. The wagon entered the village. That was the village, unchanged. Only the streets seemed smaller to me, and the distance from one end to the other seemed much smaller than that which was etched in my memory. We reached the home. I entered the dining room. That was again the cheder, and Father was at the head of the table. I ran to greet him, and suddenly stopped. “That is not Father!” It was Aharon the melamed. It was silent around. They were looking at me. I was astonished. The door to the hallway opened. “Mother!” She had changed greatly; she was unrecognizably thin.

Slowly I found out everything. At that time, I found out about the disturbances that fate had kept from me in their time. Our village gave up five victims. Father was the last one.

Had Father stayed in Siman's barn for only a few more minutes – he would have been saved… How did Siman bang his head against the wall: “Murderers! He succeeded in hiding him for six days. The Balachowiczes had already left the village. The last two were already on the bridge, approaching the other side of the river. They returned, saw Father, and entered the house…”

He should have gone up to the roof. Leah sent me.

“Why specifically me, you go up.”

“You go,” Mother whispered to me, “It is hard for her.”

“Yes, it happened there on the roof.”

I traveled to Canada. There was a banquet. I bid farewell to my friends. In the morning, I was already on the carriage. Mother accompanied me to the train. My parting from Alta was difficult. I wept bitterly, and Uhpeh was also among those who accompanied me. I was very agonized that I did not kiss her as I did the Jewish neighbors. After some time, Mother and the children

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left Rubel. We continued to exchange letters with Alta, Noach-Leib and their son Baruch. We sent them money to erect a monument over Father's grave.

Dear Alta and Noach-Leib, pure, fine people, where is your gravestone?! The love of the entire village did not stand for you when the destruction came!

Tel Aviv, March 21, 1953

1. A difficult word to translate. In modern Hebrew, it refers to a prompter at a theatrical performance. Here it refers to an individual who recites incantations (Kabbalistic or simply superstitious) for various situations. Return
2. This is the Hebrew to Yiddish translation of Genesis 25:22 (and the children struggled within her – referring to Rebecca's pregnancy). The common teaching method in cheders involved reading Biblical verses word by word, with a Yiddish translation following each word. Return
3. Kohelet [Ecclesiastes] 4:8. Return
4. A Yiddish poem by Tchernichovsky. Return

Rubel had eighty Jewish families, comprising approximately five hundred individuals. Most were tradesmen: smiths, carpenters, builders, tailors, and shoemakers. There were six shopkeepers and three peddlers. The Jews earned their livelihoods in an ample fashion. Then pillage suddenly came. Already on the intermediate days of Sukkot, news reached us about the deeds and murderous activities of the Balachowiczes. We were astounded, but we hoped that we would be saved from them. The Balachowiczes arrived in our village on Shemini Atzeret. They began to make the rounds through the houses, and ordered the Jews to gather in the yard of the Christian school. Approximately forty Jews gathered there. The Balachowiczes transported the Jews across the river, where they announced that the Jews of the village must give them a sum of 200,000 rubles as a punishment, and that they were hostages and prisoners until the money would be brought. They chose five Jews from among the hostages to go and collect that sum. The murderers said that if they give them the money, no harm will befall the Jews. The Jews collected 180,000 rubles and brought it to them. The pillagers took the money, removed the good boots from the Jews, and left. The Jews thought that the danger had passed, and they returned to being calm for a bit.

The following afternoon, news spread through the village that another band of Balachowiczes was approaching. Some hurried to escape to the forest or to hide in the houses of the farmers, while the brave ones remained in the village. Within a short time, thirteen Balachowiczes entered the village. One of them said that he was a legionnaire. They shot in the air several times as they entered, and announced that the Jews must gather in the large Beis Midrash. The Balachowiczes invaded the village and urged the Jews to go to the gathering. They mistreated the Jews along the way. They ordered Rabbi Moshe Chaim Hechtman to dance in the street, and they killed Mendel Nosanchuk, an elderly, sixty-year-old man. Fear and trepidation fell upon the Jews. They began to flee from the village. Approximately fifty Jews gathered in the Beis Midrash. The legionnaire demanded that they give him 200,000 rubles. The Jews claimed that it was impossible to collect such a hefty sum. Then, the legionnaire recorded the names of those gathered in the Beis Midrash, and listed on the side the sum of money that each one must give. From one of them, Aharon Tzvi Durchin, thirty years old, he demanded 10,000 rubles. Aharon Tzvi responded that he cannot afford such a hefty sum. The soldiers immediately took him out to the anteroom and murdered him. Then, the legionnaire demanded 1,000 rubles from Shalom Boyer. Boyer did not have such a sum in his pocket. They murdered him as well. The legionnaire turned to Yehuda Durchin, the uncle of Aharon Tzvi who had been murdered, and demanded 50,000 rubles from him. He did not have such a sum in his pocket. The legionnaire ordered that they place a rope on his neck, take him up to the bima and hang him. The unfortunate man requested that they allow him to bid farewell to his family. They sent a soldier with him to go to his house. When the wife and daughter of the unfortunate man saw that he was in danger, they spread out through the village, pawned off everything they had to the farmers, collected 50,000 rubles, and redeemed him from death. Yisrael Nachum (one of the two who told me everything) hid in the barn of a farmer across from the synagogue, for his brother Aharon Tzvi had been murdered. He left his hiding place and went to the Beis Midrash to see what was going on. They captured him as well and demanded 3,000 rubles from him. He was forced to give that sum. Then he asked the legionnaire: “Why were you so quick to kill my brother, for he too could have redeemed himself with money.” The legionnaire responded that he could not wait long. The Balachowiczes volunteered for the war so that they could gather wealth, and if they did not kill the Jews, they would not give anything. The rest of the Jews who were in the Beis Midrash redeemed themselves with the sums that the legionnaire had designated for them. All of those who gave money received a receipt from

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the legionnaire with his signature (his name was Kaplinsky), as a certificate that it was forbidden to hurt them. Then, the legionnaire went with his deputy Smirnov and the Poruchik [lieutenant] Andreyev, accompanied by soldiers, to the house of Yehuda Durchin, who had redeemed himself with 50,000 rubles, and made themselves a sumptuous meal there. As they were eating, the legionnaire said that the money they had collected was very meager, and that 200,000 more must be collected for him. He demanded that he be given a list of all the wealthy Jews of the village. The head of the house responded that he could not give such a list. The legionnaire turned to the soldiers and said, “Make the rounds to the houses of the Jews and, for anyone who does not have a receipt that he paid the fine, pillage everything he has and kill him.” The people in the house bowed down before the murderer, kissed his hands, and begged for mercy. Then he said that he was leaving now with his soldiers, and that he would return at noon the next day. The Jews have until that time to collect another 50,000 rubles for him. He added that he would also accept Polish marks, American dollars, and thousand-ruble notes. He would accept a mark for thirty-five kopecks, a dollar for seventy rubles, and a thousand ruble note for two hundred rubles. He would also accept ten-ruble gold dinar coins for two hundred rubles per dinar. The head of the house took it upon himself to fulfil the command. The legionnaire left the village with his brigade after midnight. Then the collection of money started. They collected 50,000 rubles. Those who did not have gave everything they had as a pledge.

Six Balachowiczes came the next day at noon and demanded 20,000 rubles from the Jews. The Jews asked the new robbers to wait a bit – they wished to continue on until the legionnaire would return with his troops. In the meantime, another feast was set up in the home of Yehuda Durchin in honor of the new guests. They were afraid to keep the 50,000 rubles that they had collected in the house, lest the new robbers find it. Therefore, they placed it under the bodies of the martyrs who were lying in the Beis Midrash. The new robbers did not grant any rest. They demanded money. They were given 1,000 marks at one time, four hundred rubles a second time, and then another two hundred rubles. In the meantime, the legionnaire returned with his troops. The Jews were glad to see him. Yehuda Durchin wept before him and said, “Behold, other soldiers came and demanded money. We made great efforts to ensure that they did not take the money that we collected for you with such great effort.” He responded, “You are fortunate that you hid the money. I would not have accepted what you gave to them on the account.” He sent for the six soldiers and ordered them to leave the village. He took the 50,000 rubles and complained that there were too few gold dinars. He was given another gold ring to appease him, and they asked him to leave a few of his soldiers in the village to protect the Jews from other soldiers. He agreed. He left five soldiers and gave a certificate to Yehuda Durchin with the following words:

“We command all soldiers who come from any place to not take any monetary fines from the Jews. Anyone violating our order will be given over to a field trial. Signed by Legionnaire Kaplinsky and Poruchik Andreyev.”

After that, he gave a permit that the murdered people could be taken for a Jewish burial in David-Horodok. At that time, those six soldiers pillaged the Jews at the other edge of the village. After the legionnaire left, the five soldiers that he left to guard the Jews also began to dip into the booty, and to violate girls and young women. Then all the Jews of the village escaped. They left their houses and everything that they had, and fled from the sword. They hastened to find a hiding place in the forest. The soldiers pillaged all that day and all night. They pillaged clothing, pillows, blankets, and everything they could find. They left nothing.

New murderers came at night. When they saw that there were no Jews in the village and that there was nothing to take in the houses, they spread out to search for the hidden people. They found the shochet [ritual slaughterer] Chaim Cohen, a father of five young children, in the nearby village of Khotomel. This was in the morning, and he was wearing his tallis and tefillin, and standing in prayer. They grabbed him, took him out of the village, and murdered him. That day, they found Aryeh Leib Bukov, fifty years old and a father of seven children, in the forest. They murdered him in the house of a farmer without saying a word. They found the eighteen-year-old lad Moshe Lapkin, and he fell victim in their hands. The whole time, they raped women and girls. This continued until Wednesday of the second week. The Jews were in the forest the entire time. On

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Wednesday, when the village was somewhat calm, Nachum Stollman, a 45-year-old Jew, father of seven young children, went to his house to see what had taken place there. They murderers burst into the house. He went to hide in the attic. They found him and hanged him.

Uncaptioned

The “Scroll of Tribulations” by Feinstein, published by Hatzefirah [a Hebrew-language newspaper published in Poland] and later in a booklet, describes at length the deeds of Balachowicz and the destruction that he brought throughout the region, and especially in David-Horodok and Rubel. It is clear that it is more important to bring down an appropriate section as it was and in the name of the writer. Of course, it would be possible to write more than was mentioned here.

Fifteen years ago, at the beginning of the Second World War, a communal organization for the not insignificant number of David-Horodok natives in the Land did not exist yet.

When the tidings of Job regarding what was transpiring in Poland began to arrive, and when information about the refugees of David-Horodok in Russia became known, our member R. Mishalov approached our member Ch. Kolozny regarding the establishment of a committee for the natives of the town of David-Horodok in Israel, which would organize assistance activities and would remain in contact with the refugees.

The members A. Lachovsky, Y. Kashtan, D. Yudovitz, Y. Lifshitz, Dov Shafer, R. Mishalov, A. Sh. Friedman, M. Margolis, B. Slomiansky, Ch. Kolozny, and S. Kirzner were invited to the founding meeting of the committee.

Thanks to the activities of the committee, most of the addresses of the approximately two hundred natives of David-Horodok were obtained. The committee contacted them with a special flyer and with private visits requesting monetary assistance for the refugees.

The member Aryeh Dushnik was elected as head of the committee. He devoted a great deal of his time and efforts to the success of the activities of the committee.

After several addresses of the refugees in Russia were obtained, the committee began to send parcels and letters of encouragement to support the refugees during their time of tribulation. The parcels were sent in all sorts of ways by mail and by the Sochnut [Jewish Agency] with the assistance of the members Glinansky and Y. Kashtan. A substantial portion of them reached their destinations.

Approximately ten years ago, the first memorial day for the martyrs was arranged. From that time, a memorial day has been observed every year, with the participation of most of the natives of David-Horodok in the Land.

The committee was diligent in energetic efforts in all areas. Contact was made with the natives of David-Horodok in America. Financial support was received from them. A charitable fund in the name of the martyrs of David-Horodok was founded in 1949 through the mutual efforts of the Horodokers in America and the Land. It helped those in need by giving loans that were to be paid back.

With time, a substantial portion of the refugees of David-Horodok in Russia who had received full assistance from the committee arrived in the Land. The member Shmuel Zezik, who arrived from Russia, was accepted as a member of the committee, as were the brothers Eliyahu and Yitzchak Glinansky. They assisted greatly in increasing the activities of the committee.

Other meetings and celebrations dedicated to the mutual efforts were arranged, over and above the memorial gatherings. The guests from America, Y. Kitay, Chana Spielberg-Grenadier and others who participated in the meetings and gatherings of

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the natives of David-Horodok in the Land were very impressed with the activities of the committee. This increased the assistance of the David-Horodok natives in America for the charitable fund and for the publication of the Yizkor Book.

Four years ago, the members of the committee began diligent efforts for the memorial book of the martyrs of David Horodok. A great deal of valuable material for the book was gathered during those years due to the efforts of certain individuals.

This book is the crowning achievement of the activities of the committee. A very interesting and valuable period for the memory of the martyrs has concluded – and an eternal monument for our generations and those that will follow us has been established.

A gathering of David-Horodok natives in 1933

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The eleventh memorial gathering of the natives of David-Horodok in the Beit Yisrael Hall in Tel Aviv, July 28, 1953

The presidium of the eleventh memorial gathering with the participation of Yaakov Kitay, a guest from America

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The participants in the eleventh memorial gathering

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A portion of those present at the mourning gathering for the martyrs of David-Horodok in Tel Aviv, 5713 [1953] with the participation of Yaakov Kitay, the guest from America

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