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As in most cities and towns in Poland, so too in Goworowo, religious Jewishness stood in the center of Jewish life. Everything in the little town, without exception, turned around that act. The shul was the central gathering point for the entire population. There, and in all the hasidic shtiblekh [prayer rooms] one could always hear the voice of Torah; people sat day and night and studied. The heads of the community, with the rabbis at the top, devoted most of their activities to religious interests. One could say that the private life of each individual was controlled, directly or indirectly, by the council members and the Rov, whenever he was not entranced by the secrets of the Shulkhan Orekh and other religious writings.

The greatest attention in the town was given to the religious education of the younger generation. That concern and dedication occupied the highest place of all the management issues because that dedication is, indeed, the foundation of Jewish existence, as the wise men say: “No kids, no goats”. Goworowo had recorded great successes in the area of education. There was a network of khedarim [religious schools] for boys and a “Beys-Yankev” school for girls. The level of instruction was high.

Besides that, Goworowo possessed a large number of yeshive boys [advanced pupils] and dedicated students of Torah who studied in the large yeshives of the land.

Goworowo residents excelled with their love of Torah, and generously supported the Torah scholars of the town and beyond it. The majority of the householders were concerned that their sons become Talmud scholars and strove to marry their daughters to scholars. For that goal they spared no trouble and no money. They took great efforts to maintain their sons-in-law in their homes for years so they could sit and study without other worries.

In the last years before the war broke out, Rov Aron Vladamirski from Vishkove – know in yeshive circles as Rov Aron Stelner – founded a Novoredok yeshiva in Goworowo. It was temporarily located in the study-house and children from the local areas studied there, such as Ruzsha, Ostrove,

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Ostrolenke, Makove and others. Those students “ate days” with local residents who provided their meals.

Many contributed to the religious institutions of the town, the rabbis, all the important Torah personalities who planted love for Torah and love for Yisroel among the householders and called them to do mitsves and good deeds; in particular the last Rov was famous for his astuteness and sharp-mindedness, standing head and shoulders above others. All the rabbis, the religious leaders, and teachers, gave the greatest part of their time and energy to spreading Jewishness, planting love of Torah and concerning themselves to help the young generation to study in the big yeshives.

Even in the years after the First World War, when the winds of the Enlightenment and free-thinking began to blow through the Jewish street and of course Goworowo was not exempted from that, our town did not lose its specific Jewish-religious outlook. There were, indeed, many young men who put the Talmud aside, but an opposing reaction was soon created on the other side. The religious youth organized, rented a space, and conducted a strong enlightenment campaign. That was a large group of kheyder-boys who later went to yeshives and continued to study.

One of the greatest merits that distinguished Goworowo was that the inhabitants, with few individual exceptions, were not inclined to extremism. There were no radicals. Thus, the observant Jews did not “crow” on the rooftops and the free Jews did not “needle” the young. That is how the whole town stayed homogenous and for the good of religion and tradition, or as they say: Torah and tradition.

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Every time when I meet the Jews from the former Goworowo at the yearly remembrance of the tragedy or at a happy occasion, after the Holocaust, my eye scans the town's beys-medresh [study-house] and the hasidic prayer rooms – the entire town with its little houses and lanes, along with the figures who illuminated the town and were so tragically cut down.

Although I have not lived in Goworowo for more that 20 years (from 1907 to 1927) everything is still etched in my memory and in my reckoning, these were the best years of my social, intellectual, and social life. Neither the 25 years of living in far-off, wealthy Cuba, not the years of my being here in our land Yisroel, can compare with the beautiful Jewish life of that small, poor town Goworowo.

We always talked about the brotherliness and homeyness of that time, of each dear Jew like Fishl Shapira, later the Tshervine Rov of blessed memory, and others. Sitting with Rov Fishl and talking and learning was a true spiritual pleasure. Another great pleasure were the gatherings every Shabes morning with Rov Yoelke the baker, where we drank tea and commented on the traditional texts. Although the tea had the smell of tsholent [sabbath stew] it still was better than the coffee that I drank in Cuba, or in America.

Dear, beloved Jews were in that town, whose like I have never met in any other place. Although Rov Fishl was always tiring himself out with the money exchanges and usually running around seeking an interest-free loan, the was still happy and whenever one went to his home found him deep in study at a table full of open books, such as the Talmud, Yore deye, RaMBaM and others. He always greeted people with love and friendship, and when someone came whom he could talk to and study with he would not let them leave.

I recall an interesting event. Once Fishl arrive back from a trip to Tomashov, where he was attending to some merchandise matters (he dealt in manufactured goods). As usual, I asked him what he was doing, he answered me, “Go tell Yonatan (Zilbertson) that I have an interesting piece of merchandise for him.” I did not understand what he meant, because he had not yet received the merchandise that he had just bought. Nevertheless, I went to Yonatan and said that Fishl had told me to fetch

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him and had a good piece of merchandise to show us both. Yonatan reoriented himself quickly and said that it must certainly be something to do with learning that he had asked about in Tomashov. And so it was. He told us with enthusiasm about a question on the Commentators that someone had asked in Tomashov and happily told us how he had answered. That is how involved in learning Rov Fish of blessed memory was. As it is written, “He asks and responds, replies and derives.”

At home, when a customer came to call and was waiting impatiently, he did not close the Talmud volume but laid his red handkerchief over it and spoke with the customer with the same intonation of Talmud study. Peasants who came to buy from him approached him with respect. I was with him at home once when a peasant, a familiar Sobieski, came to buy something and stopped him in the middle of study. Fishl asked him what he needed, and he told him, “You pray, I can wait.” And he did sit for a little while until he closed the Talmud.

The finest pleasure was Shabes and holidays when we made kidush together. Each one had contributed some part to the feast, according to their abilities. One brought dessert from home and many time also a Shabes stew, to Rov Fishl and mixed all the “kugls” together. How pleasant it was, siting together and spending time in happiness and with songs. Although they tired themselves all week with finding livelihood, on Shabes and holidays they were care-free, all worries were forgotten. For the third meal of shabes we were pampered and did not want to go over to the weekday, so after “ushering out the shabes queen” we also ate together. On holidays we did not want it to end either but gathered – sometimes at Rov Fishl's and sometimes at Rov Yonatan ¬ to drink a toast and be joyful together.

When khanike came around we were very merry. Every evening we would meet in another place ¬ sometimes at our home, or Yonatan's or at Metayes's (Rozen) or Fishl's and spend fraternal time together. First we would set up card games and take a few groshen from each “circle”, and when we had collected enough to buy a bottle of 90% and a few herrings, someone dealt the cards, made a “l'khayim” and we celebrated the feast. The householders honored us with potato pancakes and we sang “Maoz tsur” [O mighty stronghold of my salvation, to praise You is a delight].

Here is the story of what happened once. It was Shabes night of khanike when we were gathered at Rov Fishl's to bid the Shabes queen farewell. As it was in winter, Rov Fishl asked his wife to cook up some groats in order to warm us up. Meanwhile we set up a card game and as usual took a coin from each “circle” to buy whisky and herring. When the groats were ready someone went to Potash and bought the whisky and herring. We washed, drank a l'khayim and enjoyed the groats. Then we sang about the Shabes night of khanike, talked about our study, recited the blessings after meals and so it went on until after midnight. When we went

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outdoors to go home we were gripped by a fierce cold, deep snow and a wind that stung our eyes and it was hard to take a step. After a quick discussion we decided not to go to our homes and make our wives get up and go to open the doors for us, but to go into the Aleksander shtibl and stay there for the night. Say and do. We headed for the Aleksander shtibl, but, when we tried to open the door we could not. It was closed from the inside with a wooden bolt. We understood that someone was sleeping in there and did not want to open it for us. There was another door on the other side of the shtibl, but in winter it was covered with boards. Since there was a small window above this door we decided to lift one of us so that he would be able bend back the obstacles, crawl inside and then open the door. Since I as the smallest, it fell to me and without an alternative I had to carry out this piece of work. When I got inside, I encountered a poor man sleeping soundly behind the oven, and he had bolted the door so that no one could, heaven forbid, steal his poverty… After removing the obstacle, in came Yisroel Mayer (Meshnius), Nosn Mayer (Rokhl Shmuelke's) and Yonatan. After the big meal we had no desire to sit and study so we resumed playing cards. At dawn we heard someone walking on the steps. It was Yisroel Itsik Tsudiker, who had been sleeping and was now coming to the shtibl to study. We did not wait for him to ask why we were there so early, but quickly left and went to our homes so that no one would see us on the street because we were all still wearing our shabes clothing – long satin coats and so on. Early on Sunday Shprintse, Rokhl Shmuelke's daughter, Nosn Mayer's wife, came to my wife Khane Leye and asked her, “Was your little angel at home last night? My man did not spend the night at home, he just recently came home, what do you say about that? We've seen a lot, who knows, did they play cards all night long?” My wife smiled, because I had taken care to tell her everything, and she called out to her, “So what? He hasn't disappeared yet!”

“And you're laughing about it?” Shprintse shouted, “Don't you know what that means, playing cards a whole night long?”

My Khane calmed her down. “It's still not so terrible, khanike comes only once a year, they can still make a living.” Thus everyone was generally happy, and although most of them were great paupers, they all had modest needs. People always felt a spiritual satisfaction.

I want to mention some saints, Yisroel Yitsik Tsudiker's son. His business, which had to do with salt, herring and fuel oil, was run entirely by his wife and he could

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always be found in the study-house or in the shtibl philosophizing. Once on a market day, a Thursday, someone came to request vindication and said, “You stand here and talk nonsense and there are many customers in your shop, your wife is alone there and cannot offer advice, and the customers are going away.”

“Should I buy another few pounds of salt, or another couple of quarts of oil, or another few herring? Eat a piece of herring?! I do not want to eat a piece of herring and I don't want to go work with the peasants!”

Once his father Rov Yisroel Yitsik invited all the Aleksander hasidim in his house on the night of Shmini atseres after the Torah circuits for kidush. It was prepared with all good things: whisky, herring and so on. We had a good time there, dancing and singing. Khaye his wife called out, “Anyway, Avrom, Yisroel Mayer, Yonatan, dancing and being merry with the Torah, they study all year, but Ruven, Yehoshue Ber's son, why isn't he dancing? Perhaps because he's been making ‘kekles’ all year?” They then explained to her that, when a brother gets married all the other brothers rejoice with him, and…let's just party!

Another episode is etched in my mind. When Metayes Rozen move into the smetelikhe in his apartment he invited the Aleksander hasidim to his home for Shabes kidush. Khayim Yosl the scribe was among those invited. He was a Jew whose whole life was full of troubles, an established pauper, always lived in squalor and could make Shabes only with a great effort. But he was happy nonetheless. And indeed, at that very kidush he made toast after toast, took a little more, and another drop, and in his tipsiness began dancing on the table and singing “One God in heaven and on earth” and we helped him out with “We learn about our beginnings, happy are we in our service, our lives are sugar sweet”.

And Khayim Yosl's everyday conversations were wonderful. If someone gave him potatoes to eat, he would say, “Ay, what a shame! If you could press the potatoes out a little more and give me the whisky from them, I would like it even better.”

Rov Avrom Leyb the phylactery-seller often traveled to Goworowo from Vengrov or Kalushin with his merchandise of t'filin, mezuzes, tsitsis and so on. As he was Khayim Yosl's competitor, they would frequently tell one another off. Once he came to Goworowo during a great freeze. He went right into the Aleksander shtibl with his merchandise, snowed-on, frozen, with pieces of ice in his beard and moustaches. He headed straight for the warm oven, laid a cheek on the oven, and began to moan. We, a few

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young men, were sitting in the shtibl studying. Khayim Yosl the scribe was also there. We asked Avrom Leyb, “What happened to you?”

“One of my teeth is frozen and is as soft as butter” he replied. We understood that he wanted us to put something on it because we knew he was a big jokester. Khayim Yosl did not move but said that he had heard that a tooth was supposed to be soft. Avrom Leyb said, “Don't you believe it? Then tap on the tooth and convince yourself.” As Khayim Yosl reached out a finger, then, he was bitten. “You want to stick your finger in someone's mouth?!” Avrom Leyb said to him.

Khayim Yosl was a dear Jew. He used to complain, “When I was young, I thought that when one is young, with warm blood, it is hard to fight the impulse to evil; but, when I would be old and the blood a little cooler, it would the easier to overcome the impulse. I am, thank God, older now and what has happened? If it's not enough that the younger impulse did not go away, now an older impulse to evil has arrived too.”

The joyfulness of the Shabes and holidays was unforgettable. I remember another event. We were all gathered at Rov Fishl's for a Sukos water-drawing observance. We had a barrel of beer with herring, we were rejoicing and joined in a circle and began dancing. In the middle of the dance Nosn Mayer fell from our hands when a board broke in the floor, and he fell through. We did not think much of it and kept on dancing. Only when Khayim Yosl started yelling that Nosn Mayer had fallen down into the cellar did we all run to see what had happened. But the plaintiff stood up as though nothing had happened. We all went back upstairs and went back to dancing and Khayim Yosl sang to us, “We are happy, with our service, for our life is sugar sweet…”

There were many Jews in town who dedicated their time and energy to community work and for poor people. One of them was Rov Meyshe Yehoshue Ginzburg, who was himself a poor Jew and therefore also a sickly man, and gave much concern and time to the creation of a “hospitality house”. R” Meyshe Yehoshua put a lot of work into that house; every Friday he went around to every house and collected a few pennies from everyone and with those small sums he established a study-house at the “hospitality house”. There were several minyonim there every day and Jews went there to study.

R” Meyshe Yehoshue also collected money for the paupers who arrived in Goworowo. In those days when there was a scarcity of small change, he was a great help to them. Because in many of the poorer houses people would stall, using the excuse “I don't have any small change”, Meyshe Yehoshue made receipts for groshens and half-groshens and put them into circulation. Each pauper

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who came to town exchanged several gilden from Meyshe Yehoshue for receipts and with those he could get change to use. Plus, proprietors would come to him to exchange money for receipts. That way those who collected for charity could receive more money that usual, because even a poor resident who could not afford to give a whole groshen had the possibility of giving a half-groshen. Even after leaving the town some paupers returned to exchange Meyshe Yehoshue's receipts for the current tender.

And there were women devoted to caring for the sick and needy, among whom Rokhl Shmuelke's' and Khane Rivke Shmelts excelled. When there was a poor pregnant woman in town or just a sick person, the women were concerned for them. They already knew who would give a piece of chicken or a good bowl of soup in order to strengthen the patient. No one in town knew who the food was for.

The same women also occupied themselves with charity for poor brides. When a poor girl was getting married, they put together a dowry and also clothes and other items for the trousseau.

The bikur kholim for visiting the sick was also active in the town. They would send two people for night duty to sit by the patient. After the First World War, when there were so many cases of infectious diseases like typhus or even influenza that caring for a patient was dangerous, no one refused that mitsve. And the mitsve was always dutifully carried out. The entire town revolved around the same few hundred rubles. Today I borrowed from someone, and tomorrow someone may borrow from me. Anyone who had a few rubles or zlotych in the house knew that if a Jew came to borrow, he would have to give it. Wednesday, before a market day, the grain merchants borrowed from the shopkeepers; Sunday, on the other hand, when the shopkeepers had to travel to Warsaw for merchandise, they borrowed from the grain merchants. And that's how the wheels turned.

Although, as stated, making a living was not easy, a congregation still needed a cantor for Shabes. I recall what happened in town when they started saying that Rov Shmuel Nosn the ritual slaughterer was already old and they would need a new slaughterer and cantor. The hasidim said that they only needed a ritual slaughterer and not a cantor; one can get by without a cantor. But the opposition maintained that they wanted a cantor in the study-house on Shabes because it was very pleasurable. The old Rov of blessed memory wanted his son Rov Mendl to be the slaughterer. The Rov had taught him the laws of ritual slaughter and Shmuel Nosn the slaughterer had shown him how to slaughter. The Aleksander hasidim, of course, held with the Rov and with Rov Mendele because they we all Aleksander hasidim. Besides that,

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the hasidim said, why bring in an outside ritual slaughterer at a time when R” Mendl is a respectable, honest Jew and regularly sits and studies. But the opponents were against the will of the hasidim and R” Mendele did not want to take it on, and they demanded a cantor-ritual slaughterer in one person.

One time, on the morning of Hoshane-raba, when the Aleksander shtibl was in the middle of prayer, several Jews came in with an un-slaughtered goose and let it loose on the floor. The goose walked around, and blood was running from her neck. Although such a case could happen with any ritual slaughterer, they used the opportunity to shout, “Just look at your slaughterer!” R” Mendl was in the shtibl then, standing there, pale and stricken, and wanted to pay them for the goose, which was now treyf. But they stuck with their “We do not want Mendele as our slaughterer in any way or form!”

Another time there was a case in the same Aleksander shtibl when on Rosh-hashone, during the afternoon service, those opposing Mendele tore up the steps to the shtibl and left those praying up there. They wanted to teach the hasidim something for their support of R” Mendele. The news traveled to our wives and after a few hours of sitting in “arrest” they were able to locate someone who could put the steps back. That event was then topic of the day. The town “went off its wheels”.

Not wanting to create a serious feud they finally decided to bring in a cantor-slaughterer from outside. Several cantors came each for a Shabes, prayed at the cantor's stand, sang in the study-house, and went away with nothing. They did not please the congregation. Until the cantor Itshe came with two choir boys, whose praying on Shabes did please and he remained as the cantor-slaughterer. His two choirboys were one a grown man and the other a small boy with a beautiful, resounding voice. On their first “kaboles shabes” the younger boy sang “m'kadeysh meylekh ir melukhe” and everyone was inspired. And the Aleksander hasidim agreed on R” Itshe because he was one of their hasidim, and in particular, as he came to Goworowo at the recommendation of the Aleksander Rebi. The two choirboys were given eating days and there was peace and serenity in the town.

After Rov Itshe's departure Rov Melikhel from Moscow was taken on as cantor-slaughterer. He was a Ger Hasid and was loved by all, even by the Aleksander hasidim. He was a Torah scholar and a good cantor-slaughterer, with a pleasant voice.

After the passing of the old Rov of blessed memory, Rov Burshtin may God avenge his blood was elevated as town rabbi in Goworowo. He immediately founded a “Talmud study group” and each day, between afternoon and evening prayers they arranged the tables and learned with Rov Burshtin. Anyone who got a difficult passage parsed it with the Rov.

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A few months before Peysakh everyone read the same passages in order to be able to celebrate erev Peysakh properly and thus to free the young men from fasting that day. In finishing that study, the Rov connected the end of it with the beginning of the next chapter with a lovely explication: then the young men brought whisky into the study-house, drank a “l'khayim” toast and wished one another a kosher and happy holiday.

During the First World War the whole town, along with the study-house, was destroyed in a fire and the few Jews fled. At the end of 1915 some Jews returned to Goworowo. We returned in 1916. The few dozen Jews including the Rov, lived on Probostva Street. The prayer room was in the Rov's house. I recall that when I arrived at the Rov's for the first time, he embraced me with such love and friendliness, and tears showed in his eyes from his being so moved. He repeated several times, “thanks God that we are seeing one another, I longed for my householders”. He cited the Talmud, “in Peysakhim p”z, the meaning is that when one is a Rov, one is no longer a regular householder for himself and one is dependent on the opinion of others, the opinion of the community, on the opinion of the proprietors, but I still missed my householders.”

When more Jews came back to Goworowo and there was still no study-house, they prayed in a shed in the middle of the market square, and some prayed at Yoelke the baker's. Later, Yisroel Mayer Mishnayos, Matisyahu Rozen, Itshe Kosovski, Meyshe Tenenboym, Khayim Ber Grudke, Khone Fridman, Shmuel Volf Broyner and Yoni Besukhem created our house of prayer at Avremele Grudke, where we prayed every Shabes and holiday. That is where we also founded a “Mizrakhi” organization for the town and from the center in Warsaw received propaganda materials, writings, literature and so on. From time to time a speaker from “Mizrakhi” visited us, and we met there openly and our movement grew continually. At Avremele's we spent good time in a friendly atmosphere; of course, we also studied a page of Talmud and on Shabes or holiday we made a kidush together. Meyshe Mendl Farbarovitsh also prayed with us. He was a merry pauper and could sing very well. When a holiday came it was pleasant to spend time over a glass of whisky. He never got tired of singing and dancing. I remember a Simkhes-Torah how he danced on the table and sang songs; he could go on for that long.

That is how I remember the life of my little town Goworowo during my 20 years living there. Those years were the best and happiest in my life and will remain etched into my memory for ever.

They were dear and beloved Jews, those mentioned above and all the others, with their merits and even with their flaws. “Woe for those who have been lost but are not forgotten.”

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The beys-medresh served as the central meeting point for the Jews in the town. Beginning in the earliest hours of the morning until late into the night, it was dominated by a lively movement of people. Before dawn, when the stars were still in the sky, one could already see the hashkome Jews, mostly artisans and peddlers, who came to offer their duty to the Creator of the world, before their going out to work. They recited the psalm of the day, studied a chapter of Mishnayos and prayed with intention. Later the shopkeepers began to come in, who opened their businesses later because any early-morning revenue was poor anyway. The merchants and hasidic Jews prayed with the last minyonim which drew on well into the day. No one came late to prayers because when one came into the study house there was always a minyen going on. Those praying came from every stratum of the population. You could encounter the sharpest hasidim (their shtiblekh were mostly closed in the early morning weekdays) to the “common folk”, and even the so-called “worldly” Jews – members of the socialist parties in town.

The study-house was open the entire day. Sitting and learning there were young men living with the fathers-in-laws; young men just returned from the yeshives, or those who could not travel to a big yeshive for whatever reason; old Jews who no longer had worries about livelihood, having given their businesses to their children; those who lived on a “pension” from America; and ordinary Jews, not scholars, who came to the study-house to read a chapter of psalms. From time to time, you could also see young merchants who used the weak sales of the early hours in their businesses, left their wives there and came to “catch” a page of Talmud. At the same time, they got into conversations with the young husbands and yeshive men about various world problems, general political questions and local community issues.

The greatest movement into the study-house was in the early evening hours. Streams of Jews hurried in from every direction, so as not to be late

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for minkhe, the afternoon prayers. Between the afternoon and evening prayers Jews of every social level sat around tables. Around the table on the south side, where the windows looked out toward the river, sat the town scholars, who studied the Talmud “page of the day”. Opposite them, at a table on the north side, sat mostly artisans and dealers who listened to their rebi explain the Torah portion with ALShiekh, studied a chapter of Mishnayos and so on. Regular scholars sat at another table, studying Talmud with commentators, Yore Deye, RaMBaM, Perkey musar, or other holy books. At that table there were also zealous boys who repeated the Talmud that they had learned in kheyder during the day. Behind them, around the ovens and near the entrance door, stood plain Jews and young men who caught a chat about the

the latest world politics and international events. They also did not neglect a little town gossip.

When a traveling preacher came to town, one of the especially well-known magidim, who came to speak in the study-house between afternoon and evening prayers, everyone pressed closer to the bima to hear better. The preacher would often relate various histories, parables and stories, interweaving them with sayings of the wise men of blessed memory and ethics. There was special interest in town when a guest speaker came from Erets Yisroel, or a religious speaker from the central who would lecture about issues in Zionism. Then the study-house was packed with people of all stripes. Even upstairs, in the women's section, many women came to hear the speakers. For hours after the sermon there were still Jews standing the market square discussing and explaining to one another what they had just heard. It was also a sensation in town when young cantorial talents came to town and attended the prayers in the study-house. They prayed for tickets. The doors of the study-house were locked, and entrance cards were sold at the door. When the vunder-kind cantors came it was sufficient to put up just two or three placards with their pictures, which were hung on the corner houses, and their success was certain. The study-house was full from end to end and even the women's section was packed.

The beys-medresh was open until late at night. Then one could find diligent young men, or old Talmud experts, who studied by candlelight (as is known, the electricity in town was on only until 11 at night).

On Shabes the study-house got a very different look. Dozens of electric lights and very bright oil lamps illuminated the large room. The tables were covered in white, the Ark was covered with a red velvet curtain onto which were sewn in golden thread two lions holding the crown of Torah. Fathers and children dressed in their Shabes clothing filled the study-house. The Rov arrived dressed in a

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long silk coat with a thickly-woven silk sash, white stockings and low black boots, and a large round, fur Shabes hat on his head. With the Rov's arrival a hush fell over the whole study-house and everyone stayed in his place.

On Friday evening, as well as on Shabes morning, a large contingent of young men attended. There were also Bundists and even Communists, just dissuaded from the Zionist groups. Possibly, they had dressed up out of respect for their parents. Sons of hasidim who no longer wanted to pray in the hasidic “shtiblekh” also came.

If the whole study-house prayed either in the Safardi mode or in the Ashkenazi mode, on Shabes the mode of prayer was Ashkenaz. That originated from the time of the learned Rov Klepfish of blessed memory, who introduced the mode to the shtetl and so it remained over the years. Generally, the congregation drew from only the “misnagdim” and their mode was Ashkenaz. The hasidim had their “shtiblekh”. In later years the permanent cantor of the large study-house was Rov Khayim Leyb Marianski, the cantor and ritual slaughterer. He himself was a Ger Hasid and, of course, prayed in the Sephardi mode, although in the study-house he prayed in the Ashkenazi mode.

On Shabes during the day there were often sermons by traveling speakers who stayed in the town overnight. The Rov held his traditional sermons twice a year in the study-house: “Shabes shuve” , the Shabes between Rosh-ha'shone and yon-kiper when he appealed to repentance and good deeds, for peace and love of one Jew for another, to pardon and to ask for forgiveness, and to strengthen Jewishness; and the second sermon the Rov gave was on “Shabes ha'gadol” right before Peysakh and dedicated to that holiday and its laws and he strongly called for the observance of kashrus. The entire population of the town came to the Rov's sermons, all the shtiblekh were closed, the streets and houses were empty, and the women's section of the shul was overflowing.

The gabeyim of the study house were R' Dovid Dronitsa, R' Yosef Verman, R' Fayvl Brik, R' Yehoshue Rozen, R' Mayer Shvarts and others. R' Menashe Holtsman used to lean the morning prayers, Rosh-ha'shone and yon-kiper. The last years the shofar-glower was R' Khayim Ber Grudka. Torah readers were R' Avrom Tsalke, R' Mordkhe Trushkevitsh and others. The shamosim were Berl Tsirman, Yekl Shprintses, Mordkhe Trushkevitsh, Shleyme Khayim Tsimbal and other. The shames for the beys-din was R' Avromke Tsalke.

That beautiful study-house was built in sav-reysh-pey-hey thanks to Ms. Gitl Klas from America, who sent great sums of money to Goworowo for that purpose.

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The largest hasidic shtibl in town was the Aleksander, which existed for many years before the First World War and was probably one of the first organized shtiblekh in Poland, whose hasidim traveled to the first Aleksander rebi the AdMoR Rov, Rebi Khanukh-Henokh Ha'koen of blessed memory. The old Aleksander Hasidim who are here with us in Israel tell that before the First World War there were as many a one hundred Aleksander Hasidim in Goworowo, which was a significant percent of the population as a whole.

The Goworowo hasidim were very eminent with the old Aleksander Rebi, the master “Yismakh Yisroel” who was very fair with them. Among the old Aleksander Hasidim who traveled to “Yismakh Yisroel” were R' Yisroel Yitsik Tsudiker, R' Shmuel Nosn Rozen the ritual slaughterer, Nakhum Kshanzshka, Rov Fishl Shapira later the Tshervine Rov (we write about separately), R' Manes Domb the miller, R' Nakhum Meyshe Galant, R' Yekhiel Gerlits who besides being a Jewish scholar was also a maskil, an Enlightener; R' Yekhezkel Tshekhanover and R' Yoske whose wife Rokhl Shmuelke's was known as a great saint who occupied herself with community work and did good deeds with love. The old rov, Rov Yankev Yehude Batshan and his son Mendl are reckoned among the Aleksander Hasidim.

The Aleksander shtibl served as a place of Torah throughout the years, where people sat and studied. Among those who learned there before the First World War were R' Berish Tunkelank, Yankev Berl's son-in-law; R' Zalman Verman; R' Avrom Levin (today in Israel); R' Yisroel-Mayer Mishnayos; R' Fayvl Zilbershteyn; my father R” Yonatan Zilbertson, and many others.

During the First World War, the Aleksander shtibl went up in smoke along with all the other houses. When the Jews returned to Goworowo after the war, the Aleksander Hasidim organized and reestablished their shtibl. But they did not have a permanent place and

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could not even dream of a building of their own at that time. Because of the large number of hasidim they divided into groups: some prayed with R' Yekhiel the baker and some with R' Yonatan Zilbertson. R' Hershl Niks also hosted a minyen. At times they also prayed at R' Yeshaye Ayzenberg's. Later they rented an apartment from Yosl the harness-maker and that served as a shtibl. Because there were so many Mizrakhi members among the Aleksander Hasidim, they split off and created their own minyen with R' Avremele Grudke, where they prayed the whole time. Only in the last years were the Aleksander Hasidim successful in constructing their own shtibl above the old study-house, where most of them prayed. Young men and older boys studied there during the day.

The Aleksander Hasidim occupied a large place in the community life of the town. The long-serving president of the Jewish Council was R' Note Rits, an Aleksander Hasid. The gabay of the Burial Society, R' Matisyahu Rozen, was an Aleksander Hasid. There was not an institution in the town where Aleksander Hasidim were not represented.

I will mention one outstanding Aleksander Hasid here:

R' Yonatan Zilbertson, my father, was among the well-respected hasidim in the land. Even as a young man he used to travel to the Aleksander Rebi Rov Yekhiel. He was a sharp scholar and an expert in Talmud and scriptures and one of the finer Jew in the town. The hasidim prayed with us in our house for many years.

R' Yeshaye Ayzenberg, for many years the gabay of the shtibl, would study every Shabes in the study-house with the “Olam” khumesh with SL”H. He enjoyed inviting a large number of hasidim to his home every Shabes night for a glass of tea and every-day conversation.

R' Yekhiel Gerlits, a great Talmud expert and master with permission to act as a rabbi, was a standard prayer leader for the yomim norim in the shtibl. He was treasured and revered by everyone.

R' Yehoshue Mordkhe Drozd, a partner in the small mill. A scholar and in awe of heaven, a brilliant prayer leader with a warm voice.

R' Note Rits, a partner in the big mill and in electrical work. A clever Jew, he sprouted with humor, was known for his generosity and welcoming of guests. As mentioned above, the president of the Jewish council.

R' Matisyahu Rozen, one of the rich and eminent proprietors in town, full of wisdom and sharp-minded, loved to do favors for people. He had a claim to being a Khasen Torah and as already mentioned, was gabay of the Burial Society for many years.

R' Bertshe Viroslav, a sharp Aleksander Hasid, although he

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Matisyahu Rozen of blessed memory

And others, and more dear hasidim, warm Jews in whom the quality of love for Yisroel was planted deep in their hearts and who were far from any blind fanaticism. They found their place in the Aleksander shtibl as sworn Lovers of Zion and hasidim, who were far from Zionist philosophy; sharp scholars, along with the simple “Jew from the whole year”.

R' Avrom Levin

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It is not known exactly when the Ger Shtibl was founded in Goworowo, but it is well-known that Ger Hasidim were already in the town even in the time when the first Ger Rebi, AdMoR Rov Yitsik Mayer Alter may his sainted memory be for a blessing, the “Hidushey Ha'rim”.

In the time of the second Ger Rebi, AdMoR Rov Yehude Leyb may his memory be for a blessing, the master “Sfas Emes” was already known since in town there was a fine organized group of Ger Hasidim who were very prominent in the Ger court. It is also known that there were Goworowo hasidim at the “Sfas Emes'” table who went there to stay for months at a time and the Rebi would take them under his wing. I have heard here in Israel from old Ger Hasidim who themselves remember and confirm the fact that there were young Ger Hasidim from Goworowo among those at the Rebi's table.

Of the known Ger Hasidim in town who were among the entourage of “Sfas Emes”, we know about these: Yosef Zishe and also Motl Likhtenshteyn, who later moved to Ostrove and was popular in the Ger hasidic circles as Motl “Ostrover”. In his later years, the same R' Motl – already in the time of the third Ger Rebi, AdMoR

Rov Avrom Mordkhe may his saintly memory be for a blessing – was sent to Erets Yisroel as a messenger from the Rebi in 1921. The rebi was building houses in Yafo then and R' Motl settled in Tel-Aviv. Later, when the Ger Rebi established the “Sfas Emes” Yeshive in Jerusalem, R' Motl moved there, where he lived out the rest of his years. R' Motl was famous as a great scholar, giver of charity and doer of good deeds. In his last years he was interested in the refugees from Goworowo. And his children and grandchildren stay in contact with those from Goworowo (R' Motl was a father-in-law with the Grudke family). He passed away a few years ago in Jerusalem at a ripe old age.

Also, part of the Goworowo Ger Hasidim were R' Sholem Azdobe, who left the town more than 50 years ago, for America. R' Sholem came to Israel a few years ago, settled in Bney-Brak and continued his activity in the Ger Hasidic circles. Those old town Ger Hasidim also

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include R' Yekele Karlinski and R' Yitsik Ayzik Gutman.

After the First World War, when the town began to rebuild after the big fire, no hasidic shtibl was successful in finding a building for itself, and the Ger Hasidim had to pray in private homes. For the first years after the war their shtibl was at R' Velvl Blumshteyn's, where the hasidim gathered on Shabes and holidays, prayed and studied and occupied themselves with strengthening the Jewishness of the town. Later they went over to R' Yankev Shtshetshina's house to pray. Although they did not have their own prayer rooms the Ger Hasidim stayed united, well-organized and traveled often to their Rebi in Ger. Because there was no wealth among the hasidim it took a very long time until they acquired their own building. They only achieved that when all the other hasidim had already had their prayer rooms for years. The Ger Hasidic “shtibl” was located in the courtyard of the study house above the “Ha'keneses orkhim”.

The quarters of the Ger shtibl were not large – there were not many hasidim, but their influence in the town was very apparent. The Ger Hasidim took an active part in communal and in political life. Many of the Ger hasidim were prominent in the town in many institutions and establishments. Ger Hasidim were among the first members of the community after the First World War: R' Yehude Sheyniak and R' Mayer Ramaner, the latter who served as vice president of the Jewish Council. The Ger Hasidim were among the first founders of the “Agudas yisroel” and the “Tsirey Yisroel” as well of the “Beys Yankev” schools for girls and the “Talmud Torah”. They were very active in the group “Shomrey shabes” where R' Yeshaye Hertsberg was especially recognized. R' Yeshaye was known as a fanatic, he led the camp of honoring the Shabes and disbanded the soccer players on Shabes and so on. The Ger Hasidim, as in other towns, were the founders of the “Talmud Group” where they studied the daf yomi, the “page of the day”.

Of the prominent Ger Hasidim, it is worthwhile to mention the following:

R' Avrom Mordkhe Fridman, who was counted among the descendants of a family that was among the founders of Goworowo. He had great knowledge of the Talmud and was one of the rich Jews in the town;

R' Mayer Ramaner, one of the prominent proprietors, a Talmud scholar, and a clever man, who played a large role in community life. He was also one of the founders, and very active in, the Merchants Bank, and as mentioned earlier, vice president of the Jewish Council;

R' Velvl Blumshteyn, one of the sharp Ger Hasidim in the town. An influential Jew who took an active part in communal matters. He traveled often to the Ger Rebi and was one of the most prominent Jews in town;

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R' Yehude Sheyniak, one of the eminent Ger Hasidim and proprietors, had great knowledge of Talmud and often traveled to “Sfas Emes”. He was counted among the zealots and a fighter for strict Shabes observance;

R' Yitsik Reytshik, a modest Jew, who usually sat and studied. He was an expert in mystical texts and kabole, one could often find him in the shtibl poring over the “Zohar”;

R' Mordkhe Leyb Gurka, one of the old hasidim, a scholar who studied for years in the Lithuanian yeshives. After his marriage he became a frequent visitor to “Sfas Emes” and stayed with him for months. A clever Jew who did not like mixing in politics, but was devoted to the ideas of “Agudas Yisroel”;

R' Iser Rits, one of the rich Jews in town. Part owner of the big mill and of the electric works. A devoted Ger Hasid, a great giver of charity and welcoming guests;

R' Yankev Shtshetshina, one of the old hasidim. A prominent, clever Jew, a prayer leader in the Ger shtibl;

R' Yeshaye Hertsberg, one of the sharpest Ger Hasidim, active in the Agudas Yisroel and cofounder of the “Beys Yankev” school for girls. As already mentioned, R' Yeshaye was very active in the group “Shomrey Shabes”;

R' Yisroel Yitsik Shron, one of the old hasidim, a respected Jew and a prominent proprietor. He was faithful to and dedicated to the Ger tradition;

R' Yisroel Yitsik Shron, may God avenge his blood

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I should mention two other Ger Hasidim who distinguished themselves and are with us in Israel:

Rov Naftali Gemora

R' Leyvi Varshaviak

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The late Vurke shtibl was actually an amalgamation of Skernievts, Amshinov and Vurke hasidim. Until the First World War, they were dispersed according to their rabbis, and they prayed separately. Thus, the Skernievts hasidim prayer at R' Yankev Yehoshe Kiri's, headed by the gabeyim R' Yankev Berl Blumshteyn and R' Menashe Holtsman (the father of the writer of these lines) who was also the prayer leader there, along with many other eminent householders.

The Amshinov “shtibl “was located in the study-house building and the leading hasidim were R' Yesheyahu Yom-Tov Sarna, R' Nosn Farba, R' Mayer Volf Tehilim, R' Yankev Hersh Vengrov (“the “kasha maker”), R. Aron Aronson and others. It is worthwhile adding that the last Goworowo Rov, Rov Alter Meyshe Mordkhe Burshtin may God avenge his blood, was also an Amshinov Hasid and from time to time he would pray in the shtibl on Shabes.

I do not know the exact reason why those two shtiblekh were liquidated; but it is a fact that the Skernievts and Amshinov hasidim have warm feelings for the Vulke hasidim, apparently because of the relationship of their rabbis: The Skernievts Rebi, Rov Shimele of blessed memory (who passed away in sav-reysh-pey-daled), was a grandson of Rebi Itsikl of blessed memory, the founder of the Vulke dynasty and author of the book “Ohel Yitskhak”. In turn, Rebi Itsik's two sons, Rebi Yankev Dovid of blessed memory was the AdMoR of Amshinov, and Rebi Mendele of blessed memory was the inheritor from Rebi Yitsik, the AdMoR of Vulke.

Before the First World War, the Vulke shtibl was in the building of the large study-house, the same as all the other shtiblekh. After the war, all the returning hasidim began to organize and created temporary shtiblekh in private homes. The Vulke hasidim also prayed in a private residence, but not a permanent one. Once they prayed at R' Borekh Mints', another time at R' Shaul Potash's and they often made a second minyen in the study-house. That went on for so long, until the Vulke Rebi himself – R' Avrom Meyshe of blessed memory (a son of Rebi Simkhe Bunim of blessed memory, who passed away in Tiberia), came down to Goworowo for a Shabes (he stayed with R' Borekh Mints) and

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it was decided to construct their own building for a shtibl.

The inheritors of R' Avrom Fayvl Neyman – the son of R' Yekl Dovid, and R' Asher Kutner, son-in-law of Rivke'le, R' Avrom Fayvl's daughter – donated a place for that goal, that bordered the priest's garden. A building committee was immediately created, made up of the following persons: R' Khayim Dovid Shron, R' Khayim Potash, R' Shleyme Leyb Shakhter and R' Menashe Holtsman, the building committee set to work energetically, they sold “bricks” and wrote a seyfer Torah under the name of the Vulke Rebi R' Simkhe Bunim of blessed memory. And sold [alphabet] “letters”. After a certain period of time the building was ready, and for the yomim-norim they prayed in their own building for the first time.

The prayer leader for that first morning prayers was R' Avrom Boynes, and he also blew the shofar. R' Khayim Potash led on the second day and R' Avrom Shafran blew the shofar. R' Menashe Holtsman led the afternoon prayers, kol nidrey and ne'ila. One must also attribute the excellent leaders R' Yankev Hersh Vengrov, R' Hersh Glogover, R' Khayim Borekh Shakhter and others. The Torah reader was the great scholar and teacher R' Avrom Shafran {Safron?} who also taught a lesson from the Talmud to the congregation.

R' Avrom Shafran

Among the congregation were R' Pinkhas Shikara may God avenge his blood, and, may they have a happy life R' Nosn Shron, R' Meshulem Golavinski (today both are in Israel), and others.

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The “progressive” minyen was distinctive among all the houses of prayer in the town. That minyen was an original creation of the Goworowo youth who had decided that there was no place for them in the various hasidic shtiblekh, where they were strange because of their clothing, their shaved faces and perhaps also because of their snatching a side conversation during the prayers.

Among those in the “progressive” minyen (in the shops they also called them the “casual” minyen) there were people from all the circles of the secular youth in town, beginning with Zionists of all splinters, those with no party affiliation and even Bundists. Among the creators of the minyen were Yankev Kasher (the baker), Dovid Aron Grudka, Meyshe Dranitsa, Yankev Gurka, and the Bundist activist Yosl Zilbershteyn. The prayer style, as well as the customs of that minyen were in a strong traditional spirit (in Goworowo a reform minyen was never even thought of), just as in all the other hasidic minyonim in town. Among the local prayer leaders were Dovid Aron Grudka, Meyshe Dronitsa, Dovid Glogover, Yankev Grudka and Avrom Holtsman, of the many boys who prayed in that minyen.

Although that minyen did not represent any party affiliations it still was conducted in the Zionist spirit; almost all the money donations were designated for Keren Kayemet l'Yisroel. They collected money for Zionist funds at every opportunity. At a kidush or any other Shabes or holiday gatherings they sang Zionist songs.

Those praying in the “progressive” minyen were considered a united and locked group. They stuck together and from time to time arranged various cultural-religious presentations. For the first “slikhes” they usually presented a “malave malke”, for which Yankev Kasher had a tradition of creating a roasted goose in his bakery…. Also, the “circuits” on Simkhes Torah took place with full fanfare, including the singing of nationalist songs.

The minyen took a large place in the community life of the town. In the last elections to the Jewish Council – before the outbreak of the last war –

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that minyen produced its own slate. The candidate for their list, Meyshe Dronitsa, was elected to the Jewish Council, where he took a chairman position in the ritual-slaughter committee. He fought to bring a Zionist spirit to Council life. Indeed, in the last budget there was a special item for 200 zlotych, an expense for the Goworowo Council for Erets-Yisroel.

Most of them shared the fate of all the Goworowo Jews. A few were saved by some miracle and are now in Israel and other countries.

From right: Leybl Kaptsh (with bicycle) Sitting: [from right] Zelig Hertsberg, Mayer Goldberg, Yitskhak Dovid Tehilim, Dovid Glogover, Itshe Glogover, Sholem Fraske, Matisyahu Oyslender and Meyshe Dranitsa Standing: [from right] Yosl Zilbershteyn, Irel Apelboym and Dovid Doharn Grudka [According to the photograph, the occasion was Yitskhak [Itshe] Galagaver's [Glogover?] departure]

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