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[Page 15]

Jewish Community Organizations/Institutions

 

The only picture left that depicts the Great Synagogue with Josefina Kogan from 1938. This picture helped us to reconstruct the magnificent exterior of the building.

 

The Romanians dirtied, plundered, and burned the building. In 1940, the Soviets, instead of rebuilding, demolished the building and built on its ground a club for sailors.

[Page 16]

One more photo with the south yard of the Great Synagogue. In the background, at about 30 meters distance, is the store of Nesya Kogan.

 

Josefina Kogan is with Neta Borokhovich, and Etya Katz next to the Synagogue, the south and east lawns.

 

The Association of Kiliyans in Israel is thankful to Josefina Kogan (Aharonovich), the only one who kept a number of photos of the Great Synagogue. In the above Photo No. 1, she is near her father's store that was next to the south side of the Synagogue.

[Page 17]

Hebrew text:

 

The Kiliya Jewish Library Board and volunteers

From right to left: Malka Konstantinovsky, Milya Itskovich, Roza Boltiansky, Iliya Safris, Chana Finkelshtein, Leibish Rozenfeld, Malka Katz, Asher Zusevich, Galya Kritsman. Date: 1932.

 

Hebrew/Russian text:

The Jewish Library collection had books in Yiddish and Hebrew, but the majority of the collection was of Russian books, especially the classics. Among the readers were many Russian intellectuals such as: Bostan, Vardaraki, Krugliki, many Lipovans, many priests, the gymnasium teachers Fedorova, Malya Bykov, Vanya Kharchenko, etc. M. V.[1]

[Page 18]

 

The brass and woodwind orchestra “Maccabi” 1930-32

From right to left:
First row: B. Feldshtein, M. Spivak, Shulimovich, Grinberg, M. Khaimovich
Second row: Unknown, Sh. Zusevich, Sh. Volfovich, Israel Perlshtein
Third row: Unknown, Unknown, V. Benchik, Sh. Godel, Sh. Finkelshtein
Fourth row: Shulimovich, Kasman, B.Tsalis

 

Between 1926 and 1932, the orchestra developed greatly. They invited a conductor from Romania and acquired many new instruments. The orchestra had about 30 musicians.

 

Maccabi Kiliya in 1926: The girls gymnastic team with its trainer, Barshskaya.

[Page 19]

Hebrew text:

 

Michael Goldman, z”l

 

Michael Goldman z”l passed away at the end of November after a long illness. He left a great impression on all the people of Kiliya. During the period between the two wars until the invasion of the German and Romanian armies, he was active in all Zionist organizations, supported and led the Maccabi sport team. These were the years after WWI and the pogroms done by the Ukrainians in 1918/20. During this period, the Jewish youth was active in sports and contributed to the strengthening of the Jewish spirit. Maccabi had an orchestra, a soccer team, and gymnastics and athletics clubs that were renowned.

The Maccabi soccer team was the champion of Kiliya in the South Bessarabia league, in 1928/9. In one of the summer days in 1930, there was a Maccabi parade on the main streets of Kiliya, Bolshaya Dunayskaya (Stefan cel Mare, during the Romanian regime). About 300 athletes wore white and hats with the Star of David.

In Israel, Goldman organized the Association of Kiliyans in Israel.

Memories of Mozya Markuzan, a Kiliya veteran

In my time, in 1928/35, Maccabi was a very active organization. There were soccer matches, light athletics, fencing, chess, gymnastics, sprint, etc. Maccabi was housed in the Tarbut (Culture) School building. They were training during the summers, and in the evenings, there were tournaments for the young and older members. I also participated in these activities. I remember that even non-Jewish people used to attend. I remember the brothers Kondorofit, Scarianu, and more. Dr. N. Rabinovich managed the organization. In one year they invited a trainer from Kishinev, a champion with all sorts of sport achievements. (I think his name was Rozentaler.) He invited some local athletes and also signed on additional trainers. Markuzan mentions here the great Maccabi parade and adds many details. The parade stopped in front of the Great Synagogue, and Dr. Rabinovich and the lawyer Meka Kitsis gave speeches. All the store owners closed their stores and participated in the festivities.

Hebrew/Russian text:

Maccabi was active in the mid-1920s. It was managed by Dr. Rabinovich, Karl Leventon, Rafael Safris, Itsik Kitsis, Usher Zusevich, and others. The first instructors were the Czech Pencho, the Russian Kruglik, and the Jews: Yankel Berkovich, Yankel Zeilikovich, Dudya Gold, Meka Kitsis, David Weisman, Srulik Khaimovich, Dudya Shwartsman, and others. The following sports were practiced: freestyle gymnastics, gymnastics on apparatuses, track, swimming, wrestling, soccer, and volleyball. In addition to the instructors, the following gymnasts and athletes were outstanding: Borya Tsalis, Misha Khaimovich, Shulim Yankilevich, Moshe Mikhalevich, Dudel Suskin, Davidka Goldman, Srulik Bronshtein, and the Kondorupisy brothers. The chess club had the following members: Lazar Wilderman, Fedya Fish, Yosef Shneider, Duvid Falikov, and Izya Kanterman. There were also activities for children and youth. By Meier Weisman

Russian text:

Memories of Borya Davidovich

The sports organization Maccabi was around from approximately 1923 to 1930. I was an active Maccabist. It was in the building where the Talmud Torah was at one point. The organizer, architect, and chairman of Maccabi was Dr. Naum Yakovlevich Rabinovich. The closest helpers and organizers were Izya Kitsis, his brother Meka Kitsis, cousin Senya Kitsis, Monya Komarovsky, Leibish Rosenfeld, Gersh Perepletchik, Usher Zusevich, and others.

The sports director was Anton Konstantinovich Penchev (for hire, former officer). There was a very good soccer team under the leadership of the same Penchev and Izya Kitsis. The following played on the team: Borya Tsalis, Srulik Khaimovich, Mozya Goldman, and David Goldman. I can't remember all of them – this was 65 years ago. Many types of sports were organized: trapeze – and a beam, rings, and vaulting pole. In addition, there was a pull-up bar, parallel bars, pommel horse, and others. People played bowling and croquet. There were sporting events that drew many people. Walks were organized in the village Vasilyevka on the liman. The society had about 250-300 youths, young women, and teens. We marched around the city in straight columns with unfurled white and light blue “MogenDavid” flags in the front with the band.

I remember we fell into rank, and the commander greeted us with “Khazak,” to which we responded together, “Niskhazeik.” Maccabi had a wind orchestra. As the orchestra played, the Maccabi youths marched in straight columns with their unfurled banners. The director was Falikov from Akerman, who was hired, while the musicians were all amateurs. The musicians included: Motya Gold – cornet, his brothers David and Shika Gold – also cornet, Blekhman – euphonium, Shuka Finkelstein – piccolo, Wolf Banchik – trumpet (bass), and others.

[Page 20]

Russian text:
Home For Elderly Women

Women from the committee:

Left to right: Fanya Weinshtein, Roza Davidovich, Ms. Botoshanskaya, Ms. Reifman, Ms. Borukhovich, Ms. Dulitskaya, Riva Katz, Riva Grinberg, Liza Markuzan, Basya Finkelshtein

Hebrew text:
Old Age Home for Women: This home was housed in a building not far from the synagogue “Nosei Hamateh.” The women's committee from Kiliya took care of the elderly women.

From left to right: Fanya Weinshtein, Roza Davidovich, Mrs. Botoshansky, Mrs. Reidman, Mrs. Borokhovich, Mrs. Dolitsky, Riva Katz, Riva Grinberg, Liza Markuzan, Batya Finkelstein. The seven old women in this picture are not known.

 

Watercolor by Lyova (son of Volodya) Safris:
“The Bridge near the Park.”

[Page 21]

Map of South Bessarabia – USSR, September 1954

 

Six villages were incorporated in the Kiliya Region. This map from 1954 does not show the paved asphalt road between Kiliya and Akerman and the train from Ismail to Akerman that stops in the station Zinlor, 18 km North of Kiliya. Zinlor is connected by a road to Kiliya.

[Page 22]

Some of the changes in Kiliya after 1945

 

Kil022a.jpg
 
Kil022b.jpg
The Great Synagogue 1940
 
The Sailors Club 1990

 

Drawing of a segment of the Stefan cel Mare (Stefan the Great) Street
On the left, the street until 1940. On the right, the street in 1990.

 

The three synagogues “disappeared” in 1990. Fifteen houses owned by Jews were demolished, and two lanes were designated as “No Exit.” In this area they built a Sailors Club” and a building of the party headquarters, the “Ispolkom,” and new apartment buildings.

Translator's Footnote:

  1. The Russian paragraph includes one additional name: Zarzary. Return

 

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