[Page 455]

He was a scholar, an expert in Talmud and poskim. A genius in fields of Talmudic knowledge, knew Jewish history and was a talented speaker. With his first passionate speeches as our rabbi, he won the hearts of everyone.

I was honored to be among the first of his students in Talmud. He would explain the most complex passages with simplicity and clarity, so that they stayed deeply embedded into the mind. My knowledge of Talmud I owe to him. Later, when I embarked on the ways of a more worldly culture, and threw myself into the study of Yiddish literature, he invited me to see him, and he explained that drawing on worldly knowledge does not necessarily have to end in heresy, or denial of Jewish faith. “One can,” he said, “read books, learn worldly subjects and still be a faithful and pious Jew.”

[Page 458]

His words affected me and that was the approach I took until I left for hachshara^[1].

He was a warm-hearted person with an open sensitive heart. He gladly gave to every important project, and saw to it that others also gave. His house was open to everyone. He took part in every philanthropic institution like “Hachnoset Orchim,” Gemilut Chasidim,” “Bikur Cholim,” and others.

He shared the fate of all the Jews in the shtetl, but no one knows where he perished.

Translator's note

1. Agricultural training camp return

[Page 458 - Yiddish] [Page 188 - Hebrew]

He was a man of average build, already in his elder years. His face was framed by a small white beard. He always walked with slow steps, his pipe in his mouth. With a good-natured smile always on his face, he simply charmed people.

He was held in esteem both by Chasidim and religious functionaries, and by ordinary folks, because he was a Belzer Chasid, and a scribe for religious objects, renowned as an artist in his trade,

[Page 459]

He was able to converse with anybody. Young and old were happy to be in his company.

He had a whole collection of pipes, a special one for each holiday. Here a longer one, there a shorter one. A really different one for Purim, so long it almost reached his knees. It was rimmed with many colors. It was a “historic” pipe, an inheritance from a great grandfather.

His gentle eyes shone like a child's, and a special delight spilled over his face when on such days he put his pipe to mouth, and slowly lit it–not with unwarranted pride, God forbid, but with respect for the holiday–and described the history and the origin of the pipe, and when Moishele Soifer was telling a story, everyone listened.

Young and old loved to hear, and enjoyed deeply, the homey, folksy stories he would tell at every opportunity.

Everybody liked him, and he liked everybody. As already mentioned, he was a scribe known beyond the borders of our shtetl Krasnobrod. A pair of tefillin, or a mezuzah from Moishele Soifer, always fetched a higher price than from other scribes. A sefer Torah written by him was a rare prize. But Moishele wrote more for the sake of the mitzvah than for the money, and so he was always poor; one could say, he lived on bread and water. But he was happy with his lot.

There was not a celebration in town where Moishele Soifer was not among the first of the important invitees. Whether it was an engagement party, a wedding, a bris, a pidyon haben–everywhere, Moishele Soifer was invited. He always knew how to amuse the crowds. He had his stories ready in hand to interest and amuse the guests and the in-laws.

If a Jew was engaged in another shtetl, and the wedding took place there, no one attended without Moishele's presence…Moishele Soifer showed a special interest in weddings involving poor Jews that in most cases took place without klezmer. There his talent for entertaining shone greater. So that the parents of the couple should not feel humiliated, he took the place of the klezmer, the badchen, and the dancing audience…In one word, Moishele Soifer was everything, and really knew how to do everything.

Friday evening and the Shabbes prayers was his most enjoyable time. Surrounded at the “table” with chasidim like him, as well as ordinary folk, he felt like a “fish in water.” He would gush with chasidic stories and tales of pious Jews. From time to time he would get up and dance with other chasidim. At the end of the celebration, he had his own dance. It was called the “broigez dance,” the dance of a quarreling couple. The man wants to apologize to his angry wife. But she is stubborn, and does not want under any circumstances to make up. So he gives her various presents. Each time, he takes something different out of his pockets and tries to give it to her, until she finally becomes reconciled, and they make up. Then both start dancing together. The audience applauds and dances along. People stood on tables and chairs to see the couple dancing–and went wild! They used to say in the shtetl that whoever has not seen Moishele Soifer dancing the “broygez dance,” does not know what dancing is…

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I believe it is worthwhile relating one of his stories here, as much as I can remember, although my memory may leave some details out.

There was a young man, an orphan who lived in a shtetl. He was very alone and lonely. He got to know a girl who was also a lonely orphan. They both strove to achieve a happy union that would end their lonely, sad life. Unfortunately, they could not attain their goal. They were so poor they did not have any means of establishing and building a nest for themselves. In their desperate situation, they both decided to leave for other places to look for work, and with God's help, to slowly improve their situation, and lead a family life. They would finally be free of the sorrow and torment they had had to endure in their younger years. But as soon as their plans became known, the shtetl raised a ruckus. “What? An unmarried young man and girl will, without supervision, go off into the world? Such a sin, a transgression! Who knows what kind of trouble, God help us, will befall the shtetl…We cannot allow this to happen under any circumstances.”

They rushed to the rabbi. The rabbi called together the worthy men of town and they decided that they would marry the pair in conformity with the laws of Moses and Israel, and then they could go wherever they pleased.

And so it came to pass. They held a wedding. The rabbi officiated according to Jewish law. The worthy men gave wedding presents, the shtetl celebrated. It was a double celebration: two orphans were married, and the shtetl averted a big sin.

After the wedding the couple went on their way as they had planned. They went off on foot to establish their new home.

[Page 462]

As soon as they left the shtetl they found themselves in a thickly wooded forest. They lost their way and wandered deeper and deeper into the forest. They could not find a way in or out. Suddenly, they heard the wailing cry of a child. They followed the sound of the voice until they found the child sitting under a tree. By its appearance and its clothing it appeared that the child had Christian parents. But how it came to find itself deep in the forest they could not understand. They picked up the child, calmed it down, and continued blundering around until they finally got out of the forest.

The sun had already set by the time they got out to the open fields, and in the gloom of the evening they saw a light from a house that was quite far away. They set off in that direction.

When they crossed the threshold of the house the residents of the house broke out in joy. They saw two strangers bringing back their lost child. It turned out to be a very well to do household. The people were owners of a large holding of land. One morning they had gone hunting in the forest and brought their child along. While they were hunting, the child got lost. They searched for it all day fruitlessly. Their grief was indescribable. And here the child has suddenly been returned.

When they asked the couple how they had found the child, they told them the whole story of how they were orphans alone, that they had gotten married the day before, how they had set off for unknown places in order to support themselves, and how they had gotten lost in the forest.

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And while they were wandering around tired and worn out, looking for the road, they suddenly heard the cries of a child. They followed the voice until they came to the tree and saw the crying child. “We carried the child in our arms” they added, “calmed it down so it stopped crying, and with God's help, managed to get out of the forest.”

--Because you saved my child from perishing in the forest–the father called out with gratitude–I give the forest to you as a gift!

Because you brought my child back alive and healthy to my house–added the mother–I give you the orchard that I inherited from my father, a gift!

The other relatives also gave them many gifts, and the young couple returned with great joy to the shtetl, and told everyone about the incident, and the great good fortune that had befallen them.

Here Moishele Soifer's story ended, and he explained the meaning of the story, that this happy ending happened, because religious Jews did not permit the unmarried pair to go off together, but instead got them married according to the laws of Moses and Israel.

Moishele Soifer also used to have his own sayings:

There are three things, he used to say, that a person does that are not nice, but that don't matter; the first, when a person eats preserves with a spoon. It's not nice but it doesn't matter.
Second, when somebody beats his wife, It's not nice, but it doesn't matter. She gets a few slaps; it actually makes her better.
The third thing is, when an older man gets married

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to a young girl, it's really not nice, but it doesn't matter.

As mentioned earlier, Moishele was a pauper, because he did his holy work for the sake of a mitzvah. As was his entertaining people done for its own sake.

[Page 464 - Yiddish] [Page 192 - Hebrew]

A scribe of the old generation. He wrote tefillin, mezuzes, and Torahs. A highly accomplished man with all the virtues. After his death we understood the words of the rebbe's eulogy, “Saints after their death are called living.” For the shtetl, he did not die, but lived on in the memories of everyone who knew him.

During his life, he strictly observed and lived the 613 commandments and laws of the Shulchan Aruch, while still finding time for drawing, painting, carving and engraving. He wrote poems, composed melodies, and sang them with feeling. In his later years, it even brought him some money. He carried out various performances, painted signs, sewed, chiseled, etc.

Moishele Soifer was a peacemaker who loved people, and would give up his life to help people. He listened to everybody, kept secrets. He endeavored to make broken families whole, brokered peace between quarrelling sides. He entertained audiences at celebrations especially after cantor Chaim, the city cantor died, and he was invited to every celebration.

He failed to get naches from one thing, and that was his house. It was in a bad state, and low almost to the ground, and cost him his health and brought him a lot of distress. He was able to be of service and aid to everyone except himself and his children.

[Page 465 - Yiddish] [Page 193 - Hebrew]

R' Moishe-Leib Barg was born and raised in a chasidic home, and from childhood on, was steeped in the spirit of the Torah and piety. Throughout his life he was among the first to dedicate himself with devotion to each religious action and undertaking. He never refused even the smallest tasks, and of course, accepted every responsible task and mission that was entrusted to him. He was a shtadlan who sacrificed himself for the individual as well as for community issues.

It was he who freed the young men from military service during the Polish-Bolshevik war. And it was he who went from door to door with lulav and etrog in order to allow people to perform a mitzvah. As a member of Chevra Kadisha, he battled to keep the traditional observances in the burial laws, even in times of danger. He did not tire of going from house to house encouraging Jews,

[Page 466]

and calling on them to give tzedakah. Whether it was the pushke for “Meir bal Haness,” or Maot Chitin for matzah for the poor, or even the rebuilding of the ruined besmedresh, his energy, initiative and zeal inspired, and brought to success every activity.

Even though he was himself not wealthy, and sometimes in a difficult situation, he did everything without drawing attention to himself. He was a model of religious faith, and he refused, under any circumstances, to benefit from the help others in need received. In the awful war years, he wandered through Russia. It appears that his past gave him the strength to survive the suffering of homelessness, hunger and privation. From the camps in Germany, he arrived in Israel. In spite of the hardships of the war years, his spirit did not break. His faith became even stronger, and his readiness to engage in social work found, in Israel as well, a wide field of activity.

After three years living in Tel-Aviv, he received a dwelling in shikun Ramat-Yam in Bat- Yam. He quickly began a drive to establish a synagogue in his neighborhood.

In spite of his age and frail health, he threw himself into the task with youthful passion. He did not tire of approaching donors, and he opened their hearts and their pockets. He lived to see the completed synagogue, the fruit of his efforts.

At the age of 73, he was taken up to heaven.

[Page 466 - Yiddish] [Page 194 - Hebrew]

Moishe Leib Barg, always happy, smiling and good-natured. He carried a large burden, always busy with hundreds of things on his head. He had “a sach meluches, un veinik bruches.”^[1] He found time to listen to you, and to give advice.

[Page 467]

He knew everybody and everybody knew him. We used to say, “From the day you're born to the day you die, you are in his hands,” an allusion to his participation at a bris, family celebrations, or at funerals.

He was by nature compassionate, ready to help, and actually did. The last years, he was overloaded with work and problems. He was administrator for others' money, bill collector for the electric company, and took care of other business for the graf's court. He tended to hold onto the collected money as long as possible and lend it out to storekeepers so they could supply themselves with merchandise for the market, or pay a bill.

Translator's note

1. Many businesses and few blessings return

[Page 467 - Yiddish] [Page 195 - Hebrew]

It us hard to understand how, on our sinful earth, there existed people like R' Shmuel Zeinvl who were far from materialism and everything worldly. Their lives were dedicated to serving God and to be worthy of it. To imagine R' Shmuel Zeinvl it would be enough to take all four books of the Shulchan Aruch, dress them with a kapoteh and belt, boots, a hat with a yarmulke, and you would have before you this very, dear Jew.

“Pat b'melech tuchal v'mayim bimsorah tishteh v'al ha'aretz tishan^[1].” For whom were those words spoken if not for Shmuel Zeinvl. He took two essential mitzvoth on himself: To surround the shtetl with an eruv, and bikur cholim. Neither mitzvah brought him any satisfaction. The first demanded a lot of work, and the second sometimes brought him into contact with people with embittered hearts who vented their bitterness on him. He confided secretly to me that when he sees some of the sick, from their torments and despair, they begin to complain to God in front of him.

[Page 468]

He conducted his work with love and forgave those who caused him distress.

By his strong piety and love of the Jewish people–and maybe because of this–he was not a fundamentalist in matters of law. He prayed with his whole heart. He did not travel to see any rabbi, and did not hurry to meet them when they visited the shtetl. The reason for it we did not have to ask; we understood it well.

Translator's note

1. You shall eat bread with salt, drink small amounts of water, and sleep on the ground. return

[Page 468 - Yiddish] [Page 195 - Hebrew]

A Jew, quiet as a mouse. A keen learner, a passionate Radziner chasid. Lived frugally. Always sitting in his store by an open Gemara and studying. When he tore off a piece of paper to wrap something for a customer, it seemed as if he tore a page out of the big Gemara. He had virtually never stopped studying, and didn't get involved in debates, but he could respond quietly and persuasively.

I saw a list posted in the Radziner shtibl of those paying a weekly allowance to the rebbe. When I asked him, ”R' Abraham Meir, how can you commit yourself to one Zloty a week for the rebbe?” His answer was, “Why do people undertake to pay for life insurance? Because they are insuring themselves against a tragedy, or for their retirement. Nu, I am doing the same thing.”

[Page 468 - Yiddish] [Page 200 - Hebrew]

I knew R' Abraham Yakov and his parents from my earliest years. He was a Cohen, and that was probably why he was an angry man, quick to get worked up and irate. He quickly regretted it,

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and tried to make up, and bring back the previous mood.

He was a good-hearted person, and had good traits. He often made donations anonymously. He was a pious chasid, and loved scholarship. Even a young man that could study well impressed him. He suffered his whole life for not being able to study a page of Gemara with tosafot. He searched for ways to achieve this. He had a glass case full of religious books, the whole Talmud. He spent money and effort so that his children should achieve what he was not able to, and he was not very successful there either.

He observed the “law of Israel,” with the parsha Rashi and a chapter of mishnayes. He fasted the 6 winter Fridays–“Shovivim.”

Yom Kippur, after Kol Nidrei, he stayed awake all night. Every Shavuot he stayed at his rebbe's. We used to avoid telling him our troubles and worries knowing that he would take it hard. In his later years, after his children got married, he and his wife, Esther, went on a diet. He would invite a guest for Shabbes, and bring him to my mother's restaurant, and pay for his meal.

[Page 469 - Yiddish] [Page 201 - Hebrew]

Shmuel Rind, or as he was called by us, Shmuel Malke's, was a simple man, who was not well versed in religious studies, only capable of Shabbes davening, and reading the weekly portion. He was a person with a pure, honest Jewish heart. He believed in observant Jews, saints, and rabbis, but he also loved every Jew, and required from others that scholars be respected.

If a preacher, or an author, or simply a guest, came to town, his house was always open to them. He offered the nicest and the best to them, and helped his wife, Yote Malke's, to prepare

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meals for the guests. If a poor man showed up after the meal, there was also no resentment. The table was quickly covered by a tablecloth, bread, cheese, sour cream, butter and a glass of tea, and the guest fed and watered, and bid goodbye with a gift in hand, a prayer for the road, and “shalom al Israel.”

[Page 470 - Yiddish] [Page 197 - Hebrew]

The Duck people, that's what the old couple, Moishe and Chana Greenboim, were called in the shtetl.

They were an old childless couple that lived by the shul. They were both endlessly pious, and loved to sit together and study. Which one of them knew more was not known. Sometimes it seemed that Moishe was learning from her and sometimes the reverse. Their biggest worry was that after they died, they would have no one to say Kaddish for them. Auntie Chana, as I called her, took to raising as Kaddish sayer her brother's, Itche Fecher's, son, Hersh. He was a motherless orphan who was very smart and knowledgeable. Because of his wild behavior and brains he was called in the shtetl, “Der Meshugener Hersh.”

A lot of naches from their kaddish they didn't have. To the extent that they were pious, he was the opposite. He could study a lot, knew the whole Tanach off by heart, knew several foreign languages, and was an expert in scientific studies. But he abandoned the couple in his younger years, and visited them only once a year. He remained an old bachelor, and supported himself giving classes in wealthy Jewish homes in Lublin.

Moishe and Chana took upon themselves the worry of Hachnoset Orchim. Their house was open to all strangers. Provided with cushions, blankets they would prepare beds for any pauper or traveller who came to their house. When too many guests showed up, they took the bedding to the shul, or the Radziner shtibl, and set them up there. More than once they were paid back with trouble. When Auntie Chana would bring the paupers the “negl vasser^[1],” one of them would steal her last few pennies from under the pillow. Nevertheless, she continued doing her mitzvahs. When R' Moishe complained, she calmed him down, and promised that God would repay the loss.

The lived poorly, made do with little. Washing before eating and the blessings took more time than the whole feast. They made a living from three sources. The primary source was the lime business. Jews and Christians bought their lime because they knew they would get an honest weight. The second business they only pursued in winter when they slaughtered and sold geese. The profit was in the feathers for the poor to stuff cushions with, and sometimes also the giblets for cholent for Shabbes Kodesh. Their third means of earning was kept in a locked box in which there were several bottles of alcohol, and a few dozen cookies of various kinds. This merchandise was off limits to non-Jews, or even Jews who did not say a prayer before eating. Only those who belonged to the shul and the besmedresh could buy them. There were always two notices (Moishe Soifer's work)–the prayers before eating and after eating, so that the customer would not have to exert himself and search for them in the siddur.

If a poor Jew had Yohrzeit and could not afford a bottle of alcohol and some snacks, he could get right there as much as he wanted. A little water mix for the alcohol, he provided himself.

[Page 472]

And a few cookies, broken into little pieces, were enough for the whole minyan. When two Jews had, during the davening, agreed on a business deal, they had a little to eat. When two quarreling Jews made up it was definitely a mitzvah to have a drink and a little dry cookie. A good dream was also a suitable reason. Even the besmedresh boys were fond of snacking on Chana's cookies. If there was no money, they took it on credit. The point was the blessing, so Moishe and Chana could answer, amen.

There were also Shabbes customers. The Chevra Kadisha was of this sort. They would take it on credit and repay. One Shabbes after prayers the Chevra Kadisha wanted to make kiddush. However, Moishe and Chana did not want to extend any more credit. They argued that they were owed a big amount already. But how can you go home without kiddush? When they came by, Chana responded, “Bring some collateral, and I'll give you.” So they said, “ Nu, chaverim, bring as collateral the ta'are breyt!^[2] A frightened Chana gave it to them on credit, and begged them to repay her after Shabbes so she could buy fresh product.

Translator's notes

1. Water to wash one's hands before prayers return
2. The board on which the body of the deceased is placed for purification before burial return

[Page 472 - Yiddish] [Page 196 - Hebrew]

Itche Sender's, Lefler, a simple Jew with a pure heart. A faithful chasid who was keen to host his chasidic rabbis, if not the real big ones, at least the little rebbelach. Always gave to charity and saw to it that others gave too. If you were unloading your troubles to him, and shedding a tear in the process, he would weep along with you, and add his troubles to yours.

Itche Sender was no scholar however,

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but he was not far beneath one. He found his satisfaction in the book of psalms. He was an assiduous student of psalms. He was a corpulent, broad-boned man, who so strongly evoked the simple healthy folksy type–it was fitting that he was called “Tehillim Yid.”^[1] His tehillim reciting was heard around the shtetl and on the roads–travelling to the markets. It seemed as if it floated in the air and filled the air with the songs of David.

One cloudy, rainy day, Itche Sender's did not go to the market. He came to the besmedresh to get in another barchu with a kedushah. I asked him, “R' Itche, what are you doing here, what's happening with the market?” He replied, “I already, baruch hashem, had a good market today, and I earned more today than a bunch of markets.” “How?” I asked him. “I managed to get in a barchu and a kedusheh. This is a more certain return.”

Translator's note

1. Psalm man return

[Page 473 - Yiddish] [Page 199 - Hebrew]

He was a chasid, but not a fanatic. He knew and understood life very well, but he understood there are boundaries to action.

He was one of those who always took on himself the burden of public service, and sometimes the public foisted the burden on him against his will. He did not want to become dozor, even though he was the right person for the job. He wanted to remain outside so he could stay objective and independent, and keep the friendliest relations with the community. That's why he was well liked in all circles.

[Page 474]

He had a fiery character, quick to get upset–like his whole family–but never lost his equilibrium, or stopped his activities.

He would give to charity with an open heart: always wanting to be the first and to give the most. Even in hard times, he gave as much as the wealthy. During a charitable appeal, he gave, as an example for others, the largest amount, and assured thereby the success of the campaign.

His house was a center for everything and everybody. As the expression goes: “Fun rav biz tzum beder.^[1]” His house was always noisy and busy. People came and went, some to get advice from R' Shmuel, and some to discuss their troubled minds. Davening, reciting slichot, singing zmirehs, carrying out shalosh-siddes, melave malkes, and kidesh-livoneh, everything took place in and around that house.

There you could encounter the same people in different ways. Shimon Balagoleh during the week, and the Shabbes Shimon; Chaim-Zalman from the butcher shop, and a Chaim-Zalman reading mishnayes. Here, standing by the lectern, with glazed, pious eyes is Meye Mendele's, and next to him stands the Christian administrator of the graf's court waiting until the davening has ended. Here Aharon Gershn sings “Dror yikra”, and at the same time the phone rings. And a strange harmony of sounds and rings is created not found in any other house in Krasnobrod.

Translator's note

1. From the rabbi to the bathhouse attendant return

Almost all the children in Krasnobrod knew him. He was renowned. Eighty percent of the children studied with him, went through his cheder, a melamed for three generations. Our parents, our children, and us were taught by him…He did not look to be so old.

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He did not have a big family. A father with 2 sons. All three slightly built. Furthermore, they all had one eye. The youngest was completely blind. But that did not interfere with their trade. Bunem Melamed was a big believer, a faithful Jew. He travelled to several rabbis, stayed in contact with them waiting for a remedy for the eyes. He did not hold with any doctors. They could not help him at all. In addition, he had living examples of God's help by virtue of the rabbis.

Like, for example, with his earning a living, or two livings. His wife dealt with fruit. She used to rent orchards, and spent the whole year in the market with apples and pears.

The method of his teaching: children of 5-8 years old. About 30 children sat around one large table. The house was always full of fruit, boxes, troughs, scales, weights, straw, and so on. He was always standing with his twitch in hand. He lashed out right and left.

He had a nickname for every student. Some nicknames stuck permanently. As if it was not enough to suffer him during the week, he also came to hear us out on Shabbes. We could not breath freely. He never missed a tanis-tsiber^[1], although he would sometimes visit his rebbe then…

He was nevertheless good-hearted. One of his virtues was his antipathy to money. As soon as he got some, he would look for a way to give it away. He needed nothing for himself. He was so proficient in donating his few coins, that he

[Page 476]

always managed to find the place where his gift was most needed.

It is worthwhile to recall one other thing. Bunem Melamed, poor as he was, was a big machnes oyrech^[2]. He seldom sat at his table without a guest for Shabbes. In order to be assured a guest, he had an arrangement with the gabai of the shul, who used to apportion guests for Shabbes or holidays. The deal was that he would get the first guest, meaning that if there were only one in the shul, he would get him.

Permit me to tell a story about Bunem Melamed.

I once met Bunem Melamed at the rebbe's. As is the custom, after Minche-Maariv, a drink is served and a l'chaim made with the rebbe. When it was Bunem's turn, with his glass of whiskey in hand, he took a sip and fell into such a rapture, that he called out, “Rebbe you must help me, and you can help me, to make my son Moishele begin to have some sight, to become sighted like every other person… You can help me. You just have to want to.” He yelled loudly, “ I will not leave this spot. Help me! If your father could help me, you can help Moishele.” And he begins to tell the rebbe the following story.

In 1905, during the Russia-Japan war, Chol Hamoed Sukkot, he and two other chasidim went off to visit the then rabbi, his father. In Zamosc, they encountered a lot of soldiers marching through the city. He was already half blind, and a Cossack on horseback trampled him, and badly wounded his head so that his eyes became bloody, and he became completely blind. The people who had accompanied him wanted to send him back home. But he would not hear of it. He insisted they take him to the rebbe.

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They could not prevail over him. They took him on the long trip to the rebbe. There was no train yet to Rejowiec. With God's help, they arrived at the rebbe's erev Hoshana Raba in the evening. They took the blind Bunem Melamed and led him into the rebbe's house. You can imagine what kind of noisy tumult and throng prevailed erev yom tov at the rebbe's. A crowd of chasidim who came from different cities. They stayed up all night. Bunem sat there blind. He said nothing. He moaned and wept asking to be brought to the rebbe. His crying and lack of sleep made his condition worse.

They brought him to the rebbe. He told him his problems. The rebbe calmed him down and told him to go to bed and get some rest. He argued, “ Yes, what will I do in the morning? The davening I know off by heart. But what about all the prayers and hoyshaynes^[3] that I don't know off by heart. How can I recite them?” The rebbe replied, “Bunem, don't worry. You'll sit next to me. I will recite out loud, and you will recite after me.”

Bunem agreed and went to sleep.

It must be added however that the custom of the rebbe was not to stay seated during the prayers and hoyshaynes, but to walk around with the etrog and lulav, making a circuit of the whole synagogue, something no one remembered, including Bunem.

Morning arrived. Bunem made all the preparations for davening. Even blind, he did not fail to go to the mikvah. They began the davening. Bunem sat at the head, near the rebbe. He davened off by heart along with all the chasidim, with tears and great fervor. The rebbe was standing for Shmone Esrei. It was time for him to leave his spot for the hoyshaynes. Suddenly Bunem felt as if someone had stretched out his hand and wiped his eyes with a handkerchief.

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The rebbe left his spot to continue with the prayers–and Bunem's eyes cleared up as if nothing had happened! He was able to daven from the siddur like everyone else, and he had a happy holiday.

This was the story, and Bunem was one hundred percent convinced that if the father was capable then so is the son…He just has to want to…

What the rebbe answered, I don't remember. But one thing I do remember: we tried to change the subject so that Bunem would not interfere with the celebration at the rebbe's.

Translator's notes

1. Exceptional communal fast day return
2. Person who regularly invites the poor to his home, esp. Shabbes or religious holidays. return
3. Hymn recited during Sukkot return

One could say he was a born social activist. He was involved in community events from his youth onward.

About a decade before WWI, he had already made plans to rebuild the besmedresh that was as old as our shtetl itself.

He rebuilt it, adding another story for “ezres noshim,” the woman's shul. He completed it down to the smallest details, and ruled with a strong hand.

The whole time, as I recall, he was the gabai of the besmedresh, or the shul of the Chevra Kadisha. He was also dozor^[1]. He was constantly called in to consult with the assessment commission for revenue taxation, because he was well known, and he knew everybody. True, he did not decline any of these honors. But his close friends always nominated him when the need arose. Why? Because Mordechai Gurtler knew his job. He was not a person who compromised. He did what he thought best. He did not even consult his advisors. Thanks to his strictness, he made enemies. But those who knew him best, did not desert him.

[Page 479]

They knew his virtues and good qualities, and his house, which was like his hands, open for anyone in need.

Mordechai Gurtler and his wife, Sheva (Elisheva) were childless. The shtetl was sympathetic, spoke of it with pity. It was said that it was because he had a quarrel with another chasidic sect, and was cursed. His home was never depressing, however, always brightly lit, and noisy with people: guests, gabaim, preachers, emissaries, heads of yeshivas. A bed was always ready for anyone who had to stay overnight.

His wife, Sheveleh, was good-hearted, quiet, friendly, a saint. She was often oblivious of the tumult in the house. She was always reading religious books. She was learned in religious texts and concerned with loftier matters. She would set up the brass samovar for the guests, and re-immerse herself in the spiritual world.

I would see him quite often at meetings and assemblies, and witnessed his integrity. The problem was his inability to compromise. Either yes or no. With this approach of his, his projects sometimes fell through.

I can recall one failure. As gabai of the Chevra Kadisha, he, the Gerer chasid and zealot, disapproved of the behavior of his group. He prepared to do a “housecleaning.” But such a thing was unheard of. There was a rule that whoever was a member of the Chevra Kadisha was there for life. He was not even allowed to hint that he would leave.

Mordechai Gurtler informed those he didn't like that they were expelled from the group. But he did it all by himself. At the same time, he informed some young people in town, without consulting them beforehand, that they had been made members of the group. This was viewed poorly. But Mordecahi Gurtler knew everything. He was not afraid, neither of the living, or the dead. When he included me without my knowledge among the new inductees, I asked him why he hadn't first tried to get my permission. He replied, “Your father was inscribed in the Chevra Kadisha, that gives me the right to include you.”

When the cheder, Yesodei-HaTorah, was founded in our shtetl, he was also then the “boss” in the shtetl. Of course, everyone in the shtetl knew who was sending their children to the new cheder. Chaim-Leib, the hat maker, a simple man, was not in a hurry to send his two kids to the new cheder. One evening after the market, Chaim-Leib came to the besmedresh to daven. So someone called out, “Chaim-Leib, why don't you send your children to the cheder?” Chaim-Leib answered quite naively, “Why are you making such a big deal about your cheder? If you had founded a cheder where all 70 languages were taught, I would have something to hurry for. But for this cheder–I have time.

Mordecahi Gurtler heard everything. He went over to him. “What?” he said to him. “A cheder with 70 languages you need?” And in the blink of an eye he picked him up and carried him out of the shul–and he lay out there outside. In addition, he threw in, “Now learn 70 languages.”

He was just afraid of one person, Hitler, may his name be erased. With Hitler's incursion into Poland, he became so frightened, that I saw him carrying with him all he possessed

[Page 481]

and his whole family: his tallis and tefillin, and his wife, Shevaleh, who from fear lost the ability to walk. He carried her to the hiding place he knew so well, and where he was always the boss, and where he knew every hidden nook and cranny–the cemetery.

He also managed to hide and wall up in his cellar 16 Torahs before leaving his house.

Translator's note

1. Community leader return

[Page 481 - Yiddish] [Page 202 - Hebrew]

Born in 1907, Hersh Leib belonged to the younger generation.

He was raised in a strict religious home. He was watched constantly, not allowed go anywhere without supervision. His mother, a widow, wanted her only son, who was possessed of lots of talent, a good memory, and was an assiduous student, to become a rabbi. She sent him to the finest cheders, and required her second husband, Yoshe Goldberg–who had been a student of the Volozhiner yeshiva–he should study with him. She wanted to see him become a rabbi as quickly as possible.

Hersh Leib had an altogether different view of his future. Early on, he secretly and with zeal, began to read Yiddish literature. He became familiar with Mendele, and Sholem Aleichem. He read Zhitlowsky and Borochov, internalized the ideology, and became a passionate follower of Labor-Zionism.

His family discovered that Hersh Leib had “left the proper way,” and they began to persecute him. He suffered greatly from the fanatic Bergsteins, but was not broken, and energetically took to setting up a branch of Poalei-Zion. The party and its youth movement, Freiheit, grew quickly. Hersh Leib was the animating spirit of the movement. Very well liked

[Page 482]

by the youth, he was made the spokesman of Poalei-Zion in the shtetl. He addressed lectures, held interesting readings, and was at the head of every activity. He was not inclined to compromise, but he nevertheless found a way for agreement with every party.

He threw himself into business as well, with enthusiasm and energy. He became quickly rich in 1931–but during the big economic crisis–he became greatly impoverished. He took up the lumber business and quickly became one of the richest people in town. He became inactive in the party, and was satisfied with an occasional appearance.

He perished along with his wife and two children.

[Page 482 - Yiddish] [Page 203 - Hebrew]

Avraham Shnur was a Jew of the older generation. By trade he was a shoemaker. An honest shoemaker as was said in the city, trying to please his clients.

His trade, such as it was, was not inherited from his parents. Zalman-Ber, the shammes, once told me that he learned the shoemaking trade with him. (And he really was better at it than his teacher).

He had two good qualities: he liked learned men–although he himself was not a scholar–and his trade. It seems that he strongly abided by the Mishneh, “Eem ein kemach, ein Torah; v'eem ein Torah, ein kemach.^[1]” In the besmedresh, after work, he always loved to listen in on the studying. He respected the scholars. On the other hand, he didn't keep his sons or daughters very long in cheder like other faithful Jews. He made them all learn a trade.

[Page 483]

When Avraham Shnur was looking for a match for his daughter, he sought a son-in-law in keeping with the above-mentioned mishneh. The daughter, in this case, agreed with the father. It did not happen so quickly. But ultimately God sent him Getzl Ehrlich, the hat maker, a young man, religious, a believing soul, a Belzer chasid. He had a little scholarly knowledge and the rest he achieved through good deeds. Avraham Shnur was overjoyed at God's gift.

The founder of the Bund, Yehoshua Shnur, hy”d

In 1921 he served in the Polish army and returned a Bundist. All we heard from him then was the Bund, Medem, Michailovitch, Victor Alter…

Yehoshua was not satisfied with just carrying on discussions. He set on creating a Bund party in the shtetl. He attracted friends, Ruben Kramer, Yakov Geistat, and others. They also founded a “Skif” division and a “Zukunft” organization. Yehoshua was the head of the work.

Around 1930, on a nice Saturday morning, about 9:00 o'clock in the morning, when the Jews were in the besmedreshes, they went out demonstrating around town with banners, red flags, and songs. The pious, Sabbath Jews could not abide such a thing, and a fight broke out. There were wounded and bloodied participants. The Polish police now had the best excuse to mix in and disperse the “celebration.” But Yehoshua Shnur continued to lead his party with a firm hand. He taught students in his methods. He later married Moishe-Leib Borg's daughter. He was killed by the Nazis along with his wife and children.

Translator's notes

1. If there is no flour, there is no Torah; and if there is no Torah, there is no flour. return
2. Teacher of the youngest children return

[Page 484 - Yiddish] [Page 205 - Hebrew]

Reuven Kramer was a barber and the son of a barber. His grandfather was a barber, and he was called Itche Roife. His father was called Leibish Itche Roife's, and he himself was called Reuven Itche Roife's.

He was an interesting person, graced with a noble character and organizational talent. Aside from the fact that he was the leader of the Bund, he was beloved by the youth of all circles and his house was always full of young people.

He was one of the founders of the library.

[Page 485]

When the Gemiles Chasidim was founded, he was one of the first of the founders, and contributed money from his own pocket. He was also a member of the Chevra Kadisha, and thus won the sympathy of the religious bloc.

In later years, before the war, he was elected as dozor on the artisans list. He was very active, took part in all meetings, brought in various proposals and fought to see them realized. He showed much understanding of religious needs, and often promoted the interests of the rabbi for whom he had a personal liking.

When the war broke out, he escaped with his family to the Caucasus. Unfortunately, the Nazi beasts tracked him down there, and cut short his life of creativity.

[Page 485 - Yiddish] [Page 205 - Hebrew]

Unfortunately, it is difficult for me to enumerate and describe separately examples from the gallery of people and types who would need to be included in this book of memory. I will just have to content myself to mentioning a group of people, who with all their hearts, were loyal to the ideals of Zionism, each according to his ability: R' Baruch Glustman, Mendl Rozner (today in Argentina), Itzchak Babad, Yosef Lederman, Baruch Ze'ev Kupiec, Nachum Lederman (today in America), Meir Laizer Melamed, who was always thinking of aliyah to Eretz Israel, Leibish Lerner, the first to rent a hall for Zionist meetings and was persecuted for it, Israel Babad, Eliezer Gurtler, Meir Kerer, and Pesach Helfman, a pious Gerer Chasid who was the first to send his children to the Yavne school, and later to high school in Zamosc.

I'd like to pass along an episode that I heard from Leibish Arele's (Lerner).

[Page 486]

After his bar mitzvah, Leibish studied for a couple of years in Belz. After, up until he got married, he studied in the besmedresh in Krasnobrod. One day he went over to the bookcase and took out a book. He was astonished to find it was a heretical work by Yakov Reifman of Shebreshin,^[1] near Zamosc. (The teacher of Y. L. Peretz, and Dr. Gelibter). In the meantime, R' Isrulish Gurtler came in. He glanced at the book, and seeing what it was, he tore it out of Leibish's hands, and threw it into the burning oven, and gave Leibish a stinging chasidic slap.

Translator's note

1. Polish name Szczebrzeszyn return

[Page 486 - Yiddish] [Page 206 - Hebrew]

His greatest pleasure was to travel to Ger for Shabbes and listen to the Torah straight from the rebbe's mouth.

When the war broke out, and the city burned, our house remained intact. The joy,

[Page 487]

that we would not have to sleep in the streets, was great. But it did not last long, because we quickly began to feel the brutality of the Nazi murderers, ym”sh.

When the Russians left the shtetl, my father also left for Rawa-Ruska. Coming to the border, he was tormented by the thoughts of his wife and family at home, and he returned, a broken man, and there he was murdered.

He was among the first in the shtetl to organize culture clubs and discussion evenings.

[Page 488]

He founded a chess club, which later evolved into a political club of General-Zionism.

He led the club on his own. Being such an affable person, he was always able to resolve differences of opinion between comrades in any area, and thanks to him there was always peaceful relations among the activists of the various parties. If our shtetl had a good Keren Kayemet L'Israel committee that successfully raised money for Eretz Israel, it was chiefly the work of Yakov Zimmerman who gave his heart and soul to it.

How much he was beloved by the residents of the shtetl was seen when he fell ill. At first, it was a light illness, but later, because of a fatal misdiagnosis by the doctor, the life of this gentle and hard-working young man, came to an end. There was not one house where the question was not on everyone's lips, “How is Yankel, what does the doctor say?” When he was transferred to the neighboring city of Zamosc, he was accompanied by a whole host of people. While he was in the hospital we set up a reporting point that updated news about his condition every two hours. (There was no telephone yet in the shtetl). The news quickly spread from house to house.

When the news reached the shtetl about his premature death, there was grieving not only among his family and near ones, but everybody in town without exception was affected. His funeral, organized by his comrades and friends, was transformed into an imposing mourning demonstration of people who felt that the loss was a heavy one for the town in general, and his family in particular.

[Page 489]

He was originally from the neighboring shtetl of Tarnogrod. He came to Krasnobrod as a young bachelor, got married here, and became a family man. But he was unsuccessful both in his family life and in his business life. On the other hand, he was very successful in his social and cultural activities.

He was always in a happy mood. (He was called the happy pauper). He never got upset at all his problems. There were times when he simply had no bread to feed his children, but he didn't lose heart, and his cheerful mood did not forsake him. Thanks to these qualities, he was never broken, and overcame the hard times and reached better ones.

His first steps into social-cultural work were the establishment of Hebrew classes for children and adults. At the same time, he began to organize political clubs that, with time, evolved into a General Zionist organization whose chairman he was the whole time.

He helped organize and took part in cultural events. These undertakings helped many of the youth to find their way from the old-fashioned Chasidic shtiblach to the political parties and culture clubs. As time passed, some of these young people's talents became noticeable. They later stood at the head of the youth organizations that were created.

For Mendl Farber there was no work that was not done purely for spiritual reasons. He did everything unselfishly, dedicating his heart and soul to his ideas. There was no task that he could not accomplish.

[Page 490]

No sooner had the work been decided upon than it was fulfilled. If others did not do it, he would roll up his sleeves and get it done.

I had the honor of working with him for ten years, day in and day out, when he was chairman and I was secretary, and in Keren Kayemet and Keren HaYesod committees. I can, with clear conscience, state that none of the activists and coworkers showed as much devotion to the work as Mendl Farber.

Naturally his social work did not always go to his satisfaction. He was the first martyr to be besmirched by the older generation of Jews, from the chasidim and fanatics in the shtetl. More than once, the parents of young people in the organisations attacked him with curses and insults, and created scandals. He, as was his wont, took everything with a smile–and continued his work, but with even more ardor and energy.

His weakness was chess. He would sit for hours without a break engrossed in the game, foregoing lunch and sometimes supper.

He worked for some time as an insurance agent, and he would be absent from the shtetl for a week at a time. When he would come home for Shabbes, he would bring along a couple of new songs from the movement, and teach them to us.

[Page 491]

Yehoshua Babad was one of a kind, an enigma that puzzled many. He was a bachelor without particular education who practically never left the shtetl, and had very little contact with the outside world. He did not gain any knowledge sitting at other tables–and yet–what talent did he not possess? From early on he could play the violin. He produced and led a troupe of actors. He founded a choir and put on performances that were organized by him alone, without anyone's help. There was no cultural or political activity where you would not find him at work. He had to be everywhere. It was simply impossible to imagine any social activity without him.

One can state with certainty: if Poalei-Zion had any success in Krasnobrod, it was due to Yehoshua Babad.

Aside from this alone, he was a cheerful and modest person. He was not arrogant. He had time for everybody, young and old, helping in any way he could, sometimes with advice, sometimes with material means. He helped others even when his own situation was difficult. It was common knowledge among many that if they were in need of material help, Yehoshua Babad was the right address. He would immediately organize and gather together the required sums. Nobody ever refused him, or asked who the money was for. They knew that if Yehoshua requested money, you had to give–and they gave.

Finding yourself in his company meant enjoying a pleasant and comfortable time. Often after stormy meetings or assemblies he would gather us together,

[Page 492]

comrades as well as opponents, and teach us songs. This was his favorite pastime. He could sit with us until 2-3 o'clock in the morning. He had already established a group of selected young singers. Among them was Esther Kamm (now Glickman) who had a very nice voice.

He was personally modest, but as a Jew, he was proud with a warm Jewish heart. When a Jew was insulted by his antisemitic neighbors, it was for him a real tragedy. He regularly actively reacted against every kind of antisemitic wrong and statement. In such cases he would agitate for the organization of a self-defense squad, rather than wait for help from the police, antisemites in uniform.

I can recall an incident where he almost lost his life defending Jewish honor. Military maneuvers were taking place in the shtetl. Some Polish soldiers were making fun of Jews. Yehoshua happened to be walking by and noticed this. He reacted, as was his wont, by physically attacking them. It looked like it would become a horrible adventure. Were it not for the intervention of the superior officers, he would certainly have paid with his life.

He was beloved by everyone. Anyone who was associated with him, whether friend or opponent, revered him for his boundless devotion and abilities, for his prodigious diligence, in the furtherance of his idealism.

Even during the bloody Hitler years, he did not lose his pride or his dignity as a Jew.

[Page 493 - Yiddish] [Page 206 - Hebrew]

After a twelve hour day bent over a sewing machine, she found the time and the energy to be active in the Poalei Zion party, took part in all the activities, and in the performances of the drama club.

In 1932 she joined HeChalutz HaKlali and went to the Krasnobroder kibbutz. There, she performed hard physical labor in the sawmill, sawing wood by hand. She endured whatever difficulties arose with patience. She was an example of diligence and discipline. In 1933 she was sent over to the Dror kibbutz in Cracow where she worked until her aliyah in 1936.

Here in Israel she was one of the founders of the kibbutz, Ein Hayam, near Atlit (today Ein HaCarmel). She endured all the hardship of the occupied land. She worked in various capacities, was happy with the achievements of the kibbutz, and hoped to bring her family over. In 1938 she left the kibbutz for health reasons, and settled in Haifa.

When the war broke out and the first news about the fate of the Jews under Nazi rule came out, she wept day and night for her parents, brothers, and sisters who had remained behind in Krasnobrod. In 1943, when it became known that all the Jews there had been murdered, she became very ill from grief, took to her bed for two years, underwent great sorrow. She could not reconcile herself to the great tragedy, and ended her life in 1945, not having lived to see the establishment of the state of Israel she had dreamed of for years in her short and creative life.

[Page 494 - Yiddish] [Page 209 - Hebrew]

After much effort and work and the participation of a group of comrades and friends, we succeeded in gathering together all this material, memories, photos and evidence about Krasnobrod's existence and destruction.

As we hand over the book to the Krasnobrod she'erit hapletah, it is with the feeling that we created something out of nothing. We took all the separate threads and wove them into the web that became this book of memory.

Permit me to express my heartfelt thanks to all those who contributed their donations and work in the bringing out of this book. I especially want to thank my friends, Eliyahu Rind, Pinchas Diamant, Gitl and Avraham Barg who dedicated their time and energy to this important task.

I extend my heartiest thanks to the editor, Mordechai Kroshnitz, who showed us how to begin the project, agreed to edit the accumulated material, and gave us much of his time, energy and talent.

We hope that the Krasnobrod survivors will feel the spirit of the old home in this book. They will return to the bygone years of their youth, relive the tension of a meeting with generations that have vanished, and absorb the deep, unappeased sorrow of the great catastrophe that befell us.

Our younger generation will recognize in this book the “golden chain” of their noble origins, and will with pride remember their grandfathers and grandmothers.

This book will remind us all that we are an orphaned family that has a shared yohrzeit day–the day of tet vav Cheshvan.

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