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Krynker Relief Committee, New York, 1918 From right sitting: Boruch Sanders, Abe Kaplan, Meyer Blok, Lois Shine, Irving Novak, Kutiel Tursky, Morris Brudovsky, Florence Friedman, Sam Leibovitch. Standing: Abe Blok, William Levin, Motl Kugel, Sarah Gabai, Mayer Falk, Saul Gordon, Jacob Kirzhner, Berl Zakon

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Gathering of former Krynkers in Melbourne, Australia, 1968 Standing from left to right: Shimon Mordech (Mordchelewiec), Yankel Lieberman, Tevl Pruz'ansky, Mrs. Mintz, Yehazkel Mintz, Mrs. Pruz'ansky, Hershel Mintz, Fanny Garkovy-Fink, Grokovy, Fanny Smom-Pruz'ansky. Sitting from left to right: Mrs. Pruz'ansky (Gershon Pruz'ansky's widow), Israel Tzukert, Fanny Liberman-Fink, Bendet Nisht (Baruch Niv, Israel), Lana Tzukers (Lev), Abraham Tzukert, Mrs. Mintz Sitting first row: Mrs. Mordech, Mrs. Shimon, Gdalia Rubinstein

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He told me about a group of Krynkers, of which he was one, that meets periodically to gather memories of the hometown and jot them down as possible material for a projected Yizkor Book, and they “correct” each other in order to be as factual as possible. I encouraged Bendet and thought that that this was a good way in which to gather material for a memorial book.

Bendet asked me if I would agree to join them in preparing the book that the Krynkers planned to publish. I answered that I was prepared to “discuss” the matter further, but the main point was that the Krynkers would have to create this book on their own.

I might be interested if this were a fitting memorial and dealt specifically with the Krynker community, according to my concept and the research material that I had gathered during a previous search (in the Spring of 1920 to organize a first Pioneer aliyah to Israel).

In the meantime they should gather necessary documents and other material, especially about the Holocaust.

Two lovely years passed and I was invited to “interpret meanings” with the initiators of the “Pinkus”. These meetings convinced me that these people were serious and they had the right material to publish a book. We thoroughly discussed the situation and in good faith and mutual understanding resolved the following points.

1. The aim of the “Pinkus Krynki” is to be a monument and eternal memorial, a real legacy by the ex-Krynkers in Israel and their descendants for generations.
2. The “Pinkus” is to be an authentic witness of the Holocaust and destruction of Jewish Krynki, with special emphasis on heroic acts, active and passive, that accompanied the annihilation. In order to meet the last wishes of our destroyed people, it should be told and written “for the world” so they will understand what these people were put through and how they were exterminated.
3. The “Pinkus” should also contain the history of the Jewish community in Krynki to the extent that documentation is available. The plan and contents of the “Pinkus” should be objective and the articles and facts should be precisely established.

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1. The “Pinkus” should mainly reflect the life of the Krynker community in its last year - all aspects of the community and especially its special characteristics.
2. The purpose of the “Pinkus” is to perpetuate the community as a whole and not to serve as private family memorials. It is important to remember that the “Pinkus” is a monument for those who are no longer among the living and that it be consistent.

It is on this basis that the soul of the book, “Pinkus Krynki,” that lies before you, was built, even though we could not obtain all the information we wanted.

For instance, we were short on historical facts and even statistics (about the Krynki population, for example). The Krynker Landslayt organization in Israel turned to the Krynki municipal government and to the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw and begged for help in finding these facts and to have them sent to us. But it did not help.

We had to make do with the material that was readily available and set up, for instance, only sporadic historic chapters and thinly spread bits and pieces. But we brought the “substance” to the “Pinkus” - which you can read for yourself and which we already wrote about in the introduction.

The “Pinkus” was produced entirely by Krynker landslayt, through their brotherly cooperation and warm response in writing for the book, several due to their memories and cleverness, others by gathering material together, including photographs, etc.

In the end, I feel it is necessary - my duty to mention and praise all those dear volunteers who organized the “Pinkus” in general, from the book committee and my editorial colleagues and especially the man who spear-headed the project Bendet Nisht-Niv. Despite the obstacles, he persevered through the years and being a “man who does what he says” and who “completes his projects” he brought the “Pinkus Krynki” to press.

He deserves our heartfelt thanks!

Dov Rubin
Jerusalem, 15 Shevat [January] 5730 [1970]

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