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In the realm of good deeds, Markuszow was no less invested than bigger cities. Jewish welfare bound to faith gave rise to the fact that there were several active philanthropic institutions dating back fifty years. I would like to report on some:

The mitzvah of hachnosses kalah is sacred among Jews. A small thing–helping impecunious brides to avoid the danger of remaining unmarried. Every Markuszow resident was committed to this institution with the greatest reverence.

Interestingly, hachnosses kalah in Markuszow was instituted thanks to a simple coincidence. Blind Yoineh needed to marry off his young daughter. Since there was no money, the poor father approached the wealthy Binyomin-Yankle for help. That person knew that no matter how much he gave it would not be enough, so he made an agreement with other people to create an institution to help poor brides. The idea pleased everyone. Soon several couples went out to the shtetl and began to collect money for Blind Yoineh. This was the beginning of hachnosses kalah for us. The first founders were: Binyomin, Itzchak-Hersh, Feivel-Yankl's, Mordechai-Yosef, Kalman-Itzchak. The system was organized in the following way: Every Friday, two men voluntarily visited each home, and collected small and large coins in a tin box for the organization. The collecting pair was called the “tzedakah pushke.” The collected sums were given to the gabai of the hachnosses kalah, because in those days Markuszow did not distinguish itself with social organizational work. There were no elected committees, and all important functions were fulfilled by the gabai of the organization

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who was elected in the besmedresh every Simchat Torah with a glass of liquor. As the years went by, the same person was elected every year–R' Binyomin-Yankle's.

When R' Binyomin was asked for money for the marriage of a Jewish girl, he would answer, “What do you mean, give money? Did anyone ask me if I agreed to the match?”

Nevertheless, he would give the required amount generously and with a warm heart. If money were lacking, he would contribute from his own pocket no matter the amount. He never asked to be repaid. In time, the organization grew, attracted more members, and the custom of collecting assessments at every wedding was instituted. It was carried out by two members of the company dressed in colorful clothing with a round hat encircled by a piece of tin on which the letters of hachnosses kalah were cut out. The collectors also wore masks on their faces. In such attire they would also dress on Purim to collect for hachnosses kalah.

To help the poor sick, Bikur Cholim was founded in the shtetl. The gabai was R' Pinchas-Yankl's. When he was asked at the time to take over as gabai of hachnosses kalah, he declined on the basis that there would be no lack of candidates for that institution, because marrying Jewish girls was associated with simchas. Providing help for the sick is not such a happy matter, and few volunteers would be ready to undertake this kind of work. So he voluntarily undertook the onerous burden of providing a doctor for a sick pauper that then cost a heavy toll of 25 rubles. Amassing such a fortune was not an easy task, and in many cases the gabai made up the missing amount from his own pocket. Furthermore, the doctor had to come on a Shabbes which created a rush to the rabbi for a heter^[1] which was achieved with some difficulty.

More than once the gabai was asked why he saddled himself with such a bunch of worry and responsibility. He would answer, “Whoever sustains one soul in Israel, is as if he sustains the whole.”

It is possible that the secret of Markuszow Jewish good-heartedness and readiness to help its suffering and needy brothers lies in the meaning of that quotation.

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In my time there was another institution that had little to do with philanthropy, but was mostly concerned with mitzvahs and the hereafter. I'm referring to the Tikun Sforim group whose mandate was to buy new [religious] books for the besmedresh, and to mend the damaged books. In this case, the collectors were exclusively young bachelors who sat and studied day and night. They did their collections with great love and dedication, because it gave them the opportunity to leave the besmedresh every Friday for several hours, walk around he shtetl, take a look into all the Jewish houses, and in the process actually perform a mitzvah. Walking around town with the donation box gave them a chance to straighten their hunched-over backs. Wicked tongues gossiped that these visits also served a romantic purpose. In every house containing one or more Jewish girls, the collectors from the besmedresh were examined as potential candidates for a match…The boys themselves, even though they dared not raise their eyes while in a Jewish house, still had thoughts concerning this eternal problem. It's quite possible that something was achieved in this domain.

1. Rabbinical authorization Return

One of the nicest and useful achievements for hundreds of Markuszow Jews was our banks. “The bank for merchants and artisans” was founded in 1928. In the span of a very short time, 80% of Markuszow Jews became members. The managers of the bank were: Isaac Migdal (chairman) Meir Laks (vice-chairman), Pinchas Liebhober, Mordechai Morel, Hershl Wichter, Simcha Ettinger, and Chaim-Yoineh Kittenkoren. The founding capital was put together by the founders themselves. Later many residents began to deposit their savings, parents saved dowries for their daughters, and thanks to this their own and others' capital grew. Opportunities to help out the needy, and provide more credit, especially to the sadovniks who for the most part, had to pay for the orchards leased in the spring from farmers or the gentry, arose. We mustn't forget that about 40%

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of Markuszow Jews were involved in the orchard business. On those days, the bank had to provide a lot of ready cash, because every sadovnik needed at least several hundred zlotys to pay for one or two seasons. Before the bank's establishment, the sadovniks went through hell before they managed to accumulate the required sums of money. Thanks to the bank, dozens of Jewish families were able to get back on their feet in getting the needed help in a respectful manner. They, just like the Markuszow Jewish tradesmen–the tailor, shoemaker, carpenter, and hat maker who derived income from the weekly market, also had to be given credit from time to time in order to allow them to buy merchandise for the Monday. The bank was a savior for these artisans in hard times.

In 1931, at a general meeting of the bank, the vice-chairman, Meir Laks was strongly criticized and he was not elected in future elections. His son-in-law, Gershon Ettinger, a wealthy man, decided to take part but without the grievance of his father-in-law, and founded a second bank. Almost all the members of the old bank, took part in the founding meeting of the new bank. Gershon Ettinger provided a room in his own house, for no rent, to house the bank, and deposited his own money there, and the new institution began to carry on normal bank activities. The board of directors of the new “credit bank” consisted of the following people: Meir Laks (chairman), Yoel Ettinger (vice-chairman), and Dovid Schildkraut. This bank, although it was founded on the basis of personal ambition, brought many benefits to our shtetl Jews. This same Gershon Ettinger, a rich man, never helped anyone out before the establishment of the bank. But after the founding, his capital was used for short and long term loans for needy Jews. Incidentally, he worked as a cashier^[1] at the bank with no salary. The value of the outstanding loans was in the range of several thousand zlotys.

We have to admit that while the first bank had an avowed social character, the second bank was more of a private credit institution, and that led to its demise after 3 to 4 years.

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Markuszow besmedreshniks Seated left to right: Aryeh Weinribber, Avraham Rotstein, (future Krasnystow rabbi) Standing from left to right: Shmuel Goldstein, Chaim Wiener

1. The Yiddish word “kassir” could be teller, cashier, or treasurer Return

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