The village of Zawidcze (Zawitsch) lies near the towns of Brody, Lopatyn and Radziechow in eastern Galicia. The town nearest our village was Szczurowice (Schterwitz). We were dependent upon this town for all of our religious and social needs. From there we brought the shofar blower and cantors for the religious festivals and High Holy Days. The rabbi and the shochet (ritual slaughterer) from Szczurowice attended to the Jews of Zawidcze as well. We had about ten Jewish families until the First World War. Some of them were well off, but most of them eked out a meager living close to the brink of poverty. The main occupation all week long was agricultural work in the village. In honor of the Sabbath, all Jewish houses would display an air of festivity. A “minyan” was always assembled in one of the houses and a public prayer was held. For morning prayer and Musaf even two minyans would usually assemble.

The village of Zawidcze was the center of all surrounding villages and Jews were drawn to it from all these villages, and if there were villages further than the distance allowed for walking on the Sabbath, an “eruv”^[1] was made to avoid desecration of the seventh day. The younger people, who did not mind slight offenses, did not mind this one either, and they used to come to Zawidcze on Saturdays and holidays to spend time together. People used to come from the villages of Wolica, Nowostawce, Uwin and Barylow.

The earliest residents of Zawidcze were Reb Shimon Gruber and his wife Sara Riva. By the time our family came to Zawidcze in 1910, Reb Shimon Gruber had already passed away.

In hardship and poverty there lived in Zawidcze a Jew named Reb Yaakov Brandesiwker. He was highly admired and honored in the village. In spite of his poverty he knew a variety of ways to help others when they were in trouble. His son–in–law Reb Yudl Gruber, one of the first settlers in Zawidcze, was a distinguished scholar [of Jewish law]. He too labored hard to support his large family.

A respected and revered Jew among the early residents of Zawidcze was Reb Avraham Saphier. He was a clerk for the forestry companies, running their businesses with exaggerated, unnecessary meticulousness and pedantry. He was knowledgeable in religious laws, and could rule on issues of daily life – such as removal and selling of chametz,^[2] eruv tavshilin,^[3] times of lighting the candles, etc., thus helping the rural community keep and uphold religious law. Woe to the man who did not follow religious law in accordance with his instructions. Some of his children immigrated to Canada, others left the village in 1924 and moved to Brody.

Children of Reb Benjamin Kardiman in Zawidcze Standing, from the right: Sara, Chana, Baruch and Gitel Sitting: Lea (Laura), Henich and Feiga Lea wife of Rapaport (z”l)

I reflect upon my hometown Schterwitz with much respect and admiration. Dear memories from that time were etched in my memory. God–fearing and wholehearted were the Jews of Schterwitz. At four in the morning before dawn, you could already find Yekutiel Moshe in the bet midrash, and at this time with the Gemara at hand, I found him immersed in some issue or another. Despite that, you could interrupt him at all times: ask a grave question nagging at your mind and he would willingly explain and resolve it. He would inquire once or twice whether you had indeed understood and grasped his meaning, if not he was willing to repeat it again and again. Reb Hersch Grymaliwker, and Reb Avraham Chaim son of Naftaly were also like that. I was enlightened by all my teachers – from the beginners' melamed Reb Hersch to the teachers of Bible, Mishna and Gemara. It should be noted that in our town Schterwitz it was the custom not to teach the children the later Prophets [of the Bible], only the early Prophets.

I will turn back to Zawidcze then. From 1919 after the First World War till 1930, I only visited Zawidcze from time to time on vacations, but I knew what was happening in the village and followed the course of events. After the war the community grew by a number of families and adolescent youth. The youths' lives were dynamic and very active. A drama class was formed; it was very successful and also attracted the Jewish youth from nearby villages. These young people seemingly held nationalistic and Zionist views, but they did not act upon them by immigrating to the Land. None of these youths performed aliya. I too gave up an immigration license for a friend. On the face of it there were reasons I did it. But these hardly qualified as valid and justified reasons that could not be overcome. Only in 1928, after the death of my father was the road to aliya opened to me. This was also the will of my father, who once told me: “By your present standing you needn't go anywhere. But if you will go then the only option in my view would be the road to the land of Israel.” I carried that out to the letter, and in 1930 I made aliya.

I myself did not witness the Holocaust of our people under Hitler, may his name be erased. I did not feel on my flesh the wrath of the oppressor. But my soul weeps for the loss of the lives of our dear ones. May these few pages serve as their memorial, in memory of the Jews of Zawidcze, who perished in sanctity and purity.

[Pages 593-594]

Krieger Gittel – Katz – Mer

Gathering for “Achva” training in Zaliski near Mikolajow In the background, the engine of a threshing machine The two farm managers on the sides: Eliezer Rawer and his daughter Rivka and on the other side Diwald on the stallion and his daughter near him. Amongst the others: Yosef Apelfeld, Keila Gold, Zipora Szlajen. Mendel Czop, Miriam Kleinman and others.

From the right: Reuven Kurz, Rosa Kohn, Sophia Kurz and her son Leon and others

From the left: Moni Flasch and his wife Fanka, Lipa Kohn and others

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