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Members of the Committee of Volkovysk Emigres in Israel with Dr. Moshe Einhorn and 2 Survivors Right to left, first row, Seated: Shlomo Bereshkovsky, Yitzhak Yehuda'i (Yudzhik), Moshe Einhorn, Eliyahu Shykevich Second row: Eliezer Kalir, Zvi Roitman, Azriel Broshi (Berestovitsky), Joseph Kotliarsky, Mulya Schein

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Reb Leizer's oldest daughter, Yentl Malin emigrated to the Land of Israel with her entire family in 1914, a short while before the outbreak of the First World War, where she lives to this day with her extensive family of sons and daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Also, two other daughters of Reb Leizer Yudzhik – Laskeh Serlin (and her family) and Taib'l Goldberg (with her son and daughter) – live in Israel. Only Reb Leizer's youngest daughter, Rivka, stayed behind in Poland with her husband and daughter – and it appears that they perished. Rivka's second daughter is in Israel.

Reb Leizer Yudzhik had two sons – Reb Asher Naphtali and Reb Akiva Joseph – who I remember quite well. Reb Asher, who was a lumber merchant, lived in the same house where the Heder of my teacher, Reb Nachman was located (at Mottel Lapin's, near the river), and Reb Asher's wagons full of lumber, which were parked outside, used to block the entire Wide Boulevard during the winter. His wife, Bat-Sheva would always treat us students with good things to eat (Latkes, candies, etc.).

Reb Asher Naphtali Yudzhik, who was a great scholar and a God-fearing man, came to the Land of Israel in 1925 with his entire family – except for his eldest daughter who remained in Russia since the time of the First World War. On arriving in the Land of Israel, Reb Asher set up a steam generating plant in Afula, and afterwards managed large businesses in Haifa. He radiated both wisdom and charity, and built a Yeshiva in Haifa, and set aside a substantial sum of money for the synagogue. Reb Asher passed away in Haifa a couple of years ago.

Reb Asher's wife, Bat-Sheva Yehuda'i is a formidable scholar in Tanakh and Hebrew language and in general is involved with charitable work.

Reb Asher Naphtali's sons – Yitzhak, Yud'l and Moshe – are prominent people in the country: Yitzhak is the owner of the largest power plants in Israel, and Vice President of the Afula municipality; Yud'l and Moshe are large-scale merchants in Haifa.

Reb Akiva Joseph Yudzhik, Reb Leizer's second son, came to the Land of Israel with his wife Chaya Sarah in the year 1935, after their two sons, Yitzhak and Shimon, and their younger daughter Esther had already been in the Land previously. Their older daughter Leah, who remained in Poland appears to have perished along with her husband and three children.

Reb Akiva Joseph was an important active citizen in Volkovysk. Being a committed Zionist from his earliest youth, and a member of the “Lovers of the Hebrew Language” (founded by the well-known teacher, Reb Nakhum Halpern), he always found the time – despite the fact that he was very busy as a prominent merchant – for Zionist and community affairs. He was a member of the city Zionist committee of Volkovysk, Vice President of the community, a member of the Keren HaYesod committee , a member of the rabbinical search committee, etc. Reb Akiva Joseph passed away in Haifa in 1937.

Reb Akiva Joseph's wife, Chaya Sarah, (the daughter of Reb Mordechai Janovitz of Pruzhany) was a very intelligent woman: she was fluent in any number of languages – Hebrew, German and Russian – and knew the entire Tanakh by heart. She was also active in community affairs – a member of the orphanage committee, Vice President of the Zionist Ladies Society, WIZO, and others. In 1939, Chaya Sarah traveled to Poland on a visit, to see her oldest daughter, and because of the outbreak of the war, was unable to9 return to the Land of Israel, and apparently perished along with her daughter and family.

The children of Reb Akiva Joseph and Chaya Sarah followed in their parents' ways, and took an active

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role in Volkovysk cultural and Zionist life. The oldest son, Yitzhak, was very active in the Volkovysk Zionist youth movement, Herut U'Tekhiya (Freedom and Rebirth) from his earliest years on, he was active on the committee of the Hebrew Library, and on the committee of the Tarbut organization. He was the secretary of the municipal committee of the Jewish National Fund, Keren HaYesod, and the Palestine Committee – until finally in 1925, he made aliyah to the Land of Israel, where he holds an important position with the Anglo-Palestine Bank in Tel-Aviv. He provides a great deal of support to the victims of the war, and helps them get settled in the Land.

The second son, Shimon took an active part in the Volkovysk revisionist organization. He is a bookkeeper in Tel-Aviv.

The daughter, Esther, was very active in the Volkovysk HaShomer HaTza'ir, and in Tel-Aviv, she is employed by the Anglo-Palestine Bank.

Azriel Broshi is a son of Rabbi Yaakov Berestovitsky, the Dayan of Volkovysk. He is one of the most beloved people in the Land of Israel. During his younger years, he was a Hebrew teacher in his hometown of Lisokovo (near Volkovysk). Having arrived in the Land of Israel many years ago, he joined the labor organization, Histadrut. He also devoted a considerable amount of time to scholarship, and with time became one of the unique experts on the Land – its history, geography, and ethnography. There is no byway of the Land where Broshi has not set down his foot; there is no corner of the Land that is not familiar to him. With a Tanakh in hand, he can traverse the entire Land of Israel and point out with his finger, each and every place where the important chapters of Jewish history were written – of Jewish heroism and pride, of independent Jewish sovereign life. It is not for nothing that Broshi is one of the trailblazers in the Land of Israel. The most significant excursions through the Land of Israel are conducted by Broshi. But apart from the excursions in the Land and the neighboring Arab lands, Broshi conducts a systematic educational effort about the Land of Israel within the Land itself. Very often, you can meet up with Broshi traveling to a colony to lecture about a faraway corner somewhere in Beit She'An or the Negev, and he takes along his slide machine to illustrate his talk with pictures.

Sitting in Broshi's office in the large building of the Vaad HaPoel of the Histadrut, one can meet Jews from all over the world – from America, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil. All come to Broshi to get the proper directions and information. Broshi's work is substantive and has a wide range.

Broshi is loved by everyone not only because he is so meaningfully learned, but also because of the large degree of his good works and his modesty – simply a good, heartfelt companion and friend. His is a great Jewish patriot and an ardent Zionist and he is always prepared to offer himself on behalf of the Land of Israel and the Yishuv. He is also a devoted and loyal son of Volkovysk to this day. Broshi helped me a great deal in my work on the Volkovysk Yizkor Book, and made an extra effort to assure that the Volkovysk settlers in the Land of Israel would send me photographs and materials. As previously mentioned, he is also active in the organization of Volkovysk olim and is constantly trying to find work for the newly-arrived Volkovyskers.

Before the outbreak of the Second World War, Broshi visited Poland, where he gave a series of lectures in his area of expertise – The Land of Israel. During his trip, he also visited Volkovysk, where he was received warmly by all his friends and listeners. Moshe Broshi, a brother of Azriel Broshi, also lives in Israel, and is an elected official in the cooperative in Holon.

Raphael Klatshkin is a son of Chaya Klatshkin the dentist, and a nephew of Avromsky (who had a drug store). As a youngster, Raphael studied in the Heder run by Skop the Melamed, and in other Heders. At the

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age of 9 years, together with his brother Natan, he traveled to the Land of Israel accompanied by his aunt Khien'eh Avromsky – in order to study at the Hertzeliya Gymnasium. But the First World War started (in 1914) and Raphael and his brother, together with his aunt, returned to Volkovysk. In 1915, when the Germans occupied Volkovysk, Rapahel entered the Hebrew Volksschule that had been founded at that time. Already at that time, the young Raphael exhibited his capacity for absorbing knowledge and his talent. Together with Joseph Galai, he published a magazine for children – originally in Yiddish, called Dos Yingl, and afterwards in Hebrew, under the name, HaTekhiya. [Sic: The Rebirth].

In 1920, Raphael Klatshkin again traveled to the Land of Israel – together with his brother Natan and with his aunt Khien'eh Avromsky – and he entered the Hertzeliya Gymnasium where he studies until 1923, when he left in the seventh grade and went to work in Mikveh Israel. Later he worked on the Tiberias-Tzemakh highway, and afterwards he returned to Tel-Aviv, where he worked on housing construction.

At that time he began to take an interest in dramatic acting, and he joined the Teatron Ivri [Hebrew Theater] under the direction of David Davidoff. After the Teatron Ivri closed, Raphael Klatshkin went over to the Amanut Theater, which operated under the direction of Y. M. Daniel. Later he was taken on by the KumKum Theater which operated under the skillful direction of the well-known Hebrew author Avigdor HaMe'iri. In 1927, Rapahel Klatshkin traveled to Europe to study theater in Berlin and Paris. He would give evening performances, from which he gradually came to make a living, and the remaining time he studied and broadened his knowledge of the theater. Shortly after his return to the Land of Israel (in 1928), he was accepted as a member of the famous Hebrew Theater, HaBima, with which he is associated to this day.

Raphael Klatshkin traveled with HaBima at those times when that world-famous Hebrew theater troupe performed in various European countries. In 1929, Klatshkin visited Volkovysk, where an evening was arranged on his behalf, whose ticket revenues were donated on behalf of Volkovysk institutions. In 1937, when HaBima did guest appearances abroad, Klatshkin again came to Volkovysk, and gave an evening performance for the benefit of the Volkovysk institutions. In 1938, HaBima returned to the Land of Israel, where it gave performances continuously up to 1948, at which time it was invited to give a number of performances in America – also then, Klatshkin traveled with the HaBima ensemble to America, and distinguished himself in the roles that he played.

In the years that Klatshkin performed in HaBima, he developed a reputation as a fine actor. He was especially sought after for comic roles, because he has a special knack for capturing the specifically comic aspects of life and in human character. Klatshkin also composed a large number of humoresques and songs, which had a great following on the stages of Israeli revue theaters and in cabarets. He is a very talented orator, and is very much loved by the broad mass of Israeli youth. Apart from this, he is also a beloved and heartfelt man – democratic, approachable and friendly to everyone. It is therefore no wonder that Raphael Klatshkin is very much loved by the Israeli public, and especially by young folk, because Klatshkin himself is perpetually youthful, and he bristles with an artistic temperament and genuine joy of life.

Raphael's brother, Natan Klatshkin lives in Haifa where he is involved with the Haifa municipal water supply authority. His mother, Chaya, lives with her daughter in Australia.

Shmuel Einhorn (also known in Volkovysk as Mulka) is a son of Yankel and Rivka Einhorn. Yankel, a first cousin to me, has a small general store which expanded significantly thanks to the efforts of his wife, Rivka, who was very focused and through her energy and spirit of commitment, transformed this little business into a wholesale warehouse. As a young child, Mulka stood out because of his business skills – and already

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demonstrated his skills as a buyer, in obtaining merchandise for his parents during the difficult times of the German occupation, during the time of the First World War, when there was a great shortage of all kinds of goods. It would appear that he inherited these skills from his mother, who as previously mentioned, showed considerable strong will in business.

When Mulka grew up a bit, he participated, like many young men in Volkovysk as a member of the Fire-fighter's Brigade, and he would take part in arranging its various undertakings and evening dances. An evening arranged by Mulka usually attracted considerable participation, because Mulka was very energetic and knew how to arrange such an event such that it would attract a large audience and bring in a good amount of revenue, and apart from this, Mulka – who was a very lively and energetic young fellow, and a good dancer – was dearly beloved by the youth. He was also active in the Zionist movement.

Mulka served in the Polish Army, and after his discharge as a non-commissioned officer, he founded a Jewish War Veterans organization in Volkovysk.

After Shmuel Einhorn came to the Land of Israel, he married a cousin of mine – a very intelligent, well-educated young lady – Helen Kagan.

For the first few years in the Land, Shmuel worked very hard to make a living, but afterwards – thanks to his extraordinary energy and innate business sense – he worked himself up and became the director of the well-known trading company Oxhorn in Haifa. Today, he occupies a prominent position in Tel-Aviv as a substantial merchant, connected with a large import/export firm. He participates in the important work of the Jewish national institutions, in order to regulate the food situation of the Yishuv.

Shmuel's sister, Shayn'dl (Sonya), lives in Petakh Tikva with her husband, Jonah Wolansky – an accountant – and her two children.

A Volkovysk Group in Jeddah in the Year 1926 Right to left, first row from the bottom:Manya Markus (wife of Shlomo Markus), Yitzhak Bereshkovsky, his wife Rachel, and their children Second row, standing: Shlomo Markus, Shlomo Bereshkovsky, Fishl Mirsky, Archik Markus, and Z. Wilk

Reb Yud'l Bereshkovsky made aliyah to the Land of Israel in the year 1929, and he died at the age of 73, in Jerusalem, in the year 1944. Feygl, a daughter of Reb Yud'l Bereshkovsky lives in Tel-Aviv and her husband

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is employed as a musician in the Israeli Symphony orchestra. Reb Yud'l's son, Shlomo Bereshkovsky, lives in Tel-Aviv where he has a translation service bureau. He is the secretary of the organization of Israeli Volkovyskers. He is an unusual community activist, and first and foremost a unique person and a committed friend to all the Volkovysk residents in Israel. When in 1945, I visited Israel, I would often come to Shlomo Bereshkovsky's translation service bureau (at 138 Allenby Street), which developed into a center for Volkovysk landsleit – sort of a Volkovysk consulate in the very heart of Tel-Aviv. No matter how busy Shlomo'keh was, if a Volkovysk landsman comes in, he drops all his personal business and dedicates himself to his landsman and exerts himself on his behalf.

Yitzhak Bereshkovsky, the brother of Shlomo Bereshkovsky, was known in Volkovysk for his multi-faceted community activities. He did a great deal for the 'Linat Kholim' and took part in all of the important city institutions – 'the merchant's guild', People's Bank, Fire Brigade – and also in the government defense committee. Yitzhak Bereshkovsky played a special role in the charitable donation fund, which helped rescue many young Volkovysk residents, whose parents, thanks to the long-term interest-free loans they were able to obtain from the fund – obtained the means by which to send them to the Land of Israel, America and Argentina.

Yitzhak Bereshkovsky's material situation in Volkovysk was a good one, and he also had good relationships with important Christians in the city, but he could not stand the anti-Semitism of the elected Polish officials and their lack of faith and falsity towards Jews – and he therefore decided to settle in the Land of Israel.

Hundreds of people came to take their leave of this beloved activist prior to his departure to the Land of Israel and gave him their heartiest wishes and blessings for his journey to the new land.

He arrived in the Land of Israel in February 1926. Initially he did not have an easy time in the Land of Israel, but despite this, he immediately began to expend effort to extract his entire family, and he expended a great deal of energy to bring them also into the Land – by all sorts of means – tens of young boys and girls from Volkovysk and its vicinity. His father, and Yoss'l Berestovitsky (Yoss'l der Birrer) helped him a great deal in this effort, who guaranteed notes at the fund for many young people who then made aliyah to the Land of Israel. These boys and girls married one another, and settled in the Land, and they always receive Yitzhak Bereshkovsky with the greatest respect, like their own father, when he comes to visit. They comprise thirty-eight families who are found in various locations throughout the Land.

Yitzhak Bereshkovsky is active in the Land of Israel in many organizations and institutions. He was secretary of the Chamber of Commerce in Jerusalem, and lately he is an active member of the Agricultural Organization, Histadrut HaKhakla'im.

David Hubar and his family lived in the big wooden house in Volkovysk that was near our house, up to the great fire of 1908 (after the fire, the Hubars moved to the Ostroger Gasse). The children in our family were friends with David Hubar's older children: Yisrael, Paulia and Liza. David Hubar was a big merchant in general store goods and kerosene. He was active in the Zionist movement, and in the Hebrew school leadership, and he also took part in a variety of municipal institutions, such as the Volksbank, the charitable credit union, the various Batei Medrashim, etc. David Hubar's old and pious father went to the Land of Israel during the first years of the current [sic: 20^th] century. All of David's children were Zionists: the daughters were all married to Hebrew teachers, and cultural activists. His younger sons, Yaakov and Sholom were active in the Zionist movement in Volkovysk. David Hubar's children – both the sons (except for Yisrael) and the daughters along with their husbands – took up residence in the Land of Israel. David Hubar, along with his wife, Pelteh came to the Land of Israel later, and bought a large orchard in Ness-Tziona, where they passed away not long ago.

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David Hubar's daughter, Paulia is a Doctor of Bacteriology, and lives in Tel-Aviv. David Hubar's son, Sholom is a member of the Israeli Khen Autobus Cooperative. Sholom's brother, Yaakov Hubar served in the Jewish Brigade, and is now a member of the Yael Taxi Cooperative, and is today in Yad Eliyahu – a place where the discharged veterans of the last [sic: Second] World War reside.

Yud'l Novogrudsky was one of the most important Zionist activists and cultural leaders in Volkovysk. At the time of the German occupation during the First World War, together with Moshe Rabinovich, he established the Hebrew school directorate in Volkovysk: first a kindergarten, afterwards a Volksschule, and later a Hertzeliya gymnasium. He was also very active in the [Jewish] National Fund, Keren HaYesod, HeHalutz, and others.

Shortly after he arrived in the Land of Israel himself, he brought his father over, Reb Yitzhak Novogrudsky (Itcheh Shmuel Jonah's) – who passed away a number of years later. Yud'l (Yehuda) Novogrudsky is a member of the administration of the daily Tel-Aviv newspaper, HaBoker.

The Markus Family

Shlomo Markus, the son of Reb Abraham Eliyahu Markus, was the first member of the prominent Markus family of Volkovysk who took up residence in the Land of Israel. In Volkovysk, Shlomo Markus absorbed the finest and most elegant of Jewish traditions in the house of his father, the great scholar and doer of works for the public good – and because of this, he was among the very first of the Halutzim from Volkovysk to make aliyah to the land of Israel. On arrival in the Holy Land, he worked on highway construction and in maintaining security. After contracting malaria, he was compelled to return to Volkovysk for a number of years, in order to recuperate – but he later returned to the Land of Israel with his brother, Aaron (Archik). Upon his return, Shlomo once again undertook his work as a pioneer, and over a period of time, dried out the malaria-infested swamps in the Jezreel Valley. Today, Shlomo Markus is the director of a bus transport cooperative in Bnei Brak.

Archik Markus, Shlomo's brother, was very active in the Zionist movement in Volkovysk, in the Linat Kholim, and most prominently in the hospital. After arriving in the Holy Land, he worked on the highways of Jeddah and – together with his brother – draining the swamps of the Jezreel Valley. Whoever knew Archik form Volkovysk, could not cease wondering how, this onetime “dandy” with his polished boots and ruddy cheeks, stood almost naked in the malarial swamps and eradicated mosquitoes. Later, Archik applied himself to cattle breeding, and thereby demonstrated how to be a role model for hard labor – and today he owns a nice, large factory in Kfar Ganim near Petakh Tikva. In the Land of Israel, Archik is also a substantial donor and is involved in public undertakings. In all aspects of his many-sided undertakings, Archik is assisted by his wife, Rivka, who being herself a diligent and work-oriented woman, who is quite occupied in her factory and barn all day and night, nevertheless doe not forget community needs, and she encourages her husband in his community undertakings.

The two brothers, Shlomo and Archik, carry on a fine cultural life in Israel, also welcoming landsleit from Volkovysk with great joy and respect – and at every opportunity sing one of their father's hearty tunes.

In time, the daughters of Abraham Eliyahu Markus also came to the Land of Israel, and later, Reb Abraham Eliyahu and his wife, Chana also came. All of Reb Abraham Eliyahu's daughters are married. One of them, Rivka, is married to Mr. Bakhar, an elected official in the Petakh Tikva municipal government. The

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second daughter, Golda is married to Mr. Graf – and they have a bakery in Petakh Tikva. A third daughter, Pey'keh, is married to Eliezer Kalir.

The head of the family, Reb Abraham Eliyahu Markus, was a merchant and manufacturer in Volkovysk. He ran a tannery and leather business. The tannery was located beside the river. Reb Abraham Eliyahu lived in his own house on the Wide Boulevard. Reb Abraham Eliyahu who was a truly God-fearing man, was also a formidable scholar and a distinguished leader of public worship. Apart from this, he also excelled in his artful reading of the Torah. His reading of the Torah always made a strong impression on everyone. His reading of the Megillah of Lamentations [on Tisha B'Av] and of Esther [on Purim] stood out above all. He would recite the blessings over the reading of the Megillah with such embellishment, that they rang like a fiery hymn. He was also a first-class explicator of Holy Writ.

He derived much nachas from his children in Israel. He gave a fine speech at the bar mitzvah of his first grandson (Archik's son) in Israel. His singing of the SheHekheyanu which he recited at that time, literally thundered with familial warmth off the audience, who were motivated to sing along, word by word. However, he took very much to heart the tragic fate of his son Shaul who remained behind in Volkovysk and was killed in the Holocaust, and this shortened his life, and he passed away. The wife of Reb Abraham Eliyahu, Chana, has a general store in Petakh Tikva.

Recently a terrible tragedy struck the Markus family. Two grandchildren of Reb Abraham Eliyahu – Archik's son^[1] and the son of Eliezer Kalir – fell in the Israeli War of Independence.

The Epstein Family

One of the sons, David, came to the Land of Israel shortly before the First World War to study at the Hertzeliya Gymnasium. After finishing his gymnasium studies, he studied in Paris, where he completed the course to become an engineer – and he settled in Haifa, where he is occupied in running a plant.

David's sister, Yehudit, also came to the Land of Israel after the First World War, and settled in Haifa, where she was very successful as a dentist, and also made a name for herself as a charity worker. She later married the well-known teacher and activist, Mordechai Halevy. Yehudit brought her father to Haifa, where he later passed away.

David Epstein's second sister, Tzipa Katzin, after her husband (Katzin of the beer brewery) passed away, opened a restaurant in Volkovysk in her father's house, to which the most prominent people of the area would come to eat – because Tzipa Katzin was a very sympathetic woman, and with her graciousness and friendly attitude, attracted many people. A number of years before the Second World War, she liquidated this business, and came to the Land of Israel with her children. One of her sons was a dentist, and he took over from his aunt Yehudit, who emigrated to America with her husband Mordechai Halevy – her office and practice. The other

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sons of Tzipa are engaged in the transportation sector of the economy in the Holy Land.

Yaakov Einstein – His father had a haberdashery business on the Wide Boulevard and his mother was from the Zilberman family on the Millner Gasse. He completed schooling at the Volkovysk Gymnasium. He came to the Land of Israel as a Halutz, and later on joined the Worker's Theater, Ohel in which he distinguished himself in the role of Yoshpeh Kalb. Today, Yaakov Eienstein is recognized as one of the best actors and orators in Israel. He is also active in the Israeli organization of Volkovysk landsleit.

Manya, Yaakov Einstein's sister, is also in the Land of Israel, and is married to Mr. Shakhra'i – a teacher in Kfar-Ezer.

Ben-Zion Lifschitz – A son-in-law of the wood turner Adelberg, who lived on the Wide Boulevard – and was recognized in Volkovysk as a very good Baal-Tefilah.^[2] He was very active in the Volkovysk Zionist movement and dedicated a great deal of time and energy to the Keren Kayemet Le'Yisrael. When he revealed his decision to make aliyah to the Land of Israel, the Volkovysk Zionists arranged a hearty farewell evening on his behalf. In Israel, he is occupied as an elected official of the Tel-Aviv congregational committee, and he is counted among the most important and prominent religious Jews of Tel-Aviv. One of Reb Ben-Zion's sons, Yekhezkiel Lifschitz – an engineer – is a director of the trade school in Tel-Aviv. Two other sons of Ben-Zion, Moshe and Yisrael – who also live in Israel – are owners of a lock manufacturing business. Ben-Zion's daughter, Shayna Baylah Lifschitz, can also be found in Israel. A second of Ben-Zion's daughters, Dvora, is in Haifa where she is married to Mr. Mandelbaum.

Shayna Lifschitz, Ben-Zion's niece – who is the only one who saved herself from the entire family in Volkovysk – was one of the first of the survivors to reach the Land of Israel after the last [sic: Second] World War, and she married her cousin, a son of Ben-Zion Lifschitz.

Abraham Novick is a son of the Volkovysk lumber merchant Yisrael Novick ( who lived near Yitzhak Novogrudsky) and a brother of the prominent New York teacher, Chana Novick. Abraham Novick was one of the leaders of the Zionist movement in Volkovysk. He settled in the Land of Israel, where he was appointed to the directorate of the Kupat Kholim^[3] in Afula. Most recently, he resides in Hadera. He helped me greatly in providing materials and photographs for this book.

Aharon Federman was nine months old, when his father, Reb Abraham settled in Jerusalem in 1877. His mother was a niece of the renown Gaon of Kovno, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Spektor. His wife, Chana Reizl and her family, were among the very first olim from Amstibova (near Volkovysk, who many years ago settled in Jerusalem. When I traveled to the Land of Israel in the summer of 1910, in order to enrol in the Hertzeliya Gymnasium, Chana Reizl Federman traveled with me – who happened to be returning at that time from Volkovysk to the Land of Israel, where she had come to visit her relatives – and accompanied me for the entire trip from Volkovysk to Jaffa, from where she continued her journey to her home in Jerusalem. When we, the Volkovysk Gymnasium students would come for a visit from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem, we would visit the Federman's home – who were good-hearted people – and we were received there in a very friendly manner. The Federman's live now in Tel-Aviv, where they have a house on Dizengoff Street, and they are active in the Tel-Aviv

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branch of the Volkovysk landsleit. The Federmans have a daughter who is married to Mr. Khatzroni a director of the well-known medicine export firm of “Solomon-Levy-Ellstein.”

Mulya Schein was an active member in the Volkovysk Zionist movement and foremost in the Maccabi in that location. Also, after he settled in the Land of Israel – where he works as a director of a trading company – he kept very close contact with his Volkovysk friends, and thanks to his efforts and influence, many people from Volkovysk came to the Land of Israel. He is very active in the Israeli Volkovysk landsleit society. When the first refugees from Volkovysk began to arrive after the last [sic: Second] war, who had survived the Nazi exterminations – Mulya Schein would travel to Atalyat to receive them at disembarkation, and take them to their dwelling places.

Abraham Schein A son of Schein the Hotelier of the Grodno Gasse – was sentenced to death under the authority of the British Mandate authorities in 1938 during the renown Ben-Joseph trial. His brother, Nakhum, who then lived in Volkovysk, sent false papers that represented that Abraham was a minor. This had the desired effect, and the death sentence was commuted to fifteen years of imprisonment. Abraham was freed a number of years later, and as of late, works as an appointee in the Tel-Aviv municipal government.

In connection with these falsified records, a sensational legal proceeding was instituted against Nakhum Schein in Volkovysk, who was accused of this falsification. The Volkovysker Leben of April 3, 1939 reported the following about this trial:

“In the sensational trial against the local resident, Nakhum Schein, who is accused of falsifying his brother's birth statistics and sending them to the Land of Israel, the accused was defended by the lawyer Firstenberg. The accused declared that he did this in order to save his brother from hanging, and also in view of the fact that his aged mother was seriously ill, and would not have survived the knowledge of her son's death.

The judge, Mr. Tolchko took this into account, and sentenced Nakhum Schein to six months in jail with the sentence suspended.

In the motives, the judge held that Nakhum cannot be thought of as a lawbreaker, and that anyone else in his place would have done the same thing.”

The Finkelstein Family – After the death of Moshe Yaakov Finkelstein, his wife and both daughters, Dora and Liola settled in the Land of Israel. His wife and daughter Dora later passed away. To this date, only his daughter Liola (Leah) Vitensky finds herself in Tel-Aviv.

The Rakhmilevich Family – The wife and children of Nachman Rakhmilevich are to be found in the Land of Israel, the former Minister in Lithuania, and the later Latvian Consul General in Lithuania, who passed away there several years ago. Nachman's sister, Dr. Esther Rakhmilevich is a well-known pediatrician practicing in Tel-Aviv.

The Family of Rabbi Kossowsky. The two sons of the former Rabbi of Volkovysk, Rabbi Yitzhak Kossowsky are found today in the Land of Israel: the older son, Sholom Kossowsky-Shakhor is a well-known lawyer and a prominent activist in the orthodox circles of Tel-Aviv; the younger son, Chaim, also a lawyer, took an active part in the Israeli War of Independence.

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Rivka Borodetzky, a daughter of Israel Rabinovich (a son of the Rabbi of Amstibova) is a resident of Tel-Aviv for many years already with her husband, Dr. Borodetzky. He worked for the Hadassah Hospital for many years and is today the physician for the Tel-Aviv government administration.

Shoshana & Rivka Friedman – are members of the management of the daily Labor newspaper, Davar in Tel-Aviv.

The Saroka Family. Hanokh Saroka – whose father was a dealer in wagon loads of lumber in Volkovysk, – lives today in the settlement of Tzofit, and is a visible activist in the Israeli Mapai Labor Party. In the name of Mapai, he was also a delegate to the Zionist Congress. Moshe Saroka, a brother of Hanokh, is one of the senior directors of the Kupat Kholim (Labor Medical Fund) in Israel.

Hona Kavushatsky, who was very active in the banking business in Volkovysk, is together with his wife, Frum'keh , fled Poland during the last World War. They are today in Petakh Tikva, where Hona is employed by the Dan Bus Company.

David Linevsky – a son of the Hebrew teacher, Herschel Linevsky – was much beloved by his students and was active in the Volkovysk Zionist movement. David and his sister Yamima settled in the Land of Israel. For an extended period of time, David Linevsky had been sent (i.e. deported) to Kenya by the English government for his Zionist political activity. Yamima Linevsky lives in Tel-Aviv where she is an appointed official in the Histadrut.

The Ogulnick and Pikarsky Families. Shlomo Ogulnick's family from Ruzhany (near Slonim)^[4] settled in Volkovysk shortly before the end of the First World War. The older daughter Elkeh emigrated to Montreal (Canada) many years later, where she married Mr. Ben-Zvi, and is very active in the Volkovysk Society. The younger daughter, Chana'leh was even as a relatively young girl, appointed as an assistant to my sister Pes'shka in our drugstore. She proved very apt to the work, and in the course of a short period of independent study she learned how to formulate a variety of salves and medicines. Many of the gentiles from nearby villages would come to consult her for advice on how to treat illnesses – just as they used to ask such questions of my father – and Chana'leh would answer them with understanding and common sense. She was active in the Zionist movement in Volkovysk, and indeed did go to the Land of Israel later, where she married a Volkovysk pioneer, Moshe Pikarsky. Today they own a well-run manufacturing facility in Herut, with all the currently modern equipment. Subsequently, Chana'leh brought her parents, Shlomo Ogulnick and his wife, to the Land of Israel – ands they also set up their own factory in Herut. But Chana never let the contact with our family in Volkovysk lapse, nor the contact with my sister Liza in Tel-Aviv, whom she would visit frequently. Chana was much loved by our family. When I visited the Holy Land in 1945, together with Mottel Epstein, we went to visit Chana'leh in Herut. She had given birth to a daughter that year, and had named her for my mother, whom she loved dearly and respected. Even though the years and the harshness of the climate took its toll on her external appearance, her lovely radiant smile remained on her face, along with her friendliness and grace – just as in the old days.

The Shpak Family – This is a large and well-branched Volkovysk family, from which many members emigrated to Argentina, the United States and Canada. But regardless of which land their destiny took them,

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they maintained an interest in their home town, and supported the institutions of Volkovysk. A part of this family did come to the Land of Israel, and spread throughout the land in various points.

Members of the Shpak family in Israel are: Esther Shpak and her sons, Shlomo, Yehuda and Shabtai. Shlomo Shpak lives in Hadera, where he is one of the managers of the South Judea Bus Company; Yehuda Shpak is a member of the Hadera Advisory Council. Shabtai Shpak has an appointed position in the city government of Tel-Aviv. Shepsel and Yitzhak Shpak (the two sons of Abraham Shpak the maker of wagon reins) Live in Ramat Gan.

The Family of Eliyahu Shaikevitz – his three sons, Nakhum, Eliezer and Yitzhak, and his daughter Taib'l were very active in the Volkovysk Zionist movement from an early age on. They emigrated to the Land of Israel many years ago. The Volkovysker Leben published a notice on September 20, 1929,concerning the fact that Shaikevitz's son is being cited as the “Hero of Jerusalem” during the time of the unrest. He had, at that time, demonstrated extraordinary heroism in connection with self-defense in the battle against the Arabs, and thanks to him, hundreds of Jews were saved from certain death.

Eliezer and Yitzhak are today employed by the Egged Bus Company in Jerusalem. Nakhum has a printing press business in Jerusalem. In the bombing attack on Eliezer Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem, the Shaikevitz's store was destroyed a piece at a time.

Taib'l Shaikevitz-Gravosky lives with her family in Tel-Aviv. Her husband is involved in the Tel-Aviv city government.

Eliyahu Shaikevitz is remembered in another chapter of this book.

* * *

There is yet another whole cohort of Volkovyskers that live in Israel. Despite the fact that it has not been possible for us to get a full listing of everyone, the active members of the Volkovysk Society made every effort to provide us with a list of as many of the Volkovysk residents in Israel as they could under the present circumstances there. From the names that have come to us, we will here provide a note of those Volkovysk Jews who at various times emigrated to the Land of Israel; this note is organized by the streets and neighborhoods where these encountered people lived in Volkovysk before they voyaged to the Land of Israel.

From the Wide Boulevard (The principal street of Volkovysk) the following came to the Land of Israel: Moshe Koss – a mechanic; Dr. Joseph Ravitz (a son of Herschel Ravitz) – practices {sic: medicine] in Tel-Aviv; Moshe Paveh (A son of Dushkeh Paveh) – A storekeeper in Tel-Aviv; Taiba Goldberg (Yudzhik) – Lives in Hadera; Leizer, David & Ephraim Goldberg (Sons of Koppel Isser) – Live in Tel-Aviv; S. Schwartz – an appointee in the Rishon LeZion municipality; Yeshayahu Lev (Son-in-law of the furniture finisher) – has a clothing store in Tel-Aviv; Leah Perekhodnik (A daughter of Chaim Perekhodnik) – saved herself from the Nazis and came to Israel; Leah Osherovich (Leah Perekhodnik's aunt) – lives in Tel-Aviv; Aryeh Kraselnik – a building contractor in Haifa; Edna Gordon (Of the Levin family) – Lives in Tel-Aviv; Simcha & Yehuda Movshovich (the sugar dealer's sons) – live in Tel-Aviv; Moshe Weinstein – Esther the Contractor's son – has a music instrument business in Tel-Aviv; Moshe Lev (A son of Dina the Baker) – lives in Tel-Aviv; Moshe Levitt – lives in Hadera; Mrs. Kameny (from the Poliacheks) – lives in Tel-Aviv, and her husband is the chairman of the land committee of the Keren Kayemet.

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From the Grodno Gasse the following settled in Israel: Abraham Zelitsky (A son of Reb Moshe Zelitsky) – a visible public servant in Tel-Aviv, and a director of the Technical Division of Rothenberg's Electric Works; Abraham Makov (Son of Alexander Makov of the manufacturing business) – lives in Haifa; Yitzhak Goldrei (Son of Ben-Zion Goldrei the Ironmonger) – an appointee of the Rehovot Municipal Committee; Sonia Goldrei (married to Mushinsky), a sister to Yitzhak – lives in Tel-Aviv; Zvi Dworetsky – has a bakery in Kiryat Chaim; Eliyahu Shulrauf (A son-in-law to Shmuel Weiner) – lives in Petakh Tikva; Binkovich (A relative of Fruma Movshovsky) – an engineer in Haifa; Joseph Berezinsky – Lives in Kfar-Eta; Shlomo Yelsky – lives in Tel-Aviv.

From the Kholodoisker Gasse the following came to Israel: Panter – a teacher in Kibbutz Mesilot; Sarah Uryonovsky – lives in Tel-Aviv; Shmuel Applebaum – lives in Tel-Aviv; Katriel Lashowitz – fought with the partisans in Poland, and came to Israel after the War, where he opened a photography business.

From the Millner Gasse the following came to Israel: Shprinza Bialsky-Sidransky (the widow of Abraham Sidransky) – lives in Tel-Aviv; Bunya Turovich, the wife of Dr. Zalkai of the Kupat Kholim – lives in Tel-Aviv; Zalman Goldberg (grandson of Hillel Koshchilker, and a son of Benjamin Goldberg) – a member of Kibbutz Ein-HaShofet; Rosa Lifschitz-Lokhovsky (A daughter of Aaron Lifschitz) – lives in Tel-Aviv (her husband is a well-known merchant).

From the Ostroger (Kosciuszko) Gasse the following came to Israel: Benjamin Galai (A son of Kalman the Butcher) – has a meat business in Tel-Aviv; Uziel Marantz (of the clothing business) – lives in Tel-Aviv; Chaya'leh Weiner – saved herself from Auschwitz and lives today in Tel-Aviv, where she married; Chaya Daniel (A daughter of Rabbi Yerakhmiel the Yeshiva Headmaster) – lives in Haifa.

From the Market (Rynkowa) Gasse the following came to Israel: Mayer Feinstein ( A son of old Feinstein the tea merchant near Bliakher's) – a well-known builder in Israel and a director of the work at the firm of HaBoneh; Gedalyahu Pick (the Haberdasher's son) – a member of Kibbutz Amir in the Galilee; Moshe Shakhnovich (the wine storekeeper's son) – an employee of Rothenberg's Electrical Works; Velvel Kaplan (Moshe Shakhnovich's father-in-law) – lives in Tel-Aviv; Bluma Stolovitsky (Daughter of Asher the flour store owner) – saved herself by fleeing into the forests, and finally came to Israel.

From Zamoscheh the following came to Israel: Reb Leib Ditkovsky – lives in Nakhalat-Yitzhak; The brothers, Chaim & Yaakov Ditkovsky – employees of the Dan Autobus Company; A. Ditkovsky – owner of a soda water factory in Tel-Aviv; Yaakov Itzkowitz (Velvel Kaplan's son-in-law) – who was a teacher at the Tarbut Gymnasium in Volkovysk, and is today a pedagogue in Haifa (he also prepared a substantial scientific volume on botanical life in the Land of Israel); Moshe Mytchik – Director of a consumer cooperative (Tzorkhia) in Israel, and lives in Be'er Tuvia; Feygl Pines – lives in Tel-Aviv; Joseph Pines (Feygl's son) – former secretary of the Volksschule in Volkovysk, and today one of the first specialists in digging for well water in Israel and also orchards in Hertzeliya. Mordechai Pines – a member of Kibbutz Mordechai Brenner; Ephraim Rabinovich (Nye'cheh's son) – An appointee in the Haifa bus station; Shmuel Malakhovitsky – is a locksmith in Tel-Aviv; Joseph Mostkov – secretary of a colony near Netanya; Chaim & Miriam Milkov (the storekeeper's children from Zamoscheh) – Chaim is active in the revisionist party; Yud'l Pikarsky – a storekeeper in Petakh Tikva; Joseph Pereminsky & his brother (they were active in the Volkovysk fire brigade) – they live in Petakh Tikva, where they have their own homes and are engaged in carpentry; Naomi Grudzhik (Grodsky) – lives in Netanya; Dvora Hochstein & her children – live in Tel-Aviv; Chaim Rabinovich (Nye'cheh's son) – a carpenter in Haifa; Dora Averbukh (Tarna's daughter) – lives in Kiryat Sefer; Leah Tarma – lives in Tel-Aviv; Bluma Khananovich – lives in Tel-Aviv; Eliyahu Kushnir (of the food preparers) – along with his wife,

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saved themselves from the Nazis, during the War, by hiding in the attic of a Christian [family]. They came to Israel after the War, where Eliyahu assumed a position as Provisor with the Kupat Kholim in Tel-Aviv.

* * *

Others from Volkovysk who situated themselves at various times in the Land of Israel: Eliezer Turiansky (from the Mitzrayim Gessel) – lives in Hadera(his daughter is a teacher in Tel-Aviv); Miriam Limon (from Karczyzna) – lives in Tel-Aviv; Shlomo Eliyahu Amstibovsky & his son – live in Tel-Aviv; Benjamin Levin (a son of Feivel the Weaver) – a teacher in Mikveh Yisrael, and a member of the Language Institute of Israel; David Moshe Rossiansky (Israel's son) – A prominent public servant and a member of the municipal government in Ramat Gan. Moshe Mendel Schwartz – orchard owner in Petakh Tikva (his son Mordechai is a senior official in UNRRA). Yitzhak Shalkovich (son of Yehoshua) – A member of Kibbutz Mif'alei Yam in Atlit; The Svetitsky brothers (the teacher's sons) – owners of a bicycle factory in Tel-Aviv; Mulya Markus (Moshe's son) – part owner of an orchard in Geulah; Moshe Podolinsky (a carpenter) – has a house in Petakh Tikva; His brother, Aharon Podolinsky, also lives in Petakh Tikva; Greenberg (son-in-law of the felt tailor, Levitt) – an important and well-regarded public servant in Petakh Tikva, and a owner of orchards; Mikhal Damashevitsky – a bookkeeper (he was imprisoned for seven years because of his Zionist political activity); The Malin Family – settled in Tel-Aviv before the First World War; Yehudit Kaminer-Glembotsky – a nurse (her husband is a teacher in Ness Tziona); Misha (Moshe) Gallin (grandson of Bloch and a brother of Sioma Gallin) – a well-known merchant in Tel-Aviv; Nechama Rothbart (Mordechai Rothbart's wife) & son – live in Petakh Tikva; Rosa Berg (Simcha Berg's daughter) – and her husband, a bookkeeper, live in Tel-Aviv; The Rosenblum brothers – one of them lives in Petakh Tikva, and the second is an elected official in the Tel-Aviv municipal government; Shlomo Leibovich (Herschel's son) – an elected official in Rishon LeZion; Shlomo Kavushatsky (son of Yaakov Moshe the artist) – works for Tenuvah and lives in Tel-Aviv; Gottleib Rosenblum (son of Boruch Rosenblum) – a member of the Tel-Aviv municipal government.

* * *

The following are found among the Volkovysk landsleit who settled in Jerusalem:

Yonatan Rubinstein a son of the teacher, Israel Rubinstein – is employed by the Histadrut HaPekidim in Jerusalem.

Chaim Mordetsky of the Ostroger Gasse, is a brother of Joseph Mordetsky who was active in the Volkovysk Maccabi. He lost his wife and two children in the great explosion on Eliezer Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem who were killed in the aftermath.

Dr. Yaakov Matskevich – who became prominent as a neurologist in Warsaw – practices his specialty today in Jerusalem.

Salutsky the Pharmacist – his wife, who is a dentist, comes from the Mirsky family. He has a pharmacy in Jerusalem. His son was recently killed in the Israeli War of Independence.

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(Dr. Yitzhak Resnick's sister); Zipporah Albreich-Tennenbaum; Sarah Galai-Haberfeld; Chana Kufi; Shlomo Ravitzky; Matilda Milkov-Liechtenstein; Moshe Langer; Lyuba Mostkov; Avro'cheh Mazur; Tuvia Mirsky; Miriam Goldberg; Z. Kottler; Esther Kutir; Shoshana Kirschenbaum; Anya Peisik-Rosenthal; Frieda Shapiro.

* * *

Yaakov Markus, son of Archik Markus fell in battle for Israeli Independence in the year 1948

Colonel Ephraim Ben-Artzi , son of Shammai Kobrinsky – was a Major in the Jewish Brigade. He serves today as a military liaison officer from Israel in Washington.

A second son of Shammai Kobrinsky – who holds a post in national security – was a sergeant in the Jewish Brigade during the Second World War, and afterwards in the Israeli Army.

Corporal Yitzhak Barash – inherited the spirit of bravery and heroism from his father, the engineer, Ephraim Barash (who was the leader of the Bialystoker community and fell in the Bialystok uprising against the Nazis) and from his grandfather, Reb Sholom Barash. During the last World War, Yitzhak Barash completed a course in aviation and immediately was mobilized into the army. He proudly volunteered to work on the airfield, and very simply stated that his place was at the wheels of the bombers, and nowhere else. He became ill as a result of this, while he was in the army, and died as a young man.

Yaakov Berg, the youngest son of Herschel the contractor – came to the Land of Israel with the first of the Volkovysk pioneers, worked on the highways in the valley, and was among the first Jewish policemen in Jerusalem. At the time of the first call for mobilization of the Vaad Leumi, during the last World War, he joined the army and served together with his son in the Jewish Brigade. Today, he is serving as a sergeant in the domestic security forces of Jerusalem.

Corporal Moshe Berg, Yaakov Berg's son – worked on a Kibbutz. During the last war, he was mobilized into the army and served in the Jewish Brigade together with his father. After the war, he returned to the Kibbutz, but only for a short time. Today, he is once again serving in the Israeli Army.

Sergeant Aryeh Shpak, a son of Shabtai Shpak – is today a commander of a unit of the Israeli Army. He has a distinguished record in the defense of the Land of Israel. He was twice wounded in combat.

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Sergeant Jonah Tzemakh – distinguished himself in the Jewish Brigade, and later in the Israeli Army.

Corporal Shtumer – served in the Jewish Brigade and in the Israeli Army and distinguished himself in service.

Sergeant David Bereshkovsky (the youngest son of Yitzhak Bereshkovsky) – he entered the army at the age of seventeen years, and completed a special instructor's course, and became an instructor to new recruits in the Jewish Brigade. Even a Yeshiva student could be transformed into a hero at the front, after passing through the hands of this young instructor with his thunderous and penetrating voice. After the war, he took part in the great liberation parade. Today, he is an instructor with the Tel-Aviv police force.

Moshe Mazover , son of Herschel Mazover of the paper manufacturing business, and a brother of Ida Mazover – The young, highly talented lawyer decided that during wartime, it is better to be in the ranks of the combatants rather than being immersed in legal processes, and he joined the Jewish Brigade, where he distinguished himself. He is today in the service of the Israeli Army.

Yitzhak Kavushatsky (his wife is Poliachek's sister) – served in the Jewish Brigade during the last World War.

Zvi Kavushatsky , son of Yitzhak – completed study at the Hertzeliya Gymnasium in Volkovysk, and in Israel, he is a teacher in Shfiya. Today, he is in the Israeli Army.

Chaim Scharf (his parents had a shoe store in Volkovysk) – served in the Jewish Brigade, and is now in the Israeli Army.

Ze'ev (Volodya) Slutsky a son of the pharmacist Yitzhak Slutsky, and the dentist, Ida from the Mirsky family – was on a Kibbutz, and was mobilized into the Jewish Brigade. In the War of Independence for Israel, he volunteered for the defense of Kfar Etzion, and was killed in that battle.

Eliyahu Shulrauf & His Brother, grandsons of Sholom Weiner – are both in the Israeli Army.

Shmuel & Meir Pines, sons of Joseph Pines the former secretary of the Volksschule in Volkovysk – are in the Israeli Army.

Chaim Kaplan a son of David Joseph Kaplan, and a grandson of Kalman Kaplan of the Ostroger Gasse – a member of Kibbutz Ma'aleh Ha Khamishah. He served in the Jewish Brigade, and in the Israeli War [of Independence] he distinguished himself in the defense of his Kibbutz.

Moshe Kossowsky – Served in the Jewish Brigade, and is now in the Israeli Army.

Chaim Kossowsky, a son of Rabbi Kossowsky of Johannesburg – is a lawyer, and is today in the Israeli Army.

David Feinstein, a son of Shimon Feinstein (Yud'l Bereshkovsky's son-in-law) – was first mobilized at the end of the last World War, because of his young age he couldn't join any earlier. When he arrived at the Jewish Brigade, he was all of seventeen years old. He wrote home that he was pointlessly joked about, that he was entirely too young and unfit for the life of a soldier; quite the contrary, he is a brave soldier and an excellent

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marksman that had already developed quite a reputation as a sniper.

Kalman Shalkovich – joined the Jewish Brigade, and is now serving in the Israeli Army.

Celia Bereshkovsky, daughter of Yitzhak Bereshkovsky – served in the Israeli Women's Army Corps. She married Joseph Seltzer, who served in the Jewish Brigade. Today, they are in Tel-Aviv. Joseph Seltzer is once again in the service of the Israeli Army.

Ephraim Rubinovich from Zamoscheh – was one of the first who directed the first railroad service in the Land of Israel from Haifa to Hadera. The Israeli press published his name as one of the first of the pioneers in the railroad industry in Israel.

Miriam Zelitsky, the daughter of Abraham Zelitsky – an enlistee in the Israeli Army. She distinguished herself several times in this service.

Hillel Epstein, a member of Kibbutz Negbah – distinguished himself in an exceptional manner in the defense of this Kibbutz in the current Israeli War of Independence.

Magen Broshi, son of Azriel Broshi– a commander of an army unit of Israel. He participated in the battles of the Negev and the western Galilee.

David Kalir, a son of Eliezer Kalir and a grandson of Abraham Eliyahu Markus – served in the Israeli Army and fell in the battle of Latrun.

Izzy Kalir, a second son of Eliezer Kalir – a sergeant in the Nahalal police force.

Feivel Leibovich – was killed at the time that Rishon LeZion was bombed by Egyptian aircraft.

Abraham Hochstein's wife – was killed in the bombing of Tel-Aviv.

Moshe Langbord (Graff) , a son of Beligriftzikh – joined the police in the Land of Israel in 1928. He excelled in track and field and won several prizes in this connection. He was the commandant of the “special police force” in the Jezreel Valley, and is very popular and well thought of throughout the land. Today, he is a sergeant of police in Nahalal.

Zvi Markus, the only son of Archik Markus^[5] and a grandson of Abraham Eliyahu Markus – born in Jeddah, near Nahalal. He joined the Palmach at the outbreak of the Israeli War of Independence, and participated in the battles for Jerusalem. He fell as a hero at the age of 19 in the battle for Ramat Rachel, near Jerusalem.

Arikha, son of Yaakov Arikha from Amstibova – fell in the battle of Sheikh Jarakh in Jerusalem.

Moshe Greenberg, son-in-law of the military tailor Levitt – a commander in one of the colonies in the Sharon.

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Chaim Shpak, son of Eliyahu Shpak – took part in the battles of Sajrah and the northern Galilee.

Amnon Leibovich, son of Shlomo Leibovich from Volkovysk – born in Rishon LeZion. He took part in the great battle to secure the Negev, and fell in battle at the age of 18.
David Lazarovsky – arrived a short while ago in the Lands of Israel, and is serving in the army.

Sarah Herbrem, a daughter of Shmuel and Chaya Lazarovsky – currently serving in the army.

Dora Shykevich, a daughter of Yitzhak Shykevich and a granddaughter of Eliyahu Shykevich – currently serving in the Israeli Army. She has already received two citations and the rank of corporal.

Sergeant Aharon Yerushalmi, a son of the Volkovysk Shokhet Yerusalimsky – served in the British Army during the last war, and was captured and held as a prisoner of war. He could not, however, under any circumstances, make peace with the idea that he was a prisoner of the Nazis, and demonstrated legendary heroism and exposed himself to life-threatening danger with the audacity to escape from prison, and after passing through the proverbial seven circles of Hell, arrived peaceably into the camp of the Allied military forces, and was awarded a medal by the British King for his outstanding service during the War.

Eliezer Sukenik (son of Sukenik the teacher) and Epstein (a grandson of Chas'sheh Leah the storekeeper) – both served in the Polish Army and were captured by the Russians. After the War, they came to Italy, and from there they finally reached Israel after considerable tribulation, where they immediately joined the army.

Yaakov Hubar, son of David Hubar – went into service at the beginning of the last World War and was also captured by the enemy. However, he did not want to remain imprisoned until the end of the war, and even after his first opportunity to escape did not succeed, he still did not give up the idea of escaping, until it eventually became possible for him to free himself.

Chaim Davidovsky – served in the Jewish Brigade, and was imprisoned for a long time. Immediately after the war, he joined the Haganah and is currently serving in the Israeli Army.

Kagan – served together with Chaim Davidovsky in the Jewish Brigade and was imprisoned with him for a long period. Today her serves in the Israeli Army.

Nakhum Novogrudsky, son of Yehuda (Yud'l) Novogrudsky – serves in the Israeli Navy.

The following people from Volkovysk also have served in the Jewish Brigade, and are serving in the Israeli Army:

David Linevsky, Sola Sidransky, Binkovich, the Movshovich brothers, Bliakher, Fuchs (a brother of Noah Fuchs), Shaliota, Katzin, Simcha Goldberg, Zalman Goldberg, David Rossiansky, Mordechai Galai, Zvi Epstein, Mikhal Damashevitsky, Hanokh Pick, [the] engineer Minkovich, Podolinsky (son of Moshe Podolinsky) and others.

* * *

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Because of the current war situation in the Land, and the irregularity of mail service with Israel, this list is far from complete. But it is already easy to see, from the provided list of those from Volkovysk who are participating in the War of Independence, that our landsleit in Israel occupy a respectable position among the warriors and builders of the Jewish State. The participation of our brothers and sisters from Volkovysk in the fateful War of Independence in Israel these past few years is worthy of special mention. In our profound sorrow over the loss of the thousands of lives abruptly cut off in the Jewish Volkovysk populace at the hands of the Nazi murderers, along with hundreds of other Jewish communities in Europe, we must not permit ourselves to forget those of our Volkovysk kin who freely sacrificed their young lives in order to secure the nationhood of our people in our Land. May the sacred memory of these precious sacrifices live forever in our hearts!

Translator's footnotes:

1. This is Yaakov Markus, whose picture appears later on p. 341 Return
2. A lay member of the congregation who led in chanting the prayers. Return
3. The Labor Hospital Fund Return
4. An examination of a Belarus map suggests that the choice of “near” is somewhat subjective. Ruzhany seems to be just as near to Zelva and Volkovysk as to Slonim. Return
5. There is an inconsistency with the photo of Yaakov Markus, also a fallen soldier, identified as a son of Archik Markus. Return

When I was 21 years old, I was called up to military service, and in the year 1893 I was sent from my home town of Pryluk (the Poltava Guberniya of Ukraine) to my post that was designated as Volkovysk in the Grodno Guberniya.

I arrived in Volkovysk on December 22, 1893 with a military backpack, my sole personal possession on my back, and for the first time, trod Russian-Polish soil. Our train transport, on which we had arrived, continued on its journey. We saw no civilians at the train station, only the few military personnel that had come to meet us. But suddenly, I spied a well-dressed middle-aged man, who by his appearance seemed to be a Jewish merchant, whom the military personnel greeted. I took advantage of the opportunity and introduced myself to him. He gave me his address in the city, and he asked the military personnel to have me brought to his home later.

This meeting sealed my fate. The merchant was the local gold dealer, Meir Shiff, and in several years time, he became my father-in-law, and my best friend for my entire life.

We went into town, crossing all the streets: Kolyova (The Station Street), Zamoscheh, and the Wide Boulevard, with its small, wooden houses on both sides of the way. The Jews looked at us sympathetically – as human beings, who had lost their right to an independent course of [personal] development, in the clutches of a harsh czarist military discipline. Many elderly women wiped their tearful eyes with their aprons – being mothers of children [themselves], who had toiled under the yoke of life in military barracks. I proceeded, while still thinking about the new address: Meir Shiff, Watch works, Szeroka 98.

A gathering on the Schulhof Right: The 'Ein Yaakov Bet HaMedrash; Left: The 'Mauer [Schul]'

Friday evening, I went to the Schulhof with a newly found friend. On the left side stood the large Wooden Synagogue built in the old style. It was already, at that time, an old structure. Its interior was beautifully decorated. The Ark, the Bimah, the Seat of Elijah, were all wondrous to behold. On the east side, the Volkovysk merchants sat – all significantly visible balebatim of the city. My companion called my attention to the Gabbaim of the Synagogue: Aaron Shifmanovich, and Moshe Yaakov Finkelstein. He told me that they were the produce suppliers to the military forces. In the right corner, I immediately saw my friend, Meir Shiff,

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carrying on a serious discussion with a number of people. Suddenly my attention was drawn to a new person, who had just entered the synagogue, who was greeted by everyone in a friendly manner. This was Daniel Matskevich, the representative of the large Moscow tea company, Vogov. Our guide added that it was being awaited that soon Matskevich would be appointed as City leader. Suddenly, a vigorous explosion of laughter erupted from the gathering – the two town wits had appeared – Moshe Lapidus and Naphtali'keh the Melamed. They, the two joke tellers, always brought a festive air into the town. However, the synagogue quickly fell silent with the arrival of the First Gabbai, Koppel Isser Volkovysky. He was dressed in a rich black overcoat, with a shiny top hat on his head. With his imposing figure and rounded beard, he looked like a very imposing figure to me. Then Reb Aaron, the City Shammes went up to the Bimah. And in his reedy tenor voice, began to chant Lekhu Neranenah. His constant companion, Reb Jedediah, the second City Shammes, stood beside him on the Bimah. Reb Jedediah, who was the chanter of the HaRakhaman prayer at all ritual circumcisions, would from time-to-time, chime in and help out his partner in his own full voice. The Sabbath Eve prayers were concluded. The festive “Gut Shabbos” rings in the air of the high-ceilinged synagogue, and we then take ourselves over to the Hiltzener (Wooden) Bet HaMedrash.

The Hiltzener Bet HaMedrash was packed full of congregants praying. There, family connection and money were closely interwoven. The prime seats on the east side were occupied by the genteel and well-connected families of the town – The brothers, Schraga Feivel and Leib Heller, as well as their father-in-law, Shmuel Shapiro, the Volkovysk genius. Additionally there were: the familiar Dr. Benjamin Einhorn (father of the author, David Einhorn), the city elder and great scholar, together with his brother Hirsch Einhorn (father of Dr. Moshe [Moses] Einhorn), the local pharmacist, who presented me with a synthesis of the Torah and general science; the lawyer, Chaim Ozer Einhorn, the distinguished progressive thinker, who was famous for his generous heart; Koppel Isser Goldberg and his son, Zalman Isser, hoteliers to the merchants; the prominent lumber merchant, Eli-Leib Rakhmilevich, and his son (later to become the Lithuanian Consul in the Land of Israel); Dr. Nachman Rakhmilevich; Joshua David Papa, the well-respected local merchant; the bankers of the city – Tuvia Fenster, Yitzhak Weinstein, and Mr. Bass, the chairman of Perliss et Ginsberg, and many more prominent Jews from the wealthy Volkovysk population segment. From the pulpit, wafted the sweet, beautiful voice of the familiar leader of the service, the town Shokhet Reb Nissan Kahan. The faces of the worshipers were turned to the entrance, and with a look of great deference and respect, they invited in the chaste bride, the beloved and holy Sabbath [Queen]; 'Bo'ee Kalah, Bo'ee Kalah!' The congregation was almost entirely made up of the best of the town's population, Jewish men with large impressive beards, others with attractively barbered pointed beards, all wearing top hats.

The Talmud Torah. Somewhat off to the side, the Volkovysk Talmud Torah was found, whose students would subsequently go off to the Yeshivas of Volozhin and Slobodka, and other Yeshivas of great repute. The Gaon, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Spektor, who would later become famous Rabbi of Kovno, went to school there. During prayers, only Torah scholars would sit on the east side, educators of the younger generation, together with their renown Headmaster, Rabbi Yerakhmiel Daniel at their head. There [also] sat the very committed Gabbaim of the Talmud Torah, Rabbi Joseph Berestovitsky, Eliezer Yudzhik and the Gabbaim of the committee that provided clothing to the needy, which looked after providing shoes and clothing for the poor children of the city.

A General Picture of Volkovysk (Taken from the Schloss Barg)

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Home. Everything is organized in the same manner as it would be at the tables in the private homes of the Jews.

Saturday morning, we visited the only structure to occupy the Schulhof in those years, where the Bet HaKnesset [sic: The synagogue] was found. The prominent scholars of the Volkovysk community prayed there. On one side of the Holy Ark stood the wonderful, decent and outstanding personalities of the city Rabbi, Rabbi Jonathan Eliasberg, and at his side, the Dayanim of the city – Rabbi Menachem Mendel Volk (Reb Mendele) and Rabbi Tuvia Ravitzky (Reb Teveleh). On the second side – the veteran of the Volkovysk Yeshiva, Rabbi Yehuda Bereshkovsky (the son of the renown Yeshiva Headmaster, Rabbi Shlomo), the outstanding scholar, Rabbi Moshe Feinsod, the wood-turner, Adelberg from the Wide Boulevard, the brothers, Asher & Akiva Yudzhik (Yehuda'i in Israel), Rabbi Shmuel David Yunovich, Rabbi Yitzhak Shmuel Jonah's Novogrudsky, Joseph & Schraga Feivel Yunovich, the brothers, Sholom & Joseph Vinogradsky, Eliezer Shaliota. The 24-hour a day sitting scholar of the Synagogue, Reb Shmuel Dinnes, always with a book in hand, Moshe Ze'ev Yudzhik, the son of the Rabbi of Volp, Reb Zvi & Moshe Zelitsky. The eternal lamp in the synagogue never goes out over the heads of these scholars, who sit and pore over the arguments of the Talmud day and night. The sweet magical voice of the leader of the prayers wafted down from the prayer lectern. At this time, one of the balebatim, a merchant, stands at the prayer lectern, who counts not only money, but also the days of the Daf Yomi (the daily page of Talmud), in order to prepare a festive Siyyum (completion) of the Shas. This is the renown Reb Abraham Eli Markus.

The Wide Boulevard (From the train station into town – Feitelevich's building is visible in the picture)

Entrance to the Kholodoisker Gasse Right: Home of Sholom the Scribe; Left Heni'keh's House, of the Dye Store; Center: The Brook [Well])

My guide then took me to the Hayyatim [Tailor's] Bet HaMedrash. The external appearance of this synagogue looked less prosperous than the others. But there was nothing deficient in the quality of the prayers offered by the worshipers within. Their leader in prayer, Alter the Metalworker, was not much less capable than other leaders of prayer. The congregation, after a hard week of work looked happy, scrubbed clean and wearing their Sabbath finery. Next to the Holy Ark sat a respected Jew who studied the Mishna with the congregation.

I stepped away from the Schulhof in order to proceed by myself to the home of the well-known Reb Shmuel Shapiro (the father-in-law of the Heller brothers), where I had been invited for the midday meal.

Saturday Afternoon, I once again took myself to have a look at the city. Following the Wide Boulevard, my newfound Volkovysk friend and I made our way to the Klaynem Gessel (the Small Street), at one end of which stood the home of Moshe Rutchik, the magnate of Zhelenevich^[1], and at the other end the newly completed Bet HaMedrash,

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“Chayei Adam.” The less prosperous Jews of the Wide Boulevard prayed there. The donor and builder of this Bet HaMedrash was the well-known lumber merchant, Jekuthiel Bereshkovsky, who was recognized for his special interest in the poor people of the town. He therefore decided that he would build a Bet HaMedrash for their use, in order that they would feel that they too deserved their own place on the “eastern side.” His home was always an accessible place for lodging available to the poor of the city. His wife, Mikhlah would provision straitened families with wood for the winter, and with food all year round, and she would always see to it that no one was short of a shoe or an article of clothing. She always sought to enhance a festive occasion in a less well-to-do home, and quite often would open the door to her own home to people who were alone, welcoming everyone with warmth and an open heart. She had the full support of her husband, Jekuthiel Bereshkovsky in undertaking this activity. The closest neighbor to the Bet HaMedrash, the teacher, Herschel Linevsky, who was also an outstanding leader of worship, took over the position of leading prayers at the Bet HaMedrash Chayei Adam, and the worshipers took great pride in having him.

After passing over the bricks that separated the city proper from the suburb of Zamoscheh, we approached from the left, the old and gray Bet HaMedrash, the old former Bet HaMedrash of Zamoscheh. There, all of the Jews who worshiped were thorough Torah scholars. The Gabbaim were: Reb Leib Ditkovsky, who brought with him a good reputation from his home town of Ruzhany, and the famous Yeshivas there; His father-in-law, Reb Ze'ev Kaplan, the mellifluous leader of worship and Torah Reader; and Reb Joseph Leib Rubinovich. They were the most serious and committed guardians of the old Bet HaMedrash, and possessed the thought, at that time, of re-building it and situating it in a newer, more attractive building. The first [formal] leader of the Volkovysk community came from that Bet HaMedrash, Reb Ben-Zion Lifschitz, to whom it fell to deal with all matters pertaining to issues affecting the Jews.

I made an arrangement with my companion to meet the following Saturday, and to continue our visits.

The Grodno Gasse of Days Gone By Right: The houses of Khemeh[2] the Milliner and Shaliota Left: Freidkeh's Flour store and Tamara's house

The Second Sabbath

Lev's Bet HaMedrash. There was a Bet HaMedrash on the corner of Dwortzower and Millner Gasse, which was built, as was related to me,. By Rabbi Abraham Shmuel and his daughter, Mindl Tzirel Lev, and mostly from her own personal resources. It is for this reason it was called Lev's Bet HaMedrash. Despite the fact that this Bet HaMedrash was off somewhat to the side, nevertheless its worshipers were only from the intelligentsia. There, one not only found balebatim and Torah scholars, as everywhere else, but also doctors, lawyers, pharmacists and manufacturers. Reb Shmuel Shapiro, known as the genius of Volozhin, would worship there for the entire week, and after services would teach the Daf Yomi [daily page of Talmud].His wondrous ringing voice could be heard clear out into the street. Israel Efrat, the famous city lawyer also worshiped there, an outstanding personality, who would always be the one called upon to frame issues at important community gatherings, especially those issues of community importance. He was an expert in both systems of law – Jewish law which he had studied in the Yeshiva, and the secular juridical code of the government that he had studied as a lawyer. More than once, at friendly occasions, he would express pride in the fact that he had often succeeded in court because of the training he had in the sharp-minded Talmudic arguments.

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The genial lawyer, Chaim Ozer Einhorn would visit this Bet HaMedrash during the entire week, who when court was not in session, would come and study a chapter of the Mishna after services, demonstrating in this way, his respect for his very first school, the Yeshiva, where he was the best of the students. The well-known lawyer Moshe Leib Khmelnitsky would come there daily, the son of the renown Warsaw Yeshiva Headmaster Rabbi Joseph Harif. The lawyer, Moshe Leib Khmelnitsky was known for his exceptional relationship with the downtrodden, and he would defend them in court for a minor honorarium, or in many cases free of charge.

The distinguished lawyer, Yaakov Grodzinski occupied a prominent place on the eastern side. The midpoint of the worshipers was at the place of Reb Zalman Chafetz, who had a sense and a skill for implementing equality among the various classes in that Bet HaMedrash. No small amount of distinction accrued to the Bet HaMedrash in later years with the joining of the following worshipers: the local pharmacist Yaakov Avromsky, the Provisor, Nakhum Kroll, son of Yaakov Starinka, the merchant Leib Einstein, Yaakov Weinstein the modest one, the wise and very learned man Shabtai Ziss'l Lev, the lumber merchant Alter Glembotsky, Moshe Margalit, the tobacco manufacturer Nissan Yanovsky, the renown Dr. Hanokh Aaronson, and Reb Eliezer Salman. The Head Gabbai of the Bet HaMedrash was Reb Yitzhak Schwartz, a prominent merchant and worker for peace. The intelligentsia of that synagogue was constantly demanding either the third or sixth aliyah to the Torah. And how does one provide these preferred spots in the service to everyone? And yet, with some cleverness, a way out was always found.

The Wide Boulevard Near the Church (On the way to Zamoscheh)

It is appropriate here to mention the small Bet HaMedrash in Karczyzna, along with its Gabbai, the blacksmith of Karczyzna. That Gabbai would always keep the worshipers aware, assuring that they would donate to various institutions, and he would personally convey the assembled funds with great cheer.

The Kholodoisker Bet HaMedrash was an old, but beautiful and well proportioned building. Its Gabbaim were: Reb Koppel Isser Volkovysky, Jekuthiel Novick and Ze'ev the son of Zvi Kaplan, who jealously guarded the position of the Bet HaMedrash and its worshipers.

Tiferet Bakhurim Bet HaMedrash which in its time was constructed by the Bakhurei Khemed^[3] – with its Gabbai – Reb Israel Novick – substantively graced the Neuer Gessel. A little further along, on the Grodno Gasse, was the Grodno Bet HaMedrash. A part of the Grodno Gasse residents concentrated themselves there as worshipers. The leadership of was initially accorded to the well respected and wealthy hotelier, Reb Leib Schein, owner of the Grodno Hotel. The eastern wall of this Bet HaMedrash was later graced by the intensely beloved Dayan, Rabbi Yaakov Berestovitsky, who in fact served as a substitute for the town Rabbi, and who always, thanks to his great knowledge and scholarship, enhanced the life of the Jewish community in Volkovysk.

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And the last – and dearest of all – the Hassidic Shtibl, with which I had a special relationship. The shtibl was located in an neighborhood close to the military barracks, and consequently I had the opportunity to visit it regularly. As the child of very observant parents, I was, in my army uniform, a constant participant in this Bet HaMedrash. My first priority was to be liberated from the diaspora in general, and that dark, feral military barracks in particular. In order to escape those barracks, I had to sacrifice four of the best years of my young life, but because of that, I was privileged to remain a resident of Volkovysk, a member of that fine city.

As demonstrated by the large number of schools and houses of worship, Volkovysk by the end of the nineteenth century, with its prominent scholars and exemplary beautiful Jewish way of life – occupied a respected place among the neighboring Jewish cities and towns. Entering the twentieth century, Volkovysk made a move primarily in a worldly sense, and its good name grew and was spread out to faraway places.

Translator's footnotes:

1. Jewish rendition of the town of Zeljanevičy, north of Ruzhany. Return
2. Nickname for Nekhemya (rendered Nehemiah in English) Return
3. Literally “Sons of Love” implying a love of the faith and study of Torah. Return

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