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Dedicated to my parents, Shlomo and Dvo'sha, and my sister, Taiba.

The Ostroger Gasse occupied a very important place among the prominent streets of our hometown of Volkovysk. Its name was derived from the two prisons that were found there: the so-called ‘red jail,’ for the military prisoners (occasionally Jews from the poorer sections were detained there, as a discipline that was imposed on them for not cleaning off the bridge or the thoroughfare – in accordance with the then strict, so-called sanitary regulations of that time), and a little further, on the way to Karczyzna, the ‘white jail,’ for civil violations, such as: stealing, murder, political activity, etc. And even though the name didn't sound as well in Russian, it was called Улица Турмная (the Prison Street), – but it didn't in fact, prevent many wealthy people from living on the Ostroger Gasse, as well as Dayans, God-fearing folks, community benefactors, and generally a better class of Jewish people who typically took places at the ‘eastern wall’ of community life.

Ostroger (Kosciuszko) Gasse

Aizik (Yitzhak) Neiman

The founder of the Bet HaMedrash was Reb Meir Rosenbloom, in whose name the this house of worship was called. He was a great Torah scholar, a man of means, and as it was told, he personally put up the building. Consequently, he would lead the Musaf services there on the High Holy Days, and also blew the shofar. On top of this he was a superbly expert Mohel on condition that he would not receive a fee for his services.

Accompanying Reb Meir, the Dayan of the city at that time, Rabbi Yaakov Abraham Stein came along, who literally exuded erudition and greatness. It was told of him by Jews, that on Yom Kippur, during the recess from prayer, he would go through the entire volume of the Talmud, Yoma, with all of the commentaries. Jews also told of him, that in 1886, at the time the great fire took place that destroyed a great part of the city, the Ostroger Gasse was spared – thanks to the Dayan, Rabbi Yaakov Abraham, who prayed at that time that the fire should be put out.

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Yitzhak Neiman

Yitzhak Neiman of the Ostroger Gasse was known in the city as a benefactor of the community. Even as a young man, he was well acquainted with members of the city government apparatus, and through them he would work out a variety of concessions for the Jews. Thanks to his intervention, many conscripts were excused from military service.

In his later years, he was the Gabbai of Reb Meir's Bet HaMedrash, and also of the Volkovysk Burial Society. In the event of a death, one immediately went to Yitzhak Neiman, in order to arrange for all the necessary formalities, as for example, a burial plot, meaning what specific location and next to whom the deceased will be interred, and also what burial fee will be charged to the heirs. He was held to be a wise man in the city. He was often approached to be a mediator. After Rabbi Abba Yaakov Borukhov left for the Land of Israel, Yitzhak Neiman was also elected to the search committee for a new Rabbi. And indeed, Yitzhak Neiman then traveled to Yagustov, where Rabbi Yitzhak Kossowsky שליט”א was the sitting Rabbi, and who is today the Chief Rabbi of Johannesburg in South Africa. And as everyone knew, it was Neiman's candidate, Rabbi Yitzhak Kossowsky, שליט”א, was later chosen to take the pulpit as Rabbi of Volkovysk. In the last years of life, he was already weakened and ill, and he spent his days and free time in the company of the well-known feldscher, Padarowski, who was a frequent visitor to his home. Yitzhak Neiman died on the Eve of Sukkot in 1929, at the age of 81.

One of his sons, Abraham was the first leader of the fire-fighting command, and contributed greatly to its development. A son of his, Hanokh was a well-known merchant and estate manager of a large number of parcels of land. He was a committed Zionist, and always gave donations to the Zionist funds.

Berel (Dov) Pinkhosovsky

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number of years he was also the Gabbai of the Large Synagogue, and later – after the death of Yitzhak Neiman – he became the Gabbai of the Burial Society. At his own initiative, he founded a “Linat” society on a small scale, whose members would go to the homes of those who were taken ill, take care of him, during the night hours. This society existed for a number of years and did good work. When the Chafetz Chaim^[1] came to Volkovysk to establish a Shas Study Society, he also went to Berel Itcheh to ask for his help to implement this idea. This concept came to fruition in the Mauer Bet HaMedrash. Apart from this, Berel Itcheh would learn Mishna on a daily basis with the congregants of Reb Meir'keh's Bet HaMedrash, and under the oversight of Rabbi Moshe Nakhinson, he would also conduct a study of the Daf Yomi with the congregation in the Gemara. Berel Itcheh was in general an active person, and was beloved and respected by everyone. His opinion was valued on all matters of community interest, as in the case of hiring a new rabbi, a ritual slaughterer, or a cantor, and on general day-to-day issues of community life. He passed away at the age of 80 years.

Rabbi Yerakhmiel Daniel, the Headmaster of the Yeshiva, also lived on the Ostroger Gasse. He was renown as a great scholar and thoroughly grounded in the Shas and commentaries. As a young man, he taught Gemara to the richest and most scholarly of the young men of the city. It was a privilege for a young boy to have him as an instructor. Rabbi Yerakhmiel was born in Izavelin, 14 viorst^[2] from Volkovysk (where Rabbi Isaac Elchanan, the Rabbi of Kovno, had his first rabbinical pulpit position). Rabbi Yerakhmiel studied at Volozhin, and then as a Resident Scholar in Eishyshok. He later married Reb Chaim Lev's daughter in Volkovysk, and remained in Volkovysk for his entire life. In his time, he was considered to be one of the most influential Jews of the city. He would unofficially work as Dayan and Director to the community alongside Rabbi Abba Yaakov Borukhov, and later alongside Rabbi Gaon Yitzhak Kossowsky שליט”א. He would be approached with issues to be mediated and totally confused business matters and rulings concerning financial matters, and primarily in those instances where there was a desire to avoid having these disputes taken into the jurisdiction of the public [sic: gentile] courts. The Jews of the Ostroger Gasse would also come to him with ordinary day-to-day matters, such as ruling on whether a chicken was kosher, or whether a pot or spoon was to be treated as a dairy or meat implement, etc. Physically, he was handsomely built, and had a radiant face. He died in Volkovysk a short time before the outbreak of the Second World War.

Rabbi Moshe Nakhinson lived his entire life on the Ostroger Gasse – he was born there, he was raised there, and he was married there to Mir'el, the daughter of Reb Itcheh Moster.

Rabbi Moshe Nakhinson was a Torah scholar. Every day, he would present the daily page of the Gemara to the congregation between the afternoon and evening prayer services in Reb Meir'keh's Bet HaMedrash. He was an outstanding Torah reader, and led prayers on the High Holy Days with great taste and feeling. From time to time, he was invited to substitute for Reb Abraham Eliyahu Markus, the well-known cantor of the Old Mauer Bet HaMedrash. In his younger years, he was a bookkeeper for Rakhmilevich. Immediately after the First World War, he organized a Guest House, on a standard befitting Volkovysk, where the local nobility would travel to from their estates, and other gentile ‘guests,’ when they would come to Volkovysk. Later on, he was appointed as the bookkeeper at Ephraim Barash's factory, from which he made his living. His son,

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Shlomo, or as he was called in the city, Shloim'keh Nakhinson, lived in Argentina for a while. He later returned to Volkovysk, where he opened a pharmacy on the Wide Boulevard. His daughter Rosa, completed the studies at the government gymnasium and later studied medicine at Vilna University. Before the outbreak of the Second World War, she practiced medicine at the Sejmikov Hospital in Volkovysk.

Reb Moshe Joseph Ravitz was also know in the city as Reb Moshe Yoss'l the grain merchant. He was the son of Taiba the mill store operator from Volkovysk. He was an observant man and a Torah scholar. He was a member of the Shas study group of the Reb Meir'keh's Bet HaMedrash. While he was still quite a young man, he married Masha Shevakh, the oldest daughter of Rabbi Yitzhak Benjamin (Itcheh 'Nioma) Shevakh, the Yeshiva headmaster of Ruzhany, Volkovysk and Brisk, all in Lithuania. He made his principal living from commerce in grain, and also had a store in his own building. He was counted among the most significant merchants in the city, and among the most important worshipers in the Reb Meir'keh's Bet HaMedrash. He died in Volkovysk in 1939. Moshe Joseph's daughter, Ethel married Joseph Alperstein and lived in Ruzhany. Her son, Nakhum Alperstein, is today in Israel. Herschel Ravitz, Moshe Joseph's son, who lives today in America, who was also one of the bigger merchants in Volkovysk. He was at one time a contractor, and dealt in grain. Reb Moshe Joseph's daughter, Dvo'sha married Shloim'keh Zakheim.

Bus Station Near the Church

Reb Mordechai Gurevich was a Torah scholar. He had a general merchandise store on the Ostroger Gasse, from which he and his wife, Bash'keh, made their living. Their son, Yaakov was the secretary of the Hebrew School in Volkovysk. He lived in Volkovysk until the last day.

Reb Meir Weiner (Meir the Shoemaker) was a son-in-law of the well-known ‘Shimon the Artist.’ He could always be seen with a book in hand. He especially was fond of the book, Chayei Adam. If someone in the city

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died, he would run around with a sad face, and one could read the bad news from his looks. He had a good memory, and remembered all of the yahrzeit dates in Volkovysk. He was a pauper for his entire life, but content with his lot. His two sons, Moshe'keh and Yankel were active members of the fire-fighting command in Volkovysk. A daughter of his has survived.

Leib Halpern – or, as he was called, Leibeh Kolontayer – lived on the Zeikess Gessel near the Ostroger Gasse. He was the son-in-law of Chaim Moshe Botvinsky of the Kolontayer Mill. In his youth he worked at the mill, and later he opened a clothing business opposite Poliachek's building. His family was counted among the most intelligent of the families of the city. His daughter, Gruna, who was a midwife, would spend her time in the circle of doctors and dentists. A large part of Volkovysk youth that was born between the two world wars, came into this world with Gruna's help.

Reb Shmuel Holland was also counted among the important balebatim of the city. In the community elections of Volkovysk, Reb Shmuel was always the candidate on the orthodox Jewish list. He was a forest product merchant and also a surveyor for the larger forest merchants. In his early fifties he pulled back from his businesses and devoted himself entirely to community work. He was the Gabbai and Treasurer of the Reb Meir'keh's Bet HaMedrash for many years. He was a gentle man with a good heart. He was always ready to assist anyone with word and deed. He died at the onset of winter in 1929.

Reb Issachar Lidsky came from a village near Ruzhany. His wife, Tzirel was from Volkovysk, and was seen to be an enlightened woman. He was very successful in all of his businesses, and in time, was counted along with his father-in-law, Yitzhak Solomon, to be among the richest of the forest merchants. They later moved to Volkovysk, where they built a very beautiful building. Issachar Lidsky had two daughters, Shayn'dl and Henya, and a youngest son, Herschel. The Lidsky-Solomon family occupied a prominent place on the Ostroger Gasse. Later, Issachar brought his father over from Ruzhany, and had him live in his home.

Dr, Hanokh Arianson came from Vilna to Volkovysk to practice as a doctor. He opened his office on the Ostroger Gasse, across the street from the Skrobover Bank. The first days in Volkovysk were difficult for him; however, he slowly worked up a good name for himself, not only in the city, but also in the entire area. He was frail in health, but he committed himself intensely to his profession. He had a cart prepared for himself that was closed on all four sides, and was always prepared to go. He was by nature a good man, and always received people in a friendly manner in his office. He supported all the Volkovysk institutions generously. In August 1930, while visiting a patient, he suddenly felt ill, and had to leave the patient.

On his way home, he suffered a hemorrhage. He was still able to open the door to his home, and completely covered in blood, fell down and died.

The sudden death of the popular and universally well-liked Dr. Arianson made a deep impression on everyone.

The Bereznitsky Brothers – Yaakov, Abraham Moshe and Fishl – lived near the Russian cemetery, with Yaakov Hanokh Yatvetsky as a neighbor. Yaakov had a general merchandise store on the Grodno Gasse. Abraham Moshe was an erudite Jewish man who was enlightened. He was constantly researching either a line in the Pentateuch or the Tanakh, or a commentary of Our Sages. He had many sons and because of this he was a pauper. He would assist with the writing of letters to America and the Land of Israel to relatives and friends

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of Volkovysk Jewish residents. However, the principal source of income was his wife's sewing. Fishl had a general merchandise store near Yitzhak Neiman's house. He was employed by the Volkovysk Electricity Works, and later became a bookkeeper. He always took pride in the fact that when he was young, he was a pupil of Rabbi Yerakhmiel.

Herschel Ravitz (lives today in America), had two good-looking buildings and was a grain merchant. At one time he was also a contractor. His children received a very good education. Yaakov, his oldest son, was an educated young man, and married Feygl Peremolnik; the other son, David, was one of the best performers in the Volkovysk Maccabi soccer team, and the youngest son, Itzel played in the fire-fighters' orchestra. His two daughters were Taiba and Rosa. David and Itzel served in the Polish Army at the outbreak of the war in 1939, but their fate is unknown. Herschel's wife Shifra, died during the time of the German occupation.

Abraham Lifschitz of the hotel, who lived diagonally across from the post office, was one of the balebatim. He was called Avreml Sholom's. In addition to the hotel, he owned a number of houses. His son, Katriel was a son-in-law to Eliezer Shaliota, and was known in the city as a very capable and educated young man.

Herschel Mordetsky (Herschel the Artist) earned his living by the work of his hands; he loved to draw. He was in America a number of times. In his later years, he re-built his house and gave up his work. His youngest son, Joseph (Yoss'l), was a soccer player on the Maccabi team, and also played in the fire-fighters' orchestra. His other two sons are in America and his son, Chaim, lives in Israel. Herschel was the constant leader of the first minyan of prayer on the Sabbath in Reb Meir'keh's Bet HaMedrash. He died before the last war in Volkovysk.

Aaron Hirsch Greengass, (The Pensioner), lived together with his son-in-law, Eliyahu Zaklas, a hatmaker. He was a friendly, and very decent man. In his youth, he worked in Yanovsky's tobacco factory on the Wider Boulevard. In his older years, he already was not working, and he would receive support from his children in America. His son, and his daughter, Sima, who is married to Yaakov Podolinsky (a son of Abraham Yitzhak the carpenter) both live in America.

Abraham Aaron Manokh, the son of Rabbi Zadok HaKohen Manokh, lived in Piesk for a while after his marriage. But soon after his father left for America, where he was a Rabbi in Detroit, Abraham Aaron returned to Volkovysk where he became a jobber. He would buy fruit from the orchards of the nobility all summer, and sell it in the city. His brother Shmuel David lives in Detroit. When Reb Zadok still lived in Volkovysk he would give sermons on Friday night in the Ein Yaakov Bet HaMedrash on the Schulhof. He passed away in Detroit.

Reb Mordechai Moorstein was a tailor by trade, but additionally he did community work. He was a Gabbai of the Society of Pallbearers. The famous parties held by this society took place in his house. For a short while, he was also a Gabbai of the Reb Meir'keh's Bet HaMedrash. He had two daughters, Rachel who married in Vilna, and Basheh who married Yitzhak Tchopper. His son, Yekhezkiel lived on the Grodno Gasse. Another son of his lives in America.

His mother-in-law, Chana Sarah, also lived with the Moorsteins, who was a real throwback type, being a truly righteous woman. She herself was all alone and crippled (she would limp on one foot), but despite this, she undertook the mission of helping the poor of the city. Every Thursday and Friday, she would go through the streets with a large linen, going from house to house among the Volkovysk Jews, and from there, gather donations from whoever would give, whether a challah or rolls, and later she would distribute this to the hungry. She was considered in the city as a provider of the poor class, and people related to her with real respect and consideration.

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Berel Salaman (Berel the Haminicher), a son of Gedaliah Haminicher, was an older bachelor, intelligent and knowledgeable and also erudite. He was at one time a pupil of Rabbi Yerakhmiel Daniel. His brother Yaakov, a watchmaker, lived with him, as did his sister, Sarah and her husband, Moshe Shipiatsky.

Chana Yenta Rosenbloom lived near the post office. There, in the small building, she would sell ice cream and lemonade in the summertime. The young people from the Ostroger Gasse would always go there to cool off in the hot summer evenings. The floor wasn't more than four by four, and if four people entered, no more could be accommodated. Nevertheless, Chana Yenta was renown throughout Volkovysk for her unique and delicious ice cream. Her husband, Nakhum and her sons, had a small factory for the manufacture of soda water on the Kholodoisker Gessel, on the way to the Kholodoisker Bet HaMedrash.

It is difficult to describe all of the characteristic personalities, that lived on the Ostroger Gasse in such rich measure, in the confines of an article. Our Volkovysk was a place where a deeply rooted Jewish life shone forth over the span of many hundreds of years. We have become symbolically orphaned by having lost the most beautiful and the best of what we had accomplished in such a terrifying and tragic manner. At this time, Volkovysk means to us – the entire span of our home town to Treblinka and Auschwitz, where the souls of our beloved and dear martyrs were united with those of millions of other Jewish martyrs, who fell at the enemy's hands, with the cry of ‘Hear, O Israel’ on their lips.

Translator's footnotes:

1. Rabbi Israel Meir HaKohen of Radun, who was one of the great exponents of the Lithuanian Rabbinate. His grave site and mausoleum in Radun became a pilgrimage site, drawing even non-Jewish visitors, and survived the ravages of the Holocaust. Return
2. A linear measure used in Czarist Russia, rendered ‘verst’ in English (1 verst = 1067 meters). Return
3. Both Dvosha and Dvo'shka (little Dvo'sha) are Russianized diminutives for the Hebrew Dvora, or Deborah. Return

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Members of the Editorial Board of The Volkovysk Leben, photographed with the prominent writer Z. Segalovich in the year 1928 Right to left seated: Reuven Rutchik, Z. Segalovich, Mordechai Leib Kaplan; Standing (presumably right to left): Eliezer Kalir, Mordechai Giller

Facsimile of a typical front page (Issue number 140)

The Employees of the Volkovysker Leben Right to left first row, seated: Lev, Mulya Kwiat, Lapin Second row (presumably R to L): Karashinsky, Mazya Third row (presumably R to L): Kagan, Unknown I, Unknown II

In this case, I would like to recall these couple of dreamers with a few words – these creators of output, and editors of our own local newspaper, the Volkovysker Leben, which during a period of fifteen years illuminated the daily life of our city, stood watch over its interests, and tied all Volkovysk Jews around the world to their home town – Volkovysk, with an unbreakable thread.

Reuven Rutchik – a son of a simple laborer from Zamoscheh, was educated in Talmud Torah and Yeshivas, became acquainted with the Talmud and the peripherally related knowledge of the Hebrew language. In time, he became a teacher, first in Volkovysk, afterwards in Bialystok. He was the first Hebrew teacher of Tzemakh, the founder of the HaBima theater troupe. ‘Rutchik planted a love of the Hebrew language in me, and thanks to Rutchik, the idea was born in me to establish a Hebrew theater troupe’ – this was the way Tzemakh ז”ל told it, seeing him for the last time in the Land of Israel. Rutchik published hiss first poems in a children's journal, Ben Shakhar, afterwards Yiddish poems in Jude and other outlets. The ability to rhyme came to him by inheritance – his mother, Feygl Rutchik, a simple [sic: uneducated] Jewish lady, excelled in her ability to rhyme. Later, when the Volkovysk Leben appeared, Rutchik would often print the blessings that his mother bestowed on her children for various occasions – woven out of verses of meaningful folk themes. This reminds me of a story: when we put together the material for the very first edition – Rutchik went away to Bialystok to turn over the copy [for printing]. There, during the printing process, some sort of a board broke

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off the machine, and struck Rutchik in the head, wounding him – he was covered in blood. They bandaged him up, and as it happened, Pesach Kaplan, the editor of the Bialystok Dos Nyeh Leben was in the print shop – he went over to Rutchik, and congratulated him: BeDamayikh Chayii – Through your blood, this publication will now live. And his prediction came true. It existed for fifteen years, and would have continued to live on and on, had only Volkovysk continued to live on!

Remarkably, even though he was morose and thoughtful in his nature – it was he who directed the humorous section of the Volkovysker Leben, which was called ‘The Wise Peasant.’ Also, from time-to-time, he would publish useful advice under the title of ‘Domestic Issues,’ where in a light humor and a unique cadence – he would describe the joys and sorrows of Jewish life in our Volkovysk. Reuven Rutchik was a rare poet. His gentle poems are full of heart, longing and sadness, and transport you other worlds. Another poet with his talent would have shouted out to the world, his popularity would have been great, but Rutchik was a modest person for his entire life, and shy, and did not try hard and push himself to the fore, and was himself a mournful and lonely person:

“My life's not going well, I don't know about others –
Everything is backwards for me, unattainably high.
I may try to build something – and it collapses,
When somebody yields already – a billow comes out.

I had a sister – my only one, shy,
One and only love, that fills the world,
This too, fate angrily tore away from me,
Leaving me alone on a desolate field.”

You cannot recognize the same Rutchik, when in a light playful humor, he writes his ‘Domestic Issues’ – about the effervescent stream of life of his and our dear home city of Volkovysk:

“Did someone in the town dream,
That a newspaper could be published here,
And that very newspaper (or call it a ‘sheet’)
Wouldn't hear anyone, or be disturbed by anyone's complaint.
Its progress continues, reaching number one hundred already,
And will continue for a long time…

No matter what you say, it is a fact of life:
The city has a different face to it,
The paper instilled spirit and feeling,
All its current charitable patrons.
We should not miss anyone, and not think too long
Support is given, help is brought.
What a joy, but the heart is sour,
The relatives the big world over know immediately.
Congratulating on good news, and also feeling the sadness
And the friendship becomes even stronger and more ardent
And it this way united overall
The specific and general people of Volkovysk will become…”

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Cry out woe! There remains from him no issue, no memory, not even the remnant of a book – from so many pearl-like poems, and only like poor little orphans, without a father or mother, the silenced scraps of his Volkovysk Leben flutter about randomly containing his brilliant poems that plead and beg: ‘have pity – I am one of Rutchik's poems; save us, we are Rutchik's, the poems of your own Reuven Rutchik…’

Let a tear fall from the eyes of Volkovysk Jews the world over, for our martyred poet, wh was so self-effacing, and sanctified in his own life, how gentle and heartfelt was his poetry…

Together with Mordechai Leib Kaplan and Reuven Rutchik the following employees of the Volkovysker Leben were also murdered: Alter Giller, a young man who was a storekeeper, who would stand in his store and weigh out a pound of salt, a bottle of pepper – and between the salt and pepper, weigh out and measure up a poem; Shakhna Dworetsky who was one of the founders of the Volkovysker Leben, and A. Tz. Schwartz, a teacher at the Hebrew gymnasium, who would often grace the columns of the paper with his wondrous poetry.

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Reb Abraham Eli Markus

Reb Abraham Eliyahu Markus זצ”ל, was this type of person.

Was there a Jew from Volkovysk anywhere in the world who did not respect and cherish this name!? He was wise, and a Torah scholar, managed large business enterprises, valuing and holding the title of 'merchant' highly. His word was sacred, when something was bought, it was bought, when sold, sold. Whether it involved the greatest of profit or the opposite – there was no reversal. He enjoyed it when people could make money off of him, and himself was a generous man. The name of Reb Abraham Eliyahu Markus rang out as a symbol of decency and straightforwardness. His home was a typically fundamental merchant's abode, that constantly bubbled with people, with merchants. People came to him from the entire area, from all the small Jewish towns around. One would hear a good word from him, a suggestion. With his straight and deep common sense, he would help people through there difficult times and set them on a proper direction. But the enterprise that stood above all the others was his work with the Bet HaMedrash. He was unusually devoted to scholarship, in which he had no peer. Before dawn, in the greatest downpour, snow, frost and blizzard, he was already seated in the Bet HaMedrash, studying with devotion. He was always the first one to cross the threshold of the Bet HaMedrash. Being a very pious person, thanks to his great wisdom, he also was held in high regard by the younger generation, which was more liberally oriented, and he worked along sided them in community institutions, where his words found a responsive reception and made a great impact. From time to time, his house took on a different appearance. The merchant's house, which was full of goods, was also filled with Torah: the large rooms were furnished with long tables, covered with all manner of good things, and a mitzvah feast was celebrated – a completion of the Shas, the Mishna, or a Tractate, a feast of the Burial Society. At the table, the faces of the old patriarchal guard of Volkovysk would be seen: Reb Itcheh Jonah's with his white beard and ruddy cheeks, Rabbi Yaakov Berestovitsky, the Dayan, Reb Herschel Einhorn, Reb Joseph Berestovitsky, who stood head and shoulders above the rest, Reb Yehuda Bereshkovsky, Reb Asher Yudzhik, Reb Akiva Yudzhik, and other scholars, with Reb Abraham Eliyahu Markus at their head. Entire well springs of Torah thought and wisdom would circulate around the table, of reasoning and analysis; the sweet notes of chanting would pour forth, and one thought that the holy spirit of God himself must hover over these Jews – because everything is vanity, and only the Holy Writ is of the essence.

Reb Abraham Eliyahu Markus was a Torah scholar who always loved being in the close company of other Torah scholars. A Sabbath or Festival did not pass, that he would sit down to a meal without a Yeshiva student, a resident scholar, or a boy from Talmud Torah.

He was prominent and well-known in the rabbinical world. It was not for nothing that when the time came to appoint a rabbi to the city pulpit, which had been occupied by Gaonim such as Rabbi Jonathan Eliasberg זצ”ל, ,

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Rabbi Abba Yaakov Borukhov זצ”ל, the expert was Abraham Eliyahu Markus.

But apart from this, Abraham Eliyahu Markus was an outstanding and unique cantor. He would enchant the congregation with his sweet voice, full of emotion. When he would lead services in the middle of the week, it seemed as if it was a holiday – a Yom Tov. His style, the way he poured out his soul, his articulation of Hebrew, his hearty melodies, all will echo for a long time in the souls of every Volkovysk Jew – even if fate had cast him out to another end of the world. Who can forget his rendition of “mimekomkha malkeinu sofiya” which he would sing to the tune of “schlof mein kind, mein shayner Feygl, schlof-zhe lyu-lyu-lyu.” He loved to weave folk song motifs into his prayer, and grab hold of and drag along all the worshipers into his prayer with song. He was known as a folk cantor, and his name will be recalled for many of generations yet, as one of the most beautiful inspirational people that ever came out of our now destroyed city.

Reb Abraham Eliyahu Markus was privileged to make aliyah to the Land of Israel, where his children continue to spin out the thread and continue in the way that he had shown them.

Volkovysk Jews of an older generation remember well the unique wise and lovely man, Reb Shmuel Feinzilber, who was called 'the wooden God,' because of the wooden leg that he had. He had lost a leg at the time of a fire, when he had ran to rescue, and had remained crippled for the rest of his life. He played a large role during the time of the Russians. He was a participant in the municipal council, and was highly regarded by the highest authorities. He would be consulted on all matters pertaining to military service, and he was the most familiar with all the municipal and community institutions. During the time of the Poles, he was already on the way down. He was already old, weak and impoverished, and he was rarely turned to. One time, on a Saturday morning, as the populace was returning form the Schulhof, from the various Bet HaMedrash prayer services – Reb Shmuel Feinzilber, as was his custom, was sitting at the window of his little house, and was looking out… and he saw Reb Yitzhak Novogrudsky going from the Schul with his prayer shawl…

– Itcheh, come here – he called out – take a look, see – there are the Jews going home from Schul – that one there I saved from military conscription, that one I got out of jail, that one I freed from the fortress [jail] – and see – they all walk by – and nobody even so much as offers me a Gut Shabbos….

– Oh, Reb Shmuel, Reb Yitzhak answered him, how is it that you ask such questions? The world assumes that you are such a wise man, and you don't understand such a simple thing! If you hadn't released them from military draft, the fort or jail – they would have all fled to America – then they would have become vastly wealthy like everyone else – and now they have remained poor, paupers, impoverished – and for this you expect them to come over and wish you a Gut Shabbos?!….

The Market on the Grodno Gasse Left: Papa's Ironmongery, Freidkeh's Flour store, Uryonsky's houses, Tamara's, Zaklas and Davidovsky

[Page 258]

yet pious Jew, a merchant who spent his entire life managing large scale businesses and constantly pressed for time – but it was because of this that he jealously guarded the principles of correct conduct in personal affairs, and always sought justices, righteousness and the truth. He was outstanding in his profound and logical common sense, with is unique decency and straightness, giving the impression to both Christians and Jews alike of a very decent person. It is told of him that in negotiating over forest properties, he once purchased, with partners, a large forest in the neighborhood of the Bielovezer Pushtsa.^[1] The boundaries of the forest were marked off with stamped stone markers, which bounded the parcel where it was permissible to take down trees. Once, when coming into the forest, he noticed that the markers did not seem to be in their proper place, but rather seemed to be displaced a little further to the right. Reb Yaakov asked his partners what this meant.

Well, Reb Yaakov – the partners answered – just don't pay attention to it, you're not going to add any value to the matter – and they made a calculation for him that showed this “action” would make them an additional ten thousand rubles…

– The markers must be returned to their original places – Reb Yaakov answered – Yankel Solomon will not sell his name for ten thousand rubles! – and no form of argument helped, and the “action” was abandoned. It was not for nothing that all the prominent nobility and estate managers in the area held him in such esteem, and when he would come to them, they would always be forthcoming with substantial contributions for philanthropic institutions of our city. On one winter's day, a Christian entered his home, wearing a peasant overcoat, and asked if the owner of the house was in. Reb Yaakov happened not to be home just then, but his wife, Batsheva, thought the gentile had come to ask for a donation. – What do you need from the head of the house? – she asked him – I wanted to let him know that tomorrow I am sending him 200 pounds of potatoes for the old age home, and 200 pounds for the orphanage…

This was the estate manager Sherayev, the well-know philo-Semite, who despite this, preferred to dress modestly in a peasant's overcoat.

Reb Yaakov Solomon was popular throughout the entire populace of our city, and also his name reverberated in the entire vicinity, and he was constantly overwhelmed by people who came to seek either advice or assistance – and they would find it. Reb Yaakov was also recognized and accepted in rabbinical circles and in all involved and complicated issues involving mediation, religious court cases, the opinion of Reb Yaakov Solomon was sought. He was the right had of the Gaonim, Rabbi Joseph^[2] Eliasberg, Rabbi Abba Yaakov Borukhov, and also in the case of Rabbi Kossowsky, who today is in Johannesburg. For many years, he was the first Gabbai of the large Mauer Bet HaMedrash, supported Torah scholars, people who studied the Torah, both openly and secretly, and was active faithfully in all matters of public welfare.

Translator's footnotes:

1. A Byelorussian Forest also referenced in both the Zelva and Dereczin Memorial Books. Return
2. Likely an error, since this seems to be Rabbi Jonathan Eliasberg. Return

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