 |
|
|
[Page 167]
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Many activities were undertaken by the Organization of Émigrés from Volkovysk in Israel to establish permanent memorials to the Jewish community that was exterminated. We will record a number of these here. |
A. In 1945, after the first survivors from Volkovysk reached Israel and the United States, and they brought the upsetting information of what had occurred in the city, and about the bitter end of the Jewish community, the Organization published a folio titled, ‘The Destruction of Volkovysk in the Second World War.[a]’ In this folio, eye-witness accounts were documented concerning everything that had happened, from the oral accounts of Herschel Roitman, who excelled in his partisan initiatives, Dr. Noah Kaplinsky, Eliyahu Kushnir, Eliyahu Kovensky, who was an active partisan decorated as a Hero of the Soviet Union, Katriel Lashowitz, who was also a partisan that was very active in the Zamkova Forest, and other places, Joseph Kotliarsky, who told about the night of the Passover Seder in Auschwitz, and others.
This folio was received and read with great interest by the Volkovysk Émigrés in Israel, for most of whom this was a first and tragic bit of news from
[Page 168]
their birthplace.
B. In 1967, the Aliyah School in Beit Galim, Haifa published a folio in memory of the Volkovysk community edited by the principal of the school, Mr. Y. Kaplan. This folio specifically deals with a detailed accounting of an evening of memorial activities conducted within the walls of the previously mentioned school. Among other things, the following is recorded in the Principal's introduction to this folio:
“We have decided to perpetuate the memory of Volkovysk. To ask 00 what is this city to our children, we can say – Volkovysk was no more than typical of hundreds and thousands of similar cities, encompassing all that is beautiful and good in them, scholars, babies in all homes, charitable institutions, sincere help and love of man. Why, especially, Volkovysk? – because it is mine, I was born there, and in its midst I absorbed the tradition of my ancestors. In it I became a Jew, as best as I could, and in its midst – my family and thousands of brothers and sisters.
We dealt not only with the Holocaust in school. We allocated special attention to the living, vibrant Volkovysk. We attempted to probe the hidden light within her. This light was sevenfold stronger than the dark cover of the Holocaust.
From probing the life [of the city], we went on to probe the Holocaust. Volkovysk drained the cup of hemlock to its dregs, fell to its knees, and never rose again. With our meager resources, we attempted to create a modest Yad VaShem here at our school, in order that our pupils remember her, in order that we could promise the martyrs of Volkovysk who charged us, the living, that this shall never happen again. From our probing of the Holocaust, we will come to know how to protect ourselves, our homeland, from now and forever.”
From what the students of the school wrote, we learn the measure of how they were influenced by what was told to them about our city. Let us introduce a few excerpts from these writings.
Leah Kreisman writes: “ I never imagined how horrible the Holocaust was. On one of the weekdays, a survivor of the Holocaust visited us, who was a witness to the death camps and Volkovysk's bitter end, Joseph Kotliarsky was his name. He spoke to us as if we were adults, with great emotion. What touched me most of all was the cruel attitude of the Germans towards the Jews from the day they invaded until they were transferred to the concentration camps. Even their names were taken away from them. The number tattooed on their left arm replaced their names, and that's how each of them were identified. I have now received a much clearer picture of the Holocaust. I understand how it is possible to exterminate six million men, women and children, old and young. Why? Solely because they were Jewish.”
Rafi Tevakh writes about this same meeting with Kotliarsky:
“Mr. Kotliarsky responded to our invitation, and came to us from Jerusalem to tell us about the last days of the Jews of Volkovysk in the Auschwitz camp. His speech was soft, and one could hear a trembling in his speech, his face covered in sweat, with tears running from his eyes. The description of life under the German occupation, and their abusive treatment of the Jews made a deep impression. A number is tattooed on his arm, and he was told a the time it was put on, that from now on there no longer was a Joseph Kotliarsky, but just a number…we all sat transfixed, full of sorrow and anger.”
Sarah Hirsch tells about her impressions of the lessons given in her class about the community of Volkovysk:
“We had interesting lessons about the annihilated [Jewish] community of Volkovysk, and we learned to recognize the city from the day it was founded, its glorious past in days of war and peace. Most of all, I was impressed by the charitable institutions of the city, and Jewish aid. For example: The Orphanage – the beautiful work that was establish with the volunteer work of Eliyahu Shykevich. This was his life's work. The concern and dedication to the children that were left without parents, the concern for their sustenance and education. Another example – The Hospital or – Old Age Home – the institution
[Page 169]
that looked after the elderly without support or a roof over their heads. It was headed by Reb Meir Shiff nicknamed ‘The Patriarch of the Elderly.’ here were also other institutions, like: Receiving guests, free loans, discreet [secret] charity. The purpose of all of these was one – helping the poor and needy. And all this was done without a great deal of publicity, out of an exceptional sense of forthcomingness and dedication.
Who will count all the beautiful institutions that the city of Volkovysk was blessed with, and who will offer solace for their loss?”
Apart from the writing of the students, of which only a part is reproduced here, many excerpts were also included that were published in the folio, Hurban Volkovysk, and a facsimile was published of the memorial image that was presented by the students of the Aliyah School under the supervision of their teachers in the presence of the elders of the city and Volkovysk émigrés.
C. A Memorial to the Jewish Martyrs of Volkovysk.
Translator's footnote:
by Aharon Podolinsky
|
|
|
|
Every year on the Tenth of Tevet, we are in the custom of gathering at the memorial to the martyrs of Volkovysk in Nahalat Yitzhak, to remember our loved ones who were exterminated in the Holocaust. This memorial brings back a story that is worth telling.
It was one of the days of October 1982 when I entered the office of my friend, Shlomo Bereshkovsky, ז”ל, as was my frequent habit, and when he merely saw me, he literally accosted me joyously. The reason was – a dream he had dreamt that very night. He didn't recall all of the details, but when he saw me, he was reminded that my image had appeared to him in this dream, as well as the issue of the memorial in memory of the martyrs – a matter that had not been accomplished yet at this time. This dream served as a fountain of nostalgia to Bereshkovsky, who was already in the winter of life, and that everything must be done to raise this memorial, and he asked me to look after this.
After several days, I traveled to the home of my friend, the lawyer Noah Tzemakh, who also lived in Petakh-Tikva, and I told him about Bereshkovsky's dream. We agreed to invite Katriel Lashowitz to the discussion, who also lived in Petakh-Tikva, on the assumption that if there was anyone capable of getting the memorial put up, certainly – he was the man. When we met with Lashowitz, we conveyed to him our feelings regarding the financing of the memorial, and Lashowitz said to us: “Don't worry about the financing, leave this matter to me, rather, concern yourselves with a suitable place for the memorial, and the most suitable place from my point of view is in the cemetery of Nahalat Yitzhak, where the memorial to the victims of Treblinka also stands, and as is known, many of the sons of our city met their death there.”
Only a few weeks went by when seven members of the committee to put up the monument entered Bereshkovsky's office: the lawyer Menachem Anyan, Shlomo Bereshkovsky, Benjamin Galai, Katriel Lashowitz, Abraham Novick, the lawyer Noah Tzemakh, and the undersigned. Six of the members donated 500 Shekel on the spot, and Lashowitz matched the amount given by the others together, and in this way, 6,000 Shekel were collected in the treasury.
On 17.11.1982, the committee came together a second time at the house of Lashowitz, and the chairman, A. Novick reported: A) The location for the
[Page 170]
monument beside the Treblinka monument had been promised). The administration of Yad VaShem had promised that the remains of martyrs that had been killed in the Holocaust will be buried under the monument, this being added to the scroll with the names of all the martyrs from Volkovysk.
Bereshkovsky's dream began to come into reality, and in the end, it came to fruition thanks to the tireless efforts of the lawyer, Noah Tzemakh ז”ל, and Katriel Lashowitz, to be set aside for long life. In 21.14.1984 the cover was taken off the monument at Nahalat Yitzhak. He who would dreamt about it, was not privileged to live to this occasion, but the lawyer, Noah Tzemakh did live to see it, together with many Volkovysk émigrés in Israel, and a respectable representation from the émigrés from the United States: Daniel Lemkin, Dr. Resnick, Shereshevsky, Ephraim Mushatsky (Morris), and others.
|
|
|
|
Sitting (right to left): Kotliarsky, Roitman, Na'ava [Shayn'eh] Lifschitz, Kovensky, K. Lashowitz. Standing: Chaim Kaplan, Kushnir, Fuchs |
Dr. M. Einhorn's book, which appeared in two volumes at the end of 1949 in the United States received much critical acclaim and positive articles in the Jewish press. Many of the best Jewish literary critics reacted in articles and essays on the great work of the editor, who took upon himself the work of gathering the material, pictures and the permissions that were all included in the book, and even financed the publication himself.
Hillel Rogoff, the editor of the widely distributed Jewish Daily Forward wrote the following about the book in his article: “This was a heroic effort, to literally assemble the material from a variety of sources that were spread all over the world. Even more difficult than that, was the construction of a complete [literary] edifice on the foundation of this material – Dr. Einhorn's book will serve as a reference that will not disappoint any future historian who will want to immerse himself in the lives, of the Jews of Poland, which was prematurely ended, and additionally, the book will be of help writers and poet who will want to find expression for the literary art of the city and Polish Jewry.”
The well-known journalist, B. Tz. Goldberg wrote in the New York newspaper, Der Tag: “The book is written in good Yiddish, that flows well and is idiomatic. The writing is clear and interesting, without excess elaboration or phrasing. Additionally, it is not one of those light tasks to write about this subject – the tragedy that befell your family and your hometown. Dr. Einhorn found the right tone. The book has a wealth of information about the city of Volkovysk, its traditions, and personalities. This information is conveyed not only through dry narrative, but also by means of many pictures.”
That same newspaper provides an extensive article by the well-known critic Sh. Nieger: “There is almost no corner of life in Volkovysk of the past fifty years on which light is not shed in this book, and it is correct as the editor says in his forward, that his book depicts not only the life of the Jews of Volkovysk and the towns in its vicinity, but also the lives and works of Jews in hundreds of cities and towns during the past two generations.”
Articles appeared in weeklies and various periodicals in America and Canada that round out the praise of the important effort expended by Dr. M. Einhorn.
By Katriel Lashowitz
|
|
I had it in my mind to write in this book about Daniel Lemkin, not only because he was among the first to encourage me to publish this book, and not only
[Page 171]
because he was my friend as a youth in our hometown, but simply because I loved him so much, and he deserved that affection. Accordingly, I did not imagine that at the hour that I would sit down to write about him, Daniel Lemkin would no longer be among the living, and my tale about him would be written in past tense…. this is no doubt the reason for the oppressed feeling that I feel in my heart, at the time I am writing these lines.
In the Tarbut School and Gymnasium, Daniel was one grade ahead of me. Even in the Gordonia youth group, he was in an older group than mine, but this fact did not interfere with the good friendship between us, to the point where we would ‘catch hell’ together frequently… I recall very well those evenings when we would sit by the banks of the Volkova River, singing songs about the Jordan and Kineret. Both of us loved Volkovysk and the Volkova, but we loved the Jordan and the Kineret even more. This should not cause any surprise if it is told that the youth was schooled at Farber's Heder, continued at the Tarbut School and the Hebrew Gymnasium. A variety of turns resulted in me reaching Israel after him, even though he would come as a tourist.
I knew his parents well also, and Daniel's brother. His father was an impressive looking Jewish man, thought to be the tallest Jew in Volkovysk. He earned his living from a dyestuff store, and he had a house with much in it that he also gave out. Generally, his mother was in the store, while his father was in the warehouse preparing dyes, turpentine, etc. Two of Daniel's brothers were with me in the partisans in the Zamkova Forest, but when our unit was divided into two groups – the brothers returned to Volkovysk. That is how they met up with their bitter end, when one of them was shot by the Germans in front of his parents. Daniel always thought about these brothers, and attempted to organized thoughts about the last days of their lives, and he was very happy when one of the partisans gave him a picture of his brother.
Personally, he was taken into the Russian Army in 1940, advancing and then retreating with it, mostly retreating. In this manner, he reached Tiflis with his unit, and afterwards to Krasnodar, which changed into his ‘base,’ thanks to an Armenian Russian General that took an interest in Daniel. He used his special talents to recognize the value of personal relations, and even knew how to apply his talents for his benefit and the benefit of those close to him. Daniel managed to have a good existence under the command of the general, but didn't only look after himself. He knew how to make things better for others. In essence, this was his passion – to do good things. Even the general's brother-in-law went out better off. Daniel helped him to open a bakery in Krasnodar, and in those days in the Soviet Union, not only a bakery was a big deal. Even a loaf of bread was not something trivial…
Daniel continued to wheel and deal in this manner, buying and selling, making things better for his crowd, and ‘his’ general – until the end of the war. He had no contact with his family, with his Volkovysk, but he thought and worried about them on a daily basis, hour-to-hour, and when the first crack opened up that enabled him to get there – he presented himself to the Armenian general, and said to him: I am compelled to go there. The general understood, and despite all the difficulties, he provisioned him with those necessities that would permit him to reach Volkovysk a few days after it was liberated from the Germans.
I remember Daniel's story of his arrival in the city very well, and how he reacted after he saw the great devastation. He story is well-known to me, since in time, I also went through this experience. He also, sought Jews in the desolated city, and a Pole pointed him in the direction of a Jewish woman named Bash'keh, This woman was about forty, and from her account, he discovered what happened to his family. Through her efforts, he established contact with about 18-20 Jews who were in Volkovysk at that time, among them: Moteleh Shifran, Bom Zuckerman, Shipiatsky, Dr, Resnick, Dr. Kaplinsky, and the undersigned. Even though I only spent a few days in the city, since that is all I had the strength for,
[Page 172]
Daniel remained for four weeks. He searched through the attic of their former house for pictures and letters (those who lived in the house wanted to place the house at his disposal), but he deferred in favor of the family of a Christian who had worked for his father, but from that man's wife he found out that the Germans had killed her husband because he had pillaged Jewish assets (and booty was considered their province only…), he looked for relatives – but all he found was destruction. Only destruction. From Volkovysk, he traveled to Moscow, and spent ten days there. He visited the office of the anti-Fascist Jewish Committee and conveyed to them all that he had found, seen and heard in Volkovysk. They were very interested in his account because Daniel also knew what to convey.
From Moscow, he returned to his ‘base’ – to Krasnodar, and again began to get involved in a variety of deals, on his behalf and for the general and his relatives, but after seeing the disaster that befell his people in Volkovysk, the realization coalesced in his heart that he had nothing really to do here, and it was obligated to reach the Land of Israel. His plan was: to return to Volkovysk, and from there – to Poland, and afterwards – to Israel.
That's not what happened.
When he reached Poland there, again, anti-Semitism had reached a peak. They would take Jews off the trains and kill them. He stayed a while in Bialystock. His strong commercial connections pulled him strongly to Krasnodar, but when he reached there, he general anticipated him by saying two words only: “It's burning, flee!” He understood the meaning of these words. Something about the general's dealings had infiltrated to the government. The general began to have doubts about his own fate. Daniel flew immediately to Moscow, from there to Kiev and from Kiev to Lemberg, from Lemberg to Kharkov, and from Kharkov to Lodz. Shipiatsky, from Volkovysk, who at that time was in Lodz, placed a room at his disposal and looked after his comfort, but he also told me that his best friend, Shmuel Epstein, who managed to accumulate significant wealth through various undertakings, was killed by the Poles after they stole all of his money. Daniel mourned greatly over the loss of his dear friend, and arrived at the conclusion: it was forbidden for him to tarry in Poland. He traveled to Czechoslovakia and from there to Germany, and instead of spending several days or weeks there, as he had originally planned – he stayed for five years. His commercial instincts and talents brought him a wealth of opportunity, that he was not a refugee. He opened and ran several commercial establishments, did a great deal of good on behalf of Jews as was his usual way, and it was not until 1950 that he reached, not Israel, but the United States.
His first job was – selling dust cleaners, and in time he also began to clean up – money. His talent for commerce and organization were not frustrated in America either, and he began doing business in real estate, partnered with the radio and television star Joe Franklin, and with his help, set up a business that organizes concerts and performances for the elderly, got involved in other businesses – and did very well. His greatest ‘wealth’ that he created in America, by his own words were his wife, Marilyn, and his four children: Benjamin, Joseph, Jonathan and Rachel. Yes, he valued these assets very much. He was so proud of the fact that his son Benjamin (Benjy) was studying at university, involved in Jewish affairs, and tears stood in his eyes when he showed me the open letter that his son had published in newspapers, in which he attempted to dissuade his uncle from marrying a Christian woman. The Volkovysk spark was guarded within Daniel, and he nurtured it during all the long days of his wandering. He was the un-anointed ruler of the Volkovyskers in America.
During his last visit to Israel, he spoke at length about the great tour he was organizing to Israel on the occasion of it s 40th anniversary. On this tour, under the auspices of Joe Franklin, his friend and partner, he was preparing to include ‘his’ Jewish people from Volkovysk, Bialystock, Grodno, Baranovich, etc. Daniel the firebrand, the dynamo, the ardent Zionist who never got to Zion but guarded his faith to her, had many other plans. He spoke about a number of them with Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, who knew him from Volkovysk. His heart
[Page 173]
couldn't hold out in his fast pace with all these activities, charities and good deeds.
He died on February 19, 1988 and the host of people that came to attend his funeral that was held in Elmont, Long Island (at the Bialystoker Center Plot)[1], were living eye witnesses to the measure of love and affection that was extended to him by all who knew him.
I lost a good and dear friend.
Translator's footnote:
By Katriel Lashowitz
|
|
The emigration of Jews from Volkovysk to the United States, South America, Canada and other countries was a natural occurrence that went on continually, never stopping. What characterized the emigrations from Volkovysk was, that they never forgot where they came from, and at all times, in all ways. They maintained a vital connection to their relatives, and acquaintances that remained in Volkovysk and did the best that they were able, to help from a distance, to strengthen various institutions, to help families that had become impoverished, and other causes. It is no wonder that the Jews of Volkovysk were proud of their landsleit in other countries, because of whose generosity, in large measure, they were able to support and open such a large network of local charitable assistance, which was the pride and joy of the Jewish community. And not only this, every family that hit a crisis, or had a misfortune occur, always knew that the gates of mercy were never closed, because whether it was in the United States, Argentina or Canada, there were Volkovyskers willing to help. And they did help, whether a lot or a little, as they were asked, or even beyond that. It should not come as a surprised that the ‘educated’ Jews who wrote the addresses to places abroad, were very occupied and the rows lined up for them were often very long. One could read into this process a form of ‘schnorring,’ that infected our Jewish brethren from years ago, who engaged in this in the days of the poet, Ch. N. Bialik, when he wrote “As you begged – so you shall be begged,” but it is also possible to see this from the standpoint of a display of love for one's fellow Jew, of solidarity, and philanthropy. In any event, it isn't possible to pass a single judgement on this matter.
These ‘Societies,’ of Volkovysk émigrés, especially in the United States, also carried out the function of paving the way for newer emigrants, most of whom arrived without knowledge of the language, with no trade, and no other options. Many of the émigrés from Volkovysk, who today are comfortably ensconced each ‘under his vine and fig tree’ in New York or Chicago, Buenos Aires or in Toronto, know how to tell about the help that they received from those who came before them in the emigration, at the time when they took their first steps in a strange land under circumstances to which they were not used to at all. Because of this, émigrés from Volkovysk were close to one another and stuck together, organized meetings and parties frequently, mostly for purposes of – remembrance. From time to time, articles and writings would appear in New York and Buenos Aires with stories of Volkovysk of the past, but time wrought its own work, and the people of that first generation grew old, and the young people, who already were born in the lands of Canada or America – their ardor for the ‘Old County’ is considerably weakened and no longer demands much.
Dr. Einhorn cites the names of several of the émigrés to America, who in his time, did great things for the ‘Old Country,’ For example, Saul Barash, the son of Jekuthiel and Mikhlah Bereshkovsky, who arranged fund-raising among the Volkovysk émigrés in the United States, and even among Jews who didn't know the city at all, on behalf of various charitable institutions. In this way, [he also mentions] Meir Segal and Matthew Rutchik, thanks to whose large contributions many families who lost their means did not go under.
In New York and Chicago there were active
[Page 174]
Volkovysk Ladies Auxiliary organizations in his time, who would hold frequent meetings, and despite the fact that the members in these organizations knew very well that every meeting ends with a fund-raiser for some institution in faraway Volkovysk – this did not deter them from coming. There was a Volkovysker Synagogue in New York [City], which after the First World War, sent special emissaries to Volkovysk to assess the seriousness of the local situation and organize productive assistance to the needy.
What we have learned from our review of this activity, is that these organizations would especially bestir themselves after a great fire, after a war, etc. A large range of activities was undertaken by these organizations after the end of the Second World War, when the survivors were in desperate need of assistance. It is worth noting that not few of the families in Israel also availed themselves of the help extended at various times, and in various ways, by the various Volkovysk societies. From the words of Philip Morse, known to people from Volkovysk by his original name, Ephraim Mushatsky, who is currently serving as the head of the Volkovysk Society in New York, we have heard this not only about the great donation that was made within the bounds of the various societies, but also the pervasive indifference by children and grandchildren of Volkovysk émigrés, in connection with everything connected to the birthplace of their parents and grandparents. Even Daniel Lemkin, in whom Volkovysk was etched well into his memory, also spoke about this, and spoke of the need to tell the younger generation about Volkovysk in a language that they understand – in English. We hope that we will shortly be able to publish a summary about Volkovysk in English, not for purposes of fund-raising, but only that the descendants of Volkovysk should know what was special about the city of their ancestors.
To my dear granddaughter Yael, and my dear grandsons, Barak, and Lior, and other many grandsons and granddaughters of the emigrants from Volkovysk
I hope, Yael, that you remember that very night on which you asked me to tell you about the city where I was born, about the Jews that lived there and there way of life, and about my childhood and the days of my youth. About the schools where I learned, about my parents, etc. I began to tell you then, but the story was interrupted in the middle. I was not properly prepared, and also tears put a choke in my throat. I promised you then, that at an appropriate time, I would continue to tell you. And in that respect, Yael, here is that continuation before you, and this time there is not only a story, there are also pictures.
I am not sure that you will find an answer to all of the questions that you asked of me in this book, and the questions that you wanted to ask. I was very happy about the essence of your interest in the past, and in the origins of your father, just as I was pleased when you told me that you had been given a homework assignment in your class to write about the subject of “Youth Movements During the Period of the Holocaust.” I want to hope that you will continue to take an interest in this subject, and that you will avail yourself of this book and other sources. I am aware that in the last few years, many schools in Israel have begun to organize missions of students to visit Poland, which has been left without any Jews. They visit the death camps of Treblinka, Auschwitz, Maidanek, and see with their own eyes how the Jews died, but to me, it is more important that these students see and know how the Jews lived in Poland, how they created things, and what they created.
In the summary that is in front of you, you will find the answer to two questions: How did they live? How did they die? Also, here in summary, the lives of your grandfather and great-grandfather will be told, even if I had already told you about my life and the deeds of the partisans in the forests. You will find the stories of other partisans that will round out the picture, such as the story of the partisan, Eliyahu Kovensky, that was awarded the title of ‘Hero of the Soviet Union,’ the story of Ida Mazover, that could literally serve as the theme of a major movie, etc. I have no doubt that you will be very interested in the story of Giora Epstein (Evven), to whom a substantial hour was dedicated on Kol Yisrael radio. Even though it isn't germane to this story, the 17 MIGs that Giora shot down – were not shot down in Volkovysk, but rather during the Yom Kippur War in Israel, but I saw a need to include Giora's story in this book as well, just as I included something about the deeds of Eliyahu Golomb, Abraham Makov, and Moshe Saroka. Giora is the son of my good friend Hillel Epstein, a scion of Volkovysk, who is today in Kibbutz Negbah; Golomb, Makov, Saroka and others, who achieve fame because of their work in the Holy Land, are scions of Volkovysk. It is inconceivable that they were not shaped by the same forces as the Jews of Volkovysk, it is inconceivable that the legacy of their ancestors did not adhere to them, it is inconceivable that the education they received in the Jewish schools of Volkovysk did not have an influence on them. For this reason, I have included their stories.
Dear Yael, I have included many stories here about the Holocaust. If you read these stories well, including the stories of the partisans, it will become clear to you that there is no foundation to what many young people of your generation wither thought or suspected, that “the Jews went like sheep to the slaughter” during the period of the Holocaust. This is a canard, and baseless canard from which you must distance yourself. It is not possible to conceive that a community that could produce the likes of Eliyahu Golomb, Abraham Makov, Giora Epstein and others, could condition its members to go like “sheep to the slaughter.” In fact, it is exactly the opposite, if you read about all the deeds of cunning deception and assault by the Nazis, about the technology and equipment that they utilized, about the speedy eradication of the choice young people from every Jewish
[Page 176]
settlement – then it will become clear to you why the Jews did not rise up against the Nazis in cities and towns like Volkovysk and others.
Dear Yael, when I began to get involved in preparing this collection, I was thinking primarily about young people like yourself, who might read this book, and because of this, I did not include many stories about personalities and figures whose names are not known to you, and perhaps don't interest you and people of your age, but regarding a few of them, I could not skip over those who dedicated their entire lives to the public good. I advise that you do not skip over those chapters that describe how the extensive network of charitable institutions and local support in Volkovysk was established, the institutions of Hebrew education, Zionist and pioneering youth movements, because of whom, our city of Volkovysk was transformed into a Zionist city and a nationalist spiritual center for all of the surrounding towns. And don't forget, my dear Yael, about the feats and under what conditions all of this great worth was created. There was no video, television or radio sets in the homes of Jews at that time, there were no modern means of communication available, medicine and technology was still in its infancy, and despite all of this, the Jews, with their own hands, established a modern hospital with no outside help that was available to non-Jews as well, and to many Jews in the surrounding communities, Jewish banks, charitable funds, etc. I am not prepared to attest to the fact that Moshe Saroka of Volkovysk, who gloriously established many hospitals in Israel, including the ones found in the vicinity of latter-day Petakh-Tikva, was not influenced by the Jewish hospital in Volkovysk – his birthplace, which also was surrounded by trees and flowers, just like the modern hospitals in our Land.
I could not conceal my emotion in the lines of this book, and between the lines, that I loved my home town, and that I continue to love it. This, despite the fat that in Volkovysk, the Jews weren't particularly ‘adored.’ There was anti-Semitism, there were pogroms, and all manner of troubles, but there were also many days of festival and happiness, many parties and celebrations, walks and picnics, the music of the fire-fighters' orchestra reverberates in my ears even now. And about us, there was a vibrant world, seething with market days and fairs, groups of youth movements, synagogues and churches, snows and snow houses, ice skating, walks in the Zamkova Forest, with lovely, happy girls, festivity and the vibrancy of life,
The curtain fell on all of this, and it was ended, but it is impossible to forget all of this.
I know, that you ‘sabras,’ those who were born in Israel, sometimes used the appellation of a ‘Diaspora Jew’ as a pejorative, and I say to you and those of your age: there were many things in my city in the diaspora that I am proud of to this day, and from time-to-time, when I read in the newspaper about all manner of shortcomings and liabilities in the modern Israeli community, I whisper to myself: In Volkovysk, we never had things like this…
Your grandfather
Katriel
|
|
|
|
[Page 177]
|
|
|
This book ends with a picture of a house that stands on Rothschild Street in Petakh-Tikva. A house that has special significance to the subject of this book. This house ‘made history’ and for many who left Volkovysk, it will bring back the days of the distant past in Volkovysk and the days of the recent past in Israel.
Why the distant past? – because this house is literally a copy of a similar house on the Szeroka Gasse in Volkovysk, the house of Mordechai and Nechama Rothbart. And the recent past – why? – Because this house served as an address for many of the émigrés from Volkovysk that reached the Holy Land. Here, in the Rothbart home, they were received graciously, and whoever needed guidance, a meal, a loan ‘to tide him over,’ or work – knew that he would not leave the Rothbart home empty-handed. Mordechai Rothbart made aliyah from Volkovysk to the Holy Land in 1924 together with his four sons. He build his house in Petakh-Tikva and built hundreds of homes for other Jews who wanted to settle in Petakh-Tikva. After the father of the family passed away, his sons continued in his path. Of the four sons , only the youngest, Boruch, remained in the construction business, and he is one of the largest donors in Petakh-Tikva, who also supported the erection of the Monument to the martyrs of Volkovysk and the publication of this book.
|
|
JewishGen, Inc. makes no representations regarding the accuracy of
the translation. The reader may wish to refer to the original material
for verification.
JewishGen is not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in the original work and cannot rewrite or edit the text to correct inaccuracies and/or omissions.
Our mission is to produce a translation of the original work and we cannot verify the accuracy of statements or alter facts cited.
Vawkavysk, Belarus
Yizkor Book Project
JewishGen Home Page
Copyright © 1999-2024 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 29 Aug 2024 by JH
