Association of Former Residents of Rokitno and its Vicinity in Israel {cont.}
The editorial board consisted of the following: Aharon Heruti (Freierman), Hanan Hatzuvi (Trigun), Aharon Lifshitz (treasurer), Shmaryahu Kravi (Korobochka), and Haim Shteinman (secretary and coordinator). As activities were expanded, the following were added: Aryeh (Liova) Geipman, Yosef Segal, and Bat Sheva Fishman (Shohet).
The one who stood out among the members of the editorial board was our dear member Haim Shteinman who guided the organization from its inception and who serves as its secretary and coordinator until today. He undertook many tasks. He envisaged, organized and chaired successfully and ably the annual memorial assemblies and the numerous conferences. He corresponded with our former residents in Israel and overseas. He wrote newsletters and reminders and made sure they were mailed. His address became the address of the organization. His home was open to all those who needed help, advice and guidance. In 1954 he was inscribed in the Golden Book of the Jewish National Fund in appreciation for his productive work for the organization.
Our colleague Haim Shteinman can only be described with the honorary title of a man of “burning dedication”. A great sage once said: “If we did not have people with burning dedication, the world would be destroyed”. Without his energy, boundless and continuous dedication to activities of the organization, to its various sections, it is doubtful that we would have succeeded in achieving this worthy goal.
We all were fearful when the idea of the book was first brought up. We all knew the value and importance of the project, but we had some doubts about our own abilities in fulfilling this difficult task. Haim Shteinman's steadfastness in wishing to produce the book enthused everyone who came in contact with him. The mountain of hardships, real and imagined, was overcome. Haim Shteinman placed the publication of this book at the top of his agenda. His whole being was involved in it. His private life and personal needs were set aside and he dedicated himself to fulfilling the mission. He was the fresh breeze on the editorial board. He met with many of our members throughout the country and he urged them to prepare material for the book. He sat in their homes and he went through their documents and collected appropriate photographs. He took care of the various proofs and he followed the printing process. He visited the printer regularly. He also cooperated tirelessly with the editor in all matters concerning the publication of the book.
Due to his great dedication, the rest of the editorial board was able to do excellent teamwork. Many hours and a great deal of thinking were put into this. For all of this, for his hard work, may the book repay him for his sleepless nights worrying about the success of this sacred project.
Another hard and consistent worker who must be praised is our dear member Aharon Lifshitz. Since he arrived in the country from the killing fields he served as a member of the executive board and as treasurer of the editorial board. He worked hard at collecting funds. He reacted to every request, urged the others and dedicated himself to any task, big or small.
All members of the editorial board are to be commended for their loyalty and dedication, for giving their time to proof-reading and editing, deciding on titles of chapters, organizing names in the Yizkor section and collecting photographs of those who were killed. The book itself is their reward.
The publication of the book was greatly helped by our dear and loyal former resident of the town, Yakov Israeli (Rosenstein) who resides in Canada. He performed an outstanding deed and sent us a considerable sum to help finance the publication of the book. He has our highest esteem for this help.
Reception In Honor Of Yakov Israeli (Rosenstein) On His Visit To Israel In 1968
Right to left: 1. Aharon Heruti (Freierman) 2. Yosef Segal 3. Aryeh (Liova) Geipman 4. Yakov Israeli (Rosenstein) 5. Haim Shteinman 6. Aharon Lifshitz
From the point of view of available material, we could have drawn a more detailed picture of the life of the Jews of Rokitno and surroundings. However, due to financial constraints we were forced to shorten the tale. We worried that due to cutting down, Rokitno and surroundings would not be properly depicted. We made certain it not be so. The book is true to everything that once was and is no longer. It is a tale of a wondrous world that has disappeared. It only exists now in the pages of the book.
The book appears almost entirely in Hebrew because the people of Rokitno and surroundings learned Hebrew from childhood. Hebrew was their mother tongue.
The organization made certain our dearly beloved were commemorated appropriately. We were among the first communities to put up a marble stone in memory of our martyrs in the Holocaust cellar on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. By putting up the marble stone, the continuity, symmetry and heritage of the Jews of Poland are maintained.
On Tuesday, 13 Elul (8/21/1956), the commemorative day for our community, the ceremony of uncovering the memorial was performed. There was great participation. The ceremony was opened by Haim Shteinman who explained the meaning of this commemoration.
Memorial Plaque In The Holocaust Cellar
Of Mount Zion In Jerusalem
Plaque reads:
“In Memory Of The Souls Of The Martyrs Of The Community Of ROKITNO And Area (Poland and Volyn)
Who Were Exterminated, Slaughtered, Burnt And Buried Alive By The Ukrainian And Nazi Murderers (May Their Names Be Obliterated)
On The 14th Day Of Elul 1942
May Their Souls Be Bound In Eternal Life
Commemorated By The Association Of Survivors Of Rokitno And Area
In Israel And In The Diaspora In 1956”
Among the rest, he said:
“Fear and tremor take hold of me when we stand silently in front of the gravestone. It is a memorial for eternity to our town and its surroundings that were destroyed and are no more. My heart aches and I cannot speak because they have absorbed the depth of the pain and sorrow.
With a tremor of sanctity and with tearful eyes I remember our childhood on foreign land. In my imagination I see the town and its Jews who were slaughtered by the Nazis and their Ukrainian helpers.
This memorial is dedicated to our parents, our dear brothers and sisters, who were cruelly tortured and who died pure and holy. This is the eternal light for all our honest, straightforward and fine dearly beloved. They drank the poison and died in the killing field, alone, abandoned and helpless.
The magnificent trees were cut down and were uprooted. How can we be
repaid?! We will carry their memory in our broken hearts and we will never
forget them. Our soil, do not cover their blood!”
Our member Yaakov Rotman was honored to be the person to uncover the board and to recite Kaddish. After the ceremony we gathered in the synagogue on Mount Zion. Our member Yeshayahu Meiri (Meirson) did the eulogy. After praying “El maley rachamim” and Kaddish together the ceremony was over.
As is well known, those who could not escape from the market square were taken by the Nazis by train to Sarny. There they were exterminated together with other Jews from the area. They were buried in a mass grave with Jews from neighboring villages. The associations of Sarny, Rokitno, Bereznitz, Sahov, Tomoshgorod and Dombrovitz decided to commemorate them together by putting a memorial board in the Karlin-Stolin synagogue on Bar Kochba Street in Tel Aviv. Our representatives to the committee, Aharon Lifshitz and Haim Shteinman, participated in preparing the commemoration. In 1966 the ceremony of uncovering the board in the synagogue was held with the participation of many former residents of these villages.
Rabbi Briskman (from Sahov) initiated the studying together of a chapter of Mishna in memory of the souls of these martyrs. A special ceremony was held on the memorial day to celebrate the end of the studies.
Communal Memorial Plaque In The Karlin-Stolin Synagogue In Tel Aviv
Plaque reads:
“YAD VASHEM
To The Martyrs Of The Communities Of
Bereznitz
Dombrovitz
Sarny
Snov-Tomoshgorod
Kliesov
Rokitno
And Jewish Settlements In The Area
Who Were Exterminated During The Holocaust
Which Befell The House Of Israel
On 14-15 Elul 1942
Graves Of Our Brethren In Sarny Volyn
May Their Souls Be Bound In Eternal Life”
Presiding Committee At The Memorial Assembly In Tel Aviv Commemorating
The 25th Anniversary Of The Destruction Of Rokitno And Area
Right to left: 1. Yosef Segal 2. Aharon Lifshitz 3. Shmaryahu Kravi (Korobochka) 4. Haim Shteinman - speaking 5. Aharon (Liova) Geipman
6. Bat Sheva Fishman (Shohet)
Although memorial assemblies were held every year, there were two assemblies that were especially etched in the memories of our members. In 1962, 20 years after the annihilation of our community, there was a touching ceremony in Tchernikhovsky School in Tel Aviv. Our children participated in candle lighting and in recitations. The children's performance was organized by our member Syoma Klorfein.
Aharon Lifshitz opened the gathering. Baruch Shehori (Schwartzblat) spoke about “20 years since the annihilation of Rokitno and surroundings”. Mr. Eidelman, a representative of Yad Vashem, addressed the gathering.
The second memorial assembly, in 1967, 25 years after the annihilation, was held in Tel Aviv. The hall overflowed. Haim Shteinman addressed the crowd, saying:
“Twenty five years have passed since that bitter and terrible day when our dear families were lost. It seems like a long time, but we, the survivors, feel the terrible tragedy as if it happened only yesterday. Much has happened during these years like the Six Day War which was forced on us. We withstood a strong enemy who wanted to exterminate us. We held up with courage and strength, unprecedented in history. We did it because we knew we were fighting for our survival and that our martyrs bequeathed us life. How painful it is that they who gave their all for the return of the Jewish people to Israel are not here with us to participate in our struggle here as proud Jews. Thus, we who remained alive and who reached this great event must proudly bear their names to our dying days.”
After remembering our martyrs and praying “El maley rachamim” and Kaddish together, the memorial assembly ended.
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