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Jewish Volhynia was blessed with a number of celebrities who throughout the generations became famous in the worlds of Torah, culture, national, public and economic spheres. To many of these luminaries we already dedicated special articles, or they were included in the monographs about the communities that were published in “Volhynia's Collection”. Among them people who gained world fame, like: Rabbi Shmuel Eliezer Aidels – in interpretation of the scriptures; Rabbi Yeshaya Halevy Horovitz – in Kabbalah; Rabbi Dov Bar, the Magid from Mezhyrichi – in Hasidism; H.N. Bialik – in poetry; A. Goldfaden – in arts, the cantor Zaidel Rovner – in cantorial; Zalman Ashkenazy – in Zionism, and many others, outstanding personalities in different areas. The fact that these “greats” belonged to Jewish Volhynia was discovered due to different publications and because of them some of the old Volhynia cities, the sacred and prominent communities became famous, like: Austravah – the city of Rabbi Shmuel Eliezer Aidles, Krementz – Isaac Baer Levisohn's city, Dovno – the city of the famous Maggid Rabbi Dov–Bar (Krantz), Zvhil – Fireberg's city, Koritz – the city of Rabbi Pinkas the Kortizian and many others. Each town and city aspired to appropriate its luminary, thus saving her foreign name from oblivion and becoming part of the nation's eternal Hall of Fame. These communities demanded, and rightly so, to appropriate their celebrities, their righteous and outstanding personalities who were related to them one way or another, and were their pride and joy in all generations.

Although Rovno was not one of the ancient communities of Volhynia (despite being hundreds of years old), she served a captivating role, and a way station for many, she had the privilege to host famous personalities, people of thought and action in many fields, whose names were related to other cities. During the last generations Rovno gained fame as a populated city, vibrant with public and national life, and she became a center for Jewish activities, Zionism, Hebrew culture, and advanced social and economic life. Not only did she absorb people from the outside, but she raised a long line of her own celebrities: writers, teachers, guides, activists and talented people in national activity, education and sport and other areas of life.

Rovno was blessed with excellent types who stood out among the different classes of the Jewish population, deserving to be remembered among the greats of the past generations – famous and worthy people who did so much to advance their city, educate the young generation in the nation's spirit and encourage Aliya to Eretz Yisrael; as well as ordinary people who committed great and glorious acts, deserving to serve as a model.

In this segment we will bring the portraits of dreamers and achievers, who lived, created and acted in Rovno during the last generations, by keeping the fire alive or pioneering themselves, or learning Torah and wisdom in order to teach it to others or by weaving the national life – out of yearning for social liberation and national redemption – in foreign land and dreams

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and creating the future in the homeland. Some of them were lucky to realize their dreams while others did not.

Let us remember here those who lived and were active in the city for many years or just for a short while, and their actions are the crown in their generation and in those to come.

Rovno was blessed with quite a few Jewish women of valor who excelled in their achievements, their generosity, talents, gifts and manners. These blessed women, most of them righteous and faithfully dealing with public affairs, assisting their husbands with charity and good deeds were helping–mates to their husbands – on top of being housewives – also dealing with making a living and managing businesses – were blessed by their husband and were known by their names… they taught their sons and daughters Torah, manners and ethics. They played an important role in forging the Jewish image of the city and its charity institutions. Among them there were special types of mothers of Israel, who shouldered the sorry diaspora yolk in their Jewish lives, in the family and in public, and their part was felt by giving a shape to the community life. Regretfully, their importance was not recognized for religious, traditional and way of life reasons. Some of them stood out during the last generations, active women, women of valor who played an important role in social assistance and cultural life and their impact was great in the social–public life and in the national movement as well as in the economy. We will talk now about several of these virtuous women.

Schynetze Zilberfarb – The mother of the distinguished Zilberfarb family, an astute woman with vibrant energy and imagination, righteous and gracious, experienced in large scale business. She conducted singlehandedly big successful businesses, while her husband, a son to the best righteous, stayed at the Beit Midrash and studied, putting an emphasis on Hasidism, as was customary back then. Schynetze was not only a famous woman of valor in business but excelled as well as a wonderful housewife, and run her home in the spirit of Torah and tradition down to the smallest detail – with outstanding generosity. When she entertained, she remembered the city's poor, provided for every person in need or in dire straits, a yeshiva student or a passerby who needed a shelter, were referred to Schyenetze the leader, who always found a place, food, lodging and charity, or any other religious command. Schyenetze kept all the commands, whenever she was called to fulfill them, and she was praised by all.

Ester Shynzes – Schynetze Zilberfarb's daughter, born in Rovno where she spent most of her life, took after her mother, spreading light and brightness on her family and her surroundings with her personality, manners and benevolence. She married a yeshiva student, Rabbi Barka Rosenstein. Many thought that Ester surpassed her mother with her talent for business and her remarkable character. She was magnanimous and charitable. She was her husband's pride and an honor to her community. She was educated, too, and spoke Russian and Polish – a rarity in her days. She stood out in her public activities and took part in founding charities in the city.

Rivka Bat Rabbi Pessac – the wife of Rabbi Meir Bar Zevi (their last name is unknown) at the beginning of the 18^th century, a humble woman who earned her reputation by her good deeds and by helping her husband. Since she was childless, she decided with her husband to spend their money for sacred endeavors. Around 1770 they built with their own money, and from the ground, the great Beit Midrash that later on was called the old Beit Midrash. She died the first day of the month of Sivan 1779.

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Rocha Herzberg – the daughter of Hani'le, the most famous woman in her generation and the wife of Rabbi Layvitch Herzberg, one of the most prominent merchants in Rovno and one of the city's best. It befell on Rocha to build the Beit Midrash that was named after her husband “Rabbi Layvitch's Beit Midrash”. A woman of valor, a great philanthropist, generous and good–hearted who actively participated in her husband's business and successfully replaced him when he was away for business. Since they wanted to build a house for public needs, along with Beit Midrash, she initiated construction while he was away. When he came back, he found the building almost completed, and all he could do was bless her for this great and positive initiative.

Hinda Frylich – the daughter of Rabbi Israel Lerner from Klewan, decendant of a good and well–known family and the wife of Rabbi Yoel Frylich, who was known as Satyaver. Due to her good deeds and generosity she became famous in Rovno and outside of the city. A typical Jewish woman, warm–hearted, sensitive and hospitable. She raised her sons in wealth and fear of God and increased respect for her husband and to the whole family.

Bina'le, the leader – a prominent and magnanimous woman, the city's pride, related to Rabbi Aaron, who was one of the pillars of Rovno's community in his generation. She tirelessly worked on behalf of others and helped people in different ways. They loudly praised her and her blessed actions. She left a big family and a good memory for generations to come.

Dina Hochfeld – the daughter of Bina'le the leader, married Rabbi Yaakov Hochfeld, one of the greatest merchants in 18^th century Rovno who was known as Yaakov–Luyba. She excelled in generosity and her palm was open to charity and helping all the needy. Hochfeld's shop was called “Dipo” and among other stories, they say that when a client came to the store and whispered to her that he was in dire straits and he can't pay his debt, she consoled him and ordered to sell him more merchandise on credit, so that he won't leave empty handed and could go on working and make a living until God would help him and his situation improved. There was no charity institution that did not have Dina Hochfeld as a contributor and she was active in many establishments with all her heart. She died in Rovno at the age of 76 and left three daughters who became famous as well. They are: Friedel, the wife of Rabbi Shimshon Lemlech; Yentel, the wife of Rabbi Meir Manson and Manya – the wife of Rabbi Brish Shatz. The big commerce house and all the family's property went to the three daughters, they were, too, women of valor who were generous and benevolent all their lives. Rovno sung many praises about the three families, especially about Yentel Manson, who surpassed her sisters with her contributions and help to the needy, the sick, the orphan and to the poor until the end of her life.

Devora Herman – an excellent woman in Rovno at the end of the last century. She was openhanded and had an awaken heart to public affairs. She was a respectful merchant in the city, a wise woman whose advice many heeded. She was a business woman and was one of the richest and most prominent citizens. One of her important acts was a big contribution to fencing the cemetery with white bricks dedicated to the memory of Bendet, her son who died young.

Rachel Bernstein – the wife of Rabbi Layvitch Bernstein. An outstanding woman among the important activists of the city. She dedicated much of her energy and soul to helping and treating the sick and poor and to women giving birth. She was an active member of several charity foundations in the city and was deeply involved in social assistance.

Bryana Rise – one of the prominent citizens and a pioneer in the making of burned tiles in the city. She was a good manager of her business and knew how to take care of her great properties in the center of the city. When she was widowed

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she dedicated herself to public affairs and became part of several assisting institutions, like “The Justice League”, “Hospitality” and others.

We should also mention famous women who were active in Rovno later: the righteous Malka–Lea, a decedent of Rabbi Akiva Eiger; the philanthropist Zeitel, the daughter of Rabbi Shimon from Novosti who was known for her many contributions; Shifra Bayval; the activist Ester Hodorow from Rabbi Isaac Elhanan's family; Hanna Gimberg; Mrs. Faygale Partshok; Mrs. Binna Kolikovisher who helped medical institutions; Mrs. Sara Kotin who was active in women's organizations; Mrs. Shulamit Fissyuk, who excelled in good deeds; Mrs. Zussia Kagan who was very active at the National Funds; Mrs. Malka (Malvina) Stock; Mrs. Rosa Berliner, who actively assisted orphans and founded institutions; Mrs. Billa Zevaiman, Zlata Berliner and others.

Remembered and blessed are Rovno's women in the last generation whom we are not going to name, although they labored and worked in different areas: public, assistance, social and cultural needs and especially in the revival of prosperous Rovno. There are hundreds of them. The role they played in Aliya to Eretz YIsrael is not a small one, especially in the generation before the Holocaust.

In Rovno's tradition only his first name is remembered: Rabbi Meir, his last name is unknown. He was Rabbi Zevi's son. A Rovno native in the 17^th century. They say Rabbi Meir was of the city's dignitaries, had a wine store; in time he became rich and did many good deeds in the city. He was God–fearing Jew, was good–hearted and generous, his pocket was open for whoever needed help. Rabbi Meir built with his own money the great Beit Midrash – the “Old Beit Midrash” on Secolna St. He was childless and invested all his fortune and energy in building the Beit Midrash, worked to complete and perfect the building, as if he wanted to commemorate himself and his family in his time and until the end of times. They say that in order to embellish it he purchased a special clock, old and expensive, for this little temple. Antiquities buyers courted the managers and wanted to buy this magical clock and offered large sums of money, but Rabbi Meir turned down all offers and said: Mitzva is a Mitzva. The furnisher and the holy ark were beautiful. Rabbi Meir's wife was Rivka, the daughter of Rabbi Pessac one of the city's dignitaries; she helped her husband and was on his side throughout this sacred endeavor.

When the building was completed and inaugurated in great celebrations, Rabbi Meir and his wife were content with their accomplishment and blessed the building. But then old age arrived. Rabbi Meir wanted to prepare himself a place of rest in the Beit Midrash he erected, hoping he would be close to it and involved, but the managers who run the place shamelessly prevented it.

During his last years Rabbi Meir's luck turned and from a philanthropist he became a beggar. Many of his friends became rich and prominent, but he was among the losers. The community did not know how to pay this noble man back, and he suffered and died all alone.

According to the old records of Rovno community his wife, Rivka died on Sivan 28, 1780 and he expired on the second of Heshvan, 1797. Both were buried in Rovno's cemetery.

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Rabbi Layvitch Herzberg

The son of Rabbi Hertz Herzberg, one of the best landlords of Mezhryichi, who was one of the greatest merchants in the beginning of the 19^th century. Rabbi Hertz made sure his sons got a good education with the best teachers in town. He also hired teachers from other cities to teach them. Layvitch's son, who was dedicated, turned into a scholar. He was his father's pride and joy, and was famous in his town since his youth. When he became an adult, his father married him to a girl from a good family in Rovno and he built there his house and started his commerce: tanner and exporter of leather and woods to other countries. He was successful and he became rich and established his status among the city's rich and prominent. Still, Rabbi Layvitch found time for studying the Torah. He used to read at home and study a Gemara lesson in the synagogue between prayers and every time he could.

Rabbi Layvitch was not one of the rich who ignored others: he was generous, as was his wife, Rocha – both were involved with charity and doing good. In 1830 his son built a big building in the corner of Minska and Soborna (Kleshmorna) Streets that had ten stores on the first floor and a big Beit Midrash on the top floor. In their will, dating from 1857, they left the house to the public and it remained public property. The Beit Midrash was named after Rabbi Layvitch, with the income from renting the stores the mangers were able to keep the Beit Midrash and give some to charity.

The elders related that Rabbi Layvitch used to travel often for his business and once, when he lingered in Germany, his wife, Rocha, a woman of valor, who played an important role in accumulating the property, took upon herself to erect this big building. When Rabbi Layvitch returned home he helped complete this impressive building, that was from the very beginning intended as public property. After a while he was found sitting in this Beit Midrash and receiving there the people who needed his help; no one ever left empty handed until his last day.

Layvush Ginzburg was a merchant and a respected man, one of Rovno's richest and greatest traders. He was in touch with the world's commerce in Poland and Russia's centers and had a good reputation. He had many clients and admirers and he lived all his life in his city.

Ginzburg did not have the privilege of having descendants and he lived childless: his special relationship with his relatives, who were supposed to inherit from him, prompted him to make a will. This will left nothing for the relatives and left all his assets and money to public establishments and charity. As the executor of his will, he nominated the most distinguished of the community: Ester Schynetze, Wolf Glickman, David Scpitzgloze and David Yochwolf. After he died, when his relatives found out he left them nothing, they were furious and filed appeals and trials against the executors, demanding the late Ginzburg's property.

The executors of the will did not want to change the will and did not want public matters to be altered and hence were led to a series of complicated trials that came up to thousand rubles (a large sum of money back then) and meanwhile the public institutions could not benefit from the estate. Years went by, most of the executors died until a verdict was issued to keep the will as it was. But then they discovered that only twenty thousand rubles were left. With this money they built and repaired a few public and education's institutions like: the hospital and the public bath.

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Rovno's people saw this contribution as a memorial to Ginzburg, with the little money that was left it was still possible to achieve some positive outcomes for Rovno's community.

He was unlike many of Rovno's sons, who came from the outside. Avraham Bronstein was a city native, where he was educated and spent most of his life. A son to a distinguished family and gifted since childhood, he was a successful merchant who made a fortune while being sincere and honest. He was also charitable. He created an outstanding family, educated his sons to do good deeds and he had an impeccable reputation.

While still alive, Bronstein wished to give to others and he gave six thousand rubles, a generous contribution, to build a public building in his name. With this money the community begun building the Jewish Hospital on Dvorezka Street on the Volya a few years after his death. More funding was raised from different sources (Ginzburg estate for one) to complete this important building.

A Rovno native, born in 1812. His house was on Shossejna Street at the entrance to Dr. Segal's yard (they might have been related) they called him Rabbi Hershka Malkas (probably after his mother). He studied the Torah in his youth and absorbed Hasidic studies. He was considered a bright scholar, was religious and kept Mitzvas, but still was in touch with educated secular scholars. Although he appeared as opposed to modern education, Segal was a Talmud teacher at the Rabbinical Beit Midrash at Zhitomir, who was dedicated to education and knowledge, and he published a book of his sermons “Zevi's Gleanings”. In the introduction A. Z. Zevifel wrote that the author is an erudite scholar of the Torah, knowledgeable of the Kabbalah who studied with two of the greatest teachers of his generation: the righteous from Opatow and the prominent Rabbi from Slonim (he probably meant the Genius Rabbi Halevi Edel the writer of “Afike Yehuda”).

Segal's attitude to modern education was different: he was vehemently opposed to Jewish education coming from Germany, believing that the Jewish Spirit can only be found in our original literature. On the other hand, he was close to education's subjects and the students of the Beit Midrash where he taught, without this interfering with his religious beliefs and his extremist points of view. His deepest wish – according to the writer A. Y. Spirna, who knew him well when he studied at the Beit Midrash – was education with religion in the Jewish spirit. He scolded and reprimanded the educated who left religion with words and writings and spared no one. Indeed, his path was not an easy one, between these two different and contradictory views. Wishing to reconcile his beliefs and the time's spirit. The Hasidim on one hand saw him as close to heretics while the educated took him for a hypocrite and ethics–less. Both made his life miserable. But Segal did not change his ways. His son studied at higher education establishments and strayed from his parents' traditional ways.

In the Hebrew weekly “HaCarmel” from the 8^th of Iyar, 1865 we read:

“On Nissan 29^th 1865 one of the first teachers in Beit Midrash for teachers died in Zhitomir. The religious Rabbi, a Torah expert, Zevi–Hirsh Segal, may he rest in peace. A God–fearing man since his youth, who was a Rabbi and a teacher in Rovno, followed the Torah and wisdom all his life and shared his acumen with the community. He died at the age of 52.”

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Yoel–Bar Greenwald

He was an enlightened Jew, performed mitzvahs and good deeds all his life. He was the descendant of a family from Austravah, that was famous for generations. In his youth he studied and acquired an education and became one of the trustees of the Zussman family businesses. He lived many years in the town of Salishtat and successfully managed for the Zussman's the export of woods and grains through the rivers to other countries. Finally, he settled in Rovno. He bought a house on the corner of Shossejna and Topoliyuba. He went on selling for his own profit and became prosperous. He was a modest man who dedicated most of his time to the Torah and acts of charity and generosity. He was one of the first builders of Beit Yossef synagogue at Kneejasky Alley. He was well respected and had a good reputation.

The writer Yona Rozenfeld was part of Volhynia's writers and was connected to Rovno. He was born in 1880 in the town Tshartorisk to his father, the Heder teacher, who was also a musician. When he was at the age of bar–mitzva his father sent him to study at a Yeshiva of Pohost, but Yona did not stay long at the Yeshiva and ran away to his brother in Odessa, but he did not find his place there and came to Rovno, to his older brother. For a while he lived in Olyka and taught children. In 1894 he returned to Rovno and with his brother's help found a job at a turnery shop (manufacturing).

Although he was a gifted youth there were no signs of a future writer. He went back to Odessa, completed his studies and began writing and publishing his stories in newspapers. He became famous quickly and reached his peak when he left Rovno and settled in the US. In the New World his talent found expression in the dramatic field, as well. He wrote many plays on the Jewish life in America. Rozenfeld remembered his Rovno youth and dedicated to her his “Rovno's Motifs”.

In 1932 Rosenfeld visited Rovno and the city received her precious son with open arms and with due respect. During this last visit many literary parties were given and some of his plays were staged. He left Rovno filled with deep impressions and fond memories.

He was born in the town of Slavuta in 1864 to wealthy parents who moved to Rovno, where Zeev grew up. He studied at the Reali School and with melameds. From his early childhood he was drawn to the scriptures, which he explored in–depth as well as Jewish history. While reading and under the influence of HaShahar he joined the Hibat–Zion movement, and friends began gathering around him at his parents' house on Directorska Street, and they all supported Zionism.

Zeev was accepted at the university but did not apply himself to his studies since the idea of the revival of the people took hold of him and he left for Vienna, where Smolenskin drew him to national circles. Vienna did not satisfy him either, and after several years he decided to make Aliya to Eretz Yisrael, his main desire. He explored the country from one end to the other, studied its problems and needs, learned some Arabic and Turkish and went back to his parents' house in Rovno.

In articles he published and speeches he gave about Eretz–Yisrael, who were imbibed with love and longings for the homeland, he convinced many and drew them to the idea of the revival. The heads of the old–Constantin community had their eye

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on Yossef Zeev and after consulting with the heads of Hovevay–Zion and the managers of Rovno's community chose him as their appointed Rabbi. Zeev participated in the first Zionist Congress representing several Volhynian communities. After the congress he worked as a speaker for the Odessa Commission in most of Volhynian cities. He spoke with enthusiasm and converted many to Zionism. He brought the gospel of Zion to every place he visited and he created a Zionist Association.

Rovno was proud of Yossef Zeev. His friends adored him and he became famous. His Zionist activism did not escape the eyes of the authorities, and when he was reelected as Constantin's Rabbi, the district's minister rejected his nomination for political reasons. Since then the authorities treated him with suspicion and began harassing him. Zeev traveled to America and continued from there his Zionist activities. Soon he became famous there, too, and was elected as an American representor to the fourth and fifth congresses. He was also elected to different public offices.

While in America Zeev kept in touch with Rovno, his city and with Constantine, and with people who were close to his heart. His extensive and dedicated activities swallowed his whole being and enriched his life, but he had no luck in his personal life. He lived in America around two decades and died all alone in New York on Shevat 15, 1890. He left his important library of books he collected in America to the Tachkimony School in Eretz Yisrael.

He was born in Caliban, near Rovno, in 1857, to his religious father, Rabbi Israel, who was famous. When he married his wife Zipporah Colodani, he stayed for over ten years in Pinsk and in 1890 moved with his family to Rovno.

He was a scholar, a man of Torah and tradition, a noble Jew from the century before the last one, he remained religious all his life and his house was patriarchal par excellence. He went every day to each prayer of the day at Beit Yossef synagogue at Keniejesky Alley and remained there to study after the prayer. At the same time, Rabbi Yehzkel had a general education and knew the world, he spoke foreign languages and read newspapers, not a common sight back then.

As a wood exporter Rabbi Yehzkel used to travel every year to Danzig, taking with him on his expense Eisenstadt, the slaughterer from Pinsk so that he could eat what he slaughtered and not eat, God Forbid, unkosher food. His business thrived and he was considered one of the richest men. He was known as a charitable man, his hand was open to everything that was charity or sacred, he was benevolent and responded to everyone. As one of the communities' dignitaries the Czarist authorities called upon him to act as a consultant in the governmental court.

In 1909 Rabbi Yehzkel moved to Kiev but went on visiting Rovno his city, to which he was attached. World War I made him lose his fortune in Danzig. With the Russian Revolution his assets were taken away and he went bankrupt. This happened when he was in his sixties, and with his faith he hoped for better days, but his life circumstances shortened his life and he died on April 1918 at the age of 61 in Kiev.

Rabbi Yehzkel had five children, he provided them with traditional education as well as general education and with one sacred order: to keep God's word. One of his sons is Avraham Lerner who made Aliya with the Fourth Aliya and was active in public life here (he was elected to Tel Aviv municipality's council and served for a while as the vice–mayor).

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Professor Mordechai (Mark) Wischnitzer

A Jewish intellectual who studied simultaneously Torah and general education. He was born in Rovno in 1880 and spent there most of his childhood. When his father moved to Brody, the youth was taken there too, but went back whenever he could to his native city, to his grandfather's house, Rabbi Aharon–Bar Kulikovitcher. After graduating from high school, he stayed over a year in Rovno studying with Gemara melameds. Hungry for education Wischnitzer left for Petersburg, studied there and then traveled to Berlin, where he graduated from university. He went back to Petersburg in 1901. He was one of professor Shiman's students, whose field was the history of eastern–Europe, with emphasis on Russian Jewry.

During World War I Wischnitzer served as an officer in the Austrian army. He settled down in Berlin as soon as the war was over and together with S. Ravidovidz was part of “Rimon” publishing house. His home became a meeting place for Russian intellectuals. During this time Wischnitzer dedicated himself to researching Jews in Russia. He became Secretary General of the Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden.

In 1942 Wischnitzer and his family moved to America, where he continued his scientific history research, and published his work. He was asked to become a history professor at Yeshiva University where he stayed until the end of his life.

Wischnitzer holds an important place among the historians of Russian Jewry. Professor Ben–Zion Di–Nur, Israel's minister of education and culture, invited him to Israel to edit with him and Zalman Shazar a book about the history of Russian Jewry. He came to Israel with his wife, an artist and a researcher, and began the work. In several receptions held in his honor in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv he expressed his enthusiasm about what he saw in Israel and said how glad he was to be there. His meetings with Russians, and especially Rovno's descendants, were impressive, reminiscing about Rovno, Petersburg and Berlin.

Wischnitzer made his name researching the Jewish Immigration and was justly called “the historian of Jewish Immigration.” In his work “Di Yuden Of Dar Walt” (The Jews of the World) published in German and English in 1955 he described the settlements of Jews all over the world, and his book, “The History of the Modern Jewish Immigration,” published in 1948 was a first of its kind, where the author endeavored to give a general estimate of the achievements and the shortcomings of Jewish immigration in modern times. He left an almost completed research about HIAS (Hebrew Immigrants Aid Society) which is the history of this important organization of Jewish Immigration.

After being ill during his last year he felt better while visiting Israel, but he died suddenly in Tel Aviv on October 16, 1955.

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Rabbi Asher–Yeshaya Alperin

The late Rabbi Asher–Yeshaya Alperin was a descendant of the Volhynian Alperin family. He was born in Austravah. When he arrived in Rovno at the beginning of the fifties last century he was an orthodox yeshiva student, a bright student and a prominent Hasidic of the Trisk Dynasty, one of the “Cloise” holders of Trisk Hasidim where he sat and studied, sharing his meagre bread and was considered one of the “city's best.”

When Rabbi Asher–Yeshaya built his house in Rovno he became a first–grade merchant in Czarist Russia. His commerce, which was alongside his apartment on great Minska Street nearby the Stepeheny Beit Midrash, was one of the city's biggest, and people from neighboring towns came to buy his merchandise. He earned the trust of merchants whose merchandise he bought as well as the trust of the clients who bought from him. His revenue was great and his sons helped him. Rabbi Asher–Yeshaya always found time for studying the Torah and praying, without neglecting his business, since Toive, his wife was his helping–mate in his business, as well as in his acts of kindness. Rabbi Asher–Yeshaya was known as benevolent and generous, and his hand was open to all needy. He was also deeply involved with the city's charity institutions. Every messenger from a yeshiva or Eretz Yisrael who arrived in Rovno – went first of all to Rabbi Asher–Yeshaya Alperin's home.

Rabbi Asher–Yeshaya and Toive, his wife, were blessed with sons and daughters, who kept their ancestors' tradition: Aharon (Aharche) Isaac (Itche), Mordechai and Haim–Lifa; Hanche Lerner and Ester Zukerman.

Rabbi Asher–Yeshaya lived a long life, had “naches” from his descendants and died at the old age of 82 in 1912 in Rovno. After he died his commerce passed to Haim–Lifa, his son, who was known as Haim–Lifa Asher–Yeshaya. Like his father, Haim–Lifa was a great merchant, honest in his life and business, generous in private and publicly, he too, was a devoted Hasid of Trisk.

When Rovno was conquered by Zionism, the Zionist spirit invaded the Alperin's home, too, and almost all of Rabbi Asher–Yeshaya's grandchildren were involved with Zionist and pioneering activities, with Zeirai–Zion, Hitahdut, Hahluz and also Hashomer Hazair and Gordonia. Some of them were lucky enough to get to Israel and find their home, the sons of Haim–Lifa; Devora Gerdstein, David Alperin with their families, the sons of Mordechai–Zeev: Israel and Zevi (Grisha) Alperin and their families, his daughter Ester Zukerman with her sons Israel and Isaac and her daughter Devora with their families.

Among the prominent people in the city was Zalman David Levontin who arrived in Rovno in 1897 as the manager of the Minskian Commercial Bank. He stayed in the city about five years in this capacity and then moved to Zhitomir to manage their branch and later, in 1903 moved to London to manage “The Jewish Settlements Treasury” (The Colonial Bank).

Levontin was known as one of the pioneers of Hovevai Zion and their path makers. He was one of the founders of Rishon LeZion and was active in most Hovevai Zion endeavors and of political Zionism. Since he settled in Rovno, he dedicated most of his energy and spirit to the Zionist's activities in the city. As a single–minded man he did not spread himself into many areas but concentrated on the finances.

Once he knew the city and its inhabitants, he realized that in the Volhynia area, which was rich with natural resources, it pays to develop good industry, which demands conditions that would encourage action. He understood that a bank's branch located far from the central bank, cannot play an initiative, operative and directional role. Only a big bank, well rooted in the region and in the whole surroundings, where local investors can invest their money, could

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execute the initiative and responsibility to found and develop an industry. Such a bank could bring investments from the outside.

Due to personal contacts Levontin was able to earn Rovno's public's trust, Jewish as well as Polish. Many merchants, industrialists and estate owners accepted his offer to found an industrial bank in Volhynia starting with half a million rubles, a large sum back then. Once his plan was accepted by a circle of some people, Levontin begun working on the bank regulations and getting the government consent and license to do so. Levontin had high hopes for this bank but at the same time he got an invitation from Dr. Herzl to be part of the management of the Jewish Settlement Treasury. The offer appealed to him since he dreamt all his life about Zion and the revival of the people in its land. He left Rovno before he got the permit to open the industrial bank. Levontin's service while he was in Rovno at the birth of Zionism played a major role in establishing the movement there.

From London, Levontin was sent to Jaffa to found the Anglo–Palestinian Bank that is known nowadays as the Bank Leumi Israel – the biggest financial establishment, that spread dozens of branches all over the country, and he headed the bank for many years, until he retired. He never forgot Rovno and his public, Zionist and financial activities there. As well as his plans to improve the city and ameliorate its economic situation. He remembered the Jewish merchants and the Polish estate owners in Rovno. Moshe Brenner, who was a chief clerk in the Minskian bank's branch in Rovno in Levontin's time, told many stories and legends about his manager's relationships with different clients of the bank and the degree of respect they had for him as a financial expert, as a man and as a proud Jew.

In the last chapter of his life Levontin wrote his memoir, which was published under the title: “To the Land of our Fathers”, and contains important material for the history of the settlement of Eretz Yisrael since 1884. He lived in Tel Aviv, surrounded by sons and daughters and died in old age in 1940. He was buried in his settlement Rishon LeZion, which he founded and cherished all his life.

He was born in Alexandria, near Rovno to a family of rabbis, a bright and dedicated student. A famous merchant, owned flour–mills and one of the founders of the flour industry in Volhynia. In the beginning of the 20^th century, when his business grew, he moved with his family from Alexandria to a house he built in Rovno.

Binyamin was one of the first who joined Hovevai–Zion movement and in his town was the representor of the “Odessan Council”. When the political Zionist movement was founded, he became an active Zionist, wholeheartedly dedicated to the Zionist idea and everything related to Israel. He was one of the first to purchase shares of the Colonial Bank and helped promote the shares among his friends and acquaintances. He raised his children in the Zionist spirit and his home was a Zionist home par excellence. He and Lea, his wife and loyal friend, received with open–heart the messengers, or the “preachers” as they were called back then, like Yevzrov, Ashkenazy, “the maggid from Łomża”, who came to convert people to the Zionist idea and hosted them in their house with the deserved respect to the movement's messengers. We should mention also his active participation in the election campaign to the Russian Duma. (See page 29)

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His wish to settle down with his family in Israel was not granted unfortunately, due to his age and fragile health, but the consolation was that two of his grandchildren – David and Avraham, the sons of Isaac, his oldest, made Aliya and settled in Israel. The Holocaust that descended upon Rovno's Jews happened before he was able to realize the dream he entertained: following the grandchildren so that the rest of the family would make Aliya, he and the rest of his family perished in the extermination in the years 1941/42

Despite his young age he was sent to represent Rovno in the “Minsk Conference” (1902) and also participated in the Helsingfors now known as Helsinki conference (1906) and gained a special attention from the heads of Zionism and the Jewish Russian leaders (Ussishkin, Chelnov, Weissman, Tiomkin, Levin, Jabotinsky, the Rabbis Maze, Mohilever, Reines and others) and since, corresponded with most of them about ideas and organization. He was a delegate in the Zionist Congresses (from the sixth to the ninth) and was elected to several councils (financial and organizational).

In 1907 he managed the election campaign of Russia's Zionists in Volhynia, where Jabotinsky was a candidate to the Russian parliament – the second “Duma”. He gave speeches to gatherings, participated in conferences and meetings in Zhitomir and helped Jabotinsky to organize “Chanz” – the right to be elected (his father, Rabbi Benyamin registered for this purpose a house on Jabotinsky's name and hence enabled him to become a candidate to the Russian Parliament according to Czarist Russia rules). He maintained a close relationship with Jabotinsky who became his loyal friend, as well as his parents and the whole family's friend for life.

While performing his Zionist activities Melamed excelled in his commercial talents and together with his father managed a myriad of businesses in different categories (sugar, flour–mills, forests etc.)

In 1912 he moved to Kiev and played an important role in finance and commerce. He was one of the founders of the “Barter” Bank Society and its manager in Kiev. During World War I he traveled twice to the far east (Harbin, China) dealing in selling Russian sugar for millions of rubles and buying different merchandise for Russia. His big businesses did not deter him from the Zionist idea, he gave it all his free time and was an active participant in the Zionist endeavor. When the Revisionist Movement under Jabotinsky was being formed, he joined and actively participated.

Itzhak Melamed had literary gifts and was a writer. At a young age, around seventeen, eighteen he wrote poetry and published his poems in HaShiloch. He was also a talented journalist and published articles on national–cultural subjects in HaMeliz, HaZeman, HaZtofe of

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Ludwipol under the alias “Yish Mazliah” (“A Successful Man”). His articles excelled in their content and vibrancy, in their sharp and clear style and he served as the correspondent of these three newspapers in the conferences in Pinsk, Helsinki and other congresses he attended with the writers–journalists of that time.

In 1921 he managed to move from Russia to Danzig, where he continued his business, bartering and finance businesses, as well as his Zionist activities. Later he left Danzig and moved to Warsaw. In 1935 and 1938 he visited Israel and was planning to found a big financial company for investments and development in the country, he aspired to settle and work in Israel, but due to the break of World War Two was unable to fulfill his wish.

When the Germans conquered Warsaw, he was taken by the Nazis as a hostage and was murdered by them at the end of 1939. In 1942 the Nazis exterminated his family in Warsaw as well as his parents and family members in Rovno.

Two of his sons made Aliya at a young age a few years before the Nazi Holocaust and they are active in the public and economic areas (pioneers of tourism and transport in Israel). His oldest son represents Israel in global and international conferences dedicated to tourism and its development.

On the door of his apartment in Rovno there was a plaque, “Chief Paramedic Yosef Ritzer”. He was born in 1854 in Warsaw to wealthy parents and was educated and well–mannered, with deep knowledge of medicine, which he acquired during his military service in the city Alexanderovo (near Warsaw and Ciechoinek). After his military service he married Ester, his love, and was a paramedic in Alexanderovo. Pearl, the big contractor from Rovno happened to be in Alexanderovo, where he met Ritzer and advised him to move to Rovno, where there was a need for a paramedic.

Full of energy, he asked and was granted another area, on top of his profession, he opened a trading–house for wines where he represented the Carmel Israeli company. Later he opened a pharmacy as well, where he trained his children, two boys and five girls in the profession (back then there was no need for certified pharmacists); thus, was established a family of people who dealt with medicines and medicine, the famous Ritzer family.

The waves of the Zionist movement attracted Yosef Ritzer and he joined the first

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Zionists in the city and together they endeavored for its success. He turned out to have a deep national consciousness and his dedication to the revival movement infected his sons and the whole family.

In 1905 he passed away; he was just 51 years old.

Tania, his daughter, the wife of Moshe Domanis, made Aliya with her family at the beginning of the Third Aliya, summer of 1924. She was one of the founders of the Zionim Kelalim in Tel Aviv. She died at age 70 during Succoth 1955.

He came to Rovno from his native Alexandria where he was a treasurer of a flour–mill. A Torah man and educated, a philanthropist and a Zionist activist according to his times (the end of the 18^th century). As a Zion aficionado he put himself under Herzl's flag and his faith in Zionists was extraordinary. He assisted the founding of the big library in the town and acquired his private library. The jealous of his generation judged him, although he was a devoted Jew like all his generation but they suspected that Zionism will transport him to the liberal camp. When the town became too small for him, he moved to Rovno and opened a business there. The local Zionist Association embraced Morvachik as soon as he settled in the city and he was elected to the Zionist Council and participated in all its activities, collecting money for settlement in Eretz Yisrael, distribution of shares for the settlement treasury and other funds, as well as preaching in the Beit Midrash, participating in Zionist meetings, and more.

Being Zionist means to make Aliya and build Israel, this is what Morvachik thought and after World War One, when the Third Aliya began, in 1922 he left Rovno (he was about seventy years old) and made Aliya. His dream was to settle in a village, but following activists and friends' advice he agreed to settle in Tel Aviv. With his own money he bought a plot on Ben–Yehuda Street and built his house. “I am at home here” he would say with pride and joy. Rabbi Bezalel rejoiced in any Rovno's or Alexandria's son who came to visit him and he spoke to them about the pioneers arriving from all over the world to build the land and stay there, despite the difficulties and obstacles. “This is the beginning of The Redemption” he said, fully believing in his words. He spoke highly about the country and its future in his letters to Rovno and extolled all that was happening here.

When his wife died, he became close to Asher Goldberg, his brother's son, who lived with him since he came to the country. He was childless and died in Tel Aviv in 1924.

Was born in Rovno and stayed a Rovno resident, despite being educated in nearby Alexandria. In his youth he used to visit Rovno often for his parents' business and mainly to breathe the culture, meet with literary people and quench his thirsty soul.

As a child Blay studied in Heder and went on to study in Beit Midrash as was customary back then among Jews. He was one of the few who were attracted by general education and deeply influenced by it. Being educated in the Torah and good manners, imbibed with past generations' spirit, he perceived general education not as a hearsay theory but as means and way to necessary changes in the national and cultural life of the nation.

Blay became a Hebrew teacher at a young age together with Haim Dekelboim and H. N. Zacks, they opened in Alexandria an “Improved Heder” that was one of the first Hebrew Schools in Volhynia, where the studies

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were conducted in the Hebrew in Hebrew's system. Every now and then he came to Rovno in order to visit A. B. Gotlober, the writer who lived back then in the city and he used to bring back with him the books the author gave him.

Blay was a bright scholar and educated, an affable man, zealous about studying and teaching. He educated his sons and daughters in the national spirit and the Hebrew Culture and they made Aliya already in the Second Aliya. He was asked to be the principal of a Hebrew School in Dovno where he spent World War One. After the war he lived in Rovno and Alexandria, until he was able in the summer of 1933 to reach Eretz Yisrael, his deepest desire, and his sons'.

Despite his advanced age Blay did not idle in Israel. He wrote and published fables, stories and criticism in “Davar”' “Volynia's News”, “Yeda Am” and other newsletters. He also taught Hebrew to adults in the evening. He continued to elaborate and deepen his knowledge of Hebrew literature. He was a teacher for over sixty years and his vitality never waned. He was in touch with many of his friends, acquaintances and admirers in Israel and the US, and left a written lexicon that has yet to be published.

The death of his wife in 1950 devastated him and he became depressed and carried his pain silently. In May 27 1955 his heart stopped, he was 84 years old.

Was born in Rovno in the forties of the 18^th century. He was not well known, a scholar, a gifted youth whose future seemed promising. A student at the old Heder, his heart was given to Torah, wisdom and education. His attraction to the Hebrew language and to the spiritual treasures of the nation prompted him to speak Hebrew, and hence unbeknown to him he became the harbinger of Eliezer Ben–Yehuda, the reviver of the language, and who knows what kind of future this youth could have had, if he did not perish at a young age!

When he died “Hamelitz” No. 16, 5.4.1865 published these words:

“One of the best youngsters, Shmuel Finkelstein died in Zhitomir, he studied in the Rabbinical school. This young yeshiva student, who was in this Beit Midrash for over a year, was born in Rovno. While still in his native city he was a loyal lover of education and especially of our holy language, which he mastered fluently. Some of his letters were published in “Hamelitz”. He came to Zhitomir to soak in the wisdom's fountains, but fate was cruel to him. The teachers and the students of the Rabbinical School accompanied him on his last way. (Yosef Yehuda Lerner). What a shame!

One of the first lovers of Zion in the city was David, the son of Yehuda–Leib Gerstein. He joined the Hibat–Zion movement with all his enthusiasm, dreamt and endeavored for the idea with deep faith and understanding that Zionism will redeem the people. Loyal and consistent to his wishes he chose the political Zionism when Herzl appeared on the scene. As early as 1883 he initiated the Hibat Zion movement of Rovno and was its head. When Z. D. Levontin came to settle in Rovno, Gerstein was his best friend and they were both very active in the revival movement. He traveled to congresses, corresponded with the heads of Zionism and the centers. He distributed the shares of the Jewish Settlement Treasury. He always collected money for the building of Eretz Yisrael, dispersed the shekels, arranged

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a Zionist “Minyan”, and carried the Zionist philosophy to the synagogue, to every meeting and gathering. Zionism was part of his being and the mockery of the objectors, the zealous and the ultraorthodox, did not weaken one iota his contacts with the Zionist idea. “For Zionism I will not keep silent,” he used to say, and his words were heard and absorbed. And so, he managed to attract many under the Zionist's wings. His closest collaborators in his Zionist activities in its beginnings were: Haim Rubinstein, the manager of the Brothers Luria's Bank, Asher Goldenberg, Moshe Stock, Dr. Yehezkel Oyerbuch, Rabbi Yehuda Motyuk, Berel Korech, Shlomo Vasslir, Bezalel Moravchik and others who carried proudly the revival flag and acted in its shade.

Since the founding of the Odessa Council of Hovevai, Zion Gerstein was nominated the council's representative in Rovno and endeavored on its behalf. He was elected as the deputy of Rovno Zionists to the Zionist Convention in Minsk in 1902 and was also a delegate to all the congresses, from the first one until the eighth, that took place in August 1907 in Haag. His home was the first Zionist home in Rovno, where dreamers of Zion and activists met. Every Zionist preacher or messenger used to come directly to Gerstein's where meetings and gatherings were held. In this house they eulogized Herzl when the news about his death arrived. This is where all the preparations to the Royal “Duma” were made and all the instructions and orders were issued. Gerstein was the head director of the election activities and invested great labor and expenses to achieve the aim.

In his youth Gerstein studied the Talmud and Hebrew, no doubt this left an impression on him for life. He was bright and educated, respected by all, he worked as a wholesaler in manufacturing and attracted clients from small towns trusting Gerstein the merchant and also paid respect to Gerstein the public activist, and hence he was able to draw quite a few to his idea.

When they were building “Talmud Torah” they enlisted Gerstein to this social and educational endeavor. He helped the builders and gave generously since he was openhanded and caring, and always willing to help. He was one of the founders of the Mutual Credit”Bank and one of its managers for many years and played an important role in this economical populist establishment.

Even throughout his last years, when he was sick, he never stopped acting for Zionism and the people, carried in silence the pain after his wife died and went on with his commerce until he died in January 19, 1909. This was a day of great mourning for Rovno's people and its surroundings and thousands came to accompany him to his eternal rest.

He died childless, left behind him a good reputation among all those who knew him.

A member of H.N, Bialik, the national poet's family. Was born in 1899 in Zhitomir, where he was educated and passed his baccalaureate as an extern together with Moshe Zilberfarb and the writer of these words. He studied medicine in a university in Berlin and when he became MD, he settled in Korostýšiv near Zhitomir. He married the granddaughter of the master and teacher, the Adm”or of Korostýšiv. After a while he moved to Rovno and stayed there a few years practicing medicine and became renowned. Many came to see him on Directorska Street and he helped them.

Dr. Bialik did not participate in public life but responded whenever he was needed. He was close to the Zionist idea since his youth. In 1914 he moved to Kiev and never came back to Rovno.

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Dr. Yehezkel Averbuch

Rovno native, the oldest son of Rabbi Alter Averbuch, was dedicated to his studies and became an MD. He chose Rovno as his home and became quickly known as an expert in women's aliments.

He was the type of a Jewish intellectual with national aspirations who gave his heart to the Hovevai–Zion Movement and later to political Zionism and headed Rovno Zionists since the beginning of this century. He was active during David Gerstein's time starting with the first congresses. He was enthusiastic about every Zionist activity and was nominated by Warsaw as a member of the Odessan council in Rovno. Dr. Averbuch was chosen as a delegate to the tenth Zionist Congress representing Rovno's Zionists. After the congress he visited Israel and returned home deeply impressed by what he saw there.

When a branch of the association of the lovers of Hebrew was founded in Rovno, Dr. Averbuch was elected as the head and he forced himself to speak Hebrew. His home served as a meeting place to Zionist's meetings, and despite it being dangerous, he dedicated much of his time to the Zionist and Hebrew movements. He had many admirers as a doctor and as a Zionist and he was famous.

On 4/3/1911 he became ill and died when he was only fifty–seven years old. This was a great tragedy for Rovno's Jews and its Zionists and he had a big funeral.

A perfect example of a Zionist and a Hebrew teacher in Rovno last century. A dedicated and bright Torah scholar, a gentle and well–mannered man, one of few in the city and its surroundings. He was one of the first Zionists who fought for Hebrew and strengthening the Hebrew Culture. When the Association of Hebrew Lovers was established in Rovno, Haykel Kopelman was one of its founders and heads. When a Zionist meeting was held – Haykel Kopelman was one of the first speakers, most of the time in Hebrew. No wonder, then, that Kopelman chose Hebrew teaching as his profession, as a youth he envisioned educating a Hebrew national generation as his life's mission. For many years he taught at Talmud–Torah in the city, gave private Hebrew lessons and in his house was the library, left from the big Zionist Library that was once in Rovno.

In his old age Kopelman joined the Revisionist Movement and dedicated himself to managing the local club. This inclination caused him embarrassments, especially with Talmud–Torah. The principal of the establishment, as well as his Zionist friends begun to distance themselves from him because of his activities in the Revisionist camp, but he remained loyal to his beliefs.

Kopelman was shot to death with many other Jews in Rovno by cruel and vicious people during the horrible Holocaust.

One of Rovno's dignitaries, a moderate Jew, a successful forest merchant, liked by different circles in the city and its surroundings. An educated man and loyal to the tradition. He gave his sons a modern Jewish education. Due to his business he was in contact with Jews and non–Jews alike, and they all respected him for his good manners and integrity in business.

Finkelstein's house was always open to guests and he gave to everyone who stumbled or was in need, sometimes even more than he could, he passed on these characteristics to his sons and daughters.

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During World War One his business suffered and the riots after the war, which hurt Rovno and all the Jews in Ukraine, took a toll on his health and he became ill and died in April 1923. His wife Zelda, born Kaufman, made Aliya and joined Zeev Soham, her son in Haifa, and Haya Har, her daughter in Tel Aviv. She died in Tel Aviv in 1946 and was buried on the Olive Mount in Jerusalem, where she asked to be buried, next to her parents who died during the war.

During the Holocaust, Moshe, the son, and the daughters Rivka and Zevtel were exterminated with their families. The son Nahum is in America.

A special type of man, Rabbi Hersch Heller was a Jewish scholar, educated, wise and an activist, he was tall and good–looking, sincere and confident. He came from Hushtes, small town in Volhynia during the eighties of the last century and settled in Rovno. He started a construction business and was successful and became wealthy. In the nineties he built on the Volya (in Shossejna Street and in Tomarovsky Alley) a few stone buildings, which he rented as barracks to the army, to shops and rentals.

Back then Rovno was under the Russian Czar's reign and Jews civil rights were limited. There was a need for applying and begging the authorities for the deprived and Hersch Heller got involved, took care and helped his brothers and protected members of his community and general city problems, who were close to his heart. There were applications to the local authorities and even to the Czar. His appearances as a prosecutor for individuals and for communities were often successful.

In the beginning of the current century, Heller was appointed to the City Council (back then they had no elections for managing the city) where he demonstrated deep caring and involvement, and was considered one of the heads of the community. His adversary, R' Layvich Bick the sworn activist, who worked parallel to Heller was better liked, but the people did appreciate Heller's strength and integrity.

R' Hersch Heller liked to read and was a religious Jew who kept all the Mitzvoth. For years he collected Midrash and famous sages' wisdom, which he published in “Sefer Yalkut Zevi” that was completed in 1928. In addition, he edited “Rovno's Almanac”, a gist of it in Yiddish with annotations for the 400 year history until 1924 – which he published with the help of Asher Shtil, the community's secretary (Lublin 1925).

During the thirties, under the Polish government, R' Hersch was the head of the community's council, despite his advanced age he was still energized and he went on to manage the community's affairs with gusto.

He left an only son Pinkas (Pinik).

The son of R' Yaakov Bick from Lutsk was famous in the city for several reasons: he was Cantonist (meaning: he was among those kidnapped to Nikolai the First's army) , a sharp lawyer and knowledgeable in laws and Russian trials, an engineer, who taught himself and acquired a large expertise in the profession, an agreeable man who lived a long life, close to one–hundred and twenty years.

(Some believe that he is a descendant of the Anusim (Marrano) and that the name Bick stands for Holy Benai Israel)

R' Layvitch moved in his youth to Rovno, as the older son he inherited his father's traits: became an expert in law as well as an architect and builder. He dedicated his free time to public needs because his heart

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was open to public affairs and to institutions of charity. He had a gentle demeanor and treated all those who turned to him with respect and gave to the needy openly and in secret. Many public endeavors were made possible by his initiative, and quite a few public buildings were built and maintained due to his devoted activity. The city people knew: an endeavor embraced by R' Layvitch – will take shape, operate, develop and be useful.

Like his father he was devoted to Torah and wisdom. He was a believer, God–fearing and fond of people, all at the same time. He was not granted wealth, but he did not desire wealth, he was content with what he had, glad that his sons were like “olive plants around his table” and he was lucky to enjoy sons and sons' sons, many generations.

He had a soft spot for Eretz Yisrael and even when he was close to 90 years–old he thought about Aliya, saying: “I am following my father's path, and like him I will live to be 120 years–old; I gave most of my years to the Russian Diaspora, and there, in Israel a new world is being built, they need architects and I am ready for it”.

He said this in 1933 to the writer of these lines, when he said goodbye to me before I made Aliya, I will remember forever and will never forget them.

When the Nazis arrived in Rovno I did not hear about his death, which means that he, together with thousands of Jews, perished during the Holocaust.

A famous Russian writer, a liberal and lover of Jews, a man of truth and benevolence – this is who Vladimir Korolenko was since his youth in Rovno, his city and he remained that way all his life. His behavior toward Jews and the Jewish Question put him alongside the Righteous Among the Nations.

He was born in Zhitomir in 1853 to his father Galaktion Korolenko, who later became (during the sixties and seventies of the 18^th century) a Judge in Rovno for many years and gained respect from all parts of the population. In one of his works Vladimir immortalized his father together with two other Rovno dignitaries – three righteous he met in Rovno, his city: the Jewish Rabbi R' Shmuel the Great, the chief priest in the church and his father the judge. Those three, he wrote, one should trust completely because they are first of all lovers of truth and justice and only afterwards belonging to a certain community.

Vladimir Korolenko studied in the Reali School in Rovno and graduated as one of the best students. Even back then he had literary and artistic talents. In the school hall a big painting by him was left that won praises and stayed hanging on the wall. The school was proud of its gifted student and this painting.

Since Korolenko was in Jewish surroundings he was able to get familiar with Jewish life and he had many friends. In his writings he describes life and inhabitants of Rovno, of which he writes with warmth and appreciation. For many years Korolenko lived in Petersburg and acted for the revolution. Eventually he settled in Poltava where he remained. He dedicated himself to literature and immersed himself in writing, no wonder he is considered as one of the best Russian classicists. His work follows the revolutionary movements in Czarist Russia to which he felt close affinity. His contacts with the Jewish intelligentsia never ceased. The Kishinev Pogrom in April 6–7 1903 made a depressing impression on him and he attacked with vigor the pogrom and the authorities that enabled it. When there was

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a danger of a pogrom to Poltava's Jews in 1905 he courageously faced the rioters. He demanded that the authorities deal with the danger. His writings and talks against the pogroms and the vilifying of Jews are famous, as well as his publications against the blood libel in Beilis Trial in Kiev in 1910–12. He was and remained a friend of the Jewish People out of a human–liberal point–of–view, and Jewish Rovno remembered him with gratitude.

When the Russian–Soviet regime returned to Rovno after the Pols left in 1939 the Reali School was named after him, the School where the great writer was educated. In several Russian cities (including Rovno) streets were named after him. The Jewish people did not forget the great man, the great writer and the friend and in 1926 Tel Aviv municipality named one of its streets Korolenko Street.

Gorky, the Russian writer wrote about him:

“I am sure that Vladimir Korolenko's cultural activity woke up the sense of justice and integrity among many Russians. He was dedicated to Justice in a rare effort and combined feelings and logic, and the craving for justice became a deep religious passion, he was devoted to a continuous war relentlessly. He loved beauty and justice and wanted them to become one.”

Korolenko believed in the victory of the revolutionary aspirations of the oppressed in the czar regime and wrote in 1908, “what is happening now will be felt in several years and will blow out like a volcano.” His prophecy came true and he was able to witness the 1917 revolution in his country. He died in 1921

When he married his wife, Hannah Neta Fogel from Krementz, he became a wood merchant together with Shmuel Fikeless, Zeev Goldenberg, Blanc and others and conducted his business with integrity. He remained Volya's resident, where his ancestors lived for many generations, he was fond of the neighborhood that as time went on, became part of the city's center and had beautiful buildings after the great fire of 1881.

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Vilner was one of the founders of “Mishnayot” Synagogue on the Volya and one of its managers for many years alongside R' Pessi Hoycrach and others. He was also one of the activists in “The Justice League of Dovilye”. He took care of the needy as a compassionate father serving there as treasurer, during the last thirteen years of his life he was a member of Hevra Kadisha together with R' Bezalel Moravchik, Gevalia Martsch, Levi Idas and others and was very dedicated, befitting a faithful public servant. During World War One he devoted himself to the Cooperative Foodbank in charge of supply that was housed in Vinokor house on the Volya. In the time of the Polish Regime he was elected to the community's council.

The riots of the eighties and the revival of Zion touched Vilner's heart, and although he did not become an official Zionist, he was fond of the idea and gave generously to the movement's institutions.

In 1882 they begun building the military barracks at the end of Volya. The builders needed bricks and the existing furnaces could not provide the necessary amount. Vilner built a brick's furnace and with time upgraded his industry with an “Hoffman's” furnace. During the war 1914–1918 the work at the factory stopped but as soon as the war was over it was renewed and there were 60–70 laborers. Vilner treated the workers remarkably well.

Vilner had three sons and two daughters. His son Moshe made Aliya with the pioneers of the Third Aliya, while his daughter Adele Krantzberg arrived in 1948 after many hurdles on board of “Exodus” the historical boat.

Vilner died in Rovno on 11.6.1926

The son of Aaron–Bar and Rayne, veteran citizens of Rovno, he was famous, a respected activist and an important merchant. When he was seventeen years old Kolikovitcher dreamed to travel and study but his father, who was ultraorthodox, prevented him and made him part of the business. At the end of last century, when Zionism was making its first steps. Kolikovitcher joined the Zionist circles and was active since the first Zionist Congress.

Kolikovitcher was a faithful activist as well as a trusted businessman. During the czar regime in 1906–1912 he was one of the citizens' representatives (appointed by the Jews) in the city council, he was active in the Jewish Hospital, the chief manager in the Great Synagogue and active in several public and philanthropists' endeavors in the city. As a man of influence and well–known among various circles his participation in charity establishments was crucial. He responded to every important need, despite being stubborn, which did not always please the activists alongside him.

When the election to the Russian “Duma” were held in 1905 Kolikovitcher was drawn to the popular party of Vinaver, instead of fighting alongside the Zionist for Zeev Jabotinsky's candidature. This surprised and embittered the Zionists and Kolikovitcher lost his popularity. He went on defining himself as a Zionist, but the Zionist did not elect him as their representative. Tension grew high when the time for elections to the Zionist Congress arrived, and although he was one of the candidates, he was not elected since all the votes went to Asher Goldenberg.

In the beginning of World War One a military commandant was assigned to Rovno, which back then was close to the Austrian front, he hated Jews and imposed severe restrictions on them. A delegation appointed by the city's Jews headed by Kolikovitcher came to him asking to ease the restrictions that were imposed on them on account of the war.

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The commandant treated the delegation rudely and Kolikovitcher answered back. The commandant ordered his arrest, suspected as having contacts with the Austrian enemy, since Aryeh Leif Vishnitzer, his brother–in–law was an Austrian citizen and left the city when the war broke. Per military order Kolikovitcher was expelled to Siberia and spent in the city Achinsk more than three years. He suffered terribly and was able to go back home only when the czarist regime was defeated. Hordes of Rovno's citizens came out to greet him joyfully when he returned home and he resumed his Zionist activities.

In the elections to the municipal Zionist Council, Kolikovitcher was elected as a member and his relationship with the Zionists was mended; the city's merchants elected him to the city's council and he stood side by side with the elected Zionists. His time in exile had a great influence on his ideas and stubbornness; he became more lenient.

During the twenties Kolikovitcher assembled a group of wealthy businessmen to commerce and industries' endeavors in Israel. In order to do so he made Aliya in the summer of 1925, explored the country, investigated possibilities of developing businesses and spoke with heads of institutions and financials experts. He went back to Rovno with plans, but implementation was delayed for various reasons, mainly, because of financial pressure that the Polish Minister Grabski imposed on Jews. Kolikovitcher came back full of impressions from Israel and its pioneers, the founders of Zionism. Being a Zionist, he was able to appreciate the efforts of the founders' generation and demanded from the veteran Zionists consistency and loyalty to the movement. He became the head of Keren–Hayesod Foundation in Rovno and for many years did his best for its success.

When he remained in Rovno, he collaborated with a big building company. In order to finance the enterprise, he initiated in 1906 alongside Nahum Goldberg and Pinhas Galperson “Discount Bank”. The bank attracted most of the merchants and industry peoples. The building company became a subsidiary company to “Discount Bank” that flourished for a few years and Kolikovitcher was one of its prime managers. When the bank encountered difficulties and could not continue functioning, the clients approached Kolikovitcher directly claiming they personally trusted him – and demanded their money back. Parades of bank clients used to accompany him in the streets and make his life miserable.

Kolikovitcher went bankrupt, – the agency of Poznancki Factory was taken from him, his talents and past services did not help. He became ill and died in 1932. To his funeral came some of the city's Zionists and merchants with a few establishment managers who remembered his important contributions and his deeds for his Rovno.

One of Rovno's veteran citizens and a prominent landlord, stood among the Zionists since the first congresses. He was member of the Zionist Municipal Council and active in fundraising. He was elected to the Community Council and participated in local public institutions. After his death his wife, his daughter Miriam (Manya) and his son Meir with his family made Aliya.

He was known in Rovno his city as R' Brish Shatz, born in Mohilev–Podolsk in 1861 to his father Yaakov–Yosef Halevi Shatz, a respectful citizen, who taught his sons Torah and labor. R' Brish married Manya, the daughter of Yaakov and Dina Hochfeld, and settled in Rovno during the eighties of last century and became one of the city's cherished citizens. A man of noble character, educated and faithful, gentle and liked by all. He participated in several local public establishments and served them with dedication.

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As soon as the activities of Hovevai–Zion and the Political Zionism begun in Rovno, R' Brish was one of the first to support them. He worked side by side with Z.D. Levontin, David Gerstein, Anshel Bokimer, Zalman Ashkenazi, Haim Rubinstein, Dr. Erkin and others, who laid the base for the Zionist activities in Rovno at the end of the last century. The veteran Zionists remember the parties and the meetings that took place in Shatz home when Z. D. Levontin arrived as the manager of the Minskian Bank in Rovno as well as when messengers from the centers arrived. These were Zionists' parties that brought closer and united the hearts to a shared action for the revival idea.

R' Brish was a one of the most respected and honest merchants, he played an important role in the world of commerce. He left Rovno during the years of World War One but returned after the war.

He died at the age of 74 on February 29, 1937 in Rovno. He was survived by Manya, his wife, sons, daughters and grandchildren.

Nahum Shtif was known in our literary world as “Baal Dimyon” (The One with Imagination) – a writer, critic and Yiddish linguist, he was born in Rovno in 1879 to his father Yonah Shtif and his mother Pessia Pragmin. Yonah was born in Warkowicze, a tiny village in Volhynia and received his traditional education in his father's house, an educated Yeshiva student. When he grew up and the village felt too small for him, he traveled to Odessa – the center of education in the 18^th century, where he learned Russian and general sciences. Later he came to Rovno, married his wife, who was from a liberal family according to those times and settled there.

Nahum Shtif was a gifted youth, studied with the best Melamed of his era and became very knowledgeable in the Bible and the Talmud. He read a lot and knew well the liberal literature. He begun translating and writing in Hebrew when he was young. When he turned fifteen his father registered him to the State Reali School in town and he graduated successfully. Back then the gates of higher–education schools in Russia were not opened to Jews, and young Shtif, who wanted to study in the Polytechnic in Kiev, had to pass difficult exams in order to be admitted as a student to the engineering faculty.

Nahum Shtif had a passion for the Hebrew language and literature since his childhood. He continued to study the Bible and Talmud when he was at the Russian school and since the first Zionist Congress

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that took place in Basel in 1897 as he was finishing school he believed vehemently in the Zionist Idea. In articles he wrote and speeches he gave he preached for Zion, conceiving the Zionist Idea a saving anchor to the dispersed, suffering diaspora. With youth's enthusiasm and deep consciousness, he organized with some of his friends an association of Hebrew speakers called: “Safa Berura” (Clear Language); during its first year it was noted for its lively spirit.

In 1902 Shtif participated in the Jewish Convention in Minsk. Following the Kishinev Riots the Jewish students and the youth in general were agitated, which brought forth the creation of the Jewish Socialist Labor Party that attracted Shtif. In those days a self–defense group was created and Shtif was very active (a special chapter in his life is his relationship with Pinhas Dashevsky, the pioneer of the defense in Russian Jewry at that time). The atmosphere in those days moved many Jewish students to radical circles like “Moldoi–Iverai” (The Young Jew) that was founded in Russia, Shtif was among them and joined the “Vozrogenia” (The Revival) group and was one of its leading forces.

Shtif was back in Rovno in the revolution year, 1905. He traveled to Bern (Switzerland) and there was active in “Vozrogenia” and in the Jewish Socialist Labor Party. Toward the end of 1906 he returned to Rovno and married his wife, from the Zilberfarb family. During that time, he had a mental breakdown that drew him further away from Zionism and the other movements. The Yiddish culture engrossed him and he dedicated himself to writing and exploring in Yiddish and Russian.

Shtif went through many phases in the coming years; he was in Minsk and in Vilna, in Petersburg and in Rovno again, working for the JCA – Jewish Colonization Association dealing with Jewish immigration and for other institutions, devoted himself to Boris Klashikin's “Vilner Parlag”, endeavoring to instill Yiddish into the education of refugees' children during World War One and afterward, and to spread the language in general. During the years he worked in a Jewish Bank in Rovno, before the 1914–1918 war, he published a series of articles, critics and reviews about Yiddish writers and about Yiddish in general.

After the war he began working for “Yekopo” and under the influence of the Russian Revolution helped found the populist party “Folks Party”, believing that it would represent the Jews in general and will promote change of values in the diaspora's people. He went from one center to another in Russia and assisted in organizing this party.

At the end of 1918 he and his family arrived in Kiev and he began working in “Kafetz” that changed to “Yekopo”, and in “Falks Ferlag” and assembling archival materials about the Ukrainian riots. But he did not find his place in Kiev and after a year and a–half was able to move to Berlin and continue with literature, but soon after he returned to Kiev. It is unclear what made him go back to Kiev. Was it the Soviet Regime? Nothing is clear, except that he left Berlin with its myriad of opportunities and settled in Kiev, which became his last stop, where he devoted himself to his research “The History of Yiddish” and was adding new entries.

In his last years he was nominated as the head of the Yiddish Institution in Kiev, which he helped found. Among his publications there are several in–depth writings in Yiddish and Russian and controversial articles about the sovereignty of Yiddish, which placed him in the camp of those passionately opposed to Hebrew. He died in Kiev in 1933 and left many unpublished articles about various subjects.

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Dr. Moshe Zilberfarb

Zilberfarb had a rich past from the days he was active in Rovno, his hometown, with the national movement from the beginning of the century and in the Ukrainian Government. His public endeavor at the last period was organizing and establishing the ORT association in Poland, with the assistance of other activists he dedicated himself to teach vocations to large portions of the population. The fate of most of Poland Jews who suffered poverty and hardships; their economic status was deteriorating and the need to save them was great. Dr. Zilberfarb understood that only productive work might enable them to escape their insufferable situation. Hence, it was necessary to awaken in them respect to labor: a cobbler, a carpenter, or a mechanic is a good occupation, as respected as an MD, engineer or a lawyer. The basic problem was not the profession itself, but the profession's professionalism. Nice furnishers, pretty shoes or working–tools that were well–made, made the laborer better in Dr. Zilberfarb's eyes. Together with his assistants he spread all over Poland a net of professional schools and courses for training that became famous in the whole country. An ORT certificate guarantied in–depth professional expertise. ORT established also schools and courses of higher education, and the Technion in Vilna was famous, a place where mechanics and electricians gained advanced degrees. Prominent too, was the Textile School in Lodz that prompted the well–known Lodz' Textile industry; the carpentry and furnishers factory in Warsaw was famous not only among Jews but non–Jews too.

Dr. Zilberfarb headed this important establishment, which included thousands of people and dozens of institutions all over Poland. He travelled from one branch to another and participated in national and international conferences of the organization. Everything he did was imbibed with faith in humanity and devotion to his people. He encountered many hurdles in his work, but they did not deter him and he knew how to overcome them.

The Polish Jewry loved him and when he died on March 19, 1934 thousands of his admirers accompanied him to his last resting place.

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Anshel Bokimer

Anshel Bokimer was born in the Bokimer Village near Austravah, but lived all his life in Rovno. He imbibed religion and Jewish spirit and from a young age was drawn to Hovavai–Zion movement and was passionately involved with political Zionism since Herzl's times and the first congresses. He became part of the Zionist Association in Rovno and was a devoted member.

He was a merchant and together with his brother imported grains to Rovno and its surroundings. He was an honest man who adhered to all the mitzvot and was able to find the synthesis between his international–Zionism and religion and traditions. He often defended Zionism talking to old generation Jews in Beit Midrash, who refused to accept the Zionist Movement, saying that not only it does not affect religion, it even strengthens it.

Despite being occupied with his private business, he saw it as his duty to accept every Zionist calling or invitation and to show up to each function he was asked to perform. Anshel Bokimer would not choose preaching, he did not appear in public, but he lively participated in talks and internal meetings clarifying ideas and practical questions. Also, he was not one of the fierce fighters when it came to arguments, since his line was one of a practical Zionist aiming to fulfill the movements' ambition. Bokimer played an important role in the activities for the “Duma” elections and later for the Democratic Community for the Zionist party. He was almost always elected to the Zionist Municipal Council.

He used to argue with those who were opposed to Zionism wanting them to understand his view and he gave it his best. He also planted his faith and belief in the revival idea in his sons and daughters' hearts and his home was a Zionist one.

His son Yosef received his education and guidance in that spirit, was devoted to Zionism since his childhood, preached Zionism at school and drew a circle of friends that formed the core of the “Histadrut”, the student association that was founded in Rovno in 1917.

After the death of his wife Bokimer moved to Warsaw, where his son Yosef lived, and spent there the rest of his life, dreaming about Zion. He died at the age of seventy–six.

Isaac Brik was famous in the Zionist camp in Rovno. His Zionist activism took place in the Hasidic Beit Midrash Stepan, where he was one of the prominent landlords and those seated at the eastern wall. As an assertive speaker he used every opportunity on the podium to awaken the public to the Zionist Idea and reacted to everything happening in Zionism and Eretz Yisrael.

His attitude to Zionism was all encompassing and thus, he was one of the main pillars of the Zionist Histadrut in the city, a passionate adherent to the “Time to Build” movement in Poland, and a member of the presidency of the Galil Council in Volhynia. He was a man of initiative and energy and served as the manager of the Popular Bank until Simcha Plat from the Bund was elected in his place. He then initiated another Zionist endeavor the “Constructive Bank” and at the same time “Beit Haam” and lodged both of them on the second floor of R' Shimshon Braker's house, on 18 Klashturna Street. In 1926 the General Zionists in Rovno inaugurated at the same time in two adjacent halls the Bank and Beit Haam, which became a center for many local Zionist activities.

For several years the two institutions helped each other: if a person came to the bank for his business, he was immediately offered

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a Shekel, a promise to give to Keren Hayesod or a receipt for contribution to JNF. A member who came to Beit Haam would also bring his business to the nearby bank. Thus, Brik's Zionist activities and his businesses were weaved together and collaborated. He participated in most of the Zionists conferences and was elected to national institutions.

Many middle–class Jews made Aliya due to his passionate and convincing propaganda. He believed in the power of initiation and energy of the Jewish merchant and laborer and encouraged them to make Aliya. Many who heed his advice made Aliya and managed well in Israel.

He sent his son and daughter to Israel, preceding him, but unfortunately, they left before World War Two and never came back. This enthusiastic Zionist did not get the chance to build his family a home in Israel, despite his fervent preaching and his faith in its future and he fought for Israel until he fell with the others during the Holocaust.

Brik was a Rovno native and lived on Krassna Street. A son of a traditional family, he was educated in Heder where he absorbed his passion for the Hebrew language and culture, he was one of the veteran Zionists in the city. As early as Herzl's time he was one of the important local Zionists and stood up in his aggressive view and activities for Zion. He had a temper and a clear view about questions and actions needed. He stood his ground always having in mind the best for the Zionist Idea. Many opposed him, but respected him knowing that his fight was for Zion and the revival of the People. Shlomo Wessler and Dov Korech spoke a lot about his Zionist work and his arguments with his opponents in 1904–1906.

After the Russian Revolution, when the public breathed a sigh of relief, and Zionism became an overt movement, Brik reentered with renewed energy his public and Zionist activities. For more than twenty years Brik was one of the main General Zionists in town. With his friends in “Time to Build” He fought relentlessly in the local elections for local and central institutions.

A Zionist fighter and a zealous activist all his life, until he fell with those who fell in the Holocaust.

A popular man, had good qualities and loved by all, and more than a merchant, he was Zionist since his youth. Herzl's appearance conquered his heart and nailed him to the national movement. Together with Berl Korech, Isaac Brik and others he dedicated himself to contributing the Shekel, collecting funds to settling Eretz Yisrael, selling JNF stamps, giving and emptying JNF boxes, organizing a Zionist Minyan, selling shares of the Settlement Treasury, contributing shares of the Israel Land Development Company, distributing Zionist pamphlets and Revival newsletters, in short, everything that was a Zionist action. Obviously, Wessler was also part of the Hebrew Lovers Branch, where he was a lively spirit. Awake and active in all areas he dedicated much of his time and energy to the Zionist Movement.

Wessler's eyes were turned toward Zion from the very beginning, and in that spirit of pure Zionism he educated his children. In the beginning of the Pioneer's Aliya after World War One his daughter Lea made Aliya and later his second daughter, too, and in the summer of 1925, he arrived as well, to design a plan and a base for the Aliya of the rest of the family. His financial situation was not good and he persisted in his survival struggle back in Rovno, anticipating the day he will make Aliya and join the Bonim. Meanwhile he continued his life as a Zionist in the diaspora, until the terrible storm broke out and swept away Rovno's community and with it the blessed Wessler's household.

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