Members of the collective in Kaunas From right to left: Dusiaters Lanka Visakolsky, Zeldka Charit, Rivka Pores [Chana's sister]

Dusiaters in Eretz Yisrael Rivka Pores (right) next to her relative Micha Baron

Rachel Vitkin (Shub)^[2]: Chana and Rivka's father (Yoel Pores) was a butcher, and in the shtetl there was a rumor that when the bank director wasn't in his office, it meant that he was visiting the Pores family to “milk” the father, in order to prevent the bank from going bankrupt. The man was as sturdy as an oak tree, one of those Jews described by Zalman Schneor as “fun di dembene Yidden“ [one of those oaken Jews]. Despite the fact that he was rich, the family lived modestly. In addition they also had a plot of land and engaged in actual agriculture.

It was an extended family, the glory of which was their sister Altke, a girl with initiative, and a good, convincing talker. She was the coordinator of the local Hechalutz branch and the “Kapai“^[3] fundraising campaign for the laborers in Eretz Yisrael.

A special character in the family was the grandmother, Sara-Leah. She was an expert at cupping glasses. When Sara-Leah walked through the streets, the youth and children used to run away as fast as they could. She used to carry the cupping glasses in a large red kerchief, ready to place them any time on whoever needed them.

…Our hachshara was an agricultural one on a huge farm on the Lithuanian-Latvian border. Some of the land was across the border, and we had problems of crossing the border. We worked mainly in sugar beets. It was backbreaking work and we were forced to compete with the farmers' daughters… Rivka was a wonderful worker and excelled at work. She was always praised…

Eliezer Rabinowitz: While we were in the moshava Givat Hen, Rivka worked as a successful sorter in the citrus groves in Ra'anana, and they used to fight over her, because the growers considered her an excellent and responsible worker.

When we came to Kibbutz Ramat Hashofet, Rivka fought for her right to work in the orchards. Agriculture was her life's dream. She fitted in well with the workers in the orchards.

In Alon Hanotea [The Growers' Bulletin] that came out in 1949, among other things she wrote: “…Not many women members work in agriculture in our kibbutz, especially not in the orchards. Specifically in this branch, women can help a lot…”

Sisters Chana (right) and Rivka (left) hosting their friend Sheinke Chaitowitz on a visit from South Africa “When you are longing for me, then look at me …”

2. The memoir commemorating Rivka Klass (Pores), Barama, Ramat Hashofet, 19 September 1991, Rachel Vitkin, pp. 10-11. Return
3. Acronym for Keren Poalei Eretz Yisrael – established by Poalei Zion [Workers of Zion] in order to raise funds for the workers in the land of Israel. Return

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