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The Tze'irei Mizrahi

HeHalutz HaMizrahi in Tomaszow, Hol HaMoed Pesach, 5685 [1925] First row from right rear: Shmuel Goldstein, Israel Eisen, Vanna Neu (Holding the Banner), Moshe Feier, Yitzhak Hochman, unknown; Second row: Leib'l Lakher, Mott'l Taress, unknown, Yoss'l Tepler, Ber'ish Putter, Zeinvil Filmer; Third row: Chaim Lazar, unknown, Fyvel Blonder, Hirsch Reis, Wertman, Yoss'l Singer, Nahum Ber Glass; Sitting: Simcha Haut, Piurl, Nahum Ratzimer, Ary' Arbesfeld, Shmuel Hanarow

And so, during the time of The First World War, with the departure of the Russians from [this] section of Poland, and the entry of the Germans, the Zionist movement began to spread out with a surprising speed. This was to the point that not a single city and town remained, in which there had not been established some sort of Zionist organization. The Zionist Histadrut, which up to that time existed only clandestinely, under the heel of oppression by the Czarist police, which held sway over most of Poland, received, at that time, a very strong push to organize itself anew, and most of the people, especially the youth, rallied to its flag.

It was at that time that many Zionist organizations were founded by religious Jewish people under the name, ‘Mizrahi.’ Despite the fact that the basic line of the very pious, especially of the Hasidim, was in those days opposed to the Zionist concept, and there were even instances that they went out to do overt battle with Zionism – despite this, many of the religious Jews were aroused, as previously mentioned, and among them, were many of the greats from the ranks of the Rabbinate, and they founded chapters of the ‘Mizrahi,’ whose foundations were laid by the Great Leaders if the Jewish people, with Rabbi Reines, ז”ל at their head, as far back as even 5662 [1902] in Vilna.

The first Mizrahi organization was established in our city of Tomaszow in the year 5677 [1917], and its ranks contained young and old alike. And immediately with its establishment, it began to develop initiatives to branch out, into all parts of the Zionist movement – however due to the great fire that broke out in Tomaszow in the summer of 5678 [1918], in which most of the city went up in flames, the work was ceased for a short time. With the end of the war, at the end of 5678 [1918] and the establishment of liberated Poland, the

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activity was resumed at full blast.

However, the young people felt that the confinement of being enclosed in the same unit with the elders was too constricting; especially, they came to realize that as young people, they were obligated to special responsibilities, apart from those that Mizrahi has in general, and in order to realize them properly, there is a need for a separate organization of young folk. It was then that ‘Tze'irei Mizrahi’ arose. The matter was executed, understandably, on a national level. – The ‘Tze'irei Mizrahi’ was established in our city of Tomaszow in the year 5680 [1920], which served to centralize in its ranks the elite of the religious young people of the city, many of them from the ranks of the Bet HaMedrash.

The organizer and first head of this organization was the comrade, Nahum Dove Glass, הי”ד. As understood, he also came to the movement from the bench of a Bet HaMedrash, even though, before this, he was already imbued with the spirit of religious Zionism and was already fluent in the Hebrew language. Among the members of the first steering committee the following were nominated: Shmuel Goldstein ז”ל, and to be set apart for long life, Nahum Ratzimer, Shmuel Hanarow, and Joseph Singer.

A short interruption came to an end with the conclusion of the war between the Poles and the Bolsheviks, even though the work resumed with additional vigor after the cessation of hostilities. Here, we must recollect our comrade Yaakov Arbesfeld הי”ד, who at that time joined the ‘Tze'irei Mizrahi’ movement. He was a first class force for organization, and in that time, he because the central figure of the Mizrahi movement in Tomaszow in general, up to the last days before The Second World War.

The ‘Tze'irei Mizrahi’ branch in Tomaszow was thought to be among the most important in the Polish State. There was not a single conference of the movement in which it did not participate. As far back as the year 5681 [1921] they sent their principal people to the first national conference in Warsaw. These were the comrade, Pinchas Neuhaus, the son of the Rabbi, R' Nachman זצ”ל of Tomaszow, and he was also then elected to the central committee. With the rising strength of the pioneering movement, the ‘Tze'irei Mizrahi’ of Tomaszow were among the first who founded ‘HeHalutz HaMizrahi’ in the year 5684 -1924], and immediately, in the same year, ‘Nagariya’ was founded beside it in Tomaszow, and many of its members acquired carpentering skills there, and then made aliyah afterwards, and earn their living from this trade to this day.

In the year 5685 [1925], an agricultural station was established by ‘HeHalutz HaMizrahi’ in the village of Martyn, where comrades from the entire area received their training to make aliyah and because of this, several of the comrades were sent for agricultural training at the central agricultural station of the Mizrahi at Skoczkowo [sic: Kolonia, Pock]. among them were: Moshe Feier and Yeshay' Gruzhinsky ז”ל, and to be set apart for long life, comrade Shmuel Weisser.

In the years 5685-7 [1925-7], leading conferences took place n Tomaszow, of all the organizations of ‘HeHalutz HaMizrahi’ in the area, with the participation of the prime movers from the central committee.

Apart from the pioneering work, many worked in the fields of education and culture. Hebrew lessons were arranged, Tanakh, Talmud, and other subjects. It is our obligation here to recollect our comrade Bezalel Bezek (Bizinsky), as the organizer of the international day of Mizrahi that took place for a while in Tomaszow, and he stood at the head of the movement. He dedicated a great deal of his time and ideas, especially to the cultural work and worked a great deal in general to strengthen the movement in Tomaszow.

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The years 5688-90 [1928-30] were quiet years, in relation to the Zionist movement, and the work contracted somewhat during this time. However, beginning in 5691 [1931], years of pride came. New members joined in the work, many of these already having received their education in the ‘Yavneh’ School. Among them were the Kawenczuk brothers ז”ל, and to be separated for long life, Shabtai Wasserman, and others. – At the head of the movement stood comrade Shmuel Weisser, which developed especially well then, and attracted most of the religious youth in the city to its center.

At the end of my memoir, I see that I have an obligation to dedicate several lines to praise one man, that even though he not once was a member of the Histadrut of ‘Tze'irei Mizrahi,’ worked constantly with enthusiasm, and imposed a compelling influence on it. I am referring her to Mr. Chaim Lehrer, without whom, according to my view, it is not possible to write about the Mizrahi initiate at all. He affiliated with the Mizrahi during the early days of its establishment, and immediately attracted the general sympathies withing the movement, being, at that time, among the young people in the Bet HaMedrash who was among the most talented and he was immediately selected to be secretary. With the passage of a little time, he served as the acting chairman, and after wards was selected as the chairman, and he served in this capacity to the final period. He dedicated so much time to ‘Mizrahi,’ [so much] energy and enthusiasm, to the point where it was hard to figure out how he had any time for his own personal details. In general, he was the living spirit in the entire movement, all this, even though he never received any remuneration, only for the good of the ideal, to which he was committed with his entire soul.

Today, comrade Lehrer lives in Israel, and he is a director in the company that publishes books on ‘origins’ – To this day, he is very warm to all those who know him and were friends from the old days, and their blessings will follow him always.

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The leadership of HaShomer HaTza'ir and Kibbutz Benatayim

[Members of] Kibbutz Benatayim in Tomaszow

The Kibbutz at work

The chapter of HaShomer HaTza'ir in Tomaszow was organized in the summer of 1933, at the time when a detachment from the Kibbutz Benatayim from Lublin came for a conclave. This was a Kibbutz of HaShomer HaTza'ir.^[1]

I will never forget the Jewish Kibbutzniks in our city.

Young Jewish boys and girls went to the hardest labor in factories and brick making operations, as well as going to chop wood for the balebatim of the town, as well as for Jewish bakeries. It was not only once that we would go along with them to help with the work, because they lacked the [requisite number of] hands for the work. The Jews would look upon them in astonishment, that such refined young people would do such hard labor. Many looked upon them with pity. This, despite the fact that there were many young people who were away at training on kibbutzim. According to what I remember, the first [such organizations] were HeHalutz, HeHalutz HaTza'ir, and Poalei Mizrahi. And many had already made aliyah to Israel.

In the summer of 1933, through the initiative of Joseph Goldman (killed by the Nazis, may their name be erased), Brany Korp ((killed by the Nazis, may their name be erased), Israel Tsan (today in Israel), Chana Lerner (today in Israel), David Joseph Levenfus (today in New York), as well as three comrades from Kibbutz Benatayim, Avra'shi Pinsky, Kan Tzippor and White [sic: Blond] Jacob, we were the first to establish the branch of HaShomer HaTza'ir.

Immediately on the first day, it made a big impression in town on the young people. The branch became very nicely developed in the course of several months. Important real questions were continuously dealt with, Zionist, as well as social. which touched Jewish and general life in that time.

In the course of a short time, three groups were organized: a group of older youth [Bogrim], Group A and Group B.

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We took active part in Keren Kayemet, Keren HaYesod, as well as the league of laborers in the Land of Israel, as well as helping out in a variety of Zionist presentations.

The HaShomer HaTza'ir organization blocked the path of the communists who stalked Jewish youth. Young people, who studied at the Yavneh School as well as public school, found that their place to live out their cultural and social lives was in the HaShomer HaTza'ir branch.

A special interest was placed on the Hebrew [language] classes. Interesting Oneg Shabbat programs, strolls, and especially the gray ‘suite’ and the ‘tie’ [sic: scarf] added a touch of grace to the young people. The culmination of the endeavor came, when we linked up with Kibbutz ‘BeMa'aleh’ in Plonsk. This added importance to our branch. And three of our members were designated to go for training.

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Elected Members of the P.Ts.Ts.T. From right to left: Abraham Meldung, Nathan Mittler In the second row: Israel Wertman and Levitt – an emissary from the Land of Israel

A group of Halutzim which was traveling for training From the right, seated: Yaakov Herbstman, Unknown, Leah Zilberstein, Chaim Balsenbaum Standing: Fishl Zilbergeld, Joseph Laneil, Toba Stempel, Yuda Zilberstein, Chana Szparer, and Getz'l Berger

Entering in my long kapote to sign up, they demanded a signature from my father indicating that he gives me permission ( because under the age of 18, that signature was required, and I was at that time 14-15 years old). Hearing the news, I didn't know what to do, because obtaining that signature was worse than trying to split the Red Sea, and in the end, falling on a stratagem, my older brother Paltiel gave me such a signature and, fortunately, I became, as was then said, a “scout.”

The HaShomer HaTza'ir was established, encompassing almost the best of the young people of our city. In that time, the goals were to develop the young people spiritually and physically. It carried no political character. Four groups were created according to age. each group had a group head, and the work was carried out accordingly, that is, each group had a variety of courses, such as, for example: Hebrew [language], the Geography of the Land of Israel, Jewish History, etc. Also, trips into the forests around Tomaszow for the entire night, trips to Bilgoraj, Rawa Ruska, everything that could be assumed under the name of “scouting.” In Poland this was called “Hartzet.” and there was also a sports club as part of the organization, called “HaKoakh,” under the direction of Mr. Edelstein, such that when we went out for a “match” with the gymnasium club “Tomosofia” we scored “goals” against them to the extent that they threw stones at us out of anger, and we barely got away alive.

I am reminded of a rather nice curiosity that befell me. At the time that the land conference of HaShomer HaTza'ir was supposed to have taken place, it was necessary for us in town to send three delegates and all three were female, so, our young men bruited about their dissatisfaction that not one of them could be found among the three delegates. Not a single male was appointed to be sent as a delegate. But, if one is traveling to a HaShomer conference, it is necessary to don a HaShomer insignia, and at that time, I was still going

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about dressed in a small Jewish cap, as it was called. But what does one do, so it was decided that I would travel to Belzec in my [current] garb, and my group would bring me the insignia, and that's the way it was, in Belzec, for the first time, I changed my outfit to wear short pants, with a broad Brazilian hat, to the point that I did not recognize myself. For the first time in my life I saw a metal train, which was approximately in the year 1920. Imagine what kind of an impression all of this made on me. Arriving in Lublin, where I met with representatives from all over Poland, where, at first, we were led into a great forest where the first conclave was held in the fresh air, as is appropriate for scouts. And I, being weary from the whole tumult, went up to the attic of a shtibl, and slept there for a day and a night, so fast, that the girls who had come with me, Rivka Auerbach, Leah Barnstein, Leah Wasserman, did not know what had happened to me. When I awoke, and went down from the shtibl attic, I saw a representation in the following words: Since it is now a day since the delegate named Asher Herbstman has disappeared, we represent that anyone who knows anything about him, or has heard something about him, to please communicate with the head office. So, indeed, I immediately went to report that I had seen the lost party, and indeed, I was him.

And the HaShomer HaTza'ir organization existed this way until the year 1925, approximately, when at the same time, the HeHalutz organization began to get organized, to which many of the young people from HaShomer HaTza'ir transferred. At that time, new winds began to blow in liberated Poland, wins of anti-Semitism, such that Tomaszow youth no longer sought to engage in scouting. Rather, they began to seek “practical” existential paths for themselves, and no such path could be found in our town. It was at that time that the question was posed: Where? That “Where” was indeed found in the HeHalutz organization, whose mission was to send its members to training places, in order to prepare them for physically demanding work, which we had never experienced, and then make aliyah to the Land of Israel.

The founding of the general HeHalutz movement, was, as can be said, a salvation for many of the youth of our town, which enabled aliyah to the Land of Israel. In HeHalutz, we conducted a widespread cultural and Zionist endeavor, and this also existed within this organization a HeHalutz HaTza'ir, that is, a pioneering youth group, to recruit the younger cohorts in place of the members of HeHalutz that had gone on, some to training, and others making aliyah to the Land of Israel.

During the first years of HeHalutz, an intensive branching effort was underway, and in the later years, when members had traveled off, the tempo of work was felt to be diminished. There also was no lack of curiosities: for example on a night one time, Bracha Stern came running to me, soaked, with a shout. “Asher!” Come quickly to the local office, Yaak'l Bekher is waiting there. Already on the way, Yaak'l Bekher encounters me, and asks me, can you provide me with ten members for training in Kibbutz “Dror,” near Zolkiew, and not thinking for a minute, I immediately called a general meeting, in order to select candidates for Kibbutz “Dror.” After half a night of discussions, we found a number of candidates to send for training, mostly girls.

I have to recall yet another curiosity, because it paralyzed and choked off the work of HeHalutz for a longer time: at a given sitting of the committee, someone proposed that in recognition for my ten years of activity in HeHalutz, I should be awarded a gold medal. Several members, not feeling good in this situation, exactly why I cannot recall, split the HeHalutz into female and male divisions, that is, all of the females stood behind Neta Eisen, and the male members stood on my side. And accordingly, it was bruited about: Which HeHalutz are you in, the women's or the men's....

This entire situation continued and reached to the “HeHalutz Central,” to the extent that every time, they sent us emissaries such as My'tcheh Hoffman and Yochanan Morgenstern to put the riven HeHalutz organization back together.

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In the end, the unity of the HeHalutz organization was re-established, with a renewed intensive work on all fronts we once again approached the realization of the goal, which was “aliyah,” such that, in the year 1934, I made aliyah, along with such comrades as Y. Herbstman, Y. Lionel, Sh. Zilberman, Ph. Zilbergold, Y. Lerner, Ph. Stahl, B. Stern, R. Herbstman, M. Brafman, G. Szparer, D. Weissleder, M. Lieberman, R. Wertman, and others that I cannot remember. As you can see, this was the active core of “HeHalutz,” so that the leadership of the organization passed over into younger hands with young energy and strength.

However, fate decreed otherwise. When the Hitler hordes marched into Tomaszow, and with the annihilation of the Jewish population of Tomaszow, the heroic HeHalutz organization was also exterminated, and with them the entire vibrant youth of our city.

In summary, we have here a reflection of our first youth organizations, whose programs did not encompass any political activity. Now I will describe the older and political party, named “Poalei Tzion,” as the “Rightist” were called, because there was no left-wing Poalei Tzion in our tow, not even for medical care. One could find everything in the city, such as “bund” a split off communist Bund, split Zionists, “Al HaMishmar,” and “Eyt Livnot,” Trotskyist communists, and just plain communists, but “Left Wing Poalei Tzion” were not to be found.

The first sprouts of the “Poalei Tzion” movement were raised in 1917 with the return to Tomaszow from Russia of the Messrs. Shiflinger Abe Tevel Eilbaum. It still did not have the character of an organized party, just a participation in all the Jewish institutions in which in that time, the majority of the members of Poalei Tzion took part. In the shoe and clothing cooperative, under the direction of Mr. Shiflinger, who was at that time already a party member, and also the Jewish kitchen, which was supported by the American “Joint.” Who does not remember the song: “Der Khaver Volf firt di kinder to Kushtsyushki Shteyn,” also a member of Poalei Tzion. Also, who does not recall the mass assembly in the “Dom Ludowy” for the installation of the new Poland, when Messrs. Tevel'eh Eilbaum and Mott'l Blank, at the head of a gathered group, strode out in parade, carrying red flags, as well as members of Poalei Tzion, and it was from these single and small number of members, that in the year 1923, with the arrival of comrade Baum from Chelm, and comrade Back, the first organized and centralized “Poalei Tzion Party” was established. We had our first party meeting at the home of Eli' Rofeh Crazier, in which counted several goodly tens of members, from a variety of laboring and proletarian population sectors in Tomaszow. These were the first who could be called “Zionist-Socialist Worker's Party of Poalei Tzion,” because at that time, it was there that almost all the workers, who wanted to adopt a proletarian ethos, concentrated themselves.

I, along with such comrades as Sh. Hauled, M. Lichtenfeld, who specialized in printing and carpentry, also found our place in the Poalei Tzion Party. Then, up to that time, it was the most active party on all fronts, such as internal cultural work, to external political work, such as elections to the Polish Sejm, municipal council elections, or elections to the Zionist Congress.

I recall a curiosity when elections had to take place for the municipal council, the worst battle came about over the municipal cemetery. Nathaniel the Lame lived there, and all the parties fought over his vote as if the entire election hung on his vote. It go so, that on the bridge over the river before reaching the cemetery, they would run to grab R' Nathaniel and hustle him off to vote. So I observed a fight taking place on the bridge, and how people were falling off the bridge into the river. Seeing how poor M. Eilbaum was lying wounded, and stretched out in the river, I quickly called to our comrades for help. With the arrival of these friends, we made an agreement with the representatives of the “Bund,” the Zionist Organization, “Agudah,” that there should be no more fighting over R“ Nathaniel. Rather, we would take a horse-drawn cart, and place

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him in it, and that each party may have a representative escort him, and take him to the polling place. There, he can vote for whatever party he chooses to. Whoever did not see this cortege, with the wagon, and the accompaniment of the representatives of the parties, has not seen anything more beautiful.

But the party work continued to carry out its local activity. At that time the Manual Trades Union was established, and with the departure of the Messrs. Baum, Sztrulzer and others, a certain weakness began to be felt in party life. We began to go off from the party headquarters to a second place, but the salvation came from a second side, as one says, “God provides the cure for the plague.” At that time, a merger of “Poalei Tzion and Tze'irei Tzion took place, after which, it was called “Poalei Tzion Ts. S.” This has a repercussion in our town. Before the merger, a variety of intensive consultations took place in which the basis for the merged party was firmly put in place.

In the year 1926, the fiery general convention took place, where fiery speeches were given by both parties. A General committee was also elected that consisted of: Fyvel Holtz, Simcha Haut, and myself, from “Poalei Tzion.” Israel Wertman, Shimshon Holtz from Tze'irei Tzion. Since the merger that created the united party, called “Poalei Tzion Ts. S.” was an auspicious one, we immediately began to carry out many-branched party efforts.

First we rented a headquarters consisting of three rooms (at Novashelsky's). Every Friday at dusk, a sit down meeting took place, in which almost all the parties participated. Every Saturday, during the day, a presentation on real and cultural themes. Our representatives took part in a;; the various committees of te city, such as: “Keren Kayemet,” “Keren HaYesod,” “The Jewish School Organization,” etc. A “HaPoel Club” was also founded, which had the mission of developing the youth of Tomaszow physically, in many areas, but the essential mission of the party was to create a reserve of youth for the party, with the idea, that as the older party members went off, whether to South America, or to the Land of Israel, and so that there not be a vacant shell, the party committee gave me the task, as the party secretary, to found a “Freiheit” youth group. Knowing as I did, that the party thinks of the “Freiheit” organization as a reserve for the party, threw myself into the creation of the “Freiheit” with my entire enthusiasm.

Freiheit consisted of young people from the age of 14 to 18 years who, during that time, had to be prepared to become culturally enlightened, in order that they understand, that upon entering the party, what will be required of them as a member of the party.

This work was not the easiest, especially when the human resources was a collage assembled from the poorest and most deprived of the yong people, but in spite of this, with a strong will, everything was pushed through. Every evening, discussions took place on a variety of problems, and the members were included in circles, for sociology, Zionist issues, “Freiheit” and party matters. In the course of a specific time, the young Freiheit members created a Freiheit “Scout” [troop], consisting of the 10-14 years olds, whose mission was to embrace all of the scouting developments such as: hikes, summer colonies, and a variety of sporting events.

There was no lack of curious incidents here as well. You needed to se when the members of the party got together in the scouting headquarters, where the comrades Ph. Holtz, Y. Eilbaum, Y. Wertman were. When the “Freiheit” members and the scouts began to sing the song: “We are young, and our minds are young,” at that time, the previously mentioned members would go into such an ecstasy in singing along the song “We are young,” one could not distinguish the young from the old, since everything was caught up in the harmony such that the joy and ardor of the young Freiheit members attracted the attention of not only the

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party members, but even all of the passersby, in order to hear the singing of the “Trask Group” which is the way they used to be called.

So, when I arrived in Tomaszow in the year 1938, on a trip, that was the year before The Second World War, I encountered a modern “club” already which was located at Mr. Goldman's on the Kosciuszko street, with 3-4 rooms, in which all of the previously mentioned organizations concentrated themselves.

A year later, with the outbreak of the [Second] World War, and with the marching in of the Hitler beasts into our town, with the extermination of the Jewish populace of Tomaszow, everything that had been created during this entire period was also completely destroyed.

However, one solace remained for us, the ideal that the youth of Tomaszow strived towards, could not be destroyed by the Nazi forces. It is precisely the ideal of the young membership that provided help in the establishment of the “Jewish State,” where the remnant of our town could come and, anew, establish a life on firm foundations.

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With the outbreak of The First World War, all the institutional order of the old way of life fell apart, especially in the year 1915, when the Russian forces were driven out by the German-Austrian armies, Jewish life emerged from its highly confined container, and began to organize itself on modern foundations, each in their own ambit, with the effort to spread its ideals and principles. The leaders of “Haredi” Jewry felt the danger that the new life posed for the observant Jew, and especially for the younger generation, and therefore began to organize themselves under the banner of “Agudat HaOrtodoksim,” and later settled on the name “Agudat Shlomei Emunei Yisrael.” However, because the Lublin Province was occupied by the Austrians, and administered by them under the name of “Small Poland,” where they had complete hegemony, and “Great Poland,” with Warsaw at its head, was controlled by Germany, and despite the fact that they were tied down on the battlefield, nevertheless, there existed a formal border between these two powers, with a formal passport requirement and all the strict border rules. It is because of this, that the entire Lublin area, with Tomaszow included, was torn away from the head of Polish Jewry, from the capitol city of Warsaw. And, literally, there was no relationship that existed between the two, and this strongly dampened and attenuated the established party activities. Also because of the woes brought on by the war itself, a cessation of activities occurred.

It was first in the year 1918, after The First World War, with the establishment of the newly liberated and independent Poland, all the Jewish movements underwent a revival. And it was at this time, that the notorious pogroms began to fall on the heads of the Jews, from the so called Hallerists. The high water mark of these pogroms was reached in the neighboring city of Lemberg, where the Ukrainian followers of [Semyon] Petlura in partnership with the Polish Hallerists, carried out the terrifying pogrom. All of these occurrences strongly influenced Jewish youth. That part from the nationalist camp saw the only salvation and way out through the adoption and development of “Zionism,” and those from the Marxist-Socialist camp saw the only solution in the refrain “Workers of the World Unite!” and in class war. Both together threw themselves with a youthful impetus and enthusiasm upon the perpetually observant Jewish populace, in order to draw them and their followers into their party headquarters. They cast a special eye upon the observant youth, and tore hunks from them with the solution and goal of: “In order to attain the new, it is necessary to tear down and destroy the old.” In the Jewish streets, one began to hear solutions such as: “A death blow to Orthodoxy! Down with clericalism! Free yourselves from enslavement to the Torah! Take your destiny into your own hands! Break down the Orthodox fortresses! Free the young from the old phantasm! Religion is the opiate of the masses! ” And similar appetizing pronouncements from the party headquarters. And, with the help of libraries, presentations, and elections, the observant, unaffiliated and mild-mannered youth were drawn in, and led away from the good way.

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In that time, men of Torah, who were God-fearing, Hasidim, men of action, with responsibility for the community at large, gathered and deliberated this newly created situation, and the great danger that the fiery tongues of the party ideologies and activities might, God forbid, bring down all of Orthodoxy. The writer of these lines was among the participants. During the time of the Counting of the Omer, in 5679 [1919] the new, independent Orthodox organization, called “Shlomei Emunei Yisrael,” was fortunately established in Tomaszow, at the head of which stood, R' David Weitzman, R' Mikhl Yuda Lehrer, R' Ary' Heller, R' Mikhl Yuda Flag, R' Meir Klarman, R' Yitzhak ben Reuven Gartler, R' Yekhezkiel Lehrer, R' David Peril, and myself. As for myself, there was nothing too difficult to do, in order to disseminate the Agudah concept. First, we organized public study lessons, we began to distribute the Orthodox Jewish press in Warsaw, visited with the parents of children to clarify the danger of belonging to the new organizations, calling for gatherings of young people to explain to them the Agudah standpoint about life.

The liberated party officials sensed the strength of the opposition, which had begun to get organized, and attempted with all methods to prevent the establishment of the Agudah. The writer of these lines became the target of all their arrows, attempts at undermining, and talebearing, and suffered no little from abuse and embarrassments for my energy-driven work and soul-based commitment. The “birth pangs” of the Agudah were very intense, but, with God's help, and with literally superhuman energies, it was given to us to establish the Agudah as a living factor in the community life of the Tomaszow congregation. Not only did it retard the spread of an alien spirit in observant homes, but it also became a great social and political force that all the other parties had to reckon with.

From time-to-time, we were visited by Agudah lecturers such as te Rabbi of Felcow, Koyler Rabbi R' Klein, Eliezer Gershon Friedensohn, Yuda Leib Orlian, etc.

The Agudah immediately, at the outset, saw that the core of its activities must be the “Babes of the House,” and it immediately began by taking over supervision of “Private Melamdim,” examining children, etc. However, when this stormy period was over, these activities slackened a bit. Most of all, a principal deficiency lay in that at the head of the party stood people from one branch of Hasidism, (The Ger Hasidim), and the fact that Mizrahi organized a communal school, called “Torah VoDa'ath, had a bad impact, in which secular studies took place along with religious studies, and those who did not want to send their children to Mizrahi, were compelled to send them to the public school, named Szkola Powszechna, or not to provide any secular elementary education at all, which not every father was prepared to agree to. The question was very urgent, and demanding, and a number of attempts were made to organize one independent “Heder” with secular studies, but without success. Various pitfalls and difficulties were encountered and it was thought that this was lost forever. In the end, thanks to heavenly oversight, the local Cieszanow-Sanz Hasidim in Tomaszow invited the famous Gaon and Tzaddik, R' Ary' Leibusz Rubin זצלה”ה, the Bet Din Senior of Cieszanow, son of the daughter of the Holy Gaon, and Diaspora Leader the author of “Divrei Chaim” of Sanz, and may he be remembered in Eden, son-in-law of the Holy Gaon author of Divrei Simcha of Cieszanow, an alert and scholarly Jewish man, full of fire, a holy flame, with just the right Sanz ardor with good manner and deportment, a man of grace with the power to attract, a man of responsibility and concern of the general welfare.^[1]

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The entirety of Orthodoxy, from all manner of Hasidim, to the common masses, simple folk, are swept up by his enchanting personality. From hosting Tischen, and fervent worship, he especially electrifies the young people, and brings a reinvigoration, and a spiritual elevation is sensed by the participants in the Bet HaMedrash. Even the secular Jews are drawn to him with honor and respect. It is given to the Rabbi of Cieszanow to create a tight personal circle, who like veteran loyal soldiers, are prepared to carry out every order of his, in a disciplined fashion, and in him, the Agudah truly acquired a pillar of steel, even if, officially, he was not a member of the Agudah.

The “Tze'irei Agudat Yisrael” prospered especially well [under him], which became a fortress of Yiddishkeit in the entire vicinity, and in the end, with newly established powers, with the full energetic and spiritual influence of the Rabbi of Cieszanow זצ'ל, the Agudah 'Heder” named “Yesodei HaTorah,” was established. In the year 5683 [1923], a full-time school was opened with 140 students from beginning Pentateuch study up to higher studies, Gemara with Tosafot and Commentaries, as well as compulsory secular studies for at least a half hour a day. I was given the responsibility of being the Principal of the Heder, to which, as well-known in the entire city, I gave my best energies, heart and mind, and our work was crowned with success. The students advanced to heights in their education, and excelled in manners and decorum. In the entire province, whoever wanted to give their child a well-regarded education, sent them to the Agudah Heder, to the degree, that the number of students reached 223 children. In the Heder, we rose from one level to the next, and gave great visibility to the Agudah, such that the Agudah became the largest political party in our city, and at the first municipal elections, the Agudah, own its own claimed 5 members elected as Dozors (members of the municipal council). At the completion of the cycle of study for a tractate of the Talmud, resulting from the daily study program [sic: Daf Yomi], a public “completion ceremony” is arranged, where the Rabbis of the Agudah appear together with the learners. And on some occasions, the Rabbi of Cieszanow זצ”ל also participates, whose ardent words, and words of encouragement provide a lasting inspiration for further energetic work, for strengthening the faith, the dissemination of Torah, and Fear of God.

Once, a joint Siyyum was arranged between the Agudah Heder and the learners of the Daf Yomi. The highest class of “Yesodei HaTorah” had completed the study of the Tractate Baba Kama, and the Daf Yomi, [the Tractate] Pesakhim. In this connection a general examination of the best of the students was arranged, who had memorized thirty sides of the Gemara with Tosafot from the Tractate Baba Kama, in the original language. The outstanding students of that time were: Gershon Brand. Elimelekh Heller, Jonah Singer, Mordechai Szpul, הי”ד, and, separated for ling life, Rabbi Sholom Yekhezkiel Rubin, an others. the last also read the final portion of the Tractate. The people were just taken by the depth of knowledge and familiarity that the young people possessed. R' Shmuel Lubert, ע”ה an elderly Jewish man, who was a Torah scholar, cried out of joy, and because of this, danced with the young children.

It is these kinds of festivities and parties that ignited the fire of Torah in Jewish hearts, and the Tomaszow Agudah was the lighthouse and guiding beam for the Torah-conscious Jewry of Tomaszow, and its vicinity. It was in this manner, that our poor, laboring brethren of Tomaszow and its vicinity spread Torah-based Yiddishkeit May their memory burn brightly forever.

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Among its leadership and, active Agudah members, were:

R' Yekhezkiel and Mikhl Yuda Lehrer, R' Mikhl Yuda Pflug, David Schwindler, Mikhl Shafran, Abraham Yekhezkiel Biederman, Neta Heller, Yitzhak Gartler, Yitzhak Meir Gartler, R' David Peril, Pinchas Szparer, R' Alter Stahl and R' David Gartler.

Leaders of Tze'irei Agudat Yisrael in Tomaszow From the right: Leib'l Mermelstein (Chairman), Joseph Friedlander, (Vice-Chairman), Leib'l Lehrer (Secretary)

It was the second instance of a fresh generation that exhibited more initiative, with organizational skills, such as Leib'l Mermelstein, Leib'l Lehrer, Joseph Friedlander, Yeshay' Heller, Mordechai Banzer and Sinai Stender.

The fresher generation of young people demonstrated even more alertness and Agudah-related activity, those who had been entirely educated on the lap of the ideal off the Agudah movement, such as the men, Rabbi Meir Rubin, Yitzhak Meir Pflug, Baruch Oder, Baruch Akst, Gershon Brand, Melech Heller, Chaim Yehoshua Biederman, Jonah Singer, Abraham Singer, Ben Zion Schneider, Hirsch and Asher Reis, Yehoshua Goldstein, Yehoshua Niedergang, Leib'l Wermuth, Shimon Tanenbaum, Yaakov Moshe Tepler, and Mendl Pflug.

Leaders of Tze'irei Agudat Yisrael in Tomaszow Standing from the right: Asher Reis, Yaakov Eliezer ben R' David Gartler, Leib'l Wermuth, Peretz ben R' Sholom Singer, Simcha Rubin, Fishl Szparer, Israel Moshe Biederman, Fyvel Fersht, Shlomo Goldstein, Meir Wolf ben R' David Ofen, and Yitzhak Meir ben R' Baruch Youngman Seated: The spiritual leaders Chaim Yehoshua Biederman, Rabbi Y. Rubin and David Yud'l Szur

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The last of the organization were the Perakhim [sic: Flowers], who were a vanguard and a reservoir that brought fresh resources and the cohorts of the young in order to remind the leaders of the Perakhim, Yud'l Szur and Yaakov Poncer.

Formally, a branch of Poalei Agudat Yisrael also existed, but they did not carry out any special activities. These were young shtibl boys who worked for a couple of hours during the day, bu this is not what caused them to be organized as 'workers.' It was only as a result of a difference of opinion with the other young men, did they want to become independent with their own seal and a president….the leaders were Shlomo Gartler and Shmuel Szparer.

The Agudah, and its youth organizations, were active in raising money for the Agudah institutions, such as, Keren HaYishuv, Keren HaTorah, Yeshiva Khakhmei Lublin, etc., and raising money in general for the genteel poor, that came from faraway places. However, the crown of their endeavors was education, such as arranging lessons and learning, ideological debates, and festive Siyyum events for the Daf Yomi, in which each Siyyum injected liveliness and refreshment, but the crowning work was the Agudah Heder.

Because of the pressure to learn the language of the country, an Agudah Heder was organized that included secular studies [for] two hours a day, recognized by the government.

The first principal was R' Yitzhak Meir Gartler, a very energetic man, and a great pedagogue. Afterwards, R' Abraham Yekhezkiel Biederman was the principal, and to the end, R' Chaim Untzig.

Apart from the previously mentioned Agudah activists, the following were members of the Heder Committee: Mikhl Reis, Hertz Feldsehn, Leib'l Rabinovich, Baruch Goldstein, etc.

The Beth Yaakov Teachers with two pupils: Berenblatt and Singer

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At the top stand the Leaders of Tze'irei Agudat Yisrael (The date shown is: 12 Sivan 5693, or June 6, 1933) From the right [top]: Yitzhak Meir Pflug, Rabbi Meir Rubin and Mordechai Ganzer The next row of the Perakhim, from the right: Shlomo ben R' David Gartler, Mendl ben R' Neta Heller, Chaim Yehoshua Biederman, Ben Zion Schneider, Shmuel Szparer, Yaakov Pancer, Yud'l Szur, Ber'l Schwindler, and Greenbaum Third row: Sinai ben R' Joseph Shapiro, Taubenblatt, Moshe ben R' Lipa Maltz, Yud'l ben R' Zalman Brand, and Leib'l Fersht Sitting: Mordechai ben R' David Schwindler, Wolf Feil, Shimon Tanenbaum, Shmuel Kaufman, Herschel Szpritzer, Yitzhak Meir Youngman, and Moshe Strasberg Last row by the sign: Natan ben R' Shlomo Akst, Moshe ben R' Neta Heller, and David ben R' Ary' Heller

My closest friend, his father was R' David Pearl ע”ה, who was an educated young man, a Jewish man of insight, and on top of all this an ardent Ger Hasid. On the Sabbath, he would study a bit from Sfat Emet with us, or add an incisive word from the Khidushei HaRI”M, which sharpened out intellect, but who, tragically, died at a very young age. Yisroel'ki took over the fatherly burdens and led his father's house and provided for his mother and the orphans. He himself was married in Kamenka Star, and lived in Tomaszow until its destruction.

His father, R' Hirsch Yisroel'keh's sat day and night in the Cieszanow Shtibl and studied [continuously]. Mott'l was an only son. I studied together with him, but he also had a talent for organization, and indeed, was one of the principal directors of Tze'irei Agudat Yisrael. He was married in Hrubieszow, and remained to live there. There too, he did much to imbue the religious youth with life.

His father, R' Mikhl Yuda ע”ה, was one of the respected people of the city. He was a scholarly Jew, a Hasid, and a man of means. Yitzhak Meir was his oldest son. We studied together in the Cieszanow shtibl. He was also one of the top young men who led the Agudah. He was a commercial type, and even as a young man, he conducted transactions in wood, and was successful. He was married in Bilgoraj. Later, he came back and settled in Tomaszow, where he was again active in the community, especially with Agudah institutions.

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Sinai Stender

A child of the common masses, his father emigrated to America, his mother, Bracha, gave a considerable amount of attention to her Sinai'leh to assure that he grow up being a scholar. And, indeed, he grew up in that spirit, studying in the Cieszanow shtibl, however, his principal activity was the Agudah. He was committed to its ideal with his entire soul, and literally sacrificed himself for it. Every letter and request from the central [office] was like law to him. He was one of what used to be called party-fanatics. At every activity that had contact with the Agudah, he was the first, and no work was too difficult for him. He got married in Lubicz. His parents asked him to come to America, but because of difficulties made for him at the consulate in Warsaw, he was left in the hands of the Germans.

His father, R' Yekhezkiel Lehrer, was one of the important balebatim. [He was] a Ger Hasid, who loved a difficult passage in Ibn Ezra, a smart man, who was used in Rabbinical courts. Leib'l was his beloved, was very gifted with a good head, a good by nature. He was a brilliant young man with a very refined character. He had a great many talents. Apart from scholarship, he played the violin, and was among the few young men who were economically independent. He carried on substantial forestry-related businesses, and was successful. He had an open hand. He was especially active on behalf of the Agudah in the Cieszanow shtibl. He was married in Krasnystow and remained living there.

His father, R' Yerakhmiel HaKohen Mermelstein הי”ד was from the Kielce Hasidim, a very quiet and respected Jew, a leather merchant, who took no part in any community activity, but simply carried on a decent and beautiful Jewish life, and participated in a scheduled lesson of learning every day. When Leib'l was yet a young Heder lad, the Rabbi of Cieszanow drew himself into his father's house. The Rebbe had a great amount of influence on Leib'l, and Leib'l became one of the greatest of his adherents. Leib'l became a great God-fearing man, who rigorously followed set rules, and prayed with great conviction and ardor. Leib'l grew in his capacity for scholarship and Hasidism from year to year, and he becomes the role model of the Cieszanow shtibl. When he got older, and was one of the best of the young scholarly men in the city, he would hold lessons for the younger boys. In general, he was a good soul, the very essence of goodness itself. Leib'l would provision, all the respected Jews who would come from the outside world, with money, food and lodging. Leib'l was the Chairman of the Tze'irei Agudat Yisrael. He did not have much in the way of organizational skills. (In fact, the organization was run by the Vice-Chairman, Joseph Friedlander, today in America., incidentally the Secretary of this Book Committee). It was only his enchanting personality theat elicited respect and consideration. He was married in Rawa Ruska, and remained there.

It is with all these young people that I spent my most beautiful and best years. All of us worked and warmed ourselves by the great light from the great and Holy Rabbi of Cieszanow, Rabbi Gaon, the Tzaddik R' Ary' Leibusz Rubin זצ”ל, which gave purpose to our lives, educating our souls and instilling them with piety. We spent our Sabbath and Festival Days at his Tisch, and his explanations of the Torah gave us courage, his songs and praise created the greatest spiritual joy for us, and raised our spirits. His secular discussions overflowed with wisdom, his love for each and every Jew, and to us in particular, invigorated and refreshed

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us. His encouraging words, and words of comfort healed broken hearts. Every broken heart and heavy spirit found solace in him, and a lifting of the burden, and a joy and happiness reigned over everyone that was with him, or in his presence, which made life easier. And it was in precisely this kind of a place, that we were raised, and we were influenced by his worthy attributes and good deeds, and tragically, in our sinful way, we lost all of them in a tragic fashion הי”ד. Honor their memory!

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David Yehuda ben R' Abraham Shur הי”ד		Yaakov Fantzer, הי”ד

At the time of the German bombardment, on that bloody Thursday, he was wounded by a piece of shrapnel in the foot, and this confined him to bed, and he did not have the possibility to flee. He remained in Tomaszow, and participated in the fate of all the Jews there.

Because the Agudah consisted mostly of an element drawn from the Hasidic balebatim, it was thought that they were not good for anything except studying in the shtibl, arranging for parties celebrating the Siyyum of tractates studied by the Daf Yomi, and conducting Hasidic Yahrzeits with Melaveh Malkehs. Therefore, when it came to elections, whether local or of a national character, they controlled the election strategy just as well as other parties, even when it was necessary to employ force with strength…. In the first years of the elected community organs, during the tenure of Lejzor Lederkremmer, when he was the President, when they did not want to permit a certain point of view to be aired, and the Agudah at that time had a sum total of five Dozors against seven, the Agudah youth sabotaged the electrical lighting, began a tumult, to the extent that the meeting had to be stopped.

The united party of ‘Keren HaYesod’ with Mizrahi at its head, invited Rabbi Kowalski of Wloclawek to Tomaszow, who was a member of the Polish senate. He was a great political and rabbinical personality, and it was announced that Rabbi Kowalski will speak at five o'clock in the Great Synagogue.

The Agudah did not want him to speak, since this would only strengthen Zionism in the city. At that time it was the Sabbath on which the New Month was blessed, for the month of Elul. The Agudah youth developed a plan not to permit Rabbi Kowalski to speak, seeing that the new month of Elul was being blessed, and accordingly it is necessary to do an act of repentance. Because of this, it is expected t arrive in the synagogue at two o'clock to recite Psalms, Naturally, this plan was kept strictly secret, in order that the synagogue remain open.

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When the Zionist groups, with the Mizrahi at their head, began to arrive at the synagogue, and encountered the unexpected guests, seemingly new Psalm reciters at the synagogue, they immediately understood what this meant, but they kept silent. After all, how long does it take to recite Psalms?

Rabbi Kowalski entered the synagogue, and they are still reciting Psalms. When the finished, and began anew to recite the Psalms from the beginning, a tumult erupted, and the young Zionists from all of the groups fell upon the Agudah youth with blows. However, [the Agudah youth] held their ground, made a human chain around the lectern, and again went on to recite the Psalms, until the police arrived and drove the entire assembly out, and locked up the synagogue, and Rabbi Kowalski did not have the opportunity to speak. As revenge, when the Agudah instructor Eliezer Gershon Friedensohn from Lodz wanted to hold an Agudah lecture in the Great Bet HaMedrash, he was prevented from doing so by Zionist youth from all ranks, and he had to leave the Bima. He gave his presentation in the Kielce shtibl.

Party competition injected life and refreshment among the young people.

In the time of the Austrian occupation, political movements began to spread in all directions on the Polish as well as the Jewish street. In Tomaszow, the Zionist movement came to life, in all of its manifestations, and afterwards, also the Bund.

After the liberation of Poland, which fell out a year after the October Revolution in Russia, echoes of a communist movement began being heard. Quietly, it was already being discussed that so-and-so was a communist. It is difficult to know exactly when they initiated their party activities.

Around the end of the summer of 1920, when the Bolsheviks stood near Tomaszow, and one needed to be very circumspect, and agent of the communist party appeared among a group of deserters who were hiding out, and organized a municipal movement, which was to begin functioning immediately after the Soviet military marched in. This is what was relayed secretly from mouth to ear. Nearly nothing materialized from this plan, because apart from the scouting party that once made an appearance during the day on a Saturday, the Russian army was not seen to take possession of the city. Rather, it was at that time that their reverse march began to the border, which had been put in place in accordance with the peace treaty then agreed to between Poland and the Bolsheviks.

In the early years of the twenties, the existence of a communist movement, in Tomaszow and its vicinity, was already discussed with certainty. And in the later twenties, after the Pilsudski regime set itself on a more swinish way and began to compromise the national minorities, the communist ideal began to spread more and more among the latter. The existence of their underground apparatus was no longer a secret to anyone. Arrests and trials directed against communists became an often occurrence in the city. The tallied votes for their list for Sejm elections, even though small in number, also bore witness to a party apparatus that functioned, because no open election campaigning was allowed to be conducted. In the beginning of the thirties, their influence was more evident among the peasants of the eastern villages of the district, which were mostly occupied by Ukrainians. This was during the period of pacification. The Polish regime set itself

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a goal to ‘Polonize’ the Ukrainian peasants, to bring them under the wing of the Roman Catholic faith. To this end, it employed a variety of tyrannical means, confiscating churches, and the like. The reaction of the Ukrainians was to fall under the influence of the communists. The same happened in the city, where the pulse of political activity beat along the Jewish street. The state-sponsored anti-Semitism, that began to push the Jews out of their economic positions in stages, naturally sowed seeds of enmity to the existing regime. Jewish youth, saw themselves having an uncertain future, because all gates of government initiative were closed to them, and Jewish labor and commerce fell under the heavy yoke of taxes, imposed deliberately on them to asphyxiate them. In addition to this, was the derisory relationship of the organs of the authorities towards Jewish interests – caused its heart to be opened wider and wider to communist propaganda, which held out ready-made solutions to all of these invited problems. Here you have a huge neighboring country, where there was no unemployment , without anti-Semitism, etc., etc. Young people took these solutions very seriously. The communist party apparatus very skillfully utilized all these antipathies towards the regime whether on the part of the Ukrainians, or on the part of the Jews. It established a so-called unaffiliated party among the Ukrainians, called ‘Serlab,’ and the same among the Jews, called ‘The General Jewish Labor Party,’ Abbreviated as AYAP.^[1] Through these two parties, communist propaganda obtained free access to the abused minority masses, through their periodicals, journals, and variety of gatherings. In precisely this literature, the government was sharply attacked for the wrongs against minorities. The direction naturally was, in not a clear form, pro-Soviet. The previously mentioned two parties were legal for a certain period of time, but the government kept a watchful eye on them.

The AYAP opened in Tomaszow in the summer of 1933, and its principal activity was to throw filth and dirt on all the other Jewish parties, and in passing to glorify the wondrous deeds of the Soviet Union. On the night following Simchat Torah, in that same year, an emissary of the party, Mr. Sigmund Stein, stood up in front of a small gathering of listeners in the Tomaszow ‘Volkshaus’ giving a lecture dedicated to the ‘Betrayal of the workers by the ‘Bund.’’ Its existence in Tomaszow did not last very long. The ugly visage of communism showed itself too brazenly, and it appears that very few wanted to be associated with it.

In dealing with the activities and growth of the communist party among Jewish youth in Tomaszow, I have deliberately drawn a parallel with their successes among the Ukrainian populace, in order to underscore the essential reason for this which is: the brutal relationship of the organs of Polish authority to the national minorities. The complaints of the anti-Semites, that communism had prospered in the Jewish street, which, incidentally, was far from the truth, as we will soon see, can be attributed solely to them. Along with their inhuman dealings towards their Jewish fellow citizens, which threw specific parts of Jewish youth into the direction of communist-engendered poverty. And when we will come to know exactly what the extent of growth of the forces of the communist party was on the Jewish street, we will test their equivalence to the forces of all the other Jewish parties who were in constant struggle with them, and their strength will be found not far from the cipher, ‘zero.’ While it is possible to speak of some influence on specific parts of Jewish youth, their influence on the mature generation was much less marked. At elections, where a voter could not be less than 21 years of age, their slate drew several tens of votes, of which a part came from Ukrainian voters in the city. The outcry of the anti-Semites that the Jewish street is controlled by communists was not only exaggerated, but entirely unfounded.

The communist brouhaha in the city didn't last very long, and slowly, they lost their hold, even on the young. In the last years before the war, one heard no activities on their part at all.

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The party came back from the dead only first when the Red Army marched into Tomaszow on the Eve of Sukkot 1939 [sic: September 27]. It then took over the civil administration on the city, under the direction of the military authority. And paying no mind to the fact that the majority of the city dwellers were Jewish, it still didn't consider giving the position of Burgomaster to a Jew. The position was taken by the Christian, Zhebrun.

Their authority held sway for two weeks, until the Red Army pulled back from the city, in favor of their allies – the Germans. The entire party apparatus, together with the army, evacuated to Rawa Ruska.

Of all the members of the party, not a single member remains to this day. A few of them were reached by Hitler's tyrannical hand, who put an end to their young lives. The remainder were spread over various parts of the world, where they look with longing and sadness back at their again stormy past. With longing: to a time when sweet dreams swam before their eyes. Dreams of a world, elevated, free of wrongdoing and oppression. With sadness – that they had squandered so much of their energy, soul and life for a struggle that, with such intense bloodiness, showed itself to be an empty dream.

Now we will place a monument to our city that was cut down, with its people and institutions. Let us, with warm sympathy also recall the young Jewish boys and girls who with the purest dedication and commitment of their souls, fought for an ideal in which they believed laid the solution for all mankind.

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