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At the Departure of the Rabbi of Widoma, Rabbi R' Joseph Baruch Be'er הי”ד from Tomaszow 1932 From the right: Herschel Brenner, Rabbi A. N. Teicher, Mikhl Weinblatt, Rabbi Joseph Baruch Be'er (The Groom), Rabbi Yekhezkiel Rubin and Rabbi Simcha Rubin.

Partisan in the Rabizner Forest

Yoss'l Shapiro הי”ד as a Cossack

The Rebbe of Cieszanow, the Gaon, and Tzaddik, R' Ary' Leibusz Rubin הצללה”ה, who was also the Rabbi of the city, had a large circle of adherents and disciples, especially among the young Hasidic people, and Agudah circles. They were tied to him by their skin and their lives, loving him with the love of the soul, and were prepared to sacrifice themselves for him. This is not novel, because the Rebbe was a soul mate to all of them, and guided them with love and loyalty which was truly exceptional, being the pride and joy of the entire area. And, indeed, it was this lively group, which on the occasion of every Festival, or day of celebration, that would joyously carry on with fine dance and singing at the Rebbe's Tisch.

A day came to pass that the Cieszanow Rebbe arranged a marriage for his oldest daughter, Henneh'leh הי”ד who was promised to a son of the Rabbi of Khenczyn, R' Joseph Baruch הי”ד, later to be the Rabbi of Widoma-Przedborz. The Hasidim of Cieszanow decided that they would arrange the wedding to be sumptuous and shining, as was the case in all Rabbinic courtyards, and in the process, to repay the Rebbe of Cieszanow for his work that was so full of blessing for all of them, for his entire life.

Even thought the wedding had been set for 19 Kislev 5694 [November 26, 1934], the group began to make preparations during the prior summer. It was decided to observe the old custom in the Rabbinic manner, to ride out and greet the groom and his parents with appointed ‘Cossacks’ on horseback (the distance to the Belzec train station was eight kilometers). For this purpose, three companies were

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mustered, each consisting of fifty persons. The first company of riders were outfitted as Cossacks, and the other two were on foot, wearing special insignias. Regarding uniforms, each of the group contributed, and traveled to Lemberg, and against cash, borrowed historically genuine military costumes with swords. They made rifles from wood, nicely dyed so as to look real, and the young people who had served in the military became the instructors and mustered the group, so they would be able to march in the correct military manner. The hardest thing, was for the young boys in the shtibl to learn how to ride a horse. These, literally, were living, four-footed horses, but this too, they learned to do. Drills took place in the yard of Ary' Heller, and created publicity to the point that many curious people from the surrounding towns and villages made preparation to come to the wedding.

Both Jushson in ‘Heint’ and B. Shefner in ‘Volks Zeitung’ dedicated two articles to the wedding in their papers, understandably, with a critique of these outdated customs. However, it had the reverse effect, and ended up giving the wedding even more publicity, and the Hasidim more courage. Also, the burgomaster of the town had the electrical lighting service increased to those streets where the wedding train would pass.

On the day when it was necessary to ride out and meet the groom and his family, the organization of the parade began at seven in the morning. At the head of the military contingent, rode R' Hirsch Ader, a 70 year-old man with a white, broad patriarchal beard (who had served in a royal division in Petersburg) and after him, came his Adjutant Yekhezkiel Heller, and afterwards 2 orchestras, and after them, all three companies led by their designated officers, with genuine military discipline. The feeling of inspiration was unnaturally high. People wept out of joy, and hundreds of people ran after them for the entire way. At 12 noon, the entire military assembly marched back with music, and with the groom and his family, and he was escorted to his lodging. At four o'clock in the afternoon, the military came before the Rabbis of Cieszanow, The Rabbi & Tzaddik R' Yekhezkiel הי”ד, of the Belz court, the Rebbe of Przeworsk, the Rebbes of Sanz and other important relatives.

At night, the military, with torches in their hands, escorted the groom to the wedding canopy, which was placed by the synagogue, where the municipal firefighters and police had cordoned off the area with their personnel, in order to maintain order. Inside, only ‘important people’ were admitted, and the dignitaries of the community, and those relatives and Hasidim who had come from faraway. The Rebbe was compelled to invite the municipal officials, because they too, were curious to see the wedding ceremony, and for them, a special repast was laid out in a separate house.

The wedding guests were served by the military, who remained in military dress for the entire night. The Rebbe arranged a special feast for the poor, and distributed alms to them. [After the wedding] the custom of Sheva Brachot was held twice daily. A different prominent Rabbi came to each of the Sheva Brachot, such that the entire town felt like they were members of the family, especially the Hasidim, and the entire community spoke about the impact of the wedding for a long, long time. Of special note was the ‘Mitzvah Dance’ that the Rebbe of Cieszanow danced with his daughter, the bride. The entire audience was so moved that they cried as if it were at Kol Nidre. Yes! This was the way our parents made merry at the time of a happy occasion of a mitzvah for their Rabbi and Rebbe.

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The Heder Class of Bezalel Melamed

Also, in the summer, we would keep enjoying ourselves finely, playing hide-and-seek, and other games. When we were a little older, we would go for walks in the Siwa Dolina Woods.

Careless, and with only juvenile sensibilities, and not feel the yoke of needing to make a living, or the anti-Semitic assaults of the Poles, we loved to joke and laugh, to stroll among the prayer houses, to eavesdrop on a minor dispute about a prominent Jewish man who was not given a ‘distinguished’ aliyah [sic: to the Torah], or party [sic: political] disputations. Also, in this manner, when a Rebbe came to visit the town, we were curious to see how he presided over a Tisch. The young boys were especially amused to annoy Yaak'leh Tcheppeh's, the crazy one, or talking to Blind Nahum. The meeting plaice was at the plain Bet HaMedrash, but if the boys made too much noise, then Nahum Shames would take the strop and impose some order.

On Lag B'Omer, we would dye eggs, and march out of the city. In the wintertime, especially for Hanukkah, the Tenth of Tevet or Christmas, we would play cards. In the summer, we would also go to bathe in Balan's pond.

When we reached the age of 13-14, one went either to study in a shtibl, to learn a trade, or to go help one's father in his business. Later on, young people were drawn into party circles, each in accordance to his own taste and disposition. The young people did not have too much to do, so they read newspapers and books, and the more religious sat and studied.

Afterwards, pressure developed to make aliyah to the Land of Israel, and the young people went off to training camps. However, sadly, because of limitations placed by the British Mandate Authority, only part of those who wanted to go, were able to achieve their objective. Those who remained behind, continued with their burdensome life in the Diaspora, until the time that the Great Haman came, and made a total desolation out of everything. However, our continuity in Israel continues, and improves [with the passage of time].

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The District Hospital

At such an opportunity, it is worth taking note of the historical fact, which Meir Rubin ע”ה has lodged permanently in the Vilna YIVO (the original is to be found in the New York YIVO, a conveyance from the Vilna YIVO to Dr. Yaakov Shatzky who brought over the history of Jewish doctors in Poland, concerning the note from Meir Rubin), a conversation with Dr. Fetter, the Chief Doctor of the area hospital in Tomaszow, who had researched the history of medicines and pharmacy in the Tomaszow district, since its establishment. He transmitted everything in accordance with historical documents, and it was illustrated that among all of the doctors that practiced medicine in Tomaszow and its vicinity, since its establishment, 90 percent were Jewish.

But, for everyone, I wish to document the ‘customs’ practiced by us Jews, during the time of an illness. (However, I will not here make note of [the practice of] conducting weddings at the cemetery during the time of epidemics, especially when cholera was rampant, God protect us, or bordering the cemetery in linen, and dividing it among the poor, because these were rare and exceptions.) Here, I wish to make the effort to permanently document the day-to-day, frequent occurrences and practices that relate to illness.

When a person became weak from being chilled, what is here called ‘catching a cold,’ back home, it was called a catarrh, and it caused a nasal drip. One felt a bit ‘under the weather.’ There would be a pain in the sides, but for such a minor matter, one did not even take to bed. One took aspirin, drank a lot of tea, especially homemade ‘Lipowa-Tea,’ made from [the flowers] of local trees in town. Cupping was performed, using small-sized glass cups, in which a partial vacuum was created by a burning taper that drove out the air, and then affixed to the back. If the flesh under the glass became very dark, this was a sign that the cold was severe. Usually, it was a relative, or a neighbor, who would affix the cups, because nearly every other person knew how to do this job. Only in the case of ‘gehakteh bonkes’ was a doctor summoned. I, personally, never saw this procedure done, but as it was told to me, the body was cut, and blood was let. It was also held that going to the steam bath on Fridays, and sitting on the ‘high benches’ was a great cure, and afterwards allowing one's self to be thoroughly switched with a soft broom. All of this was understood to help promote the circulation of the blood, and thereby drive out the cold.

In general, when a person felt poorly, or had cramps, or a severe headache or any sort of physical distress, the first thing that people thought was that it was some sort of ‘evil eye,’ The family began to recollect, who it

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was that had been in the house that day, and who was capable of inflicting an ‘evil eye.’ And in each section, there was a Jewish man who was an expert in exorcizing an ‘evil eye.’ The sign of an authentic ‘evil eye’ was when the victim and the exorcist began to yawn. Others had different signs and indicators, such as measuring out three spoons of water, and then decanting them into three other spoons of the same volume. If there was any water left over, this was taken as tried and true evidence of a formidable ‘evil eye.’ The left over bit of water was then used to wash the forehead of the sick person. Others has a method whereby they would take a piece of the individual's clothing, which was suspected of giving him the ‘evil eye,’ or a hair of his, and then smoking it on a burning coal behind the head of the bedridden individual. The ‘evil eye’ of a woman was considered more potent in its impact on a sick man. Some would have the custom, that when a man entered the home who was thought to have the bad eye, they would make the sign of a fig under the skirt, this being a sign that the ‘evil eye’ had no power in this place.

On being frightened, it was customary to pour wax. Sarah'leh Zucker Nahum Shames' wife, was a specialist in this area. According to the figures that were formed in the wax, she was able to recognize and specify what it was that caused the fright, a dog, a cat, a horse, etc.

In injuring a limb, one went to homegrown people with the right knowledge, who immediately set it, or even made prescriptions. It is worth recalling Sheva Brand and the Stemmlers, who were great experts in orthopedics.

That which we refer to this here as a ‘stroke,’ and in Europe as a ‘Lemung,’ we called a ‘wind’ an ‘air’ a ‘draft’ or idiomatically expressing one's self by saying that ‘he was seized by something.’ It was accepted that this illness had something to do with, God protect us, the bad spirits of the netherworld, especially when one goes onto their territory, or one disturbs them, such as standing under tree branches, or passing through alone, or, God forbid, building a door or a window permanently, and not leaving a small hole o that the demons will once again be able to go on their way, or to have slept on a place where there used to be an oven. Under those conditions, the demons become angered, and the person is afflicted (becomes paralyzed). This form of belief was strengthened by the fact that of a widow who lived at the cemetery. She lad children, the oldest of which, Netanel'eh, was severely paralyzed, and his entire body was twisted and bend. His face was turned around towards his back, and his mouth badly twisted. His eyes were crossed, limping on his right foot, with both hands lame. Merely looking at him caused a shudder, not to say what happened when he would begin to speak, when he would make such frightening sounds, that it would inspire terror. A legend circulated in town that Netanel'eh was healthy and had the appearance of a normal person. Every night, he was supposed to put out a pail of water, so that the dead could wash themselves. Once, he forgot to do this, and they became angry, and he was seized, and from this, he became paralyzed.

If matters did not improve, then the doctor was called, or the physician. The ‘physician’ was a leftover of the Czarist regime, who was an individual that did not possess any sort of scientific training, or a theoretical

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knowledge of medicine. I have my doubt as to whether they had even elementary public schooling. Despite this, such an individual had a great deal of practical experience in medicine, meaning that he was a assistant to a doctor in his office, and helped out a bit much as a nurse would do today. And it was from the experience and practices in the doctor's office, he would treat te sick by himself. Of note, Yaak'leh Rofeh ע”ה was held to be a very knowledgeable individual and an expert. The joke was that he really understood disease, which in today's parlance would be called a good diagnostician. In Poland, such a doctor was not permitted to write a prescription, but Yaak'leh Rofeh found a way around this. He would enumerate the name of the ingredients, and would instruct the individual to write it down and go buy it directly from the pharmacy. It is interesting that Yaak'leh Rofeh's family name was Assia, which in the Aramaic language of the Gemara, means ‘doctor,’ and as he told this writer, he was descended from generation after generation of doctors. The feldschers, or doctors, were also barbers, and for the most part, their wives were midwives.

Women who were pregnant took great care not to look at a cat, dog, or a mouse, etc. And when she became frightened by an abnormal occurrence, such as a fire, or being pursued by a wild animal, she is not to grab hold of herself. The thinking was, that if she were to grab a hold of herself, the newborn would develop the same mark as she did, on the same spot of the body where she would grab hold of herself.

Each woman was confined at home, without the assistance of a doctor. Rather, a midwife was called, Yaak'leh Rofeh's wife, or later on, Shayndl Blank, Rachel'eh Eli' Rofeh's etc. (Interestingly, there was a custom, that when a midwife died, all the people that she helped to bring into the world and be born, would, at the time of her death, light a candle. It was the case, that when Yaak'leh Rofeh's wife died, she was quite old, and therefore hundreds of people lit candles). Usually, homegrown remedies were used with a woman who was delivering. The woman in labor would circle the table seven times before lying down in bed. She was given plain pure black coffee to drink (without sugar). They then blew into a bottle, and placed the book ‘Raziel HaMal'akh’ under her pillow, or ‘Noam Elimelekh.’ If, God forbid, the delivery was a difficult one, the Psalms were recited, or the Rebbe was informed. In extremely difficult cases, the midwife would ask that the doctor be called, who then delivered the child with forceps.

As written above, when a serious condition developed, a doctor was finally called. If the illness lingered, and the means were available, one traveled to Lemberg to a prominent doctor, especially in those cases where the local doctor said that an

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operation was required. One did not rely solely on the [opinion] of the local doctor, but rather, one traveled to Lemberg, especially since the Jews did not utilize the Powszecna area hospital. There was no trust in the doctor, and only in those exceptional instances when there was no time, was an operation in the Tomaszow hospital permitted.

When the doctor had established that the patient was, God forbid, in danger, or if it was a pressing sudden pain, such as, for example, a difficult birth, or the night of crisis for someone severely ill, when the doctor would say that if the sick person can hold on through the night, then he will survive, or in the case of an operation, one went ‘Tearing In.’ The meaning of this is that close relatives and friends, of the victim's family, would gather, and together they would run to the municipal Bet HaMedrash, or into the neighboring shtiblakh, where they engaged in prayer and study. Most of the time, this was done between the afternoon and evening prayers, or immediately in the morning at the time of prayer. The women would come into the Bet HaMedrash with a storm and weeping, and they went directly to the Holy Ark with wailing, and heartrending cries. This was a sort of ‘emergency appeal.’ hey took no note as to whether the Cantor was in the middle of the Shmoneh Esrei prayer, or in the midst of reading the Torah. The Holy Ark was opened, and the oldest of the women, who recited prayers, commenced with a stirring, awakening appeal – ‘Master of the Universe! You, the great Master of Mercy! Take pity on the father of five young and tender children, or a mother of six young fledglings, Master of the Universe! Do not shame us! Master of the Universe! Open your gates of mercy!’ And each outcry was greeted with a storm of tears from the accompanying women. They would wring their hands, and weep with such pitiful wailing, that everyone was moved to tears, even those with hearts of stone. Something about the ‘Tearing In’ had an unnatural power of arousal.

The strong feeling of ‘Let him communicate his distress in public, in order that they plead for mercy on his behalf,’ could be seen in reality. After such a ‘Tearing In,’ complete strangers would be sucked in, and the health calamity, that had occurred, became a common cause for the entire shtetl. When they left, a prayer quorum was immediately formed to recite Psalms, especially those chapters that were felt to be effective in extending the powers of a medical cure.

Many times, verses were recited in an acrostic alignment with the letters of the name of the sick person, and part of the time also using the letter of ‘Kera Satan.’^[1] All of this was carried out by the leader of the train of people. Hasidic Jews also held that it was a good omen to bring a bit of strong drink into the shtibl, in order to be able to offer the ‘L'Chaim’ toast and to wish a speedy return to good health for the sick person. Also, charity was dispensed, in two forms. Bread was distributed to known paupers, and some of the time, the clothing of the ill was also given away. Those poor people, saddled with debt, were sent money.

As previously said, in the case of serious illness, the doctor was called. Under the Czar, there was no Jewish doctor. In the year 1926, Dr. Shulman arrived, who was retained by the Jewish community, and towards the end, close to the Holocaust, there were already three Jewish doctors. And when the doctor began to become a frequent guest, coming in and going out, one began to run to the righteous Jews, such as R' Yehoshua'leh, and R' Yisroel'ish, and in the last years, to the Rebbe of Cieszanow זצלה”ה, or to the neighboring Rebbes, such as in Belz, Sieniawa, Magierow, or if an out-of-town Rebbe happened to be visiting the city, he would be asked, such as the grandchildren of the Trisk and Belz dynasties. Some would write out a check to their Rebbe.

Until the 1920's there was no dentist in Tomaszow. One did not fool around with a toothache. At the outset, one rinsed out the mouth with strong aquavit, or plugged the hole in the tooth with pepper and salt. When this didn't help, the tooth was extracted by rather primitive means. A stout cord was tied to the tooth, and a strong

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pull was then made and the tooth was out, or broken in two. People, who did not have enough nerve to pull out their own teeth, went to the doctor, but even he made use of rather primitive means. In the twenties, Dr. Gerson arrived and later Dr. Malka Orenstein.

When a child lost its first teeth, there was a saying among the people that the child had said ‘myzeleh, myzeleh!’ Here, have a tooth of bone, and give me back a tooth of iron, and afterwards casting the tooth onto the oven.

There were two pharmacies in the city, and two sklad owczenie, meaning businesses who were permitted to sell only prepared items. Only the pharmacies were permitted to compound prescriptions. If it was necessary to procure a prescription on the Sabbath, a child was taken along to carry a silver cup, or some other item of security, in order that money would not have to be carried on the Sabbath for the prescription.

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‘The Ahasuerus Play’ performed by the students of Beth Jacob. Balt'sheh Singer (at the center of the table) as Queen Esther

The House of the Talmud Torah

These were genuinely sweet childhood years. [They were] fortunate, happy, and carefree, surrounded by love, and the warmth of a genuinely Jewish home. Every Friday evening, we would go to worship at Beth Jacob, passing the time in prayer, song and melody. And the sweet nostalgic tunes carried out over the lively Lwowska Gasse, which was the principal promenade for the Jewish Tomaszow youth. It was, in this fashion, that our childhood years flew by.

Coming home on Friday, before nightfall, the house cleaned up, the whiteness and cleanliness emanated from all the corners, light and warm, beautiful and magical, the sanctity of the Sabbath lay poured out over the entire house. Everything looked different than it did for the entire week. Our father would arrive, happy and full of energy from the Belz shtibl, and uttered the effusive and hearty ‘Gut Shabbes!’ We, the children, would then seat ourselves at our father's table, and with respectful attention, listened to his rendition of ‘Sholom Aleichem,’ and Kiddush. These sweet melodies so elevated the already fine atmosphere, and simply, God's Holy Presence rested among us and in each Jewish home. The taste and flavor of a royal Sabbath at home is difficult to portray. We, children of 13-14 years of age, would celebrate in our own juvenile manner. We would go visit our girlfriends. Part of the time during the summer, we would all go together into Baretsky's Forest, joking, laughing and singing. We were a group of fourteen girls, of which, tragically, only two survived, myself and Pesha Brand. She is found in Israel.

Such was the case up to that sorrowful and dark Thursday, when the first bombs fell on our beloved city, Tomaszow. Who is it that has the strength to portray the formless chaos and confusion that immediately ensued? Thursday, in our locale, was the market day, when the peasants from the villages would come to sell their grain and eggs, and to buy a variety of goods for their use. On this Thursday, there was something of an especially large fair, with an overflowing marketplace. And immediately as the bombs began to fall, the people were gripped by a frightful panic. Out of great fear and terror, part of the people thought these were gas bombs, and that all of us would be poisoned. And out of great fear and confusion, people began to run like wild, senseless people and all of this became intermixed with aimless wandering. There was a feeling that the world was coming to an end. The more established people went to take shelter in the cellars, taking along their immediate next of kin. When the bombardment stopped, everyone ran to look for and find their close family members, who at the time of the bombardment may not have happened to be at home. We immediately went off to the village where it was more quiet and tranquil than in the city, however, the gentiles appeared to have become distant, and seemingly unfriendly. This was up to the time that the Germans entered, then the Russians, and then again the Germans, this [sic: second] time to really take up positions. And at that time, a chaotic tumult ensued. Beards were cut off, and every day, there were new decrees, aimed especially at the Jews. Each day became more gruesome than the last, and it was impossible to move elsewhere. I said that I

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was very much afraid of these murderers, and that we should flee to Rawa Ruska, where my mother had a brother. To my good fortune, I was able to discuss this with my mother, and on one night, all of us, went over to Belzec, and from there, we crossed the border illegally and in a fortunate manner, we were able to arrive in Rawa [Ruska] peacefully. My mother then returned to Tomaszow to attempt and save some of our possessions, but she had to live through the frightening and terrifying experiences when the Germans drove all of the Jews, on the Sabbath, int the ‘Ludowy’ were they were beaten murderously, and afterwards, the firemen poured water on them. In this manner, they were abused for the entire day. Eli' Shtruzler (who later died of hunger in Russia), pitifully, was beaten half to death. My mother barely escaped with her life. Then, in the summer of 1940, we were sent off to the Russian Taigas (what we lived through there, is a chapter unto itself).

In May 1946, we came back to Poland. My mother, again, traveled ‘home’ to Tomaszow for the purpose of finding out where her brothers and sisters were killed, and to determine if, perhaps, maybe a child was saved. There she no longer encountered any Jews. The Polish neighbors related to her the barbarous acts perpetrated by the German murderers assisted by their Polish accomplices. One of the spectacles: On May 3, 1942, in honor of Polish Independence Day, they gathered all of the Jewish mothers and their children in the Kasse Gorten, and separated the children and then turned attack dogs loose upon them, that tore hunks of flesh from the Jewish children. To this, the mothers were forced to applaud and shout ‘Bravo!’ and a mother who could not bring herself to do so was beaten to death with rifle stocks.

Many Jews hid in cellars and bunkers, but the Polish ‘neighbors’ informed on them, and showed the Gestapo all of these well-concealed hiding places. Dobra Akst and her children were discovered three days before the liberation. My great-aunt Tema Herbstman with two children were hidden at the home of a Russian local resident. However, two days before the liberation the Poles informed on them and she, along with her two children Leah, and Dina were shot and buried on the spot. It was in this fashion that all our relatives, neighbors and acquaintances were killed. [sic: Jewish] Tomaszow was cut down and eradicated, there is no more [Jewish] Tomaszow. There is not even a trace of a grave, where it would be possible to pour our one's heart. May the memory of these Holy Martyrs remain permanently sacred and dear to us. Let us remember, from generation to generation, the cruel barbarism of the murderous German people, with the assistance of the low-life Amalek-like Polish people.

We the remnants and heirs of these holy martyrs, must exert ourselves to re-plant the sacred flame, and Jewish pride of our parents, brothers and sisters, into the hearts of our children, so that a love and loyalty to the People of Israel, Israel's Torah, and the Land of Israel, burns vigorously in their young hearts. And that all of us shall live in a world of peace, freedom and belief in God.

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My little shtetl of Tomaszow-Lubelski. We really don't know from when to start and count the years from the time of its extermination. Shall we start to count from 1939, or perhaps earlier? The onset of the destruction for the Jews in Poland manifested itself quite a bit earlier. I do not have the appropriate materials to set out the data that set out the critical points in this pre-Holocaust period. But why start to count from the time of those Jews who were the last to be killed? Because, for us, the essential fact is, that you were there for us, and now you are gone.

European Jewry was disemboweled down to its very foundation. The terrifying scope of the mass murders created an absolutely frightening and sorrowful impact. Only a few remained from each family, and these remain as the [eye] witnesses of all of European Jewry. Along with that part of Jewry, cultural treasures that nourished almost all of World Jewry were wiped out, along with its cultural creations. This branch of Jewry was fecund with its creativity and life-force, and this mighty European Jewry is no longer here. All that remains are memories of families, parents without children, children without parents, husbands without wives, and wives upon wives, without husbands. The decent and beautiful period has become orphaned, and along with it, we too, and also our city, Tomaszow-Lubelski.

Tomaszow-Lubelski, a city that lies in the area between Lublin and Lemberg, which connects central Poland to Galicia, was known as a border city up to the year 1914, or as it was called ‘Little Tomaszow.’ The border separated the dark, reactionary Czarist Russia, from the one-time democratic Austria. The border was of great help to ‘recruits’ who did not want to serve the pogrom-laden Czarist regime in the achievement of its ideals, which was to instigate even more pogroms, and impose even further restrictions on its Jews, with its malign decrees and blood libels. The border city provided the possibility to the democratic and progressive elements to liberate themselves from this dark reactionary [regime] and to build a democratic and free life in that one-time tolerant Austria.

Synagogue and the Annex

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understand, namely, that we were in exile, like in an ark without a rudder on the sea, on which each tiny storm is capable of drowning and exterminating us. Birds, animals, musical instruments, the Western Wall never let us forget about the freedom we once had, our glory, wealth and holiness. In the old Holy Ark, in which were found the sacred scrolls, whose laws sanctified and cemented the Jewish people, was decorated with plush velvet curtains, which had been donated by those who worshiped there. Among the beautiful curtains, it is worth mentioning the curtain of Chaim and Zippora Putter, he being a Gabbai of the synagogue for many years.

The community would have gone on and conducted its modest way of life, quietly and in tranquility, were it not for the outbreak of the bloody war between Germany and Poland in 1939. Also, our city was not spared the gruesome slaughtering, on the part of the murdering German occupiers, with the help of a portion of Polish lawbreakers and murderers. The Polish murderers and hooligans, sensing the storm that had been carried from murderous fascist Germany, immediately made ready with their plunder sacks, for taking Jewish assets, and immediately began to working side by side with the German murderers. They received their ‘friends’ from the west, with a full heart. Polish lawbreakers, and underworld figures took part, directly and indirectly in exterminating Jews, as well as elements of the local citizenry, peasants from the villages, and with assistance from part of the intelligentsia.

The next-to-the last bloody and economic anti-Semitism in Poland began when the ‘Colonels’^[1] with Sławoj Składkowski^[2], Pilsudski's favorite, who organized and created the ‘AZAN’ movement, concluded the criminal agreement with the bloody Hitler regime. Immediately after this, a radical change for the worse took place for the Jews. Hitler, ימ”ש knew very well that it would be easiest for him to carry out his bloody work in Poland. He knew very well that a large part of the Polish people was always ready to take the knife in hand, and to help him perpetrate mass slaughter against innocent Jews.

It suffices to recall their wonderful good deeds on behalf of the terrifying Inquisition and bloodbath.

• We remember well, and will never forget the Polish ‘intelligentsia’ who murderously beat their fellow students, Jewish sons and daughters, and then threw them out of the windows of universities and other institutions of higher learning!

• We remember the ‘picketers,’ who stood in front of Jewish places of business, and did not permit customers to enter!
• We remember the sacred ‘boycott’ in the year 1937, that cultured Poland doesn't have to perpetrate pogroms, but exterminate the Jews economically via ‘boycott.’ This needs to be carried out with one's total might, so did the interior minister Składkowski order. The Poles understood the boycott order very well, and they implemented it even better.
• We will forever remember the pogroms in: Lemberg, Przytok, Minsk Mazowiecki, Kielce, and many other places.

Here, before my eyes, my shtetl of Tomaszow Lubelski flows by, which was full of Jews and with a budding youth, institutions, schools, Heders, Talmud Torahs, Jewish banks and a Free Loan Association, a synagogue and a Bet HaMedrash, many Hasidic shtiblakh, a beautiful and large ‘Yavneh’ school. Here, let us recollect the progenitor, who bore so much of the burden and served this great cause so loyally. R' Chaim Joseph Lehrer as well as Zilberman, Lejzor Lederkremmer and others. ‘Yavneh’ was the cradle and the governess for the Zionist youth. All of this no longer exists!! The entire community of Tomaszow has been cut down. Not a trace or a remnant of Jewish life in Tomaszow remained. Only a set percentage emerged from this frightening Hell, and became scattered and spread out over various countries, with the largest portion selecting the homeland of Israel. The ‘old home’ now belongs to our distant past. For us, all that remains is a black dot on the dark map where our onetime home used to be. Tomaszow served as an economic and social center for many small towns in its vicinity, who also shared in its tragic fate. As a venerable Jewish community that lived a full Jewish life, and felt connected to the Jewry of all generations, the sentiment for the Land of Israel as always strong. Even in the early days, the name, ‘Eretz Yisrael’ elicited a deep resonance in the hearts of those who warmly responded and contributed to our Land. The Zionist parties occupied an important place in the society. And these ranged from the extreme right to the extreme left. Keren Kayemet L'Yisrael carried on a beautifully and multi-faceted work, in which, among others, the following took an active part: Fishl Fish, Fyvel Holtz, Birkh Pfefferman, Zlat'keh Goldstein, and Moshe Blonder.

The Keren HaYesod was able to function beautifully and well, with the active support of the Messrs.: Shmuel Shiflinger, Fishl Fish, Yitzhak Lederkremmer, Moshe Baretsky, Abraham Pfefferman, Moshe Blonder, Meir Blumer, and the writer of these lines. Yisrael Greenbaum, Yisroel'keh Greenbaum, Edelstein Avigdor Eidelsberg.

A program for the preparation of pioneers to make aliyah to Israel was also expanded in our city, under the auspices of the General Zionist Organization, which took place at Mr. Moshe Baretsky's in the forest. This was the training location where Rivka Minkowsky was very occupied and was very helpful with her activity. Despite their hard life, all were very fresh and energetic, full of energy and inspiration. They lived carefree and happy, with the great hope of simply reaching the Land of Israel, which, despite all of the difficulties,

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they achieved their objective.

Most of the Jewish residents did not have an easy life. The principal sources of Jewish livelihood were: grain, being a storekeeper, a craftsman, a dealer in wood, renting a place in the market, saloon keeper, etc. There were also well-to-do Jews, balebatim that had larger or smaller houses, who owned mills, factories, etc. These were well established livelihoods. In 1918, with the establishment of the Polish regime, the Jewish community builds itself up anew with renewed strength, after the destruction of The First World War. An upsurge in commerce takes place, along with work and cultural life. In these later years, Jewish doctors and lawyers take up residence. A larger Jewish ‘People's Bank’ is established, that generously assists the manual trades, craftsmen, and merchants. The Free Loan Society, whose founder was Moshe Baretsky ז”ל, occupied a very respected place. For its development too, he expended a great deal of time and energy. The library had a very nice level of activity as well, which benefitted a large part of the residents, especially the young.

For us, none of this exists anymore. That place is no longer a home to us. Our dear parents, brothers, sisters, children and friends, are no longer there. What we see there, is the terrifying extermination, the mass grave of our loved ones, and perhaps even that is not there either. It is said that the graves of our parents and great-grandparents were desecrated and destroyed in a bestial fashion. The murderous revenge was taken out not only against the living, but also against the dead. We had always believed that the Polish bands of robbers were after only our assets, but what was it that you wanted from Jewish lives? What was it that you had against the younger and older innocent children? Murderers! What was it that moved you to rip little children apart while they were still alive, in front of the eyes of their parents? And to shoot our nearest and dearest in gas chambers? We mourn our martyrs and also our religious, cultural and social institutions which were all destroyed together.

Because the world is so cruel to us, let us, the survivors, cement our friendship, love and camaraderie from one to another. Let us be mutual friends, and let one be prepared to help the other with everything that is within their capacity. This will be the most beautiful monument that we can erect to our dearly beloved. Let us, forever, not forget that a third of the Jewish people was slaughtered and incinerated, including our own nearest. Let us sanctify their souls with a permanent hate and antipathy, towards their murderers, from all countries.

Let us recall our martyrs and those who were killed, with honored respect, and let us remember that their wish was that we should continue our lives in the Land of Our Fathers, and this will become the sacred Yizkor candle that commemorated their lives.

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The Principal Entrance to the Slaughterhouse

To the town where I was born and raised, in which I loved my first loves, and experienced my first disappointments. The city of Rabbis, Hasidim, Torah scholars, of porters, hagglers, and Jews who labored. [The town of] youth institutions, each to its own kind, and the simple, yet dedicated and ardent youth. Of parents, brothers, and children who were guarded, to the town that was, and is no more – to these I will raise my voice in keening.

I did not leave [my home town] with a heavy heart 23 years ago. For it was the Land of Israel that was our choice, whose fields and settlements – that was the thing that carried our souls and it was of this that its youth trained for and dreamt of. Nevertheless, in the first years I had hoped that I would take my daughter or son, and convey them to Tomaszow, to its fields and gardens, and the forests, and show them the paths and byways on which their father trod in his childhood. I will prostrate myself on the graves of my parents that they did not know. An here, all of this has been lost.

With a watch on my wrist, I raised the images of all of the corners and places before my eyes on one frightful evening. One by one, they came up in my memory. My head became heavy, and in the end, floated down onto the table, and here – – – – – –

With a enormous speed^[1], we covered the distance by airplane. We reached Zamość by bus, and until after Tarnawatka. Here, I said, I will take my daughter and go with her on foot – – her hand in mine, and we walk together….

Here, to our right, behind the hill, the pond of ‘Balan’ spreads out before us. It was there that we would rush with the completion of our Heder studies to bathe in its waters, and to learn how to swim. A gentile with a moustache stood there and collected an entry fee. Quickly, I could cast off my garments, one after another, until I remained naked. I would tie my clothing in a bundle and jump into the water. The water was sweet, and fresh. Despite the fact that the waters were pacific, there were drowning incidents. The building that appeared was the slaughterhouse. I have already told you that our family business was in forest produce. We

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had a warehouse next to this cooking facility, and it was there that skins were stored and guarded.

To our left we see the flour mill of Cyszkewicz. Just a little further on, and we will reach the city itself.

Further on to the right – the yard with the haystacks of the Bergerbaum family. Beside the yard, the ‘Cemetery River’ goes by – it appears to be what is left of the Wieprsz. The river is narrow, and its waters flow slowly. Mostly women bathe there. Why is this location unique to the womenfolk? – You need to know, my daughter, that by us, we did not always wear bathing suits, and we bathed in the nude, and this was the reason for the segregation [sic: of the sexes].

Here we are, on the bridge. Under it, a deep ravine spreads out for its entire length. In the winter it would fill with water, and in the summer it was practically desiccated. From its lip, we would cut the sorrel plant and use it for decorating our houses for Shavuot.

We are on the Zamoyski Street. The house to the right was our house, meaning that it had still belonged to our grandfather. He would expand the house when a son or a daughter would marry, a fence, or adding an additional cubicle, or den, for use by the young couple, and that is how they continued to live, to have children and grandchildren. And the children would run around in the hallway, and the broad yard, that divided the house into two wings. In the fulness of time, it became necessary to tear down part of it, to strengthen part of it, to repair the roof, etc. The stores were in the house – the source of their livelihood. You have to know that on one side, it opened up onto the marketplace, and the prevailing saying was: ‘A door to the market – a window to heaven.’ What this meant, was that whoever has a storefront at the marketplace, had an assured livelihood.

The garden that you see, this is the garden that is in front of the Russian Orthodox Church. At this time, it is run down from its glory. In the time of the Czar, the soldiers would go there to worship every Sunday morning. At their head was the orchestra, with the leader using his baton to keep the beat – to the amusement of the children. It was said that this bandleader was a Jew, and this is why he brought the orchestra up to the church – but he did not himself go inside.

That tall tower belongs to the fire fighters, who had a very important position. Fires in our town were all too common an occurrence, because the houses were made of wood, and if a fire broke out, it was highly likely to consume half of the town. The elderly would count off the years according to these blazes: so many years after the Great Fire. For us, the children, fires would cause nightmares. On winter nights, with storms about, when I was covered by a warm blanket, I would always add to the bedside reading of the Shema, my own personal prayer: ‘Please God, make it so that a fire should not, God forbid, God forbid, break out.’

When an alarm was given – in the old days, a bell would be rung, or a trumpet was sounded by Yankl'eh Rofeh – and immediately the fire fighters would be seen rushing with buckets of water. At their head would be A. Shiflinger. Who was this A. Shiflinger? – He was the ‘Be all and do all’ of the city. He was the Head of the community, and had complete and free access to all of the influential people in the town. His principal responsibility was for the Fire fighting brigade. He sunk a great deal of energy and money into it. During festival parades, and days of celebration, he would adorn himself with the fire fighting medallions, his ample middle protruding, and stride with pride and an air of importance at the head of his brigade. Did I say at the head of the brigade? – not exactly. He was second, because in first place was the Komornik, a gentile, despite the fact that he was short on skill in fire fighting and in his commitment to the brigade. Shiflinger was his adjutant, because a Jew was not permitted to have access to being head of the brigade.

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Turn to the right, and let us enter the marketplace. The buildings are laid out in the form of a horseshoe, with even the ‘Halles’ built to be a center of commerce. There were many different kinds of stores in it. Here is Ber'keh'leh's store. He would sell overcoats and jackets that were ready-made. The jacket, by him, always was appropriate for the buyer. A bit tight? – He would push the belly inward, while saying, ‘See my dear madame it is like custom made.’ Too long? – ‘But, my dear and honorable lady, don't even think of changing this jacket that you are buying for your son, he will grow, and it will fit hm perfectly.’

Over on the second side – the store of Rachel ‘Lilik,’ She is a hard-working woman. Her husband is preparing work for The World to Come, with his studying, and she rules in the store. She used to say that she never even had the time to wash her hands, without which it is forbidden to even take bread, and if this is the case, did she not eat? No, because all day long she would be nibbling on cake and crackers, which do not require the ritual washing of the hands.

And here is the store of Ber'chli'kheh: A store under duress. If you looked in it there was nothing. What does she sell? –???– security. She extracted her living from this store, preparing for Sabbaths, raising children and marrying them off. How? – Either this was a miracle, or the assurance of the town.

Yenta Fyvel's walks by, holding on to the large pot of warm peas, pouring out a glass for a groschen, ‘Take, Yankl'eh, take. You don't have a groschen? No matter, your mother will owe it to me and pay.’

And here comes blind Zippora, with her bleary out eyes that have no lashes. She weaves with amazing speed. Until the eye spots something, and a shawl or a sock is produced. She weaves as she walks, or sits. While sitting – she raises her dress, with some compromise to her modesty, and puts a pot with glowing coals underneath, to warm her body.

Do you see, my daughter, this one who stands and stomps in one place without stopping. Don't be frightened. He would not harm even a fly. This is ‘Blind Nahum.’ Even in his blindness, he will tell you the exact time, and he will recognize who you are by your voice, who your parents are, brothers, sisters, and will precisely articulate their names to you.

And this old man, of venerable visage that you see, this is Aharon Kiezel, of the sharp mind. What deeds – If a man is in need of someone to mediate (a sort of lawyer) in a dispute with a neighbor or a business partner, he invites Rav Aharon Kiezel in the sure knowledge that he will pronounce a judgement that will liberate him from all complexities.

We are approaching the ambit of Baylah Mekhalis. Inside, the foot of a man does not enter either by day or by night. One person is waiting to be taken to the train, while his comrade is returning from it. In the meantime, before going to her house, he will warm himself with a warm drink, and snack on a ‘bruss’ that is, a sort of thick cracker, that melts in your mouth like honey.

We are on the Lwowska Gasse. This is the longest and most beautiful street of all. Here are the magnificent stores of the rich: Yankl'eh Lederkremmer, Itcheh Bernstein, and Leibusz Bekher. On the sidewalks of the street, groups upon groups of young folk, of both genders, promenade with the composure of balebatim, and would gather, chit-chat and carry on happy conversation in a loud voice until they would reach the house of the Starosta, that is, the edge of the sidewalk. Then they would descend onto less well-appointed streets, raising their voices in joyful song.

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We will not tag along behind them. Let us go up, rather , on the narrow sidewalk next to Baylah Mekhalis, and we will reach the Synagogue. A minute, my daughter – let us not walk there directly. Let us make a slight detour. Why? – Come, and I will tell you, even if I am a bit embarrassed: this sidewalk passes by the living quarters of the ‘Panovikl^[2].’ This is a habit from my childhood. When I had to pass by this place, I would go to the side. You are no doubt curious to know the reason for this, so come, I will tell you: The ‘Panovikl’ (His real name is not known to me, and everybody called him this), was a dwarf with the head of a giant. He had big hands and feet, and in walking, he made use of crutches.^[3] Because of this, his appearance instilled fear in us children. Whether he was born this way, or how this happened to him, is not known to me. One story about him goes like this: On the occasion of one Sukkot holiday, a great Tzaddik came to the city. The ‘Panovikl’ was passing by the Sukkah of the Tzaddik, and when hearing him reciting the Kiddush over wine, screwed up his face and clenched his hands. Upon sensing this, the Tzaddik cursed him, and the curse of the Tzaddik was immediately realized, and he was transformed into the cripple that he was. It is further told, that after his death, a rooster tore the linen cover and spilled out the cup of water that stood on the window sill, that had been set there, according to the accepted custom of mourning, during the period of the ‘Shiva.’

It was known that the Panovikl had a good mind. He was the leader of the Bundists in the city. It was customary to gather at his house on Saturday nights, hold discussions, singing, smoking cigarettes, and engaging in all manner of ‘sins.’ Nevertheless, when I grew older, when I would stop off at his place to buy cigarettes – he would support himself by hand-rolling cigarettes – he would envelope them in his crooked hands, and his voice was soft when he spoke, and the fear would leave me, but the habit remained a habit. May he pardon me for intruding on his rest.

We are approaching the sacred places: the large building with the double roof, that rises so high and proudly, is the Great Synagogue. It is the pride of the Jews of the city. It is standing for over 500 years. The two great fires that occurred did not affect it. One enters the sanctuary through the ‘polish’ [sic: antechamber. In the center of the sanctuary, the Bima rises with stairs on both of its sides. On the west side there is a balcony for the choir and the women's section. Opposite it, on the east side – the Holy Ark along with its doors, covered by a woven velvet curtain. Large candelabras were hung from the high ceiling, To a child's eyes, the ceiling was the wonder of the building. I constantly wanted to investigate how it was that the ceiling could stay up, because it did not rest on pillars. On the surrounding walls, artistic representations were drawn of the signs of the Zodiac, the months of the year and the four seasons, running like a deer, strong as a lion, etc.

The Synagogue was enveloped in an air of mystery and sanctity. It was known to all that every night, the deceased came there to gather, in their burial shrouds, and to pray. And if someone passes by, he would be invited in to take an aliyah to the Torah: ‘Let so-and-so ben so-and-so come up for an honor to the Torah,’ and woe be it to the man would declined to enter, and woe to the one who did. As you can understand, my daughter, I did not examine the veracity of these claims, but to be sure, no man had the nerve to pass by the Synagogue in the middle of the night, and even we, the Heder children, before nightfall on our way back home, would give the place a wide berth. Opposite the Synagogue stood the Bet HaMedrash. It was there that R' Nahum Shames ruled with an iron hand. However, he, was not enveloped in mystery and holiness, like the Synagogue. He was more secular, and exuded warmth, like a steam cloud emanating from its entrance on cold winter evenings. Inside, there were always to be found people who were studying Mishna,

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Eyn Yaakov, or just whiling away the time in political discussions, the state of the economy, etc.

At this time we have entered into the heart of hearts of the Jewish community: to – the Praga. The neighborhood of poverty and want, the neighborhood of the ‘common folk’ who toil from morning to night to bring a slice of bread home to their young. This is also the place where the ‘ritual servants’ reside.

But what is this silence that emanates at this time from the neighborhood? – We are at the third watch of Thursday – the day of the market fair. Where, then, are all of those who usually rise at this hour? Where are you, you Jews! Come, rise to do your duty before The Creator, rise to your daily business and business. Don't you require earnings for the needs of the Sabbath, for this is the market fair day.

Where is Moshe Itcheh Wolf the butcher, who brings his wagon at this hour to the slaughterhouse, where is Itcheh Bertik, the horse trader, who will drive the mare to the market? Where are the robust sons of Shmuel Liblis, who have to prepare carbonated water and ice cream for the farmers from the surrounding area, who will be coming to the marketplace? We also do not see Chaim Yitzhak, the musicians with his kapelye returning sleepy and tired from a wedding, Aykhem Bezheh, Zalman Schnur, and Mordechai Sofer, continuing on to the mikva and the first minyan. What has happened to you? You have become indolent, you have fallen asleep, the sleep of the righteous, or, God forbid – – – – – come my daughter, I don't get it, I don't understand what has happened here, where are my Jews, where are they? Come, let us approach the cemetery, let us prostrate ourselves on the graves of my parents and relatives, let us ask them, and perhaps in that way we will come to know what has happened to the Jews of Tomaszow.

From here, we descend. On the right can be found the well beside the Bolakh ??? Here is descent. In the autumn rains, one would slog through the mud up to one's knees, and in the winter, with the coming of the ice, it was necessary to be very, very careful to carry a walking stick, present company excluded. Because of this, during the summer, the fragrant scent of orchards and fields would be carried here. We continue. Here we are at the bridge that spans the river by the cemetery. Let us go from here, a short distance to the cemetery. But – what is this, I do not see the fence that surrounds it, and I do not see a single headstone. Do you not also see? Have I perhaps made a mistake? – No, no, I am not mistaken. For we are on the bridge. What happened here, so frightening a misfortune? Did they not spare even the dead, did they disinter them as well, disturbing their eternal rest, not leaving a memory or a trace? Woe, let us flee from this Hell, my daughter, from this awesome Vale of Tears. Give me your hand, hold onto me, come let us flee, let us flee to our home – – – – – – – – –

Yes, Shoshana, Abraham, my children, to our home, to this tiny sliver of the earth that we have taken hold of, because in it, and in you, in the youth coming to maturity in the freedom of this ancestral land, that has remained to the survivors, it is in you that the sweet sense of security lies, assuring that which is forbidden will not re-occur, that what happened to Tomaszow, and a thousand other cities like it, will never occur a second time.

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A Jewish life burgeoned in Tomaszow, where old traditions were linked with the newer times, where among ourselves we consummated business transactions, settled affairs, dealt with one another, lent money, etc. The Jewish population consisted of small businessmen, craftsmen, merchants and a bit of professional intelligentsia. For many in the shtetl, the capacity to make a living was rare, and poverty, need, and a state of [sic: economic] distress were frequent guests. There were also many idle people due to a lack of work. Despite this, the Tomaszow Jews were active and creative, and developed a variegated cultural life, and were dedicated heart and soul to their community, economic, religious, cultural and philanthropic activities. The Jewish Free Loan Society, which had done so much: Libraries, the Hebrew School, [political] parties from the extreme right to the extreme left, youth organizations, Jewish banks, Rabbis, a beautifully constructed Synagogue, houses of study, Heders, sport organizations, professional unions, and a Jewish dram circle. There was a Jewish youth that seethed with energy and joy. Tomaszow Jews put a great deal of heart and care into these very institutions, in order to improve their lives, and to make them more comely. It was in this fashion that Jews built, created and wove their dreams for a better world and a better tomorrow. How many wondrous treasures were passed down from one generation to the next, up to the generation of the Holocaust, when the German Beast put its brutal hand on the body of Jewry, and on its soul, and eradicated everything. The sun has set on our little shtetl of Tomaszow, of light and life. The sky is drenched in blood, bloody tears roll over the orphaned houses, which will never be wiped away. And the streets, where my mother and sisters and all of my townsfolk walked, are ruined, and the walls say a silent Kaddish. Destruction, a wasteland, a cemetery without grave stones. A permanently extinguished candle….

With whatever strength I can muster, I would like, here, to recollect those shining personalities and community activists who were active in all of the community cultural and religious institutions….

Shimon Reis, Gabbai

Who does not remember the image of Yom Kippur in our shtetl, when the Synagogue was filled to overflowing with Jews wrapped in their prayer shawls, covering their faces, totally disconnected from the realities of the world around them, with sweet, heart quickening tones tearing themselves from the lips of the Cantor leading the High Holy Day services: ‘May our beseeching go up to you at evening…’ and it always seems to me that I hear the moving melodies and prayers of that sacred congregation from our little shtetl

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of Tomaszow, that once was, but is now no longer here.

In the last times, the Gabbaim were: Chaim Putter ז”ל, Meir Hubar ז”ל, Shimon Reis ז”ל, Wolf Zilber ז”ל, Shlomo Lichtenfeld ז”ל.

An announcement for a memorial gathering in honor of Shlomo ben Joseph who was hung by the English in the Land of Israel [sic: Mandatory Palestine]

A call to the Jewish community to assemble at the time of the death of Marshal Josef Pilsudski

The first community representative group consisted of: R' Eliezer Lederkremmer, R' Pinchas Goldstein, R' Benjamin Weinberg, R' Aryeh Heller, R' Mikhl Yehuda Plug, R' Mendl Reichenberg, R' Yitzhak Borenstein, R' Hirsch Meir Cyment.

Apart from this, there was an advisory committee that consisted of: R' Nathan Greenwald, R' Sholom Szpizajzen, R' David Weitzman, R' Chaim Yaakov Shenner, R' Nahum Schuldiner etc. However, in the course of the first tenure, many resigned.

The second committee, which was elected, consisted of: R' Shmuel Shiflinger as the President, R' Shmuel Meldung, R' Baruch Szparer, R' Joseph Geld, Hirsch Meir Cyment, R' Chaim Joseph Lehrer, R' Moshe Blonder, ans R' Meir Blumer.

The third committee consisted of: R' Chaim Joseph Lehrer as the President, R' Aryeh Heller, R' Yud'l Ader, R' Fishl Fish, R' Noah Herbstman, R' Nahum Schuldiner, R' Moshe Blonder and R' Yaakov Schlagbaum.

The Free Loan Society was a very important institution, where the representatives worked with their wholehearted commitment without taking any compensation. The poor craftsman or small businessman would be able to borrow a hundred or two hundred zlotys without interest, and was able many times to rescue himself, and get himself back on his feet again. The representatives were: Chaim Fershtman, Rabbi R' Abraham Goldschmid, Yaakov Minkowsky, Sinai Lichtenfeld, Hirsch Meir Cyment, Meir Blumer, Nahum Schuldiner, Yitzhak Bornstein, Yitzhak Lederkremmer, and Jonah Zilberstein.

Shortly before the outbreak of the war, the Jewish councilmen had a very difficult struggle in defending Jewish interests. [There was] the anti-Semitic politics of the Polish Sanacja regime. The practical

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extermination politics accompanied by picketing with ‘Nie kupuie o Zydy,’ etc. Representatives came from all of the parties.

From Mizrahi: R' Chaim Joseph Lehrer, R' Yaakov Arbesfeld. From Agudah: R' Yitzhak Karper, R' Alter Stahl, R' Neta Heller, R' Ephraim Ruv, R' David Schwindler. From the General Zionists: R' Itcheh Lederkremmer. From the manual trades: R' Shmuel Shiflinger, Hirsch Meir Cyment. From Poalei Tzion: R' Fyvel Holtz, R' Moshe Blonder. From the Bund: R' Nahum Schuldiner, R' David Geyer, Leibusz Kaffenbaum.

A picture of a Keren-Kayemet Bazaar in Tomaszow in 1935 From the right: Schlagbaum, Lipa Goldman, Shimon Laneil

The representatives were: Fishl Fish, Fyvel Holtz, Israel Wertman, Shlomo Kessler, Y. Arbesfeld, Abraham Meldung, Lipa Goldman, Moshe Unterbuch (Lerner), Itcheh Schlagbaum, Shimon Laneil, Asher Herbstman.

The people who dedicated themselves to Keren HaYesod were loyal and committed and offered a great deal of time. The representatives were: Shmuel Shiflinger, the Chair, Yaakov Minkowsky, Vice-Chair, and Chair, Fishl Fish, Moshe Baretsky, Chaim Joseph Lehrer, Yitzhak Borenstein, Meir Blumer, Eliyahu Shtruzler, Israel Greenbaum, ‘Srol'ki’ Greenbaum, Fyvel Holtz, Koppel Kalenberg.

The Volks-Bank was literally a safety net for the craftsmen and small businessmen where they could borrow several hundred zlotys, or discount a check. The representatives were: Shmuel Shiflinger, Meir Blumer, Hirsch Meir Cyment, Israel Leib Schmutz, Eliyahu Shtruzler.

A substantial activity went on in the Merchants Union, where effort was made to assure that no merchant would be allowed to go under, or as it was called ‘bankrupt.’ Rather, as far as it was possible, an individual was supported, and permitted to go under. The representatives were: Yaakov Minkowsky, Chair, Shlomo Pearl, Vice-Chair, Yitzhak Borenstein, Ber'keh Tregerman, Jonah Zilberstein, Abraham Pfefferman, Yitzhak Lederkremmer, Abraham Schwindler, Shmuel Herring, Moshe Baretsky, Shlomo Goldzamd, Joseph Friedlander (son of Yerakhmiel).

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The Manual Trades Union

The representatives of the Manual Trades Union were: Shmuel Shiflinger, Israel Leib Schmutz, Moshe'leh Hubar, Hirsch Meir Cyment, Meir Blumer, Yaakov Schmutz, Abraham Bret.

It was possible to see competitors in Tomaszow: Doctor Shulman, Doctor Fruchtman.

The Leadership of the Manual Trades Union Standing, from the right: Pinchas Barass, Shlomo Malerman, Gulia Dornfeld, Meir Blumer, Wolf Leichter, & Y. H. Winder Sitting: Moshe Blonder, Anast, Shmuel Shflingter, Hirsch Meir Cyment Below: Adam & Rivka Shiflinger

The beginning of the activity of the Bund organization took place in 1917, and the class-consciousness of Jewish Labor grew strongly. The exceptional activity on the political front that the Bundist proletarian party, conducted in a faithful and committed fashion of the Bundist traditions, very strongly became entrenched. It had its own beautiful library, also containing many translations of Tolstoy, Emile Zola, etc. They also had a special library for young people, where youth came to drink in knowledge. They continuously organized political and literary evenings. They conducted a variety of outings, and also the so-called joint outings, etc.

The first leadership was: Leib'l Szerer, Nahum Schuldiner, Mordechai Weissberg, David Geyer, Koppel Szpizajzen, Peltik Lederkremmer. Afterwards: Yaakov Yehoshua Grohman, Mott'l Lerner, Joseph Meldung, Itzik Zygielbojm, Mindl Meil (Zygielbojm) – Shevakh Kornworcel, Shimon Leder, Elazar Lieber, Abraham Szerer.

For a number of years, the Tomaszow Drama Circle put on a series of very talented presentations, with great dedication and love for the Yiddish theater. It is worth becoming acquainted with which social walks of life the members of the Drama Circle were recruited from. As was characteristic of that time, of the rising labor movement, the largest part was from the working masses, and apart from the previously mentioned goal of disseminating culture among the Jewish working masses, the Yiddish amateurs also wanted to use the theater as a means of developing their general awareness, and elevate their political and social level. Among the first were: Chaim Michael Horn, Abraham Shmuel Knopf, Nahum Schuldiner, and also, Sufolior, Mordechai Weissberg, Shayndl Bliank, Leah'cheh Szur, Miriam Szerer, Meir Blumer, Meir Baum, Avigdor Zucker, Afterwards: Mindl Meil, Itzik Zygielbojm, Azriel Tsan, Shevakh Kornworcel, and Shimon Leder.

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Among the first pieces that they presented were: ‘Die Seder Nacht,’ by Lateiner – ‘Gebrokhene Hertzer’ by Z. Libin – ‘Der Yeshiva Bokher’ by Zolotarewski – ‘Die Grineh Felder’ by Peretz Hirshbein, – ‘Chana'leh die Naytorin’ by ? – ‘Der Dorfs Yung’ – by L. Kobrin – ‘Der Fotter,’ by Strinberg – ‘Die Mishpokhe,’ by H. D. Nemberg – ‘Der Yiddisher Koenig Lear,’ by Yaakov Gordin – ‘Got, Mensch, Tyvl,’ by Yaakov Gordin – ‘Tevye Der Milkhiger,’ by Sholom Aleichem – ‘Dos Groyse Gevinss,’ by Sholom Aleichem – ‘Die Tsvay Kuni Lemels,’ by A. Goldfadn – ‘Die Shekhita’ by Yaakov Gordin.

Tomaszow exhibited a great deal of understanding for Yiddish theater, and for Yiddish cultural presentations….

All of this was destroyed, and was wrecked in the frightening and dark period of the extermination of the Jews in that ‘civilized Europe’ where the Jewish people, were the ones who were bled the most in The Second World War, not only in terms of murder, but in torture prior to death. The terrifying crimes which causes one's blood to congeal and one's hair to stand on end – with a cry that is choked back, I undertook to take down stories and experiences from the very few, who by a miracle, were among the Tomaszow people who were saved, and recorded what, pitiably, they went through.

The manner in which the German murderers, utilizing all of the methods from Hell, tortured, abased, abused, and spat upon the broken individuals who remained alive, some externally, and some internally, having their nerves shattered. Those martyrs who were not slaughtered, whose nights are still filled with nightmares, and can no longer find any solace in their lives. They are broken, alone, full of eternal longing for their tortured families. Each of them carries, in their heart, tens of graves – graves of children, of a father, mother, of sisters and brothers, who were so cruelly cut down, with the most terrifying and frightening forms of suffering that has no equal even in the annals of Jewish martyrology. Being stripped barefoot in the freezing cold; being driven naked on their last way; the extraction of teeth from their mouths; the denial of even so much as a drop of water to moisten cracked lips before execution; burying little children alive, or smashing those small infant heads against boulders, or walls, and letting their brains made the walkways slippery. The music orchestra that played every morning at Auschwitz, under whose melodies our dearest and nearest were driven to the gas chambers, and then went up in smoke. The terrifying torture of the castrated men, the frightening experiments on the bodies of young women. The casting of the wounded together with the dead, the murder of the sick and the aged, the groaning coming up from the pits of those who were buried alive, the wail and screams of the small children toward the black-clouded skies, when they were torn away from their mothers, and no one knows where their remains went to. They float between heaven and earth, in the smoke of the crematoria, in the ash that was sown and spread over fields and forests, and over the seas.

It was upon this frightening disaster, to this terrifying torture, to this, the greatest of all Jewish destructions, that the world looked on in silence, while observing the mass slaughter of defenseless people. The Jewish people in its capaciously rich history, was cut down, exterminated and incinerated by the German murderers, who for all time to come, have extinguished the shining personalities of hundreds of Jewish settlements in Poland, upon whom the curse of Sodom and Gomorrah descended. That mighty oak, of Polish Jewry, was excised by the taproot. Cities and towns were annihilated by fire and sword, in those terrifying years, and among them, our full-hearted little shtetl of Tomaszow that once was, but will be no more. Let my memoir, here, be a memorial over the final resting place of that sacred and martyred Tomaszow community, in order that our children and children's children might know and discharge the behest of the Pentateuch: ‘Remember what Amalek did to you…’

(P.S. If I have omitted the name of someone that should have been included, or a fact, I beg your pardon. This did not occur because of any ill will on my part).

Yaakov Schwartz – Member of the Committee of the Organization of Tomaszow Emigres in Israel.

[Page 297]

Once, little snows, Small white flakes, Fell and covered the little side locks, Of little Jewish boys. Little snows, little heads, With glistening clothing, Covering the forelocks Of little Jewish girls. Little snows, little birds, Wondrously tiny, Sprayed into little eyes So black and pretty. Little snows. Little breezes, Like silvery little twigs, Whipping little noses, Pulling on little hats. Little snows, little bits, Dead little souls, Caressing the little cheeks, Flaming and reddened, Those little side locks are no more, Forelocks, so wondrous, Little Jewish snows, Little Jewish children….

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