The daughter of my brother Dovele Most-Rosenberg was saved when she was at the Stothof concentration camp; Yehuda Fleischer was saved when he was a soldier in the Red Army, during the war; I, Lea Most, was saved when I was at the Stothof concentration camp.

Indeed, only very few of my family remained alive and we live with the bitter memory.

My family was long-standing in Yurburg. My father had a franchise to transport goods on a transport bus in Lithuania itself- Kovna, Klaipde and Germany.

Our home was orthodox-traditional. My father prayed at the "Tiferet Bahurim" synagogue.

Our family was active Zionist. We belonged to "Poel Mizrahi" and its youth movement. My father contributed to nationalist funds - Keren Kayemet and Keren Hayesod and also to the various charity funds to help the poor.

I cherish the memory of my family. It was a close-knit family and we had excellent relations with each other; we all respected our mother. We spoke Yiddish and also Hebrew at home.

I and my sister Yonina studied at the Hebrew Gymnasium. My sister Yonina went to Israel as a pioneer. W corresponded with her and were informed about what went on in Eretz Yisrael. I went to Israel only in 1963, having passed through all the horrors of the Holocaust. In Israel I worked at the "Ort" school in Kfar Saba. I live in Kfar Saba at present as well.

I am close to my sister Yonina and the Efraimi and Reznik families - who are teachers in Israel. The Reznik family - Miriam and Shraga - live in Herzlia.

In Israel we live with the problems of our country and the memories of Yurburg, which is no longer.

[Page 202]

In the days of the Holocaust in Yurburg the following were murdered: my sister Fruma with her husband and two children, my brother Gershon and my dear mother Faige. My father died before the Holocaust.

Survivors - my brother Yacov, who lived in South Africa (died 12 years ago) and my sister Rachel Mazor, who lives in Givataim.

I have happy memories from my home in Yurburg. I particularly remember the religious holidays, celebrated according to tradition, with all the delicacies and prayers. Our home was traditional. My father prayed at the great synagogue. He was a Zionist and belonged to the "Poalei Zion" party. The family contributed to Keren Hayesod and Keren Hakayemet. Yiddish was spoken at home.

I studied at the Hebrew Gymnasium, and after that at the "Red Cross" nursing school in Kovna. I worked for a while at the "Bikur Holim" hospital. I was a member of the "Hatzofim -Hashomer Hatzair". I realized my dream and went to Israel in 1935 with "Hamaccabiah".

I worked as a licensed nurse in Tel Aviv at the "Hadassa" hospital. When I married my husband, Dr. Simon, we moved to Haifa, to the "Moria" neighborhood.

When this page was published - Mina was no longer alive.

[Pages 203]

I remember about my family - my grandfather Meir[2] Naividel and my grandmother Rachael. My brother Hillel Naividel (1905) - a lawyer. My stepmother Fania and her children - Reuven, Shalom, Chaia, and Fruma[3].

My relatives - aunts: Rivka Litman[4]and Pola Gurvitch.

All members of my family were killed during the Holocaust in Yurburg. My wife Cherna in Stutthof and my daughter Elinka in the Kovno Ghetto.

Saved: My brother Hillel ( died in 1969), my niece Rachel Naividel-Gershovitz, a doctor, who lives in Kfar Sava.

The way of life in our home was traditional. My parents used to go to services in the Old Synagogue. My father was a member of the "Poalei Zion" (Workers of Zion). We donated to the Karen Kayamet (Jewish National Fund). At home we spoke Yiddish and Russian. After the death of my mother, I was raised in my grandmother's home[5].

I studied law in the U.S.S.R. I was an attorney. Today I an retired as well as my wife. Our son David[6] is a student. I live in Beer Sheva.

(Note added: Mordechai Naividel died in Israel in 1993)

1. Motel was born in 1903.

2. Motel's grandfather was Shalom.

3. Fania and Meyerelia had only 3 children: Chaia, Reuven and Fruma. (Possibly Shalom died young and was not remembered by others in the family.)

4. Gita and Bella advise that the name of Motel's aunt was Chaia Rivka Lipman (not Litman).

5. Motel was raised by his aunt Pola, not his grandmother.

6. Motel's son's name is Benjamin, not David.

[Page 203]

My father's name was Daniel and my mother's name Miriam.

I had two sisters - Mania and Bronia. Bronia was married and had a little daughter called Aviva.

My father was a grain merchant. My sister Mania worked at the Kommertz Bank managed by Shmaryahu Bernstein. I finished the Hebrew Gymnasium in Yurburg and the kindergarten seminary in Riga.

We kept a traditional home. My father and mother prayed at the old synagogue. We spoke Yiddish and Russian at home. We were active Zionists. We contributed to Keren Hakayemet and charity funds in town. I was a member of "Hashomer Hatzair" and my sisters of "Maccabi". There was a pleasant atmosphere at home. We always felt at ease and peaceful at home.

My family came to a bitter end. All the members of my family perished in the Holocaust.

I went to Israel in 1936, after pioneer training in Memel (Klaipde). In my first year in Israel I worked as a kindergarten teacher in Yokneam and from there I moved to Tel Aviv. I married Joshua Rabinowitz, who became the mayor of Tel Aviv. We have three sons, two of them in Israel and one is studying abroad.

The editor takes the liberty of adding that the Rabinowitz family was a well-known and popular family in Tel Aviv. The home of mayor Joshua Rabinowitz and his wife Geula opened its doors to anyone in need as well as to intellectuals and important people. Joshua Rabinowitz served as mayor for many years, and he was esteemed and admired by all the town's inhabitants for his many achievements in improving the town.

After his death, institutions and enterprises were named after him: The city' s award for culture and art as well as the well-known and splendid project "Ganey Joshua" - one of his many projects for the benefit of the town - are a handsome monument to his name and achievement.

[Page 204]

Shaine Minzer Pulaver, her brother Elyahu [Ilja]
and sister-in-law, Margot (nee Markus) Minzer
Taken c.1963 in Vilnius - kindly submitted by Joyaa Antares

I, Shaine, of the Minzer family, was born in 1919. We lived on 4 Kovna street.

My father was a businessman. We had a pastry shop at home.

The following is the list of members of my family and their fate:

Grandfather and grandmother Moshe and Rivka Lubin, died before the Holocaust.

My father Aharon-Yehuda Minzer, died in 1933.

My mother Sara Minzer-Lubin died in 1979 in Vilna.

My brother Dov (Berl) died in 1947 in Vilna.

My brother Nehemia died while he was in the Russian-Soviet army in 1943.

My brother Elyahu (Luka) died in Vilna in 1982.

I, Shaine Minzer, went to Israel in 1971. After I went through the tortures of the Holocaust I lived in the U.S.A.

Uncle Gabriel and Rachel Lubin died during the Holocaust.

My cousin Haya Lubin (Meirowitz) was saved and lives with her family in Vilna.

Judith, the daughter of my brother Dov, Minzer (Walker), lives with her family in Equador. The son of my brother Elyahu (Luka) lives with his family in Vilna.

The home of my parents in Yurburg was traditional. My parents were Zionists. We contributed to the nationalist funds - Keren Kayemet and Keren Hayesod. We also contributed to the needy of the town. We spoke Yiddish at home, like all the families in Yurburg. My husband Moshe Pulaver wrote books in Yiddish about the Jewish theater, his last book "Ararat" was published by I.L. Peretz, Tel Aviv, 1972.

In Israel we lived in Tel Aviv, 46 Shlom Zion Hamalcah.

[Page 206]

In Yurburg we lived on the street of the Hebrew Gymnasium and "Tel Aviv" park. Our family owned a large home with a fruit and vegetable garden. When they strolled in the neighborhood, our friends would pause near our home, enjoy the garden and receive a flower or fruit in season.

The members of our family:

Father Aharon Smolnik; Mother Deborah Smolnik;

Two sons - Nathan and Gershon;

Two daughters - Esther, and I, Hannah. Esther married Haim Frank - who died abroad.

I and my children - Gideon, Ruth and Amira - live in Tel Aviv. My husband, engineer Pulan, died, and my children are married and active in culture and art. I have lived in Israel for many years now, but I still remember my past and the past of Yurburg.

Our home in Yurburg was a traditional home. We celebrated our holidays in a happy family atmosphere. We were a close-knit family which took care of its own needs and of the needs of others.

I studied at the elementary school and the Gymnasium and was a member of "Hashomer Hatzair". Our home was Zionist and my parents supported the nationalist funds.

in 1927 I went on agricultural training on behalf of "Hahalutz" to the Dompan group, at an estate near Memel; two years later I went to Israel to the Benjamina and Petach Tikva kibbutz nucleus. After a while I joined kibbutz Mishmar Haemek. In 1933 my family from Yurburg joined me in Israel.

As in Yurburg, in Kiryat Motzkin too, my parents' home opened its doors to visitors and friends from Lithuania. We do not have any relatives from Lithuania in Israel, but many friends from Yurburg to whom I am very close.

[Page 207]

My father was an orthodox Jew. He prayed a the great synagogue and founded the "Tiferet Bachurim" company. My parents donated to the needy and contributed to charity. In addition, my parents were active Zionists. They donated to the nationalist funds, Keren Hayesod and Keren Hakayemet. At home Yiddish was spoken and Hebrew. I was sent to the Hebrew Gymnasium in Yurburg; I completed my studies by acquiring a profession - accountancy.

My father Natan and my mother Batia Polarvitz

I was a member of the Beitar youth movement. I passed pioneer training and planned to go to Israel, but due to the restrictions on immigration certificates, I remained in Lithuania - until my family and I were hit by the terrible Holocaust.

The names of the members of my family:

Grandfather Eliezer and grandmother Zelta Polarvitz (grandfather was a goldsmith); My father Nathan and my mother Batia Polarvitz;

My sisters Haya and Zahava; my brother Reuven.

All the members of my family perished in the Holocaust. Only my sister Zahava survived.

I went to Israel in 1973 and I live in Arad. My relatives in Israel are - my only sister , Zahava, her husband Eliezer and their son - the BenYehuda family.

I live in our country with mixed feelings - the memory of the Holocaust and the joy of life in our country - our state.

[Pages 208 - 209]

Our family - the Feinberg family -was a large family in Yurbug. We lived on 1 Market Square.

The following are the members of my family:

Zelkind Feinberg, grandfather (1854), scholar, studied the Torah;

Haya-Tova Feinberg, grandmother (1860), shop owner;

Benjamin Feinberg, father (1879), businessman;

Henya Feinberg, mother (1886), housewife;

Yehezkel Feinberg (1881), industrialist;

Tamara Feinberg-Block (1885), housewife;

Sheine-Raize Feinberg-Gut (1888);

Esther Feinberg-Goldberg (1890); housewife

Leibe Feinberg (1892), farm owner;

Shmaryahu Feinberg (1894), industrialist;

Rafael Feinberg (1896), industrialist;

My brother Shimon Feinberg (1918), clerk in the Ministry of Finance, Israel.

Heshel Heselson (1892), agent;

Gittel Shoham (1890), store-owner, wholesaler;

Avraham Yitzhak Koplov (1896), dentist;

Mordehai Simonov (1890), dentist and shop owner.

Benjamin Feinberg in Yurburg (1941); Leibe Feinberg and his family in Kovna;

Tamara Bloch and her family in Vilna; Sheine-Raize Gut and her family in Esthonia;

Esther Goldberg and her family in Kovna.

Shimon Feinberg, died in Israel, Bat-Yam, 1977.

Tusia Bloch-Rosenzweig, Israel, Bat-Yam;

Shlomo Friedheim, U.S.A, Los Angeles.

I was born in Yurburg in 1915, I studied at the Hebrew Gymnasium. My father had various businesses - a farm and a textile and rubber factory. Our home was conservative. My father prayed at the great synagogue. We spoke Yiddish at home. My father contributed to various charity funds and to the maintenance of synagogues. we also donated to Keren Kayemet and Keren Hayesod. I and my brother Shimon belonged to the "Hashomer Hatzair' youth movement and participated in its educational activity. My fondest memories of Yurburg are the Zionist youth movement.

Due to World War II my brother's and my own alyah to Eretz Yisrael was held up. Shimon went to Israel in 1948 and I in 1975. I work as an accountancy clerk.

My relatives in Israel are - the Rosenzweig, Dvoretzky, Simonov, Oliamprel and Bader families.

I live in our free country, but the memories of the past are with me always.

[Page 210]

I did not know the family on my late father's side, Yehuda Leib Frank, for his parents died when I was still a small child. My father died at an early age, when I was still a toddler.

I had an uncle, Shimon, in Naistot-Saki, and an aunt, Golda. Their family name was Goldberg. They had three children: Mordehai, Leibe and a son whose name I don't remember.

My entire family was murdered - my mother Malca, my brother Mordehai-Eli and my sister Liebe-Beile. I don't know how they were murdered and died. I know nothing about them.

My mother was a widow and worked in her grocery store, which was next to our home. I studied at the elementary school and the Hebrew Gymnasium. Afterwards, I studied at the "Handels-Schule" in Memel. Our home was traditional. We prayed at the great synagogue and observed Jewish tradition at home, especially on Sabbath and the holidays. We respected mother and helped her as much as we could in her work. We spoke Yiddish.

We had strong ties with Eretz Yisrael, for mother's two sisters lived in Jerusalem. We were Zionists and contributed to Keren Kayemet. I went on agricultural training to a "Mizrahi" training kibbutz, and I went to Israel. I settled in Jerusalem. I married and had three sons - physicians - and one daughter (Avigdora), a university graduate.

My relatives in Israel died. So did my husband, Yeruham Shapira. I only have a male and female cousin in Ramat Hasharon, a geologist, works at a bank.

[Page 211]

From the ideological point of view my parents belonged to the Zionist Federation, and they were General Zionists. My father was very active on behalf of the nationalist funds. He had power of attorney on behalf of Keren Hakayemet and Keren Hayesod in Yurburg. For many years he worked as a volunteer, and his devotion knew no bounds. We spoke Yiddish at home, Hebrew and Russian as well. The atmosphere at home was very Zionist, it was a warm Zionist home.

When the Nazis entered Yurburg my parents came to a bitter end. My sister Dasha was imprisoned in Auschwitz for a while and went from there to Paris. She died there at the end of December 1980. My four other sisters were in Russia since World War I, where they had arrived together with my parents, who were exiled there in 1914. Only one of my sisters is still alive and she lives in Moscow.

I., Emanuel (1914), grew up in Yurburg. I studied at the Hebrew Gymnasium. I was a member of "Hahalutz" and I trained for alyah to Israel, at a kibbutz training center and in Ponivaz.

In 1935 I went to Israel and settled in Rehovot. Here I got a job at the Toner Sprinklers Factory Ltd., where I worked till 1938.

When the Ethiopian crisis erupted, the factory was closed down and I was unemployed, like so many others. For two years I worked at all sorts of jobs, inter alia at the Rehovot agricultural research station.

In 1941 I got a job at "Kupat Holim" (General Health Fund), where I worked till 1950 as assistant auditor. Later on I was appointed auditor in chief at Kupat Holim, Rishon le Zion district. In 1951 I became auditor at the district tax office in Rehovot. I carried out this task till my retirement in 1979.

[Page 212]

The members of my family are:

My grandfather (on my father's side) - Yonah Karabelnik

My grandmother - Rikla of the Rodensky-Karabelnik family

My father - David Karabelnik

My mother - Mina Karabelnik of the Levinberg family.

The members of my family who were murdered in the Holocaust are: my parents (David and Mina); my sister Cherna with her little girl; my sister Rivka with her husband Haim Sieger and their children, my brother -Arie-Leib.

My father was a merchant dealing in forest trade, and a partner in a steamship company. My father prayed at the old synagogue and we observed a traditional religious lifestyle at home. We spoke Yiddish. Our home was a Zionist home. We contributed to the national funds - Keren Hayesod and Keren Hakayemet. We were brought up at the Zionist-pioneering youth movements and my sister Rachel emigrated to Eretz Israel before me and became a member of kibbutz Beit Zera in the Jordan Valley. She is no longer alive. I remember my parents' home as being open and hospitable.

I emigrated to Eretz Israel in 1934 after I completed my studies at the Hebrew Gymnasium. At first I worked as a clerk and after my marriage to Dr. David Trainin (Lithuania) we moved to the Jizrael Valley and returned to Tel Aviv again.

[Page 213]

My parents moved to Yurburg from the small town of Vilan, around the year 1900. We lived on Raisaniu street at my family's home with our own plot of land. My father was a clerk and worked with a timber trader and my mother Mina owned a grocery store. I had two brothers - Dov, a physician, and Haim, a clerk. My sisters - Yaffa-Rivka and Deborah were married and housewives.

I remember my grandfather and grandmother - Yacov and Kaile Rodensky.

My brothers and sisters were married and they all had sons and daughters. The large family would meet during the religious holidays and there was a truly festive atmosphere at home. We kept an orthodox-traditional home. My father prayed at the old synagogue. He contributed to charity funds and the nationalist-Zionist funds - Keren Hayesod and Keren Hakayemet. We spoke Yiddish at home.

Noone of my large family survived. All of them died. Most of my relatives were murdered in the Pasvantas forest, 6-8 kms. from Yurburg. My brother, Dr. Dov Rodensky, a physician, died at Port 6; his wife Ania and their son Aliz died at the Stothof concentration camp.

I was born in Yurburg (1911). I graduated from the Hebrew Gymnasium and continued to study at the Kovna and Vilna universities. In Yurburg I was a member of "Maccabi" and then of "Hashomer Hatzair". I was on pioneer training in Memel in 1931-1933. I went to Israel in 1971. I live with my wife (a pharmacist) and with my son Emanuel (an engineer) in Kiryat Ata. I worked as a computer engineer at "Elbit Computers" in Haifa.

When I went to Israel I found my relatives Moshe Iskoner, Hanna Karabelnik-Trainin and Rachel Karabelnik -Niv at kibbutz Beth Zera.

My wife and I are already retired. When I look back, my life in Yurburg seems beautiful and nice to me, particularly my studies at the Gymnasium and the youth movement. My memories are with me always.

[Page 214]

The following are the members of my family and their occupations:

My grandfather on father's side, Yehuda Rabinowitz, was a very wealthy man, he had a lot of money and many children. He was a timber trader.

My grandfather on mother's side, Yacov Norvitzky, lived in Koenigsberg. He was an accountant;

My grandmother on father's side, Sara Rabinowitz, and my grandmother on mother's side, Batia Norvitzky.

My grandfather Yehuda Rabinowitz had eight sons and three daughters, as follows:

The sons: Elya - a pharmacist; Isaac, a general physician in Yurburg; Zadar, a physician at Tiplis (Kawkaz) and Leo was a pharmacist; Ossip and Max were timber traders; David was a banker in Kovna. Another son was a dentist in Petersburg (Leningrad at present), I don't remember his name.

The daughters: one daughter,Tzila, married Magister Samargonsky. Another daughter married pharmacist Raches and a third daughter - Hanna, married Rabbi Haskin, who wrote the religious book - " Kalkelet Svi'it".

On my mother's side I had a brother, Herman, who was a physician in Kissingen.

My brother Alexander Rabinowitz was a pharmacist, he was born in 1899.

My mother was murdered at the Stothof concentration camp; my wife Haya and my daughters Raya and Geula.

I live in Holon, am an engineer by profession. The majority of my family members were academics and in the free professions. We spoke Yiddish and German in our family. We kept a traditional home. My father and grandfather prayed at the great synagogue in Yurburg. Our family had a warm attitude towards Zionism and activities for building Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Haskin and his son Yitzhak went to Eretz Yisrael and became very involved with the country. We donated to the nationalist funds - Keren Hayesod and Keren Kayemet, and supported all the charity funds in town.

In Israel I was the manager of the Technical-Pedagogical department of the "ORT" professional schools.

My relatives in Israel are: my wife Hal, a nurse, and my cousin Sara, a housewife.

Cousins on my mother's side: Hanna Levin, Albert Levinson in Ramat Hasharon and his brother Levinson who lives in Kiryat Bialik.

That is the story of my family, only a few of them survived.

[Page 216]

The members of my family:

Beinish; Avraham; Sheine-Golde; Yitzhak; Shmuel-Banzia.

My relatives were: Pessia Hess; Avraham Rahaza; aunt Bila Goldstein

My brother Yitzhak Rahaza - Dachau;

Sara Bersky - concentration camp;

Miriam Bersky - concentration camp;

Rachel Hess

Hanna Bersky

We also donated to the nationalist funds - Keren Kayemet and Keren Hayesod - and to charity funds. My mother, as far as I remember, contributed to the Froien Ferein and to the needy. Yiddish was spoken at home.

After my studies at the Gymnasium I joined the "Hahalutz" movement an went on pioneer training to Kalabria. In 1935 I went on alya. In Israel I worked in farming and industry.

My family lives in Ramat Gan. My daughter is a teacher and my son a technician.

We have contact in Israel with our relatives from Yurburg - the Rachel Hess-Greenstein family, the Hanna Bersky family and the Yaffa Levin-Taitz family.

[Page 217]

Grandfather Zalman Hassid and grandmother Rachel. My grandfather worked in wool processing;

Grandfather Shalom Raizman and grandmother Dina; they lived in the Girdazi village near Yurburg;

My father Shmaryahu Raizman and my mother Pessia.

My brothers- Yacov, Michael, Moshe, Shalom.

My sisters - Rivka and Zelda.

My parents, brother Yacov and his family and Yehuda, David, Daniel and Mordehai, and my sister Zelda.

My parents, brother Yacov and his family and Yehuda, David, Daniel and Mordehai. My sister in Beersheba (Michael died in 1979).

My sister Rivka (Kuperman) and her two sons live in Rishon le Zion.

Shalom with his wife Sara (Peres), daughter and son live in Beersheba.

They are: The Eliezer Hassid family, who were murdered together with my family members. Of the Hassid family Doba was saved and after the war she emigrated to the U.S.A. and lives in Milwaukee. Her brother Yacov lives in Chicago, I think he left Yurburg in 1937. Their father Eliezer was my mother's brother.

My mother's sister, Doba Hassid (Luria) and her husband died with everyone in Yurburg. The daughter Rachel was saved and is in Russia.

The names that are very dear to me are my mother's cousins: Hanna Levinson, died close to the outbreak of the war and Leib-Hanan Levinson, who died with everyone else in Yurburg.

My parents owned wood processing machines and that was their occupation. Our home was traditional. My father prayed at the new prayer house. My parents' attitude to Zionism was positive. They donated to the nationalist funds - Keren Hayesod, Keren Hakayemet and to charity funds. Yiddish was spoken at home. My parents saw to it that the atmosphere at home was cordial. The religious holidays and Sabbath were beautiful and pleasant days.

I, Sara (1912), studied at the elementary school and at high school.

When I was young, I was a member of "Hashomer Hatzair" and "Maccabi". I was on pioneer training at the urban kibbutz in Memel. I went to Israel in 1936. I joined kibbutz "Plugat Hayam" in Kiryat Haim and in 1939 I moved with my husband to Pardes Hanna, Givataim and afterwards to Kfar Mishar near Gedera, where we worked as farmers.

My son lives in "Omer" near Beersheba, a chemical engineer, works at Oron. My daughter lives in Kiryat Matalon, a secretary.

My relatives in Israel - my brother, Moshe, was a member of "Hashomer Hatzair" and went to Israel at the end of the twenties. My other brothers survived because they served in the Red Army during the days of the war.

[Page 219]

The members of my family are members of the Altman family, of them - Nathan, Sara, Miriam, Zvi, Avraham, Fanny and Haine.

My father was a public personality and looked after the needs of the Jewish community. He was one of the founders of the Gymnasium and looked after its budget during all the years of his life. He himself donated considerable sums when he saw that many people were unable to pay tuition fees. He was a devoted and active Zionist, who cared about the problems of Eretz Yisrael. He supported the nationalist funds - Keren Hakayemet and Keren Hayesod and when the Tel Hay fund was established he donated to this as well.

In addition to donating to the nationalist funds, my father also donated to mutual assistance funds for the needy.

Yiddish was spoken at home. My father prayed at the prayer house and there was a special atmosphere at home during the religious holidays.

In the Holocaust the following were murdered: my father in Yurburg, my mother and sister Regina in Kovna. The survivors from among my family are: Fanny, who lived in Naharyia (she passed away) and Yacov who presently lives in Klaipde (Memel) in Lithuania.

I studied at the Gymnasium. I was on pioneer training in Memel and I went to Israel only in 1973. I now live in Tel Aviv. I worked as a civilian in the I.D.F. in Israel.

I have fond memories - memories of a happy childhood in Lithuania and studies at the Gymnasium, but it is impossible to forget the tragedy of the Holocaust.

[Page 220]

My family had a tinsmith workshop. My father was a religious man and prayed at the great synagogue and at the Feinsberg Kloiz, during the winter. There was a cosy Jewish atmosphere at home. We spoke Yiddish amongst ourselves and Lithuanian with the farmers. I still remember the merry feasts and religious holidays at home. We remembered "Zion" which was being built and donated to Keren Hakayemet.

During the days of the terrible Holocaust my family was annihilated. My parents were murdered and so was their daughter Ita and uncle Yacov-Eliezer Smolovsky from Raisain. My two brothers, Shmuel and Benjamin, are in Canada and the U.S.A.

I, Avraham (1913), found my way to Eretz Yisrael. I carry with me the memories of my home. I also remember the wonderful community of Yurburg, the youngsters and the surroundings where we would roam. The "Maccabi" sports events and the scouts camps of "Hashomer Hatzair". I still remember the Jewish park "Tel Aviv", the rivers and forests.

When I grew up, I joined "Hahalutz" and went on agricultural training at the estate near Memel (Klaipde). My parents supported my aspirations and were happy when I went to Israel (1933). In Israel I was a construction supervisor, on behalf of the Government.

[Page 221]

My great grandfather - Eliezer Moshe Stern (1844-1893) traded in grain, wool and linen. In addition he dealt in banking business. My grandfather was wealthy, but he was always ready to help others.

My great-grandfather was an educated man and was fluent in Hebrew, Yiddish, German, Russian. He was a very religious Jew and a learned man. He married, for the second time, my great-grandmother Sara Perlman, a descendant of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman, who was a Talmud scholar and observant. He died in Yurburg (1877).

The family of Avraham-Aba Fein and his wife Frieda of the Stern family
lived in this house in Yurburg in the 19th century.

My great-grandfather and great-grandmother had a daughter in 1870, called Basha-Freide. The daughter married Avraham-Aba Fein in 1889, who came from Neistat-Shirwint. he was a wealthy businessman, who traded in grain and linen. The Fein family built its home on German street in Yurburg.

Basha-Freide and Avraham Aba Fein had four children:

Naftali-Nathan, born in 1890;

Sara, born in 1892;

Helena, my late mother, born in Yurburg in 1894, died in Israel in 1978;

The Fein family, the parents and their four children, left Yurburg and moved in 1903 to Budapest (Hungary). From 1920-1927 they all emigrated from Budapest to South Africa.

Only I, Erika Katz of the Stern family, born in Capetown in 1922, went to Israel and was followed by my mother, Helena.

The name of my husband is Michael Katz, born in Rosh Pina.

Our only son, Yacov, serves in the I.D.F. while I am writing this page, with the paratroopers.

I work as a communication disorders clinician.

I must emphasize that I am very happy to live with my family in Israel, yet I don't forget the town of my forefathers, Yurburg, which is no more.

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