Kalush, Ukraine

Kalush;
The life and Destruction of the Community
(Kalush, Ukraine)
49°01' / 24°22'

Translation of
Kalusz; hayeha ve-hurbana shel ha-kehila

Edited by:
Shabtai Unger
Moshe Etinger

Tel Aviv: Kalusz Society, 1980 (H,Y,E)

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

This is a translation from: Kalusz; hayeha ve-hurbana shel ha-kehila
(Kalusz; The life and Destruction of the Community), ed. Shabtai Unger and Moshe Etinger.
Tel Aviv: Kalusz Society, 1980 (H,Y,E)

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Kalush

This material is made available by JewishGen, Inc. and the Yizkor Book Project for the purpose of
fulfilling our mission of disseminating information about the Holocaust and destroyed Jewish communities.
This material may not be copied, sold or bartered without JewishGen, Inc.'s permission. Rights may be reserved by the copyright holder.

JewishGen, Inc. makes no representations regarding the accuracy of the translation. The reader may wish to refer to the original material for verification.
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Our mission is to produce a translation of the original work and we cannot verify the accuracy of statements or alter facts cited.

Translated by Deborah Schultz

Hebrew pages

Author Title Page

Street map

Foreword 7

The Community of Kalush Until the End of the First World War (1918) 9

Shabtai Unger History of the Jews of Kalush 11

S. Akhi-Yerukham Torah Judgements of the Jews of Kalush 54

Avraham Y. Barur My Grandfather Rabbi Moshe, His Household and His City At the End of the 19th Century 58

Dr. Eliezer Kulberg Kalush At the Beginning of the Century: Memories 72

Idah Dankner-Saverdlub First Girl in Gymnasium [European-style high school] 79

Khayim Hufman The Terrible Week of Russian Conquest in the Year 1917 81

Asher Hurnik Russian Captive 84

Between the Two World Wars 1918-1939

Institutions & Organizations, Society & Economy, Education & Culture

Sh. U. The Jewish Community 87

Jews on the Town Council 89

S. Ben Menakhem General Zionism 91

Sh. U. “V.Y.TS.V.” [WIZO, Women's International Zionist Organization] 94

Yaakov Avigduri “Gordoniyah” [Gordonism, a Labor Zionist youth organization] 95

S. Halevi “Hashomer Hatsair” [Young Guard, a Socialist Zionist youth organization] 98

Barukh Grinshlag “Beitar” and the Revisionists [Joseph Trumpeldor Alliance, a Zionist youth organization] 102

L. Ben Yekhiel “Agudas Yisrael” [Union of Israel, an Orthodox Jewish religious organization] 104

Levi Tauber How the Jews of Kalush Earned a Living 106

S. A-R. Support Organizations and Charitable Institutions 115

L. Ben Leah Places of Culture and Education 120

Levi Yitskhak Kheders and Melameds, Talmud Torahs and “Beis Yaakov” Schools [traditional religious education] 123

Yehudah Ruzenman Jewish Sports in Kalush 129

Memories and Way of Life

Yisrael Barukh (Han) Jewish Kalush in the Eyes of a Hebrew Teacher 131

Naomi Hibshmen Memories From the Days of the War and Afterwards 138

Moshe Fokhs I Was the First Khaluts [pioneer/settler in the Land of Israel] 140

Herts Hufman Khaluts Youth in Kalush in the 1920's 143

Yoel Reiter The Training in Meyer's Workshop 147

Naomi Halpern/Bar-Nisan First Girls in “Training” [vocational training before aliyah/immigration to the Land of Israel] 151

Mikhael Ben-Asher From the Kheder [religious school] of Moshe Melamed to Aliyah [immigration to the Land of Israel] 155

Shmuel Tshernovits Impressions of a Visit From a Shaliakh [messenger] from the Land of Israel 157

Tsufya Shpilmen (Ruzenmen) At the Beer Brewery 161

Khavah Ruzenmen-Yehalum Memories From a Kalush Childhood 163

Devorah Brutfeld “Klein Palestina” [“Little Palestine”] in Kalush 167

Rakhel Babad The Rabbi's Daughter's Memories 168

Khayim Hufmen Jews in the Kalush Gymnasium [European-style high school] 170

Bertah Fasberg Memories of Home and of the [Zionist] Movement 173

Y. Frukhtermen In the Chortkov Kloyz [Chortkover Khasidic synagogue] and the Choir of Rabbi Yekhiel, the Shokhet [ritual butcher] 175

Netkah Blaushtein-Gutfroynd Amusing Memories 179

Efrayim Riger Impressions of a Visit to Kalush in the Year 1936 181

Yosef Kurts A Visit to Kalush in the Days of the Events of 5697 [1936-1937 C.E.] 183

Blumah Trifles From the Kalush That Was 184

Hanyah Hufman-Murnu The House of Grandfather Yenkl Knol 185

Hindah Shtein-Tiktinski I Made Aliyah [immigrated to the Land of Israel] at Exactly the Right Time 186

S. Alef Ties with America 188

Aharon Lendau The Village of Holin and Its Jews 190

Yisrael Tsiler Between Podhurki [Podgorki] and Kalush 195

Zeldah Veits We Were Saved in Russia 200

Sarah Haber/Shleifer My Grandfather Rabbi Leizer Yaakov the Shokhet [ritual butcher] 202

Feigah Fridman/Akselrud Family Memorial 205

Important People and Figures

He. HaRav Yosef Babad 207

He. HaRav Shlomoh Shikler, Last Rabbi of Kalush 208

He. Rabbi Mikhael Braver 210

Y. M. Dr. David Shpindl 211

He. Dr. Yaakov Huruvits 213

L.T. Rabbi Yaakov Nusbaum 214

B.R. Dr. Reuven Nadl 215

Khayim H. David Haber 216

N.H. The Bentsher Brothers 217

He. Dr. Mauritsi Fentser 218

Y. M. David Reiter 219

L.R. Avraham Bril 220

During the War & the Holocaust

L. Ben Yekhiel The Days of September 1939 225

Blumah Reitmen In the Days of Soviet Rule 228

Levi Tauber So Occurred the Destruction of Jewish Kalush 232

Leon Ruzenmen Desolation of the Community 236

Yosef Ditshek “Like a Gazelle That Is Chased . . .” [referring to Isaiah 13:14] 243

Shoshanah Reiner/Cohen In the Villages of the Neighborhood 251

Peninah Ruzen How Grandmother Went to Die 257

Yaakov Rubin In Kalush and In Buchach [Buczacz] 265

S. Hibshman-Unger How I Survived in Ruined Kalush 272

Hella (Anna) Bickel-Horowitz From Kalush to Striyj, From the Pit to the Trap 301

Z. Dankner-Truftshinski From Kalush to Berlin, and Back 314

T. Levi A Visit to Kalush In the Year 1944 320

Yiddish pages

M. E. Introduction 331

Moshe Etinger Hometown Song 333

Moshe Etinger General Survey 336

Rabbi Mikhel Hakohen Braver Kalush in the 19th Century 356

Eliezer Unger Rabbis and Rebbes in Kalush 374

Yitskhak Hafman Kalush, City of My Birth 389

Dr. Moshe Peres I Reminisce 399

Ben Yitskhak So It Has Been, and Is No More 401

H. Baber Writer and Artist: Kalusher Fellow Townsmen in the 20th Century 407

Vaitsiekh Yankavski Life: An Affirmation 418

Moshe Etinger Yisrael Barukh, Hebrew Educator 424

Ben Yitskhak A Word About the Hebrew School 431

M. Lilien A Biographical Glimpse of Authors of the Book Memories of Father and Son 436

M. Lilien The Zionist Party and Its Factions 444

M. Lilien The I.L. Perets Union and the A.Y.A.P. [General Jewish Workers' Party] 449

Moshe Etinger Religious Teachers and Secular Teachers in Kalush in the 20th Century 452

Moshe Etinger Kalush in Yiddish Poems 455

Miryam Helfgat-Feintikhl People From Kalush and the Vicinity 466

Moshe Etinger “One Mountain Does Not Touch Another Mountain”: A Holocaust Episode 478

Moshe Etinger A Conversation with a Countryman, a Refugee 483

Moshe Etinger It Comes to Me a Destroyed Jewish World 491

Picture of the Book Committee 492

Gratitude 493

Names of the Martyrs 497

Commemorative Pages 515

Moyshe Etinger Kalush – Our Native Town (translated from Yiddish by Adah B. Fogel) 576

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Hebrew pages

Author	Title	Page
	Street map

	Foreword	7

	The Community of Kalush Until the End of the First World War (1918)	9
Shabtai Unger	History of the Jews of Kalush	11
S. Akhi-Yerukham	Torah Judgements of the Jews of Kalush	54
Avraham Y. Barur	My Grandfather Rabbi Moshe, His Household and His City At the End of the 19th Century	58
Dr. Eliezer Kulberg	Kalush At the Beginning of the Century: Memories	72
Idah Dankner-Saverdlub	First Girl in Gymnasium [European-style high school]	79
Khayim Hufman	The Terrible Week of Russian Conquest in the Year 1917	81
Asher Hurnik	Russian Captive	84

	Between the Two World Wars 1918-1939
	Institutions & Organizations, Society & Economy, Education & Culture
Sh. U.	The Jewish Community	87
	Jews on the Town Council	89
S. Ben Menakhem	General Zionism	91
Sh. U.	“V.Y.TS.V.” [WIZO, Women's International Zionist Organization]	94
Yaakov Avigduri	“Gordoniyah” [Gordonism, a Labor Zionist youth organization]	95
S. Halevi	“Hashomer Hatsair” [Young Guard, a Socialist Zionist youth organization]	98
Barukh Grinshlag	“Beitar” and the Revisionists [Joseph Trumpeldor Alliance, a Zionist youth organization]	102
L. Ben Yekhiel	“Agudas Yisrael” [Union of Israel, an Orthodox Jewish religious organization]	104
Levi Tauber	How the Jews of Kalush Earned a Living	106
S. A-R.	Support Organizations and Charitable Institutions	115
L. Ben Leah	Places of Culture and Education	120
Levi Yitskhak	Kheders and Melameds, Talmud Torahs and “Beis Yaakov” Schools [traditional religious education]	123
Yehudah Ruzenman	Jewish Sports in Kalush	129

	Memories and Way of Life
Yisrael Barukh (Han)	Jewish Kalush in the Eyes of a Hebrew Teacher	131
Naomi Hibshmen	Memories From the Days of the War and Afterwards	138
Moshe Fokhs	I Was the First Khaluts [pioneer/settler in the Land of Israel]	140
Herts Hufman	Khaluts Youth in Kalush in the 1920's	143
Yoel Reiter	The Training in Meyer's Workshop	147
Naomi Halpern/Bar-Nisan	First Girls in “Training” [vocational training before aliyah/immigration to the Land of Israel]	151
Mikhael Ben-Asher	From the Kheder [religious school] of Moshe Melamed to Aliyah [immigration to the Land of Israel]	155
Shmuel Tshernovits	Impressions of a Visit From a Shaliakh [messenger] from the Land of Israel	157
Tsufya Shpilmen (Ruzenmen)	At the Beer Brewery	161
Khavah Ruzenmen-Yehalum	Memories From a Kalush Childhood	163
Devorah Brutfeld	“Klein Palestina” [“Little Palestine”] in Kalush	167
Rakhel Babad	The Rabbi's Daughter's Memories	168
Khayim Hufmen	Jews in the Kalush Gymnasium [European-style high school]	170
Bertah Fasberg	Memories of Home and of the [Zionist] Movement	173
Y. Frukhtermen	In the Chortkov Kloyz [Chortkover Khasidic synagogue] and the Choir of Rabbi Yekhiel, the Shokhet [ritual butcher]	175
Netkah Blaushtein-Gutfroynd	Amusing Memories	179
Efrayim Riger	Impressions of a Visit to Kalush in the Year 1936	181
Yosef Kurts	A Visit to Kalush in the Days of the Events of 5697 [1936-1937 C.E.]	183
Blumah	Trifles From the Kalush That Was	184
Hanyah Hufman-Murnu	The House of Grandfather Yenkl Knol	185
Hindah Shtein-Tiktinski	I Made Aliyah [immigrated to the Land of Israel] at Exactly the Right Time	186
S. Alef	Ties with America	188
Aharon Lendau	The Village of Holin and Its Jews	190
Yisrael Tsiler	Between Podhurki [Podgorki] and Kalush	195
Zeldah Veits	We Were Saved in Russia	200
Sarah Haber/Shleifer	My Grandfather Rabbi Leizer Yaakov the Shokhet [ritual butcher]	202
Feigah Fridman/Akselrud	Family Memorial	205

	Important People and Figures
He.	HaRav Yosef Babad	207
He.	HaRav Shlomoh Shikler, Last Rabbi of Kalush	208
He.	Rabbi Mikhael Braver	210
Y. M.	Dr. David Shpindl	211
He.	Dr. Yaakov Huruvits	213
L.T.	Rabbi Yaakov Nusbaum	214
B.R.	Dr. Reuven Nadl	215
Khayim H.	David Haber	216
N.H.	The Bentsher Brothers	217
He.	Dr. Mauritsi Fentser	218
Y. M.	David Reiter	219
L.R.	Avraham Bril	220

	During the War & the Holocaust
L. Ben Yekhiel	The Days of September 1939	225
Blumah Reitmen	In the Days of Soviet Rule	228
Levi Tauber	So Occurred the Destruction of Jewish Kalush	232
Leon Ruzenmen	Desolation of the Community	236
Yosef Ditshek	“Like a Gazelle That Is Chased . . .” [referring to Isaiah 13:14]	243
Shoshanah Reiner/Cohen	In the Villages of the Neighborhood	251
Peninah Ruzen	How Grandmother Went to Die	257
Yaakov Rubin	In Kalush and In Buchach [Buczacz]	265
S. Hibshman-Unger	How I Survived in Ruined Kalush	272
Hella (Anna) Bickel-Horowitz	From Kalush to Striyj, From the Pit to the Trap	301
Z. Dankner-Truftshinski	From Kalush to Berlin, and Back	314
T. Levi	A Visit to Kalush In the Year 1944	320

Yiddish pages
M. E.	Introduction	331
Moshe Etinger	Hometown Song	333
Moshe Etinger	General Survey	336
Rabbi Mikhel Hakohen Braver	Kalush in the 19th Century	356
Eliezer Unger	Rabbis and Rebbes in Kalush	374
Yitskhak Hafman	Kalush, City of My Birth	389
Dr. Moshe Peres	I Reminisce	399
Ben Yitskhak	So It Has Been, and Is No More	401
H. Baber	Writer and Artist: Kalusher Fellow Townsmen in the 20th Century	407
Vaitsiekh Yankavski	Life: An Affirmation	418
Moshe Etinger	Yisrael Barukh, Hebrew Educator	424
Ben Yitskhak	A Word About the Hebrew School	431
M. Lilien	A Biographical Glimpse of Authors of the Book Memories of Father and Son	436
M. Lilien	The Zionist Party and Its Factions	444
M. Lilien	The I.L. Perets Union and the A.Y.A.P. [General Jewish Workers' Party]	449
Moshe Etinger	Religious Teachers and Secular Teachers in Kalush in the 20th Century	452
Moshe Etinger	Kalush in Yiddish Poems	455
Miryam Helfgat-Feintikhl	People From Kalush and the Vicinity	466
Moshe Etinger	“One Mountain Does Not Touch Another Mountain”: A Holocaust Episode	478
Moshe Etinger	A Conversation with a Countryman, a Refugee	483
Moshe Etinger	It Comes to Me a Destroyed Jewish World	491
	Picture of the Book Committee	492
	Gratitude	493
	Names of the Martyrs	497
	Commemorative Pages	515
Moyshe Etinger	Kalush – Our Native Town (translated from Yiddish by Adah B. Fogel)	576