Ostrolenka, Poland

Book of Kehilat Ostrolenka
Yizkor Book of the Jewish Community of Ostrolenka
(Ostrołęka, Poland)

53°05' / 21°34'

Edited by: Y. Ivri

Published by Irgun Yotzei Ostrolenka in Israel, Tel Aviv, 2009

Our sincere appreciation to Yehuda Chmiel, of the Ostrolenka Society of Israel,
for permission to put this material on the JewishGen web site.

This the Book of Kehilat Ostrolenka; Yizkor Book of the Jewish Community of Ostrolenka
Published by Irgun Yotzei Ostrolenka [Association of Former Residents of Ostrolenka] in Israel, Tel Aviv, 2009

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BOOK OF KEHILAT OSTROLENKA

YIZKOR BOOK OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF OSTROLENKA

PUBLISHED BY IRGUN YOTZEI OSTROLENKA IN ISRAEL

2009 • TEL-AVIV • 5769

Translation: Tzipora Hauser
Typesetting and Graphics: Offset Printing “Reemim”
Special Drawing: Shlomo Margalit

PRINTED IN ISRAEL 2009

Members of the Book Publishing Committee
Ostrolenka during the period between the two World Wars (1914-1939) – map

Introduction – Yehuda Chamiel	15
Preface – Yitzhak Ivri	17
With the Book – Chaim Chamiel	19
Introduction by Polish Public Figures in Ostrolenka Today	21
Notes of the Editorial Staff	25
Ostrolenka in Ancient Poland – Balinski and Lipinski	29
Ostrolenka and Its District – General Polish Encyclopedia	30
Number of Inhabitants of Ostrolenka and the District	31
A Chapter about the City and the Jews in it – M. Cynowicz	32
Bialystok Region – Waszyotinski – Almanac Warsaw	33

The Rabbis of Ostrolenka M. Cynowicz
Rabbi Jechiel Michel Goldszlag	34
Rabbi Nachman Dawid Hakoen	35
Rabbi Jeszajahu	35
Rabbi Mosze Nachum Jeruzalimski	35
Rabbi Icchak Bursztejn	40
Rabbi Jakow Szlomo Pizman	42
Rabbi Szlomo Irmijahu Grynberg	42
Rabbi Jakow Jehuda Hakoen	43
Rabbi Jossele the Sharp – Netta Grabie	44
Supporters of Torah and Learning in Ostrolenka	45
Ostrolenka and its Vicinity in the Press	47
At the Time of Napoleon's Reign in Ostrolenka	52
The Settlement of the Jews in Ostrolenka – From the Polish, R. Palewski	53

City Life
Ostrolenka, Pre-World War I to 1939	57
A Look at the City – Y. I.	59
Between Two Wars – Chaim Chamiel	66

Institutions and Organizations
Yeshivas – Y. Ivri	73
A. Yeshiva or Concentration of Heders	73
B. Bejt Josef, the Nowardok Yeshiva – Brajna Iglewicz-Majrowicz	74
Bejt Jakow in Ostrolenka – Brajna Iglewicz-Majrowicz	76
The Yavneh School – Yehuda Chamiel	79
Schools in the City	80
Study Halls and Minyanim (Prayer Quorums) – Chaim Drezner	83
The “Kolner” Shtebl – Awiezer Drori (Kupferminc)	85
The Zionist Shtebl – Y. I.	86
The House of the Otwock Chassidim – Y. I.	87
Institutions and Associations – Aron Szperling	90
The Professional Organization – A. L.	91
How the Library Was Founded – Awiezer Drori	91
Linat Tzedek – Yosef Wonszak, Eliezer Ma-Tovu	93
Jewish Doctors – Chaim Drezner	95
The Lives of Tradesmen – Arcie Nowinski	97
Ostrolenka – Economics and Culture – Moshe Kamin	98
Firemen – Awiezer Drori-Kupferminc	100
Jewish Firefighters – A. Szyman	102
Our Teachers ! – Alter Szyman	102
Cantonists in Ostrolenka – A. S.	104
The Porters – A. S.	104
Klezmorim [Jewish Folk Musicians] – Y. I.	105
Theater in Ostrolenka	107
A. Drama Circles and Guest Appearances	107
B. Icchak Iwri	113
Our Amateurs' Circle – Welwel Bajuk	114
The HaShomer HaDati Drama Studio – Yehuda Chamiel	116
Ostrolenkans on the Stage – I. Yitzhak	117

Federations and Parties
About the Parties in Ostrolenka – Yehuda Yitzhaki (Chomont)	122
The Founding of the General Zionist Organization “HaTikva” – Yosef Wonszak	123
Dates and Personalities in the Zionist-Religious Parties – David Kaspi (Sarniewicz)	124
HaShomer HaDati – Chaim Chamiel	125
About the Pioneering and the Labor Zionist Movement in Ostrolenka – Eliezer Lachowicz	126
The HaShomer HaTzair Movement – Hanan Eisenstein	141
The HaShomer HaTzair Members' Hike to Myszyniec – Shimon Chamiel	145
HaShomer HaTzair as a Scouting Organization in 1921 – Chaim Piaseczny	147
HeChalutz – A. Slazenger	148
HeChalutz in 1932 – Shlomo Zusman	151
Freiheit – Zyskind Lachowicz	154
HaPoel, the Jewish Sports Club – Zyskind Lachowicz	156
The Bund – Yitzhak Kachan	159
The Working Class and the Y.L. Peretz Library – Yisrael-Simcha Chamiel	161
Beitar – Chanoch Chacek	164
My Memories of Beitar – Batya Byszko-Chamiel	166
The Parties in Ostrolenka after World War I – Shalom Margalit	167

Personalities and Community Workers
Henach Flakser (1878-1943) – Menachem Flakser	170
Mendel Bialy – Chaim Drezner	170
Mendel Bialy – Moshe Kamin	171
Mendel Bialy – David Kaspi (Sarniewicz)	171
Mosze Aron Kaczor – Shlomo Kaczor	172
Chaim Pinczas Gingold – Y. I.	172
Lejbel Barszcz – Yitzhak Kachan	173
Icel Sojka – Chaim Drezner	174
Zalman Chanoch Gorzelczany – Chaim Drezner	174
Efraim Chmiel – Chaim Drezner	175
Mosze Lejb Skrobacz – Chaim Drezner	176
Pesach Hochberg – Chaim Drezner	177
Mosze Margalit – A Landsman	178
“The Father of Ostrolenkan Youth” – Rachel Sapir (Romani)	179
Mendel Brin – Awiezer Drori-Kupferminc	179
Mendel Gedanken – A. L.	180
Awraham Piaseczny – C. P.	180

Homes and People – Memories
Our Home – Chaim Chamiel	185
Episodes of Memories – Chaim Chamiel	189
My Childhood Home – Awiezer-Drori Kupferminc	194
About a Dear Friend – Awiezer-Drori Kupferminc	197
Figures, Memories and Deeds	198
The Home of Reb Welwel Ben-Adam (Benedon) – Awiezer-Drori	200
Motel Cycowicz Despairs of the Revolution and Repents – Awiezer-Drori	201
Upon the Outbreak of World War I – Yosef Finkelsztejn	205
My Memories – Meir Margalit	208
My Ostrolenka – Shimshon Dov Yerushalmi (Jeruzalimski)	214
Our Home – Shalom Margalit	222
In 1937 – Chasia Drori	227
Memories of the Townspeople – Aryeh Liubka Levi	228
A Home in Ostrolenka – Menachem Flakser	230
Our Old Home – Yitzhak Kachan	232
A. Visiting the Graves of Our Fathers	232
B. My father, as I knew him	233
Ostrolenka of Long Ago – Rabbi Jakow Hirsz Zimmerman	237
The Ostrolenka That Is No More – Chanoch Gingold	238

I Remember… Y. I.
A. Our Courtyard	242
B. One Hundred Explosions in One Day	243
C. My Grandfather	244
D. Pania, Kawale, Nawiwaj…!	245
E. How I “Discovered” the Promenade Park	245
F. The Ritual Slaughterers Family	246
G. Note the Quiet	247
The Story of Lewin-Levy Family	248

Scholarly and Chassidic Personalities
Mordechaj Iglewicz – Brajna Iglewicz-Majrowicz	249
Naftali-Cwi Iwri – M. Kamin	250
Szmuel Baruch Landau – A. L.	250
Awraham Mlynarzewicz – Moshe Kamin	251
Ben Cyjon Cukrowicz – Moshe Kamin	251
Awraham Lazer Skrobacz – Moshe Kamin	251
Chaim Welwel-Malach – Moshe Kamin	252
Folk Types – Moshe Kamin	252
Zawel the Tailor	252
The Fruit Seller	252
The “Dead” Shoemaker	252
Ostrolenka's Neighborhoods – Shalom Margalit	253
The Way to Mendel Bialy's Sawmill	253
The New Market – the Right Side	253
In Benedon's “Kingdom”	254
Kilinski Street	256
The Old Market (3^rd May Square)	257

Episodes from Town Life
An Event that Occurred – A Story with a Moral – Frumke Segal-Bogdanowicz	259
From the Party's Doings – Shalom Margalit	260
Memories of Ostrolenka – Zvi Hersz Kachan	261
From the City – Arcie Nowinski	262
How Rabbi Jakow Meir Rakowski Turned Kaczyny into an Official Town – Y. I. – Tzila Rakowski-Carmel	263

Ostrolenka Style Collected, adapted and written by Y. I.
Ostrolenka Style	265
Times in Ostrolenka	268
Ostrolenka's Dialects	269
“Cultural Points”	269
Nicknames and Derogatory Names	270
The Mentally Retarded	271
The Verses of Ostrolenka	272

Ostrolenka in the Diaspora
Writers, Artists and Cultural Activists	275
Menachem Flakser	275
Yitzhak Kachan	275
Meir Margalit	276
Dr. Chaim Chamiel	276
Chaim Drezner	277
Mark Rakowski	278
Helen Kajman	278
Yitzhak Ivri	279

Ostrolenkans in Israel
The First Pioneers – Motel Tzuker	280
About a Pioneer Family from Czerwin – Yitzhak Gilboa (Frydman)	281
Meir Margalit – An Actor in Israel	282
The Organization – A. Landsman	285
The Elder of the Ostrolenkans in Jerusalem, Rabbi Awraham Szlomo Brum – A. Yitzhak	287

Ostrolenkans in the USSR at the Time of World War II
Introduction – Zalman Drezner, Shalom Chamiel	290
A Personal Story – Zalman Drezner	292
A Personal Story – Shalom Chamiel	295
A Personal Story – Chana Friedman	298

In Poland
An Award to a Jewish Writer in Poland	300
Rakowski – Always Young – Michael Mirski	301

In Australia
Celebration in Honor of Yitzhak Kachan's 50^th Birthday	302
Yitzhak Kachan – The “Self Made Man”	303

In Argentina
Ostrolenkans in Argentina – Arcie Nowinski	303

In Uruguay
Ostrolenkans in Uruguay – Alter Zyman	306

In America
Progressive Young Friends of Ostrolenka in America	307

Neighboring Towns
A map of Ostrolenka and its environs	308
Kaczyny Memories – Mark Rakowski	309
Zamość – Hone Holcman	313
My Town of Czerwin – Shalom Wiater	314
Wojciechowice – “Cegielnia” – Yehuda Yitzhaki (Chomont)	318
Wojciechowice – “Cegielnia” – Lejbke Jabek	319
Kadzidła – Israel Lewinski	320
Myszyniec	328
My Town – Mosze Blumsztejn	330

Chapters of Holocaust and Destruction
Echo – Yisroel Shtern	335
God of Vengeance – Chaim Chamiel	336
On the Brink of the Holocaust – Yehuda Chamiel	339
Our Share in the Crematoria – Arcie Nowinski	348
A Prolonged Journey of Great Suffering – Yitzhak Zohar-Wylozny	349
When the Germans Came – Fajwel Serok	366
The Day of the Expulsion – Chaim Drezner, Bnei Brak	367
Taking the Testimony of Wolf Wisocki, Weiren, 1917	369
Eyewitness Testimonies – Chaya Lis-Wolkowicz	371
Eyewitness Testimonies – Herszel Wolkowicz	374
Eyewitness Testimonies – Zalman Wylozny	375
My Sisters Tell –Hone Holcman	382
Among the Partisans in the Naliboki Forest – Hanan Czernowin	389
Adolescence During the War – Ester Michelson- Choniak	390
Ostrolenkans in the Slonim Ghetto – Bluma Gedanken	397
The Slonim Ghetto – The Final Phase of Its Destruction	408
Our Bunker in the Bialystok Ghetto – Chaya Sojka-Jablonka	417
The Last Laugh of the Children of Ostrolenka – Helen Kajman	419
They Drove Us from the City – Yitzhak Ivri	424
Yisroel Shtern – Menachem Flakser	429
My Brother, Yisroel Shtern – H. Leyvik	433
A Tree in the Ghetto – Rachel Auerbach	434
My Book “Ostrolenka” – Yisroel Shtern	439
From the Poems and Writings of Yisroel Shtern – Collected by Yitzhak Ivri	444
Writers: On Yisroel Shtern	447
Itzik Manger (From a letter to Yitzhak Ivri)	447
Yechiel Hofer	447
When Yisroel Shtern Expired – Binem Heller	449
A Reading by Yisroel Shtern in Ostrolenka – Yitzhak Kachan	450
The Poet Who Remains a Deep Secret – Yitzhak Ivri	452

Ostrolenkans Who Fought and Fell for Our Nation and Our Homeland
Dawid Lew – Y. I.	455
Awigdor Kupferminc – A.D.	456
Elchanan Wylozny	456
Mosze Wylozny – Chaim Chamiel	458
Szaczar Finkelsztejn – The Family	459
Parchments of Fire – Rosa Finkelsztejn	460

Pesia Szereszewska – Brajna Iglewicz-Majrowicz
Pesia Szereszewska-Nasielski – Brajna Iglewicz-Majrowicz	463
Yehuda Nachshoni	464
“The Princess in the Devils' Den” – A. B.	464
Wisdom of the Survivors – Pesia Szereszewska-Nasielski	465
Pesia Szereszewska-Jazyn – Yosef Barc	469
Pesia Szereszewska-Jazyn – Yosef Shprinzak	470
Pesia Szereszewska, of Blessed Memory – Y. I.	470
Rebbetzin Basia Lea Herzkowicz, May She Rest in Peace	472
Rabbi Chaim Mordechaj Braunrot, of Blessed Memory	474
Reb Israel Mordechaj Lewinski – YIvri	476
Note Grabie	477

Ostrolenka Without Jews
The City of My Youth – Mark Rakowski	478
Ostrolenka Today	481
“For the Stone Shall Cry Out of the Wall” – Mark Rakowski	483
Magnified! – Chaim Chamiel	491
The Terrible Memory – Chasia Drori	499
River, If Only You Could Speak! – Esther Eisenstein-Eisenman	500
The Jewish City – Frumke Segal-Bogdanowicz	501
On the Anniversary of the Destruction – Arcie Nowinski	502
I Will Never Forget! – Sara Holcman, Argentina	503
Sparks of Holiness! – Yosef Kalina, Adapted by Yitzhak Ivri	504
I Am Entirely – Yitzhak Ivri	511
The Souls of Our Fathers – Folk Halperin	512

In Eternal Memory Obituaries and Expressions of Remembrance
In Memory of Martyrs and Departed Ones – Chaya Sapir-Szpigelman	515
In the Memory of a Party in Ostrolenka – Yosef Kalina	515
Awraham Mendel Grynberg – G.	517
Chaim Szyman – S.	517
Lea Kosowski – Chana Kupferminc-Zarfati	517
Alter Bonciak – L.	518
Ben Cyjon Pianko – Z.	518
Berel Kopytko – Yitzhak Kachan	518
Israel and Cwija Wonszak – W.	519
Chana Rywka Keller – I.	519
In Memory of the Blachowicz Family – Shoshana Perlman-Blachowicz	524
May God Remember – Rivka and Zyskind Lachower	525
“For He Who Exacts Retribution for Spilled Blood Remembers Them ” – The Lachowicz Family	526
In Memory of the Szperling Family – Aron Szperling	531
In Eternal Remembrance – Yosef Miron	537
The Story of the Teltejbojm Family	540
About the Menachem Frydman Family, May God Avenge Their Blood – Menachem Lachower	542
In Memory of the Eisenstein Family – Hone Eisenstein	543
In Memory of – Shlomo Goldsztein	548
Israel Mojzesz and Leja Lewin – Shlomo Margalit	550
In Memory of My Parents – Moshe Kamin	567
In Eternal Remembrance – Chaya Szperling (née Sapir)	574
Frejdel Flakser – M. Flakser	586
The Gaon, Rabbi Icchak Bursztejn	615
Yizkor – The Jewish Community of Ostrolenka and the Region	616
List of the Martyrs	617
God, Full of Mercy	633
In Conclusion – A Word from the Publishers	634

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