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He was simple–mannered and humble, modest in his ways and way of life. He was a loyal Zionist since his youth, lover of Hebrew and a Jew proud of his nationality to the point of dismissing foreigners. About thirty–five years he was active and activated others for the Zionist Idea and Hebrew Culture. He had deep faith in fulfilling the ideal, which he saw as his life's content, and it gave him courage to demand from himself and others and not settle for sympathy only, but to achieve the goal actively. He had influence on the youngsters of the movement, and the adults too, listened to him.

Korech was not an ideologist – he was a simple man, a practical Zionist, a working man who lived from his sweat and meager commerce in Great–Minska Street. He used to talk with everybody about the revival, and with friends – only in Hebrew. He always carried in his pockets Shekels' ledgers, JFN stamps, pamphlets etc. It should be noted that during the Czar Regime this was dangerous, holding such things was a political offence. Often Korech used to leave his businesses and his family and take care of Zionist's affairs, which were more important to him. If a Zionist messenger, a speaker or a guest arrived from Eretz Yisrael – Korech used to forget himself and devote himself to the guest, walk with him and arrange all that was needed with the help of the young Zionists who obeyed him.

Zipporah, his wife, assisted him by bearing the yoke of the family livelihood and educating the children throughout the years.

An active and practical Zionist had to be as good as his word. He knew how to make others obey him, understanding and forgiving him for his remarks and sarcasm and they appreciated him duly. He was one of the founders of the Association of Hebrew Lovers, as well as one of the organizers of the Municipal Zionist Council, a member of the Democratic Community and one of the dedicated activists of the establishments helping refugees' JFN, Keren–Hayesod and all the others funds in town.

During World War One, when the Zionist activities ceased and Korech was busy with the times' problems, he complained to Garbuz about neglecting the work, but believed that the fury days would end and work will resume, and indeed he not only saw it renewed and thrive after the Russian Revolution, but also was one of the path blazers of the Zionist and cultural endeavor. During the twenties Korech was listed with Hitahdut, Hapoel Hazair and Zion's Youth, his sons studied at Tarbut Institutions and later found their places with the Zionist Pioneers' Youth and made Aliya to join the builders of the homeland. But during the thirties, when the young began to push away their prodefendant, Korech remained on the sidelines, expressing on every occasion his opposition to the Revisionist camp and he wrote to Aryeh, his son in Israel, his wish to make Aliya and settle in a laborers' settlement. Some of his old friends

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meantime made Aliya and he remained, waiting for his turn, while his sons Aryeh and Yosef, and his daughter Yaffa were in Israel.

With time his businesses went under, and during the Soviet Regime in Rovno in 1939 he became a guardian at the Jewish Hospital. This faithful Zionist activist, this simple and modest man, who dreamt all his life about Zion and aspired for the day he will join the builders and implanters in the homeland, was not granted his wish, he perished in the horrible Holocaust, he was only 63 years–old.

An outstanding personality, one of the most loyal flag–carriers, an educated man and virtuous, innocent and honest, confident and wholehearted was Rabbi Yehuda Motyuk, a Rovno man, one of the best Zionists in town since he came to live there until he made Aliya.

R' Yehuda was a brilliant scholar, a handsome and pleasant man, a respectable merchant and a Zionist with all his heart and soul. He was liked by everybody he contacted and admired by the whole town and its leaders. Since the death of David Gerstein and Dr. Yehezkel Auerbach R' Yehuda represented the city's Zionists.

When World War One erupted and the front was nearing Rovno, many left the city and among then R' Yehuda Motyuk and his family. He stayed in Kharkov for four–five years and waited to get back home. And indeed, was able to return in 1920 to his home and circle in Rovno and to serve the local Zionist and public causes. The city was back then under the Polish Regime and life was different than it was in Russia. R' Yehuda found his place in the “Mizrahi” Circle and was elected as the head of the local association. At the same time, he represented his party in the Municipal Council combining all the Zionists movements, as well as at the councils of JFN and Keren–Hayesod. R' Yehuda dedicated about thirteen years of productive work to the people and the country since he returned to the city and until he made Aliya, joining his sons and daughters, who waited for him in the homeland.

In my work as the secretary of Rovno's Zionists for over twenty–five years I had the honor to assist R' Yehuda Motyuk, who was the local head of Keren–Hayesod. He was also the chairman of Mizrahi and although the General Zionists were the majority, they still unanimously chose R' Yehuda Motyuk as chairman, since he was well respected by all circles due to his brilliant personality in the Zionist camp. We, sons and grandsons of Hasidic Jews, who used to stay at our quarters loyal to our Rabbis, found in R' Yehuda a Rabbi

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who was great and to well suited to our generation's tastes. We were Hasidic–Zionists who admired a gentle well–loved Zionist Rabbi. His ideas were accepted by all of us and many listened to his words and his demand to help build the homeland. He delegated his nobility to us and to all of Rovno's Jews. If his predecessor as the chairman of Keren–Hayesod influenced the donors due to his status in the material world, R' Yehuda's strength was his spirituality and his outstanding personality. Well remembered is his accelerated activity during fund–raising for Keren–Hayesod, which were held with the participation of Lieb Yaffe and Alexander Goldstein and for JFN when Bistritzky visited. Vibrant and enthusiastic, active and activating, demanding and convincing all circles, that there is nothing holier than building the homeland and inserting his conviction in every heart – that was how R' Yehuda was when he was on the mission of increasing Keren–Hayesod' funds.

In 1935 Motyuk made Aliya and settled in Tel Aviv. He went out to the city's streets, begun visiting Yehuda and HaSharon settlements – and could not get enough. He was deeply impressed and happy beyond measure. He saw himself as being reborn every day in his beloved homeland. His heart was alert to everything happening here and in Zionism, surrounded by his family, including Israeli–born grandchildren, he sat in his corner and lived a quiet life being politically timid. He did not find his place in HaMizrachi in Tel Aviv or the other Zionist circles, who were so close to his heart in the past. He knew the difference between dream and action, between yearning, to real building with all the unpleasantness involved. Each pioneer was close to his heart, every peasant and laborer, each merchant and writer who were playing an active role in the revival of the people and the country, and he was lucky to see with his own eyes the birth of the State of Israel.

In 1943 Rovno's descendants in Israel celebrated R' Yehuda's seventieth birthday. The party that took place in the General Zionist Club in Tel Aviv attracted his best friends and admirers among Rovno's Zionists, Avraham Levinson, Menahem Galrater, Avraham Levitas and others expressed Rovno's sons' sentiments toward their great friend–Rabbi who was their pride and joy.

And so, R' Yehuda spent the rest of his life in Israel, and died on June 29, 1950 and was buried in Nahalat–Yizhac cemetery.

R' Moshe Eisenman came to Rovno with his family from Alexandria after the 1905 revolution. His little village became too small for him and his businesses (forests, flour–mills etc.) and so he moved to the city. He built his house outside town, next to the wood storage near the railroads, on Austia's marsh.

R' Eisenman was blessed with four daughters who all studied Hebrew and were fluent, no wonder the Zionist said that Eisenman's house is a Hebrew House, whoever wanted to speak Hebrew – went to Eisenman's place.

Eisenman's nickname in the city was Moshke Eisenman the Yellow, a smart man, very logical, deep and a bright Yeshiva–student, he was always a traditional Jew and was popular among the merchants. They used to invite him to each complicated mediation and trusted his wisdom and honesty. He was considered wealthy but not rich. He was lucky often and succeeded in his business, but sometimes his fortunes changed. These transformations did not influence Eisenman's mood at all, he was always happy and gay.

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During World War One, when many left Rovno, Eisenman and his family moved to Kiev, where he continued his business, after the war he returned to Rovno, established himself in the flour business and kept flour–mills in Mizotsh and other places with associates.

A typical story about Moshe Eisenman:

It was in 1924. The flour business in Rovno and its surrounding thrived and the bid mill in Endro was leased to five merchants–millers in the city, who became providers for the Polish Government and their business was on a large scale. One night the mill caught fire and part of it was burned, as was all the grain and flour supply that was in the mill at the time. A great damage was caused to the mill and the partners. Moshe Eisenman knew his partners' businesses: he rushed to them the day after the fire to see how they were doing and found out that the day before they received from the Royal Polish Bank the money for shipping certificates for 5000 kilogram flour that was supposed to be sent to the Polish army in Vilna. The shipping certificates were delivered before the flour was about to be loaded into train cars that stood ready on the rails near the mill. When the flour was burned the cars remained empty. The situation seemed rather complicated, since it was possible to accuse them for deceitfully extorting money from the army. Moshe Eisenman interfered at once, gathered all those who dealt with milling and demanded that they immediately give all the money needed for buying the flour from other mills to avoid trouble. The money was collected with Eisenman's personal guaranty and the flour was loaded on the cars. With time each one of the borrowers got his money back.

This act of Eisenman who stood by his brothers and kept Israel's dignity among the Goyim, impressed all.

Before saying goodbye to him and to the shared businesses we had, I suggested he should make Aliya, knowing for sure that he will find his place in Israel, too. To this he responded: “I will make Aliya for sure, but my time has not yet come” … His time will never come.

R' Hertz–Fisyuk was one of Rovno's best, well–respected, a bright–Torah–student, an activist in different areas. He was born in the village Lubavitch (Pinsk Region) in 1865 and studied in Heder since age three. He lost his father when he was nine and since his life was a series of hurdles, suffering, hunger and wandering, but his strong spirit and high energy were on his side and without any help nor support went on with his life. At first, he went to Lithuania's Yeshivas and stayed there until he was certified as Rabbi. Later he acquired general education, studied at a teachers' seminary in Vilna, laboring hard to support himself. At age twenty–two he left for America, tried his luck and did not overlook any kind of job he could find (physical work, being a cantor and more). American life did not capture him so he returned to Russia and was attracted to the beer business, hence in 1899 he moved to Rovno and made her his home and built there his business until he made Aliya in 1934.

While in Rovno Fisyuk stood out not only as a businessman, but also as an outstanding activist. He was aware of local public matters and of revival affairs. He was active in raising money for the victims of the riots (Kishinev, Gomel and others) and was elected as the chairman of the council helping victims. Later his activity became quite diversified: in the areas of education and Zionism, in the city municipality, in some public and assistance establishments, and he participated in the delegations to the city's congresses. He wrote “My way of Zionism,” traveled

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His wife Shulamite		R' Hertz–Meir

In 1920, when Rovno became governed by the Poles his public activities increased, dealing with the general and the Jewish city's affairs. He even gained an award from the Polish Government. World War One left a sad inheritance of displaced refugees, and Fisyuk was summoned to serve as president in the assistance council for those war victims. He was also one of the initiators of JCA in the city, was the chairman of the fire–department, the head of the Merchants' Bank, a member of JNF council and more.

Fisyuk published his memories in 5 volumes, which describe his time at Volhynia and the life of its Jews. The books were distributed in the world and achieved success. He loved books and had a large library. His spiritual tendencies made him initiate a Craft School in the city and for that purpose he bought a house on Afrikanska Street, but the war and the conditions afterward, prevented him from executing this good idea. Instead, he created in this building a public library, which he furnished with half of his private library, as well as the Corali Synagogue.

Accomplished, Fisyuk made Aliya with Shulamite, his educated wife and his mate in life and endeavor, to Haifa, where he had purchased a home. When he decided to settle in Tel Aviv, he bought another house, and here he became closer to the country, its activists and way of life. In 1939 he travelled to visit relatives in America, stayed there because of the war and died in 1942 in Los Angeles. In his will he asked to engrave on his tomb next to his name the words “A Citizen of Tel Aviv” and to transfer his remains to Israel. His sons gave his rich library in Tel Aviv to the city's municipality and it is in a special room in the Thora Library named after Maimonides. Per an agreement with the municipality the library hall is named after Hertz–Meir and Shulamite Fisyuk.

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Fisyuk's relatives who stayed in Rovno perished during the Holocaust, and only two of his sons, Shmuel and Simcha, the last one a lawyer who serves nowadays as an Israeli consul in Chicago, are in Israel.

After the war Yehudit, a granddaughter who survived, arrived in Israel.

The writer–journalist M. Kipnis from Warsaw related in the “Hynet” newspaper his meeting with Fisyuk in Tel Aviv when he visited Israel in 1939:

“I found him engrossed in a newspaper. It was a sweltering day. He was sitting in “Kamnitzer” Coffeehouse under “Semadar” on Tel Aviv beach. He was wearing a light shirt without a jacket and hiding from the scorching sun's rays on the terrace. He was holding the afternoon edition of Haboker that just came out and still had the scent of fresh print. He asked for updates about what was going on in the country in international politics, and mainly: is there going to be a war?…

He was so absorbed in the newspaper that he did not realize that the man in front of him was holding a camera, and photographing him while he read. R' Fisyuk is an interesting Jew, he is a Rovno's dignitary, the owner of a beer factory, a generous contributor, the founder of a number of establishments in Rovno and its surroundings, and was granted the “Silver Cross” by the Polish Government when he was serving the Polish Regime.

Fisyuk has other merits: he is the ex–leader of Mizrahi in Volhynia, a devoted and dedicated Zionist. He is also the owner of the synagogue named after Meir and Shulamite Fisyuk, the founder and chairman of several institutions of charity, and more. He is the famous R' Meir Fisyuk who wrote and published a book in five volumes “Pages of Memories” that encompass a whole era of the life of Jews in Volhynia.

Nowadays when we talk about a Jew who knows the tiny letters and the political wisdom from the “Old Heder” we can count them on one hand – and Fisyuk is one of them. The man stood up, left his important business and his public activity overseas and made Aliya. And here, in Tel Aviv, he is living with the love of his life, Shulamite, who accompanies him all his life. Fisyuk is seen with his wife in every performance: in the opera premiere, or theaters productions of Habima, Haohel, Hamatate, the philharmonic orchestra – they show up to all of them, sitting together in good seats, like respected citizens…

When Fisyuk took his eyes off the newspaper seeing me next to him he asked with a happy expression: ‘Nu, tell me, isn't our country beautiful? True, it is hot, the shirt burns on you, but please look – here is the sea, the sky, real joy! I wish the country was already ours!’ His face showed love and longing and the things he said with love came from the bottom of his heart. Fisyuk was unaware that I photographed him and absorbed his enthusiastic words.”

Rabbi Bernson served more than twenty years as a government assigned Rabbi in Rovno at the end of the nineteen–century and the beginning of the twentyish–century, after his big brother, who was also an assigned Rabbi, died. He was a quiet Jew, educated and well–liked, and he did not interfere much in public affairs, but it did not prevent him from accepting the nomination as the chairman of JCA in Rovno and also to be a representative of the Common Insurance Company. When the association for lending was formed, known as “A Second Association for Lending and Saving”, which was a Jewish office for Jews, Rabbi Bernson, who was one of its founders, served as its treasurer.

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The city's people respected Rabbi Bernson all the days he served. He died when he was 78 years–old in 1911.

After an election campaign Rovno Jews celebrated their victory when Rabbi Zalman Goldenberg – the Rabbi of Rostow–on–the–Don – was elected as a governmental Rabbi to Rovno's community. That was in the middle of 1911 when the local public life was paralyzed and public matters were decided only by the managers. But once there was the question of choosing an official Rabbi the Zionists woke up to action because they wanted a Zionist Rabbi and an important personality among them. After a short while the authorities in Zhitomir gave their permission for the election and in the fall of that year Rabbi Goldenberg arrived and began his officiation. The Rabbi was already famous and even the non–Zionists were happy with his election.

Rovno's Zionists, who needed an outside force to revive and widen the Zionist work, found this force in Rabbi Goldenberg. Despite being an official, the Rabbi attended Zionists' meetings and preached to Zionism and Hebrew culture from the synagogue's podium and from other places. He took part in Hebrew Lovers activities and participated in other Jewish institutions, endeavors, ceremonies, parties and delegations for the community he headed. He knew how to respectfully defend the honor and the rights of the Jews. In his time Rovno's Zionists renewed their youth, they appreciated his capacities and centered around him. The Zionists' opposers did not dare utter a word against him and even the extremists among the ultraorthodox were silent.

The Rabbi, who was one of Ahad–Haam's ardent admirers, published a compilation of Ahad–Haam's letters with explanations and annotations. He loved to lecture about this Zionist spiritual man and the Hebrew public listened attentively.

He was tall and handsome, a graduate of the Rabbinical Beit Midrash in Vilna and an expert on Jewish history, a renaissance man and gentle in his manners, a conscious Zionist and a proud and noble Jew, he bestowed his nobility on Rovno's Jews during his short tenure there.

When World War One broke, Rabbi Goldenberg left Rovno and never returned.

Rabbi Zalman Greenfeld was born in Rovno in 1891. An only child, he grew up in a house deeply traditional, in the Heder and from melameds Greenfeld acquired Hebrew knowledge and affinity to books and literature. Since boyhood he was close to nationalist circles and when the Hebrew Lovers Association was founded, he was the lively spirit and was elected as the association's secretary. Greenfeld was one of the first Hebrew speakers in town, he used to participate in its meetings and he taught adults the language in the evenings. He was known as popular and kind, personable, educated and a fighter for Hebrew.

During World War One Greenfeld left the city while serving in the Russian army but after a while returned to his parents' home. He decided to become an official Rabbi and found a place in the village Kolki as their Rabbi. But Rovno, his city, attracted him, especially since the job of an “assigned Rabbi: was available. Indeed, it was not an easy feat to obtain this job, since it demanded the agreement of the city's Jews and of the authorities. Greenfeld waited for the opportunity and in the years of the regime change he attained his goal – and became the temporary Rabbi, until one was elected.

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When the Pols conquered Rovno they found Greenfeld as the Rabbi and left him in the office until they had new regulations for the area. Meanwhile Greenfeld became established in his job and acquired many supporters. They say he knew how to draw the community to his side, the authorities were content with him, as well. Everybody saw him as a Zionist, but in fact he bent to all sides, aiming to please everybody.

The Rabbinical dilemma, which was debated in Poland, was whether to have one Rabbi (and not two: one religious and the other assigned) became obviously more acute when it came to Greenfeld's candidature, there were two opinions: some wanted an outside Rabbi renowned and experienced and others wanted a local Rabbi (non–Zionist but accepted by the Zionists) and only a minority supported Greenfeld. Elections were held per the authority's laws and Greenfeld lost.

Greenfeld served just a short time as Rovno's official Rabbi during the Ukrainian and Pols, but it was an interesting and rich period in Rovno's Jews' lives.

There is no clear information about Zalman Greenfeld's fate. Rumors are that he traveled to Russia during the forties, where he suffered and died.

Hermony was born in Rovno in 1873, grew up in ultraorthodox–Hasidic environment and was a bright yeshiva student. His home was traditional and modern, the awakening of Zionism attracted him since his youth and he remained a loyal Zionist all his life. More than once Hermony fought the Triskian “Cloise” with its older generation who did not recognize Zionism. He argued and debated with them. During the election for the Royal “Duma”, when Jabotinsky was suggested as the Zionist's candidate, he participated in the election campaign in the city and the surrounding villages. As a book–lover he actively took part in the Hebrew Lovers Association.

He was a pleasant conversationalist, bright and mannered, a nice Jew, full of humor and wisdom. He was liked by all who knew him. He educated his sons and daughters in Thora, culture and Zionism. His oldest son, Matisyahu became an important public figure in the Polish Joint and lately in Berlin and Paris. His sons and daughters were pioneers already in the beginning of the Third Aliya and following them he and Thila, his wife, made Aliya and settled in Jerusalem. He was happy he was able to come to his homeland.

During his twenty–one years in Israel he worked at the Jewish Agency and served with loyalty and devotion. Here too he was embraced by circles of Yeshiva Students and intellectuals and was liked by all. In his last years he was ill, but suffered quietly and continued his work, until he died at 73 years–old on January 15, 1946 and was buried on Mount Olives.

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R' Yehuda Sinitzer

A modern Jew, yet traditional in his way of life, one of the city's important landlords. Lived from the mid–18^th century, was known as R' Idel Sinitzer and was active in Rovno during the Czar Regime, then under the Ukrainian Regime and finally during the Polish Regime. Sinitzer served as an unofficial lawyer and used to undertake different juridical matters like registering assets, drawing contracts, running trials, mediations and handling official public affairs. He had the public's respect, Jews and non–Jews, because he was honest with God and men and well regarded by the authorities.

His wife was one of the activists of her generation.

R' Yehuda died at the age of 75 in 1930.

He was in Rovno during the fifties of the 18^th century and lived there all his life. He was known among the landlords and the synagogues' managers, a clever Jew whose advice many requested. He had a sense of humor, respected Rabbis, a man of Torah and good–deeds. He was devoted to several charity institutions and served as a manager of the Great Synagogue from the Czar's time until his old age. R' Brish saw that many of the worshippers are idly talking between Mincha and Maariv, so he founded a Mishna Company. He invited famous R' Yonatan the Melamed and drew the people to the lessons – and thus, Jews were sitting, learning and listening from the sidelines.

This is one more good thing on top of R' Brish's other good–deeds for his city's people.

In 1919 he left for Warsaw on account of his business and stayed there. The revival idea was conquering hearts back then and since Shimon, his only son was active in the Zionist's Youth in Rovno, he, too, wanted to make Aliya. R' Aaron intended to make Aliya before World War One began and expressed this wish in letters he exchanged with David Rubin, his brother–in–law's son who studied in Herzliya Gymnasium.

[Page 467] In the beginning of 1914, he issued a passport for his son and himself, planning to register his son in a Tel Aviv gymnasium, but the war that broke in July that year annulled the plan.

In the beginning of 1922 Shimon made Aliya with the Pioneers Aliya, and then R' Aaron decided to make Aliya with his wife and settle in Israel. Thus, he contacted “Bait VeNahala” (Home and Land) that Gershtenkorn founded to redeem the lands of Beni–Brak and when he arrived at the country he was one of the first to settle in Beni–Brak and was very active at the association and the new orthodox–community that he established. He chose a small plot in the valley, built a house and planted fruit trees around. Once he invested all his fortune in his land, dire times arrived, but he did not complain because he liked the country and the hurdles of adapting to the homeland. He dedicated himself to building “Hok L'Israel” synagogue and to the learning of Torah and Mishna there.

R' Aaron was lucky to see with his own eyes the foundation of the State of Israel. He died on December 18, 1949 at the age of 75. The people of the Mishna Company named their company after him and founded a charity fund in his name. Malka, his wife, died on February 4, 1955.

A special man, an older generation type who found himself in our generation, one of the city's dignitaries, a bright scholar and an ultra–orthodox, who lived his life in his closed society. All his time and thoughts were consecrated to Torah, God–fearing and Mitzvot. His routine was prayer, studying and acts of charity. Still, from time to time he frequented his store, which was run by Osnat, his wife, a woman of valor who took care of the business and the house. He tended to bills and various matters but people in the know said that his heart was absent, since he used to read books while he was busy with the accounts, that was his way.

In his first years in Rovno he did not take part in public affairs, he had a difficult time finding a common language with the city managers and activists. They did not understand him and he did not understand them. His whole world was restricted to Halacha, and enclosed in this world he used to sit at the “Cloise” with the Torah. The only institution that attracted R' Mendel was the Yeshiva. He devoted himself to this institution, taking care of Yeshiva students, and glorifying the Torah.

He was one of Radzin's Hasids and used to wear a blue tallit. They named him the “Der Tchlet yid” (The Blue Jew). R' Mendel kept to his ways all his life. Even when extermination endangered all Rovno's Jews, he did not separate from his blue tallit, and wanted to be buried in blue… they say that his prayer was heard and that on his last way he wrapped himself with his blue tallit and blessed heaven before dying.

He was born in the village of Radishts and moved to Rovno after World War One searching for a bigger place. He was an optimistic Jew full of hope, lively and personable. He was deeply involved with Zionism. Like every 18^th century Jew, he studied in traditional Heder, kept the Mitzvot and was honest with God and men. For many years Weiner dreamed of making Aliya, living there and helping build the country, and his love of Judaism and Israel became one and the same.

Weiner gave Ester, his only daughter, a Hebrew–Zionist education and when she was four years–old enrolled her in a Hebrew School in Rovno. From there she went to Tarbut, the Hebrew Gymnasium. Their home was a Hebrew one

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and every year when the girl moved from one class to another, he saw himself closer to fulfilling his Aliya dream. Meanwhile he was involved with every Zionist endeavor, participated in fund–raising and helped institutions like Tarbut. Thus, about eleven years went by, and when Ester graduated from Tarbut Gymnasium he was quick to send her to Israel, planning to join her later with his wife.

The situation in Israel during the thirties and the difficulties postponed their Aliya. They were busy preparing, his wife started learning the bible and Hebrew with the teachers Barkovsky and Boslik in the Zionist Beit Haam and the two of them showed up to every Zionist meeting while weaving their dream to join their only child. Their letters to her in Jerusalem were full of yearning and missing, they were certain about the future, citing bible revival quotes, but fate was cruel to Weiner and his family and the girl lost both her parents in the horrible Holocaust.

Levi Smoliar was a Rovno native, modest and shy, honest and well–mannered. At the beginning of the century he was a teacher in Lemel Kolker's Private Hebrew School on the Volya and his students loved him, as did their parents and all who knew him.

In 1914 he began teaching at Talmud Torah and he stayed there for twenty years. Here too, they knew him as a good and loyal Jew, devoted to tradition who gave his best to teaching and educating the young generation.

But teaching was not Levi Smoliar's only asset. He was a good at prayer, as well, and his prayers were very pleasant to hear, no wonder then, that R' Meir Fisyuk chose him as a cantor in the synagogue he built on Afrikanska Street, the worshippers there remember well Smoliar the Cantor.

Smoliar had three sons and one daughter and he provided them with national and general education. Berl (Dov), the oldest son dedicated himself to journalism and was the editor of several newspapers in Rovno. He left for the US where he became the chief manager of STA the telegraphic agency.

Smoliar became ill and died on November 20, 1933.

From the thin fog of the not so long ago past, we can see the special character of Asher Shtil, a Rovno native, a modest but bitter man, still, his face expressed gentleness and friendship and he had the wise eyes of an educated Yeshiva Student, who always smiled.

During the twenties, at the time of the pogroms of Russian Jews, Shtil used to walk his city with a broken heart for his fellow–Jews, searching solutions for the current problems. Somehow, he did not tie his fate with the dreamers' camp, who imbibed love for Zion, although he was close to them in his heart and views.

His finances were never good and worrying about livelihood threw him into roles and jobs he did but was not always fond of. Yet he accepted his fate without complaining and aged prematurely. He found his way only during the Polish Regime to the Yiddish newspapers that were published in the city

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and was a tenured journalist for a tiny fee. He was highly intelligent and had a good, observing eye. He used to supply stories, with great talent, to the written press about life and activities of Jewish Rovno.

His appearance and his unbiased attitude won him appreciation from friends and foes alike. And he did have many objectors among the landlords and the local wealthy, whom he used to strike with his sharp tongue and sarcastic pen and he mercilessly exposed their deeds and activities in public institutions. His chronicles were immortalized in “What's Going on in Rovno”, his column and in a long line of original ironic stories like: “A Modern Society”, “Social Justice” and others. It should be noted that his rich “enemies”, who were vexed by his witty satires, still treated with respect and civility this materialistically poor and spiritually rich writer, whose name was Asher Shtil.

However, real loyal friends he acquired among the workers, who called his “Our R'Asher”. He visited often the wooden–houses and the basements, where the poor lived. He used to have long conversations with the starving tenants, look at the pale faces of their children, taking mental pictures of Jewish poverty and nail them in his famous descriptions, imbibed with cruel reality. Even in his comic stories you can see a repressed tear and a bitter sigh.

“Wake up the hearts of stone, morning, noon and evening and encourage their pure social activity, mutual understanding, humane attitude and brotherhood and cultural useful work, since they are our lives' goal…”

Those words by Asher Shtil define him more than anything, and should remain here, in this rubric, among the memory–keepers of Rovno.

The son of Binyamin Stock from Brisk who worked with his father in the soap industry, which was famous in their city and its surrounding. Moshe moved to Rovno and in 1900 founded a soap factory. His factory, which was considered one of the biggest in Volhynia, was built at the end of Tomarovska Street; and this is where he built his house too. The factory employed several dozens of workers, all Jews, who made a good living. The products of this factory were of good quality and were famous. Stock himself managed it professionally and financially.

Stock was an educated man with well–known “Lithuanian” characteristics. The idea of Zionism attracted him from its very beginning and when he came to Rovno, he was one of the first Zionists. His name is connected to the foundation of the first Zionist Association in the city and his house was open for Zionist meetings and gatherings in the days when the gendarmerie was still observing each meeting of three people together. Stock's heart and hand were open for every Zionist endeavor.

In the election to the Duma he was active for the Zionist Party and since he was popular in the city and in the authority's eyes, his support was invaluable.

Stock supported several public institutions and for a year was one of those in charge of Talmud Torah in town. He prayed in the Big Synagogue, was on its management council and helped repair and update the synagogue's building in his last years under the Polish Regime.

He died at age 68 in 1931 in Rovno.

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Yosef Shpitlenik

Was born in Marovitz Village, near Dovno, to his father, the village Shohet who educated him in the old Heder. He moved to Rozhshche in his youth where he continued his Torah studies. When he grew up, he married a woman from Rovno, moved there and opened a commerce of wholesale manufacturing. Soon he became a citizen and as an awakened Zionist joined the Zionist Association of Rovno and the Hebrew Lovers Association and became involved in these two associations with all his caring heart.

In the beginning of 1914 Shpitlenik arrived in Eretz Yisrael as a tourist, intending to stay in his homeland, his heart's desire, he lived here a few months but World War One broke and he had to go back home. The war's conditions and the enlisting forced him to move temporarily to Russia and he came back to Rovno only in 1917. Since then he dedicated himself mainly to public and Zionist affairs and became quite popular in the city.

With the fourth Aliya, Shpitlenik arrived in 1925 in Tel Aviv with his wife and only son. After some adapting, he begun working in Aguda Eretz Israel Bank and worked there for seventeen years. In Israel, too, he was well liked by Rovno people and his acquaintances, since he was pleasant, personable and always willing to help. But here he distanced himself from public activities and used to criticize when it was required. In his last years he was connected to the diamond industry and was successful.

He died suddenly at age 63 February 14, 1949

Yehuda Shindelkroit was born in Alexandria, near Rovno, the son of R' Yaakov Shindelkroit, one of the village's dignitaries who educated his sons in Torah and wisdom as was done back then and when they grew up, he took them into his commerce and business. Yehuda, like his older brother Yom–Tov was attracted by Rovno and begun to work in the Manufactory Commerce in 1909 and became a Rovno citizen.

In his childhood Yehuda studied in Alexandria in an Improved Heder with the teachers Haim–Nissan Zeks and Elimelech Blay and received a Hebrew–Zionist education. The National–Cultural winds that blew back then in Alexandria and the Heder studies made an impact on young Yehuda. He always mentioned his teachers–mentors with appreciation and admiration and stayed in touch with them for a long time.

You used to meet Yehuda Shindelkroit in wedding halls collecting money for JFN, in Yom Kippur's Evening at synagogues next to collecting bowls, for settling Israel and for schools there (a special endeavor, which was Rovno's) and in many other occasions connected with undertakings for building Israel. One of his important achievements was distributing Zionist and Israeli newspapers: “Hashiloach”, “HaOlam”, “Hapoel Hazair”, “Unzere Laben”, “Razsvet” and others. Finding subscribers for them he saw not only as supporting the newspapers but also and mainly a way to propagate the Zionist idea and national spirit. When the association of Hebrew–Lovers was founded he was one of its first active members, although officially, according to the authorities' rules of the registered associations he was not registered as member because of his young age. Indeed, the Associations heads Dr. Yehezkel Oierbouch, R' Yehuda Motyuk and others appreciated this active member, who begun speaking Hebrew with every acquaintance, Zionist or not Zionist, without paying attention if his interlocuter understands him or not. He adopted

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Jerusalemite Eliezer Ben–Yehuda's way. In the evenings, when he used to walk with his friends you could hear them speaking Hebrew loudly, in a Sephardic accent, which could be heard from faraway. Yehuda, who read many Hebrew books used to relate them to his friends, so that they would like Hebrew literature, too.

When Yehuda was released from the Russian Army due to his shortness of breath, he married Shifra Barenboim, his girlfriend, and raised a family in Rovno. Because of the war and for business he used to travel sometimes to Nizhny–Novogorod, on one of those trips he became ill with typhoid and died on February 13, 1920 at the Zhlobin's train station. Thus, all of a sudden, Shindelkroit's life was cut short.

Isaac, his son, was four years old when his father died and his mother dedicated herself to his education. She accompanied him when he was growing up until he graduated from Tarbut Gymnasium and made Aliya. She hoped to join him and live with him, but the Nazi Holocaust destroyed her wish.

He was born in Rovno in1878 to his father R' Ben–Zion Gam and lost his father when he was four years old. After her second marriage his mother moved to a small village close to Berezne with Kalman, where he studied with melameds. Because of the family's financial situation Kalman begun working when he was young

The spirit of tradition and the love for the Nation's treasures he absorbed as a child stayed with him until his last day. He loved to read and thought a lot about the national movement. Connecting the nation's past to its future. This is how he spent his first thirty years. In 1908 he went back to Rovno and settled there as a textile merchant. He became close to the few active Zionists in the city, and after three years was seen in the circles of Lovers of Hebrew, and later, together with R' Yehuda Motyuk (the Odessa delegate) he was active in registering Rovno's merchants as members of the Hovavai–Zion Council and raised money for JNF.

Before he was able to establish his business World War One broke and he had to leave. He arrived at Moscow and stayed there for three years as a textile trader and went back to Rovno at the end of the war. The Russian Revolution, which brought a change in the Jewish life in the country, and the situation after the war, required new representation of the Jewish Community and Kalman was found worthy to be part of this representation by the Zionists and the non–Zionists alike. When the democratic community was organized, he was elected as its president.

Soon there were problems of rehabilitation, help and saving people as a result of the war and the pogroms all around Ukraine, the American Joint begun to operate and developed

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a large–scale assistance program. The Community Council nominated Kalman as the chairman of this activity and he was devoted and dedicated to this job. He did a lot for the refugees and the orphans who were in the city or passed by, and thanks to his efforts, talent for organizing and his attitude to the needy and unfortunates, the Joint was able to help considerably, not only individuals, but also to create and sustain public and cultural establishments, and social and education endeavors, that were needed.

As a public figure and as a Zionist Kalman was elected to several institutions, and with his moderation and talent knew how to treat opponents and bring them closer. More than once he neglected his private business on account of his active involvement with public life and he was deeply appreciated for this by his friends and opponents.

Kalman Gam, who adored Hebrew, played an important role also in educational and cultural fields: he was one of the founders of the first Hebrew kindergarten (named after Dr. Yehiel Chelinov) and sent there his children. He was one of the founders of Tarbut Gymnasium in 1919 and many other cultural establishments. He headed for many years the gymnasium's council and devoted to the school much of his time and energy as well as the manager of the local Galil Council and Tarbut's network.

Kalman intended to make Aliya for many years, but his public activities prevented it, to his chagrin. Meanwhile his business deteriorated considerably and his health diminished. So, what did he do? In 1934 he sent his young daughter and son to precede him, and once they were at home, he, Rivka, his wife and the two remining sons made Aliya and settled in Tel Aviv. He hoped to be able to contribute to Israel and use his experience to build the country, but the difficult conditions of that period on one hand and the worries of settlement and livelihood on the other, occupied him and his wish did not come true. But he did not complain and looked reality in the eyes. In every meeting with Rovno sons or Volhynia descendants, he would wake up and the fire in his eyes rekindled, remembering the stormy times of the Russian, Ukrainian and Polish regimes, when he was active and gave his energy and heart to public affairs and to the national and cultural movements.

In 1939 his beloved wife, who accompanied him all the years, died. He had a difficult time getting over this blow and his illness became worse. He stayed with his sons and daughter isolated in his room for six years. He read a lot and used to welcome friends who visited with warmth and express to them his views on the era's problems and Zionism, which never stopped being part of his life.

In the morning of January 20^th, 1950 R' Kalman died in Tel Aviv. He died suddenly, while reading a Hebrew book.

Summer of 1911, Rovno's Youth Movement is gaining new members. The circles close to Zionism are reading “Rezsvet”, “HaOlam” and “Hapoel Hazair” that the youngsters are distributing. There is already talk about the 11^th congress to be convened and the rumors reach Rovno, too. In those days Gutia Salzman arrives in Rovno, where he was born, dressed as a student, looks for the Zionist Youth and joins them.

“Salzman the Student” as they called him in town, begun participating in meetings and conventions, he participated in discussions and lectures about Zionism in different venues, especially the educated youth and the clerks of the commerce houses and banks, his lectures attracted many of the local Zionists.

Salzman stayed in Rovno several months and when the summer break was over, he returned to Saratov's University, where he was studying medicine. The new council of the Young Zionist he helped organize

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was connected to the veteran Zionists concentrated that year in editing lectures by Haim Greenberg and Vladimir Jabotinsky, collected money for JNF and for the Odessan Council and more. When the next summer came Salzman was back in Rovno for his summer break and found out that his efforts bore fruits. His close friends Nechemia Fir, Meir Kadesh, Laybel Garbuz and others took advantage of his stay and increased the Zionist propaganda, many remember Salzman's public appearance in the traditional ball for Mendele, where he was the life of the party.

Gutia Salzman, the nice youngster, who was good–looking, served the movement, not only in his city, but among his fellow university students, as well, carrying high the Zionist flag. When he graduated, he served as a physician in the Russian army and afterwards as a private doctor faraway from Rovno, his city. With time's upheavals we lost touch with him and we do not know what was his fate.

At first Spector worked as a teacher–volunteer, teaching Hebrew to adults in the evenings, which he saw as his mission. He was deeply devoted to the spiritual assets of the nation, and when the researcher S. Anski arrived in Volhynia to collect historical–ethnographic material, Spector was one of his assistants, and saw this, too, as a mission serving the National cause.

His views suited his actions and many found him to be a friend, he was modest and pleasant, honest and an idealist.

Spector lived in Rovno under the Czar, the Ukrainians and the Polish regimes, he saw with his own eyes and felt the harassment of the Jews by the different authorities and suffered his people's ordeal.

When the Hebrew education grew in Rovno and was strengthening under the Polish Regime (by then he was father to children studying in Tarbut's institutions), he enlisted and was very active in the PTA. Later, and until the liquidation of the Hebrew Education in Rovno, he was the chairman of the audit committee of Tarbut Gymnasium.

As a Zionist and activist Spector always dreamt of making Aliya with his family, he made preparations and saw himself on the threshold of his beloved homeland. But fate interfered. When World War Two broke his son Zvi had to wander to the end of Russia, while he and his wife, Hinda Mendelkern from Dovno and Raya, his daughter, found their tragic end when Rovno's Jews were exterminated by the Nazis.

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Mendel Bialer

He was modest and with a deep Zionist awareness. He was born in the Zionist village of Berestechko and arrived in Rovno when he was about 17 and begun working in the kerchiefs and cloth shop. After a year he joined the local Zionist ranks and was a member of the faction “Zeirai Zion” and “The Hebrew Language Lovers”. He loved books and was devoted to the Hebrew Culture, which became an important part of his Zionism. In 1912 he was elected to the Zeirai Zion Council and was very active. In the shop where Bialer worked there were several Zionists who played an important part in the Zionist endeavor, and Bialer was one of them.

He suffered considerably during World War One, but he did not lose his resilience and came out whole from the war's ordeals and was not influenced by the declaration of the Russian Revolution, which attracted many to new flags, to different slogans. Bialer went his own way, continuing as an idealist and honest, loyal to the Zionist–Hebrew way, which he saw as the content of his life.

He had a big and warm heart, and even when he was under the yoke of family and livelihood he still helped others, and when he was presented with an opportunity that was close to his heart and soul – taking care of orphans, he dedicated himself, considering this cause a sacred one, and a public–nationalist one at the same time.

When in 1919 the first orphanage was founded in Rovno (in Plotnik's courtyard) and the Zionists were active there, Bialer joined the activists and was more dedicated than the rest, to the orphans and to the establishment. Nothing was too difficult for Bialer when it came to the orphanage. Is there anything more important than saving these miserable children, the remains of the families that suffered the Ukrainians' pogroms and educating them in the Hebrew–National Spirit and assisting them to make a life in Eretz Yisrael? For this goal he worked day and night for many years, helping to manage groups of orphans who later were sent by Israel Belkind to Israel. He was never able to make Aliya and be among those who built a free homeland.

In Rovno they called him Niman and he was well–known among Jewish circles since he was the son of the elder Jew (Starosta), R' Itzhak Niman (officially and according to the law a non–Jew was the elder, the leader, but he was nominated as his deputy), Niman was a good, nice and easy–going youth and excelled in his studies in the gymnasium, but did not continue with them.

In the days of political awareness, after the 1917 revolution, Neman became part of the Zionist Association of Rovno, his birthplace, and became active. He was elected to the Municipal Zionist Council. He sent his children to the first Hebrew Kindergarten that was in my apartment. Many remember his arguments with the veteran Zionists, his position in “Zeirai Zion” and the rest of his activities.

He liked directing and he played as an amateur actor in most of the plays that were produced by the theatre lovers in the city. They used to invite Neman to every Zionist ball so he could perform part of the program and he went on to advance and improve his acting. He made Aliya with his family during the Third Aliya. The times were of economic decline and his adaptation to the financial difficulties in Israel were dire. Neman enlisted in the police and for a while was a policeman; later he participated in “Hamatate” Theatre and then got franchise for sunbeds on Tel Aviv beach. He did not complain about his financial situation: he always smiled and his words were peppered with humor when he used to criticize this or that in our lives, with contained pain but also with a belief in a better future.

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In Israel too, he was loyal to his city's descendants and everybody who came to contact with him, since this man who suffered for others' pain had a big heart. When he fell gravely ill, he bore his illness in silence, did not bother others and did not evoke pity – it was a fate he could not escape… and he did not escape, and died in the prime of his life.

A rare kind of Jew, a Trisk Hasid who had the combination of the past tradition and the greatness of the renewal generation. He was a Talmud student when he began his commerce in the Market Street in Rovno, in the beginning of the century with the help of his wife, Bubba, a woman of valor.

He educated his son and daughters in the Hebrew Spirit and enjoyed their Hebrew, which created a Zionist environment in his home. Itzhak, his only son made Aliya as a pioneer in 1929 (and is a member of Kibbutz Gat), his daughters are all in Israel (two of them arrived after the Holocaust). Ides and his wife dreamt of making Aliya and joining their children but it was not granted and they joined their fate with all of Rovno's Jews in October 1941.

Was born in Rovno in 1889 to wealthy parents, who had flour–mills and other businesses, received a traditional education as well as general studies.

In 1912–1913 was part of the local newspaper, Yuno–Zepednaye Volhinya. When he saw no point in staying in Rovno, he travelled to Canada. At first, he worked and then he begun studying there. He graduated from a university and became an English teacher. For many years he worked as a teacher in the Yiddish and radicals' schools and was close to Jewish activities. In the years of World War One he was the general secretary of the West–Canadian Assistance Council for the war's victims and for a year–and–a–half edited the “Hilf” Magazine. At the same time, he was elected as the secretary of the Association of Ukrainian Jews in Montreal.

He was a correspondent in “Ferverts”, participated in “Novi Mir” and in the last years was a tenured writer for “Fryhyt”, the Jewish Communist newspaper in New York. He signed as S. Almazi Pearl and liked to commiserate and talk about his city. Besides his journalistic activities he wrote and published several stories, poems, notes and descriptions under different alias “A Revener”, “S. Pas”, “Safra”, “Pnina”, “Salomon” and “Ben–Shmuel”.

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R' Shmuel Edel

A descendant of an ancient and respected family, the grandson of “Afikai Yehuda” from R' Yehuda Leib, on his father's side. One of the creators of the Mizrahi Histadrut in Zionism, and the famous Dr. Yaakov Yosef Horenstein from his mother's side, Dina. R' Shmuel was genuine and honest, well–mannered and loved people. He was modest and escaped honors, loved his work (as a youth he had an artistic talent in handiwork and woodwork.) and he disliked the Rabbis. He was a traditional Jew, still tolerant for others' views and beliefs. He understood other people's feelings and respected them, always looking for the common humanitarian basics that connected him with other human beings created in the image of God. His many contacts, commercial and friendly, for many years, despite dire times, gained him trust and respect from everybody. As a loyal student of R' Yehoshua Ben Frahia, he kept the rule “You should always give the other credit.”

He died in Bat–Yam on November 23, 1946. He was 71 years–old.

Dannenberg was well known in Rovno since 1905–1906. He was a consistent revolutionary in his thoughts and conduct, and was a Yiddish fighter who represented the left in the Democratic Community and in other public offices, always loyal to his ideas. He stood up among his comrades and excelled in his convincing propaganda, based on logic and influence. He was a fierce opponent to Zionism, but still, they respected him. He was often persecuted due to his views and being part of the revolutionary camp under the Czar Regime during the regimes' changes (1918–1929) and finally under the Polish Regime.

In his last years he was elected by the Bund to the municipality and was very active in the Orphans' Assistance Council and was the principal of “Centos” and more. Even his political opponents were impressed by his achievements. He was one of the organizers of the professional unions in the city and one of their managers.

Dannenberg spent all his life in Rovno, loved his city and its people and was involved with the laborers' lives. When the Polish Authorities begun persecuting the suspected communists and added him, too, he was arrested in 1936 and sent to a concentration camp in Kartuz–Bereza. He was an inmate for several months, and was tortured. When he returned to Rovno, he became ill and died.

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Fania Himmelfarb

She was born in Kolki, but lived most of her life in Rovno until she made Aliya in 1924. Her parents, Yehoshua–Heshel and Raizel Buslik were Hasidic, but accepted the general education's light that begun penetrating Jewish households, so that Fania and her sister received both traditional and modern education. A respect for religious values, while keeping patriarchal traditions was weaved into a national education as well as absorbing Russian cultural sources, which opened horizons to the wide world.

She loved people and respected others, looking for the light in their souls. She was polite and tried to listen to those who poured their hearts and help as much as she could. Her sensitive heart, her nobility and her motherly care for whoever needed her help made her loved and respected by all her acquaintances.

Following the terrible shock she suffered when the news about the horrible Holocaust arrived, most of her family members perished there, and after the siege on Jerusalem she yearned for peace and quiet and moved with her husband to Tivon to be in her old age next to her son (Shmuel Shoresh, who studied in the kindergarten and Tarbut Gymnasium in Rovno. Shmuel now does agricultural work in Beit Shearim Moshav, and was a member of the Third Knesset.) She also enjoyed her daughter and the grandchildren, but fate intervened and after a serious illness she died at age of 63 and was buried in Beit Shearim on May 16, 1953.

A Rovno native with a sensitive heart and caring for others, he joined our group when he was young, our goal was to help sick people through “The Justice League” and he became one of its active members, no job was beneath him. He was elected to the association council and was active for many years. Many remember his performances and positions in the stormy meetings before and after council's elections. His will–power, vibrancy and dedication changed the cause to more than a social endeavor. For him, helping the needy, the sick and the lonely was his humanitarian duty and he instilled this attitude in our members' hearts, and they worked beside him. He, the young one, was a motivating force who was able to perform actions under all conditions and circumstances.

Shamai gained respect in the association and in the city and the sick who were helped by the association mentioned his name with admiration. A public figure, and loving personality, he dedicated to the public his best young strengths. He was one of Zion's Dreamers, but like most of his friends, did not arrive in Israel and perished in the Holocaust when he was just forty–six years–old.

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Yehuda Berman

A very active public figure in many areas, he was always willing to help, this was Yehuda Berman who was born in Rovno in 1878 to his parents Yaakov Asher and Mussia Berman and worked since his youth in his father's store of glass and utensils, and knew the business well.

Being conscious of the importance of helping others he was part of founding the “Somhey Noflim”, association aiming to help the needy who do not know how to beg. The association gained many permanent supporters and their contributions helped multitudes in different ways.

When World War One began, Yehuda happened to be on business in Sarny's station and saw trains full of refugees and expelled Jews – war victims who wandered with their families, desperate and destitute. Wishing to help those miserable brothers, Berman edited a letter to Czar Nikolay the Second and pleaded for his persecuted innocent brothers. He rejected accusations and false suspicions of Jews and insisted it is a sin to discriminate against Jews when they are loyal citizens to their country and king. He ended by stressing the dire outcome for all who hurt Jews. Because of this last expression Berman was arrested and punished with ten years of hard–labor.

He wandered from one prison to another, escaped his guards and was far away from home, when he had enough ordeals and wandering, he decided to face the authorities who decreed ten years of expulsion to faraway Irkutsk, Siberia. Due to the Russian Revolution of 1917 Berman was given part of the general clemency to political prisoners and after three years in exile returned to Rovno. The pain of all his wandering years did not diminish his energy and wish to assist the repressed and needy who were still there after the change of regime. He went back to his philanthropist activities: monitored and guided, gave juridical assistance, distributed food to the hungry, took care of the sick, helped with releasing prisoners and obtaining permits and documents. He established a Kosher Kitchen for holidays for Jewish soldiers in the Polish army and provided Kosher food to prisoners.

When Doctor Meir Segal was arrested by the Polish authorities after his servant squealed, saying he supposedly had at home a transmitter and that he gave information to the Bolsheviks while they were fighting the Pols, Berman traveled to the National Institutions in Warsaw, worked to free him and eventually came back to Rovno with him.

When the organization of the Small Merchants was founded in Rovno Berman was elected as its chairman and he was dedicated to them with all his heart for many years. When a group aiming to buy land in Israel was formed Berman joined, and was active alongside Yosef Steinman, the manager.

Berman was lucky to arrive in Israel in his old age and he settled in Herzliya, he bought a piece of land and built a house. He was able to bring his family to Israel before the extermination of Rovno's Jews. He worked as a glazier and savored the building of the country and the revival of the people in its homeland.

One of the blessed activists of Rovno at the end of last century and the beginning of this one. He was a Yeshiva student, educated and came from Pinsk to manage the Brothers Luria's Bank. He was charitable with many, took care of poor children and especially those of “Talmud Torah”. He was one of the first Zionist in town and actively contributed the shares of the Settlement Treasury, and drew many to the Zionist movement. He died on March 17, 1903.

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Shmuel Shrira, previously known as Shmulky Shriar – was born in Slavuta. He was an Austravah citizen, a Rovno activist, involved with Ruzhin's Hasidic dynasty and well–known in many other places in Volhynia and farther away. Growing up in a Hasidic home he imbibed since childhood the rich, folksy and juicy spirit of Judaism. Even when he stayed for his studies in foreign places, he emanated his own warm Hasidic ambiance. His friend in studies, A. Beilinson said about Shrira, when he showed up together with S. Ansky and Y. Engel in their ethnographic travels: “Here comes the real Jews.”

He grew up on Torah and its sources, in the best Jewish tradition. As an adult he traveled to Odessa, which was back then the center of enlightenment, and studied general studies. He heard poems and literature from Bialik, Klausner and others. He went further in his search for knowledge and traveled to Torah's centers: the Beit Midrash for Israel's Wisdom, founded by the Baron Ginsburg in Petersburg. He learned about the history of the Hebrew Bible from Dr. Y. L. Katznelson, professor Chwolson and others. With real avidness of a constant–learner he drunk thirstily the words of the Bible explorers in the universities of Freiburg and Strasburg.

Close to the break of World War One, Shrira joined Ansky–Engel's Ethnographic expedition to Jewish villages, in quest of remaining folk art in poetry, legends and other folklore assets. Because of the war he had to leave the university before graduating and return to his birthplace. Once at home, Shrira dedicated himself with all his heart to Zionist and public activities: as one of Hitahdut Zeirai Zion he appeared in meetings as a fighter for the national idea and the revival of Hebrew. He was sent as a delegate to the twelfth Zionist Congress and was very active among the throngs as a representative for the refugee aid agency.

Satiated after many travels, wandering and stops in different Volhynia cities, Shrira arrived in Rovno. On his way he served as the principal of the gymnasium in Ruzhin, and as a Hebrew teacher in the governmental gymnasium in Austravah, while Rovno was supposed to be his last stop before making Aliya. He was not a newcomer in Rovno since he visited several times before, during and after World War One, and now he had many respected roles and was active in public life in general and particularly in Zionism and culture. He found a new venue for his high energy and many paths for his blessed and rich involvement: he played an important role in organizing the community and strengthening the Zionist faction there, he headed the activities of JNF and Keren–Hayesod; he served as an inspector for the local center of Tarbut for the Hebrew Schools; was The Joint chairman, created the concept of a local Yiddish press and was as well the founder and editor of “Yiddish Voch” – the first newspaper of its kind in Volhinya–Polsia – and later the literary editor of “Voliner Lachen”. He was also active in all the elections to Jewish public and governmental institutions, and with his good–manners and integrity captured the trust of the all the different parties of the Jewish public.

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In the beginning of 1925, Shrira arrived in Israel and begun teaching what he loved: The Bible. As a salient activist and organizer, he did not apply to existing schools but begun establishing private high–schools and became their principal. The hurdles he encountered did not deter his enthusiasm and he did not utter a word of complaint. He became famous among his many friends and acquaintances as a loyal source for the nation's treasures, for songs and hymns; he used every opportunity to sing with the emotion of a devoted Jew.

His literary work was dedicated to bible studies and the ancient Hebrew writings, which he researched all his life. When he took a break, he participated in the Jewish–Russian Encyclopedia founded by Brookhouse and Efron. His first article “The Men of the Great Knesset” was published in Hashiloach overseas. In Israel he published with his friend S. Har “An Introduction to Ancient Hebrew Literature” and “The History of the Talmudic Literature”. At the end of his literary career, shortly before he died, he prepared “An Introduction to the Holy Scriptures”, which was published posthumously. The book has been published in four editions already and teachers and students draw from its knowledge and love for the Book of Books.

Many of his literary and pedagogical plans were not executed, because his illness overcame him before his time, but he felt that in his last book he expressed his great love to the people, the Hebrew language and the treasures of the Hebrew creation found in the scriptures.

A Rovno native, the son of a local cantor, he absorbed Torah since his childhood and studied in traditional Heder and in his father's house. When he turned thirteen years–old he began his general education. He had a difficult time getting his baccalaureate but the real problems showed up when he tried to apply for medical studies at the university. While he was studying, he married Miss Bernstein from Rovno. After some years he graduated as a doctor from Vienna University and settled in Rovno.

Zionism was part of his soul since his youth, but during his years as a student he had no time to be active since he had to make a living. When his work begun to yield an income to support his family, he was able to dedicate himself to the National–Zionist Movement and to public affairs in general and he found his place in Rovno's Zionists Association.

Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, when Zionism expanded and new horizons were opened for public activities in liberated Russia, Doctor Shvidka's nomination was suggested to many of Rovno's Zionist institutions: general, national and municipal. When the Democratic Community was assembled, he was elected as its president (the Zionist fraction was the biggest and strongest in the community). Well remembered is his public announcement, that as a Zionist representative he will insure fair and honest relationships with the heads of other movements in the community.

Doctor Shvidka was nominated as the head of the Jewish Hospital and the physician of Tarbut's institutions in the city. He participated in different delegations of the community and the Zionists, sometimes risking his life (during the days of the Ukrainian Regime and later the Polish Regime).

Dr. Shvidka's wife was not a Zionist but this did not prevent him from educating his son and daughter in Zionist Spirit and they studied in Tarbut Institutions. His life was not easy, he suffered a lot, but he seemed cheerful and content most of the time. He was modest and had a sensitive heart, a real fighter for Zionism and Hebrew all his life. He dreamt about making Aliya but for family reasons kept postponing it from one year to the other.

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His son Zonye, who graduated from Tarbut Gymnasium made Aliya despite his mother's objection and to his father's delight and studied at the Hebrew University. He traveled to visit his parents in 1939 and because of the war was unable to get back to Israel and was exterminated with his family.

According to information from Russia, Dr. Shvidka arrived during the war to Novosibirsk, suffered there and died in 1944.

Dr. Shvidka wrote a poem about the Jewish Defenders in Ukrainian villages during the pogroms, which was published in Yiddish.

The son of Alexander and Shayneze Berliner from Brisk Delita – a privileged family on his father's side and descendants of Rabbi Rosenfeld, the Genius Rabbi from Dovno, may he rest in peace. He was born in 1895, received a traditional education and graduated from Kiev's University as an MD in 1917. In 1923 he married Yentel–Lena, the oldest daughter of Shimon Berker, and settled in Rovno, where he was a physician and public activist for the rest of his life.

Dr. Berliner worked at the Jewish Hospital for free and helped his patients with care and devotion. There were only few nights when he could sleep in peace without being interrupted and summoned to ailing patients. He was particularly known and liked in the poor laborer neighborhoods of Kressna and Kevkaze, where he not only gave up his pay, but added his own money to pay for medicines he prescribed.

He was active in TAZ Company' a Health Preservation Company, that operated among the multitude of Jews at the end of World War One, as well as with ORT where he was elected in 1925 as the association chairman. He was active and encouraged others in developing skills among those who planned to make Aliya, by opening schools and evening classes, where many acquired a profession.

As a member of the “Poalai Zion” he was active in all its movement endeavors and worked hard on behalf of Aliya. His house was an open house and was a meeting place for the Jewish and Zionist intelligentsia.

When the Nazis entered Rovno, he continued to work at the Jewish Hospital. When he found out about the impeding “Action” on Rovno's Jews he decided not to go like sheep to slaughter, and injected a death potion to his wife, son and baby–girl and at last – to himself…

Hence the family of Doctor Berliner perished.

Among the people of Jewish Rovno in the areas of science and culture there is a special place for some great physicians who contributed their knowledge and rich experience to help the sick and guarded the Jewish and non–Jewish population's health.

But first of all, some words about the Jewish institutions and medical endeavors.

There were many helping institutions for the sick and vulnerable but the crown of the institutions during the Polish Regime was the Jewish Hospital that was on the hill above the Volya. In this Medical Center many physicians, veterans and rookies considered it as an honor to be among the hospital's employees. Due to the Jewish Hospital prestige in the city, many patients who came to find cures for their ailments were Christians, too, members of the Governmental HMO, although they had

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a regional hospital in Tutkevitsh,

Another popular aspect in the medicine area, especially preventive medicine, was the TAZ company with its many functions: clinics and laboratories, maternities etc. Noted is the company's care for the health of the Jewish babies by founding summer–camps and sanatoriums in Klewan and Nowostaw, where they were sent every year, in summer and in winter, about 750 children. By the way, we should mention Alexander Alperson, who was TAZ's living spirit and Izsak Peker and Loeb Spielberg, who assisted him.

There were also private medical institutions in Rovno that were very well organized. We should mention the maternity, run by the midwife Urlicht, the surgical hospital named after Dr. Boris Segal (Dr. Meir Segal's son), the x–ray institute managed by Dr. Hoffman (the son in–law of the manufacturer M. Stock) and many diagnostic–laboratories, like Guzman's, Trubetz and others.

I can still see them one by one, the main helpers in that sacred work of sustaining whole worlds and guarding the peoples' health; I knew them and was in contact with:

Dr. Meir Segal – the principal hospital's physician, the elder doctor who was famous all around, he was very thorough with his patients and himself, much liked by all the population, Jews and Christians. His clinic was always full of patients seeking his advice. There was one thing that differentiated him from other physicians: in his free time, he was studying the Talmud with dedication. He was personable and many stories and legends are tied to his name.

Dr. Mourizi Ken was the main physician of the hospital and the chief HMO doctor, he was one of the noblest doctors.

Dr. Yehezkel Orbach a famous gynecologist in town, was famous in Rovno's surroundings, too, during his short life. (A special article is dedicated to him in this book).

Dr. Anton Garfinkel – an entomologist.

Dr. Zeitlin came to Rovno from nearby Koritz, where he served for thirty years. He was an easy–going man, a renowned professional. Old and unhealthy, his head hunched to the side, he went on working tirelessly until his last day, helping the needy, the sick and dying – until the Holocaust arrived and he perished with all our saints.

Dr. Yosef Shvidka, a surgeon, tenured at the hospital and later one of the best lecturers in Public Health matters; an activist and an enthusiastic Zionist speaker. During the blood–shed time he was not in Rovno, he wandered in Russia and died from blood–poisoning.

Dr. Nathanson, a pediatrician, had a noble expression and was a constant guest in the Jewish homes, the mothers trusted him and he never left his role, the physician's role, until his last day. He perished in one of the “Actions” in Rovno.

Dr. Tavenchick settled in Rovno in the beginning of the century as a private physician. Soon, he became famous in the city and its surroundings and patients from all places started flocking to him, his psychological influence on the patient gave him the reputation of a miracle worker.

A progressive and intelligent man, he did not participate in public life (maybe due to a mental crisis that many of the Jewish Intelligentsia underwent in his time). But after the Russian Revolution he grew wings and enlisted in the busy public activity in his city, it turns out that hidden under his indifference, vibrated a national–Jewish consciousness.

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When in 1920 Rovno came under Polish Regime, Dr. Tavenchick showed up among the active functionaries in the municipal and Jewish institutions. As a physician at the orphanage he was devoted to the institution and its inhabitants, not only as a physician, but also as a patron and a loving father–figure. He was a physician at the HMO, active at the health company TAZ, was elected by the local community to the city council and to different other public institutions – general and Jewish, as well as serving the national funds as one of the Zionists.

During the Nazi occupation he worked at the Jewish Hospital in Rovno and took upon himself the yoke of his peoples' sufferings. He tried in every way to improve the harsh situation, many times risking his life. Throughout the extermination, after losing his wife and sons, he hid with his Christian maid, who concealed him in a well and fed him for many months until the Germans were defeated and the Russian returned to the city. In this short–long period he weakened from suffering and humiliation, and walked broken and depleted on his city's ashes. His only consolation was to watch Misha, his son, a urologist, who worked as a researcher in Moscow University. But unfortunately, this son died from typhus shortly before Rovno was liberated. Dr. Tavenchick remained lonely and broken in his old age, refused to leave his city and dedicated himself to treating the survivors.

Dr. Tavenchick was the first to relate in a letter to Dr. Itzhak Goldenstern the catastrophe which befell on Rovno's Jews.

Among the survivors: Dr. Isgor, Dr. Klarich and Dr. Liashevsky. The first two were lucky and arrived in Israel, Dr. Isgor was an HMO physician in Jerusalem and gained the trust and respect of the establishment and the patients, but unfortunately died before his time; he died in Jerusalem in 1953. Dr. Klarich, an excellent physician and man, was the head of the Medical Office for the remaining Jews in Germany. He now works at the Chronically Ill Hospital, with both his daughters, physicians, too, at his side.

Among the fifteen doctors of the young generation we remember: Dr. Goyzenberg – who stayed in Moscow all alone and was in despair, he was about to return to Poland. Dr. Zimerinsky, who stayed in Lvov; Dr. Abramowitz who died from pneumonia in Krakow; Dr. Chernovolski a TAZ doctor who was liked by the city's Jews; Dr. David Berliner, a Zionist activist; Dr. Lea Frishberg, an obstetrician; Dr. Pick–Harmoy; Dr. Trovatch; Dr. Shafir, an optometrist who committed suicide in Russia; and Dr. Butchkovski, the gifted physician who always had a smile and was liked by all the Jewish population in Rovno.

Also, should be remembered Dr. Boris Segal, the talented surgeon, the son of the famous Dr. Meir Segal – perished with all his community; the modest Dr. Zipniuk, Dr. Polik, Dr. Hesst, Dr. Hoffman – they were all kind professionals, liked by the patients and the population in general.

Among our young colleagues who perished in the Holocaust: Dr. Newma Zeitlin, Dr. Yozik Wienerman, Dr. Misha Tavechnik, Dr. Palya Dombrovitz and Dr. Farbidela, who lost his life in the Red Army ranks fighting the German murderers.

Among the doctors who participated in the war with the fascists gangs we remember: Dr. Syuma Guzman, Stanislav Illsky – under alias; (Was condemned to death by hanging in Krakow); Dr. Bass (In Czechoslovakia now) Dr. Frishberg (in Poland); Dr. Susna (in London); Dr. Stiman (was in Germany and from there immigrated

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to America); Dr. Sucharczuk and Dr. Yitzhak Margolitz who made Aliya and kept working as responsible physicians.

Dr. Simon Rossi is in the US since 1938, working as a researcher in pathology.

Remembering the MD's, we will mention the dentists too: Pasis, Gula Mayzlish, Perperman, Shuchman–Shumar, Hesst–Gurfinkel, Gelman and the most important, the veteran dentist Sucharczuk, who used his fingers as plyers to extract a tooth painlessly…

And Rovno's paramedics: Yossel Alba, a student of professor Pirogov, who was so well trusted by most of the population that even when he was ninety, he saw patients and made home calls at this advanced age (he died when he was hundred and three). He was famous for his ointments, which healed every wound and ailment. Shmuel–Yossi Sr. who every child in Rovno knew, an expert who liked his liquor… Wienerman – the expert for venereal diseases, from Krassna Street, who was the honorary chairmen of the volunteer firefighter in town.

There were many good nurses in Rovno, who provided great help to the sick: Kuzushman, Wiener, Segal, Zoya Bernstein, Tabechnik, Horover–Harmazi, Giller and dozens of others.

And finally, the pharmacists: Eliyaho Kirshon, Sandberg, Kersh, Maza, Rosencrantz, Olyenik and Harmazi.

Jewish Rovno had more than eighty doctors, only about ten remained. Most of them perished together with Rovno's community, assassinated by savages, they found their rest in the big mass grave in the pine grove and in the graves on Biala Street and Yanova Valley.

Many might not recognize this name. He was an interesting man, an idealist who came to Rovno in 1919, and like many others who played an important role in the city, he came from the outside, Kiev, but was born in close–by Kostopol. He was a dentist. When the association of Hapoel–Hazair and Zeirai–Zion expanded in Poland in 1921 and the appearance of “Falk in Land”, the newspaper of this movement, Gorin was captivated and was one of the first to respond to Laybel Garbuz's invitation, who arrived from Eretz Yisrael in September 1922, after the twelfth Zionist Congress to found in Rovno the Hitahdut. Since then he was a member of Hitahdut Council for many years, and represented it in most of the General Zionists Institutions in the city. Hence, he showed up on the public podium of Rovno and was elected to the community council. He was Hitahdut's delegate to the Zionist Congress and to other conventions.

Gorin was an excellent speaker, and knew how to draw people to his movement, to which he was dedicated with all his soul. He was a lover of Hebrew despite not speaking the language and acquiring it as time went by. He was gentle and honest, and his political opponents appreciated his personal qualities and preferred him to others. When Hitahdut took root in the city Gorin was active organizing the youth and the center of his movement appreciated his activities and consistency.

Hitahdut had many dedicated activists in Rovno, but Gorin was one of the first and most loyal, he stood up among them with his conciseness and faith in the idea. When the question of making Aliya with his family came up, they asked him to stay for “a while” for the movement's sake, he agreed to the hour's need and postponed his

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plan. Soon after at the end of 1930 the Russian occupied the city again but Gorin did not give up the flag and continued, although not publicly, with his dedicated mission. Finally, the city was conquered by the German Army and Gorin, with all his community, fell into the Nazi trap. Life was difficult and bitter, but even in these times of despair Gorin played a part in public life and helped whoever needed his help, endangering his own life.

A blessed Zionist and activist during the nineties of last century, was awakened to every national and public endeavor. He wrote for the Melitz newspaper and stood by the Zionist Council and the Hovavai Zion for many years.

Still in 1908–1915, when the Zionist activity was forbidden and had gone underground, he took upon himself many roles and was one of Austravah's main activists, his family's apartment (a room with no floor with a kitchen nearby) was a meeting place for the Zionist Council, and this is where they kept the archive and the movement's secretariat. Spielberg was not deterred by the danger this entailed, and even after he was fired from the bank because of his Zionist activity, he did not complain and dedicated himself with deeper faith.

During World War One Spielberg served about three years in the Russian Army, when he returned home in 1917 – the Golden Age of the Russian Revolution – he appeared in soldiers' meetings in Austravah as his regiment's delegate, speaking, heralding, stirring, and his words, spoken with logic and sense, entered the hearts.

Spielberg stood out again in the election campaign to the Russian constitutive meeting and the all–Jewish convention. He campaigned in his city and its surroundings, conquered hearts and enlisted votes for the Zionist party. He was active also in the elections for the Democratic Community representing the Zionists, his personality and activism fascinated many.

From one underground to another, in 1920 when the Bolsheviks came to power once again and begun persecuting the Zionists, Spielberg tricked them and began working for Oprodkum (the Regional Council for Provisions) as the secretary of the Russian chairman – a communist, and thus, created an opportunity for a clandestine Zionist activity in its shadow and hence helped his friends.

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As an active member, he headed the Zion association in Austravah. With time he enlisted in different national and public institutions in his city and served them loyally for 12 years, until he moved to Rovno.

A new era begun in his life when he moved to Rovno. His first public work there was in Centus, the central council for supervising orphans and homeless children, as a principal and secretary. There were branches to this company in almost all Volhynia's cities and villages and so he managed dozens of orphanages and establishments.

Spielberg was deeply devoted to this work, improved and increased the company's activities, organized branches and founded institutions, enlisted and monitored many devoted activists. He became the patron of those abandoned children, most of them were orphans of the pogroms in Ukraine (1917–1918) and who were usually collected alongside the roads where the children were wandering, escaping the rioters. He took care of their physical health and spiritual nourishment – and of their future. There was a struggle between the Zionist and the remains of the Bund activists who stayed in the company since the days when the Joint was in charge of the orphans, until the company became one of the strongholds of the Zionist Movement in Volhynia; in its institutions many activists and loyalists were educated to the Zionist youth movements and many of these students made Aliya and are participating in the building of the homeland.

Spielberg dedicated his time and energy to a variety of Zionist and public activities in many of Rovno's institutions. He was one of ORT activists and there, too, he fought the strong influence of the Bund wheeler–dealers and their supporters until he won, and ORT branch passed into the Zionist hands and remained under their influence until the last war broke. He was also active in the HIAS immigration company, which dealt with Aliya after the office of Eretz Yisrael closed.

As a member of the community council Spielberg fought the Zionist war with the non–Zionist, Sanazia, who were under the authorities' influence. They were against the Zionists and clashed in their influence in the community and the Jewish public. This war often involved persecution by the local Polish authorities, and despite his official status as the manager of a governmental accredited company, Spielberg did not retreat in his war to establish the Zionist influence in the community.

He used to tour Volhynia's cities and villages campaigning for Zionism, lecturing – especially to the youth – about Eretz Yisrael and Zionism, writing articles in newspapers, editing and publishing a Zionist weekly in Rovno. For many years there was in Rovno a united council of the representatives of all the important parties: General Zionists, Hamizrahi, Hitahdut, Poalai–Zion and for a while, there was also a revisionist representor. The role of this council was to unify the different Zionists movements so that they could work together efficiently for the Zionists funds, Tarbut institutions, the community council, the municipality council and different public establishments. Spielberg, who was since the thirties member of Hitahdut (Zerai–Zion, Hapoel–Hazair) was one of their activists, he insured its sustainability and influence and was successful in this area.

One of Austravah's survivors who arrived in Israel related that Spielberg, who lived and was active in Rovno, worked there in the local “Judenrat” since the beginning of the Nazi occupation. He helped many, saved as many as he could, but was unable to save his own life. The fate of the millions found him and his wife: they were led to the mass–massacre of Rovno's Jews in 1942.

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In 1918 he arrived in Rovno and settled there. He begun building his house and business of importing and dealing with clocks. He was an educated man, idealist and modest, honest and gentle, generous, loved people and was friendly, willing to help others whenever possible. Often, he gave up private business in order to serve others. He advised, monitored and helped and became quickly famous and many respected him.

Lutzky was born in 1890 in Pinsk, he lost his father as a child and was educated in David Diatlovitzky, his uncle's home. After he graduated, he worked in his uncle's clock store and became an expert. During World War One he found himself in Poland, where his mother lived. He stayed during the war in Lodz for three years. His wife, Libba born Garbuz from Stolin was a woman of valor, they had a son and two daughters who studied in Tarbut Gymnasium. The Lutzky home was a Zionist one, the fire of revival burned in his heart and by its light he planned his life. He was involved with many endeavors: he was one of the founders of the Tarbut books storage in 1919, was among the creators of Hitahdut Labor Party (Hapoel–Hazair and Zeriai–Zion) in Rovno in 1921 and was its council's member; was one of the organizers of the funds for the city's national funds; a member of Tarbut Gymnasium's Council and one of its supporters, participated in several public initiatives representing his party and the local funds, gave generously and raised funds for Israeli Institutions. He was devoted to all his many activities, was considered as one of the best Zionists and believed in the idea of “Working” Eretz Yisrael.

And he, who wanted to be as good as his word, was about to make Aliya with his family and made some preparations, but when his time to leave came things went wrong, conditions changed and fate decided – it was not granted.

In 1939 his daughter Hava, a graduate of Tarbut Gymnasium was about to make Aliya and study at the Jerusalem University and she even had a departing date, September 30, but the war that broke between Germany and Poland prevented her from leaving. There was no end to Lutzky's grief since he believed they will all follow Hava. The situation created by the change of regime destroyed him. His letters to relatives and friends in Israel are full of longings for the homeland and willingness to suffer and carry the yoke with the builders, if he could just join them…

Lutzky and his family suffered terribly during the Russian Regime 1939–1941 and the German's occupation made it worse. Rumors has it that the Germans arrested Luyzky and Menahem, his 18–year–old son in the first days when they entered the city and sent them in trucks with a group of Jews to an unknown destination. At first it was thought they were sent to work, but later, when they understood the murderers' intentions, they realized that the whole group was murdered.

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