[Page 313-326]

The names of these who died and were martyred in the Holocaust and its destruction were found on the Megilat Ha-Klef, commemorating the Shoah, in the basement in Har Zion in Jerusalem. They are remembered by those from Sanok and the surrounding areas.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

ABT	Nissan and Chaya
ADAMONI	Binyamin, Hey, Yud (Hebrew Letters)
ADRICH	Bezalel and his family
ALSTER	Schiffra
ALTKORN	Tzvi-Herman, Yosef, Pipa
AMENT	Bella, Sima, Yenta, Rachel, Frima
AMENT	Mordechai, Toltsa
ASTER	Amalia, Mordechai, Genia, Adzia, Ronia, Moshe, Zipporah
AMSTER	Wulf, Chaya and their children
AMSTER	Yacov, Chaya-Sara, Miryam, Yitzchok
ASCHER	Mordechai, Amalia, Zlate, Yitzchok
AUERBACH	Wulf, Matilda, Shmuel, David, Elka
AUFRIL	Avraham-Yacov, and his family
AYBLER	Sara, Zipporah, Tzvi, Shrage, Rivke, Yosef, Bilha, Ester, Libe-Gittel, Golda Reizel
BABAD return	Yitzchok
BACH	Bezalel, Feiga-Riva
BARUCH	Golda
BAUMOHL	Meier, Tziril, Ascher-Lemel, Moshe, Yehudit
BEER/BAER	Shimon, Sela, Devora
BEILES	Shmuel, Zebulon, Rachel
BERGENBAUM	Shmaryahu, Rivke, Dr, Chaim, Vera, Alexander
BERGER	Chana-Leah
BERGER	Shoshana
BERGER	Tzvi-Arye
BERGER	Yisrael-Shlomo, Sara, Moshe-Yosef, Simcha-Bonim
BERGLASS	Leibusch, Malka, Belha, Avraham, Chaim, Shalom, Yehoshea
BERGLASS	Menachem
BINGFELD	Ida
BIRNBAUM	Chaim, Shmuel
BIRNBAUM	Shmuel, Ester
BLOCH	Avraham, Adah, Hela
BLUM/BLOOM	Ita, Baruch, Mirel
BLUM/BLOOM	Noach, Ester and their children
BLUMENFELD	David, Hirsch, Mordechai, Henia, Aharon
BLUMENFELD	Hager, Miryam, Yoel, Perel
BODNER	Eliezer, Ita
BORFUS	Melech
BRAND	Yosef and Chana (Zagorsh), and their sons Yitzchok and Eliezer and their daughters, Sara and Devora
BRAUN	Tzvi, Yitzchok, Menachem, Sela
BRAUN	Yisrael, Sela, Tzvi-Hirsch, Yitzchok-Menachem
BREIT	Yosef
BRIDNER (LEVENTAL)	Natan, Binyamin, Frieda, Meier
BRINK	Arye-Leibusch, Yisrael, and their families
BRINKER	Chaim, Leibusch, David, and their families
BRINKLAU	Viska
BROSS	Mordechai, Dina, Pessel, Chaim
CHARAS return	Shlomo, Mendel, Meier, Miryam
CHARAS	Shmaryahu, Chana, Shalom, Hirsch, Sara, Ester, Malka
CHEIT	Chana
DANKBERG return	Nachman, Moshe, Rachel, Sela
DILLER	Isaac, Pinchas, Ettel
DOMB	Leib, Chaya, Abisch, Henoch, Lola
DOMB	Peshya, Rachel
DORTHEIMER	Monica
DYM	Gittel (Gisla)
DYM	Yehoshea
EIDLER return	Shalom-Tzvi, Chava, Menachem, Sara, Yisrael
EISS	David
ENGLANDER	Reizel
ENGLARD	Chaim-Yehuda
ENGLARD	Eliezer
ENGLARD	Moshe
ENGLARD	Pinchas
ENGLARD	Rivke
ENGLARD	Sara
ETTINGER	Eidel, Jochebed, Devora, Tzvi, Sara
ETTINGER	Moshe, Malka, Sheindel
FALLEK return	Devora, Shmi, Moshe, Sheindel-Golda
FASS	Yitzchok, Hey Yud (Hebrew letters)
FEIFER	Sela, Yacov, Avraham
FEILER	Shimon, Chaya, Leah-Linka
FEIT	Berel, Reizel, Shlomo-Zalman, Shmuel-David, Avraham-Hirsch, Sara
FEITSHEVITCH	Fraedel, Leah and her family, Shimon, Leah and their family
FEITSSHVITCH	Golda, Moshe, and their family, Shimon and his family, Rivke, Baruch, Yitzchok
FEITSHEVITCH	Shlomo, Rachel, Yosef-Chaim, Bracha and their families
FEITSHEVITCH	Shalom-Tzvi, Sara, and their family
FELL	Mordechai, Malka, Hinda
FINK	Helena
FINKELSTEIN	Naftali, Feiga and their family
FLAMM	Herman, Blanka
FLEISCHER	Roza
FLUHR	Shmuel-Yissacher, Devora-Ita, Yisrael, Yekotiel, Sheindel
FRANK	Yitzchok, Dina
FRANKEL	Moshe, Perel, Gittel-Ester, Ephraim, Chana
FREI	Baruch
GEFFEN return	Nachman, Chana
GELDZAHLER	Yisrael, Roza. Chava, Yacov
GELENDER	Michela, Mendel and their family
GELENDER	Moshi, Gittel, Chaya, Rivke, Hirsch-Mordechai and their families
GELENDER	Yitzchok-Meier
GINZBERG	Avraham, Breindel, Moshe, Notta, Basha
GINZBERG	Eliezer, Mali, Serel
GINZBERG	Friede
GINZBERG	Feiga-Reizel
GLEICH	Matzi, Golda, Leibusch and their families
GLEICH	Notta and his family, Moshe and his family
GLEICHER	Nachum and his family
GOLD	Mordechai, Alta-Penina, Mina
GOLDSTEIN	Blima
GOTTLIEB	Ester, Fula, Tosi, Natan
GOTTLIEB	Leah, Berel, Hirsch, Sara, Shmuel
GOTTLIEB	Yisrael, Devora
GRANIK	Moshe, Keile, Pinchas, Shalom
GRATENBERG	David, Breine, Yehuda, Leah
GROMLICK	Moshe, Malka
GROMT	Shlomo, Levi, Aharon, Yitzchok, Yacov, Yisrael, Moshe, Liba
GROSS	Frimta and his family
GROSSINGER	Bileh
GROSSINGER	Moshe, Roza
GROYER	Yisrael-Zev
GRUNS	Hirsch, Elimelech, Fraidel, and their families
GURFEIN	Avraham, Sara, Yitzchok
GURFEIN	Yitzchok, Feiga, Avraham, Golda
GUTMAN	Michel, David, Jochebed, Lipe
HERZBERG return	Chana, Pinchas, Chaya, Shimon, Avraham
HERZBERG	David, Feiga, Devora, Sara, Shmuel, Yisrael, Chaya, Avraham, Shlomo
HERZIG	Rivke
HERZIG	Yosef, Ester-Mindel, Chava, Ita, Bluma
HIRSCHFELD	Yitzchok, Chava, Yifa
HOIZNER	Yitzchok
HOROWITZ	Leib, Reizel, Yacov, Moshe, Yitzchok
HOROWITZ	Menachem
HOROWITZ	Ha-Rav Tovie, Yota, Menachem-Mendel, Tzvi, Malka
IMNER return	Elimelech
IMNER	Yona, Batia, Sender
JARMARK return	David, Mordechai, Rachel, Dov, Bilha, Moshe, Avraham
JARMARK	Rivke, Tzvi, Shmuel and their families
JONAS	Tzvi and his family
JORSCH	Yitzchok
KAMPF return	Hirsch, Eidel, Shlomo
KANFIL	Pessel, Yitzchok, Chana
KASNER	Yacov, Miryam, Malka, Aharon
KATZ	Chaya, Sara, and their families
KATZ	Sara
KAUFLICK	Chaya, Aharon
KAUFLICK	Sara, Moshe
KAUFLICK	Shmuel, Rachel, Shimon
KELTER	Chaya, Sheindel, Kalman
KIEHL	Shoshana, Menachem-Pinchas, Yehudit
KIFFEL	Chana
KIMMEL	Alexander, Dorothy, Ernestina, Isabella, Caroline, and their families
KIMMEL	Rivke (Regina)
KIRSCHNER	Yacov, Yehoshua
KIRSCHNER	Zissel, Yacov
KLEIBER
ETTEL	Frieda, Rivke, Chaya
KLEIN	Ester, Shoshana
KORMER	Aharon
KORMER	Feiga, David, Jochebed, Mordechai, Fraedel, Meier, Eidel
KORMER	Yacov, Golda, Eiezer, Yoel, Mirla
KORNREICH	Taube, Menachem, Rivke
KORNREICH	Yeshia-Ascher, Zipporah, Chana, Malka
KRELL	Yisrael
KROHN	Tzvi, Mindel, Sara, Rachel, Mira, Moshe, Shmuel
KROP	David, Yacov, Carmella
KROP	Ester
KURTZ/KURZ	Yisrael, Henia, Bezalel, Beila, Pessel
LANDESMAN return	Shmuel, Sara-Frieda, Yehudit, Michel, Rivke
LANDESMAN	Yehoshea-Menachem, Sheindel, Ester, Zelda
LANGSAM	Sara, Reizel, Meier, Pesach, David
LANTER	Elka
LEFFEL	Leah, Yosef
LEFFELSTIL	Mattel
LEIB (DOZENFELD)	Mordechai, Golda, Miryam, Moshe
LEIBER	Malka
LEIBER	Reuven, Nechama, Malka
LEIF	Leah
LEITNER	Ita-Malka
LEMBACH	Ester, Eliahu, Shimon
LERNER	Chava
LERNER	Isaac, Nina
LERNER	Leib, Chaya, Avraham, Tziva
LERNER	Yacov, Chana, Lasche, Yossi
LERNER	Yehoshea
LESCHNER/LESHNER	Sara
LESER/LESSER/LOESSER	Avraham, Ester, Hertz, and their families
LESER/ LESSER/LOESSER	Chana, Avraham, Yitzchok, Mani, Meier
LESER/ LESSER/LOESSER	Chaya, Necha, Yosef
LESER/ LESSER/LOESSER	Yeshiahu-Hertz
LESER/ LESSER/LOESSER	Yosef, Sara
LOM	Shoshana
MAIER/MEIER/MEYER return	Hansi-Feiga, Chana
MAIER/MEIER/MEYER	Yitzchok-Arye, Chaya, Ida, Dina, Sara
MANN	Shraga-Feivel
MARK	Gershon, Hadassah, Ezra, Moshe, Avraham
MAY	Chana-Devora, Avraham, Yitzchok-Arye, Yisrael-Nachum
MAY	Israel, Menachem, Chaya, Beila, Miryam, Leibusch, Chana, Nachum
MAY	Yecheskel-Shraga
MENDEL	Lazer, Chana, Menachem
MIESER	Yitzchok
MILLER	Mendel, Zische, Zebulon, Feiga, Beila
MILLER	Moshe, Shmuel
MILLER	Moshe-David, Hirsch, Yosef, Zebulon, Mishkit
MILLER	Yisrael, Feiga, Penina
MORGENBESSER	Yacov, Rachel
MORITZ	Aharon, Yisrael, Arye, Bilha, Naftali-Hertz
MORITZ	Moshe, Frieda
NEHMER return	Yitzchok, Fani
NEISTEIN	Shimon
OBERLANDER return	Bezalel, Tova, Moshe
OHRENSTEIN	Alfred, Isadore, Chaim, Ida, Malka, Ruth, Shmuel, Golda, Lila, Yosef
OHRLING	Naftali, Ettel
OLLECH	Yosef, Henna, Yenta, Tzvi, Fraedel
OSTERRING	Frieda, Seltsi, Rivke, Mendel-Shlomo, Moshe, Yosef
OYLING	Hirsch, Yitzchok, and their families
PERELROTH return	Sabina, Alfred
PICUS	Yisrael
PIEPE	Alter-Hirsch, Chana, Shmuel-Zeinvel, Moshe, Ettel
PROPPER	Roza, Mishka
RAAB return	David, Mindel, Chaya, Yenta, Rivke
RABBACH	Monique
RABBACH	Yosef, Malka
RACKER	Benzion, Vilka
RAND	Malka, Chana
RAUCH	Natan, David, Ascher
RAUCH	Shimon, Henoch, Hinda, Mala
REBHUHN	Miryam
REICH	Marcus, Natalia, Ernest
REICHENTAL	Tzvi
REIN (FENIG)	Pinchas, Penina
REINBACH	Berish, Ita, Leibusch, Breindel, Rachel, Yitzchok
REIS	Yitzchok, Chaya, Malka, Mattel
RICHLER	Sara, Dov, Reizel
ROEMER	Dr. Shlomo, Regina
ROM	Ester
ROSEN	Yisrael, Rivke, Yechiel
ROSENFELD	Dov, Ita, Avraham-Arye, Yacov-Shlomo, Golda
ROSENFELD	Moshe, Yacov-Yosef, Feiga
ROSENFELD	Shalom, Moshe
ROSENFELD	Shalom, Moshe, Yacov-Yosef
ROSENZWEIG	Shaul, Feiga, Finkel, Henia, Eidel, Tzvi, Aharon
ROSNER	Avraham-Chaim, Roza
ROSNER	Eliezer, Tzivia, Rika
ROSNER	Yitzchok, Mina
ROTH	Kalman
ROTHERKISCH	Yechezkel, Meier
ROTHMAN	Malka, Devora, Mina
RUBENFELD	Benzion, Sara, Chaya, Rachel, David, Shmuel, Hela, Yitzchok
SALIK return	Aharon and his family
SALIK	Shalom
SALIK	Shalom, Rosalia, Mendel
SCHABES	Tzvi, Shprinzta, Abba-Zische
SCHACHNER	Chaim
SCHECHTER	Moshe
SCHECHTER	Yenta, Avraham, Moshe
SCHEINER	Devora
SCHERER	Libe, Tzippa, Hinda, Gershon, Chaya, Chana, Glikel, Yenta, Shaya-Ascher
SCHLISSELFELD	Ester (Bat Eliezer), Blima
SCHLISSELFELD	Shimon, Sara, Shmuel, Golda, Gittel (or Golda-Gittel)
SCHLISSELFELD	Tzvi, Ester
SCHLISSELFELD	Zische, Moshe
SCHNEIDER	and the family
SCHNITZLER	Moshe, Sara, Yosef, Shmuel, Mendel, Freda, Henia, Yitzchok, Chaim
SCHNITZLER	Pinchas, Rivke
SCHORTZ	Chaim, Genia
SCHORTZ	Yitzchok
SCHREIBER	Ita, Moshe (Mondik)
SCHWARTZ	Leib, Golda, Gershon, Mendel
SCHWARTZ	Mordechai
SCHWEITZER	Tzvi, Perel
SCHWEITZER	Yola, Denosha
SCHWERD	Eliahu-Zosche, Leah, Zissel, Pinchas
SCHWERD	Hinda
SCHWERD	Meier, Leah
SIEGEL/SEGAL	Bluma, Leibusch
SELTZER	Hadassah, Moshe, Tzvi, Shmuel
SHMARLOBISKI	Menachem, Bilha, Sar, Yosef, Dov
SHMARLOBISKI	Yisrael, Yehoshua, Dov, Chana, Chaya, Rivke, Avraham, Gittel, and their families
SIGNER	Moshe, Gittel
SOBEL	Hirsch, Chaya
SOBEL	Yisrael
SOFER	Moshe-Wulf, Alta, Chana
SOLOMON	Pinchas-Aharon, Tzarna, Feiga-Rachel, Yacov, Arye-Nachum, Bluma, Gittel
SPEIGEL	Yona
SPINDLER	Chana
SPRINGER	Pesach
SPRUNG	Eliezer, Pinchas, and his family
STEIFF	Bilha
STEINBERG	Sprintze
STEINER	Devora
STEINMETZ	Ester, Herman, Minka
STERN	Yacov-Meier, Ita-Leah
STERNBACH	Miryam
STERNHEL	Aida, Ada, Dr. Leon, Elza, Adolf
STRENGER	Chaim
STRENGER	Moshe, David
STRENGER	Sender
STRENGER	Shlomo, Leah
STURM	Tuva, Aharon
STURMLAUFER	Blima, Sara-Malka, Rachel, Tzvi-Yitzchok, Sheindel and their families
STURMLAUFER	Ha-Rav Yehuda, Miryam
TABIZEL return	David, Sheindel, Yitzchok, Chaya, Rivke, Tzvi
TEICHER	Elimelech, Eliezer, Glikel, Ester, Feiga, Tola
TIGER/TEIGER	Chana, Elimelech, Shlomo, Yitzchok, Shimon, Malka, Moshe-Avraham, Leib, Blima, Chana-Roza, Shmuel, Yacov, Tzippora
TISCH	Hirsch-Ber, Mala
TODER	Menachem, Tamar, Yael, Beila, Tzvi, Yitzchok, Henia
TRACHMAN	Chana
TRACHMAN	Mina, Chaya
TRACHMAN	Tzvi, Rachel, Eliezer
TRANG	Moshe-Yosef, Aharon, and their families
TRATNER	Rivke, Avraham, Blima
TRAUM	Avraham, Miryam, Mindel, Moshe, Sara, Feiga, Ascher-Anschel
TRAUM	Yosef, Ita
TRAUNER	Chaim, Roza
TURK	Yacov
UNGER return	Akiva (Maggid of Tehilim)
UNGER	Yitzchok, Rivke
UNTERRICHT	Roza
WACHTAL return	Ascher-Anschel, Sara, Leah
WALD	Chana
WALD	David, Mina, and their sons
WALD	Shmuel, Leah-Perel
WASSERMAN	Adela, Shoshana, Benyamin
WEIBERG	Mattisyahu, Sara
WEINER	Yitzchok, Roza, Avraham-Artur, Eliyahu, Yosef
WEINER	Yoel
WEINER	Yosef
WEINRYB	Mattisyahu, Sara
WEISS	Sara
WEISS	Yacov, Rivke
WEISSMAN	Melech, Perel, Leah, Tzvi, Sara
WENIG/VONEG?	Chaim-Tzvi
WENIG/VONEG?	Eliezer
WENIG/VONEG?	Sara, Yisrael, Yitzchok-Isaac
WERNER	Shimon, Malka, and all their family
WILDMAN	Miryam
WILK	Sara
WILNER	Kalman-Shaul, Moshe-Menachem, Mordechai, Chava
WILNER	Klara, Miryam, Yeshiahu
WINDNER	Mordechai, Chana, Moshe, Yacov, Leah, Batia
WINDNER	Yisrael, Rachel, Batia
WIZNER	Frieda
WIZNER	Tova-Feiga
WROBEL	Hirsch
WROBEL	Mitlzi,Yisrael
ZEISEL return	Rivke
ZELLINGER	Shoshana
ZILBER	Obediah, Blima
ZILBER	Yitzchok
ZILBER	Zacariah
ZILBERMAN	Avraham, Moshe, Miryam, Zissel, Sara, Eidel
ZILBERMAN	Ephraim, Ita, Blima, Ester
ZILBERMAN	Tzipporah
ZILBERMAN	Yacov, Mendel, Tamar, Eliahu, Meier-Tzvi, Gittel, Natan, Bilha
ZILBERMAN	Yitzchok-Isaac, Chana
ZINGER	Rachel, Ester-Malka, Taube
ZINGER	Zalman
ZUCKERMAN	David, Toltsa, Pessel, Elimelech, Chava, Yitzchok, Bluma, Simcha

Note: Carol Sevitt requested to note her relatives who were murdered by the Nazis: The Fink Family from Sanok: Chaskel, Golda (nee Eisen), Ida, Duvid Leib, Mina, Hinda, Schmeil, Ruchel, Chana, Pinchas and Eli. From Tyrawa Woloska:  Chaicha Langsam, Tsila Langsam, Calmen Langsam, Sure Gleicher (nee Langsam) & Berel Gleicher and their children Zalman Gleicher, Moniou Gleicher, Ennia Gleicher;   Rivka Langsam (nee Diller), and her children Herschel Langsam & Tsila Langsam (a different Tsila Langsam). From Lesko: Avrum Josef Langsam & Malka Langsam (nee Rosendeutscher), and their children Zalman Langsam, Rechla Langsam and Lea Langsam, Ronia Langsam and her child Lucia.

I will recall here a few of my teachers left a special impression on me because of some unique trait that they possessed.

My first visit to the cheder of Reb Lemele left an indelible impression upon me. It was a fine, clean cheder, completely different from the other cheders in which I had studied until that time. The atmosphere was pervaded by unusual silence. At that time, I did not understand the meaning of that silence. Today I would call it “the silence of nobility” if not the “silence of holiness”. Each student sat in his place, and the discussion among them was conducted in a whisper. Reb Lemele (if my memory serves me correctly, he did not want to be called Rebbe, but I have forgotten what he did want to be called) sat down at the head of the table, opened his Gemara, and told the students the page that he wished to begin. Suddenly, our attention was turned to a small book that lay atop the Rebbe's Gemara, from which he read the verses of the Torah that were relevant to the topic of the Talmud. This little book, or at least in that particular form, was not known to me until then. This was the “Letteris Bible”, which, as I later learned, not every Jew would allow in his home. This Bible was published by

[Page 323]

The British Museum, and was compiled and annotated by Reb Meier HaLevi Letteris, a Jewish scholar during the time of the Haskalah who was not accepted by Orthodox Jews. The rustling of the thin pages that interrupted the silence also added to the unusual atmosphere, for the rustling of the pages of the volumes of the large volumes of Gemara did not resemble the rustling of the pages of that bible.

The connecting of the biblical verse with the topic of the Gemara would take place in every lesson. After many years, whenever I remember this, I compared this with what I have heard from Hassidim who would speak about Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk. When he entered his Beis Midrash to teach the daily lesson, he would begin as follows: “My students, you remember the sublime event at Mount Sinai so-and-so many years ago, where the Holy One Blessed Be He himself told us...”, and then he read the verse upon which the Halacha in the Mishna was based. Reb Elimelech did not continue until all of his students answered: “Yes Rebbe, we remember.” Only then did he begin his lesson...

After I left my studies in the cheder, I heard that this Reb Lemele, as the trustee of the “Book Purchase” group of the Sadagora Kloiz, obtained for the Kloiz the set of Mishnas with the “Tiferet Yisrael” commentary of the scholar Rabbi Yisrael Lifschitz. This Gaon was not acceptable to Hassidim due to his “modernism” as expressed by his use of German or vernacular words, his permitting of the carrying of an umbrella on the Sabbath, and other such things. Similarly, Reb Lemele obtained scholarly books such as “Haakeida” and “Ikarim” for the Kloiz.

Photo page 323: Reb Menasche Ader and its synagogue hall

The second personality that remains etched in my memory from my early youth is the bizarre image of Reb Menashele Melamed, who was also called “Menashele the Apikorus” (heretic) (without the title Rebbe). He was a unique type of teacher of the older youths. Of the subjects studied, Bible stood out -- especially the weekly Torah portion with a broad and deep linguistic and grammatical explanation, at times even overly exaggerated. His methodology was to deliberate over a grammatical point and make efforts to explain the non-understandable words of the Torah, of which entire generations did not pay attention to the explanations given by the various melamdim until the generation of the Haskalah arose and began to address the disgrace to the Torah in the name of progressiveness. I remember one of these classes on the Torah portion of Shemini, which speaks about the pure animals and fish. Our Rebbe, Reb Menashele, stood on a chair and removed from the bookshelf three thick books that were similar to the small Balban version of the Talmud. They were bound in black leather, and engraved with Latin letters. They contained all of the names of domestic or wild animals in accordance with various dictionaries, the living domain of the strange beasts, its structure, and the link. I am not sure if even one of the students understood the explanation, and if there is anyone who recalls his explanations today. There is one thing that I knew then: that until I came there, I was able to imitate the garbled explanations of my previous teachers; but now I came out with great confusion, for the animals were transferred from place to place, from one part of the world to another. I also interchanged their image, but their names never penetrated my head. Today, I can state that this style of teaching was not without influence. It did encourage the internal will for research and understanding.

[Page 324]

I recall another personality who influenced my future studies. This was Rabbi Avraham Levine, the son-in-law of Aharon Bergenbaum, who immigrated to America after the First World War and served as a rabbi in one of the communities there. Today he is in Israel. He gave me several private lessons in Talmud, from which I learned the methodology of logical analysis, as opposed to didactics, and influenced my future research methodology. Rabbi Avraham founded and directed the modern cheder in Sanok (see the later article in the section on Houses of Study). He composed and published a special textbook for the study of Judaism in that school, which was a very great innovation in that time. To every lesson, he would bring several printed pages that included sections of the Bible, Mishna, Gemara, and Halacha (especially from Maimonides).

Another personality in the arena of Hebrew education was the Hebrew teacher Hershele Abt, whose home and heart were open to every scholar and student of Hebrew language and literature.

I will also remember my uncle Shmuel Bergenbaum as a personality who was also a “character” in my opinion. He suffered greatly when he served as a soldier during the First World War. After great efforts and bribes, he was transferred to the factory for wagons and train cars in Sanok as an “expert”.

Of course, during the war, he was forced to work on the Sabbath. Right after the war finished, however, he went to the factory directory and informed him that he was prepared to continue on working there only if he would not have to work on the Sabbath. The director, who benefited in no small way from my uncle, agreed to this condition. He was the only Jewish worker who did not work on the Sabbath, despite his responsible job as a warehouse keeper. On the Sabbath, he wore silk clothes and a streimel like one of the Hassidim, for he was indeed an observant Hassidic person according to his behavior and actions. He worshipped and studied in the Sadagora Kloiz, and he often served as the prayer leader, for he had a pleasant voice, and his prayers and singing were enjoyed by the people. When May 1 fell on the Sabbath, my uncle participated in the workers' parade through the streets wearing his streimel, thereby expressing his solidarity with the proletariat...

My Uncle Shmuel was my first Hebrew teacher. Every Sunday, the day of rest at the factory, he would come to our house and give me lessons in Hebrew. Aside from this, I studied Gemara with him every Sabbath afternoon in the Kloiz. The language of instruction was Hebrew.

I will mention another personality here -- Reb Moshele Granik. He was an upright Jew, a scholar and a fearer of Heaven who never engaged in unnecessary conversation. On the Sabbath, he would only speak in Hebrew. His children Chaim and Shalom became attached to Bolshevism, and Chaim escaped to Russia. Before I left Sanok, he sat with his father in the Sukka and engaged in a sharp debate about the righteousness of the regime which came to bring equality to the world, and that there would be no more poor people in the world. I recall this image clearly: A confirmed Bolshevik was sitting in a Sukka with ten Jewish idlers, attempting to convince them to support a regime that said it would give every Jew his worth, and that there would be no more poor people, as they themselves were at that time...

Those who studied in the Beis Midrashes and Kloizes of our city merit special mention and articles. The sounds of Torah never left them in the morning or the evening. However, it is impossible for me not to mention here a group of three people who studied in the Sadagora Kloiz: Shimon Koplik, Chaim Leib Goetzler, and the writer of these lines. We set for ourselves a weekly course of studies that included Talmud, bible, and medieval philosophy. We also delved together into the new literature of those days. I remember that the debate we once had about the meaning and intention of Bialik in his “Scroll of Fire” was no less sharp and open than that of a deep section of Gemara and Halacha.

« Previous Page Table of Contents Next Page »

  Sanok, Poland     Yizkor Book Project     JewishGen Home Page

Copyright © 1999-2024 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 23 Jun 2022 by LA