Biała Podlaska, Poland

Book of Biala Podlaska
(Biała Podlaska, Poland)
50°02' / 23°08'

Translation of
Sefer Biala Podlaska

Edited by: M. J. Feigenbaum

Published in Tel Aviv, 1961

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Acknowledgments

This is a translation from: Sefer Biala Podlaska, Book of Biala Podlaska,
ed. M. J. Feigenbaum, Tel Aviv: Kupat Gmilut Hesed of the Community of Biala Podlaska, 1961 (Pages 501 H,Y)

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Biala Podlaska (1961)

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Translated by Yocheved Klausner

Title Author Page

Foreword [H] The editors 3

Foreword The editors 5

The Jews in Biala [H] Dr. M. Hendel 9

The Jewish Biala during the last generations [H] M. Y. Feigenbaum 30

Destruction and annihilation [H] M. Y. Feigenbaum 47

The Zionist Organization [H] M. Brochel 77

The book M. Y. Feigenbaum 87

Biala M. Y. Feigenbaum 89

Jews in Biala Dr. M. Hendel 95

Jewish Biala during the last generations M. Y. Feigenbaum 125

The Economic Life

   a. Commerce until WWI;
   b. Forerunners of the banks M. R. 149

Jewish livelihoods M. Y. Feigenbaum 151

Handicrafts Gedalyahu Braverman 157

   a. Industry;
   b. Printing M. Y. Feigenbaum 159

The Biala [Hasidic] “court” Alter Weiberg 162

The Labor movement Israel Hochman 168

The handicraftsmen's Union B. Vinograd 170

The small-businessmen's Union Shmuel Kahan 171

The Credit Co-operative
   a. Until WWI A. Weiss 172

   b. In liberated Poland M. Y. Feigenbaum 174

Workers consumer co-operative “Einikeit” [lit. Unity] W. Schuster 177

The mechanical bakery co-operative M. Y. F - M 177

The interest-free loan fund of the small-businessmen's Union 178

Parties

The Zionist Organization M. Bruchel 179

Hashomer Hatza'ir 192

The Revisionist Organization Yakov Bornstein 198

The “Mizrahi” M. Braverman, A. Brandweinman, Y. Beitel 199

The Po'alei-Zion, left-wing Avraham Lavie 202

The National Funds 204

The “Bund”
   a. From its establishment until 1918 Gedalyahu Braverman 206

   b. Between the two World Wars W. Schuster 215

The rise of Agudat Israel Moshe Braverman 219

The communist movement Gotel Biederman 220

An anarchist group in Biala Gedalyahu Braverman 222

The Cultural Life

General overview M. Y. Feigenbaum 224

The “Yavneh” School M. Ravon 230

Nachman Schiwak's Private Elementary School 233

Evening courses for the study of the Polish language Gedalyahu Braverman 234

A cultural experiment M. Ravon 234

The Tarbut Library M. Y. Feigenbaum 235

The Bundist library Gedalyahu Braverman 236

The library of the left-wing Poalei Zion A. Lavie 237

Maccabi Nachman Weinberg 238

The Press Chaim Rosmarin 241

Drama groups Gedalyahu Braverman 243

The Drama Group of Bet Ha'am M. Y. Feigenbaum 245

Purim-Spiel [Purim-play] by the end of the 19th century Gedalyahu Braverman 247

The Religious Life

General overview M. Y. Feigenbaum 248

The Talmud Torah 253

Houses of prayer
The synagogue, the Bet-Hamidrash, the Zapasner Bet-Hamidrash, the Wolyer Bet-Hamidrash M. Y. Feigenbaum 254

Hasidim and Mitnagdim Shtiblech [Synagogues, Lit. little rooms] Feivel Gold 258

Cantors Feivel Gold 261

The Rabiner's [Rabbi] “court” Asher Hoffer 264

Rabbis and Hasidic Rebbes in Biala Meir Edelbaum 266

The Rav Shmuel Arie Leib Zak z”l, the rabbi of Biala Rav S. T. Rubinstein 274

The Rav R'Zvi Hirschhorn 279

Rabbi Berish Landoy (Landau) 280

Rabbi Aharon Landoy (Landau) 282

The ADMOR rabbi Yitzhak Yakov Rabinowitz 283

The Chevra Kadisha [burial society] 284

The cemeteries 284

The Hasidic Biala in Literature

Between Two Mountains Y. L. Peretz 286

The Wurker “silent man” Y. Opatoshu 292

Poland Y. Y. Trunk 294

The Biala [hassidic rabbi's] “court” A. Litwin 299

Social Institutions

The Hospital M. Y. F – M 301

The Health-Service for the welfare of the population 304

“Achi'ezer” Moshe Braverman 305

The Home for Children 308

“TOZ” Baruch Vinograd 310

The Home for the Aged M. Y. F – M 313

The Women's help-committee 314

Other benevolent institutions in town M. Y. F – M 315

Personalities, Figures and Types

Political workers 317

Apolinari Maximilian Hartglass Yitzhak Grinboim

Apolinari Hartglass, Moshe Rubinstein, Yehoshua Fischer M. Y. Feigenbaum

Yakov Aharon Rosenbaum Moshe Stolyar

Baruch Weinberg

Yeshayahu Weinberg

Elye Shimsheles (Eliyahu Yustman), David Kroses (Goldfarb) Gedalyahu Braverman

Elie Bobkes (Eliyahu Hoffman), Tanchum Freund P. Gold

Hirsch Lichter (Luzer the carpenter)

R'David Fizjitz Eliyahu Mazor

Religious Personalities and Figures 334

R'Dudel Karliner Dr. Shmuel Elyashiv

The Biala lineage, The Choze, R'Noach, R'Moshe Cohen, R'Moshe Moses (the big one), R'Moshe Shachor (the little one), R' Shimele Kreidstein Feivel Gold

R'Welvel Moses

The Rav R'Shmuel Tanchum Halevi Rubinstein

The Rav R'Shmuel Yakov Rubinstein Rav S. T. Rubinstein

Portraits 342

Yakov Steinman, Menachem Mendel Gelenberg, Moshe Kave, Idel Schwarz, Alter Zukerman, Hershel Zak, Chaim Musavitch (the “Kabriner”), Binyamin Kanolstein, Yakov Virnik, Hershel Nuchovitch, Dr. David Cohen, Dr. Bitche Finkelstein, Dr. Nathan Tzigelnik, Shimon Goldshmit M. Y. Feigenbaum

Communal Workers, Writers and other Figures 358

Yakov Kahan Y. Zeid

Aharon Bekerman

Yosl Birstein, Yitzhak Perlov Melech Ravitch

Yakov Cohen

Yakov Palatitzki

Yosef Zeid Yakov Kahan

Attorney Avraham Yitzhak Gottlieb

Feivel Friedman P. Gold

Bernard Lieberman

Dr. Yehuda Leib Davidsohn Yosef Babitch

Fritz Kornberg Moshe Ravon

Women Personalities 369

Tile Berlin Yitzhak Schein

Rivka Akivaches, Pesl “the deaf”, Esther “the lizard” B. Weinberg

Dina Arbitman

Chava'le Rodzinek M. Y. Feigenbaum

Types 375

Moshe Tuvia the carpenter B. Weinberg

Shmerele Beker [lit. the baker] (Hochman) Gedalyahu Braverman

Leibe Mednik (R'Yehuda Leib Bornstein) Yakov Ben-Yehezkel

Avik Ogradnik (Avush Rosenblum), Mordche'le Weintraub Berl Pakman

Baruch Shalom Melamed (Kreidstein), Motl Domachever, Shvalke Cohen, Yosl Vetchik (Gottfried), Pesach Skoss, Moshe Bass, Alter Nemirover, Yitzhak Irtcheles, Meir Talesmacher [lit. prayer shawls maker], Idel Tzinem (Kanalstein), Chaim Chava'les, Moshe Bukes (Futerman), Yas Drozhkarsh (Gherman) P. Gold

F o l k l o r e

Sayings, aphorisms and jokes from the Biala sharp minds and fun lovers; Surnames according to towns of origin, grandfathers and grandmothers and occupations; Mocking surnames and nicknames; Customs and charms; Clothes and fashion of 80 years ago M. Y. Feigenbaum 384

Tales and Legends

The “upright” burial 388

Without success 388

The dead man M. Y. Feigenbaum 389

The muddy neighborhood P. Gold 390

Stories M. Y. Feigenbaum 390

In town we used to narrate the following legends P. Gold & G. Braverman 392

The “hero” from Biala A. Litwin 392

A blood-libel M. Y. Feigenbaum 394

Destruction and obliteration M. Y. Feigenbaum 399

Survivors tell their stories

The beginning of the end Berish Ossenholz 445

   a. In the Miedzyrzec ghetto;
   b. In a bunker in the center of Miedzyrzec R. Bachrach 446

Homeless A Bialer resident 460

A bundle of memories Leon Pakman 461

In the liberated Biala 464

Bialer in the World

In Israel M. Y. Feigenbaum 470

In North America

   a. New-York 472

   b. Los Angeles David Gordon 477

In Argentina Yakov Aronovitch 478

In France 481

In Canada Noach Bresker 481

In Australia Hershel Orlanski 483

Our townsman, Yakov Virnik, a witness at the Eichmann trial in Jerusalem 484

Index of names and places 485

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Title	Author	Page
Foreword [H]	The editors	3
Foreword	The editors	5
The Jews in Biala [H]	Dr. M. Hendel	9
The Jewish Biala during the last generations [H]	M. Y. Feigenbaum	30
Destruction and annihilation [H]	M. Y. Feigenbaum	47
The Zionist Organization [H]	M. Brochel	77
The book	M. Y. Feigenbaum	87
Biala	M. Y. Feigenbaum	89
Jews in Biala	Dr. M. Hendel	95
Jewish Biala during the last generations	M. Y. Feigenbaum	125

The Economic Life
a. Commerce until WWI; b. Forerunners of the banks	M. R.	149
Jewish livelihoods	M. Y. Feigenbaum	151
Handicrafts	Gedalyahu Braverman	157
a. Industry; b. Printing	M. Y. Feigenbaum	159
The Biala [Hasidic] “court”	Alter Weiberg	162
The Labor movement	Israel Hochman	168
The handicraftsmen's Union	B. Vinograd	170
The small-businessmen's Union	Shmuel Kahan	171
The Credit Co-operative a. Until WWI	A. Weiss	172
b. In liberated Poland	M. Y. Feigenbaum	174
Workers consumer co-operative “Einikeit” [lit. Unity]	W. Schuster	177
The mechanical bakery co-operative	M. Y. F - M	177
The interest-free loan fund of the small-businessmen's Union		178

Parties
The Zionist Organization	M. Bruchel	179
Hashomer Hatza'ir		192
The Revisionist Organization	Yakov Bornstein	198
The “Mizrahi”	M. Braverman, A. Brandweinman, Y. Beitel	199
The Po'alei-Zion, left-wing	Avraham Lavie	202
The National Funds		204
The “Bund” a. From its establishment until 1918	Gedalyahu Braverman	206
b. Between the two World Wars	W. Schuster	215
The rise of Agudat Israel	Moshe Braverman	219
The communist movement	Gotel Biederman	220
An anarchist group in Biala	Gedalyahu Braverman	222

The Cultural Life
General overview	M. Y. Feigenbaum	224
The “Yavneh” School	M. Ravon	230
Nachman Schiwak's Private Elementary School		233
Evening courses for the study of the Polish language	Gedalyahu Braverman	234
A cultural experiment	M. Ravon	234
The Tarbut Library	M. Y. Feigenbaum	235
The Bundist library	Gedalyahu Braverman	236
The library of the left-wing Poalei Zion	A. Lavie	237
Maccabi	Nachman Weinberg	238
The Press	Chaim Rosmarin	241
Drama groups	Gedalyahu Braverman	243
The Drama Group of Bet Ha'am	M. Y. Feigenbaum	245
Purim-Spiel [Purim-play] by the end of the 19th century	Gedalyahu Braverman	247

The Religious Life
General overview	M. Y. Feigenbaum	248
The Talmud Torah		253
Houses of prayer The synagogue, the Bet-Hamidrash, the Zapasner Bet-Hamidrash, the Wolyer Bet-Hamidrash	M. Y. Feigenbaum	254
Hasidim and Mitnagdim Shtiblech [Synagogues, Lit. little rooms]	Feivel Gold	258
Cantors	Feivel Gold	261
The Rabiner's [Rabbi] “court”	Asher Hoffer	264
Rabbis and Hasidic Rebbes in Biala	Meir Edelbaum	266
The Rav Shmuel Arie Leib Zak z”l, the rabbi of Biala	Rav S. T. Rubinstein	274
The Rav R'Zvi Hirschhorn		279
Rabbi Berish Landoy (Landau)		280
Rabbi Aharon Landoy (Landau)		282
The ADMOR rabbi Yitzhak Yakov Rabinowitz		283
The Chevra Kadisha [burial society]		284
The cemeteries		284

The Hasidic Biala in Literature
Between Two Mountains	Y. L. Peretz	286
The Wurker “silent man”	Y. Opatoshu	292
Poland	Y. Y. Trunk	294
The Biala [hassidic rabbi's] “court”	A. Litwin	299

Social Institutions
The Hospital	M. Y. F – M	301
The Health-Service for the welfare of the population		304
“Achi'ezer”	Moshe Braverman	305
The Home for Children		308
“TOZ”	Baruch Vinograd	310
The Home for the Aged	M. Y. F – M	313
The Women's help-committee		314
Other benevolent institutions in town	M. Y. F – M	315

Personalities, Figures and Types
Political workers		317
Apolinari Maximilian Hartglass	Yitzhak Grinboim
Apolinari Hartglass, Moshe Rubinstein, Yehoshua Fischer	M. Y. Feigenbaum
Yakov Aharon Rosenbaum	Moshe Stolyar
Baruch Weinberg
Yeshayahu Weinberg
Elye Shimsheles (Eliyahu Yustman), David Kroses (Goldfarb)	Gedalyahu Braverman
Elie Bobkes (Eliyahu Hoffman), Tanchum Freund	P. Gold
Hirsch Lichter (Luzer the carpenter)
R'David Fizjitz	Eliyahu Mazor

Religious Personalities and Figures		334
R'Dudel Karliner	Dr. Shmuel Elyashiv
The Biala lineage, The Choze, R'Noach, R'Moshe Cohen, R'Moshe Moses (the big one), R'Moshe Shachor (the little one), R' Shimele Kreidstein	Feivel Gold
R'Welvel Moses
The Rav R'Shmuel Tanchum Halevi Rubinstein
The Rav R'Shmuel Yakov Rubinstein	Rav S. T. Rubinstein

Portraits		342
Yakov Steinman, Menachem Mendel Gelenberg, Moshe Kave, Idel Schwarz, Alter Zukerman, Hershel Zak, Chaim Musavitch (the “Kabriner”), Binyamin Kanolstein, Yakov Virnik, Hershel Nuchovitch, Dr. David Cohen, Dr. Bitche Finkelstein, Dr. Nathan Tzigelnik, Shimon Goldshmit	M. Y. Feigenbaum

Communal Workers, Writers and other Figures		358
Yakov Kahan	Y. Zeid
Aharon Bekerman
Yosl Birstein, Yitzhak Perlov	Melech Ravitch
Yakov Cohen
Yakov Palatitzki
Yosef Zeid	Yakov Kahan
Attorney Avraham Yitzhak Gottlieb
Feivel Friedman	P. Gold
Bernard Lieberman
Dr. Yehuda Leib Davidsohn	Yosef Babitch
Fritz Kornberg	Moshe Ravon

Women Personalities		369
Tile Berlin	Yitzhak Schein
Rivka Akivaches, Pesl “the deaf”, Esther “the lizard”	B. Weinberg
Dina Arbitman
Chava'le Rodzinek	M. Y. Feigenbaum

Types		375
Moshe Tuvia the carpenter	B. Weinberg
Shmerele Beker [lit. the baker] (Hochman)	Gedalyahu Braverman
Leibe Mednik (R'Yehuda Leib Bornstein)	Yakov Ben-Yehezkel
Avik Ogradnik (Avush Rosenblum), Mordche'le Weintraub	Berl Pakman
Baruch Shalom Melamed (Kreidstein), Motl Domachever, Shvalke Cohen, Yosl Vetchik (Gottfried), Pesach Skoss, Moshe Bass, Alter Nemirover, Yitzhak Irtcheles, Meir Talesmacher [lit. prayer shawls maker], Idel Tzinem (Kanalstein), Chaim Chava'les, Moshe Bukes (Futerman), Yas Drozhkarsh (Gherman)	P. Gold

F o l k l o r e
Sayings, aphorisms and jokes from the Biala sharp minds and fun lovers; Surnames according to towns of origin, grandfathers and grandmothers and occupations; Mocking surnames and nicknames; Customs and charms; Clothes and fashion of 80 years ago	M. Y. Feigenbaum	384

Tales and Legends
The “upright” burial		388
Without success		388
The dead man	M. Y. Feigenbaum	389
The muddy neighborhood	P. Gold	390
Stories	M. Y. Feigenbaum	390
In town we used to narrate the following legends	P. Gold & G. Braverman	392
The “hero” from Biala	A. Litwin	392
A blood-libel	M. Y. Feigenbaum	394
Destruction and obliteration	M. Y. Feigenbaum	399

Survivors tell their stories
The beginning of the end	Berish Ossenholz	445
a. In the Miedzyrzec ghetto; b. In a bunker in the center of Miedzyrzec	R. Bachrach	446
Homeless	A Bialer resident	460
A bundle of memories	Leon Pakman	461
In the liberated Biala		464

Bialer in the World
In Israel	M. Y. Feigenbaum	470
In North America
a. New-York		472
b. Los Angeles	David Gordon	477
In Argentina	Yakov Aronovitch	478
In France		481
In Canada	Noach Bresker	481
In Australia	Hershel Orlanski	483

Our townsman, Yakov Virnik, a witness at the Eichmann trial in Jerusalem		484

Index of names and places		485