[Page 243]
“A Terrible Happening During the Prayer Service”
by Abba Zussmanovitz
A dispute and a bitter fight in the house of learning (Bet Hamidrash)
It was during Shabbat Bereshit. Zalman Hershe Zonas, who was a peddler
selling animal skins to the people from the villages, wanted to be the reader
that Shabbat. He went over to the reader's stand and started praying. Those
sitting on the benches on the east side ("mizrach") were surprised at Zalman's
audacity in walking over to the reader's stand without permission. They
opposed it aggressively and demanded that he should step down and let someone
else lead the prayers on Shabbat Bereshit. Zalman did not give way and a big
commotion ensued. Many sided with Zalman. They went up to the pulpit and
demanded that Zalman should continue to pray at the stand ("amud"). They threw
"shtandars" at the Jews on the east side. When they tried to get out
of Bet Hamidrash, Zalman's friends locked the doors. A big fight broke out in
the house of prayer and many were injured. This dreadful incident is kept in my
memory.
From the Village’s Way of Life
One rainy day, Zalman Hirshe Zonas was seen wearing a sack over his head. And
about that people in Gorszd said: "Zalman haut zich ongeton a meise."
("Meise" in colloquial Lithuanian means "a sack";
"ongeton a meise" means "took his own life," God forbid.)
Gitta Weinberg, nee Zussmanowitz, Herzliyah.
[Page 286]
Reb Yankel Glick
by Yizhak Glick
My father, Reb Yankel Glick, was born in Gorjd to his father, Reb Yizhak Glick.
Grandfather was a Talmid Chacham and a wealthy person. My father was one of the
respected citizens of Gorjd. His seat in the synagogue was on the east wall,
together with the Rabbi of the community. Father was called Yankel Glick, and
my mother was called Hinde Dem Rebbes. As was customary in those days, sons and
daughters of rich people were married to Rabinical families, since the
"Yichus" was of great importance. My father was the son in law of
Rabbi Yossale Jaffe, who was a descendant of a Rabbinical family for twelve
generations. Rabbi Jaffe was the communual Rabbi of Salant, and from there he
came to serve in Gorjd. After a few years he was called to serve as chief Rabbi
of Manchester in England.
Father was good looking, tall and had a round beard. He was an upright person,
modest, meticulous and strict. His clothes were always clean. I remember the
black hat he used to wear. On Saturdays and festivals he wore a top hat and a
long dress suit, and everyone remembered the fur ("Pelz") with the
tails that he wore in winter.
I remember well our two – story house which stood opposite the market
square. Behind our house we had large areas of land which extended to a far
distance.
[Page 287]
We used to sow vegetables, mainly potatoes and cucumbers, and father would send
the goods to the town of Memel. The fieldwork was done by non Jews, supervised
by father. His other occupation was with spirits. The non Jews were fond of
drinking. On Sundays and market days many of them came from the villages, and
the house was full with them.
In the 1914 war we escaped from Gorjd until after the war. On returning we
found that the house has been burned out and our economic situation was bad. We
lost our dear mother who went to England before the war to visit her parents
and could not return because of the war. She became ill and passed away in
England. It was now up to father to bring up the children. I remember that we
then lived in a street where there were few Jews and also our landlord was also
a non Jew. It was close to the non Jewish cemetery. As children the place
arose our curiosity, and also fear.
We dreamt about Erez Isarel. Father was a dedicated Zionist. How happy he was
when he was able to emigrate there. The Jews of Gorjd were happy with us and
many envied us. Father, my sister Hanze with her husband, and my sister Sarah
settled in Jerusalem. Father never left Jerusalem until his last day. He passed
away at the age of 82 and was buried on the Mount of Olives.
May his memory be blessed.
[Page 288]
Reb Zusia Zussmanowitz
by Abba Zussmanowitz
My father, Zusia the watchmaker, made a living by repairing watches, in his
spare time, he was involved in communal affairs. He was a board member of the
bank and active in various community affairs.
As a young man, he was the commander of the fire brigade (I inherited that
position from him in my hometown of Herzliyah).
There was an interesting story circulating in our family about my father's
excellent craftsmanship as a watchmaker.
The town clock on the tower, not far from the public park, did not work for
many years because no one could repair it. Not until Zusia the watchmaker came
along and succeeded in making it work again by making a little wheel with his
own hands.
In reward for his work, the local nobleman gave Zusia a big present of lumber
and other construction materials, enough to build a two-story building. The
family lived in this house until World War I, when a big fire broke out in
Gorszd and the house burned down.
Father lived long enough to immigrate to Eretz Yisroel and resided in Herzliyah
until the day he died (1937).
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