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By A. Bashan, Israel
Donated by Lester Blum
Edited by Tina Lunson
As a general rule a shames in a small town is typically an unassuming, quiet man, who is thankful that no one bothers him. He likes to flatter the important men of the town a little and he dies of hunger three times a day, except for Sabbaths and holidays.
Avromke Tsalke was, indeed, a shames in Goworowo, but the above mentioned characteristics were lacking in him; he was not unassuming, he was not quiet, he flattered no one; in fact important men flattered him. He was also rich and had lots of money.
So what did he need to be shames for? Really just for his own pleasure. It was his nature to have to know everything that everyone in the town was doing. As official town shames he had entry everywhere. He was at the Rabbi's house and at all gatherings. He took part in all meetings of the congregation and was a buddy to all the town elite. You could say that he was the pulse of the town and everything that went on had to go through him. All the stories and happenings in the town, general and personal, came to his attention, and he knew where to react and where not.
He liked things to be stirred up a bit in town. A bit of a dispute between Hasidim and Misnagdim, or between two citizens eager for honor, that really was just what he was looking for. Just for fun, he took care that the dispute did not die down too quickly.
In the town beys-medresh he was like a “king among his troops”; he gave an aliye to whomever among the important men he chose to give, and to whomever he did not chose, he did not give one. He was the leader of prayers,
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the reader for the Torah, and the provider for poor travelers in town. Although there were two other shamasim he did not forego the privilege of accompanying the Rabbi to and from prayers and everywhere else the Rabbi had to officially visit.
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He was by nature a good-hearted and cheerful man, welcome in every house.
Reb Avrom was born in Goworowo. His father's name was Nosn Kalmen. After his marriage he graduated and worked hard to make a living. Only when his children were grown and had left for America did his situation improve. His children sent him a lot of money and in time he came to be considered one of the town's wealthiest men.
From time to time one of his children would come from America to visit him. Then he would be quite an exciting figure in town – an American “Lord” with a bright checkered suit, a Panama hat, and a fat cigar in his mouth. He was the center of attention, which gave Avromke bucketsful of pleasure.
Avromke took no money for being a shames. He did it as a good deed, and indeed, also for his own pleasure.
After the outbreak of the war, Reb Avromke and his wife, Leah moved to Slonim where they were killed. He was then approaching 80 years of age.
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