Mezhiritch-Wolyn;
In Memory of the Jewish Community
(Mezhirichi, Ukraine)

50°39' / 26°52'

Translation of
Mezeritsh gadol be-vinyana u-ve-hurbana

Editor: Benzion Hayyim Ayalon-Baranick

Published in Tel Aviv, 1955



This is a translation of: Mezeritsh gadol be-vinyana u-ve-hurbana
(Mezhiritch-Wolyn; in memory of the Jewish community),
Editor: Benzion Hayyim Ayalon-Baranick, Former Residents of Mezhiritch, Published: Tel Aviv, 1955 (H, Y 442 columns)


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Translated by Yocheved Klausner

Chapter One

Foreword and Introduction

 
Foreword The Editor 10
Our Aim In the name of Mordechai Meltzman School 14
A guide N. Feldman 15
For us and for our sons M. Kaspi-Katz 18
A map of Greater Miedzyrzec Friedl Gorenstein 19
From the depths (elegy) Shraga Zavdi 22
 
The Building of Miedzyrzec

Chapter Two

History of Miedzyrzec / Memories from old days

 
“The Magid of Miedzyrzec” Ben-Zion Ch. Eylon 30
Greaer Miedzyrzec (general overview) Esther Zineman 39
Miedzyrzec - lineage and heritage Ben-Zion Bar Akiva 47
Landscape and scenery in Town Yakov Polishuk 51
The dear and beloved people of Miedzyrzec Israel Savoray (Teitcher) 54
An atmosphere of Anti-Semitism Mordechai Metzman 55
Miedzyrzec - Rovno Arie Avatichi 58
Miedzyrzec as remembered in literature Ben-Zion Ch. Eylon 59
 
Chapter Three

From Near and Far / Memories from Recent Days

 
Under two occupations Esther Zineman 66
“In One of those Blessed Towns....” Zvi Metzman 75
Miedzyrzec, my town Zahava Federman (Kipperwas) 79
Memories Yakov Polishuk 83
Lessons learned from the first strike S. Zavdi 87
My town, how I loved you! Yafa Yizre'eli 90
Excommunication in time of war S. Zavdi 94
From Miedzyrzec to Eretz Israel Tzipora Pisatzki (Zev) 94
 
Chapter Four

“In the Tent of the Torah”
Prayer Houses, Education and Culture

 
Synagogues and their members Chaim son of R'Neta Kashke 98
Heders and Melamdim [teachers] The Editor 102
Melamdim in Miedzyrzec Avraham Zweig 102
Memories from the Heder Gedaliahu Broitman 106
“Sabbath Jews, Holiday Jews” Zvi Metzman 106
From the Evening-School to the Hebrew School Ben-Zion Bar Akiva 114
The first School for Girls Bracha Frenkel (Michaeli) 115
The Kindergarten in Miedzyrzec and its founders Bluma Rotelman (Ben-Israel) 118
The “Tarbut” Hebrew School Esther Zineman 119
Hebrew School and Hebrew youth Eliezer Rubinstein 123
The “Or Tora” religious school Moshe Opstein-Arion 126
The cultural life among the young Avraham Zweig 130
At the periphery of the educational problems Miriam Kagan-Zabodnik 131
The String Orchestra in Miedzyrzec Avraham Zweig 134
 
Chapter Five

National Renaissance / a. The Zionist Movement, b. Projects and Institutions

 
The Benei Zion Association Bracha Frenkel-Silberman 138
Tze'irei Zion and Poalei Zion B.Z. Bar Akiva 139
The Po'alei Zion party and the youth organization “Freiheit” Yosef Kutcher 139
The Hashomer Hatza'ir movement Mordechai Metzman 143
Reflections on the Ken [movement branch, lit. “nest"] Yakov Frenkel 146
Memories from the days of Hechalutz organization Yitzhak Kochavi 147
The youth organization Gordonia Avraham Zweig 151
The training Kibbutz Kadima Zvi Gilberg (Tutchin) 155
The Rabbinical Court Chaim Sternschuss 158
“When we remembered Zion” [Psalms 137] Zvi Metzman 159
Community activists and public institutions Esther Zineman 163
The Jewish Credit Bank Baruch (Zeidl) Katz 166
Deeds of kindness in wartime [1914-1918] Shraga Zavdi 167
Projects and Institutions Yosef Kutcher 170
Public activity 171
 
Chapter Six

In the Mirror of Life / Items on Customs and Folklore

 
R'Aharon Garda, the Magid of Miedzyrzec's doctor A Rechtman (New York) 174
The “Selichot” time Avraham Zweig 175
LA”G Ba'omer in town Mordechai Metzman 178
The “Spectacle” - the first theatrical performance in town Shraga Zavdi 178
In the street Zvi Metzman 179
The wonders of public transport in Miedzyrzec Mordechai Metzman 183
Conversationalists during Prayers B. Z. Bar Akiva 186
A garland of figures Yakov Polishuk 187
Chana, “the Zogerin” [prayer reciter for women] Zahava Federman (Kipperwass) 190
Zeiwel the porter Y. Kochavi (Sternschuss) 190
Folklore stories by the Miedzyrzec Jews Shraga Zavdi 191
 
The Destruction of Miedzyrzec

Chapter Seven

Holocaust / Survivors tell their stories

 
The seven shining angels of Devora Okoshka (Elegy) Shraga Zavdi 198
The story of the Holocaust Esther Zineman 199
The first transport Chaim Sternschuss 207
Remembrance from the days of annihilation Nionya Goldfarb-Rutenberg 210
Memories of a survivor Sonia Rutenberg Ostrovski 215
Testimony from Miedzyrzec horrors From Yalkut Volhyn [Volhyn collection] 219
 
Chapter Eight

Those Bound in the Bond of the Living / In Memoriam

 
Personalities and Institutions [in Hebrew alphabetical order]
The great scholar Rav Shlomo Gordin Yakov Polishuk 222
Utchenik Koifa and his family M. Bernstein-Utchenik 222
Eisenberg-Frenkel-Kantor Yakov Polishuk 223
Boim Yakov and Devora Tzipora Ferber 226
Bekerman Asher-Zelig and Tzipora Elka Bekerman 226
Barda Yitzhak and Malka and their family Nissan Zavodnik 226
Broitman Hershel Aba's and his family Yafa Broitman-Yizre'eli 227
Chaim-David and Dvor'ke Glaser Yafa Broitman-Yizre'eli 230
Bernstein Shmulik and Hinda Rachel Samburski 230
Gil Shalom and Rifka and their family Chaia Savoray-Teitcher 230
Teitcher Moshe and Golda and their family Israel Savoray-Teitcher 231
A Gallery of Personalities Shraga Zavdi 231
    a. Aharon Guberman 231
    b. R'Efraim Gilfiks 234
    c. Yehoshua Himberg 235
    d. Gnesia Weissberg and her four sons 235
    e. Yudel Weissberg (Gnesis) 235
    f. Zvi Zolier 238
    g. Esther Silberstein 239
    h. Yakov Silberstein 239
    i. Shaul Silberstein 239
    j. Yehoshua the Shochet [slaughterer] 242
    k. Golda Rubinstein 242
Goldman Shlomo (Gershkes) Bluma Goros (Rundel) 242
Gurwitz David and Rivka Miriam Kleinfeld 243
Gorenstein Ita and her family Friedl Gorenstein 243
The family of R'Aharon Silberstein Miriam Metzman (Silberstein) 246
Silberstein Efraim and his family Michel Silberstein z”l 247
Zineman Yakov and Batia and their family Esther, Israel and Yeshayahu Zineman 250
R'Akiva son of R'Netanel z”l Bar-Akiva Ben-Zion 254
Semmelmacher Nachum “the Melamed” Nachum Feldman 254
Semmelmacher - Grandma Esna Baruch Katz 255
Teitcher Chantzia and her daughter Tzipora Ferber-Teitcher 255
Yitzhak Shu”v Chava Kantor-Zweig 258
Lisk Shalom and Golda and their family A. Lisk 258
Metzman Ben-Zion and his family Meir, Zvi and Mordechai Metzman 259
Mariel David and Sara and their family Rachel Meriel 263
Podisok Shmuel-Leizer and Dina Yakov & Zelig Podisuk 266
Fiksman Shlomo and Sara and their family Y. Fiksman 266
Frenkel Moshe and Rivka and their family Tova Kaspi-Silberman (Riva's) 266
Zweig R'Menachem Mendel Avraham Zweig 267
A Bond of Souls Esther Zineman 267
    a. Betzalel Malyar 267
    b. Batia Alpern 267
    c. Rachel Smola 267
    d. Yakov and Dvora Finkelstein 270
Kimelmacher Moshe and Rachel and their family Sonia Wermeklin-Kimelmacher 270
Kipnis Asher and Feiga Moshe Kipnis 271
Klorfein David and Yehudit and their family Tova Chazantchuk-Klorfman 274
Kaminik Levi-Yitzhak and Chana and their family Moshe Avnon (Kaminik) 275
Kaminstein Aharon and Malka and their family Alter Kaminstein 279
Kantor Zvi and Nechama and their family Chava Kantor-Zweig 279
Kremer Shalom-Shechna and Sara-Rivka Carmi Yitzhak 282
Rotbors Binyamin and Feiga Bella Rotbord-Solomoniak 282
Rottelman Chaim and Bracha and their family Bluma Roitelman Ben-Israel 282
Sternschuss Hershel Chasia's S. Z. 286
Spiegelman David and Bracha and their family B"Z Bar Akiva 287
A Memorial to the family of R'Moshe Silberstein S. Z. 290
Shulman Hurwitz and his family Yeshayahu Shulman 290
Spiegelman Avraham and Chana-Sheindel The Gilberg-Spiegelman family 294
 
An Eternal Light for Those who Died in the Homeland
Baruch Goldman - fell in the line of duty Esther Zineman 294
Michael Silberstein z”l - one of the first Halutzim [pioneers] I. Savoray 295
Rachel (nee Kanter) A. Zweig 295
Antzel Shechnay - a man of the people, for the people A. B. 298
 
Pictures in Memory of Families 299-312
The Tree of Weeping - in Memoriam Shaul Kaspi-Silberman 299
A memorial monument 314
List of Martyrs 315-334
The Memorial Prayer 335
Dates to Remember 335
 
Building and Ruin

Yiddish

Chapter One

Ascent and Downfall / General Overview

 
In lieu of introduction Editor 342
Greater Miedzyrzec in building and Holocaust Esther Zineman 346
The first transport Chaim Sternschuss 371
A spark in the darkness Israel Zineman 375
“Remember Amalek!” Israel Zineman 382
Our beautiful Miedzyrzec Lea Eisenberg-Alperin 383
 
Chapter Two

Long go and Today / Facts and Memories

 
A cupful of tears Shimon Offstein 386
In my old home Zvi Gellman 387
Memories from old times Lea Eisenberg-Alperin 390
Life experiences of a Miedzyrzecer Esther Zineman 394
Between extinction and salvation Bat-Sheva Pressman-Michaeli 406
The Partisan From “The Destruction of Koretz” 407
 
Chapter Three

For Everlasting Memory / Persons and Families

 
Miedzyrzec
Offstein Leib and Asna Yitzhak Offstein 414
Eisenberg Yeshais and Yehudit Lea'ke Eisenberg-Alperin 414
Aunt Aydie Shimon Offstein 415
Akashke Zeidl and his family Devora Akashke 415
Gorelnik Moshe and Zlote Esther Zineman 418
Deutch Mordechai Z. 418
Wiegman Binyamin and Malka Esther Zineman 420
Zineman Danye B. A. 420
Katz Naftali and Chaike Baruch Katz 422
Rachel Yakov-Leibs S. Z. 424
 
Canada and America
Gez-Silberstein Feige Golde Matlev / Bluma Roitelman 424
Goldman-Appel Malka Elik Glickstein 428
Nissenholz Mordechai (Motel) Lea'ke Eisenberg-Alperin 430
Kantor R'David Lea'ke Eisenberg-Alperin 430
 
Israel
Teitcher R'Baruch I. Savoray 432
* * * * * *
A Memorial Plaque The founders of the Landsmanshaft 434
A list of Yahrzeit days [memorial days] Landsleit in Canada 434
Photographs of Landsleit Died in Winnipeg 436
Moshe and Chana Kuper Lea'ke 438
Epilogue Yizkor-Book Committee 438
Lea'ke bat Yeshayahu Eisenberg-Alperin z”l B. A. 442

 


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