Pinchas Kolomey--Kolomyya, Ukraine

Memorial Book of Kolomey
(Kolomyya, Ukraine)

48° 32' / 25° 02'
Translation of
Pinchas Kolomey

Edited by: Shlomo Bickel

Published in New York, 1957

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Acknowledgments

Project Coordinators

Claire Hisler Shefftz and Dr. Ben Nachman

This is a translation of : Pinkes Kolomey (Memorial Book of Kolomey),
Editor: Shlomo Bickel, New York, Rausen Bros., 1957 (Y, 448 pages).

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Kolomyia (1957)

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Translator's Note
My parents, Aaron and Mary (Miriam Shuster) Hisler came from Kolomey and my father was on the Kolomeyer Memorial Book committee and in charge of the book's distribution. The book was copyrighted in care of his name and address. I was encouraged to read the book but never quite managed to get much beyond the first page when my parents were alive. In the years since their deaths, I have observed Yom Hashoah each year by slowly translating some of the section of the Holocaust as best I could and writing it down.
Many years ago, my father expressed the wish that the book be translated into English and published; I thought that very unlikely. But now this website has made his wish possible in a way he could never have imagined.
Claire Hisler Shefftz

Shlomo Bickel Preface VII

Dr. N. M. Gelber History of the Jews of Kolomey (with notes and references) 13

Dr. Abraham Yaakov Braver Kolomey –Capital of Pokutia (Polish spelling: Pokucie) 96

Moshe Rat Rabbis, Synagogues and Jewish Life in Kolomey 112

Synagogues and study-houses in Kolomey 130

A. Yeri List of (31) Jewish Books Published in Kolomey 157

Israel Isser Zeidman Three Eras 159

Dr. Zvi Heller Zionism in Kolomey 176

Levi Grebler Socialist Demonstration in Kolomey [before the 1907 election] 182

David Yeshia Zilberbush Vienna Rothchilds and Kolomeyer Taleisim Workers ( a strike is ended) 190

I. Teitelbaum The “Hechalutz” in Kolomey 197

The Martyred Chalutzim from Slobodka–Leshna [1919] 205

Dr. Stanislav Vintsentz To Kol Nidrei in the Boyaner Prayer House 208

Shlomo Bickel The Apostate Newcomer Is Honored With a Hometown Trouncing 212

David Landman The Jewish Labor Movement in Kolomey 220

Leib Weitz My Little Street and My Youth Group 223

Lazar Walder Memories of a Young Kolomeyer Tailor 231

A. S. Yuris My Streets 237

Shlomo Bickel Two Russian Jews in the City [from his book, A Shtot mit Yidn, NY, 1943] 244

Naftali Gross Yosel Klezmer Saves the City from a Fire 251

My Companions in Kolomey [from his book of poems, Yidn, NY, 1929] 255

Itzik Manger Between Stopchet and Kolomey [poem] [reprinted with the author's permission] 256

Portraits [brief biographies, most with small photos]

Chaim Gross [1904] 257

The Poet Naftali Gross [1897– 1956] 259

The Musical Child Prodigies Sigmund [1900–1952] and Emanuel [1902–1942] Feierman 264

Laibel Toibsh [the people's educator for two generations, [1863–1933] 265

The Last Kolomeyer Rabbi [Rabbi Joseph Lau] 268

Rabbi Bachur [a Hasidic rabbi, 188?– 1917] 271

The Veteran Zionist [Dr. Shlomo Rosenheck] 1862–1934] 274

“Yirat Elohim,” [“Fear of God” leader Moshe Yaakov Shverdsharf, 1858–1922] 277

The Teacher R' Wolf Rosenkrantz 279

Dr. Fishl Rotenshtreich [member of Suchnot, 1882–1938] 281

The Jewish Teacher in Vilna [Dr. Israel Biber, 1897–1942] 283

The Leader of the Bund, [Dr. Adolf Frisch, 1891–1943] 285

The Distinguished Educator from Tel Aviv [Dr. Eliahu Maruz– Rosenbaum, 1987–1952] 287

Comrade Shmois [Yitzchak Shlomo Shmoisen, 1887–1942] 291

The Very Fine Jew [Chaim Ringelblum, 1894 ? 1942] 296

The Hebraist [Yaakov Bitter, 1894–1941] 301

The Devout Enlightened Scholar [Ephraim Klurman, 1874–1928] 302

The Tchtortkover Chasid [Hanoch Schecter, 1878–1955] 304

The Socialist [Michal Herer, 1885– ? 1942] 306

The P.P.S [Polish Socialist Party] Organizer [Moshe Sack, 18?– 19?] 307

The Business Leader [Yehuda Baruch Feuerstein, 1887–1941] 308

The Financier [Emanuel Luft, 1893–1941] 310

The Writer [Dr. Anzels Kleinman, 1882– ? 1942] 312

Surgeon and Philosopher [Dr. Eliezer Bickel 1902–1951] 313

The Talmud Professor [Dr. Israel Asterzetzer, 1904–1942] 315

The Editor of the “Red Flag” [Heinrich Ziskind, 1895– 1934] 316

Lawyer and Orator [Dr. Feivil Shternberg, 1887–1948] 318

The Actor [Alexander Granach, 1891–1945] 320

Khurbn [Holocaust]

Chana Weinheber– Hacker: The Annihilation of the Jews of Kolomey [June 1941– February 1943] 325

[Testimony from Sally Tager] 357

[Testimony from Sigmund Tager] 359

[Sally and Sigmund Tager Speak] 360

[Testimony from Andi Lederfeind:] [–about the action of September 17] 366

[–about the Sunday action in early October, 1942] 368

[The Escape– testimony from Chana Weinheber– Hacker] 370

Yeshia Feder and Shoshana Hecht–Feder We Survived 376

Lusia Borten In Kolomey Between 1944–1946 414

The Judenrat and Its Chairman, Markus Horowitz 420

The Murderers of the Martyred Kehilla of Kolomey (names, trials, and sentences) 425

In Memory of Our People

List of Kolomayers who, together with millions of other martyrs, perished in the great khurbn (holocaust) 5700–5705 (only about 80 families list the names of family members who were killed – there were thousands more) 431

(The following section is not listed in the table of contents):

[Those who were killed in the Soviet–Nazi war] (They enlisted in the Soviet army in summer 1941 after the Nazis invaded Russia – only 12 names known are listed out of over a hundred Jewish Kolomeyers who fell on the battlefields.) 442

Kolomear Organizations in New York 443

(these are described as below in the text but not listed in the table of contents)

[The Joint Kolomear Relief by A. Hisler 444

The Kolomear Jewish Center 445

Kolomeyer Branch 528 of the Arbeiter Ring 445

Kolomear Friends Association] 447

Illustrations

The A–B Line [photo of square with city hall] 17–18

Proclamation (copy of 1891 appeal to Jews to elect Dr. Joseph Shmuel Block to his third term in the Austrian Parliament in Vienna representing the district which included Kolomey, Buczacz, and Sniatyn– in Yiddish) 83

The Tall Shul, Boyaner House of Study, Azipolyer Shul (drawings) 129

The wooden shul in Yablonov, the wooden shul in Peczenizhin (photos), the Talmud Torah (drawing) 141

Literary Evening (copy of program for Feb.22, 1919) 169

Histadrut Mizrachi (photo) [1929] 175

“Hitahadut Ze'irei Zion” [local committee] 181

Hechalutz Groups [3: Hechalutz 1924–25,” Dror 1933”, Histadrut “Gordonia” 1933] 198

Hachshara Collective [1935], “Hanoar Hazioni” [1934], Farewell Banquet

[before Kutner and Rosenbaum left for Israel] 202

Hachshara Group [Hashomer HaTsair] in Slobodka–Leshna in the year 1919 206

Evening Class from the organization “Evening Courses” 230

Map of the Three Ghettos in Kolomey [in Yiddish] 336–337

Translator's notes:
Square brackets, [ ], contain information from the text to help explain the items in the table of contents.
The words in parentheses, ( ), are explanations added by the translator.
The group photos in the “Illustrations” section do not list the names of the group members.

Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page Kolomea, at Shtetlink

Yizkor Book Project Manager, Lance Ackerfeld
Emerita Yizkor Book Project Manager, Joyce Field
Contact person for this translation Claire Hisler Shefftz
This web page created by Carol Monosson Edan

There have been

visits to this page since the 23 April 2011

Shlomo Bickel	Preface	VII
Dr. N. M. Gelber	History of the Jews of Kolomey (with notes and references)	13
Dr. Abraham Yaakov Braver	Kolomey –Capital of Pokutia (Polish spelling: Pokucie)	96
Moshe Rat	Rabbis, Synagogues and Jewish Life in Kolomey	112
	Synagogues and study-houses in Kolomey	130
A. Yeri	List of (31) Jewish Books Published in Kolomey	157
Israel Isser Zeidman	Three Eras	159
Dr. Zvi Heller	Zionism in Kolomey	176
Levi Grebler	Socialist Demonstration in Kolomey [before the 1907 election]	182
David Yeshia Zilberbush	Vienna Rothchilds and Kolomeyer Taleisim Workers ( a strike is ended)	190
I. Teitelbaum	The “Hechalutz” in Kolomey	197
	The Martyred Chalutzim from Slobodka–Leshna [1919]	205
Dr. Stanislav Vintsentz	To Kol Nidrei in the Boyaner Prayer House	208
Shlomo Bickel	The Apostate Newcomer Is Honored With a Hometown Trouncing	212
David Landman	The Jewish Labor Movement in Kolomey	220
Leib Weitz	My Little Street and My Youth Group	223
Lazar Walder	Memories of a Young Kolomeyer Tailor	231
A. S. Yuris	My Streets	237
Shlomo Bickel	Two Russian Jews in the City [from his book, A Shtot mit Yidn, NY, 1943]	244
Naftali Gross	Yosel Klezmer Saves the City from a Fire	251
	My Companions in Kolomey [from his book of poems, Yidn, NY, 1929]	255
Itzik Manger	Between Stopchet and Kolomey [poem] [reprinted with the author's permission]	256

Portraits [brief biographies, most with small photos]
	Chaim Gross [1904]	257
	The Poet Naftali Gross [1897– 1956]	259
	The Musical Child Prodigies Sigmund [1900–1952] and Emanuel [1902–1942] Feierman	264
	Laibel Toibsh [the people's educator for two generations, [1863–1933]	265
	The Last Kolomeyer Rabbi [Rabbi Joseph Lau]	268
	Rabbi Bachur [a Hasidic rabbi, 188?– 1917]	271
	The Veteran Zionist [Dr. Shlomo Rosenheck] 1862–1934]	274
	“Yirat Elohim,” [“Fear of God” leader Moshe Yaakov Shverdsharf, 1858–1922]	277
	The Teacher R' Wolf Rosenkrantz	279
	Dr. Fishl Rotenshtreich [member of Suchnot, 1882–1938]	281
	The Jewish Teacher in Vilna [Dr. Israel Biber, 1897–1942]	283
	The Leader of the Bund, [Dr. Adolf Frisch, 1891–1943]	285
	The Distinguished Educator from Tel Aviv [Dr. Eliahu Maruz– Rosenbaum, 1987–1952]	287
	Comrade Shmois [Yitzchak Shlomo Shmoisen, 1887–1942]	291
	The Very Fine Jew [Chaim Ringelblum, 1894 ? 1942]	296
	The Hebraist [Yaakov Bitter, 1894–1941]	301
	The Devout Enlightened Scholar [Ephraim Klurman, 1874–1928]	302
	The Tchtortkover Chasid [Hanoch Schecter, 1878–1955]	304
	The Socialist [Michal Herer, 1885– ? 1942]	306
	The P.P.S [Polish Socialist Party] Organizer [Moshe Sack, 18?– 19?]	307
	The Business Leader [Yehuda Baruch Feuerstein, 1887–1941]	308
	The Financier [Emanuel Luft, 1893–1941]	310
	The Writer [Dr. Anzels Kleinman, 1882– ? 1942]	312
	Surgeon and Philosopher [Dr. Eliezer Bickel 1902–1951]	313
	The Talmud Professor [Dr. Israel Asterzetzer, 1904–1942]	315
	The Editor of the “Red Flag” [Heinrich Ziskind, 1895– 1934]	316
	Lawyer and Orator [Dr. Feivil Shternberg, 1887–1948]	318
	The Actor [Alexander Granach, 1891–1945]	320

Khurbn [Holocaust]
Chana Weinheber– Hacker:	The Annihilation of the Jews of Kolomey [June 1941– February 1943]	325
	[Testimony from Sally Tager]	357
	[Testimony from Sigmund Tager]	359
	[Sally and Sigmund Tager Speak]	360
	[Testimony from Andi Lederfeind:] [–about the action of September 17]	366
	[–about the Sunday action in early October, 1942]	368
	[The Escape– testimony from Chana Weinheber– Hacker]	370
Yeshia Feder and Shoshana Hecht–Feder	We Survived	376
Lusia Borten	In Kolomey Between 1944–1946	414
	The Judenrat and Its Chairman, Markus Horowitz	420
	The Murderers of the Martyred Kehilla of Kolomey (names, trials, and sentences)	425

In Memory of Our People
List of Kolomayers who, together with millions of other martyrs, perished in the great khurbn (holocaust) 5700–5705 (only about 80 families list the names of family members who were killed – there were thousands more)		431
(The following section is not listed in the table of contents):
[Those who were killed in the Soviet–Nazi war] (They enlisted in the Soviet army in summer 1941 after the Nazis invaded Russia – only 12 names known are listed out of over a hundred Jewish Kolomeyers who fell on the battlefields.)		442
Kolomear Organizations in New York		443
(these are described as below in the text but not listed in the table of contents)
[The Joint Kolomear Relief by A. Hisler		444
The Kolomear Jewish Center		445
Kolomeyer Branch 528 of the Arbeiter Ring		445
Kolomear Friends Association]		447

Illustrations
The A–B Line [photo of square with city hall]		17–18
Proclamation (copy of 1891 appeal to Jews to elect Dr. Joseph Shmuel Block to his third term in the Austrian Parliament in Vienna representing the district which included Kolomey, Buczacz, and Sniatyn– in Yiddish)		83
The Tall Shul, Boyaner House of Study, Azipolyer Shul (drawings)		129
The wooden shul in Yablonov, the wooden shul in Peczenizhin (photos), the Talmud Torah (drawing)		141
Literary Evening (copy of program for Feb.22, 1919)		169
Histadrut Mizrachi (photo) [1929]		175
“Hitahadut Ze'irei Zion” [local committee]		181
Hechalutz Groups [3: Hechalutz 1924–25,” Dror 1933”, Histadrut “Gordonia” 1933]		198
Hachshara Collective [1935], “Hanoar Hazioni” [1934], Farewell Banquet
[before Kutner and Rosenbaum left for Israel]		202
Hachshara Group [Hashomer HaTsair] in Slobodka–Leshna in the year 1919		206
Evening Class from the organization “Evening Courses”		230
Map of the Three Ghettos in Kolomey [in Yiddish]		336–337

Translator's notes: Square brackets, [ ], contain information from the text to help explain the items in the table of contents. The words in parentheses, ( ), are explanations added by the translator. The group photos in the “Illustrations” section do not list the names of the group members.