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[Page 95]

The Jewish Banks

Shnayder (Rekhovot)

English translation by Thia Persoff


After the First World War, the economic condition of the Kremenets Jewish population was very poor: Unemployment was high, many had no means to earn a living, others' income was very low. With the stabilization of the political situation, in this area that was annexed to Poland, signs of economic recovery were seen. Business contacts with the villages were renewed; the area was abounding with a variety of agricultural products, for local consumption and for export. It was natural, then, that this development increased the need for bank credit. There was a branch of the “Bank of Poland” in town, but its main dealings were with the estates owners; it had only very scant dealings with the Jewish merchants and craftsmen.

At that time two Jewish banks were established in Kremenets: a bank for the merchants, headed by Ruben Goldenberg (the director of the “Bank of Mutual Credit” that existed before the war), and the “People's Bank” (“Bank Pavshekhni”), headed by Shimeon Gendler. Both were enterprising and responsible, knowledgeable in banking, and practical in their economics activities. Knowledgeable volunteers from among the town's people were found, and from them the management boards and examiners boards were formed. Very soon those cooperative institutions earned the trust of the public. Many new members joined, and the two banks developed their activities into modern, well-organized large banks. Their influence was felt in the economic life; the merchant and the craftsmen received needed credit. Stores and workshops were reestablished and new enterprises were added.

The new, relative, economic prosperity brought on an increase in building; new houses were built and old ones were renovated. The town wore a new look. New factories and groceries were opened, some of the clerks who previously worked for the merchants Moshe Rokhel, the brothers Bakimer, the brothers Landsberg, and others, opened their own stores, established them well, and even exploited their previous employers. The grain merchants and the wholesalers who were always in need of much credit for their large business, and could not get help from “the Bank of Poland”, benefited from the Jewish banks. In this way, these two banks held in their hands most of the businesses, small factories, and craft shops, and boosted the economic life of the town's Jews.

[Page 96]

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The Managing Committee of the
Small Merchants' Association (1934)


These banks also kept a high standard of relationship with the public. As cooperatives, they held a yearly general meeting, which members would attend; they listened to the reports and took active part in the discussions. Some times strong criticism would be voiced, and in some instances it was not clear of personal reasons. In spite of that, the members proved savvy in the banking business, were concerned about keeping them [the banks] functioning, and chose wisely the members of management, from among the most capable persons in town, those who proved themselves by volunteering for public functions with great dedication. More than once, walking on Shiroka Street late at night, I saw lights in the windows of the two banks, members of the management boards, or of the boards of examiners, were still dealing with matters that were entrusted to them by the community.

Among the active members of the merchants' bank, it is worthy to mention the names of Abraham Vaynberg, Perlmuter- a cloth merchant, and Olshnitski. Others to be mentioned among the active members of the “People's Bank”, are Yona Zeyger, Shmuel Gendlman- the executive secretary, and Butz – head of accounting.

Both banks were connected to national associations: The one bank to the “Jewish merchants of Poland”, and the second to the “Jewish Credit cooperatives Association of Poland”.

Besides those banks, our town had a benevolence fund, managed by Gershteyn and Shtern, that developed a wide area of activities among the middle classes of the community. About this institution – in a different article.

With the destruction of the Kremenets Jewish community, came the end to those two fine enterprises which served as an expression of the Jewish creative force in the fields of the economy. Let us remember with appreciation all those who are not with us any more, who worked and labored to bring about and to strengthen those two enterprises, in which Jewish wisdom and strength, stubborn struggle for existence and mutual aid, were contained.



[Page 97]

The Organization for Health Care – T.A.Z. Branch

Port-Noy (Haifa)

English translation by Thia Persoff


Since its inception, the T.A.Z. branch in Kremenets was a favored one, and many people used its clinics when in need of help. Because of the warm, friendly attitude of the clinic's staff and the patient's inability to pay a private physician, on the days for receiving patients, the waiting rooms were full and the number of patients was increasing.

A regular supervisor visited the homes of pregnant women and young mothers.

Mrs. Dr. Golander provided the general medical treatment in the clinic; Dr.Yosef Landsberg treated gynecology and obstetrics cases.

Because of shortage of funds, the T.A.Z. in Kremenets concentrated its activities in three fields only: general clinics, an infant wellness center, and sports medicine for young people and adults.

The T.A.Z. was supported by donations from Jewish organizations in other countries, the monthly membership dues of the organization, and moneys raised by organizing plays, parties, flower-days, etc. The branch had a management that was elected once a year. For many of them, the dentist Dr. Zalman Shaynberg was the dedicated chairman, who fulfilled his obligations faithfully. The rest of the board members, like Yekhezkel Opshtayn, Fanya Beytler, and Moshe Shnayder, also were known for their dedication to the institution. It has to be told that the officers and staff (the secretary Khayim Gibelbenk, and the Nurse Niusya Beytler-Katz) fulfilled their obligations, particularly by volunteering.

The paper “Kremenetser Shtime” mentions other T.A.Z. board members' names from different periods: Kh. Ziglboym and M. Vitels. May their names be blessed with the other T.A.Z. functionaries who perished in the Holocaust.



[Page 97]

The Jewish Workers’ Struggle

Natanel Kagan (Petakh Tikva)


My review of the history of Jewish laborers in Kremenets encompasses a period starting with the takeover by the Polish authority after the First World War, until the invasion of the Nazis in 1939.

Kremenets was not one of the industrial cities. Its main livelihood was from commerce and crafts. Many were small business craftsman, but in time a large hired-worker force developed, like tailors, shoemakers, carpenters, bakers, barbers, salesmen and clerks. Eventually, as the worker population grew, the need for organizing the labor force arose, to help solve essential problems for the workers, improved working conditions, and protection from exploitation like setting an 8 hours workday, raise in salary, compensations, etc. Under the guidance of the central labor institutions, different guilds were organized in Kremenets. From time to time an official inspector would come, who helped in developing them. When occasionally a conflict arose between labor and management, it was settled by arbitration most of the time. Only seldom a strike was called, which lasted weeks, while the workers were forced to support themselves.


[Page 98]


The first to use strike as a weapon, were the garment workers. They labored in unsanitary conditions, 14-16 hours a day, received a minimum pay, and were forced to do it by a contract system. This condition caused a great embitterment among the workers; meetings were called and demands were brought for an eight-hour workday, abolishing the work-by-contract system, etc. Obviously, the employers who generally persecuted workers who joined the guilds and labor-organizations, reacted to this with rancor, and not a few of the workers who had families to support, backed out under the employer's pressure. In spite of it, the organizers of the strike succeeded, overcoming the many difficulties, the strikers and their families' sufferings of hunger and privation. Only after long and arduous negotiations, when better work conditions were gained, the strike was called off.

With the increased number of workers, a cultural activity started. A library was established, which purchased many books in Yiddish and other languages. The library attracted a large patronage among the young people from the high schools and others, and many patrons of the municipal library left it to join the new workers'-union library, which had a reading-room attached, containing newspapers and assorted periodicals.

At that time an amateur theater was started, in which the writings of Peretz, Shalom-Aleikhem, Hirshbein, etc. were performed, acquainting the workers with their creations. The theater popularity grew and it performed in the surrounding towns too. A string-instrument orchestra was started also, with young people joining it, which performed for the public occasionally.

Evening classes for extension and advance studies were established, particularly for the young people who had to quit school, and start working to help their parents support their families.

Even in the field of sports, the unions took on an important part. A sports club was formed, named “Morgenshtern” (“star of Dawn”), in which trained coaches worked on developing skills in soccer, handball, and light athletics. They also organized tournaments and ball games, which were popular among the citizens. In time our town had good athletic youth, in spite of hard economic conditions. The sports club offered them a place for an education and relaxation. When the cultural and sports activities reached a high level of success, obstacles arose. Agents of the Polish government, which did not look kindly on labor's union movement, and particularly on the Jewish labor union, started interfering. From time to time they would search the library, confiscate books, and arrest members. It was obvious that their purpose was to destroy the achievements of the organizations.

With the first of May getting close, we were ready for clashes and arrests, but the workers holiday was celebrated as planned, although under the watchful eyes of plainclothes policemen. The next day certain members were called for interrogation at the police station. This procedure was repeated year after year. Members were arrested, taken to court on charges of supposedly Communist activities, and sentenced to years in jail. Two members were incarcerated in the infamous Kartoz Baraza concentration camp. You could see, already then, that Poland was following in Hitler's footsteps, and that this is why the great Jewish Shoah was able to start precisely within her borders. After those arrests the unions resumed their activities as before. On the 27th of February 1937, the authorities arrested all the active unions members, as well as other young members from the ranks, in all, 36 people, accusing them of being members of the Ukrainian Communist party. This was the final blow to the unions' life.

After ten months one of the members was released from the concentration camp, due to complete breakdown of his health. Four months later the second member was released. Both of them met in the prison with us, the group of 36.


[Page 99]


Three days before we were moved into prison, we were held in the police station where we were tortured in many ways, so that we would admit to the charges we were accused of. With clubs they hit our feet, stuck out fingertips between doors and frames, tied us upside down and poured water into our nostrils (a person feels as if he is drowning), stuck needles under our nails – all those with the purpose of forcing us to declare membership in the Communist party. But none of us admitted to it. Then they tried something else: they released two young persons and made them into provocateurs who agreed to sign the papers, as fear of the torture broke their bodies and spirits.

Using those admissions, the authorities sentenced hundreds of people to jail. It is important to tell here, that one of our friends among us prisoners, who did a great deal for the betterment of the workers, had a serious heart condition. In spite of it he was taken to prison. When all our pleas to have him moved to a hospital were unanswered, we declared a hunger strike. By the third day of the strike we managed to notify the rest of the members, and when it threatened to spread into a general strike, the sick friend was secretly taken to a hospital where he died immediately. All of us were very weak by the third day of the hunger strike, so the prison doctor gave orders to force-feed us. By chance we found out from one of the criminal prisoners that our sick friend was hospitalized, so we stopped the strike. The prison administration could not understand how we discovered their secret.

In the meantime, prison's monotonous life continued. The brutal regime, restrictions, and inadequate nutrition, which were meant to break our spirits, achieved the opposite results. After two years of interrogations the trial started. Chained two by two, we were lead to the court. Heavy guard was stationed at the courthouse. A large crowd of people milled around. From the start of the trial, the provocateur nature of the prosecution witnesses was revealed. Though the defense attorneys, headed by Dr. Landau, had proved very quickly that the accused were innocent of the charges, they were sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison.

None of us completed the full prison term. Soon after the Poland - Germany war started, the Polish army fell apart, and when the Russian “Red Army” entered, we were released. Many of us who were in other jails were released also, and returned home. When we came back we found out that the Russian authorities had arrested the two traitors, together with the agents of the Polish police. We do not know what befell them.


[Page 100]

Jewish Sports

Khayim Taytsher (Tel-Aviv)


The Jewish youth of Kremenets was already active in calisthenics, the first branch of athletics, during the last days of the First World War. First among the students were the high-school students in town. Later other branches of sport were started: soccer and light athletics. Among the first athletes in our town were: Binyamin Vaynberg, Nolik Sofer, Abrasha Rozenfeld, the brothers Lyova and Manus Goldenberg, Ezriel Gorinshteyn, Sonya Rish, Moshki Margalit, Yisrael Grinberg, and M. Khirga. They were, also, the founders of the sport organization “Makabi”, out of which the successful group “Khashmonaim” developed while the Jewish community in Kremenets existed. They invested most of their time in organizing and developing sports, and informing the public of the importance of physical training and development to the life of the nation.

The topographic characteristics of our mountainous area and difficulties in transportation restricted the development of sports; during the summer it was difficult to find a proper field close to town. In 1922, thanks to the solicitation of Sonye Beytler – a trainee of “Makkabi” Odessa who settled in Kremenets – the students of the High School of Commerce gave a public presentation of calisthenics in the sport room. Among S. Beytler's helpers stood out Yosef Turchin, a trainee of “Makabi” in Bialatserkov, Russia. He was the lively inspiration for our athletes for many years. The sports “headquarters” was in Manus Goldenberg's apartment, and our few pieces of equipment were kept there too.


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A Group of Skiers from the
“Khashmoni” Club (1932)


The beginning was so: In 1918 Dovid Klorfayn (the son of Gatsi Klorfayn) rounded up a group of young man from among the students, and in the “Tivoli” garden he started training them in Swedish exercises.



[Page 101]

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A “Khashmoni”
military fitness division


The acceptance of sport as a valuable asset was still far from the young people, and more so from their parents. The organization, the primitive “equipment”, and the poor language of commands (in Hebrew!) prompted laughs. But Dovid Klorfayn did his work with high enthusiasm and succeeded in winning over his group of trainees, who would show up every evening to exercise on the small field, in front of curious watchers. After a while other branches of sport were started: soccer and light athletics.

By 1928 calisthenics and light athletics were very well developed and popular, attracting a large number of the Jewish youth. In this period, a noted member was Braver (a trainee of “Makabi” Grodna) who worked in our town as a coach in the “Ort” trade school. In time, girls joined our sportsmen lines. Among the first were R.Zeyger, M. Gorinfeld, P. Borevits, Bela Pintsberg, and others.

The sports pioneers did not neglect the soccer game that won a special honored place.

The members of the first team, organized in 1922, were: M. Khirga, Sh. Rish, B. Vaynberg, N. Ovadis, N. Sofer, M. Port, Y. Kroyt, A. Gorinshteyn, M. Goldenberg, L. Goldberg, Y. Goldenberg, A. Rozenfeld, Y. Rabinovits, Y. Grinberg, Mandelker, and Shnayder. With their limited means they acquired a ball, but were unable to purchase shoes and uniforms. Their first training ground was the abounded yard of the old “Talmud Torah”, and only after much efforts were they able to rent a plot of land, that, in an hour's walking distance from the town's center, in a mountainous area, was unsuited to their purpose.

The soccer games were very popular among the citizens. Two years later, in 1924, the team's permit to use their primitive plot, was taken away from them. Then, with the support of the public, a plot called “Klinovka”, was rented near the town, and prepared for use as a soccer field and for exercises and athletics. The first games of the soccer team were unsuccessful, so when an amateur coach came to town, he was asked to help.

[Translator's note: It is unclear in the text, if he was asked to help or if he was hired to do so.]


The team started to compete with other teams in the area, and the level of the games went up. These were the county's beginnings in the soccer games. The meetings and the games with the non-Jewish teams brought increasing interest among the Jewish population of Kremenets.


[Page 102]


The community's regard for the sports organization, was now a matter of honor – winning or losing a game, was winning or losing for the whole local Jewish community.

Soccer – expensive game

The games did not bring in sufficient income to cover the expenses of keeping the teams going, and only by financial support of the fans did the organization manage to exist and balance its budget. Among the main contributors were: Yekhezkel Opshtayn, Ayzik Shtayner, Muzya Barats, Simkha Gintsburg, Yisrael Grinberg, Asher Kagan (Buzek) and others.

For many years the authorities refused to legitimize the one Jewish sport organization, which changed it name many times in hope of gaining the requested approbation: From “Makabi” to “Khashmonaim”, to “Sports fans”, then to “'TAZ' Department for Physical Culture”. In 1928 they finely received an official approval. A management board was chosen, and formal announcement made to open membership. The members of the first administrative board were: Chairman: Yekhezkel Opshtayn, Members: Khayim Fishman, Mosh'ki Margalit, Mikhal Gintsburg, Sonya Beytler, Monya Katz, and Avrake Zilberg.

The board members understood the job relegated to them, and did not stint in their efforts to develop Jewish sports in Kremenets. Since then, different teams of “Khashmonaim” started to compete for the championship of the town, district, and county.

A few of the teams' best were sent to take coaching courses. Among those finishing and excelling in the courses were Abrasha Trakhtenberg and Nisya Segal in calisthenics, and A. Bendarski in swimming.

The number of members kept increasing. Each day, every evening, there was practice, training, meetings, and lectures - during the summer on the sport-field, and during the winter in an indoor hall. Many of the young people who were not involved so far, and who spent their leisure time in billiard-halls and coffeehouses, started to join the sports organization, where they found a place for developing their bodies and intellect.

In the last years before the Second World War, sports in schools were on a high level, and Jewish students were the main source for development of the sport camps. Most of our members were also members of Zionist organizations, and with every wave of emigration to Israel, the sport teams got smaller. This “deficit” we tried to eliminate by drafting additional members among the next generation of youth.

The ability of the organizers, the dedication of the coaches, and the efforts of the members, did not disappoint – already in 1931/32 our teams had won honored places in the championship of the county and the district.

The soccer team of “C” league was moved to “A” league after their decisive winnings. Among the champions in light athletics were Pesakh Mandlblit, Shayka Gliklis, and Lolik Yahalom. Teams of soccer and volleyball entered the final games of the district. The swimmers Moshe Modrik and Monya Katz won first places in the 50 and 100 meters swim.

Skiing – the king of winter sport had a special place among the sports of Kremenets. Until 1928/29 we knew very little about this sport in our area. The mountainous topography that hindered the development of summer sports played a very positive part here; our sportsmen adapted to it and soon dominated this field. With excellent topographical conditions (even in the town's steep streets), dedicated and experienced coaches (“Khashmonaim” graduates) and locally made skis made it a popular sport. During weekdays, holidays and the Sabbath particularly, skiers covered the slops. In the mountains a ski-jump was built, the third in size and quality in Poland, which was done according to regulations, for competitions in the P.I.S. (Federation International de Ski).


[Page 103]


Our people achieved high records and championship in this beautiful sport. Their names were known all over Poland: Berl Kuter jumped 78 meters (the national record was 84m. and the international record, by a Norwegian, was 91m. In the running races of 18 and 24 km. our members were always among the top ten, the best being Melekh Efrat, Baba Fingerhut, Shayka Gliklis, Keytlmakher, Khayim Taytsher, and others, and among the girls Iza Ovadis and T. Fridman were the best.

The achievements of our athletes and the efforts of the administration had turned Kremenets into the Ski center of the Polish Jews. Under the leadership of M. Katz and Sh. Gliklis, ski workshops were held annually, in which representatives of most Jewish sport organizations in Poland – particularly from the northern, central, and eastern regions – participated. The leadership of “Makabi”s sport division was handed to the “Khashmonaim” in Kremenets.

Seeing the achievements of our Athletes, the Polish sport authorities supplied us with all the needed equipment, discounts for train travel, and free lodging in hostelries.

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Ski-run

We should mention that within the frame of the sport activities, the athletes were given military training too. In 1932, during the time when the sport organization was renamed under “TAZ”, and got official approval, Manus Goldenberg got in touch with the military authorities, in an effort to give the members military training. The officer in charge of the military training of Polish youth agreed to send one of his subordinates as a coach. The organization received a few tens of rifles and basic training started. This was an important opportunity to train the Jewish youth in use of firearms, considering the relations between the Polish and Jewish citizens, at that time. Particularly interested in it were the members of the organization that saw the future of the youth in Israel.



[Page 104]

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Sport activists, 1931


[Translation Editor's Note: The following subsection was translated to English by Steven Wien & Sari Havis]


Guidance was provided by an army commander, Mr. Monya Katz (who resides today in Haifa). At the time, he was a reserve officer in the Polish army. Among the various physical education activists of the Jewish Kremenetser residents, we will mention the names of Manus Goldenberg, Sonya Beytler, Y. Opshtayn, M. Barts, Khayim Fishman, Mosheki Margolis, Simkha Gintsburg, Mikhal Gintsburg, Dr. Landsberg, A. Zeiger, Monya Katz, and Shonya Rish. Among its best students were Nunia Yoklov, Berl Kuter, Moshke Reznik, Dani Gorevits, and Pesakh Mandelblit.

The sports organizations were a very large movement and even with the increase of immigration to Israel, the number of people participating in different sports organizations never decreased. In its past years, the number of people acting in various organizations came to close to 500 youth. Before the eruption of the Second World War, anti-Semitism among the Christian population of Kremenets intensified, and as a result teasing and clashes from the Polish youth increased. But our sportsmen always stood on guard, always overcame the people who tried to instigate the different clashes, and protected the honor of Israel.
Translated from Russian and prepared for print by Monya Katz, Haifa




[Page 105]

A List of Institutions and Organizations

Translated by Steven Wien & Sari Havis


The following is a list of public institutions and organizations that were very active in our town during the years before the annihilation. The list, which might be incomplete, includes [only] the public Jewish figures in Kremenets. Please note that in every institution and organization there were several public figures and a large number of members. The following is a list of the major activists in each organization.

Community Committee   Avigdor Perlmuter
Secretary   David Leviton
Municipality   Azriel Kremenetski, the vice-mayor
Rabbinate   Rabbi Mendyuk
Jewish Hospital   Moshe Kapuzer
Orphanage   Sofia Kremenetski
Old People's Home   Yisrael Landsberg
Talmud Torah   Simkha Yakov Blumenfeld
Khevra Kadisha (Funeral Home)   Khayim Zigelboym
Welcoming Organization   Ayzik Hindes
T. A. Z.   Dr. Z. Schaynberg
“ORT”   Khayim Ovadyas
Tarbut (Culture)   Abba Taytelman
Zionist Histadrut   Dr. Meir Litvak & Dr. Binyamin Landsberg
Histadrut HaMizrakhi   [no name given]
HitAchdut   [no name given]
Betar   Sh. Morjik
HaHalutz (The Pioneer)   Hershel Bernstayn (now in Argentina)
HaHalutz Hatzair (The Young Pioneer)   M. Ditun (now in Argentina)
HaShomer Hatzair (The Young Watchmen)   [no name given]
Histadrut Noar (The Youth Club)   P. Holtsman
“Hashmonai” (Sports Club)   Yekhezkel Epshtayn
Sport Club of Various Unions   [no name given]
“Dramakrayz” (Drama Club of Various Unions)   [no name given]
Merchant Bank   Hirsh Gilrant
Nation Bank   Shimeon Gendler
Community Fund   M. Gershtayn
Community Fund in suburb of Dubna   David Basis
Union   Meir Goldring
Union of Peddlers   David Goldenberg
Union of small merchants   Shlome Fingerhut (a member of the townhall)
Municipal Committee of various unions   [no name given]
Clerks union   M. Rabinovits
 
[Page 106]    
 
Tailors Union   M. Goldshar
Barbers union   Y. Taytsher


 Synagogues  
 
Beit HaKnesset HaGadol (The Great Synagogue) Yisrael Margalit
Beit Hamidrash HaYashan (The Old Yeshiva) A. T. Katraborski
Beit Tefila (Prayer House) Yekhezkel Epshtayn
Beit Hamidrash HaHadash (The New Yeshiva) Dov Kremenchutski
Beit HaKneset L'Khasidim (The Chasidic Synagogue) Shalom Gibelbank
Beit Knesset Alexanderski   David Shvartsblat
Khloys Shapubl   Dov Rom
Beit Kneset LKhayatim (Tailors Synagogue) Abraham Shtivelman
Butchers Synagogue   Yerakhmiel Bezpoyasnik
Izbitser Synagogue   Asher Kahana
Public Synagogue   Pinkhas Baltsh
New Yeshiva in Dubna suburb   Eli Fishman
Old Yeshiva in Dubna suburb   Shlomo Matler



[Page 106]
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Mt. Bona
and Surroundings

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