Kremenets, Ukraine

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[Page 119]

The second wave of pioneers (1921-1925)

by A. Yosef

The first group of pioneers from our town immigrated at the start of 1921. Soon after them, singly, came other members of that same group. It seemed as if the town was emptied of pioneering forces, functionaries and educators, but the pioneering movement did not stop with their immigration, it strengthened, spread, and got more cohesive. The first group's immigration had set an educational example for the young members who stayed at home. Even though the members that had immigrated did not keep an organized contact with them, the letters that were received by parents, siblings and friends were circulating among many others who read them, and they caused waves of excitement.

In mid 1921, an official branch of the national "haKhaluts" organization in Poland was established in our town. It existed there until I immigrated in 1925, and after that. During those years it had a membership of 100-150, most of their ages between 17 and 20, about a third of them were girls. They came from all levels of the community: Talmud high school students and young laborers, apprentices of craftsmen and assistants of businessmen. The parents of the well-to-do householders circle were not very happy that their children associated with those of the poor families, a fact which often caused friction between the parents and children.

Local places for "hakhshara"(training) did not exist in Kremenets at that time, and in 1924 members were sent to training camps in the towns of Rokitna and Klosova, where they worked in the lumber industry; felling trees, and in the lumber mills. As the places could not accommodate sufficient numbers of trainees, the Kremenets branch started to organize training in the local area, in town and near it. They experimented in manufacturing peat in a primitive way at the village of Spanov, and tried other ventures too.

[The town of Rokitna now is known as Rokitno. It is at 50 55 N / 26 29 E, 65.7 miles NNE of Kremenets. The town of Klosova now is known as Glazheva. It is at 50 49 N / 26 20 E, 56.4 miles NNE of Kremenets]

[Page 120]

During the summer, members went to Folvarki village near our town, where a few Jewish families had farms, and were glad to take in the pioneers for agricultural training.

[The town of Folvarki now is known as Strutin. It is at 49 47 N / 26 16 E, 41.7 miles WSW of Kremenets]

During those years about 10-15 of our members, alternatively, have been in out-of-town training kibutzim. I would like to mention here an example: in 1922, a group of 30 students from Krakow came to our town for Hakhshara. They settled in the Dubno suburb and worked in the lime burning factory, the brick factory, tree cutting, and other jobs. They stayed the summer and then left. What else did the "haKhaluts" branch do? First of all – they recruited members to our movement, prepared them spiritually for a life of labor in Israel, educated them in the spirit of laboring Israel, and diligently tought them the lay of the land. There were meetings a few times a week, lectures on the existing problems in Israel, on the struggle to be accepted on the work force, on the kibbutz's way of life, etc. relying on material from Israeli and local newspapers, books and pamphlets.

A group of Young Zionists, 1921

Generally, the language used was Yiddish, but as quite a few members knew Hebrew, lectures were given in Hebrew too. Members who did not know Hebrew had to learn it, in the lessons organized jointly with the Zionist organization, and given in their clubhouse. At that time, in the effort to prepare a reserve from the young ages, the "Young Pioneer" movement was organized.

The pioneering immigration from our town flowed at about 15-20 person a year, and that was without counting people from other circles. The board of the local branch would deliberate, and choose the candidates for immigration. The main consideration was: does the candidate have a chance of being acclimated in Israel and in the kibbutz. The second consideration was: the character of the candidate; would he be able to adjust and adhere to life of labor in Israel. There was consideration of a personal kind also: seniority in "haKhalutz", the obligation to register for the army, and others.

[Page 121]

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The Hitakhdut Branch, 1925

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Board Members of haKhaluts

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The results proved, obviously, that the decision makers had made many grave mistakes.

The deliberations about the candidates for immigration, were always bound up with much tension, almost like life and death deliberation, so the branch, not satisfied with the immigration quota allocated to them by the center, was not sitting on its hands; but was looking for additional ways. They even tried to do it by illegal immigration, not as an organized entity but as individuals or small groups from "haKhalutz".

At that period there was immigration from Kremenets, of families who were not pioneers and who came from the suburbs of Dubno and Vishnevets, and from people of the middle class.

How did the Zionist situation look during this time in our town? Beside the official Zionist organization, there was a strong and active branch of the "Hitakhdut" with 100 members. They participated greatly in the election to the "Seym", to the community with all its manifestations. There was also a small branch of "Poali-Tsiyon, Smol" and the start of the "Dror" faction. The "haShomer-haTsair" movement had not, at yet, left its impression. The different outlook of the assorted Zionist factions were not sharply defined then; their members were active jointly in many fields, and veteran activists of the Zionist organization were helping in "haKhaluts" activities.

[Translator's Note: The Seym was the Polish House of Representatives. Poaley-Tsiyon, Smol" was the party of left wing Zionist workers. haShomer-haTsair means The Young Guardian]

“The Young Pioneer” and “The Pioneer” (1923 – 1934)

Arye Shokhet, Tsvi Zeira & Sara Bat (Kibbutz Yagur)

In 1923 "haKhaluts haTsair" ("The Young Pioneer") was organized in our town, for the purpose of attracting youngsters to the ranks of "haKhaluts" ("The Pioneer"), and preventing the depletion of the movement after the adults' emigrate. This came about at the initiative of the adult members of "haKhaluts".

HaKhaluts HaTsair, Kremenets, 1925

The driving force in organizing activities of the movement was, for years, comrade Manya Gurevits (now, living in Haifa). At that time "haShomer haTsair" movement also was being organized in our town, but while their members were mainly high school students, most of which were children of wealthy families or from the intelligentsia classes, most members of the "haKhaluts haTsair" were young workers.

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