The Book of Radom;
The Story of a Jewish Community in Poland
Destroyed by the Nazis

(Radom, Poland)

51°25' / 21°09'

Translation of
Sefer Radom

Editors: Y. Perlow; [English section]: Alfred Lipson

Tel Aviv 1961


 

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

Anita Frishman Gabbay

 

Our sincere appreciation to Helen Rosenstein Wolf & Susan Dressler
for typing up the English text to facilitate its addition to this project.

We wish to thank Stefanie Holzman for extracting the pictures
from the original book, enabling their addition to the project.


This is a translation of: Sefer Radom (The book of Radom; the story of a Jewish community in Poland destroyed by the Nazis),
Editors: Y. Perlow; [English section]: Alfred Lipson, Tel Aviv 1961 (Y, E 474 pages)

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Radom (1961a)

Purchase details for a printed copy of this translation can be found at http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ybip/YBIP_Radom.html


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Yiddish Section

Contents translated by Yocheved Klausner

 
Foreword   6
Our Lineage Book The Organization of Radom Natives in Israel 7
Editor's Foreword Yitzchak Perlow 12
 
The History of the Jews in Radom
Chapters from the Past Dr. N. M. Gelber, Jerusalem 17
Three Personalities   24
Pages of History (1815-1830) Shmuel Bennet 26
Jews in Radom Leizer Fischman 28
Equal Rights Judge Josef Bekerman 36
Frankfurt Demands the Return of a Debt from Radom M. Stashevski 37
 
The Religious Life
Torah and Hassidism M. S. Geshuri 41
The Modzhisher Rabbi, R'Israel Taub M. Sh. Geshuri 41
The Rebbe Rabbi Yaakov Yerchamiel Taub M. S. Geshuri 42
The Białobrzeger Rebbe, Rabbi Shraga Yair and his son Rabbi Nathan David M. S. Geshuri 42
The Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Eliezer Rabinowicz M. S. Geshuri 42
The Rebbe Rabbi Moshe Elyakum Bria Frimer M. S. Geshuri 43
The Rebbe, Rabbi Eliezer Elimelech Rokach M. S. Geshuri 43
Torah and Hassidism M. S. Geshuri 44
The Community and its Rabbis Leizer Fishman 47
Rabbi Yehoshua Landau M. Sh. Geshuri 49
Rabbi Gavriel Dancyger M. Sh. Geshuri 50
Rabbi Shmuel Mohilewer M. Sh. Geshuri 50
Rabbi Avraham Tzvi Perlmutter Yisrael Grinetz 50
Rabbi Eliezer Leib Treistman Leizer Fishman 51
Rabbi Yechiel Kestenberg and his Personal Tragedy Leizer Fishman 52
From the Press   55
 
Rabbinical Judges
Rabbi Eliezer Weinsaft M. S. Geshuri 57
Rabbi Aharon Hakohen Mildman M. S. Geshuri 57
R'Shraga Feivel Mildman M. S. Geshuri 58
Rabbi Menachem–Mendel Halevy Kestenberg M. S. Geshuri 58
Rabbi Menachem–Mendel Weingart M. S. Geshuri 58
Rabbi Shmuel Teitelbaum Leizer Fishman 58
Shochtim [Ritual Slaughterers] Y. L. Cuker, Simcha-Bunim and Yerucham-Fishel 59
Cantors M. S. Geshuri, Leibel Richtman 62
Yeshivas Leibel Richtman 65
Chevra Kadisha [Burial Society] and Chesed Shel Emet Leibel Richtman 66
The End of the Talmud Torah Melech Guthertz 67
 
Municipal Activity
The Community [Council] Moshe Rotenberg 71
The Magistrate [City Council] Moshe Rotenberg 77
Communal Activists   86
The Three Who Were Hanged Moshe Rotenberg 90
“Our Equal Rights”   90
A Victim of the Riots Bunem Zuker 91
The Przytyk Events Yehoshua R. 93
It Is No More (poem) Alter Wolf Wertheim 98
 
The Enlightenment Period; Culture and Education
Reflections of the Jewish Enlightenment Pinkhas Gal (Fogelman) 101
The First National Educators Sh. Stravchinsky 103
Pioneers of the Jewish Enlightenment   104
“Pshiatshul Viedzi” Gymnasia   108
The Director H. Hurvitz   109
Yishayahu Goldshteyn; Esther Melkhior   110
“School – Cult”   111
Religious Tutors and Teachers Leibel Richtman 112
The Student Battalion “Hashomer” (The Guard) A. Rozenfeld 116
The Jewish Academic Club   117
The “Hazamir” Club (The Nightingale Club) Dr. Henia Rakotch 117
P. Giser's Music School; Theatre and Art   118
The Dramatic Club   119
Memories of the Drama Club Khaim Elboym 120
Libraries   121
The Fruits of the Jewish Enlightenment Kh. L. Huberman 122
My Hometown (poem) Malka Royzntzveyg – Plotzky 123
 
Ways and Activities of a National Leader
A Portrait of a Civic and National Leader, Yekhiel Ben Yisroel Frenkel Collected and adapted by Leibel Richtman 127
My Father's House Miriam Frenkel Szwarc 130
 
Commerce, Craft, Industry
Radom – An Industrial Centre Engineer Tzimerman 133
Jews in the Leather Industry Moishe Rotenberg 134
Jewish Tannery Workers Sh. Vaks 137
The Merchant's Association Aron Merin 137
The Founding of the Merchant's Bank   138
The Zionist Bank   139
Cooperation and Artisanry Sholem Stravchinsky 141
The Artisan – School Named After Yisroel Frenkel   143
ORT   143
Figures in Economic Life Sh. S. 144
 
Philanthropic Activities
The Jewish Hospital Yehoshua Helfant 151
The Old People's Home   154
The Silver Key… Yehuda Tzuker 155
The Orphanage   155
The Society to Help New Mothers   157
The Society to Spend the Night with the Sick   157
“TOZ”   158
“The Great Charity”   159
“Ezra” (“Aid”) Leizer Fischman 160
“Akhiezer”   160
“Communal Help for Young Girls Without Resources to Marry”   160
“Communal Hospitality to Guests”   160
Aid for Jews Who Were Arrested   160
Excerpts from a Presentation   161
The Refugee Committee   162
Active Leaders (In various societies)   162
“Interest Free Loan Society”   163
The Mutual Aid Society   163
Philanthropists and Benefactors   164
 
Movements
Lovers of Zion and the Zionist Movement Pinhas Gal (Fogelman) 173
Baron Rothschild and the Sons of Radom   174
The Zionist Organization Organizes   175
The Zionist Printing House in Drilzh Moshe Shadmi (Grosfeld) 177
The General Zionist Organization Moishe Rotenberg 178
Letters from the Austrian Occupation   179
1911 - 1918 Moshe Shoshani 181
The Aliyot (Immigrations) From Radom David Tzadkani (Rekhtman) 183
The “Lithuanian Commune”   183
The Beginning of the First Aliyah Moishe Pomrok 183
Episodes from the Group “105” Arnold Rozenfeld 185
The Third Aliyah Yekhiel Ben Yakov (Golembyovsky) 186
The Fourth Aliyah   187
The “Hechalutz” (Pioneer) Farm Khaim Taykhman 188
Memories of the Farm   189
The “League” for Workers in the Land of Israel” Moishe Stashevsky 190
The Clubhouse of “Hashomer Hatzair” Sala Blushteyn (Kimchi) 191
The Labour Zionist Movement (Po'alei Zion), As I Remember It Sh. Ben – Chaim 192
The Pioneer Movement Yonah Ben – Yakov 195
“Daughters of Zion” Dvorah Banker – Grushkvevitch 195
The “Pioneer Fund”   196
Kibbutz Three Vs   196
The Training Kibbutz Named for Reb Shmuel Mohliver Yisroel Grintz 197
Kibbutz “Breishit” (Genesis)   197
“Masada” Fela Burshteyn – Kimchi 198
“Mizrachi” Dr. Y. Grinitz 198
The Revisionist Movement Yisroel Gertner 200
”Menorah” Moshe Reichnadel 203
The “Agudas Yisroel” Yitzkhak Raykhman 203
Active Leaders in the Movements   205
The Strikes in 1905   209
The “Bund” and Professional Unions   210
The Bells Rang… Samuel Grosfeld 210
Sons of Radom who Fell in the Spanish Civil War Alfred Grant 212
Radom's Professions (poem) Yehoshua Lender 214
 
Writers and their Works
The Pleiad of Radom Writers   217
Yehoshua Perle   218
Perle, the Artist of the Polish Landscape Yehoshua Lender 218
Everyday Jews Yehoshua Perle 219
About Leyb Malakh (bio–bibliography)   223
The Road Back (A Short Story) Leyb Malakh 224
Moishe Dovid Gisser (bio–bibliography)   226
Poems Moishe Dovid Gisser 227
Moishe Dovid's Continuity   229
A Safe Harbour Uri Gisser 229
The Mirror and Me (poem) Tamar Gisser / Ramot Menashe 230
Leo Finkelshteyn (bio–bibliography)   231
The Atmosphere in Poland… Leo Finkelshteyn 231
Khaim Mordkhai Fligelman I. L. Zucker 234
Yehuda and Tamar Kh. M. Fligelman 234
Yehuda Leyb Vohlman L. Tz. 236
Dr. Yitzkhak Veynberg   237
A. Lerman   237
Tuviya Rutman   238
Not by Might nor by Power (a poem) Tuvia Rutman 238
 
Authors and Torah Scholars
Reb Naftali son of Pinkhas –Zev Halevy M. Sh. Gashori 239
Reb Meir Halevy Bornshteyn M. Sh. Gashori 239
Rabbi Yehuda (Yudl) Roznberg M. Sh. Gashori 239
Rabbi Eliezer Lipman Perl M. Sh. Gashori 240
Rabbi Yishaye Zlotnik Yisroel Grintz 240
 
Newspapers and Editors   241
The Artist Avrom Rozenboym Yekhiel Aronson 243
Artists, Musicians, Writers   244
 
A City with Jews
The Beautiful Polish – Jewish City Leah Radomska 247
The Old Garden (poem) Alter Wolf Wertheim 248
A “Skhodke” (“Secret Meeting”) in 1905 Yehoshua Perle 249
People Say… Moishe Stashevsky 252
Curiosities Kh. Taykhman 254
The Synagogue Street Meylekh Guthertz 255
Memories Yehuda Leybush Tzuker 256
Mordkhai Beynish the Fireman Yehuda Leyb Tzuker 259
The Life Journey of a Proletarian Avrom Shtorkh 260
Two Poems Kh. L. Khuberman 263
The Sabbath Woman N. D Korman 264
The Sabbath and Holidays Feyge Rokhl Benet 264
Yosele the Haybam's Yekhiel Popielnik - Popper 265
Yakov Hershele the Informer Yekhiel Popielnik - Popper 266
Tales Sh. Margolis 267
The Cripple Gitl Rozentzveyg – Farber 272
A Dybbuk – An Evil Spirit Mordkahi Tzuker 273
About Three Rabbis   274
 
The Destruction of Radom
September Days–1939   277
The German Army Arrives   278
The Judenrat   279
Kiddush–Hashem   279
Lack of Living Conditions, Forced Labour and Jewish Offices   281
Living – To the Death   282
In Lublin and at the Russian Border   283
The First Expulsion   284
Ghetto; The Jewish Police, the Office for Living Conditions   285
Ghetto Administration   286
It Becomes More and More Difficult   287
An Ordinary Day in the Ghetto   288
Health Conditions in the Ghetto   290
Political Life   292
Cultural Life in the Ghetto   296
Religious Life in the Ghetto   298
Robbery, Murder, Actions in the Ghetto   299
Work-Places   300
Liquidation of the Glinice Ghetto   301
After the Liquidation of the Glinice Ghetto   303
The Liquidation of the Large Ghetto   306
The Evacuation of the Jewish Hospital, Orphanage and Old-Peoples' Home   311
After the Evacuation   312
The number of Jews in the Radomer district in the “General Government”   314
In the Little Ghetto   316
The Jewish Property   317
Daily Life in the Little Ghetto   317
The Ghetto Administration   318
Work Places and Labour Camps   319
The Little Beit Midrash in the Little Ghetto   319
Several Families Travel to Eretz–Israel   320
The Registration for Eretz Israel   320
The Resettlement to Szydlowiec   321
The Murder on New Year's Eve   321
The “Action” of January 13   321
Massacre of Intellectuals, Purim March 21, 1943   323
The Murder in Wolanow   325
The Liquidation of the “Little Ghetto”   326
The Concentration Camp on Szkolna Street   327
The Bloody March from Radom – Tomoshov – Oswiecim   329
The Women in Auschwitz   332
In Majdanek, Plashov, and Vielichki   333
The Fate of the Radomer Women in Majdanek   335
On the Cursed German Soil: The Concentration Camps   336
Radomer Jews executed in the Vaihingen concentration camp,
who were brought to be buried in the Radom cemetery
  344
List of Radomer Jews in Dachau, who were buried in Leitinberg   345
List of Jews from various towns who were killed along
with those from Radom in the Vaihingen concentration camp
  345
Radom Martyrs and Rebels Yishaye Eiger 346
“Kol Nidre” in Auschwitz and the Revenge on a Kapo Yona Borenstein 350
A Pesach Seder in Vaihingen Moshe Perl (Hebrew: L. Richtman-Yiddish) 351
The Liberation of a Group of Radomers Moshe Kirschenblatt 352
Partisans, Heroes and Martyrs L. Richtman 354
The death of a Brave Partisan Shmuel Gutman (Gzhegozh) 362
 
Two Figures in the Ghetto
Rabbi Israel Shapiro Leibel Richtman 365
Felicia Horowitz Lea Pines 365
A Child In Hell Sarah Neidik-Wallach 366
Wandering (Refugees from Radom in the Soviet Union) M. Stashevsky 366
Jewish Life in Radom after Liberation Yakov Vayngort 372
The Death of My Sister Reizel Chana Margalit- Grodzinski 374
People Under Cover Binyomin Elis 375
The Wedding (poem) M.D. Gisser 378
 
The German Exile
The “Radom Center” in Stuttgart Leibel Rychtman 381
The Stuttgart Events Leibel Rychtman 392
Shmuel Danziger Leibel Richtman 393
The Aliya Beth and the Deportation to Cyprus Sarah Neidik-Wallach 393
The New Generation (poem) M.D. Gisser 394
 
In Our Own Country
Our Town People from the Second Aliya Our Town People from the Second Aliya 397
Across Borders M. Stashefski 398
Meetings with A.D. Gordon and Yosef Trumpeldor David Tzidkuni (Rechtman) 398
The Hut of Malka'le Neidik Miriam Shir 399
The Virgin Family Israel Frenkel 401
Concentrated Work-Places in the Land I.L. Zuker 402
A Letter from Radom Ben – David (Moishe Zayfman) 402
Three Who Did Not Survive Yehuda G. 403
 
Heroes of Israel Leybl Rikhtman  
 
Nekhemiah Bakman   407
Chaim Ben –David   407
Zvi Ze'ev Zeira   407
Motl Minkovsky   408
Shloime (“Salek”) Sallbe   408
Yitzkhak Smotritch (“Smity”)   408
Menachem Fridman   409
Hillel Fikhtnboym   409
Menachem Koyfman   409
Emanuel Kleynman   409
Yosef (Yoske) Roznboym   410
Yitzchak Meir Rotman   410
Yisrael Shvartzman   410
 
Fighters and Defenders
Dov Berl Zelker F. Gal 411
Khaim Birenboym Shmuel Tzuker 411
Shmuel Noam – Tzuker Yehuda Tzuker 412
A Soldier had Fallen (sonnet) Moishe Knapheys 413
 
Communal Activists who Died in the Land of Israel   414
 
My Mother Yehuda G. 421
Kaddish (The Prayer for the Dead) (poem) M.D Gisser 421
 
The Organization of Former Radom Residents in Israel Leybl Rikhtman 422
The Land of Israel (poem) M.D. Gisser 426
 
Radom Jews Throughout the World
 
1. In America
The First Radom Congregation   429
The “Radomer Culture Center”   430
Forty Years “United Radomer Relief” Alfred Lipson 432
The History of Relief Shlomo Lifshitz 433
Employees, Committee Members and Activists in New York   435
50 years of the Radom Workmen's Circle, branch 369 Samuel Grossfeld 435
“The Radom Mutual Society” in New York Yisroel Glat 436
 
2. In Canada
Radom Mutual Benefit Society in Toronto   439
The History of the Radom Aid Society in Montreal Yechiel Popper – Popielnik 440
“Sons of Radom” in Toronto   441
 
3. In Australia
The Radomer Centre in Melbourne Shmuel [Samuel] Benett 441
 
4. In France
Society “Les Amis de Radom” in Paris Chaim Leib Huberman 442
The “Patronate”   443
After the Holocaust Moishe Epshteyn 444
Two Trips Sh. Fishman 446
The Founders of the Society “Friends of Radom”   446
 
Yizkor – Remember 453
Murdered and Deceased Radom Jews perpetuated their Relatives and Friends in America and Canada 454
Murdered and Deceased Radom Jews perpetuated their Relatives and Friends in France 469
Radom Jews Tortured in Shemberg Nazi Concentration Camp 476
Yizkor [List of victims] 483
 
 
Radom in Pictures
 
English Section
 
Foreword   III
Introduction   VII
 
Part I: Creative Years
Pages from the Past   3
Pioneers in Industry and Fighters for Freedom   5
Religious Life in Radom   7
Modern Currents   12
Center of Industry   15
Pioneers in Industry   20
Jewish Education in Radom   22
Radom's Contribution to Literature and Art   27
Yechiel Frenkel – A Portrait of a Civic and National Leader   29
Municipal Affairs   31
Pogrom in Przytyk   33
 
Part II: The Years of Disaster
Under Nazi Rule   39
The Ghettos in Radom   42
Health Conditions in the Ghetto   47
Cultural Activities in the Ghetto   49
Robbery and Murder   51
Labor Camps   58
K.L. on Szkolna   63
Death Camps   66
A Modern Odyssey   68
Vaihingen and Dachau   70
Journey to Life   72
 
Part III: Rebellion
Active and Passive Resistance   77
 
Part IV: Recovery
In the Displaced Persons Center of Stuttgart   85
UNRRA and its Role   90
 
Part V: Building Anew
Radomers – Pioneers in Israel   95
In Australia   96
In France   98
In Canada   99
In the United States   100
History of the United Radomer Relief   106
In the Service of Their People   113
Who's Who in Literature and the Arts   115
Radom Name Index   116

 


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