Organizations and Federations

On the following pages, I wish to recall some memories from my childhood, my youth and my young adulthood spent in Sanok. Sanok is where I was born, educated and where I participated in its communal life until the outbreak of World War II in September 1939.

The traditionalist-nationalist atmosphere which pervaded in my parental home influenced without doubt the direction on my studies, my national consciousness and my weltanschauung (perception of the world).

My first memories relate to my attendance at the public Hebrew school, the only one of its type in Sanok. This school was a “Safa Berura” school under the leadership of Mr. Adelbert (Avraham) Szenbach of blessed memory and my father Herman (Tzvi) Sobel of blessed memory. The teachers Marmorstein and Abt of blessed memory taught there. The former stopped teaching after some time and the latter continued until the day of his death. Images of the funeral of the teacher Abt of blessed memory remain etched in my mind. Almost all the Jews of Sanok attended the funeral: Zionists and non-Zionists, hundreds of his students from all eras and all of his friends and acquaintances. This funeral turned into a form of nationalist procession. Nationalist life in the city and the awakening and revival of the Hebrew language are attributable to him. Thanks to him, Hebrew became a spoken language in various circles in the city, particularly among the youth.

The school also served as a springboard for youth movements whose meetings took place in the classrooms. I participated in the Hashomer Hatzair movement, and at age 11 I was among the first of its members in the city. It was led by the members Eliahu Bin and David Lazar, today a well-known writer and editor, who visited us from Krakow from time to time. From early on we began to prepare for aliya to the Land. We worked in various Jewish workshops as well as in Amster's field. This work was not steady or orderly, for the government forbade activities of this nature in the Jewish youth movements, and especially in the Polish gymnasium. It should be noted that at this time, almost all of the members of Hashomer Hatzair were students of the gymnasium in Sanok. Our meetings and everything which involved preparation for the aliya had to be done in secret. In order to prevent being expelled from the gymnasium, we could not make our participation in Hashomer Hazair public knowledge as the movement's main objective was to maintain a national Hebrew culture and to prepare for a new and productive life in the Land.

We continued with the activities of the movement despite the various obstacles and difficulties. Initially I served as head of the group and later as head of the division. Together with other members, we directed the troupe and the chapter of Hashomer Hatzair in the city. The other members were Moshe Reis and Yaacov Appel, both of whom perished in the Holocaust. I left the movement as a student in the 6^th or the 7^th grade, and I believe the others that I mentioned also moved to other youth movements. At that time, the chapter began to include youth from other strata in the city, not only from the gymnasium students.

My period of academic life began with entrance to the university in Lwow. Since I was studying political jurisprudence, I was able to remain in Sanok for the bulk of my studies. I then founded


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a chapter of the Hashachar academic organization in Sanok, in which other academics such as me who spent most of their time in Sanok participated. This academic organization was most active during the vacation months when students returned from the universities. Of course this organization had a nationalist Zionist character. Its purpose was to disseminate Zionist culture and consciousness among its members, who at that time were active in the university cities.

At that time a spirit of assimilation spread among the majority of Jewish university students and the Jewish intelligentsia. During the census, they would identify themselves as Poles of the Mosaic persuasion. Therefore, the academic organizations had an important role and significant, if not decisive, influence on the intelligentsia who stood at the helm of social, communal and general life in the cities.

When I was the president of the Jewish academic organization in Sanok, among other things, I organized popular courses in the evenings for Jewish adults who did not have general knowledge, and who spoke the vernacular language with difficulty. The aim of these courses was to impart elementary knowledge in various areas of study. Among everything else, the curriculum included the study of the Hebrew language, taught by Mr. Eliahu Berger. The courses were conducted in the rooms of the Hebrew school during the evening hours. The teachers who volunteered for this purpose included Appel, Lazar and others, who each participated for two hours each week. One of the courses that was taught was human anatomy. For this purpose, I brought in a human skeleton, which was placed in one of the rooms.

When I completed my studies at university, I went to work in the legal and judicial profession as an apprentice with a lawyer, as well as in the courts. Later, I worked as an independent lawyer. I turned my communal activities to other horizons. I founded and organized a club for the Jewish intelligentsia of Sanok in a six-room rented premises in the home of Mr. Ripp. I directed this club along with a committee which included, among others, Shimon Reich, Eisenbach the pharmacist, the lawyer Dr. Nehmer, and others. This club had an exclusive character. It numbered 150 members. Cultural and social life was conducted there. Its tendency was nationalist-Zionist, even though it did not occupy itself with politics. The aforementioned meeting place existed until the outbreak of the war in 1939.

As I discuss communal life in Sanok, I must mention Dr. Nehmer as the chairman of the general Zionists. He was a dear and upright man, dedicated with all his heart to the Zionist movement, which was his daily bread until his final moment. There were few like him. His home and office were always opened to any local or general Zionist activity. His faithful wife Mrs. Fani Nehmer, the chairwoman of WIZO in the city, joined him in his activities. They perished during the Nazi occupation. Their memories will always be guarded in my heart. The Zionist committee was active in municipal life in the city, and its representatives always participated in the governing of the city, albeit they did not take the first place. Similarly, the Zionist faction participated in the communal council which was headed by Dr. Nehmer^[1] of blessed memory, and included among others Herman Sobel of blessed memory.

Dr. Nehmer and my father acted as assessors in the city council for an extended period. Their influence on the conduct of affairs in the city was quite important and significant for the local Jews, most of whom were small-scale shopkeepers and tradesmen. The threat of denial of permits and issues of taxation were always significant for members of those trades. My father of blessed memory worked a great deal on behalf of these poor Jews. On Sabbaths after the synagogue services he always visited the local authorities in order to remove the threat of tax impropriety, etc. He never did so with the intent of receiving payment. In most cases, he succeeded in gaining some benefit for the tradesmen.


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The History of the activities of the Jewish National Fund in our City

We do not have full details and exact official dates about the history of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael in Sanok and its first activities in our city. However, it is clear to us, and we heard this as well from the elders of our city, that there was such activity in our city even before the First World War. A committee conducted collections and organized publicity within the city and outside the bounds of our city. It seems that at that time, the activities on behalf of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael stood at the head of the Zionist activity, and took a prime place in the nationalist activities of the Zionist youth in the city.

The Keren Kayemet LeYisrael was more loved by all strata of the Jewish community than all the other national funds and Zionist campaigns. The sublime goal of redeeming land spoke to the Jewish heart of all strata and factions in the city. It is known that even the most zealous of the Orthodox Jews, who were strong opponents of Jewish nationalism in general and Zionism in particular, did not express any strong opposition to the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael. It was a custom to collect money for charitable organizations on the Eve of Yom Kippur. All Jewish organizations as well as charities and benevolent institutions placed their collection plates on the tables of the synagogues, Beis ha Midrash and Kloizes prior to the Kol Nidre service. It was the plate of Keren Kayemet Le Yisrael that stood out from all the other collection plates through its decorative placards and publicity statements. Not only did the Jews of Sanok “tolerate” this, but they generously placed their coins in it as they did into the other plates. To further explain this phenomenon, we must recall that it was well known, and the members of Mizrachi helped disseminate, the fact that the money donated to the Jewish National Fund was not used to violate a commandment of the Torah, as was done with the monies of some of the other funds. As an example of this, the zealots opposed to Zionism knew that the money of the Keren HaYesod was used for non-religious or even anti-religious education in the Land, as well as to support the sins of desecrating the Sabbath and festivals.

It is no wonder then that the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael took root in the Jewish community of the city and penetrated all corners of communal and social life. At every festivity, celebration, party or joyous religious occasion, the blue box was displayed prominently, without being pushed to the side by anyone. There were houses in Jewish Sanok in which the box of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael was placed alongside the box of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness^[2], without any separation or differentiation between the two. The Jewish community in Sanok, and the Jewish youth in particular, were imbued with enthusiastic appreciation and devotion to the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael – as is said today, they possessed a complete “consciousness” for the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael.

As we stated at the outset, we do not possess details and facts about the first activities of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael in our city. However, there is no doubt at all about the essence of the activities of two generations in our city. We also have facts and testimony, both oral and written, from those people who acted and lived their Zionist-communal life, and also bequeathed this life to us.

We find documentary literature on this subject in the newspaper of the local committee of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael in Sanok as a publicity organ for the activities of the organization. In Yom-Tov-Blatt issue 1, whose date is given on the front page as the eve of Rosh Hashanah 5680 – that is 1920 – each page includes publicity articles, declarations, announcements, and calls of support for the benefit of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael. The general impression that is gleaned from the spirit and tone of the words


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indicates that the activities that are being discussed are known and accepted, that the movement itself is known, accepted, and well spread out in the community, with a tradition to its activities and seniority for its faithful and activists. For example, the announcement by the local committee of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael in Sanok about emptying the boxes was stated in common terms and everyday language, as if this was the daily bread of the readers in general, and the activists of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael in particular. These clear signs that point to the constant, longstanding and well-rooted existence of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael movement in Sanok stand out even more clearly in the rest of the material of the newspaper, both textual and general documentary, such as the advertising of the places where one can purchase Keren Kayemet stamps, copies of Keren Kayemet telegrams, as well as personal announcements of mourning, comforting of mourners and participation in joyous occasions which were accompanied by the note: “trees were planted in the Herzl Forest”.

If, in addition to all that was said above, we look at the situation in a straightforward fashion and do not ignore the fact that all of the Zionist activities throughout the year in that era could not be conducted without raising money for the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael in various fashions; it is clear that the beginnings of the activity for the Keren Kayemet in Sanok is closely tied with the founding of the Zionist organization in Sanok. From this we can surmise that the beginning of the existence of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael in Sanok was in 1894, the year of the founding of the first Zionist organization in Sanok. (See the article by Ozer Pipe on page 28 of this book.)

The Committee of the Zion Organization in Sanok in 5685 / 1925

A. Tasks and Activists

I study the photograph and attempt to remember. First, the date: November 5, 1933. Second, the members of the committee, and all of the associated connections.

1933 was the year that Hitler ascended to leadership. I passed through the street and stopped next to the store of Shalom Katz of blessed memory. I was already a student of the “eighth,” the eve of the matriculation examinations, and I understood very well the political meaning of the event that was announced in the daily newspapers in large letters. I felt deeply that something had happened in Germany, and that the fate of the Jews in the countries of Europe, especially the countries of Eastern Europe, was progressively weakening. I decided in my heart to do everything to strengthen aliya to the Land of Israel in order to save the Jewish youth to the extent possible from the abyss of anti-Semitism that was growing with the ascent of Nazi fascism to power.

I look at the recognizable faces of the members of the committee. First and foremost, the family of Mr.


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Leib Werner, whose son escaped from the Nazi hell in a miraculous manner, and who arrived to Israel in full body and spirit. He lives here among us today. This is in contrast to the rest of the family members who perished in the terrible Holocaust. Leib Werner was known among us as a dedicated Zionist and a person blessed with organizational talents. Everyone placed their faith in him and related to him as a neutral personality whose main interest was the benefit of the fund for the redemption of the land for the nation, without any narrow political agenda. Here is Yacov Alster, may he live long, who was also a central figure in the Zion organization.

For a long time, this Zion organization defined the personality of Mr. Alster in my mind. Perhaps this was due to the fact that he displayed initiative and activism in various areas, and perhaps because I would always see him at the meeting place when I came for a meeting, or when I came to exchange a book at the Ivriya Library.

I am unable to give details about Aryeh Lefelstil, for he was many years older than I, and I did not have close contact with him. I do know that he came from a Zionist family with a tradition of wide-branched activity, and it was not surprising that his place was never absent in the work for the Keren Kayemet.

{Photo page 152: The Keren Kayemet committee in 5685 – 1925.}

David Werner and Eliezer Bahl were close neighbors. Werner, Bahl and Taubenfeld (all three of them perished in the Holocaust, may G-d avenge their blood) were more familiar to me, for I had more opportunity to meet them, in our home or in Bahl's home, when they came to visit my older brother, may G-d avenge his soul, who was their friend of the same age. Already then, I was able to assess their qualities from all perspectives, and understand their dedication to communal work in general, and the work of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael in particular. This was the same with Chana Weiss (also a Holocaust victim, may G-d avenge her blood) whom I knew well from my membership with her in a certain party. Aside from the aforementioned members Alster and Loeffelstil;


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to our great joy, we have Yissachar Englard, Eliahu Pinsel and Fischel Rauch from among these members with us here in the Land.

For a period of time, I had the privilege of serving as secretary of the committee. From my service in that role, I can say that despite the fact that the members of the committee had different outlooks with respect to Zionism that were to some extent distant one from the other, for they came to the committee from different parties; nevertheless, they were completely united in the work for the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael itself. On the other hand, I can state that the committee was sufficiently representative, and was accepted by all the various Zionist streams in our city.

I do not have statistical facts in my hand, but it is known that Sanok was considered to be one of the important cities in Western Galicia in the arena of activity on behalf of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael, and in general was known as a city in which the various Zionist streams had great influence.

B. Methods of Action of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael in Sanok

The most honorable part of the activity for the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael, with respect to financial income, but even more with respect to the educational value for the broad spectrum of people, especially the Jewish youth, was the monthly emptying of the blue box.

The city was divided into different areas, and pairs of youths from the various chapters of the Jewish youth organizations, including the religious youth, the General Zionists, and Hashomer Hatzair, conducted this work with great enthusiasm and with patriotic feelings toward their movements. These sums were added to those of other chapters of the national movement, and were publicized in newspapers. Indeed, at times, a spirit of competition between the youth movement activists was felt in this matter; but this never adversely affected the activity. On the contrary, this was a type of positive jealousy that only led to a benefit for the activity and an increase in income.

On occasion, a “Flower Day” was declared in the city. The representatives of the movements once again set out in pairs, distributed emblems, and tied them to the lapel of the clothing in exchange for a small donation for the blue box.

We also purchased stamps of the Jewish National Fund as a form of internal tax that letter writers voluntarily took upon themselves. The stamp was usually affixed to the inside of the letter in order to prevent disputes with the government representatives of the post and the telegraph.

It was also usual and customary that every youth movement would set aside a specific portion of the income from the proceeds of ticket sales to its parties for the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael.

At times, a party with an artistic program (song, dance or a small play) was arranged, with the entire income being dedicated to the redeeming of land in the Land of Israel, and to the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael.

The Keren Kayemet LeYisrael was a unifying factor among all of the Zionist youth movements who in general, for various reasons, had conflicts with each other over the soul of the Jewish youth and for various positions in the city. These activities formed a type of bridge between the older generation with a longstanding Zionist past, and the Jewish youth who were taking their first steps in this very important arena.

Finally: the activities for the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael brought the Jewish community, with its various components, close to the reality of the Land of Israel and its problems. All this placed its imprint upon the city as a strong Zionist city. It was not among the smaller ones in Galicia in terms of the number of its residents who actualized themselves and made aliya.

However, we do know in general that immediately after the founding of the world Mizrachi movement (Adar 5662, 1902), organizations and meeting places of Mizrachi were founded in many cities of Galicia, both large and small. Due to the conditions of the cultural, intellectual and national spirit of the Jewish population of Sanok during that era, we have no reason to assume that the Jews of the city of Sanok deviated from the way and thinking of the rest of the Jews in the cities and towns of Galicia. With this assumption, along with the estimation of our townsfolk from their memories, it is clear to us that the Mizrachi organization already existed in our city during the first years of the 20^th century.

Indeed, we do have an authentic historical certification of the existence of Mizrachi in Sanok in the year 5664 (1904). Tzvi Abt of blessed memory, the veteran Hebrew educator who educated three generations in Sanok to the knowledge and love of Hebrew, and who served as the principal of the Hebrew school of Sanok during the final period, writes in the name of The Mizrachi Organization of Sanok in the Hamitzpeh weekly, published by Sh. M. Lazar in Krakow, in the issue of 12^th Av, 5664 (July 21, 1904) about a mourning gathering for Dr. Herzl that was organized by that organization in the Yad Charutzim hall “to eulogize our great leader who was taken from us.”

As in every place and time, including in our city of Sanok, when the Mizrachi organization was first founded and consolidated, it directed its first and primary concern to the cultural and educational realm. This was indeed set out in the founding of the organization, for Mizrachi is an acronym for “Merkaz Ruchani” (Spiritual Center). Of course, first and foremost was collaborative action with all the activities of the Zionist movement in our city, such as Keren Kayemet LeYisrael (Jewish National Fund), Keren HaYesod, participation in the communal council, and other such activities. Cultural-educational activities were one of the separate activities of Mizrachi, unique to it. We find that the Mizrachi organization founded a school in 1918, under the rubric of a modern cheder (Cheder Metukan), and later, an actual Hebrew school that ended up being affiliated with the Yavneh organization of Warsaw under the general rubric of the Yavneh school network of Poland. The fine development of this school, which reached broad and fine proportions, was due to the successful, large-scale accomplishments of Mizrachi in our city.

The second important achievement of the Mizrachi organization and the Torah VaAvoda movement in our city, providing the landscape for continued future development, was the establishment of the synagogue as part of the meeting place. It later moved to the spacious hall of the organization in the Weiner building. Readers will find more complete details of each of these realms of activity and successes of the Mizrachi organization in appropriate sections of this book (see pages 52 and 68), and especially – in the memoirs of the two veterans of the Mizrachi organization, Eliahu Berger and Uri Katz, who stood at its cradle, and actively participated in its development and foundation, each in his own area of activity. They will write for us sections of what they remember.


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{Photo page 156: The visit of Rabbi Menachem Hager of blessed memory, one of the important leaders of World Mizrachi, to Sanok for the celebration of the opening of the Mizrachi Synagogue. Sitting (in the second row from the bottom) in the center, to his right: Dr. Weinryb, Shlomo Kramer, Tzvi Jonas. To his left: Reb Shlomo Amster, Rabbi Moshe Kamelhar, Reb Yosef Springer.}

In the year 1920, the Mizrachi organization declared the foundation of Young Mizrachi affiliated with the Mizrachi organization, or, as it was later called, the Torah VaAvoda movement. To that end, a special convention of the national Mizrachi organization was convened in Lwow, in which I participated as a delegate of the Sanok chapter along with Shlomo Kramer. With the growth of the organization, we rented a hall from Mr. Puretz (the photographer) on the Third of May Street. Aside from the successful activities in the field of Zionism, we succeeded in founding a synagogue, in which a large, variegated group came to worship. Successful activities also took place in the field of culture. Various evening courses were arranged for adults and youth. The success of our chapter and its blessed activities gave off waves throughout the country. Fine echoes of this also reached the centers of Warsaw and even the Land of Israel. As a result of this, our chapter was able to host visits from great rabbis as well as leaders of the movement, such as Rabbi Y. L. Kobelski,


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The Mizrachi organization in our city grew and developed, and from all perspectives significantly exceeded the general Zionist organization in Sanok. The situation reached the point where the general organization rented us their large hall in the center of the city in the home of Reb Yitzchok Weiner of blessed memory. The synagogue also moved to that location, and many young men and youths came to us from all strata of the city. It was a great honor to be accepted as a regular worshipper in our synagogue. For the most part, a young man after his marriage knew that his place was only in the Mizrachi synagogue, without paying any attention to his political affiliations. The number of regular worshippers on the Sabbath reached 159 people. The synagogue also had a women's gallery in the balcony with approximately 100 seats. We still remember the festival days and the enthusiastic, sublime atmosphere that pervaded in that synagogue. The spirit of enthusiasm and joy during the hakafot on the festival of Simchat Torah, along with the enthusiastic dancing that took place, is still not forgotten. For the most part, the festivities would continue until after midnight. After the conclusion of the hakafot in the synagogues and Beis Midrashes of the city, many people streamed toward the Mizrachi Synagogue in order to join in the hakafot and festivities of our youth. On Hoshana Rabba, women would get up early in order to ensure that they had a place in the women's gallery of the Mizrachi Synagogue to participate in the festive services of that day.

{Photo page 158: Members of Bruria, before the aliya of Rabbi Moshe Kamelhar, the head of Mizrachi in the city, and Shmuel Bodner.}

The most important factor in the speedy development of our organization in Sanok was the establishment of a synagogue in our meeting place. The founding of the synagogue made a strong impression throughout the entire city. After great efforts, we succeeded in bringing Rabbi Hager of blessed memory of Sosnowiec to the opening ceremonies. He came to Sanok over the Sabbath, and delivered an enthusiastic sermon to a congregation of hundreds of people from all strata, who listened to his words and were astonished at their content and form. Those most active in obtaining the hall and establishing the synagogue included Chaim Aryeh Goetzler, Shimon Kauflich, Peritz Pinsel, David Kramer, and, may they live, Eliahu Berger and the writer of these lines. I still recall the classes in the weekly Torah portion with the commentary of the Holy Or Chaim given by Reb Shlomo Amster of blessed memory, as well as the Bible classes given by our member Shalom Guttman, one of our educational veterans, who lives today in Canada.

From among the elderly members who were the founders of Mizrachi, the following continued with their activities: Reb Shlomo Kramer of blessed memory who never withheld effort, time, money and energy and responded to any call and any time of need; and Reb Berisch Rosenfeld. Both had formerly been worshippers of the Tzanz Kloiz, where they disseminated the idea of Mizrachi and conducted publicity on its behalf among those zealots. It is easy to imagine how many difficulties they endured in this.

After a short period, we received reinforcement for our activities and our struggle. Dr. Mattisyahu Weinryb arrived in town after he married the daughter of Reb Obediah Zilber, and opened up a law office. He was a party man of a high level. He joined our ranks and began his work with all the required enthusiasm. It was not long before he was selected as the chairman of our movement in Sanok. Later, he was also elected to the city council. I still recall his lecture in the hall of the large city Beis Midrash. This was an election speech prior to the city council elections, and he made a deep impression upon the hundreds of people gathered. The speech was spiced with many interesting statements from our sages. This was the first time that such a large audience saw before them this lawyer, whose external appearance was no different than any other lawyer, but who showed himself internally to be a G-d fearing Jew, and a scholar familiar with the wisdom of Israel. Primarily, he was a warm Jew who had a high level of religious national consciousness. Dr. Weinryb was the only lawyer in our city who had a mezuzah affixed to the door of his office, and whose office was closed completely on Sabbaths and festivals. I recall a large trial against a group of young Communists that took place in the district court of Sanok. Dr. Weinryb was engaged by the court as the defendant. One of the hearings took place on Yom Kippur. The court directors knew that Dr. Weinryb was an observant Jew and would not write on Yom Kippur, so they assigned a special assistant to him to write and record for him everything that was required. This brought honor to the Name of G-d, and left a very deep impression upon all those present in the court, even the gentiles.

From among those who served as pillars of the Mizrachi organization of Sanok during that era and who strengthened it spiritually, I believe we must point out Rabbi Moshe Kamelhar and Elazar Schwerd (today Sharbit). Both of them gave a great deal of their energy, and especially of their spirit, for matters of


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our organization in our town. They were active in our movement until their aliya, and their influence among our members was recognizable and very strong. Rabbi Moshe Kamelhar preceded Mr. Schwerd-Sharbit in aliya to the Land, and remained in contact with us even from here. I recall the deep impression made upon all of us by his words of blessing to us on the occasion of the celebration of the 15^th anniversary of the existence our organization and movement in Sanok. This was published in “HaTor” in Jerusalem by the central office of Mizrachi, edited by Rabbi Elimelech Neufeld of blessed memory (see the appendix).

Our youth excelled in its vibrant activities in all campaigns and fundraising events related to the movement itself and to the Zionist movement in general. The youth did everything voluntarily, of course, and with great enthusiasm – all in an atmosphere that was not all that calm in Poland at that time, from a political and especially from a financial perspective, due to the severe depression in general, and to the very bad physical situation of the Polish Jews in particular.

Our movement demonstrated great dedication in the city with regard to the aliya of young members from our ranks. We provided them with necessary assistance with respect to everything needed for preparations for aliya, from going out to hachshara (aliya preparation) activities, to the obtaining of certificates for them, all the way to providing them with necessary monetary assistance to finance their travel and provide them with provisions and clothing from the time they would arrive in the Land until they would become acclimatized. Sometimes, the money was given to them as a grant, and at other times, their family who remained behind later repaid the money.

{Photo page 160: The “Hapina Haivrit” (Hebrew Corner) club affiliated with the Mizrachi chapter of Sanok at a farewell party for Eliahu Pinsel upon his aliya.}

Here we should note the efforts that we made during a specific time with regard to the hachshara depot that was opened in Sanok, through our initiative, for the groups of Torah VaAvoda members from various cities in Galicia. During their stay in our city, we made sure to include them in the activities of the movement in our city, as well as to make their lives, work and free time more pleasant in various manners. Several members of this hachshara group


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later made aliya to the Land, and are here today. All of them settled very well, and established homes and families. Some of them have already seen the second and third generation continue along their path through our movement.

As an organized movement in our city, we were active in local political activities during the elections to the city council and communal council, as well as during elections for the Polish Sejm. The writer of these lines was one of the most active in these areas of work, which at that time required a great deal of effort, time and physical strength for the publicity efforts, debates, and night meetings that at times continued until 2:00 or 3:00 a.m., despite the need to go to one's daily work in the morning.

In order to conduct activities such as this, for the elections and other such things, we would invite through the agency of the central offices of the movement various famous personalities from among the leaders of our movement, thinking about the great value that such visits to our city would have. In this manner, we merited having visits from Rabbi Fishman-Maimon of blessed memory, Rabbi Yeshiyahu Schapira of blessed memory, and – may they live – Sh. Z. Schrage, Yeshayahu Rubenstein, Natan Grodi, and others. We made sure that their public addresses would take place in the large halls of the city, especially the hall of the large Beis Midrash, which would always be filled with an audience of several hundred people of all ages, strata, and classes. The audience would listen very attentively to the words about the Land and its upbuilding, and the speakers would leave a deep impression. Along with this, I know that our movement in our city, including its older and younger members, left a strong impression upon these leadership personalities, who left our city after their visits filled with astonishment and laden with deep experiences.

In all of these matters, the dedicated activities of the members who stood at the helm of the movement, whose names have already been mentioned above, stood out. I should add the names of Chaim-Aryeh Goetzler, Shimon Kauflich, and Peretz Pinsel, who did not merit seeing the realization of our aspirations, and perished in the Holocaust.


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Finally: I did not extensively discuss the activities and dedication of many of our members, young and old, who bore the yoke of work as their daily bread in all spheres of activity of our organization, or who bore the idea of the movement as a holy fire, and worked with all their energy at any time that they were called. Some of them succeeded in making aliya, and are with us today and continue in their and our path. These include Shmuel Bodner, Moshe Puretz, Eliahu Pinsel, Pinchas Sturmlaufer, Tzvi Shamri (Schmarlobiski), and others. I must here ask forgiveness of all those whose names I forgot to mention in writing. They are remembered and engraved upon the heart from those stormy days, the days of aspirations and ideals, the days of toil and dedicated, faithful activity for the Mizrachi idea, in whose light we have walked and reached this place!

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