Tales from Sanok
(Some Sanok Characters)

Written by Berel Rabach

Translated by James Raff

A Pair of Sanok "Types"

"Isaac Boy" (a true story)

There was in Sanok a religious older boy. His name was Isaacle (Little Isaac). He did not wish to get married because he was shy with people. He would put up a "chupah" (wedding canopy) and he used to say, but only in a cellar where one couldn't see. But on Shabbat, to the services, he would wear a "shtrammel" (hat with fur foxtails). This was a rarity for a boy. Little Isaac was a great artist in three occupations: an engraver, a sign painter and a monument carver. His talent was acknowledged in a widespread area. Little Isaac was self-employed, cooked for himself, and ate by himself. One time, being already 65 years old, he became very ill. Then, good men and women brought him food and a clean shirt in honor of the Sabbath. He got well, remained a great homebody, and involved himself in various enterprises.

It is told that Isaac Boy (Isaacle) came to a rich man he knew, with a bank-note of 50 Austrian Kroner in hand, and said the following: "Reb Moshe, here is a 50 Kroner bank note; give me a loan of 20 Kroner – but I beg of you, please don't give away the 50 bank note, because I treasure it as a souvenir I received from the old countess of Linsk. You hear, Reb Moshe? Remember, when I earn some money again, you will return the 50 Kroner bank-note to me." Awhile later, Little Isaac came back with 20 Kroner and asked for the return of the 50 note. Immediately, he received back the bank note. But the rich man was astounded when Little Isaac, in front of his eyes, took the 50 Kroner bank note and burned it entirely over a candle!

Little Isaac alone had made the bank note with his own hand, so perfectly, that the rich man did not detect that it was a counterfeit.

A tiny, round lady the ever-present large heavy wool shawl, with fringes. She would stride quickly through the small Sanok streets to the pregnant ladies to deliver a baby. Therefore, she never had any rest, from one she ran to the second to "deliver a baby". From the poor, she took no money. Where there was a house, where there was a street and where there was a child, she was known: a whole town! Two generations of people she helped to arrive into the world! And now how many candles does she have in heaven? Because, according; to the legend, in every Jewish home in which she delivered a baby, angels immediately lit a candle in heaven. Now imagine - how many candles did Bruche the mid-wife have in heaven?

But in time, they stopped lighting candles in heaven. Bruche in the passage of time left this earth, and in all Jewish houses in Sanok her passing was mourned.

A small thin little Jew, "skin and bones". His skin – yellow as wax and thin – and you could count his bones – and yet: a lively Jewish tailor was he! He sewed mostly for women. He knew nothing of centimeters. Everything cut by eye only. If it worked out it was good, but if not, it was also good! With the tailors of Sanok, if they made crooked seams in the garments – they would tell their clients, that they were making "Boruch Hershele's strokes".

But in the tailor's synagogue? There Boruch Hershele did not make any crooked seams! At 3 in the morning – summer and winter he was already standing at the reading stand in the small tailor shul and saying prayers and after the prayers he started the morning worship! Therefore his fellow worshipers would say to someone who came early; why did you arise so early? Did you have to go to Baruch Hershele's minyan?

With his wife he led a separate life. He cooked for himself, and if he received a few dollars from his children in America he would sew the money into a wool vest (undergarment) so that no one would find his hidden treasure. One time he forgot to put on his woolen vest, went to pray, came back found to his horror: In the interval his treasure had been discovered, and his housemate (wife) had mad a "bedikas chometz" (search for chometz, as in Passover) and the wool vest was left devastated.

From that time on, he slept with the vest on him – went with it summer and winter.

Boruch Hershele was also a useful and active member of the "Chevra Kadishe" (burial society) of Sanok. He showed his concern ad caring at the funeral and the monument erection of every deceased. Perhaps because of this he was in luck: He died a natural death. The beastly Hitler did not reach him, and the members of the"Chevra Kadishe" (burial society) accorded him the respect he had given to his burials.

"Michel Gafen"

An old Jew with a red beard, a running(?) blood-red eye dressed summer and winter in 3 coats which were with their hanging bottoms swept all the streets. He was the first in the morning at Boruch Hershele's minyan (quorum) – in the tailors' synagogue. Every Thursday and eve of a Yom Tov (holiday) he took his two woven baskets full of hens and geese belonging to rich women and went to the shochet (slaughterer) to slaughter them. And he made a living thus. A part of his living also came from reminding people that "tomorrow you have yarzeit". His memory was phenomenal. He knew exactly when – who had "yahrzeit" tomorrow, and for reminding them they gave him a few "groschen" (pennies). Also, the chupah (bridal canopy) poles, which he use to carry to weddings, also earned him something.

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Updated 27 Jun 2008 by LA