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I shall always remember the members of my family, my relatives and friends, members of the Jewish community of Yurburg, who were cruelly murdered although they were quite innocent.
I shall always see them in my mind, innocent sons, proud Jews, true to their people, Zionists who loved Eretz Jisrael, striving to go there to build and be built there.
Their hope did not come true.
Blood- thirsty murderers, mad Hitlerists and their Lithuanian helpers, criminals and murderers, put an end to the glorious Jewish community that had existed in Yurburg for hundreds of years.
Blessed be their memory.
Lovingly remembering all of them
Hannah Feinberg-Shraga, Miami
[Page 493]
A Memorial Candle For My Family With deep sorrow I cry for the members of my family who were killed in the years of the terrible Shoah in Yurburg by the Nazi-German murderers and their Lithuanian helpers, shameless, inhuman criminals.
Translated by Irene Emodi, Tel Aviv
These are the names of my relatives who were killed:
My father: Mordecai Berzaner
My mother: Ethel Berzaner
My sister: Raisel (Raisale), the lovely little girl
We shall always remember what the Nazi criminals did to our families and community, we shall never forgive them for the murder of innocent human beings.
The memory of our loved ones will be with us forever.
Always, always we will remember them with a sacred tremor.
God will avenge them!
Sadly remembering them,
Diana (Dinale) Tobin (Berzaner)
At the Site of the Mass Graves in Yurburg Cemetery in June 1998 - Photo by Gerrard W. Rudmin
In Eternal Memory
To my dear family - My parents, my brothers and my sisters, who were killed in cold blood by the Nazi-Killers and their helpers the Lithuanians. They were innocent people.
And those are the members of my dear family and they are unforgettable.
My father: Moshe Feldman.
My mother: Leah Feldman.
My brother: Tzvi (Hershel) Feldman, his wife Dvora, and their children David and Ava.
My brother: Yacov Feldman.
My sisters: Sarah and Shenyah (Sheinale).
Their names will be remembered in eternal memory with great love.
They will always remain in my heart.
Forever their memory. The sacred memory.
I will never forget my family and the dear ones from the Yurburg community.
May their souls be bound up in the bond of everlasting life. Shulamit Miller (Feldman), Los Angeles
Frieda Epstein-Pochrat
My sister Esther Pochrat and I weep and mourn the deaths of the dear children of the Yurburg community, who were murdered in the Shoah by the murderers, the German-Nazis and Lithuanians helpers.
Their inhuman acts shall never be forgotten.
The Jews will not ever forgive the perpetrators of these horrible crimes toward us and the Jewish community.
We will remember forever, our relatives, our friends, our city, our homeland - Yurburg.
With great sorrrow and pain, I mourn the deaths of the children of my dear family, who were killed by the Nazis and their Lithuanians helpers.
And here are the names of my dear family who were the victims:
My father: Meir
My mother: Hania
My sisters: Golda and Mendel Furman and their children Moshe, Yacov, and Leib; Shaine and Hershel Furva and their children Yonah and Berele; Rivka and Aaron Kliatzko and their children Abraham, Fruma, Yonah and Toiva
My brothers: Michael, Tzila and Leah'le
Hershel Tarshish, the first victim to be shot by the murderers in front of my eyes at the Kovna prison on June 27, 1941.
I shall always remember my parents, my brothers, my sisters and relatives who were murdered while they were still young by the Hitlerist criminals, in the years 1941 -1944.
I shall remember the members of my dear family fondly and with respect.
May their souls be bound up in the bond of everlasting life. Roza Shoshana Birger Tarshish, Chicago
The youngest daughter from a big and special family.
We shall never forget the barbaric acts of horror and we shall not forgive the murderers. These are the members of my family; may they rest in peace:
My Father: Eliezer ChosidMy Mother: Golda (my step-mother)
My Sister: Miriam-Rivka, her husband Eliahu Miasnik and their children
My Sister: Chaya-Bila and her husband Pinchas Fields
My Sister: Batya (Basa) -Rachel
My Brothers: The twins - Zalman-Yitzhak and Moshe-Ze'ev
My Aunt: Daba Luria, her husband Yerachmiel and their son, Salman-Schnior
My Aunt: Tirza Kropinski and her children - Pinchas and his wife, Yehudit
My Aunt : Sarah Fasia, Yehuda and her little daughter Miriamele
My Uncle: Daniel Hess and his wife Mina, daughter Batya Eichman and their child Lucy
My Uncle:Aryeh Mailer, and his son Moshe-Aharon Hess
My Uncle: Zvi Hess, his sons Dovid-Lieb, Moshe-Yitzhak, Haim-Avraham and their children Hehama Eichman, Aharon Segal and their children
My only daughter: Fasia-Tsipa (Tziporelah), who was killed at age three and a half.
[Page 497]
KOVNO STREET
Rabbi Arie Leibzig Gut Freyman Eliezer Minzer Avraham Hamenski, non-Jewish Jasonski Haim Natan Yosifer Hasneh Shapira Heselkovitz Shachne Pollak's tavern Israel Mazur Menuha Goldstein Gutstein family Heishel der Tepaer (potmaker) Rabbi Arzik Yosifer Hasloviz Ephraim Frank Malka Patrikanski Yehuda-Leih (Alter) Bernstein Leib (Leon) Lipinski Hersh pastry store Tilla Weizman Fiedler Mordehai, barber's shop Golden Rubinstein Judge Bishko, candy factory Pulovin Soloviechik Eliashevitz Meir - (Grocery) Grinberg Mordehai Grinberg Yosef Commerce Bank (Shmerel Bernstein) Perlman Mordehai (store) Lipinski (store for drinks) Fin Hershel Fin Pharmacy Frank Yoel Weinberg Krelitz Moshe(Bagel Bakery & lived upstairs) Mordehai Kommel's house Hotel Aharonson Shachnovitz Pinhas - Book store # Jaswonski (variety store) # Zarnitzky (hat & cap shop & lived upstairs) # Hana - Itse Mayer's Sausage shop Shmulovitz (butcher shop) Yudel Koshlevski (leather shop) Peer David Raizel Levin Beker brothers Israel Mazur (leather shop) Meir Krelitz Beyle Bernstein (Shmerel Bernstein's sister) Yehiel Bernstein Yente Bernstein (Shmerel Bernstein's sister) Blumental # Pictured on lower photo of page 33 of Yizkor Book
Berman (soda factory) Leshets Yakov-Moshe Zalman Neviaszki Yakov Pulerevitz Natan Pulerevitz Leizer Pulerevitz Natan Valdislevovski Zaider Moshe Berkover Eliezer Abramovitz Zussa Bader Mordehai Pina der Staller (carpenter) Barchik Malchik Furcht Yakov Margolis Mersh Beyleh Kagan Yakel Meirovitz Hina Beylis Rassel Gamler Zelig Baiman HaParosh Rabbi Akiva Hina Telzek Natan Verbelovski Baiman family Temke Hasselson Shlomo Pulerevitch grocery Eisenstatt Liba Kantor Glazer Hershel Eliyahu Naividel Leah Ravel Christian house of prayer Chertok (the tailor) Beker Zvi Kobelkowski Yekutiel Kobelkowski Pazrintski Zalman Pazrintski David and Baruh Tene Levinson Rabinovitz Yudel Shmulovitz Yereahmiel Pollak Tuvia Meras Telzek (sausage shop) Weinstein Mendelovitch Mordehai Kobelkovski Gershon Kobelkovski Zeev Portnoy Yehuda Aharon Minzer Aharon Yehuda Hotel Hershel Fein The Main Synagogue Bible school Moshe Eliezer Beker (the attendant) Hostel for the poor Yizhak Kobelkovski Yehuda Berkover Zundelevitz Shmariyahu Hasselson family Benjamin Feinberg Lipski's store (Gut) Shimonov Alter, dentist Koplov - Shugam Koplov, dentist Rikler, pharmacy Tarshish (Rosa Birger's brother) Purva (textile store) - Tarshish's brother-in-law Niviaski Zvi
[Page 499]
Bernstein (hardware store) Levitan Meir-Zusha (textile store) Rochzo Shimon (grocery store) Pulerevitz (bicycle & jewelry stores) Simna (stationary store) Kopelovitch (barber) Vitko Yakov Dov (store) Ruven Olshwenger (hardware store) National Yiddish Bank Haim Yosef Kobelkowski Goldstein Moshe Haim Putnoisheitel Henia Feinberg Leizer dem Deins (store) Naividel Ruven (bicycle shop) Naividel Rivka (Puckale) Feinberg Meir (George Feinberg's father) Yosepovitz Haim Zvi Brezner Mordehai Sara Verbelovski Greibski (leather store) Meierovitz Shmuel Lubin Dov (barber) Eliashav (grocery) Yoslit Tzadok Leiba Popkaimer Plier Akiva Berkover Shimon Rozen Hillel Appelboim (leather store) Rabbi Shlomo Gershon the Zadik Berman the tinsmith Zvikis store Arpachsander Spetel Kratsmer Moshe Machel the ironer Polak Avraham Gery's tavern - non-Jewish Feinberg Gavriel Feinberg family Hesselkovitz Yizhak Hassel cinema Leiba Hesselkovitz Baiman David Yizhak Tuvia Ess Salmon (tailor) Apriaski Haim Mintser family Liepziger Izhak Ess Meirovitch house (Hershele Klein) Levin Mordehai - on the other side of the bridge
UGNAGISIO (fire brigade) STREET
Michelovski Haim Peisabson Dvora Karabelnik David (Cheka's father) Michelson Mordehai Haim Siger (the teacher) Rizman Shma-riyahu Zalman (der Wollkratzer-cleans wool) Yozopovitz (the policeman) Fire brigade Hillel Skirstmonski
KLISHU (Klisher) STREET
Rabinovitz Ossip Doctor Gerstein Natan Abramson (photographer) Bilman's tavern Post Office
[Page 500]
Kalman Fridland Moshe Levin Zeev Levin Milkreit (non-Jew) Meirovitz Eliezer Aba Silver Peres Moshe Minvitz Haim Zusman Levitan Aba Verblonski Shvadis tavern Sara Posk Yarovski Moshe family Leizer Meirovitz (Dem Dajan) Liba Elchanan Levinsohn (the watchmaker)## Koplov Zalman Zecher family Kizell family ##(Jack Cossid's great-uncle)
USIMSTRE (beyond the river) STREET
Berkover Shlomo Berkover Jona Yakov The Lithuanian Gymnasium Hillel Danilevitz Michelson Graivski Altman Berkover Yudel
HAMECHES (customs) STREET
Natan Kaplan Zilberman Haim Levinson Shraga Zofras Kushner Aba
YATKAVER (Butcher's) STREET
Reuven Ess Moshe Yosef Ess Stuck Arie-Leib (bakery) Aba Kaplan Appelboim Reuven Hersh, bakery The butcher (Shohet) Arie Shlomovitz Wilenski Shimon Shimshon Avraham Kovelkovski, bakery Die Bulverlech (potatoes) Synagogue on the name of Feinberg Yakov Mintser Haim Eliyahu Eliashov Rochzo Shimon Rochzo Israel Kaplan Ita Dov Brezky (bathing house) Eliezer Chosid (Jack Cossid's father & family) Moshe Kropinski Synagogue Eliyahu Shmulovski Zvia die Zuchne (the clean one) Moshe Ess Zvi Kobelkovski Moshe Kaplan Ess Nachman Hasselson family Berski family Abermovitz David Kobelkovski Izhak Avraham Pollak Fruchter Daniel Megidovitch Zelig
[Page 501]
Tova die Huchzige (happy-go-lucky) Vassiliov tavern Stern Wolf Avraham Bar Abramson Eliashevitz Meir Megidovitz Hana Fruma Kreid (bakery) Yudel Frank Tova Tirtsa Michelson Zvi Michelson Baruch Michelovski Rachel Kaplan (butcher shop) Shimon Nacha Kaplan Aharon Arie Kaplan Mordehai Kaplan Sheina-Lea (the caring) Yakov Ess (butcher shop) Dov Mar (butcher shop) Zelig Kopelkovski Shia der turk (the Turk) Miasnik family Moshe Shmulovitz Yosef Ess Dov Ess The Chasan Alperovitz (cantor) Mordehai Ess Moshe Beer (the tehilim sayer) Aba (the coachman) Yakov Stern Arie (Liba) Shtuk Peer family Eliezer Eliashov Jonatan (the Melamed) Yeheskel Vilonski Haim Ruven Danilevitz Dr. Krolinski Daniel Ess Friedlander (bakery) Shlomo Levin Zvi (Hersh) Ess Shulamit (Shlomo) Moskover Hertz (grocery) Shmerl Pollak Shlomo Pollak
RASSEINIV STREET
Goldstein Yossi Hemia Eliyahu Miasnik Talmud Tora (school) Mendelevitch Natan Michal Lashetz Israel Markovitz Zusa Danilevitz Tova Pollak Dertvin Shmuel Dertvin Zalman Ita Saks Yudel Koshlevski Bershtenski Bezalel Berkover Shimon Berkover Tuvia Asher Zaider Yerachmiel Shmulovski (tailor) Melech Kaplan Sara Hana Koshlevski Shmuel Piva Weizman Liba Portnoy
[Page 502]
Aba Zilber Yosef Bokar Mina Glazer Moshe Ordel Gabronnski Yodkovski Yisrael Levenberg Yisrael Kovlkovski Yakov-Shlama Weinberg Eliezer Miklovski Moshe Feldman Leah Kovlkovski Yehezkal Yaffa Alchanan Vladislvovski Neskala Photographer (?) Goy Zedov Beit (house) Arzik Nachmis Aharon Varbalovski Gavriel Levin Beit Hamtvchaim (Zamski Nz'lnik) Beit Hkrovot Chaim Dovid Rosenberg Hillel Fiedler Mordechai Most Rabbi Avraham Dimant Eta Fagen Leeba Fras Chaim Kzav Natan Aronovski Dov Luvovski Eliahu Yokovizer Yisrael Zilber Rebecca Most Yosef Melnik Gittelson Simna Family Anzel Family Varbalovski Yeker Lobeen Hershel Weinberg Sodak Shlama Arnian Yacov Arnshtein Zdtah De Kachen (Maged) Eta Feekin
SODU GATVA (GARDEN STREET)
Moshe Kaplan Amnoal Koplov Beit (house) Yekeial Bernstein Aharon Smolniks Chana Frank Herzel Gymnasia (Hebrew High School) Alchesendrovitz
GERMAN STREET
Brogovski Drugstore Shimon Zandelovitz Mordechai-Arye Mazur Meegal Kruger Mordechai Freedman Tzvi Stock Kopel Guttman Sharmiahu Bernstein, Head Commerce Bank
Chana Abel (Apriaski) - Bereshit 11, Givataiim Moshe Abramovitch - Harakavi 5, Tel Aviv Ada Oberfeier (Berkover) - Yarkona 38, Ramat Gan Zvi Ahuvi (Liubovski) - Kibutz Yagur, M.P. Yagur Bat-Sheva Eilon (Shtuk) - Givat Brener Pnina Oren (Rikoler) - passed away Tania Ip, Dr., (Haimovitz) - Mendeli 5/8, Jerusalem Arie Eliashov - Tzfat 9/9, Kiriyat Sharet, Holon Aharon Eliashov - Shikon Hadash, Blok 10/8, Binyamina Yaakov Apriaski - Hapalmach 16, Yad Eliyahu, Tel Aviv Yonina Afreimi - Kiriyat Shalom, Mesilat Yeshurun, Maimon 10, Tel Aviv Yaakov Baiman - Moshe Sharet 52/13, Kiriyat Sharet, Holon Chana Baiman (Sandler) - passed away Rivka Levanoni-Bloch (Feldman) - Yavne 28/5, Holon Zehava Ben Yehuda (Pulerevitch) - Hagalil 13, Netanya Rachel Ben Artzi - passed away Rivka Baron - Kibutz Yagur, M.P. Yagur Mordechai Berkover - Zuriel 6, Ramat Gan Yakov Berkover - passed away Josef Berkoer - passed away Boris Bermstein - passed away Prof. Zev Bernstein - Netanya Leib Bernstein - passed away Klara Barnstein-Doshnitzky - passed away Hinde Beker (Loinberg) - passed away Menachem Beker Prof. Zvi Barak Baron Lea Gershon Bershtanski - passed away Yitzha Bershtanski - passed away Bezalel Bershtanski Moshe Gutstein - Simtat Mezada 20/6, Ramat Hanasi, Bat Yam Michael Gutstein - passed away Yaakov Gutstein - passed away Chana Goldman (Megidovitch) - Herzel 161, Rehovot Yaakov Goldstein - passed away Fania Gamuz - Kfar Daniel, M.P. Mercaz Miriam Gurevitch (Hess) - Nazeret Elit 90/14 Josef Grinberg - passed away Rachel Greenstein (Hess) - Bar Ilan, Kiriyat Motzkin, Haifa Meir Drori (Achpersander) - Achad Haam 57, Tel Aviv Pessia Hirsch - Michael 47, Haifa Josef Vitko - Talpiot, Shikon Amamai, Jerusalem Aba Walas Mrs. Vladislavovski - Kiryat Share, Hashiloah 10, Holon Mark Verblovski - Balfour 213 A, Appt. 9.10 Miriam Verpol (Bershtanski) - Kiriyat Yam G, Joseftal 36/9, Haifa Frida Zvuluni (Shachnoviz) - passed away Frida Zurines (Minzer) Rachel Zigelman (Mauser) - passed away Shmuel Zachar - Ibn Gvirol 183, Tel Aviv Kalman Zachar - Kfar Pines, M.P. Karkur Mordechai Zilber - passed away Max Zarnitzky - passed away David Haimovitz - Nechemia 21, Neve Shean, Haifa Jaffa Tiz (Levin) - Katzenelson 8, Bat Yam Dvora Tiz (Paschovitz - Hashiloah 14/3 Shara Tamshe (Yoslit) - Helsinki 6, Tel Aviv Chana Treinin (Karabelnik) - David Yalin 19, Givataim Sara Yagolnizer (Reisman) - passed away Lea Joselevitch - (Most) - Rupin 5, Kfar Saba Moshe Yanovski - passed away Olga Yasvonski - passed away Eliyahu Kagan - Hadassa 9, Tel Aviv Frida Kagan (Reznik) - Daka 25, Neve Sharet, Tel Aviv Meir Cohen (Hess) - passed away Erika Katz - Hasamir 8, Ramat Gan Zalman Leviosh - passed away Meir-Eliyahu Leviosh - passed away Rachel Levin - Yecheskel 13, Tel Aviv David Levin - passed away Rina Levit (Berkover) - Hadekalim 4, Ramat Gan Michael Lazarovski - Harav Kook 13, Tel Aviv Moshe Levite, Dr. - Pinkas 4, Tel Aviv Jaffa Lufeinski (Heskelovitch) - Neve Asher, Pardess Hana Sara Lufeinski (Rabinovitch) - Chlenov 17, Petah Tikva Berl Lipinski - passed away Reuven Megidovitz - Poalei Tzion 151, Neve Amal, Herzliya Moshe Megidovitz - Sireni 32/5, Rehovot Rivka Moshkovitz - Levi Eshkol 101/12, Kiron Hana Moshkovitz - Rivka Mida (Eliashov) - Eilat 18, Holon Chana Melzer (Hess) - Stromer 18, Netanya Frida Minzer - passed away Zilla Meisel (Hirsch) - Michael 47, Haifa Miriam Michelovski - Zahal 13/10, Kiriyat Yam Meir Mendelovitz - passed away Ronit Margalit (Gut) - Yishaiyahu 32, Tel Aviv Shoshana Martin (Pulerevitch) - Ben yair 37/31, Arad Chasia Markuse (Achpesander) - passed away Chana Niv (Zachar) - Kfar Pines, M.P. Karkur Rachel Niv (Karabelnik) - passed away Pessia Neviaski (Eliashov) - passed away Mordechai Naividel - Shila 15/12, Beer Sheva (passed away) Niona Slovo (Chaimovitz) - Sderot Degania 15/6, Kiriyat Haim Shoshana Sokolovski (Baiman) - Kibutz Amir, Hagalil Haelion Aharon and Dvora Smolnik - passed away Natan, Gershon and Ester Smolnik - Barak 52, Kiriyat Motzkin Mina Simon (Mazur) - passed away Moshe Anaki (Risman) passed away Meir Polovin - passed away Sheinele Pulover (Minzer) - passed away Baruch Portnot Menachem Puchert - passed away Chana Polen (Smolnik) - Motzkin 25, Tel Aviv Alisa Porat (Leipziger) - Kibutz Afikin, Emek HaYarden Zvulun Poran (Petrikanski) - Hanetka 1, Jerusalem Lea Furman - passed away Bilha Pulerevich - Joseftal 32/12, Kiriyat Haim G Yehoshua and Moshe Purbin (Rodnizki) - Ben Nun 54, Tel Aviv Shimon Feinberg - passed away Mina Feinberg - passed away Dvora Peisachson (at S. Shatz) - Neker 12, Armon hanasi, Jerusalem Bluma Feldman - Kibutz yagur, M.P. Yagur Ida Per (Moskovitch) - Misgav Dov, M.P. Emek Shorek Sara Priskal (Josefolevitch) - passed away Leibel Frank - passed away Rachel Zvi (Blumental) - La Guardia 65, Yad Eliyahu, Tel Aviv Zanun Chertok - passed away Emanuel Koplov - Herzel 208, Rehovot Rivka Koperman (Rosman) - tiomkin 7/2, Rishon LeZion Golda Kliski (Hess) - Basok 10/1, Neveh Shalem, Yad Eliyahu Chaia Kurtzman (Eliashov) - Ben Yehuda 74/17, Herzliya Shoshana Knishinski (Petrikanski) - Sderot Ham Hatzarfati 62, Ramat Gan Ita Klinski - Simtat Hasharon 4/28, Ramat Hanasi Geula Rabinovitch (Melnik) - Burla 10/8, Tel Aviv Rivka Ravitzki (Weinberg) - Kibutz Givat Brener Yaakov Rabinovitch - passed away Elchanan Rodnitzki - Kibutz Yagur, M.P. David (Mordechai) Rudanski - Olifant 3/3, Tel Aviv Jetta Reznik - passed away Lea Rosenberg (Vitko) Israel Rochzo - passed away Michael Risman - passed away Shalom Risman - passed away Aharon Rikler - passed away Fruma Shochat (Vladislavovski) Bella Shechter - passed away Miriam Shlibek (Josepovitch) - Beit Josef 20, Tel Aviv Chana Shleifer (Hess) - Kriait Giora 161/1, Or Yehuda avraham Shmulovski - Pinkas 4, Tel Aviv Shimon Shimonov - Harav Herzog 20, Tel Aviv (passed away) Sara Shapira (Frank) - Rambam 44, Jerusalem Dora Shapira (Verblovski) - passed away
We shall remember our friends from Yurburg, who managed to arrive in Israel, many of them after many difficulties and the sufferings of the Holocaust, but did not live to see the Book of Remembrance of our town's martyrs published. They walked a long way with us, took part in our meetings and excursions, participated in the activities to commemorate our loved ones - contributed towards the placing of the memorial plaque in the Holocaust basement, planted trees in the Yurburg forest in the Modi'in region and initiated the publication of the Book of Remembrance, but did not see it published. Among them: David Levin, member of the Association's council, a man of vision, active and among those who took the initiative to publish the Book of Remembrance.
The pages of the Book of Remembrance include the names of those who are absent - they were not forgotten.
Blessed be their memory!
* Known to be DeceasedL. Abrams Skokie, (Illinois) Esther Atlas Brookline, (Massachusetts) Lena Berman Detroit , (Michigan) J. H. Beiles* Montreal, (Canada) (Helen Kizell Beiles Montreal, Canada) Ben-Berk Chicago, (Illinois) L. Bernstein Chicago, (Illinois) Haward Bendalin Phuenie Rosa Birger Chicago (Skokie, Illinois) Dorothy Budnoff Milwaukee, (Wisconsin) R. Cable Brookline, (Massachusetts) Jack Cossid Chicago, (Illinois) Sol Ellis* Detriot, (Michigan) Max Ellis* Oak Park, (Michigan) Bob Ellis* Southfield, (Michigan) Joe Ellis* (Delray Beach, Florida) Freda Epstein Brookline, (Massachusetts) Quen Faktor S. Africa (Pauline Freeman Feldman* Milwaukee, (Wisconsin) Isidore Feinberg* Detroit, (Michigan) George Feinberg Detroit, (Michigan) Ellis Gans* Detroit, (Michigan) (Olga Zapolsky Gans Detroit, (Michigan)) Molly Ginsberg Montreal, (Canada) Miriam (Berzaner) Gold Southfield, Michigan M. Goldstein Skokie, (Illinois) Sol Goldstein* Skokoe, (Illinois) Ethel Goldstein Chicago Greenman Chicago, (Illinois) Dora Haber New York Hebert Idelson S. Africa Michalina Kantor New York Max Kissel Canada Joe Levin Chicago, (Illinois) Toni Levinshon Transwal Rose Levin Chicago, (Illinois) Ruby Levin S. Africa Lazar Levin S. Africa Herbert Lyon Canada R. Mazur Brookline, (Massachusetts) S Meller Los Angeles Harry Michelson Brookline, (Massachusetts) Sara Mendelowits Mattapan, (Massachusetts) Betty Much Detroit, (Michigan) P. Rosenfield Lincolnwood, (Illinois) Lena Rubinowich Canada Chana Shrage Michigan S. Smolin Skokie, (Illinois) H. Schaffer Chicago, (Illinois) Diana (Berzaner) Tobin (Boca Raton, Florida) Lazar M. Wallace Charlotte, North Carolina?) Iritt Wenokur Detroit, (Michigan) Rina Wenokur Detroit, (Michigan) I. Vilonski Los Angeles George Zerry* Detroit, (Michigan)
Greetings from Former Residents of Yurburg in Lithuania
Upon completion of the Book of Remembrance of the Yurburg community, in the fall of 1990, an unexpected guest arrived from "over there", from our Yurburg, the Yurburg which is engraved on our memory, for better or worse. This important guest, Holocaust survivor Zalman Kaplan, came to tour the country. Here he was traveling along, looking at its towns and villages, inhaling the country's fresh air and absorbing its pleasant odors.
The guest sees our country as a summer dream - a thriving and developing Jewish country, absorbing new immigrants even in days when there are plenty of political, economic and cultural problems. Indeed, in spite of the problems in Israel, life is exhilirating and creative. He, the guest, returns - as he says - to his friends , the survivors, excited about the wonderful things he has seen and experienced in Israel in general and the intimate and moving meeting he had with former residents of Yurburg in particular.
We here in Israel, formerly of Yurburg, send cordial greetings to our friends and acqaintances, survivors, who are over there - and say to them: we shall be very happy to see you as guests and as residents - our country is your country!
The following is the story of the life of Zalman Kaplan and his family in the terrible days of the Holocaust:
I was born in Yurburg on 28 May 1921. My father's name - Aba and my mother's name
- Ethel. My grandfather on father's side was Mordehai (Mottel) Greenberg. We lived on Naoias street, next door to Emanuel Koplov.
I studied at the "Talmud Torah" elementary school and at the Lithuanian high school. When I graduated from highschool in 1939 I went on to study at the universities of Kovna and Vilna.
When World War II broke out, I was sent to the Tambawa area in Russia. From October 1941 till February 1946 I served in the Red Army. In 1943 I graduated from officers' school and took part in battles against the Nazi enemy.
The fate of my family was like the bitter fate of all the families in Yurburg. My brother Mendel, 15 years old, was murdered on 3 July 1941 in the cruel Aktia of the Jewish group at the Yurburg cemetery.
My father was murdered in Kalnyam on the way to Rasain. My mother was murdered in the big Aktia at the Salvodka (Kovna) ghetto. She was sent to Port 9 and died there on 28 October 1941. The members of my father's family, among them his brothers Yacov-Ber, David, Meir, his sister Merel and his uncles and aunts and cousins were all killed.
The father of my mother Mordehai (Mottel) Greenberg and her brother Yosef (Yosel) Greenberg and their families were exiled to Siberia. Of them survived: Yosef (Yosel) Greenberg and his son. My mother's sisters - Dina and Polia and their families were exiled to Riga and from there to the Aushwitz gas chambers . . .
* Each year we visit the graves of our dear ones in Yurburg. It is sad in Yurburg. The streets of the Jews are gone. The synagogues were destroyed. There is no sign left of the hundreds of years old flourishing community. Only graves, graves all around. Yurburg's Jewish cemetery has been abandoned. The graves are covered by weeds, bushes and thorns. The survivors have renovated the cemetery, as far as possible, but the graves and fence require further thorough repair. Former residents of Yurburg have approached the local authorities on the matter, but nothing has been done to date. The Former Residents of Yurburg Association in Israel has participated in donations for these requirements.
* Once upon a time there was a town of Israel called Yurburg, now it is a town that exists merely in the memory of those who used to live there once.
Zalman Kaplan(Translated from Yiddish by Paz )
Yurburg: Zelda Frank
Kovna: Haim-Wolff Jaffe (deceased-1996); Shalom Rosenberg
Vilna: Hanan Levin; Haike Liovin; Asher Meirovitz; Berl Minevitz, Haya Koblovsky, Zalman Kaplan; Hannah Mishna-Konisky; Eliezer Shapira.
Immigrated to Israel: Bailinka (Bella) and Gittala (Gita) Abramson [Gita Abramson Bereznitzky passed away in August 2000 in Tel Aviv]; Shimon Baiman.
Visited Israel: Hannah Shimna; Zalman Kaplan.
Died -blessed be their memory -: Haskah Magidovitz, Israel Moshkovitz.
Words Spoken at the Ceremony of Placing the Ashes of Lithuanian Martyrs at "Yad Vashem"
Not long ago we buried the few ashes brought from the graves of Lithuanian martyrs.
A tiny remnant, merely a symbol of the many heaps of ashes dispersed in each town and village; heaps of ashes that remained there as angry witnesses to the terrible Holocaust that befell our dear ones, the Jews of Lithuania. The martyrs' ashes cry out to us: Remember, do not forget!
And each generation will tell the next, father will tell his son about the terrible Jewish tragedy of one tribe, out of all the Jewish tribes in Europe, that was cruelly destroyed and exterminated although it was quite innocent.
Let us lament and mourn the blood that was spilt and the Lithuanian Jewish tribe that was destroyed and is no more.
While we light the eternal candle, at this shrine of mourning, near the sacred ashes, we remember them:
The six million of our people who were destroyed as martyrs
Slaughtered and exterminated by the Nazis and their helpers:
Of the communities and families of Yacov who were murdered and destroyed
Out of the evil intent to erase the name of Israel and its culture from the earth:
Let us tell our sons and grandsons how six hundred years ago we, Jewish refugees, terror-stricken and persecuted in progroms, settled on the marsh land under the gray sky of Lithuania Here the Jews set up their tents as unwelcome guests; they suffered and were persecuted, but they had no choice but to hold on to this land and consider it their permanent shelter.
In this miserable valley the Lithuanian Jews sacrificed their existence and their blood; they left nothing behind, only hard work and contributed much to the country that absorbed them and to its material and spiritual culture. Many generations developed Jewish culture, created a spiritual tradition.
Alas, they built in vain.
When the blood- thirsty Nazis came to the land of Lithuania, the Jews found no cover there, and their Lithuanian neighbors did not stretch out a helping hand and did not stand by them in their hour of need.
The land of Lithuania was one big grave to its Jews.
Its Nazi gravediggers and their Lithuanian helpers ended the hopes, the dreams and the wish to find a secure home for Jews in the land of Lithuania, as in all the countries of the world.
95% of the Jews of Lithuania were destroyed in the terrible Holocaust.
The last survivors return to the borders in the land of birth of the Jewish people.
This is the bitter Jewish fate and that is the cruel conclusion!
No statues were erected for the Jewish fighters against the Nazis.
We here in the free land of Israel, in our independent state, set up the statues and tombstones.
The fate of the Yurburg community is like that of the communities of Lithuania - it was lost and is no longer.
Our dear ones, who climbed the gallows there, gave us our life, the continuing existence and creation in the country of the Jews, together with the tribes of Israel forever.
We shall carry out our fathers' and father's fathers' last will in Israel.
The Only Tombstone,
befitting the memory of the Jewish community of Europe that was destroyed by the Nazi murderers is THE STATE OF ISRAEL, the country where the hope of the Jewish people has come true, for all generations to come, and it is a free and reliable shelter for all the Jews in the world who want to live a free and independent life.
David Ben Gurion
Memorial for the Murdered - Jews and Anti Fascists - Erected
by the town of Yurburg
"In Memory"
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