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From right to left: Shmuel Meir Goldshmid, Mordechai Staviskovski (Mottinke the Sweet), Avraham-Dovid Rozenfeld, … Mordechai Volmir.
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[Page 351]
by Mordechai Aharon Migdael
To the credit of “Chovevei Tzion” in Augustow one must mention the matter of the founding of the “Chevrat Linat HaTzedek”[1] in this city in the year 1899. In “HaTzefirah” of the year mentioned above, (Number 41), we read:
“The excellent preacher of Zionism, Dr. Hecht, agreed to turn aside to our city Augustov, and excited the hearts with his sublime homilies that he preached about Zion and its events, and about two hundred and fifty people volunteered to participate with their shekels for the support of the fund of the national council.
By the way, the correspondent informs about the activity of “Tzeirei HaChovevim”[2] that “In their dedication to the idea of Zionism as their hearts' desire, their hearts are aroused to every good action within our community, and they have established in it a “Linat HaTzedek” association, the lack of which was very much felt. About eighty youth are participating in its activities, and they purchased the necessary equipment for a proper price, for the use of the ill. And when a person from within the community became ill, even if they were not one of the members, the association would offer them its help to provide for all their lacks, and would even send two of its members to alternate spending the night next to the bed of the sick person, to keep watch over them.
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From right to left: Shmuel Meir Goldshmid, Mordechai Staviskovski (Mottinke the Sweet), Avraham-Dovid Rozenfeld, … Mordechai Volmir. |
[Page 352]
In general, this institution excelled in its arrangements and its good governance, and in its management did not fall short compared to the houses of chesed that were in the big cities. The writer of this notice is the shaliach tzibur and the shochet u'bodek Yosef Chaim Ratner.
In “HaTzefirah” from the year 1911 No. 142 we read about the celebration of the completion of the writing of a sefer Torah. “On Thursday, Parashat Beha'alotecha,[3] the members of the “Linat HaTzedek” society, most of whom are poor workers and craftspeople, celebrated the festival of “the completion of the Torah,” and on the evening of that day they transported the sefer with great pomp and grandeur to the Great Synagogue.
The celebration drew to it many of the important Christians, such as the Minister of the District and his deputy, the City Minister and his secretary, and the good arrangements and the great splendor that prevailed in the house produced pleasure for them. The Rabbi Our Teacher Reb Katriel ascended the podium and expressed to the members of the society the feelings of thanks of all of the community. On the great benefit that they were bringing to the sick of the city and its poor people, and in his warm words, he strengthened their spirits that they should add courage and valor on their path in the way of chesed and love of humanity.”
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and the Pharmacist, Mordechai Ratner |
The Linat HaTzedek society mentioned above continued its blessed activities in Augustow really until the days of the Shoah.
[Page 353]
In the one-time newspaper “Augustower Leben,”[4] which appeared 5 Adar 5699 (February 24, 1939), in the section “Our Social Institutions,” we find the following details in connection to the “Linat HaTzedek” Society in the city:
“The institution for social aid for the sick, the Lines HaTsedek has existed since 1879. In the early years there were two separate Lines HaTsedek institutions: one that provided lodgings and organized home visits for patients, and another that arranged social aid for the sick, medications, material and so on. In time the two institutions merged and have remained together to this day.
The Lines HaTsedek brought together all the social classes of the town. The several hundred members organized in the institution formed a strong administrative body which worked with dynamism and strict discipline. One can see why the youth in particular took an active interest in the organization.
[Page 354]
They had their own small prayer house with its own Torah scroll. They were taught by Reb Gedalye Gizumski, the shoychet, and later by Reb Mayer Faynshteyn. That is how things once were. Nowadays, in contrast, the town and particularly the youth show little interest in this useful institution. For this reason, now, during a period when the help of a wider circle is much needed, all the work falls on the shoulders of the administration.
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The treasury of the Lines HaTsedek has a monthly income of 130 złotys, taken from the weekly membership dues, as well as donations, traditionally collected at the reading of the Torah portion “Naso.”
The board is made up of the following people: Chairman: Khayim Mints; Members: Mss. Safirshteyn, Vilkovski, Levit, Lenzinger, Mariampolski, Shvarts; Misses Rishli Mayzler, Tsila Bernshteyn, Alta Kleynman; and Messrs. Hofnshteyn, Sarvianski, Khayim Arimland. In the oversight committee: Miss Arbshteyn, Mr. Zaboravski and Mr. Uzhitski.
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Standing from right to left: P. Eilender, unknown, Miriam Cohen, B. Denmark, Chaya Markus, Y. Chalupitzki, L. Lozman, S. Bornstein, G. Lenzinger, Y. Bergstein Sitting: L. Patak, Dr. Shor …, M. Elenbogen, Dr. Grodzinski, Bidek, Shulkes Third row: P. Ofenstein, Rivka Rozenfeld |
[Page 355]
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[Page 356]
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Translator's Footnotes:
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