Horodetz:
History of a Town, 1142 - 1942

(Gorodets, Belarus)

52°12' / 24°40'

Translation of
Horodets; a geshikhte fun a shtetl, 1142 - 1942

Edited by: A. Ben-Ezra, 1949

Published in New York, N.Y., U.S.A. 1949


Acknowledgments

Project Coordinators

Hannah Kadmon

Gene Sucov (emeritus)

 

This is a translation from: Horodets; a geshikhte fun a shtetl, 1142-1942 (Horodetz; history of a town, 1142-1942),
Editors: A. Ben-Ezra, “Horodetz” Book Committee, 1949 (Y, 238 pages).

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Horodets (1949)


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Caption   Page
 
A note from the translator Eugene Sucov  
Translator's introduction Hannah Kadmon  
Introduction    
Translation of illustration captions    
 
First Section
  
General History
  
Foreword   vi-vii
Map of Horodetz and Surroundings Israel Zusman 1
Horodetz, an historical overview A. Ben-Ezra 3
“Once There Was . . . . . . . . . . . ” (poem) Israel Zusman 10
The Shtetl Rabbi Dr. Jacob Bozniak 15
The Social-Economic Structure A. S. 19
 
The Rabbis
 
The Rabbinic Context Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg 24
The Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg 25
Rabbi Yehoshua Yaakov Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg 26
The Death of the “Old Rabbi” Alter Ellman 27
The Old Rabbi (a picture) Israel Zusman 28
The Wisdom Of The “Old Rabbi” A. K. 29
The Rabbi Yaakov Khayim, z”l Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg 32
The Last Rabbi Rabbi Shalom Podolevsky 35
 
Synagogues
 
The Cold Shul (memories) Rabbi Dr. Jacob Bozniak 37
Comments About the Old Shul A. Ben-Ezra 41
The Besmedresh M. Rubinstein 42
The Daveners in the Besmedresh Rabbi Dr. Yaakov Bosnyak 43
The Besmedresh and its Visitors M.G.K. 45
The Stoliner Shtiebl Israel Zusman 47
The Kobriner Shtiebl Shlomo Podolevsky 51
 
Institutions
 
The “Khevre Kadi'she A. S. Horodetser 54
The Small Societies A. Alman 56
Hakhnoses-O'rkhim I. Yitskhaki 57
 
The Village Autonomy
 
a. The “Oprave” Shlomo Liber's 59
b. The “Korovke” Shlomo Liber's 60
 
Holidays (Memories)
 
Rosh Hashana Tzivia Greenglass 62
Yom Kippur Tzivia Greenglass 62
Sukkot Tzivia Greenglass 63
Hanukkah Tzivia Greenglass 64
Fifteen of Shvat (poem) Tzivia Greenglass 65
Purim Tzivia Greenglass 66
Passover David Kaplan 67
Lag B'Omer Shlomo Gar'in 68
Shavuot Tzivia Greenglass 69
 
Episodes
 
a. The Dispute A. Kostrometski 71
b. The Ta'are Bret A. Kostrometski 72
c. A Blut-Bilbl A. Kostrometski 75
 
Good Jews
 
Horodetser Rabbis K. Rushevsky 77
Pinkhas Mikhael, z”l A. Ben-Ezra 78
R' Mordkhi'le M. Mishkin 80
The Kholozshiner Gedalyahu Kaplan 83
 
Cultural Awakening
 
The Revolution A. S. 85
 
Zionism
 
The First Step A. Tzioni 88
A Political Criminal Naftali Goldberg 90
The National Revival Shmuel Hoizman 92
 
Personalities and Characters
 
Dr. Israel Mikhl Rabinowitz A. Ben-Ezra 94
Motye Hillel's A. M. Teitelson 98
Rabbi Isaac Aaron Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg 99
R' Shalom Kostrinsky Yaakov Kostrinsky 101
Motye Itsik's A. Katrosy 103
Berl Rodetser Itka Podolovsky 104
A Wedding in Horodets of Berl Rodetser's grandson (a picture)   106
Panya Shaf, (Itzikl) I. Zis 107
A Community Leader S. Ben Haviv 109
The Town's Joker David Kaplan 110
 
Teachers and Students
 
Sender the Melamed Ami 112
Shmuel the Cobbler Ami 113
Chayim Itzik's Ami 115
Yankel Kodliner Ami 117
A Melamed-Merchant Ami 119
R' Shimon Izik Ami 120
R' Asher Ami 122
Yudl the Melamed Ami 124
R' Asher David Ami 125
An Improved Kheyder Ami 127
Herschel, the Teacher Ami 128
Moshe son of Khaya-Dvorah Ami 130
Kheyders for Girls Ami 132
 
Doctors
 
Naphthali the Doctor Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg 134
Vitkin M. Timoner 136
 
Second Section
 
A Quarter Century (1914-1939)
  
In the First World War B. S. Sussman 139
The Economic Situation S. Podolevsky 143
The Transition Period Benjamin M. Israel 145
The Pole Yudl Greenberg 146
My Visit Israel Zusman 148
The Pioneer Movement Bella Feinshtein 152
Under the Polish Regime Rabbi S. Podolevsky 155
Lament A. Warsaw 162
My Little Town (poem) Tzivia Greenglass 164
 
Third Section
 
Folklore
 
Preface Rabbi Akiva 167
Sayings – Manners of Speech Rabbi Akiva 168
The Yiddish Language Ben-Ezra 170
Customs A. Ben-Ezra 172
Nicknaming A. Ben-Ezra 177
Folk Medicine Dr. Y. Farber 178
Comments A. Ben-Ezra 181
Remedies and Medications Yudel Kaplansky 181
Two Bobbes A. Kostrinsky 182
 
Legends
 
On A Stick M. Timoner 185
Motl, the Jew Itchke 186
Ghosts A. Elman 187
 
Folk Songs
 
Dark, Slippery, Late at Night   188
The Song of the Workman   188
From Asia to Europe   189
Children's Songs   189
 
Fourth Section
 
The End
 
The End, (a drawing) Israel Zusman 192
The End   193
The Letter   193
Abraham Winograd   196
David Volinietz   197
Map (Horodetz in the Final Battle)   198
Yizkor (a drawing) I. Sussman 199
Remarks   200
Our Martyrs (pictures)   201
Our Martyrs (names)   208
Yizkor (text and drawing) I. Sussman 210
 
Fifth Section
 
Horodetzers in the World
 
Globus (a drawing) Israel Zusman 211
In America Bessi Greblovsky 213
“Society Yeshu'ot Ya'akov Support Union of the people of Horodetz” Chayim Greblovsky 219
“Young Horodetz” Benjamin Solomon Sussman 222
Horodetzer “Ladies Auxiliary” Feigl Greenberg 223
Horodetser in Russia A. Horodetser 224
 
In Eretz Israel
 
Former Years A. Kastrinsky 226
Present Times Joseph Montag 227
R' Khayim Mendl, z”l A. Kast 228
 
Conclusion
 
Picture of the Horodetz Book Committee   230
Thanks to the Contributors   231
A List of Names   233


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