Losice: In Memory of a Jewish Community
(Łosice, Poland)

52°13' / 22°43'

Translation of
Loshits: le-zeykher an umgebrakhter kehile

Edited by Mordechai Shener

Published in Tel Aviv, 1963




Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator and Transliterator

Warren Blatt



This is a translation from: Loshits: le-zeykher an umgebrakhter kehile
[Losice: In Memory of a Jewish Community, Exterminated by Nazi Murderers],
ed. Mordechai Shener, (Tel Aviv: Former Residents of Losice in Israel, 1963), 459 pages, H, Y.


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I wish to acknowledge the help of a number of people who assisted me in the translation of the Yizkor Book. My wife, Cheryl Lewin who read at least one page every day for the past year. She did the reading in Yiddish and I translated into English.

My mother, Freda Lewin who translated a great many words which are similar in German. My uncle, Pinie Levine who was an invaluable resource helping in the translation of many words the meaning of which could only be known by someone from the locality of Losice, Poland.

Gila Isaacs, a volunteer at the Jewish Heritage of Western Canada, giving kindly of her time to translate stories from Hebrew into English. Ada Holtzman, for doing such a wonderful job in the name of the Jewish survivors of Losice and their children who are concerned enough to remember what once was, and to attempt to correct what is.

Viktor Lewin April 2003



Translated by Viktor Lewin

Edited by Ada Holtzman

([H] indicates that the article appears in Hebrew and [Y] indicates that it is in Yiddish)

  From the Editorial Board   7
[H] To the memory of Losice Dawid Ruzal (Tel Aviv) 8
[Y] To the memory of Losice Dawid Ruzal 9
 
The Shtetl
 
[Y] Losice and Losicer Jews in the course of their history B. Feder 11
[H] Losice and Losicer Jews in the course of their history B. Feder 17
[Y] Can we forget? Josef Fridman (Yosel Bubik, Melbourne) 21
[H] Can we forget? Josef Fridman (Yosel Bubik, Melbourne) 24
[Y] That was our town Dawid Ruzal 26
 
Memories of the Past
 
[Y] The two great fires Mordechai Szner 33
[Y] The Large Wooden Synagogue Herszel Kupersztok 36
[Y] The year 1905 and the Bet Midrash Menorahs (Candlesticks) Moisze Oksenhorn 38
[Y] Losice During Wars and Revolutions Iczel Rak 40
[Y] "Zapasnea" in 1914 Shchori Ben Aron Alter 46
[Y] The funeral of Jakob Isres Yosef Fridman (Yosel Bubik) 47
[H] The "Shabath desecrator" is brought to the grave of Israel Chaim Zinger (Haifa) 49
[Y] One year with the old cantor (Khazan) Yosef Fridman 50
[Y] Poor and Rich Cipora Graber-Koifman 52
[Y] Pogrom - Slander Ahron Preter 53
 
Social Movements
 
[Y] Shoemaking and Professional Movements Chaim Iczel Goldstein (Paris) 55
[Y] Professional Leatherworkers Union Yosef Fridman 62
[Y] Forty Years of the Bund in Losice Yosef Fridman 65
[Y] The Zionist Movement Avraham Pinkus 74
[Y] Social Activism in the Shtetl Dawid Ruzal 81
[H] The movement Hashomer Hatzair in our town Rachel Hochman (Givataiim), Menachem Ruzal 92
[H] Period of boom in the organization of Hashomer Hatzair Balcia Goldband-Szulewicz 86
[H] Memories of Hashomer Hatzair in Losice Josef Ben Jakob (Jasczomb, Tel Aviv) 88
[H] The shoemaker's workshop in the movement of Hashomer Hatzair Rachel Hochman 92
[H] Friends who are gone… Rachel Hochman 93
[H] A town in Podlasia Eliezer Bar Chaim (Barnholc) 95
[H] The lecture of one anti-Semite… Balcia Godelband-Szmulewicz (Negba) 98
[Y] "Yugen Freiheit " in Losice Berl Binsztok (Jaffa) 99
[Y] The Jewish Community Leibl Hofer (Holon) 104
[Y] Community Administration in Independent Poland Shmuel Landau (Tel Aviv) 105
[Y] Religious Social Activism Shmuel Landau 106
[Y] Jewish Credit Institutions Leibl Hofer 109
[Y] Help for the Villagers Leibl Hofer 111
[Y] Iron Safe and the Bank Shmuel Landau 112
[Y] Drama Groups and Choirs Dawid Ruzal 114
[Y] My Mother's Sabbath dress Yosef Fridman 116
 
The Religious Life
 
[Y] Several Losicer Rabbis Avraham Pinkus 117
[H] Rabbi Jonathan Eybeschuetz in Kock Gdalyahu Grosman (Tel Aviv) 122
[Y] My grandfather "the shaky" ("der citeriker") Rabbi Yehuda Altowski (New York) 122
[Y] The Konstantiner Rabbi Yosef Fridman 127
[Y] My grandfather, Rabbi Jozpa (Joizep) Avraham Sluchowski (Paris) 130
[Y] Joizep and Pinye Joizeps Mordechai Szner 131
[Y] Icchak Shoichet ("Szinkarzsz") Yosef Fridman 133
[Y] Torah and Labor and Godfearingness Icchak Meir Grinberg (Kfar Khabad) 135
[Y] Melameds (teachers), Cheders and Yeshivot (religious schools) Dawid Ruzal 137
[Y] A strike in the Cheder Yosef Fridman 140
[Y] Sabbaths and holidays in Losice Yitzhak Faigenblum (Curitiba Brazil) 142
 
People of the Shtetl
 
[Y] Not here… Leibl Dobrzinski (Bogota Colombia) 145
[Y] Godel Rozenband Mordechai Shner 147
[H] Gad Rozenband - my teacher and Rabbi Balcia Goldband-Szmulewicz 154
[Y] Abraham Pinkus Szalom Icchak Wrobel 155
[Y] Herszel Karcz Sara Czarnobrode - Karcz (Tel Aviv) 156
[Y] Matatyahu Goldwasser Szalom Icchak Wrobel 158
[Y] Zalman Minc Dawid Ruzal 159
[Y] The Kaminer Family Dawid Ruzal 161
[Y] Jeszajahu Szenker and Jehoszua Hochman Chana and Rachel Hochman (Tel Aviv) 162
[Y] Yerachmiel Cohen and the Anti-Semite commander Biniamin Zilbersztein (Paris) 166
[Y] The first Gymnasium student in Losice Fiszel Cohen (Haifa) 167
[Y] My father Dow Berisz Landau Szmuel Landau 169
[Y] Our brother Szalom Icchak Wrobel Harry Wrobel and Tema Wrobel-Fisher (Liverpool) 170
[H] Rabbi Szalom Icchak Wrobel Rabbi Zalman Barm"a Plotnik (Liverpool) 172
[Y] Yidel Sarakes Iczel Rak 173
[Y] Yosel Chanas and his son Eliezer Sara Grosman - Liberman (Tel Aviv) 174
[Y] Meir Krakowiak Malka and Chaim Krakowiak (Tel Aviv) 177
[Y] Jakob and Yenta Rozencwajg Balcia and Mosze Rozencwajg (Tel Aviv) 178
[Y] Abraham Sztejnman   178
[Y] Szlomo and Dwora Liberman Abraham Liberman (Tel Aviv) 179
[Y] Szmulke Wolker   180
[Y] My grandfather Mendel Wajman Icchak Rozenblat 181
[H] My father, Zwendel Ber "the taverner" Abraham Ber (Haifa) 181
[Y] The "Chazan" (the cantor) Icchak Meir Ruzal Dawid Ruzal 182
[Y] Dawid Yagodzinski Szalom Icchak Wrobel 183
[Y] Abraham & Malka Wrobel Szalom Icchak Wrobel 183
[Y] Abraham Icchak Goldring Szalom Icchak Wrobel 184
[Y] Icchak Oppenheim Biniamin Zilbersztejn 184
[Y] Mosze Gad Klerman Biniamin Zilbersztejn 184
[Y] Abraham Wasserman Biniamin Zilbersztejn 184
[Y] Yosef Aharon Ruzal Biniamin Zilbersztejn 185
[Y] Welwel Szemesz Dawid Ruzal 186
[Y] Israelke " Floi " & the old Hazzan (cantor) Iczel Rak 186
[Y] R' Mordechiles Ajnkel Iczel Rak 187
[H] "Aharon Rofe" Arie Szpialter (Tel Aviv) 187
[Y] The Goldszmidt Dawid Ruzal 188
[Y] Yokel Foyker Dawid Ruzal 188
[Y] Welwel Sznajder Dawid Ruzal 188
[Y] Abraham Woda, the tailor Dawid Ruzal 189
[Y] The watchmaker Dawid Ruzal 189
[Y] Szmulke Szpialter Aria Szpialter 189
[Y] The Yeshiva young men Szalom Icchak Wrobel 190
[Y] Young ones and youth Tema Wrobel Fiszer 190
[Y] Jankel Tretniks "demon" Iczel Rak 193
[Y] Awigdor "Faldseszat" and son Iczel Rak 193
[Y] Josze the postman Iczel Rak 194
[Y] Israel Icchak Grinberg the "Olearnik" Dawid Ruzal 195
[Y] Szewa Bajla   196
[Y] Abraham Icchak Stoler Iczel Rak 198
[Y] Pitaie, the Water Carrier Chaim Iczel Goldstein 198
[Y] Szlomo the "Nedn", the dowry   200
[Y] Meir the "Meshugener", the crazy Mordechai Szner 201
[Y] Josel Tomkes Mordechai Szner 202
[Y] Jeszaya Cohen Chaim Iczel Goldstein 204
[Y] Antczelicha Chaim Iczel Goldstein 205
[Y] Cziczeperelicha Chaim Iczel Goldstein 205
 
Workers and Leaders
 
  Our dreamers and fighters ("The gotele"), Bajla Jonasz,
Yosel Czop, Icze Ber and Jankel Sara-Roizes,
Ziskind Sztajnman, Towia the milkman, Dawid Minc,
Josel Chaja- Malies)
Chaim Iczel Goldstein 209
[Y] Mele Koka Iczel Rak 213
[Y] Joske Minc (Joszke Chaja-Lipszic) Josef Fridman 214
[Y] Mosze "Khacham" (wise man) B. Feder 216
[Y] Chaim Iczel Goldstein Mordechai Szner 219
[Y] Jehoszua Ruzal David Ruzal 220
[Y] Iczel Rak Mordechai Szner 221
[Y] My sister Elka Fridman Josef Fridman 222
[Y] Yochcze Fridman Mordechai Szner 224
[Y] Revolutionaries from the Chassidic Prayer house B. Feder 227
 
Personalities
 
[Y] Mosze Goldstein, the talented writer   233
[Y] Josef Fridman ("Yosel Bubik") Mordechai Szner 237
[Y] Mordechai Szner (B. Feder) Dawid Ruzal 239
 
The Holocaust (“Der Kurban”)
 
[H] Unbelievable Chaja Rachel Rozenband (Colombia) 241
[Y] It is difficult to believe Chaja Rachel Rozenband 242
[Y] First Nazi Bomb to fall on Losice Biniamin Zilberstein (Paris) 243
[Y] At night in an empty Shtetl Jehoszua Binstok (Ramot Yam) 246
[Y] Pain in the Ghetto Mosze Smolarz (Kiriat Bialyk) 248
[Y] My father - among the first Losicer victims Ela Karszensztein Braun (Hulon) 255
[Y] Mosze Bialykamien and the Judenrat   257
[Y] In the Losicer Ghetto Sz. Karszenstein 258
[Y] The black devil Chana Borowski - Herszenzon (Jerusalem) 262
[Y] A Cry for help from the Losicer Ghetto   264
[Y] Notes of Dr. Ringelblum   266
[Y] My generation in Losice and its tragic end Riwka Roitman - Rak (Petach Tikva) 267
[Y] Gela Seksztein and her will B. Feder 275
[Y] Herszel Karcz during the Nazi occupation Sara Karcz (Tel Aviv) 278
[Y] My father (a poem) Josef Fridman 281
[Y] In a fight with death Eliahu Madenfrost (Givataiim) 282
  Pictures from the "huge liquidation" in Losice   285
[H] Their last path Oskar Pinkus (USA) 291
[Y] In Auschwitz Ester Greczanik - Binstok (Tel Aviv 301
[Y] Losicers from France in Auschwitz Chaim Iczel Goldstein 307
[Y] And may be? (a poem) Josef Fridman 308
[Y] I survived in Losice itself Sara Wejman (Kfar Ata) 309
[Y] Aryans among Losicer Poles Chaja Szulamit Goldfeder-Ben-Arie (Ramat Gan) 313
[Y] How I survived Bracha Zilberberg-Rozenboim (Bat Yam) 318
[Y] Ghettos, liquidations & forced work in Germany Fradel Rozenboim (Venezuela) 323
[Y] Running away from hell Nachum Woda (Ramat Gan) 331
[Y] In fields and forests Arie Liberman (Ramot Yam) 333
[Y] Losicers deported to Siberia Itta Blatman Zilberstein (Paris) 336
[Y] From hometown to Siberia Iczel Rak 340
[Y] On blooded paths Josef Fridman ("Yosel Bubik") 342
[Y] Escaping the Holocaust Chaim Ruzal (Mishmar Hashiva) 350
[Y] Under arrest of the Nazis Bucze Koifman (Paris) 353
[Y] Searching Losicers as a Soldier in the Brigade Welwel Sztajnman (Kiriat Chaim) 355
[Y] In Losice right after the Holocaust Chaim Szwarc (Jaffa) 357
[Y] A visit to Losice after Hitler's defeat Chaim Iczel Goldstein 359
 
A Revenge
 
[Y] My sister Chaja, the partisan Jehoszua Binsztok 365
[H] Gerszon (Grisza) Goldberg Chaim Dinar 368
[Y] Partisan's revenge Gerszon (Grisza) Goldberg 369
[Y] I'd rather die with a gun in my Hand Hela Karszenstein 371
[Y] In the Ghettos and partisan camps Abraham Sluchowski 373
[Y] A German's Idea Moishe Goldstein 376
  List of the Jewish Martyrs of Losice   383
 
Jews Spread Worldwide
 
[Y] From Losice to America in 1900 Berl Elzon (United States) 413
[Y] Losicers in the United States   415
[Y] Losicers in France Chaim Iczel Goldstein 416
[Y] Losicers in Argentina   417
[Y] Losicers in Colombia Chaja Rachel Rozenband 418
[Y] Losicers in Brazil & England   419
[Y] Losicers in Canada   420
[Y] Losicers in the U.S.S.R., Uruguay, Venezuela, Australia, and Belgium   421
[Y] With Losicers in Bolivia Mordechai Szner 421
[Y] And in Poland… Rojzka and Chaim Iczel Goldstein 424
 
In the Homeland
 
[H] The Losicer Landsleit in Israel The editorial board 427
[Y] The Losicer Landsleit in Israel The editorial board 428
[H] Losicers who befell in the War of Independence   429
[H] Matatyahu Mendelboim   429
[H] Simcha Kaminer   430
[H] Dawid Zlotogora (Har Zahav)   431
[H] My brother Dawid Margalit Apel 431
[Y] Losicers in Israel's War of Independence   434
[Y] Dawid Ruzal The committee 436
[Y] Losicers in Jerusalem Jakob Fridman (Jerusalem) 438
[Y] The long, difficult path Jehoszua Koifman (Tel Aviv) 440
[Y] From Ein Kharod in the north to Negba in the south M. Sz. 443
[Y] Rachel Lewin   445
[H] Members of "Hashomer Hatzair" in Israel R. [H]. 445
[Y] Family Rozenband   446
[Y] Family Weinstok Dawid Ruzal 449
[Y] Family Oxenhorn   451
[Y] Our Chabadnik Dawid Ruzal 452
[Y] Berl Binsztok D. R. 453
[Y] From the Shoemaking Shtetl to the Field in Ganei Yona B. Feder 454
[Y] Losicer Landsleit in Israel   457
 
  Photographs    


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