[Col. 239-240]

[Col. 239]

There was a great deal of correspondence in the Hebrew press coming from the Suwalk area, especially from Saini and Suwalk. Among these correspondents were some who, not only wrote about current events, but also, from time to time, published serious articles in various Hebrew periodicals.

In this last category, we include from Suwalk: Yehudah Hakohen Vistinetski;^[1]. Yosef Rozntal; Yisrael Zalman Staropolski and, to a lesser degree, Yehezkel Liebshits, son of HAL”H^[2]; Eliyahu Vistinetski; Asher Margalit.^[3] Yehoshua Zeev Sereyski; Eliezer Dov Liberman; Yehosham Halivni (Y.S. Vays). From Saini: T.P. Shapira^[4]

[Col. 240]

The other correspondents were:^[5]

From Suwalk: Avraham Meir Zilberberg (1), Shemuel Yehudah Markin (3), Avraham Kaymark (1), Zalman Rozntal (4), A.D. Liberman (3), YG”R Shtern (1), Zeev Danayger (1), Tsevi Hirsh Abramsan (1), Yisrael Markovits (1), Shraga Fayva Shaytlis (7), Asher Rubinshteyn (3), Y.Ts. Medad (1), Yonah Kopelavits (1), SU'B Avigdor Kats (1), ATSB”E Meltserzon (3), Miriam Verzblovski (1), Ester Broynrot (1), Avraham Halevi (1), Eliyahu Bernshteyn (3), Moshe Korkevitsh (1), Tsemah Kloyzman (1), Moshe Meir Kahana (1), Gershon Rozntsvayg (1), Yehudah Leyb Kalvariski (1), Yosef Komisarski (1).

From Saini: Moshe Eliyahu Finkl (1), Nahman son of Aryeh Leyb Palanter (1), H”Ts Hakohen Gibyanski (2), Yisrael Shapira (2), Eliyahu Levintal (1), Shalom Yaakov Vilenski (1), Noah Yehoshua Rotnberg (1), Hlvna Bernshteyn (2), Avraham Tsevi Polnitski (1), Tsevi Aryeh Lurie (1), Noah Yehoshua Roznberg (Rotnberg?) (1), Dov Frank (1).

From Krasnopole: Aharon Yehudah Postavelski (1), Daniel Rozntal (2), Yehoshua Postavelski (1), Avraham Eskin (1).

From Ratzk: Tsevi Hirsh Perla (1), Avraham Tsimerman (1).

From Filipowe: Rabbi Zvulun Leyb BRY”T (1), Nahum Aryeh Kaplan (1).

The division among the most important Hebrew periodicals is thus:

“Hamagid” - - 54
“Hamelits” - - 43
“Hatsefirah” - - 11
“Halevanan” - - 9
“Hakarmel” - - 9
”Hakol” - - 1^[6]

Footnotes

1. Also corresponded from Psherosle: David Gardan, owner of ”Hamagid”, praised Vistinetski's articles and novellas in a letter to S.L. Tsitran. He also included Vistinetski among the active member of the Lovers of Zion.
2. He published translations from the Frankfurt “Israelit” in “Halevanaon” (1878) n°28 ff. The first translations were signed: Yehezkel Liebshits from Suwalk. The others – Yehezkel Liebshits, son of HAL”H from Suwalk. From 1878, there was a rabbi in Suwalk named Rabbi Hilel Aryah Leyb Libshits (initials HAL”H). The “H” stands for Harav or Halevi). He had a son Yehezkel who was later a famous rabbi, and this was certainly the translator of the “Izraelit”. In “Halevanon” of 1872 n°10, there is the beginning of a story, serialized and translated from the above-mentioned Jewish German periodical, signed by HAL”H from Plungian, that is, by his father. In that year, R'Hilel Libshits was indeed rabbi in Plungian, Lithuania. See also “Otsar Beduye Hashem” by S. Hayut n°3530.
3. Also corresponded from Psherosle.
4. In “Hamagid”, 1867 n°15, there is a poem by Efrayim Leyb, son of Yehezkel Bankovski of Suwalk, but we have not seen his name any more.
5. The number in parenthesis shows the number of correspondences.
6. Articles are not included. We have not included anonymous or pseudonymous correspondence. The total of all correspondences is therefore otherwise: “Hemelits” 116; “Hamagid” 150; “Hatsefirah” 33; “Halevanon” 14; “Hakarmel 9;”Hakol” 3; Total: 325.

Translator's Note

The whole subject of “correspondence” should be explained. In the early days of Yiddish and Hebrew periodicals, people wrote in with news of their towns or events in their towns. They we not writing as regular reporters but certainly more than just letters to the editor. These items were regular features of every periodical and have become an important historical source

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