Svencionys, Lithuania

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The History of Svintsyan (cont.)

The Pioneer

        The Pioneer Organization began to be active at the time of the third wave of immigration to Israel. Its members were recruited from the following organizations: “Freedom and Resurrection,” “Youth for Zion,” “Workers for Zion (Socialist Zionists),” and unaffiliated nationalistic young people, who were drawn to the idea of Zionism.
The members of “The Pioneer” worked very hard to inure themselves to a life of hard work. They received pioneer preparation training by doing various difficult physical jobs in the city and in the provinces.
        The Svintsyaner pioneers received their agricultural education on the following estates: Tserklishok, Stanislavov, Rimki, and others.
        The first pioneers from the city emigrated, after their pioneer preparation, with the 3rd and 4th wave of immigrants and they became some of the founders of Ein Harod, Yagur, Ramat Hakovesh, Sde Nakhum, Kfar Giladi, Ramat Rachel, and other agricultural places (kibbutzim, kibbutzot,^[28] moshavim, moshavot^[29] .
        Svintsyaners could also be found building roads, planting orchards, and doing other obviously pioneering jobs in the country, whatever was needed by the settlement at that time (“Conquering Work”).^[30] The pioneers were: Sh. Ben-Zerakh (Mulye Gurvitz), Yitzhak Shibovsky, Rifka Katcherginski, the Dembo brothers, Khane-Garber, Tsile and Yitzhak Feyglman, Mina Luninsky, Dvora Feygl, Miriam Smorganski, Beyla Matzkin, the Matzkin sisters, Slova Bushkanyetz, Sheyne Sragovitch, Libkhin, Avtsinski, Avraham Levin.

The Preparation Kibbutz “Dawn,”
with Yosef Lulinsky and Family in the Middle

Agricultural Preparation Kibbutz,
under the Name of Yitzhak Leybush Perets in Tserklishki, 1923

        The list of pioneers from later preparation groups in other parts of Poland and from the Yeshiva “Dawn” in Vilna was, in relation to our city, quite long.
        The preparation kibbutz “Dawn,” in Vilna, also had a branch in Svintsyan. Dozens of male and female pioneers from the province of Vilna and all of Poland did their preparatory training at various jobs here in Svintsyan: in the factories which made felt shoes, on the plantations owned by the companies which produced medicinal herbs, in the gardens of the Jewish landowners, and whatever other jobs presented themselves in the town.
        With the help of the Svintsyaner culture benefactors in the Zionist organizations and teachers in the Culture School, the preparatory pioneers achieved social and political ripeness. In evening courses, they learned the Hebrew language and attained the necessary skills to achieve their life's dream of emigrating to Israel.
         The hundreds of young people who ended the course of study at “Dawn” received a certificate instead of a diploma.
        New life was given to the Zionist Movement with the founding of the youth organization “Young Pioneer.” This organization produced the actual pioneers of the future, candidates for immigration.
        Mordechai Gaviser, Ze'ev Zeydel, Zev Garber, Avraham-Leyb Germaniski, and Pinkhas Shulgeyfer were the young men who devoted themselves heart and soul to the work of this branch.
        The work was divided as follows: 1) cultural activities (social and political education, courses in Hebrew taught in Hebrew; 2) sports (gymnastics, football, handball and basketball, walks, excursions, contests).
        “A healthy spirit in a healthy body,” was the motto behind the creation of a sports club, “The Worker,” whose members were also the older members of “The Pioneer,” the Workers for Zion (Socialist Zionists), and sports enthusiasts who were sympathetic to this cause.
        In order for all of these sports events and organized enterprises to encompass a greater number of young people, the “Young Pioneer” group organized a string and wind-instrument orchestra, which used to play for the young people at their sports events, for visitors, and at other special celebrations.

A Group of “The Young Pioneer,” called after Y. H. Brenner (1929)
Kneeling from right to left: Mordekhai Bak, Khaim-Hirsh Levin,
Sholom Kuritsky, Yoysef Smargonsky.
Sitting: Yoysef Sardur, Mikhl Ligumsky, Eliahu Bikson, Leyb Desyatnik,
Betsalel Tayts, Mikhal Gurvitz, Berel Sragovitch.
Standing: Pinkhas Shulgeyfer, Yisroel Bikovitch, Dovid Shapiro, Yoysef Polonski,
Gershon Kuritski, Moyshe Gurvitz, Zev Fermont.

Group Picture of the Members of
“The Pioneer” and “The Young Pioneer”;

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28. These are really the same thing but established by different organizations. The kibbutzim were established by Shomer HaTsayir (Guardian of Youth) and the kibbutzot were established by the Poeley Erets Yisroel (Workers of the Land of Israel). Trans. Back
29. Again, these are pretty much the same thing, being cooperative settlements where the members can own private property. The only difference is that the moshavim are agricultural settlements and the moshavot can be both agricultural and non-agricultural. Trans. Back
30. The physical laborers at that time were mostly Arabs, and the new immigrants demanded to have the right to do physical labor. Trans. Back

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