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יח) [18] The Bes-Medresh Khevra Shas was established in the following way:

On the ninth day of Kislev in the year 5621 (November 23, 1860), the “Khevra Shas” [a society dedicated to studying the six sections of the Talmud] was founded by several comrades in the city. Among them were:

Eliyahu, son of Moyshe (Meylakh),

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Aharon, son of Yitskhok [Yitzchak]-Ayzik (Aharon R' Ayzikl's),
Noyekh [Noach], son of Moyshe Movshovski (Noach Polyak),
Moyshe Kheyn,
Fishl, the son of Morenu HaRav [our teacher and rabbi] Yakev [Jacob] Sobol,
Shmuel Gedalye, son of Moyshe Mines,
Yakev [Jakob], son of Mordekhay Okstavski,
Tsvi, son of Ze'ev Sulkes,
Eliyahu Leyb, son of Yitskhok [Yitzchak] Eyer,
R' Akiva-Leyb Veys,
Azriel Eliezer, son of Avrohem [Abraham] Berant
and others.

According to the khevra's rules, two pages of the Gemara must be studied daily. In the summer, this takes place early in the morning after prayer. In the winter, it takes place in the evening at half past eight.

A small celebration is held on the occasion of a “siyum” [completion of the study of a Talmudic tractate]. After each “seyder” [completion of the study of one of the six sections], a larger celebration is held. At the time of the “Siyum HaShas” [completion of the entire Talmud study], a grand celebration takes place.

The members of the khevra had [previously] studied at friends' homes and aspired to establish their own bes-medresh. Since some of them leaned toward Chassidism, a decree was issued that the Ashkenazi style should not be changed in their bes-medresh. Furthermore, anyone who opposes this decree may not be accepted as a member or sold a seat in the bes-medresh.

And indeed, some later moved to a Chassidic shtibl [for prayer].

In the year 5624, the couple, the Torah scholar Morenu HaRav [our teacher the Rabbi] Ze'ev-Baruch, son of Morenu haRav Eliezer, and his wife, Malka, daughter of Morenu HaRav Shmuel, donated their house on the synagogue courtyard opposite the “shul” to be dedicated as a permanent bes-medresh for the “Khevra Shas”, on the condition that after their death- after the learning and on occasion of a “siyum”- the Kaddish would be recited throughout the year, and that their souls would be remembered as well as prayers said on their anniversaries every year, forever.

Signatured,

the third day of Chol haMoed Sukkot, in the year 5624 [October 2, 1863].

The current Bes-Medresh Khevra Shas was built on the same site in 5656 [1895-1896]. The bes-medresh with its “Khevra Shas” still exists today with the same rules. Its last rabbi was R' Gedalye Tikotshinski [Tykocinski].

יט) [19] The Bes-Medresh Oyrekh-Khayim^[2], located in the synagogue courtyard on Tshemne Street, was built in 5631 [1870-1871] by R' Leyb Luksenburg, Leyb Rozenblum, and Zelig Kanel.

In 5634 [1873-1874], the Khevra [society] “Oyrekh-Khayim” of the bes-medresh was founded to study together the “Shulkhn-Orekh Oyrekh Khayim”^[3], so the members would know how to observe and comply with all Jewish laws. They created a book containing the khevra's rules, as well as its income and expenses.

According to these rules, every day, between afternoon and evening prayers, the “Shulkhn-Orekh Oyrekh Khayim” must be studied together with the “Ba'er Hetev” [commentary on the “Shulkhn-Orekh”].

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On Shabbat and holidays, one should study for an hour before the afternoon prayers. Religious laws pertaining to holidays must be studied before each holiday.

If one fails to attend study sessions for one week, it is customary to pay a 5-kopeck penalty to the khevra treasury. However, there should be no compulsion to hand over the 5 kopecks. Anyone who does not attend for three consecutive months is excluded from the khevra so they have no longer any influence. They should be readmitted to the khevra only if they catch up on the entire past year's studies, pay all fines, and the khevra recognizes that they did not act maliciously.

After completing the study of the entire “Shulkhn Orekh Oyrekh Khayim,” a large feast must be held every year. No strangers may participate in this feast.

Each year, three rubles must be collected from each member to cover the costs of festive meals from start to finish. A rabbinical supervisor must be appointed for the “Shulkhn-Orekh” and a second one for the “Khevra Shas.”

The bes-medresh members belonged to the following families:

Kanel,
Shmigelski,
Sereyski,
Cohen,
Slonimski,
Zelmans,
Slobodski,
Fridman,
Rozenblum,
Barenblum,
Kartun,
Bezim,
Kroneson,
Likhtenshteyn,
Medovnik,
Pat,
Barakin,
Belostotski,
Vaynberg,
and Broyde.

In the city, the bes-medresh was called the “Shkotsker^[4] Bes-Medresh” because its members dared to oppose the most respected and proud people at community meetings.

Today, like all the other bote-medroshim by the synagogue courtyard, the bes-medresh is completely broken down.

כ) [20] The Bes-Medresh Khaye-Odem.

In 1857, Rabbi Yehoshua Heshl traveled from Grodno to “all the cities” in an effort to establish khevras [societies] for studying the Khaye-Odem^[5]. He also founded such a khevra in Bialystok, which included ten craftsmen. The khevra rented a house on “Betsalel Ayzenkremer's Street” (now Kalushinsker Street 4). The number of members soon grew to sixty.

They compiled a book of regulations, according to which each member undertook to pay three “prutes” [coins of little value] per week to maintain the bes-medresh. This money was used to pay the rent, purchase religious books such as “Khaye-Odem,” the “Mishnayes” [the six Mishna sections in the Talmud], and the “Khumoshim” [the books of the Pentateuch], and pay the rabbi's salary.

They hired Rabbi R' Aharon, son of Ze'ev (Leybele), who studied “Khaye-Odem” and “Eyn-Yakev”^[6] with the members every day between afternoon and evening prayers and “Mishnayes” after evening prayers, as well as a weekly section of “Khumesh” [Pentateuch] every Shabbat.

The bes-medresh was constantly filled with students, both on weekdays and on Shabbat.

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Eight to nine years after the khevra was founded, the idea arose to build their own bes-medresh. The brothers Zundl and Moyshe Koleshnik took on the task of raising money for this purpose, and they fulfilled it completely. They collected money in the city from wealthy and middle-class individuals, receiving sums ranging from small coins to three rubles. In this way, they collected several hundred rubles.

Velvl Shtrikdreyer was the treasurer at that time. He and Yeshaya Toker, the two oldest “gaboim” [secretaries in charge] of the khevra, were entrusted with the task of purchasing a plot of land. They purchased the plot of land at what is now 7 Viltshe [Street].

Construction began on the wooden bes-medresh in the year 5631 [1870-1871]. Members contributed money and labor, and seats [in the bes-medresh] were sold.

The bes-medresh was completed and opened in the year 5632 [1871-1872].

Hired rabbis played a leading role in the bes-medresh, devoting themselves entirely to studying with the members. Sacred studies took place daily, especially on Shabbat and holidays.

Two years after the first rabbi, R' Leybele, left for Israel, R' Fishele, a great scholar and preacher, was accepted as the new rabbi. In 5631, a khevra called “Tiferes Bokherim” [Glory of Young Men] was founded under his leadership. The khevra consisted of young men and aimed to purchase religious books for the bes-medresh.

After ten years as rabbi at the Bes-Medresh Khaye-Odem, R' Fishele became rabbi in Vonses. R' Benyamin Yeshaya, the son of Yerokham-Fishl HaCohen Pashkovski, replaced him as rabbi and served at the bes-medresh for 44 years.

He was very popular and had a great influence on his students. He died on 12 Iyar 5693 [May 8, 1933].

In the year 5690 [1929-1930], a “gmiles-khsodim” [cooperative lending fund that grants interest-free loans] was established in the bes-medresh in the name of Tuvia Goldshteyn. (He was a former Russian private lawyer in Bialystok, a Jewish scholar, and a pious man). He left an estate of $150 for this purpose, and the prayer community donated the remaining $150. Today, the “gmiles-khsodim” has 5,000 zloty at its disposal and has granted up to 800 loans totaling 50,000 zloty within three and a half years^[17].

The bais-sheyni^[7], which was affiliated with the bes-medresh, played an important role in the labor movement history of Bialystok. For a period of time, it was dedicated to a minyan of weavers. They established it as a general center for Jewish and Christian weavers.

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In it [the bais-sheyni], all decisions regarding strikes were made, and all deliberations took place there until the police closed it down.

Original footnote:

17. According to the report in the protocol book of the charity's overseers of the bes-medresh Return

Translator's footnotes:

1. Contents in [ ] are from the translator, contents in ( ) are from the author.
   The Hebrew dates are given by me according to the Gregorian calendar.
   The transliteration of Yiddish and Hebrew words mostly follows the YIVO standard or the Yiddish-Ashkenazi pronunciation.
   The title “Rabbi” and “Reb” are both referred to by the author with the same abbreviation, “R' “. I have adopted this in my translation accordingly. Return
2. Oyrekh-Khayim= The first section of the “Shulkhn-Orekh” [The Set Table], the most important collection of halachic principles and laws. The “Oyrekh-Khayim” includes the laws on prayer, Shabbat, blessings, and holidays, and more. Return
3. This refers again to the first section of the “Shulkhn-Orekh” Return
4. shkots= Cheeky, naughty person Return
5. Khaye-Odem= “The Life of Man”, popular religious book, in which one finds in brief the laws of the “Shulkhn-Orekh” Return
6. Eyn-Yakev= “Jacob's Well,” Bible commentary Return
7. Bais-Sheyni= The second holy temple of Jerusalem Return

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