Under the Soviet Rule

[Page 363]

Capresht in 1979
by Yisroel Flieman

Translated by Susanne Kaplowitz

First Monologue: Two things that don't match

Before my leaving for Israel, I made a visit to my place of birth, the town of Capresht. The town became attached to a neighboring village “Pradanesht” and the name “Capresht” no longer exists. The administration (Selsoviet) is located in the center of the village; the center of the region is no more Katyuzhan but Floresht.

In Pradanesht-Carpesht an asphalt paved road was built that spreads over the whole length of the town and connects Soroko-Uriv-Kishenev. Keeping in mind that there are no sidewalks by the houses, in rainy season the asphalt is covered in the well- known mud.

Generally, the town lost its look of a Jewish Bessarabian settlement and was changed into a typical Soviet village. Everywhere smells of lamb and Brinze (goat cheese). Also, the smell of Premoy wine is felt from the drunken peasants, who go around, wobbling in the empty streets.

People in the surrounding villages seldom travel with the autobuses, and even less—with the railroad,

The greater part of the remaining Jewish houses, are now occupied by peasants from Stefanesht. A large part of the houses are in ruins and you can observe a lot of empty spaces between the houses.

[Page 364]

Even now there are several Jewish families in town.

A son of ltzik Pesya's, Yankel Kushner. His children live in Beltz and he himself works in a “Punkt” (center?) where they squeeze the grapes.
Neama Biberman—he works as a carpenter in the kolkhoz. His son made Aliyah to Israel lately.

These families don't know anything about the Jewish holidays; speak the local language, think and breathe goyish (non Jewish).

All the synagogues of the town: the Great Synagogue, the Chasidic, the German and the Tehilim kloiz are destroyed down to the earth. It pains the heart seeing how everything is overgrown with wild grasses, All the houses around the Tehilim kloiz were wiped out and in the open place a market was created; here the peasants come from all the villages to buy and to sell.

In the school, where we used to study, there is now a “Selfo” D.H. a village warehouse from the cooperative. Across from Yoel Meyer's house a hospital was built. By Simcha Portnoy in house there is a kitchen, stolove (soup kitchen?), and also a combine from the cooperative where workers sew shoes and clothing.

The wide spa became a small corner. No one comes there anymore even for “a healing.” There is no place to bathe. The water flows only for the birds.

The cemetery remained the only place where Jews come to visit the graves. They come from Russia, from Romania and America. Even though the fence needs some repairs, generally the cemetery is well guarded. This is thanks to Moishe Moskowiz's activity. Before he made Aliyah to Israel, a small house was built here where a Christian couple lives and they guard the holy place. They receive a stipend from the Jewish visitors and therefore it pays for them to live there. Moishe Moskowitz used to say “El Malei Rachamim” (Prayer for the dead) for the visitors; now even that is gone,

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