[Page 133]

Lizhensk was a beautiful town, full of greenery. The population consisted of three segments: Jews, Poles, and Ukrainians. Each one of these groups lived in their own quarter, although there were a few individual Jews who lived in the Polish or Ukrainian quarter, and vice versa. However, these were very few.

The main street lead to the market square (I no longer remember the name), the market, and afterward Zhowski St., Boznica St., the House of Study (Beis Midrash), and the streets nearby to it were inhabited entirely by Jews. Jewish life pulsated there; there were the Jewish stores, bakeries, and workshops. There were two synagogues on Boznica St., the Beis Midrash and the Shul (Synagogue). The Shul was very beautiful. It was known for its impressive dome and its beautiful wall paintings. Kol Nidre^[2], was very beautiful and festive in this synagogue, its impression is etched very deeply in my memory, as a stirring experience which is never to be forgotten. Even though I left Lizhensk more than 28 years ago, I have not forgotten it. The solemn and spiritual atmosphere, the exchange of greetings and the unforgettable faces of the many loved ones, family members, and friends will remain in my memory for the rest of my life. To my sorrow, these two synagogues went up in smoke, having been ignited by the evil Hitlerists.

Jewish life in Lizhensk was similar to Jewish life in other towns. Most people supported themselves through business. There were rich people, poor people, as well as very poor people who supported their families with difficulty. The well-known Jewish sense of brotherhood prevailed, and people assisted one another, and insured that the disgrace of starvation would not occur in the midst of the community.

[Page 134]

Youth in Lizhensk had the feeling of treading together in one place… A parade on the 20th of Tammuz lead by Moshe Grisman

The youth were attracted to Zionist organizations, as they thought that through them there would be a path to a better world where they could be free among equals. I myself felt best in the small room of the “Gordonia” organization, among Jewish women. There we danced the Hora and talked about Palestine. There were many reasons why only very few actually went to the “Promised Land”, even though many dreamed about Aliya. For those who stayed, their lot was tragic, just as was the lot of Polish Jewry in general. Only very few survived.

The Jewish youth of Lizhensk were intelligent, enlightened, of fine form, and had a good grasp as to what they desire. Most of them worked for their parents after graduating from elementary school. Another group continued to study in gymnasia (high school), although this group was quite small. The tuition for the gymnasia was quite expensive. Some avoided gymnasia for religious reasons, for the gymnasia was a mixed school with Jews and gentiles, and attendance on the Sabbath was required, even though there was no requirement to actually write on the Sabbath.^[3]

[Page 135]

Jewish students in the high school (third from right is professor Stendig

We cannot forget that Lizhensk learned its lessons of anti-Semitism from other cities, and followed in their paths. There were guards in front of Jewish stores, incidents of overturning the school benches, as well as incidents of beating of Jews and university.^[4]Therefore, attendance at the gymnasia of Lizhensk in the latter years was fraught with daily tribulations. The excommunication by our fellow Polish friends affected us particularly badly. If there were several Jews in a class, the excommunication was not so bad, however if there was only one Jew in the class, it would be like Gehinnom (hell).

As I look back now from a distance of time, I wonder how we, our parents, and our grandparents were able to live there. Were we shortsighted or restricted in our ideas, or perhaps was there no other choice? It is difficult to answer this question.

I left Lizhensk a few days prior to the entry of the Germans. A few weeks later, the Germans deported all of the Jewish population to the other side of the San. At that time, the Jews thought that the greatest tribulation had already hit them, however it became clear with the passage of time

[Page 136]

that almost all of the Jews of Lizhensk who survived the war were saved because of this deportation. I myself cannot fathom how anyone survived. No Jewish population remained in Lizhensk. Many died in Russia. Many other refugees died from hunger or from the effects of war, however those who were able to stay strong and take a stand remained alive.

A few Jews who were saved from the destruction and were found in Lizhensk were murdered by the Poles who were members of the Z.A.K.

The majority of the survivors live in Israel, with the remainder being scattered in other parts of the world, including South America, the United States, and Australia.

We dedicate the majority of this book to those were murdered by the Hitlerist executioners, and whose gravesite is unknown. To those who were dear to us, the people of Lizhensk, we overflow with a fountain of memories, so that we can remember them, and perhaps more importantly, so that their cruel and unusual deaths can be regarded as the deaths of martyrs. Their lives were dedicated to the existence of the Jewish community in any place and under any condition.

May their memories remain with us forever.

[Page 137]

The city of Lizhensk in which I was born and spent the years of my youth is remembered by me as if in a faded dream as a small and orderly town. There was a large marketplace in the center, partly paved with stone, and surrounding it, there were high and low houses, as well as many stores of various types. Streets spread out in all directions from the marketplace that was at the center of the city. Some of those streets were old, lined with half-destroyed houses and ruins. There were also beautiful and modern streets, the most prominent of which was the street which led from the marketplace in the direction of the train station. This was the main street, where the largest and most beautiful stores were found, as well as the impressive public buildings. On this street, across from the modest store of kitchen and metal utensils, was the gigantic textile store of Alter Anfang, which contained a great deal of merchandise and covered a large area. The large display windows were filled with all sorts of merchandise of that type, and it made such an impression to all passers by of that street in Lizhensk, that they used to say that this store could grace even the center of Warsaw. When the accursed Germans came to our cities, they removed all of the merchandise from this gigantic store.

At that time, I stood across the street, and watched how the enemy filled up carloads of merchandise during the course of many days. This place was like a magnet for their acts of theft. It seemed like there would be no end to the great deal of merchandise that Alter Anfang had prepared as a “gift” to the Germans. This was the lot of all of the Jewish businesses of Lizhensk.

A unique place in the history and uniqueness of our town Lizhensk is held by the old Jewish cemetery, which is located at the edge of the city on a high hill. Inside of it, one modest cave stands out, where lie the remains of one of the most famous rabbis in the world, one of the founders of Hassidism – Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk of holy blessed memory. His name spread out in fame and praiseworthiness to all corners of the Jewish world. Surrounding the grave of Rabbi Elimelech, inside the cave and outside of it, are found the graves of his children and his holy students. Daily, Jews would come from within the city and vicinity to pour out their hearts at these graves. Testimony to these visits is provided by the myriad of notes (Kvitelach)^[5] that are stacked up surrounding the grave and the old stone monument that has absorbed the tears of generations.

When the Yahrzeit (anniversary of death) of the great Rabbi arrived on the 21 ^st day of Adar^[6], our modest town would turn into the center of the world. The crowds would resemble a beehive. Thousands of Hassidim would mull about the vicinity of their rabbi. They would arrive in convoys of giant busses, wagons, and trains. A different atmosphere would begin to prevail in the city already several days prior to the 21^st of Adar. Various merchants, primarily merchants of holy books, as well as of food and drink would set up their stalls in the vicinity of the cemetery and the synagogue. They would set up their stalls along the path that led to the cemetery, surrounding the synagogue and the Beis Midrash. They would eagerly wait all year for these days when they would be able to supplement somewhat their meager income. As the 21^st of Adar approached, the city began to fill up

[Page 138]

with Hassidic Jews, who arrived from all corners of the land to come close to their revered Rabbi. The entire path to the cemetery, up to the cave, was filled with a large crowd, and inside the cave itself the crowding was intense. The crowd consisted of both young and old, with everyone desiring to approach nearer to the holy grave in order to pour out their supplications and requests. Many candles were lit surrounding the grave and in all of the windows, and it was only through a miracle that not once, Heaven forbid, was there a fatal accident in the small and crowded cave.

Hundreds of Hassidim also gathered around the synagogue. I remembered in particular the large Beis Midrash, which was in those days filled with Hassidim day and night. Numerous stalls selling holy books and holy objects were set up both inside and outside. They also sold food and beverages in order to provide for the needs of the numerous visitors. I remember in particular the good taste of the traditional drink called 'Yapczszik', which was a sort of fruit soup which was very tasty and overflowing. I always ran after my father and asked him to by me cup after cup of this special drink. The holy books consisting of numerous ornate volumes, both large and small, as well as all sorts of holy objects would also catch the eye. The entire city glowed with peacefulness during the course of these several days, as it absorbed the crowds of Jews who came from near and far.

After a few days the guests would return to their homes, and then Lizhensk would slowly return to its regular course of daily life.

Rabbi Menashele of blessed memory, on the left

I remember Rabbi Menashele as a first class prayer leader, whose sweet voice was filled with emotion. His enthusiasm and outpouring of his soul during the time that he conducted services at the podium of the synagogue would inspire the entire congregation who came to join with the rabbi in his sweet prayer. On Jewish holidays,

[Page 139]

the house of the rabbi would be filled with crowds of worshipers. Rabbi Menashele's dancing on Simchat Torah^[7] left an unforgettable impression upon me. He would hold the Torah scroll in his hands, wave it, and sing and dance in the tight circle of his Hassidim. At that time his enthusiasm would ignite all of those present, and the powerful singing would break out from everyone's mouth. At such a time, everyone would forget their own day-to-day sorrows and tribulations, as well as all of the vanities of this world, and it was as if they ascended and stood in another world, celestial and pure, with a sublime and holy atmosphere, where the Divine presents rests among them and enjoys the festivities of the Torah along with the chosen nation.

I remember an event which took place once during the Tashlich ceremony on Rosh Hashanah^[8], when the rabbi left his house in song and dance with his large flock of Hassidim, and in the middle of the street (Rzeszow Street), a wagon driven by a gentile suddenly appeared, with two giant horses harnessed onto it. The horses continued trotting along their way toward the oncoming crowd, which filled the street without stopping. It seemed as if there would be a terrible accident here, that the horses would trample men and children with their trotting, causing fatalities with nobody to put a stop to it. We held our breath anticipating the accident that could not be prevented. However, when the horses reached exactly to the point of the crowd, adjacent to the rabbi, they lifted up their front legs and stood silently in their places, as if they were stones, without hurting anyone. At the time, it appeared as if this was a miracle from Heaven. My father, who previously worshipped in the large synagogue, became a dedicated Hassid of Rabbi Menashele, and I, as a small child, would accompany him and participate with devotion and reverence in the prayers and the table gatherings^[9] of the rabbi. I remember several of his inspiring melodies to this day, and I make use of them myself as I serve as a prayer leader in Israel.

After the terrible war, we heard that the unforgettable Rabbi Menashele remained in Lvov when the Nazis conquered the city, and he perished in the holocaust along with his family.

May his memory be a blessing.

The festivities of Lag Baomer remain etched in my memory from the days of my childhood in Lizhensk. We, the students of the Hebrew school, as well as the students of the Talmud Torah and various Cheders would go out to the forests that surrounded the city, armed with homemade bows and arrows, in order to celebrate this holiday commemorating the might of Rabbi Akiva and Bar Kochba. The Jewish children, who in general were afraid of the anti-Semitic gentiles, felt themselves on that day as mighty nationalists with “weapons” in hand, as they remembered the mighty ones of Israel of days long gone. This instilled in their hearts a feeling of freedom, as was felt by all of the gentiles. Groups of children would gather with their teachers in the clearings of the forest that were close by and known to us, and once a year, we would enjoy the clear air and communion with nature that was generally lacking in our lives.

In the thick forest, there was a large clearing between the mountains that served as a shooting range for the Polish army. We children were mighty on that day, for this holiday was for us, and when we would wander on Lag Baomer around this marked off clearing, we would hope and dream

[Page 140]

that the Jews would speedily merit to have their own land, and we would be able to serve as Jewish soldiers, and arm ourselves with actual guns, and take part in such practices in clearings such as this.

And then, when we merited, and the renewed State of Israel was established, I had the opportunity, along with several of my childhood friends, to be among those who fought for its independence. It is unfortunate for all of those who dreamt about the Jewish State and did not merit witnessing the realization of their dreams.

Many events took place in my life during the stormy time of the Second World War and afterward, and many of them have become lost from my memory or clouded. However my memories of the cradle of my childhood – the town of Lizhensk – even with all the happenings in life, will never leave me forever.

[Page 141]

A note from the editors of the Yizkor Book:

Yehoshua Rotman, one of the young communal activists of Lizhensk, labored and produced this image of Lizhensk, its streets, personalities, houses of prayer, communal leaders, institutions, customs, festival observances, and children.

Completely unintentionally, from his essay, the clear image is painted of a classical town with its sublime people as well as fools, high points as well as low points. The human struggle of thousands of years for spiritual and communal continuity, and all that results from this struggle appear in this essay.

This description has historical value, and is accurate in its portrayal of detail, both personal and technical.

The chapters on the Sabbath eve, Chanukah, Purim, and Yom Kippur, the street of the synagogue and the cemetery, are fitting to be included in the textbooks of Jewish study.

He imprinted his own personal stamp and accurate impressions upon his work. This is the testimony of a living person about happenings and events that are now preserved for posterity by his vibrant pen. These include events from the worst of times, when generally nobody was concerned with preserving their impressions and experiences for literary, historical, and testimonial purposes.

The editorial board.

Lizhensk in memory (a memorial gathering in the displaced person camps in Germany

[Page 142]

The Street of Beis Midrash

This street was unlike any other narrow and cramped lane. It was lost in itself, saturated with dreams. It was a street of the heart. The soul is pulled to the street of the small Beis Midrash, to the street of wisdom and Torah.

This street is located to the left of the marketplace. It was unpaved, and only had a sidewalk on the right side. Walled houses stood on both sides, all of which were inhabited by Jews.

In the heart of the street was the synagogue of Rabbi Elimelech. Across from it were the Mizrachi synagogue and the large Beis Midrash that was adjacent to the synagogue. Nearby, overlooking a valley covered with trees and gravestones, was the grave of the Tzadik. An eternal light burned at the gravesite, which could be seen flickering from the window of the cave.

There were also Cheders (Torah elementary schools) scattered in a disorderly fashion along this holy lane, and students would come forth from them on their way home with voices of joyous shouting.

Today is the eve of the Sabbath. The weekly portion was already recited, the weekly prophetic reading (Haftarah) was already studied, and they had studied Talmud prior to going home. They also remembered to spread strong garlic on the whip of the teacher.

It is Friday afternoon. The Sabbath beckons and nears, and Jews are rushing in groups to the bathhouse and the ritual bath. The bakers put the Sabbath bread into their ovens in cast iron pans,

The Mikva (ritual bath)

[Page 143]

The brass candlesticks are polished and shiny, the beggars speedily “finish” several homes prior to the advent of the Sabbath. Women hurry to the stores if they had realized that they had forgotten to purchase Sabbath candles.

The children now appear again. They have already bathed and shampooed. Their hair is combed and they are bedecked in fine clothes, rejoicing over their Sabbath and taking pride in their clothes. Reb Yosef the shammas (sexton) knocks with his wooden hammer: “Jews, Jews, to the synagogue!” The metal shutters are drawn over the stalls and stores. The locks creak and whistle, groaning as if to say: “Jews, there is no future for you in our midst! It is now the Sabbath, but on the next day you should flee from here. It is not your place here!” The rabbi stands on his porch, with the shammas beside him, leaping forth and admonishing someone who is late in closing his store, to someone who wanted to earn a few more coins to pay the contracts and taxes which await in the week to come.

Lights now begin to glow, sparkling out from the windows, and glass doors, whose glass is sparkling in honor of the Sabbath. Burnished copper, silver, and gold candlesticks and table utensils decorate the house of the Jew who is about to greet the Sabbath queen. The tables are set with pure white cloths.

Slowly the Jews of Lizhensk begin to walk the streets. The men are bedecked in their Kapotes (black Hassidic cloaks) and girded with thick, long, braided Gartels (Hassidic belts). They are wearing wide Streimels (Hassidic fur hats) with brims made of tail fur. The children and grandchildren are carrying large, thick prayer books. Jews are streaming out from all the streets and alleys, through wide-open gates, all of them united and serious, serious Jews, walking lightly. It is the Sabbath today! It is the end of worry, the end of the black gall. It is the payment for putting up with the contracts, Jew hatred, and difficult work and taxes.

Waves of people are streaming toward the alley of the Beis Midrash.

In the day and the evening of Sabbaths and festivals, at times of joy or times of sadness, whether going to the ritual bath for immersion or for preparation of the vessels for Passover, whether learning the Aleph Beis from a young age to learning Talmud and the Code of Jewish Law, from his first years to old age, we were accompanied by the lane of the Beis Midrash.

And then … This precious street was turned into a narrow ghetto that strangled the porous soul and snuffed out the soul of Judaism.

Jewish life in Lizhensk began on he street of the Beis Midrash, and was finished and annihilated on that street as well.

The large Beis Midrash was built in an old style, and was eight meters high. There were benches along the walls. In the corners and under the tables and stands, old, worn out and torn books were stashed. Every Passover, when the housewives cleaned up the houses, they would gather torn out pages of prayer books and other holy books, and fill up the stashes in the Beis Midrash^[11]. The tables were long. They stood there already for many years, along with the benches. In 1925, a fundraising campaign took place and funds were raised to build a heater that was covered with porcelain. It was not attached to the wall, so that its heat would be

[Page 144]

greater, so that the Jews would be able to tand along its hot sides all around it. Until that time there was only a rusty iron stove.

The Beis Midrash had 250 seats. Nothing stood in the center. The holy ark, reading desk and prayer leader's lectern were very simple and unadorned. In the latter years, the bookshelves were expanded, and an additional room was set up in the porch for a second Minyan (prayer quorum). Approximately ten brass candelabra hung from the ceiling, each one holding eighteen candles. There was no electricity, and the shammas would clean the glass containers each morning and fill them with kerosene.

The women's chamber consisted of three rooms, two of them wide, and one long and narrow.

Most of the Hassidim worshipped in the Beis Midrash. The women's chambers served for many years as classrooms for the Talmud Torah, until a separate building was built for that purpose, as well as for putting up guests.

Disputes about seating places, which were passed on as an inheritance, or about who should be appointed for leading the services, and who should receive various honors, were commonplace here.

In evenings, people would gather for a daily class in Mishna, as well as other classes that were conducted by Reb Shmuel Siszer, Aharon Moshe Reichental, Refael Itzi Hauser, and Wolf Wachs.

The synagogue was very tall. Its walls were adorned with artwork depicting chapters of Psalms, the binding of Isaac, “By the Rivers of Babylon”^[12], the priestly breastplate and tunic (Ephod), as well as the altar of our Holy Temple.

Most of the art was drawn by Reb Mendel Ber of blessed memory, the brother-in-law of Reb Dovidel Rotman.

The holy ark was engraved with artwork. It was very high, and small steps with iron banisters led up to it. The prayer leader's lectern was very beautiful, and in front of it there was a small depression for the person who stood before it, so as to fulfill the verse in the book of Psalms “From the depths do I call out to you, Oh G-d”.

The Torah reader's podium stood in the center, raised about one meter from the floor. It had wide stairs from several sides, and four pillars, one in each corner, as if for a canopy.

A very heavy, tall, brass candelabrum stood in the center of it. It was unmovable.

There were no tables in the synagogue, just seats and lecterns for prayer. The windows were round, high up on the walls, glazed with multicolored glass.

Prayers were only held on Sabbaths and festivals, and on weekdays only in the evening, for Mincha and Maariv.

The women's chamber consisted of long, narrow rooms, which also served as Cheder classrooms.

When the Germans entered on Rosh Hashanah, they burned the synagogue and the Beis Midrash to the ground.

The Kloiz (small Hassidic prayer hall) behind the church was maintained for many years by several families who lived in that place They worshipped their daily Mincha and Maariv, as well as on Sabbaths and festivals.

The Kloiz of Reb Menashele: Reb Menashele Horowitz came to live in Lizhensk ten years prior to the holocaust, and he set up a place of prayer for five minyans.

Aside from these, there was also the Mizrachi Kloiz, the Aguda Kloiz, and prayer minyans of various other organizations.

The Kloiz of Chuna the son of Reb Melech Shenker, who was later known as Reb Baruchel:

[Page 145]

It is related that this was the Kloiz of Rebbe Elimelech on the Street of the Prophet near the destroyed building. After the great fire, they brought Reb Chuna to his house, where one room served as his place of residence, and the other as the hall for public prayer. Later, when his daughter married Reb Baruchel, a new Kloiz was added. The Hassidim of Rozwadow in particular worshipped there.

The Germans did not touch this synagogue, and it still stand today.

The Kloiz of Reb Melech Dovczis: Reb Melech, who was the grandson of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk, worshiped in a separate Kloiz on the Street of the blacksmiths.

It was revered by all, both the observant and nonobservant, since all were equal there, great and small.

This field absorbed the tears of living Jews, who came there to the presence of their dear departed who were buried there, to search their deeds and to vow to live better lives.

When there was a joyous event in a family, such as the marriage of a son or a daughter, the orphaned brides and grooms would come to the cemetery to invite the souls of their dear ones to come to participate in their wedding. The parents would also come here to weep for those who did not merit to witness this joyous event which they were blessed with.

At times of illness and distress, people also came there to bemoan their bitter lot, and to request that those that repose there should act as righteous intercessors and transmit the prayers and requests to the other side of the celestial gates.

A great number of legends arose surrounding our cemetery, and all of them point to the holiness of the place, and the honor of those that repose there.

Jews believed in the protection provided by that holy place, and they would seek refuge there at times of trouble. This was the situation during the time of the great fire, when the Jews came there with their salvaged belongings, and spent the first nights there without a roof over their heads, seeking protection through the stones and monuments. This was also the situation during times of war and disaster. Jews also sought refuge among their departed brethren during the time of the war, and many were shot there by the Germans between the whitened stones.

[Page 146]

When the 21 ^st of Adar arrived, the poor of the nation would arrive several days prior to the appointed day, and they would set up two railings along the length of the path that led to the cave. The winter was still strong at the time, and it was difficult to go up to traverse the slippery, tortuous path which led to the grave of the Tzadik. As the visitors to the grave came back up the path, the poor would sit on both sides of the path and hold out their hands. Groups of fundraisers would also stand there, at tables with charity boxes, and they would collect funds for the various charitable organizations.

The monuments were old. The place was divided into several parts, one very old that extended from the gate to the cave of the Tzadik. In this place, there was no order to the arrangement of monuments. This place was reserved for the most well connected deceased, those that merited to be buried in close vicinity to the Tzadik.

After some time, a new lot was purchased to extend the cemetery. In this lot, the monuments were arranged in an orderly fashion, row by row. The monuments were nicely engraved, and the lettering was very clear.

Reb Mordechai Kleinman was the seller of monuments. He understood the status of each deceased, and knew what to engrave on each stone.

A red brick fence, erected in 1930, surrounded the cemetery. This fence had several gates, so that even the Kohanim would be able to peer in^[13].

Toward the end of the war, when the Nazis could no longer find live Jews to torture, they brought their war to the monuments and Jewish graves. They felled all of the monuments, and used them to pave the marketplace. They also plowed over the hill of the holy place with bulldozers, and sealed off the valley that was next to it. Now this area is flat, and it is all a plowed over field. In one corner, a small banner flies, stating: “It is forbidden to remove sand from here.”

Near the house of Moshe Chaim, next to the synagogue, there was an empty field, filled with pits and valleys, which belonged to the Jewish community. It was approximately 10 meters wide by 30 meters long. The back of the field faced the gate of the cemetery, therefore the “Tahara” room^[14]was built in a corner of it. Since Lizhensk was a gathering point for all sorts of indigents, and since also for several days prior to the Yahrzeit of Rebbe Elimelech and for several days following many people came to visit the grave site, and these pilgrimages attracted a stream of beggars who could not find any place to lay down their heads and rest their tired bodies; the community decided to build a guest house for these wanderers who used to fill up the synagogues and turn them into guesthouses and ad hoc hostels, thereby desecrating the name of G-d.

There were no very rich people in the city. Therefore the building of the indigent hostel dragged on for a long time until it was completed. It contained ten bedrooms. Once it was completed, it was necessary to obtain bedding and beds – the first type of furniture that was needed for such a house.

Once the building and furnishing of this home was completed, a custodian who was responsible for the house was appointed. He was responsible for maintaining the cleanliness as well as checking out those who came to stay there, obtaining personal data about them so that the hostel would not turn into a refuge for lawbreakers and other suspect people.

Mr. Gerber, who also served as secretary of the community, filled this role. He became disabled in the First World War. He was paralyzed in one leg and had tremors in his right hand, the hand he used for writing. He would compile a list of guests in the Beis Midrash between Mincha and Maariv. He would sit at one of the tables in a corner, and fill out his card catalogue with his trembling writing. We children would surround him and look curiously as he diligently conducted his work. Once in a while

[Page 147]

he would let one of us do his work, and that child would be considered very lucky. There were too many of us to help him. His card catalogue was as interesting as a book, filled with stories about people who were banished due to ill fate from their cities, homes, and children, and who were forced to wander to obtain a morsel of bread, and to dream about days that might come when their luck would improve. There were details written there about divorces, fights among brothers, bankruptcies, and impoverishment. Every beggar who wished to stay over had to tell his story, and these simple stories were frightening on account of their simplicity.

When the matter of the indigent hostel of Lizhensk became known in the Jewish vagabonds of the vicinity, a stream of vagabonds from outside came in, and the situation became too difficult to manage. The neighboring gentiles saw them as a symbol of the proverbial wandering Jew who takes over others land, and this added another strong pretext for their anti-Semitism. The communal leaders saw this as a danger with regard to their relations with the gentiles in Lizhensk, and decided to forbid the beggars from going door to door, and instead of this they set up a fund for “exemption monies”. They would gather monthly donations from the householders of the city, and they would use this money to pay the beggars so that they would not spread out throughout the city searching for donations. Every beggar was entered into a special list so as to insure that they would not be given such money more often than once every four or five months.

This institution functioned until the Holocaust.

The city changed completely already on the eve of Tisha B'Av, prior to the concluding meal before the fast. The children were freed from Cheder, and spread out in all the fields and gardens to gather thorns and thistles. They would bring them in bags, with each one competing with the next to fill up a larger bag, as ammunition to throw onto the heads of the girls.

The girls wore their curls in headscarves, and wandered about as if to prove that they were not afraid of these antics, with their heads were covered up like this.

The concluding meal prior to the fast was finished and the city was enveloped in silence. Sorrow descended upon everyone. The street lamps were lit on the streets, however their light was eerie, as if the disaster of the destruction of the temple had happened just then. The houses were dark, and all of their inhabitants had left and went to the Beis Midrash or the synagogue to weep over the destruction of the temple. Their heads were bent, they wore slippers and their steps were not heard.

The Beis Midrash was very dim. The benches and tables were overturned, since one was not allowed to sit normally at that time. The prayer leader intoned the prayers in a sad voice, the tunes were mournful, and groaning voices accompanied the reading of the Book of Lamentations, which was recited in a tune devoid of any joy. The pranksters could not tolerate this sadness, and they wished to lighten up the somberness. They would catch some heretic who came to the prayers with his shoes and force him to remove them. Then they would make sure that he would not be able to find them later.

The mourning continued the next morning. After the recitation of the dirges, everyone went to the cemetery to throw cloves of garlic upon the graves of their dear ones who were no longer here, so that their repose would become bitter and they would also feel in their graves that this was the day that the temple was destroyed. When the fountain of tears dried up, they would arise from the graves and go to their homes… However who knows, perhaps G-d would have mercy on his nation of Israel, and we would be among them.

[Page 148]

The Month of Elul^[15]

The Shofar sounds morning and evening, and from all corners, all of a sudden, the number of Shofars and Shofar blowers multiply.

The wind blows, and the cold forebodes difficult days. From the windows one can hear voices singing, as prayer leaders test out their “vessels”, and the trustees (Gabbaim) fix every broken bench. The days of awe are beckoning, and many Jews would come to pray, so there had to be a place for them all. The stores began to sell the needs for the holy days, honors were sold such as Aliyot (Torah honors), Shofar blasts, the Psalms prior to the Shofar blasts (Lamenatzeach), and other such honors which were appropriate for the occasion.

It is very cold. The shammas bangs with his wooden hammer in order to awaken the worshippers. The teeth rattle from the cold and from the trepidation. It is still dark on the streets, and people do not want to get up, however the days of judgment and introspection are approaching, and it is appropriate to purify oneself and to pray at this time when one could concentrate fully.

Those who wake up light dim oil lamps in order not to awaken the members of the household. The old and worn out Selichot books were prepared from the evening before. Generations of heads of families prayed from them, and they were already well used.

Suddenly, the streets fill. Footsteps break the silence and darkness. Jews rush to the ritual bath (Mikva) in order to purify themselves before the recitation of Selichot, so that they would be pure before the Creator. Here and there, there would also be women as well as children who had already reached the age of thirteen. In the midst of this great solemnity, pranksters leave the Kloiz and run to the gardens of the neighbors to secretly steal nuts.

This ceremony is conducted in groups of three. One recites the annulment, and two answer. These ad hoc courts of law annul the vows of each person. At time, the reciter does not understand the text he is reading, which is written in Aramaic interspersed with Hebrew, and even the two listeners do not listen to the reading themselves. This is the way of the ceremony of annulment of vows. Now is the propitious time to release vows and become free of blame. The days of Elul break the heart and inspire people to search their deeds and to improve their path of life.

One does not sleep during the day of Rosh Hashanah, for it says that anyone who sleeps on Rosh Hashanah, his luck will also sleep. Once people finish the afternoon meal, they return to the Beis Midrash for the recitation of Psalms, and when they finish the recitation of Psalms, the Mincha service is recited immediately, and then … people go to the creek of the priest in order to empty their pockets of all sins and iniquities that are stored there. Many go. Some go due to piety, others due to curiosity, and most go due to the desire to be together. If you see people going, you also go. Nevertheless, people are not all together. There are no barriers here,

[Page 149]

but people gather in groups, and each group gathers together in its own corner along with its prayer leader. They are careful not to intermingle the groups, even though everyone is reciting the same text.

In the latter years the gentiles purposefully dried up the creek, so that the Jews would not be able to recite Tashlich there. What did people do? They went to the well. Behind the bathhouse, there was a well that was steeped in its own thoughts. Suddenly crumbs rain down upon it and disturb its peace. There is no better place to cast sins than in the depths of water.

At noon all activity already stopped. Even if that day was a market day which was awaited eagerly in order to earn one's livelihood, once noon came everything stopped. It was enough, for this workaday world no longer exists. Even the gentile farmers knew that on this day, the eve of Kol Nidre, one must hasten to finish their work early.

The first thing that happened was that people went to the Mikva, and immediately thereafter to the Mincha service. Bundles of grass were spread out between the prayer leader's podium and the reader's desk. Everyone lied on the ground, and the shammas stood with his long whip, and administered to everyone two high lashes, and two low ones. Thirty-nine lashes remove sin and soften the heart.

In the long corridor, a long table is set up with many collection plates for various charities. The plates of the Gabbaim are first. The dues owing to the house of prayer are first. Next there was a large money tray for the honorable and important poor, and afterward there were various trays for the trustees of various organizations and groups.

Beggars of all types and appearances stood outside. They collected what was to be given. In these moments, charity was given in fulfillment of the adage “charity redeems from death”. Large Yahrzeit lamps were also set up in the corridor, thick wax candles with rope like flax wicks. The Gabbaim placed them in special containers filled with sand.

The final meal before the fast was concluded. The head of the family arose and put his outstretched hands on the heads of the children, and blessed his children and grandchildren. He would start with the older ones and conclude with the younger ones. Tears were not lacking as well, for Heaven knows that there was what to weep about. Mothers, grandmothers, older girls, and even men wept. People went to the Kol Nidre service with eyes worn from weeping.

The trek to the synagogue itself instilled fear and trepidation in the hearts of the people. Everyone was dressed in white cloaks (Kittel) and white socks. Large Machzorim (festival prayer books) were in everyone's arms. Large woolen prayer shawls covered everyone's head, and the silver and gold prayer shawl bands sparkled with rays of light.

In a short time, everyone was gathered. The cantor began the Kol Nidre prayer in a voice that was filled with prayer and lamentation, lamentation and prayer.

Jews sing and weep. They are very serious. The gentiles also gather around to witness the trepidation of the Jews. For them, this was a spectacle.

[Page 150]

Sukkot^[16]

The awesome day was over. On the very next day, the marketplace was filled with Sechach. The gentiles from all the neighboring villages knew to seize the brief opportunity when they would be able to amass money from shoots and branches. Wagons were laden with bundles and packages. The prices rose. On numerous occasions they raised the prices so high and the Jews did not agree to purchase. As if by command, not one person would purchase the shoots in such a circumstance. The gentiles stood for half a day, and then gave in and lowered the price.

In the meantime, the Jews ran around to gather boards and planks for the walls of the Sukkah. They would borrow from stockyards and old warehouses and build their Sukkot.

There were some Jews who built their homes from the outset with a ready-made Sukkah.

Everyone ate in Sukkot. The children concerned themselves with the beauty of the Sukkah. Hangings made of eggshells and feathers, colored by singeing with a flame, hung from the ceilings.

Only very few people of means, as well as the heads of the community, had Etrogim. Of all the four species, the poor were only able to obtain the willow branches, known as Hoshanos. On all the days of Chol Hamoed, the Jews would stand and peer through the cracks in the windows to see if guests would come. All of them were dressed in festive clothes as they waited for guests, who would generally come to honor their friends with a visit during Chol Hamoed.

On the last day of the Festival the shammass would bring bundles of Aravot or other branches for Hoshanos. They made a little bit of extra livelihood by selling them, and this was also for the good. On this day the Hoshana bundle is beaten during the services, and afterward, it was a festive time for the children, as they received the palm strands used to tie the Hoshanas, and made woven rings from them.

Many Chanukah Menoras of various types were displayed in the windows. Children accompanied their parents to purchase candles, and they chose the type that they prefer. There was no house that did not have a Chanukah Menorah burning. The Menoras were all different and of various forms; they were heirlooms passed on from father to son to grandchild.

The gentiles knew the time of the festival, and they came to town in the days prior to the festival with flax wicks and flasks of oil for sale.

Fathers would stand and unwind the wicks from the flax bundles. At the time of candle lighting they would recite the benediction with enthusiasm, as well as chapters of Psalms, and particularly they would sing the “Maoz Tzur” hymn which was the height of the celebration.

This was a very joyous holiday for the children. The lessons stopped at the eve of the festival. They were free from Cheder, and they went together with their parents to the synagogues, frolicked about and enjoyed the miracle of the Maccabees in their own way. The first candle in the great synagogue glowed from the burnished brass candelabra and spread the light of joy to the children who were gathered around its base. Reb Yosef the shammas

[Page 151]

sung the benedictions with his sweet voice. It was pleasant to hear, and if the day was snowy, the festivities would be doubled. The children would throw snowballs at each other during the time of candle lighting.

In the house, everyone was patient until the end of the ceremony, at which time they would receive their Chanukah money (Gelt), spread out on the floor and to spin their homemade tops (Dreidels) made of wood or lead. The older children would wander around the women's gallery and they would play cards. On Chanukah it was permissible to play cards. Outside it was frozen and icy, and inside the house there was warmth of the soul. The home was pleasant on Chanukah nights, which left impressions of light and pleasantness for many days

On the next day, they slaughtered geese, and prepared fat for the whole year. The smell of the fat was strong. Granite bells were displayed from every Jewish window and door. On the long nights of Kislev, women sat around with their heads covered with large kerchiefs, and softened feathers to make down for the pillows of the girls about to be married, so that they should remember their mothers as they put their heads down on their warm, soft pillow. The house was white from the flying feathers, and the street from the snow and ice; this was a white world in the darkness of the exile.

It was difficult to determine if this was a day of joy or sadness. For the children it was a happy day. One week prior to this day, the train would daily bring in new Jews who were not local; horse drawn wagons filled with men and women covered with snow and ice plied the streets; and large colorful busses came from near and far; Jews came in brimmed hats, wide hats, Hassidic hats, home made velvet hats and even colored modern hats, with long Kapotes or short Hungarian cloaks, white socks, shoes without laces, heavy wagoneers boots, or captain's gaiters. There were Jews with long white beards or short trimmed beards, short payos or curly payos. The eyes were red from tears, tears due to family troubles, and the hearts were heavier than stones, laden with many requests. They came to weep and to pour out warm tears on the grave of the Tzadik at the time that they kiss the gravestone.

They would come yearly to place their notes which detailed in trembling writing their list of woes. They prayed, supplicated, danced solemnly and jumped, gave charity and donations, and pushed themselves to pour out their woes.

In the midst of all the sobbing, they danced, made noise, sang, and sang enthusiastic Hassidic songs. They took pride in themselves, in their Tzadik, and in the breadth of their spirit.

The 21^st of Adar, the Yahrzeit of the Noam Elimelech, was a day of happiness and sadness combined.

Purim was multifaceted: From the religious perspective, it was filled with laws and statutes, such as the reading of the Megillah and the requirement to hear it, the benedictions before the reading, along with the special melody.

From the nationalist perspective: The victory of Mordechai the Jew against Haman the Agagite. Even on this day,

[Page 152]

tears were shed for the suffering of the oppressed Jewish people, with the faith that the Jews would eventually be victorious and overcome their enemies.

From the joyous perspective: In particular for children, they would bang when they heard the name of Haman, wander about freely in the synagogue, make noise with their noisemakers (Graggers) as much as possible, and the day was turned over, for they would admonish those who made the least noise.

The main joy was in the afternoon of Purim, when children would dress up and carry their gifts of food (Mishloach Manot) in glass plates covered with beautiful napkins. Sometimes the cake would be transferred from house to house and would eventually find its way back to its house of origin. Engaged men would send gifts of value to their brides, such as bracelets, clocks, earrings, etc.

Poor people would go from door to door to receive gifts.

The true joy started in the late afternoon, when the houses were illuminated very brightly as they prepared for the Purim feast. Some Hassidim managed to catch one more Megillah reading privately, accompanied by all of the usual noise making when they came to the name of Haman, may his name be blotted out.

The “costume parade” began, threadbare cloaks, faded Kapotes, worn out Streimels, with braided belts around the waste, masks made in the form of Jewish heroes, fake beards, and long Payos made of hyssop. These were the hidden poor people who were embarrassed to beg during the day when they would be recognized, but would do so at night when they were dressed up, as nobody would recognize them.

Occasionally, the toddlers would be frightened on account of the costumed people, women would be angry about the tricks played on them; but nevertheless Purim was a lighthearted holiday, one day a year when the typical Jewish seriousness would be lifted, and people would be happy for what will be. Purim was a wonderful holiday.

In the neighboring villages, the fear of the gentiles would come upon the Jews. The non-Jews^[18] made up stuffed bags in the shapes of Jews and tied them with string near the homes of the Jews. In the town, this Sabbath caused much joy. Everyone sent to his friend ships, trains, and tickets “direct to Egypt”. For the most part, these things were sent to enemies a day or two prior to the Sabbath, so that they would be received on the eve of this Sabbath. They had addresses such as “Boils fly to Egypt”, in verse and song. Stuffed bags in the shape of enemies were put up in the marketplace as well, and gentiles were hired for this purpose, to go on this Sabbath to the home of their enemies and bring them at the time of the conclusion of prayers the stuffed manikins which publicized the enmity. Nobody knew who arranged this, and who connected Shabbat Hagadol with the publicizing of enmity. No matter, for on this Sabbath, hatred was permitted toward those who caused problems for the Jews as well as for Jews…

[Page 153]

After Purim, the preparations for and anticipation of Passover began. The sun began to shine in the streets. The snow began to melt, and people began to clear out their humble homes. They would throw out straw mattresses, old beds, heavy engraved items, and worn out books. They would clean and hang up their old clothes to air out. They would prepare to whitewash and clean out their houses.

They would bring whitewash from the pit of Zshishele Greenberg or Yosef Guzik, and some paint from Shmuel Langzam, for they would not simply whitewash, but would add some colored paint and decorate the house with various designs and flowers, in modern fashion. Outside, small feathers flew around that came out of the blankets and pillows that were being aired out on the windowsills.

The stalls in the marketplace began to stock fattened geese. They would slaughter them, to prepare rich gourmet food for the festival of the spring. The aroma of frying oil wafted from the houses, the basements were filled with potatoes, the glassmakers went door to door and sold glass pots and bottles to store home made wine. They would make the wine from raisins. Black raisins could be more easily obtained, they were cheaper, however the white ones were larger and sweeter. Everyone prepared according to his means. They would bring down boards, knives, and Kosher Passover utensils from the roofs. Every family cut up raisins. The toddlers would sneak some of the raisins, eat them and choke on the pits.

The gentiles brought wagons laden with straw to refill mattresses with fresh straw, and the old straw would be put into the old patched mattresses.

Bakers Kashered their ovens^[19] and prepared them for the baking of Matzot. They hired women as kneeders, removers of Matza from the ovens, and rollers of Matza. The positions that received the highest salary were the remover of Matza from the ovens, and the shaper of the Matza. People would set an appointment with the baker as to when their Matza was to be baked, and they would bring their flour beforehand to the baker, wish each other best wishes and that they should be well for the next year…

The family members would also wish each other a good year. Everyone was busy with the baking of their Matza, and the bakers would bless the customers and wait for the numbered coins, as everyone came to take their Matza.

The kneaders and rollers would be scratched occasionally with broken glass and warned “to roll the Matza very thin”. One would shout “roll it thinner”, and the other would shout “pour more water”, the one who puts the Matza in the oven would shout “put the Matza in the oven”, and the baker would shout “the fire is too high”. The children would see themselves as part of this activity and would shout “wafer-like Matzot with many indentations”.

A giant baker's basket would be lowered from the dusty roof. It would be cleaned, and the Matzot would be placed in it so that they would not break. They would quickly be weighed, and the porters would hurry and carry them to the owners. The owners would receive their Matzot and shout “good year, good year” to the porters.

[Page 154]

B. Passover Arrives

What would be considered a menial task all year is considered an honor on the eve of Passover. In the night prior to the day before Passover, people would go toward the well in song in order to draw the water for the baking of Matza, as it is said “they run to where the Matza water is”.

On the next day, on the eve of Passover they kneed their dough by hand and sing songs, Hallel, Psalms, as they baked their Matzot^[20]. The Hassidim would only eat Matzot that were baked on the eve of Passover.

The houses were spotless, and the raisins were already squeezed so that there would be an abundance of wine.

After Mincha and Maariv of the evening prior to the day before Passover, they would go about with large wax candles, goose feathers that would serve as a brush, and they would search every corner and crack in the house. The remainder of the leaven (Chometz) would be swept into a spoon, and the spoon would be covered with a linen net so that the crumbs would not fall from it. The next day they would go to the Mikva in order to burn the Chometz.

There was a procession toward the Mikva: One went to immerse his new vessels for Passover, for without this immersion they would not be considered fit for use, and others would go with older utensils in order to purge them in the boiler of the Mikva. The boiler was ignited the night before for this purpose.

The tables, kitchen counters and closet shelves would be covered with new liners, nice and clean.

The ovens were cleaned with cleanser, and then glowed with a hot fire. The Passover utensils were brought down from the roof and the Chometz vessels were brought up to the roof for the duration of the eight days.

After the morning prayers, the first-born would be redeemed from their fast^[21], and the joyous and glorious festival began to appear. Everyone was attired in their new festival clothes, the generally dimly lit rooms were now lit with bright oil lamps and torches, and the table was covered with a white tablecloth and chairs for reclining. Children who lived out of town came home to be with grandparents or parents on the night of the Seder. The tables were set spaciously; they were adorned with a large Seder^[22] plate; a large Matza plate; wine glasses of various colors; and Haggadas of various sizes which were passed on from generation to generation, enhanced by various commentaries and illuminated with various illustrations, embroidered covers and beautiful borders.

People ran around in a hustle, were busy, and everyone waited for the night of the Seder with awe and trepidation. They concerned themselves with who would be given the role of asking the questions, and worried that the children would not get mixed up in the asking of their questions. The fathers worried that they should not get mixed up with when to wash hands and when not to wash hands. The mothers worried that the Seder meal would not be spoiled. Everyone waited…

“Ma Nishtana” brought joy to the heart, as well as the traditional tears – because of blood libels, frights, evil decrees, etc. The tricksters opened the doors of the houses during the recital of “Shefoch Chamatcha” and placed into the house a small straw manikin like a scarecrow, dressed up as Elijah, and stole and drank the Cup of Elijah.

There were homes where the Seder continued until 1:00 AM or later. The children took naps during the day so that they would be able to stay up for the long, drawn out Seder, however the eyes shut nevertheless, and heads nodded backwards. “Woe to the child who falls asleep”, as the children were afraid of the chastisement of their father. The mother would take her young children into a separate room to doze off so “father would not be aware”.

[Page 155]

The father was like a king in his white clothes. He ate while reclining and discoursed without stopping, in words that only he, as a scholar, could understand.

Everyone fixed his or her eyes upon him.

He would often read the Yiddish commentary of the Haggada so that the family members including the women would also understand. The wife did everything according to the wishes of the king.

This was the only time during the year when the father would sit as a king at the table and set out the courses of food, and give command as to when to eat and when not to eat, when to cover the Matza and when not to cover the Matza, when to drink the wine. On this occasion the mother, generally the master of the table, would wait for his command.

Translator's footnotes:

1. Lesser Poland is a term used for Galicia. Return
2. The opening prayer of Yom Kippur. Return
3. Writing on the Sabbath is biblically prohibited, whereas simply passively attending school on the school is not within the spirit of the Sabbath, but is not a biblical prohibition. Return
4. I translated this sentence very roughly as it is worded very unclearly. Return
5. Kvitel is Yiddish for a note, and refers to a note upon which a supplication is written. Such notes are often placed at the graves of holy people, in the hope that their souls would intercede with G-d on the note writer's behalf. These notes are also placed in holy sites, primarily in the crevices of the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Return
6. Yahrzeit is the anniversary of a person's death, which is observed by various rituals such as the lighting of a candle and the recitation of the Kaddish prayer by surviving relatives. The 21^st of Adar would fall sometime in the month of March or very early April, one week after Purim, and three weeks prior to Passover. Return
7. Sukkot is a major Biblical festival that occurs five days after Yom Kippur, and lasts for nine days (eight days in Israel). Several Sukkot observances are noted in the text, so I will summarize them here. The two major observances mandated by the Torah are as follows: a) dwelling in a temporary booth or tabernacle called a Sukkah. In warm climates, one eats and sleeps in the Sukkah, but in colder climates, it is generally customary to only eat in the Sukkah. The Sukkah must be made of a roof of vegetation material (tree branches, wooden or bamboo poles, etc.). This thatched roof is known as Sechach; b) The taking of the four species, which consist of a palm frond (Lulav), citron (Etrog), myrtle branch (Hadas), and willow branch (Arava). The bundle of species is waved at various times during the festival services. This bundle is carried in a procession while Hoshana prayers are recited. The seventh day of Sukkot is known as Hoshana Rabba, meaning the Great Hoshana, due to the multiple circuits made that day. On that day, a special bundle of Aravot, known as the Hoshana bundle, is beaten on the ground. The eighth day is known as Shemini Atzeret, and the ninth day is known as Simchat Torah. On Simchat Torah, there is much singing and dancing, and there are processions made around the synagogue with the Torah scroll. The first two days of Sukkot, as well as Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, are observed as full-fledged festivals, with abstention from work as on the Sabbath. The intermediate days of the festival are known as Chol Hamoed. Technically, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are a separate festival, so later in the text, where it refers to the last day of the festival, it is referring to Hoshana Rabba, the seventh day. Return
8. Tashlich is a ceremony that takes place in afternoon of Rosh Hashana, where prayers are recited at a riverbank, and sins are symbolically cast into the river. Return
9. A table gathering (tisch), is a Hassidic event where a meal is partaken along with the rabbi, as he shared words of Torah and song with those gathered. Return
10. A minor Jewish holiday occurring on the 33^rd day of the 49-day count between Passover and Shavuot. Return
11. Worn out holy books are not disposed of in the trash, but rather placed in some form of storage, and ultimately buried in a cemetery. Return
12. A Psalm depicting the exiled Jews in Babylon sitting and weeping by the rivers and they remember Zion. Return
13. Kohanim (priests, the descendants of Aaron), are forbidden by Jewish law to enter a cemetery, except for the funeral of immediate relatives. Return
14. A room in a Jewish funeral home or a cemetery where the ritual washing and preparation of the body takes place. Return
15. The month prior to Rosh Hashana. Elul fall in August / September. Various laws, customs of Elul, which are referred to in the next few paragraphs are as follows:
    1. The Shofar is sounded on each weekday, to prepare for Rosh Hashana;
    2. During the week prior to Rosh Hashana, special penitential prayers, known as Selichot are recited in the early morning prior to the regular morning service. The first Selichot service takes place in the middle of the night on the Saturday night prior to Rosh Hashana (or if Rosh Hashana falls early in the week, one week previously);
    3. On the morning of the day before Rosh Hashana, the ceremony of the annulment of vows (Hatarat Nedarim) is conducted. An ad hoc court of law (Beis Din), consisting of three people is formed, and people take turns reciting the text of annulment of vows before this ad hoc court of law. This ceremony releases a person from unintentional vows that are made rashly during the course of the year, and thus deflects the punishment for their non-fulfillment;
    4. People search their ways, improve their level of spirituality, and make amends to people that they have wronged during the year.  Return
16. Sukkot is a major Biblical festival that occurs five days after Yom Kippur, and lasts for nine days (eight days in Israel). Several Sukkot observances are noted in the text, so I will summarize them here. The two major observances mandated by the Torah are as follows:
    1. Dwelling in a temporary booth or tabernacle called a Sukkah. In warm climates, one eats and sleeps in the Sukkah, but in colder climates, it is generally customary to only eat in the Sukkah. The Sukkah must be made of a roof of vegetation material (tree branches, wooden or bamboo poles, etc.). This thatched roof is known as Sechach;
    2. The taking of the four species, which consist of a palm frond (Lulav), citron (Etrog), myrtle branch (Hadas), and willow branch (Arava). The bundle of species is waved at various times during the festival services. This bundle is carried in a procession while Hoshana prayers are recited. The seventh day of Sukkot is known as Hoshana Rabba, meaning the Great Hoshana, due to the multiple circuits made that day. On that day, a special bundle of Aravot, known as the Hoshana bundle, is beaten on the ground. The eighth day is known as Shemini Atzeret, and the ninth day is known as Simchat Torah. On Simchat Torah, there is much singing and dancing, and there are processions made around the synagogue with the Torah scroll. The first two days of Sukkot, as well as Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, are observed as full-fledged festivals, with abstention from work as on the Sabbath. The intermediate days of the festival are known as Chol Hamoed. Technically, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are a separate festival, so later in the text, where it refers to the last day of the festival, it is referring to Hoshana Rabba, the seventh day. Return
17. The Great Sabbath, the Sabbath preceding Passover. Return
18. The term used here is the derogatory term: Shkotzim (singular Shegketz). Return
19. Utensils that were used during the year for leavened products, or even for products which might contain traces of leaven, must be prepared in a special manner (Kashered) for use on Passover. Return
20. On the eve of Passover, it was customary to bake the Matzot that would be used for the Seder. The Matzot described above, baked prior to the eve of Passover, would have been for general use during the eight days of Passover, as it was only possible to bake small quantities by hand on the eve of Passover itself. Hallel is a selection of Psalms (Psalms 113-117) that are recited on various festive occasions during the year. Return
21. First born are supposed to fast on the eve of Passover, in commemoration of being saved from the plague of the destruction of the firstborn during the exodus from Egypt. However, it is customary to waive the requirement to fast by attending a festive event, such as the conclusion of study of a Talmudic tractate. Return
22. The Seder (literally order), it the ceremonial meal taken on the night of Passover, accompanied by the recital of the story of the exodus from Egypt, the eating of Matza (unleavened bread) and bitter herbs, as well as many other rituals. The story is introduced by questions that are asked by the children, called “Ma Nishtana”: “Why is this night different from all other nights …”. Haggadas are the books that contain the order of service for the Seder; they are often adorned with commentaries and illustrations. “Shefoch Chamatcha” is the section recited after the meal when the door is opened to symbolically welcome the prophet Elijah to the Seder, and a request is made for G-d to “Pour out his wrath unto the nations who do not know You…”. The cup of Elijah is a cup of wine poured toward the end of the Seder for the prophet Elijah, but not drunk. Return

[Page 156]

It was apparently a town like all other towns Inhabited by boors, people of means, and Torah scholars Householders, merchants, poor people, affluent people Merchants of forest products, middlemen, and merchants of the fairs Clergy, prayer leaders, ritual slaughterers, and rabbis And ordinary Jews of pleasant demeanor. * Nevertheless, this town was one of a kind Like a dwelling place for the Divine presence: The gravesite that was famous In the region as well as the world Of the Tzadik Rabbi Elimelech, and the splendor of his holiness All the households of Lizhensk basked in his influence. * The cave in which was found the grave was located close the synagogue and Mikva It implanted in all who cared for it hope and expectation, By means of a “kvitel” left at the grave One can express one's wishes, and the soul of the Tzadik will assist. * The gravesite was bustling on weekdays and Sabbaths, Everyone comes together with his troubles to the gravesite; One is barren, or finds it difficult to give birth, Another was abandoned by her husband, Still another has been struck by financial difficulties, A couple needs to marry off a child, Another requires a match for himself, For since he became a widower his world has darkened; All of them turn themselves, Turn to the gravesite. The gravesite is always bustling Something is always taking place there. * Such was the case on an ordinary day, on a day like any others, Imagine for yourself what it was like on the Yahrzeit on Adar 21. The entire city was hustling and bustling

[Page 157]

Jews and gentiles would move around noisily Jews from far away, from morning until night They came to utter prayers at the gravesite in Lizhensk In Lizhensk they did not have to worry about a hotel or guesthouse For every Jew in Lizhensk knew That people would come to them as they would to a restaurant. Every Jew in Lizhensk was prepared To receive them with food, drink, and lodging. Even the synagogue, the place of prayer Changed its nature on the day of the Yahrzeit It functioned day and night as a cafeteria Selling food to the guests at cheap prices, And if a beggar were to ask food for free He would be given, and not turned away empty-handed He would receive his food honorably, as everyone else As well as some coins for his pockets, and a respectable place to sleep. * On the day of the Yahrzeit, affairs would be conducted, Matches would be finalized, debates would be resolved, Distant friends would suddenly meet, They would be reunited in friendship, and relations would be renewed. The town was then like a sea, stormy and noisy Everyone was rushing, everything was burning. Everyone searched for lodging or bedding For friends, individuals or groups. * And in this place, this honorable place, We should always remember our teacher Reb Yosel Whose house was open to every poor person And he served them as a servant. His fatherly concern added color to the city. The name of Lizhensk was well known and adorned In an adornment of goodness, of heartfelt simplicity Thanks to the Tzadik and his followers. We should also mention here Reb Yechezkel the rabbi The last rabbi of our city, who lived here for many years The honorable Rabbi Yechezkel Landau of holy blessed memory.

[Page 158]

In those days, he served the public, And opened his home to everyone who was hungry and thirsty, He invited everyone, and brought everyone near Thus did he serve as an example of brotherly Judaism They are remembered with love by every Jew of Lizhensk. * Even the gentiles would say And know how to relate About the miracles that occurred, and of which they were witnesses In the merit of the holy rabbi of the Zhidim.[2] Therefore, they also believed That the merit of the gravesite of Rebbe Elimelech offers protection. And once a strange and unusual event occurred, A gentile from a neighboring village dirtied the walls of the cave And this gentile died after a day or two. They said, “Is this not a miracle from heaven”. Even a left wing newspaper such as “Unzer Express” Described the story of this miracle at length. Lizhensk may have been like any other city Ordinary and simple, a city of dark days, However the spirit of Elimelech its rabbi of holy blessed memory Raised it up to the heights, raised it above all. And in our holy memory, our eternal memory We also remember his great and kind self May his soul be bound in the bonds of eternal life forever We remember our martyrs as well as him forever.

Translator's footnotes:

1. This piece is a poem, with every two lines ending in a rhyme. The translation preserves the line breaks, but not the rhyme. Return
2. The Slavic word for Jew. Return

  Leżajsk, Poland     Yizkor Book Project     JewishGen Home Page

Copyright © 1999-2026 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 29 Jun 2026 by LA