[Page 68]

We the names mentioned below feel the delight and pride that we are members of of the large family “American Brotherhood of Mohilev” we send out heartfelt blessing with complete knowledge that each one of us is a ring in this long chain, that is so firm and strong twisted together and it gave the possibility for part of the Jewish nation to hold on and be saved in the time when they were facing annihilation. We are proud for the activities and for the work that the society exhibited and created during the 25 years of its existence. We feel lucky, that altogether we have lived to celebrate an anniversary of the Mohilever society when she becomes 25 years old, because “not every person merits” in the present times of turbulence and uncertain life, not everyone merits to weigh in for such a celebration. We give our brotherly “mazal tov” to the Mohilever society and we say to stand firm and tight like you have done till now and see that our children should represent our work that we have left a mark, and when the time will come, when hate, jealousy, desire, and brutality will disappear from the world, and peace and tranquility will reign, brotherly love and tolerance for one another, when the end of days of our prophets will be fulfilled, it will not be necessary to have any parties organization or lodges, societies and unions, we hope, that our existence, the existence of the “American Brotherhood of Mohilev” will be inscribed with a golden sign in the story of the Jewish nation in Eastern Europe and America, because she helped to realize the great ideology for which all big freedom loving people strive. Be applauded you activists and builders of the society! Be welcomed all those who helped us to arrive with such a shiny record to our celebration! Present your work, we will always support you.

[Pages 68-73]

Mr. Morris Appleman Mr. and Mrs. Morris Appleman Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Mr. and Mrs. Meyer Ackwa Mr. and Mrs. Max Ackwa Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Adland Mr. Harry Appleman Mr. and Mrs. Louis Appleman Mr. and Mrs. Sam Antman Mr. and Mrs. Marks Aidlin Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Baldwin Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Balter Mr. and Mrs. Harry Balter Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Balter Mr. and Mrs. Jake Balter Mr. and Mrs. N. Balter Mr. and Mrs. B. Bass Mr. and Mrs. Ph. Bass Mr. and Mrs. Sam Bass Mr. and Mrs. H. Belinky Mr. and Mrs. Louis Bennenson Mr. and Mrs. D. Berman Mr. and Mrs. Sam Berman Mr. and Mrs. H. Binner Mr. and Mrs. Harry Blitt Mr. and Mrs. Fred Block Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Block Mr. and Mrs. J. Blucher Mr. and Mrs. I. Brooks Mr. and Mrs. Louis Brooks Mr. and Mrs. L. Broshkoff Mr. and Mrs. Harry Balotin Mr. and Mrs. I. Checkman Mr. and Mrs. I. Chelisoff Mr. and Mrs. M. Choderow Mr. and Mrs. Sam Cohen Mr. and Mrs. H. Cohen Mr. and Mrs. G. Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Hyman Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Harris Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Julius Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Joe Cohen Mr. and Mrs. T. Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Chalnick Mr. and Mrs. S. Chassin Mr. and Mrs. Alex Chakin Mr. and Mrs. M. Charnoff Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Diamond Mr. and Mrs. S. Dickstein Mr. and Mrs. Ben Dolnick Mr. and Mrs. Ben j. Dolnick Mr. and Mrs. Berry Dolnick Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Dolnick Mr. and Mrs. Louis Dolnick Dr. and Mrs. Max Dolnick Mr. and Mrs. N. Dolnick Mr. and Mrs. Ph. Dolnick Mr. and Mrs. P. M. Dolnick Mr. and Mrs. J. Denovitz Mr. and Mrs. G. Dropkin Mr. and Mrs. D. Dreibin Mr. and Mrs. Meyer Dreibin Mr. and Mrs. M. Dubman Mr. and Mrs. Z. Dreisin Mr. and Mrs. Alex Drexler Mr. and Mrs. H. Drukeroff Mr. and Mrs. I. Druckeroff Mr. and Mrs. H. Davis Mr. and Mrs. M. Dorin Mr. and Mrs. B. Elkin Mr. and Mrs. I. Elkin Mr. and Mrs. Louis Elkin Mr. and Mrs. Abe Entin Mr. and Mrs. Eli Entin Mr. and Mrs. Harry Entin Mr. and Mrs. I. Edelson Mr. and Mrs. H. Edelson Dr. and Mrs. A. Fabricant Mr. and Mrs. Z. Finkel Mr. and Mrs. Sam Field Mr. and Mrs. H. Finestein Mr. and Mrs. M. Finkel Mr. and Mrs. Joe Fogen Mr. and Mrs. L. Friedman

Mr. and Mrs. H. Farber Mr. and Mrs. A. Gadlin Mr. and Mrs. I. Galinkin Mr. and Mrs. I. Gonetzky Mr. and Mrs. N. Gavsner Mr. and Mrs. R. Gavsner Mr. and Mrs. Julius B. German Mr. and Mrs. Sam Gitevitz Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Ginsburg Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Glick Mr. and Mrs. Sam Glick Mr. and Mrs. E. Goldberg Dr. and Mrs. I Golin Mr. and Mrs. Max Goodman Mr. and Mrs. Z. Gerbatkin Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Gordon Mr. and Mrs. Abe Gosenput Mr. and Mrs. Fred Granat Mr. and Mrs. Joe Gray Dr. and Mrs. J. Greenspan Mr. and Mrs. Louis Greenspan Mr. and Mrs. M. Greenspan Mr. and Mrs. Yoel Gurevitch Mr. and Mrs. H. Gurevitch Mr. and Mrs. Sam Gurevitch Dr. and Mrs. Simon Gurevitch Mr. and Mrs. H. Guisnow Mr. and Mrs. L. Guisnow Mr. and Mrs. L. Garfinkel Mr. and Mrs. S. Goldstein Mr. and Mrs. G. Garfinkel Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hankin Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hassing Mr. and Mrs. H. Haft Mr. and Mrs. Morris Heller Mr. and Mrs. I. Herman Mr. and Mrs. H. Holland Mr. and Mrs. Harry Horwin Mr. and Mrs. Sam M. Horwitz Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Horwitz Mr. Horwitz Wisc. Mr. and Mrs. M. Hanok Mr. and Mrs. M. Jacobson Mr. and Mrs. Sam Jacobson Mr. and Mrs. S. Jessemer Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kadin Mr. and Mrs. Abe Kahn Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Kahn Mr. and Mrs. Sam Kailin Mr. and Mrs. Abe Karasick Mr. and Mrs. Louis Karp Dr. and Mrs. J. B. Kass Mr. Fred Katz Mr. and Mrs. Isadore Katz Mr. and Mrs. Joe Katz Mr. and Mrs. M. Katz Mr. and Mrs. Morris Katz Mr. and Mrs. Z. Katz Mr. and Mrs. J. Kutzman Mr. and Mrs. J. Kirson Mr. and Mrs. M. Klibanoff Mr. and Mrs. B. Klugman Mr. and Mrs. Max Klugman Mr. and Mrs. Morris Klugman Mr. and Mrs. A. Koff Mr. and Mrs. J. Koff Mr. and Mrs. L. Konopoff Mr. and Mrs. I. Koropoff Mr. and Mrs. A. Kozlovicher Mr. and Mrs. E. Kotin Mr. and Mrs. Ben Koz Mr. and Mrs. Harry Koz Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kreinin Mr. and Mrs. L. Kutchikoff Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Kroll Mr. and Mrs. R. Kroll Mr. and Mrs. A. Kurcow Mr. and Mrs. H. Kritchever Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lakin Mr. and Mrs. M. Leavitt Mr. and Mrs. Sam Leavitt Mr. and Mrs. J. Lebidoff Mr. and Mrs. H. Lessman Mr. and Mrs. M. Lessman

[Page 69]

The president of the compatriot union of “people of Viligham” opened the meeting hall and sat in his chair relaxed and smoked his cigarette and listened to the protocol of the previous meeting that the secretary was presenting. By nature, Hershel was a Jew who conducted himself in a democratic way with his fellow countrymen, even when he was president of the union unlike other presidents who had big egos and blew hot air when they conducted a meeting and demanded honor from their compatriots. It did not bother Hershel too much when two countrymen sat in one corner and two in another corner and conducted their own exciting meeting while the ideas of the general meeting were being deliberated. He had no heart to disturb a meeting of countrymen who maybe have not seen each other for a long time. But if one of the brothers makes the president aware that he cannot hear what is happening at the meeting because those talking on the sides are making too much noise, then the president bangs with his mallet and asks the brothers to be remain calm and allow the meeting to be conducted. It becomes quiet for a short while but soon enough the conversations continue as before among the brothers of the union, and in this manner have the meetings been conducted for many years at the Villighomer union. Only the members who sit near the president know what is happening at the meetings, but those who sit a little distant, it is to speak among themselves or to go home when they want.

Therefore, when a question regarding Villighom their village is discussed, or an issue that has to do with world Jewry then all the brothers are strong, very much interested, and everyone wants to have his say, each brother holds that he knows the real truth, and the proper response. He has no patience to hear another brother's opinion when they speak because he is convinced that the others are just talking foolishness and continually presses the president that he should talk. The president is a very busy man and holds the mallet in his hand and is constantly hitting the table to call the meeting to order, maybe it is not enough, and they don't hear him, so he asks the vice president who sits opposite him that he should help and also bang with the mallet to quieten the members, who are in another part of the room. Often a person can become deaf from the banging of the 2 hammers of the president and vice president who shoot like from a cannon. It happens sometimes that some committee comes to submits a draft to request something of the union, then it becomes a wondrous order in the hall and such a quiet calm, that is amazing how these same countrymen who half an hour earlier made such a commotion in the hall from their screaming to raise their voice over the other, and now it seems they cannot count two in the quiet. The matter is, that for strangers they keep decorum, and therefore before they call in the committee, they tell the president and ask the brothers to be understanding and not bring shame to the union and conduct themselves as decent people.

At a meeting, that happened one Saturday night, after the secretary read the protocol and after they heard the requests of various committees, the attendant, the inner guard approached the president and gave him the “credential” of a committee that was waiting in the lounge.

The president put on his glasses, read the script and announced to the brothers that this is a request from a union to except the committee and hear their request. A brother stood up and made a proposal to listen to the committee. It was seconded by another member and the president said to let the committee in. the brothers sat in their places, and it was very quiet, everyone's eyes were glued to the door to see who comes in and to hear what they want.

The door opens and in walks a young man with unsure steps into the hall, seeing such a large crown before him he feels a little ashamed and sits down on the first empty chair that he found.

The president speaks to him and tells him that they are ready to listen to his request and he should come closer.

The president then asked him to present himself and the young man went to the president and then turned to face the gathering.

Everyone is quiet as he begins to speak in this manner: “brothers and friends, of the Vellighomer union, I am representing the Vietker compatriot union that recently received a letter from our town, that the bathhouse burned down, and the Jews do not have a place to go to clean themselves. The Vietker community turned to us and requested that we do something for them, and since your town is a neighbor to ours and many Jews from your town come to enjoy our bathhouse, therefore we ask of you for your support for this cause and help rebuild the bathhouse in Vietke, I appeal to you not to discard your duty because without you we will not be able to rebuild.

Finishing his peach, he wiped the sweat from his face and sat down. The president requested him to wait in the outer room of the hall and the brothers will discuss the request and let him know their resolution (it is an old custom of the Villighamer compatriots, that when they are discussing a question of support and the committee who comes for support is still in the room, they do not talk about it for many reasons, that remain a secret of the brothers.)

When the young man left the room, the president declared that the question of the bathhouse is open for a discussion and the brothers can state their opinion about it.

Before the president finished speaking, brother Zalman asked to speak, brother Zalman was known as a Jew who did not let a question go by where he would have the first say, he sometimes even speaks before he knows what the subject is, just to have the first word, he speaks fast and serious and sometimes falls into an ecstasy and loses his Yiddish language and concludes in English – a broken English, and before the president gives him permission to speak he already stands on the floor and speaks, he began: :brother president and brothers, I think the request is very important, the bathhouse is a very serious place where a person can warm up, we here American compatriots have to make sure that Vietke should once again have a bathhouse, because, how can we let them suffer, I think it is our duty to help them, we will do a good thing if we give them a couple of dollars for the bathhouse, I appeal to the brothers.

The president interrupted saying that he should not make an appeal since other brothers want to speak about the bathhouse, and then we will decide the matter. Brother Zalman is not a person who gives in easily and he began to argue with the president, to let him speak, but when the president slammed down his mallet, brother Zalman also sat down, but he did so with sticking out his tongue at the president, that was his protest for the way the president handled him.

The president presented the brother who asked to speak about the issue after brother Zalman, with proof and facts he described, that by him there are no privileges and he does not believe in giving charity for a “keren kayemes” even if it is bathhouse or a souvenir book, and if a village where a bathhouse was burned needs help, they know our address and we can support them directly and we do not have to do it through another organization. Jews are an obstinate group of people, who don't want to do more than support a bathhouse. Meanwhile a brother in the hall made a face at the speaker, what is the bathhouse responsible and what are the Vietker Jews responsible that their union here is full of obstinate Jews? He cries out, the brother answers himself and says they are not responsible, and we should help them but not through the Vietker union.

The president called out the name of a brother whose name was written on the list of speakers. When the brothers who were sitting together in the room heard the name of the person who was going to speak, many of the brothers, mainly those who were sitting close to him took out pieces of cotton and stuffed it into their ears, because a few of the brothers who would frequent the meetings were becoming deaf and a doctor told them that it was because it was from the loud screams they often listened to.

When this brother begins to speak, he screams even if not so strong at first. He begins in a low tone and speaks in an easy-going manner, but the more he speaks the higher he raises his voice till he screams with sounds like a possessed person, like a person out of his mind, he becomes so heated from speaking that he has to pick his pants up every now and then as from his great excitement the pants keep slipping. It often happens that the president stops him in the middle of speaking and asks him why he is screaming so strongly and what is he so angry at. He responds in a calm voice that he is not screaming, this is how his nature is to speak, he always speaks with anger, his mother was a Cohain. His answer as others want to call it is because he was a wonderful campaigner for the underprivileged masses for the proletariat and until today, he is a strong supporter of Soviet Russia. “I don't know” he began to speak, I don't know why when the society has a question about supporting an institution in Soviet Russia, some of the brothers are against it. If a committee would come from the land of Israel, where there are Jewish workers that want to forcibly take the land away from the Arabs and where Jewish bourgeois and Jewish capitalists rule over the worker class and exploiting them. If a committee would come from there over here and ask for help to build a bathhouse, I am sure not one of the brothers would be against it, but when we are dealing with Soviet Russia, where the government gives land to the Jews that they should work on it and make a living, where no more pogroms are made against Jews, a land where the workers and peasants are in charge of the government and in such a land the brothers do not want to help build an institution that the proletariat needs. Brother president, I am of the opinion that we have to support the bathhouse in Vietka, we will find out the address of the Vietker bathhouse and we will personally send money there. We cannot let that the Vietker countrymen's union should be besmirched, screamed the brother with great emotion. Everyone in the hall was quiet, the speech made a great impression o all the brothers. It took away the tongue from all members who were written on the paper to be part of the discussion. Berel the shvartzer suddenly called out that everyone should give 10 dollars. Another brother called out an amendment that it should be 20. When the president made a vote, there was a big majority for 20 dollars. So very quickly with Gods help, the Vietker countrymen have the Velhimer society in the bath (in other words they got what they wanted).

[Page 77]

The night opened its book the sun has gone under once again and the world is resting the grasses breathe again freely the air cuts and strikes feelings heartily beautiful birds chirping as if the Divine presence itself would sing song, song song … The night opened its book with caution she browses in the evening stillness is quiet, between songs, between branches, in the fields and in the garden, how many fingers touch there? And one shadow on another shadow Climbing, climbing, climbing Only today a today the spring is long gone my friend, gone … it is no longer blowing the zephyr, a terrifying storm is roaring the world is bare and naked, the flower is long withered, the birds have been in prison long locked in the crows only the black ones, they curse continuously… my heart cries … I tell myself tell me what to do now?! … Distant wide horizons with the night color overcast and a cool breeze carries the night – speaking quietly, quietly, no-one should hear her, she should not become vulgar; only from somewhere above looking eyes, eyes, eyes … The night opened its book the world became younger; in the darkness secluded someone there wrote another page to the legend that goes on without an end night after night more and further longer, longer, longer Carries a mild rustle from the distance, and with silk wings moves like angels would soar, no man's eye should see a couple came together, like the doves, in quiet they love and without words it becomes written life, life life …

About half a year ago, when the Mohilever society began to plan to decide in what way the 25^th years anniversary should be celebrated, one of the members brought up the thought to publish a souvenir book, where it should be written the activities of the organization for the entire time of its existence. I liked the idea and I happily supported it.

I was not scared, when the work of putting it together and publishing the book was presented to me, not being an expert, I imagined that giving out such a book will not be too difficult for me, how surprised I was, when I came closer to doing the work, I was beset with many difficulties. First, I had to deal with the way the book would look, I wanted something different than the regular souvenir book that are given out from time to time by various organizations. Second, I was interested to have a rich content, the book should contain articles that the members of the society can learn something from, something that should appeal to the soul of the reader. Thirdly, the financial abilities were given to me in a very constricted form with which I had to take into account. Fourthly, I thought about the massive amount of time that was needed to gather the material. Being employed by my profession, which took up most of the hours of my day, I could not imagine that i would have enough time to work on the souvenir book. I do not know if I would have had the strength to complete the book, if not for the help of people, who at the end of my work I will deeply thank. And how much we were successful in giving out a beautiful souvenir book both in content and appearance. I will leave it to the members of the Mohilever society and to the people, who respond to every written publication in the Jewish Street. I feel though that the Mohilever society has with giving out this journal placed it on a higher level than intelligence than other societies who also went through a twenty-fifth anniversary at some point in time. By them the happiness is expressed by publishing something but not more. And if there are some members of the Mohilever society who laughed at having a book, they are nullified in sixty, because the large majority of members were enthusiastic.

There are maybe some mistakes that I had to correct, but making the first proof in this realm, I hope you will excuse me as the book even with the mistakes would never have made it to the publisher if not for the help of my beloved friend Turdos Geller, besides his being an artist he helped me in the decorative work of the book he also helped me with rat a tat regarding the contents and the appropriate ways to beautify the book. I want to heartfully thank him in the name of the Mohilever society. It is a gain for the Jewish intelligence in Chicago to have such a gifted young man who is interested in everything that is printed in the Jewish world. I want to give you my deepest thanks friend Shapiro, who many times saved me the bother and gave me all the necessary materials, figures, dates, names that he took out of the archives of the Mohilever society. A separate thanks belongs to A. Entin with his devoted work he collected almost half of the “advertisements” that were published in this edition, and this helped make it a better book. It also has to be mentioned in a positive way the collectors of other advertisements, Zalman Wexler, Yosef Runover, Leikin and many others to whom I want to express my heartfelt thanks, my daughter Miriam who helped me organize the English section. She coordinated the articles, read the proofs, collected the materials and saved me a lot of work. And also Charvonah (name in the book of Esther) is mentioned for good. And lastly, I would like to mention for the good the publisher of the book my friend Kishenevski, besides that he was paid for his work, he did much more than was necessary and more than we had agreed upon. The same can be said about my friend L. Stein, who made an excellent binding and cover as is fitting for such an edition.

To conclude I want to greet the Mohilever Society to its twenty fifth year of existence and hope that the new page of activities that they will begin with entering the next quarter of a century will be more spiritual than before. I hope that all questions and problems that were thrown out by the authors of various articles in this journal will find their proper place in the hearts and minds of the members of the “American Brotherhood of Mohilev” and they should answer them in an appropriate manner.

[Page 79]

With pain and sorrow and bowed heads we now mention at our celebration our members who have died and have left us during the time of our existence. Their strength and work which they gave for the Society while they were alive, will always be remembered with love and respect by the “American Brotherhood of Mohilev.” “There is no joy without grief” in the current moment of joy we interrupt out celebrative mood for a few minutes to remember the members who the angel of death tore away from us at the very end of the best years of their shine. May their good father who gave them life support us now in our celebration.

A. Tzari   N. Horlovski   A. Kahan   M. Farber   L. Freedman   M. Rabinowitz   M. Walk   Y. Granat   Y. Mendelson   A. Brook   Y. Brook

S. Therman   M. Kavinski   Y. Edelson   C. Rogover   A. Kaplan   Y. Pitsherski   M. Beiden   Y. Horwitz   M. Dolnik   M. Levin   N. P. Cohn   A. Epstein

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