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Commemoration – What is it? We want to leave an eternal memory of the activities of the communities of Israel in their east European dwelling places. In spite of the desire of the arch-enemy Hitler to obliterate all memory of them from the face of the earth, and indeed did just that in his evil and satanic deeds, we will resurrect them anew in our rebuilt homeland and we will be to them a sign and a symbol that the ancient People of Israel is eternally alive.

We memorialize the community of the town of Goniadz one of many of eastern Europe.

We will learn to know them and will engrave their memory in our hearts; we will be their light and we will continue the chain of heroism of a struggling people, alive and creative under all conditions.

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We, the members, and collectively the representatives of all the classes of our “Atid” school, take upon ourselves to perpetuate the memory of our brothers in the Holy Jewish Community of Goniadz, Poland, and trembling with love, affection and admiration we apply ourselves to this holy task with every effort of our being that indeed we remember and not forget.

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After several years of dreaming about immigrating to Palestine, after months of feverish preparations, at last the day dawned in which we parted from Goniadz.

Everything happened in the hours before dawn while the darkness of night still reigned. Of a sudden all the houses in town were illuminated by candles placed in the windows. Nearly all the residents arose from their beds and went out onto the street to accompany the first three families making Aliyah.

Darkness; one cannot see the faces of the people but their voices echo in ones' ears until today. Voices crying, choking, murmuring voices with hand-shakes, hugs and kisses.

And I...just a little girl sitting with her family on a horse-drawn wagon. I couldn't see who the people were showering me with their kisses and their tears, whispering different things in my ears. But still now, tens of years distant from those moments my heart starts to pound when recalling those memories.

The picture is engraved on my heart: me on the wagon, surrounded by tens of men and women like shadows. Trying to get to us, to hug us and kiss us. Family members and others. And indeed, parting kisses they were. They remained there, shadows in the darkness and we, as one, parted from them with tears on our cheeks and set forth for Palestine.

As we leave, dawn breaks over the town, the east pales and turns rosy and we continue on our way towards the beckoning light from the east, towards the Land of Israel.

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In a chance meeting at a Bar-Mitzvah celebration at a large Kibbutz meeting, a friend, from the neighbouring town of Radzilów, said to Baileka Klapp: “You have no idea what your “village youth” of Goniadz meant to us? We were so jealous of you, we were jealous of your school, the fluent Hebrew you spoke and most of all – your enthusiasm towards Palestine and the work of the Keren Kayemet.”

From where did they draw this daring and energy to strive for the Land of Israel? Those “Blue Boxes” held the souls of every single one of them. Truly – the dream of Zion, the love and admiration for the Land of Israel, for Zion – the Holy Land still sang as it had in the beginning, as a Jewish settlement in the village as far back as 1860-1880.

The first official Zionist organization founded in Goniadz was “Hovevei Zion” [Lovers of Zion]. They were divided into many units for the development of political Zionism. It was called the Foundation Fund of Israel [KKL] for the purchase of land in Palestine. A bank was opened to support the village farmers and their purpose was to awaken Zionist sympathies in the young people, and to convince them to subscribe to the various journals: “Ha-Tsfirah” [The Siren], “Ha-Zman” [The Time], “Ha-Shaliah” [The Messenger] - to bring new methods of teaching into the classroom and turn it into the “Heder Metukan”.

The young Zionists, who always listened to the conversations of the “Oldsters”, accepted the role. Before commencing activities, the “Young Zionists” society was established. Their tasks were to collect donations for the Keren Kayemet, sell shares for the bank, stamps, etc. And when the Society grew, an additional axis was created with a mandate to the Zionist Congress which was very successful.

Most of the residents of Goniadz were Zionists. The older ones were from “Lovers of Zion”, and the younger ones from the “Young Zionists”, who were connected with the Zionist center in Vilna.

Other members were active in creating a Hebrew theater in Goniadz which was made up of town seniors and the first graduation class of the school in 1918 and its first Zionist presentation cycle included, among others “God, Man and the Devil”, “The Madmen” and “Marsha the Orphan”.

Later the “He-Halutz” [Pioneer] movement was created in Goniadz which included pupils from the school. The first group of the movement included 11 youths. It provided separately both cultural and educational activities.

Apart from training in agriculture in preparation for immigration to Palestine the “He-Halutz” members also concerned themselves with past-time activities such as singing as a chorus and in companionship.

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The appearance in the street, in excursions, in companionship was impressive and in the way of youngsters – loud singing. The songs of all varieties filled an important role and provided a powerful attraction.

With the first departure of “He-Halutz” to Palestine, the public became convinced that the Movement was not a “child's game”. “He-Halutz” introduced a new spirit and activities in town with theater performances, mostly the fruit of the youth themselves, on themes connected to Palestine mainly topics of society and labor.

In spite of the hostility of the “Reds” members of the “Bund” and the fist-fights that broke out, the members of “He-Halutz” sensed the importance of their mission. Many of the members – boys and girls – never got to their destination, because the gates of Palestine were closed at that time and they became dispersed abroad. However, the many that did eventually make it directly or indirectly to Palestine persevered faithfully and with dedication to their mission.

The young pioneers began acting in spite of the resistance of their parents. And when the “Trumpledor” movement came into being in memory of Yaakov Tucker of Goniadz, who fell in defense of Tel Hai, it was exclusively the achievement of the Zionists.

Zion and Zionism were always intertwined and all the cultural and educational activities were combined efforts and were based on that foundation. Nevertheless, the “He-Halutz” and “Tarbut” pupils were filled with longing for the Homeland – The Land of Israel.

Many were the Zionist books that were read at that time by the young people of Goniadz and the wonderful descriptions from the lives of the people in ancient times and the descriptions of the visually exciting beauty of our land in “Lovers of Zion”. All penetrated deeply into the hearts of the boys and girls of the town and awakened in them an unbridled love of the cherished land.

Many of the pupils knew by heart parts of that book but especially exciting for them was the book “Travels in Palestine in 5800” depicting an imaginary description of the life of the Jewish people living securely in an independent Palestine.

The Jewish State is independent, its residents and the president at its head – are Jews.

It even happened that while reciting an emotional Zionist poem to an audience of pupils by one of the girls – “The cup of tears” by Frug, she fainted from emotion when she recited the line “…and every single tear came, and straightway trickled down…”

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To conclude, it would seem that the dream of Zion and Zionism beat strongly in the hearts of the men, women, boys and girls of Goniadz constantly. Every heart-warming festival, their thoughts were turned to that same Holy Land Zion the destination that was promised by G-d to our fore-fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And their every deed and action was for the sake of the Land of Israel.

We will always remember their wonderful and heroic deeds engraved in letters of gold in the chronicles of the Jewish communities of the Diaspora.

The “He-Halutz” movement in Goniadz was founded in the year 1919 when second group finished their studies at the Hebrew School. The home teacher Mordecai Nilobitzki, who was teacher and mentor to his pupils, sought to convince them at the graduation party to take part in the general effort and join in the rebuilding of the Homeland. Not by donating money but by donating their work for the Homeland and to prepare themselves when matriculated to settle in the rebuilt Palestine. The Class did as their mentor required. Not much later a group of 11 youths organised themselves to fulfil that very purpose and when they became a settled group they accepted other carefully selected members into the group.

In order to become a member in the “He-Halutz” movement certain attributes were required without which membership was barred: one needed to be highly self-disciplined, honest and decently behaved.

In addition, the leaders of “He-Halutz” demanded cultural activities. From the very first day that they acquired a permanent address, they began to develop contacts with the Central office and receiving lecturers from there, organizing “questions and answers” evenings, theatre productions of their own material on different topics concerned with the support of the Land of Israel. On Holidays and festivals Hebrew songs were sung by all, even the Christians in the area wanted to learn them. The “He-Halutz” also supported the school in Goniadz and encouraged to pupils to continue their higher education in the various institutes in the large towns.

“He-Halutz” was in connection with other branches and met with delegates from Palestine. In time, the branch became well-known as a stable center with a noted Hebrew and Zionist education. When a “He-Halutz” congress was held in Grodno, two delegates from Goniadz took part and the link became even stronger. With the branch's development it also began to assist in the opening of other branches in the nearby towns.

In the beginning the relationship towards them was somewhat negative and on occasion so much so that they were referred to as “degenerate Pioneers”. Later all that changed and support for the movement grew significantly and all the Jews were permeated with a strong

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love for Zion and the public was convinced at last that it wasn't a childish game. When the first group of “He-Halutz” left for training it was said of them: “They may not have been observant Jews but Jews they certainly are!”

The left-wing parties - the “Bund” and the “Reds” - couldn't come to terms with the existence of the “He-Halutz”. They occasionally invited them to argumentative political debates. When “He-Halutz” members refused to participate, the “Reds” would come and cause disturbances at “He-Halutz” activities – disturbances that sometimes came to blows. “He-Halutz” stood firm and survived it all.

The “He-Halutz” movement was big and a splendid one and tried to arduously to send all its members to Palestine. Many of them indeed did so; others were not so lucky and the Shoah consumed them.

The school commenced in the years 1906 -1910.

The author and founder of the school was Rabbi Ephraim Halperin and his Head teacher Moshe Levin, who also functioned as the school's first manager.

The teachers were: Yoel and Meir Cohen, Shimon Halperin, Yeruham Levin, Yohanan Neumann, M. Nolobitzki, A. Gavirtzman.

Their first accommodation was in the home of Yaakov Rodnitzki; he rarely lived in there at the time.

There were many problems at the school. The benches were donated by the parents when the mayor was Rabbi Ephraim Halperin. Unique to the school was that it was founded on pure Hebrew, that is – all the subjects were taught in Hebrew: History, Nature, Geography and Arithmetic. As for the translation of the subjects the teachers found the spirit of generosity in Mr. Moshe Levin, who alone guided them in the translations of the required books. In 1910, the “awakening” towards both Zionism and the Hebrew language commenced. The school also boasted a large library of excellent books in Hebrew that the pupils read.

The school in Goniadz was noted for its high standard. A first visit was carried out by an inspector who came to see how the school was being operated. He knew well the material being taught and examined the pupils.

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His findings were expressed in positive terms. The result found its way to Bialystok and it was requested that a second, similar school be established. Moshe Levin together with his students and Meir Cohen declined the appointment and a school was subsequently founded.

The interest was enormous and the pupils joined the school. There were also excellent pupils who were sent to other schools to be examined and they were not a disappointment.

Thus, the first school in Goniadz became well-known and revered in the entire area.

From the Memoirs of Rabbi Ephraim Halperin:

“When I was 12 years old I completed my studies in “Heder” and my father (Z”L) continued to instruct me in both religious and secular studies. In our town there was a Russian elementary school comprising 3 classes and only Polish pupils learned there.

I decided that I was going to be the first Jewish pupil in the State school of our town. Since my father (Z”L) was close to the manager of the school he tried to get me accepted there as pupil and the request was fulfilled. I was the first Jewish pupil in the State school of Goniadz, among hundreds of Catholic boys and girls but I bore my loneliness in silence. The Jewish children of my own age began to feel jealous that I was a pupil at school and said they also wanted to be numbered among the pupils. With the help of my father (Z”L) I tried on behalf of all of them to get them accepted at the school. My efforts were successful. With the commencement of the next school year the number of Jewish students reached eighteen, in spite of the anger and resistance of the Catholics. Thus the spirit of budding inductance began to pulse in our town.”

Up until then we had in our town the traditional “Heder” and now the “Heder Metukan” which introduced the teaching of all subjects but especially Hebrew and Hebrew grammar as a specific subject. One of the first pupils was our dear friend Josef Halperin, whose father, Ephraim (Z”L), was among the founders. Nevertheless the lessons were aided by translation into Yiddish.

Nadalka Kozlowski was a teacher in the above-mentioned class that was created and he continued from 1901 until 1914 – the beginning of WWI. The orthodox sector in town were much against its creation and remained strongly committed against it like the Great Wall of China but Ephraim Halperin (Z”L) was determined to give his eldest son a more modern education and the “Heder Metukan” came into being.

In our town of Ramat Gan there is also a connection with Goniadz: the neighborhood “Neve Yehoshua” is named after Yehoshua Supraski, one of the shining intellects among the citizens of Goniadz.

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In those days, the first years of the 20^th Century, there was a group of young people, a few of them students of the Yeshivot in Bialystok and Lomza, who began to study secular subjects with great diligence. The place of study was the “Beit Ha-Midrash” [Study House], in which they spent their time studying the Gemara. After they had finished their lesson in Talmud, they brought out of hiding the books on secular studies and all of them studied the Hebrew language with great concentration and enthusiasm – its grammar and literature, the Bible, foreign languages, especially Russian and its grammar. Afterwards they began to learn also mathematics, nature and geography. Among those students, Yitzhak Yaffe stood out as exceptionally knowledgeable and all the students turned to him to explain what was unclear to them. The members of this group progressed in their knowledge and influenced the rest of the youngsters in town so that they too, began to take an interest in Hebrew literature. The number of Hebrew readers began to grow. A small library was started and the young people would gather there in the evenings, passing the time reading, arguing on topics of the day in the Jewish world.

The “He-Halutz” in Goniadz was founded in 1921. With the close of the academic years the graduating students gathered together with their teacher, Mordecai Nolobitzki and established the branch.

The Hebrew School of Goniadz was a creation without precedence or twin; it was brought into being to fill the personal need of each member of the group before the founding of “Tarbut”, and with its initial surge and its wide sweep of curriculum it differed from all other Jewish schools. Only in the last ten years a Yiddish school operated there but even then, the claim to seniority of the Hebrew school has never been challenged. The original Hebrew school in Goniadz was the natural continuation of the “Heder” and the “Heder Metukan”. It was therefore the model and example used as the foundation for a network of Hebrew “Tarbut” schools throughout the whole of Poland.

That is the Goniadz full of much splendour and glory buried and cached within her multi-colored, highly developed magnificent culture.

Although the town of Goniadz was truly not especially large her cultural activity was exceptionally broad.

As in every town, at her head was the “Heder”. The “Heder” was the sine qua non for every Jewish boy. There he learned his first words in Hebrew, reading, writing and Torah. In 1915, the Hebrew school was also established in Goniadz. Many of the youth of the town were drawn there to widen their horizons and fulfilled the need in the school. In the beginning the study was difficult but slowly all of the younger generation began to speak Hebrew fluently. That was a considerable achievement for the youngsters who learned all the subjects in Hebrew. There was also a Russian school in town where some of the Jewish lads who were accepted there could also study although Jews were strictly not permitted to learn in the Russian schools. In time a Yiddish-speaking school was also established. The various Zionist movements also helped to influence the development of culture. The “He-Halutz” movement with the assistance of outside lecturers as well as their own initiative, broadened their knowledge

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and awareness of Palestine for that was the place to which we belonged.

Thanks to the “He-Halutz” movement there are those from the town of Goniadz who immigrated to Palestine before the outbreak of WWII and survived the Holocaust. Amateur theaters began to operate in Goniadz with productions in Hebrew on topics of Palestine. In the same vein “He-Halutz” arranged dances and festivals that added color to the life of the town.

The library also constituted an important element to the cultural life of Goniadz; there were several libraries in town. In the beginning there was a library situated in the home of Rabbi Shlomo Yosef but after the First World War it became known that most of the books had been destroyed in an explosion. The library named after Y. H. Brenner was later established.

The town also had a newspaper which passed from hand to hand and in which all the townspeople could express their opinions on every topic that bothered them. There were also a number of newspapers and journals from other towns, like: “Der Freund” [The Friend], “Ha-Tzsfira” [The Siren] and for the children “The Friend” and “My Friend”.

The Hebrew language held an important place in Goniadz and was used as the day-to-day language. The visitor to town was right when he said that it was like walking into a village in the Land of Israel. But there were many people in Goniadz who spoke several other languages but mainly Yiddish, which was the lingua franca of Jews at that time, German, Russian and Polish because there were neighborhoods where these groups lived.

Indeed, Goniadz was a town of culture and diversity.

The collection of donations for the KKL encompassed all areas of the life residents of Goniadz. There was almost no single festival or event that the KKL did not take a foremost role.

When the KKL under the chairmanship of Bilka Kaliaff (Z”L) opened their meetings it was always a follows: “In order to love the work both the members and the donors we have to find new ways occasionally, to collect money.” They knew how to find these new ways. The opening of the market was a big event in the life of Goniadz an event that was awaited with expectation for weeks and months. A lot of thought and painstaking preparation was invested in decorating the stalls, toilets and booths etc. Efforts were made to adapt the themes to, on Yom Kippur suit all the different events and festivals. On Rosh Hashanah postcards of Palestine were distributed, the coins jingled and jangled into the collecting-bowls of the KKL in the synagogue; on Tu B'Shvat dried fruit from Palestine was distributed.

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The little “Blue Box”, beloved by everyone decorated every Zionist home in town. On Friday evenings, at twilight, with the kindling of the candles the mother of the family donates to the Rabbi Meir Baal Ha-Ness fund which supports the study of the Torah and also the blue box of the KKL for the redemption of land in Palestine. On Friday evenings in the school the children would also contribute to the KKL. Rich and poor alike brought their donations to the fund's boxes. On more than one occasion the parents complained to the teachers that the children were using their lunch money to put in the boxes.

Every family event, wedding, circumcision, birth of a daughter, mourning (G-d Forbid), would be marked by the planting of a tree in the Herzl Forest. The relevant certificate would be used to decorate the house in town. Endless inventiveness went into discovering ways to increase the donations to the KKL. In fact it was told that once they went to pick flowers in the Christian cemetery while they were still walking with the floral tributes they were met by the town's constable whose suspicions and questions scared the boys and girls. A brave-hearted and highly intelligent soul among them said: “Sir – Please come to the engagement party that my fiancé is preparing for the festival of Pentecost….” The policeman was pacified and smiled, leaving them in peace but with their hearts pounding.

All of us remember with excitement the impression that the large amount of money donated by the townsfolk and how they saw before their eyes the spirit of the settlements raised and the fields flowering if the Land of Israel as a result of their donations: evergreen forests planted and flourishing along the coastal plain, across the mountains and the land.

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In our town of Goniadz there were two large prayer-halls, one – a synagogue and the second the “Study House”.

The synagogue was a very high building, built of stone and bricks that stood at the top of a hill known as “Synagogue Mountain”. The “mountain” was grass-covered in the summer and snow-covered in winter. During the summer days, the synagogue was full of people attending prayer services because of the pleasant air. During the hours after the prayers people strolled about the top of the hill enjoying the fresh air. We, the children, used to go there to play, roll about on the grass and pick wild flowers. In the synagogue were three galleries, one on top of the other. The two upper galleries we only visited once a year, on Simhat Torah, in order to light candles to celebrate the festival. Legend has it that the synagogue building began its story as a fortress standing on the top of the hill and only after a few hundred years was it converted into a synagogue.

As already mentioned the hill was covered in snow during the winter. Inside there was no heating facility at all and few people would come to the services in winter. Only one or two quorums – about twenty people or so would be present during the cold winter days. The congregation wore furs and warm hats. The synagogue was open only on Sabbaths and festivals. The second prayer facility was the “Study House” The “Study House” was open every day of the year, weekdays, Sabbaths and festivals. The building was old and not high, built of wood and without any decoration. But it was large and roomy. The western wall had a large hearth that was fired during the winter.

The Study House was the center of life of the town. Apart from morning, afternoon and evening prayers, people studied there night and day. About forty to fifty learned people of the town together with the “Shas group” studied the Gemara during the afternoon hours under the tutelage of the town Rabbi. Chapters of the Mishna were studied by a group of about fifty men in the evenings under the leadership of the old Sexton, Reb Itze Leib. Reb Itze Leib was already old and distinguished when I was a youth aged ten. Now dull-eyed and bearded, they said of him that he taught the group Mishna from memory alone. I remember that when we, the youngsters, were making too much noise in the Study House, Reb Itze Leib would get up from his seat, draw a large red handkerchief from his pocket and wave it threateningly in our direction, shouting angrily: “Quiet you abominations!” We immediately fell silent for a few moments, not so much because of his terrible anger but out of the respect we held him in.

There was a group known as “Chayei Adam” [Life of Adam”]^[1] for the less erudite and a group “Jacob's Spring” for the simple labourers who were drawn to entertainment with a selection of folklore tales from biblical homilies. We, the youngsters, loved to listen to these tales, especially the exaggerations of Rabba Bar Bar Hanna^[2] and would listen-in to this group. And there was a group that studied the weekly portion.

In order that there should be seating space together for those studying, long, broad tables were set up under the windows on the north and south sides of the room. On the tables there was always a large collection of the Holy Works from all the sources and on all the topics. Alongside the western wall was a an enormous book-case taking up half the length of the wall and stretching from the floor up to the ceiling, full of Holy Works large and small. Everyone who wished to learn could go to the book-case and find whatever book he needed.

Apart from these groups there were individuals who studied alone in all the corners of the Study House. Among those were elderly people who had retired from work and dedicated their time to studying Torah. There were also young people who had graduated from the Yeshiva and wished to continue studying either alone or in small groups of two or three. Among these younger ones were some who “kept guard” – thus it was called – on Thursday nights they would study all night long without sleeping.

The “deputy” Sexton, Reb Mordecai, allowed each student a candle each evening according to the hour he studied and on Thursday evening he granted “the guards” a double allowance of candles. When a student asked for candles out of turn Reb Mordecai would gaze at him suspiciously and say: “You as well? You be careful I don't catch you sleeping after midnight.” Later he would give him an additional candle for the whole night.

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Study never stopped at the Study House. It was a school for the entire nation – a sort of everyman's popular university.

The Study House also functioned as a club-house for the people, or “National House”. During that first decade of the twentieth century, there was no extensive reading of the newspapers. Only a few residents received Hebrew or Yiddish newspapers in the mail. When these few readers came into the Study House, there was an immediate gathering around them demanding: “Tell us, tell us!” they would demand. “What's happening in the world? How is the war going in the Balkans? Who won the Turks or the Balkans? And what news is there from the Jewish world? Have there been any new edicts against the Jews?” The news was transmitted with lightning speed throughout the entire town.

On the western wall, close to the entrance were many posters, leaflets and announcements of every description were stuck – much like one sees stuck everywhere in Tel-Aviv today.

Occasionally there would be a casual passer-by or visitor from another town or village. When he appeared in the Study House to join in the prayers he would arouse our curiosity. The older people would cluster round him, welcome him with a “Sholom-aleichem” and ask him “Where does the Jew come from?” while we youngsters would stand somewhat apart, mouths agape looking at him as if at a wonder-man. Every stranger opened up before us a glimpse of the great world beyond. Our world was confined to our small town!

From time to time, a learned “preacher” would appear in the Study House. He was a sort of itinerant merchant peddler, travelling from town to town and preaching sermons: his “wares” were one or two sermons that he knew. Suddenly, after the afternoon prayer, the Sexton would slap his hand on the prayer-desk and state, giving the name of the visitor: “...will now give today's sermon.” The “expounder” would then mount the dais close to the Holy Ark, wearing a prayer-shawl, kiss the decorated curtain of the Ark and preach his sermon to the congregation. Generally, the “preacher” was an ordinary man who told many stories based on biblical homilies or simply stories of people, in a plaintive and heart-warming musical voice. When the “preachers” were particularly talented, we would stop our games and listen to his stories attentively. In those days there were no cinemas or movies and we thirsted after any and every form of funny and amusing entertainment.

One of the experiences that caused our young hearts to pound was – by chance – not one that brought pleasure to the older generation. There was an incident in town where people came to blows and one sued the other for judgement according to the Torah and his adversary declined to conform. What to do? At the morning prayers on Shabbat, when it came time to take the Torah from the Ark for the weekly reading, the protagonist stood up and approached the Ark blocking access and calling out that he was holding up the prayers until his adversary agreed to settle the dispute. This immediately divided the congregation into two opposing camps.

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People began to argue volubly as tempers rose, the temperamental ones raising their voices. There were shouts and occasionally threats and worse than that. We, the children, took pleasure in the event and enjoyed it tremendously and when the tumult died down we would gather in some corner or other and re-enact the whole incident of “Obstructing the Torah Reading” in all its details.

There were other incidents that occasionally occurred in the Study House of a different nature; incidents that frightened us all and left an impression on us for quite some time and caused us to be more devotional and serious. Suddenly the doors to the Study House opened and a number of women rushed in crying and sobbing. They approached the Holy Ark, opened it and prostrated themselves praying before the Holy One Blessed be He. What had happened? Someone had been taken seriously ill and they had come to beg for the mercy and intervention of the Holy One that He should send a complete and full return to health to the sick one. The shouted prayers and crying echoed throughout the Study House and we stood somewhat terrified before the sudden vision of the hard reality and agonies that confront Man.

And to conclude. When I look back in my memories of fifty – nearly sixty, years ago and recall the more pleasant moments of my childhood, floating up and rising to the surface of my memory the hour of twilight of a winter evening, between the afternoon and evening prayers in the Study House. This is the hour when the Sabbath is about to terminate and the normal days of the week have not yet arrived; in the Synagogue near-darkness reigns. One oil-lamp with enough oil to last 24 hours, still burns in front of the Holy Ark. In the circle of subdued light from the lamp swayed a tall Jew reciting Psalms with a group of men in the traditional plaintive melody. He intones one verse and the group recites the following verse and all in a steady moderate voice. Beyond the circle, in the darkness one could make out the figures of a group of men conversing quietly. At the same time, we, the children, aged about nine or ten, crowd together in the corner telling stories. One of the boys is telling a story about forty thieves and he tells it with his own added exaggerations. The forty thieves lived in a hidden cave which was closed with a large stone that no one knows how to roll it away from the entrance except one witch to whisper magic...etc...etc. Another young boy knows a story about demons that fly about in the night skies. A third one relates a story about dwarfs and slowly we move from secular stories to religious ones, stories about the heightened spirituality that adheres to us on Shabbat eve and will leave us in a few minutes as soon as three stars can be seen in the heavens, a heightened spirituality that just doesn't want to leave us and begs for the Shabbat to be extended for a while longer. We tell stories about the wonderful days soon to come when the Messiah arrives – perhaps in just a few days – who knows? And Eliyahu the Prophet will blow the Shofar. And the Messiah, riding on an ass will come directly to our town, to Goniadz and perhaps to the Study House? And when he arrives each one of us can go outside and find there everything that his heart desires: the trees then will grow hot, tasty bread-rolls and we can just pick then as we pick fruit. They will also sprout all sorts of candies and sweetmeats that we can get usually just once a year...and more and more imaginary stories we heard like these during the twilight hour, stories that excited us and in left within us a longing for a wonderful and perfect world that would stay with us to the end of our days.

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I can still see myself in that same corner with the taste of the vanished childhood, and when I remember I am remember that same hour in the corner in the Study House.

As you can all see, boys and girls, I have been drawn on my own after the memories of the Study House that used to be in our town Goniadz and it is better that I stop! I fear that if I continue to spin the thread of my memories, I, too, Heaven forbid, will begin to decorate and exaggerate my tales just like my friend and his story of the forty thieves.

Therefore I will end here in the hope that you found my story interesting and that you continue to interest yourselves in the chronicles of our town – Goniadz.

S. Ben-Meir, author and the poet of Goniadz, was one of the personalities in the town of Goniadz. S. Ben-Meir was very active within the life of the community. He was active in the local Ussishkin branch. He was greatly respected by the community.

When his volume of poems “Sound and Shadow” was published the town was very happy and when he died they mourned the loss of their loved poet. And indeed S. Ben Meir well-deserved that love. He was remarkable for his modesty and gentle-heartedness. His poems, the poem “Tephilin” especially was full of gentleness, sorrow and modesty – like their author.

Yaakov Tucker was also from Goniadz. He was one of the heroes of Tel-Hai who fell there during the battle on 11^th Adar 1920. His love of the Land of Israel was immense and eternal to the extent that he gave his life for it. Yaakov Tucker was handsome as a child and his appearance calm as was his heart and soul. He proved his love of the Land of Israel by immigrating there, and at Tel Hai he fell.

Translator's notes:

1. A work by the illustrious Rabbi Abraham Danciger Return
2. Noted Babylonian scholar and anecdotist. Return

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With these few lines I am trying to describe images of a few personalities from the Goniadz Jewish community who were involved in activities concerning Zionism and culture, a few among many, such as:

Rabbi Ephraim Halperin (Z”L) was the Mayor of Goniadz and exploited the German conquest in WWI by founding the Hebrew school, he was a business man, respectable and respected in Goniadz. He was involved with the people and close to Dr. Matman, the founder of the Hertzlia Gymnasium. Rabbi Ephraim Halperin (Z”L) was dedicated heart and soul to the concept of a complete and independent Hebrew school in the Diaspora; he was an innovative teacher from the school of the teacher Gedalia.

(From the book “Goniadz” by Yeruham Levi).

Mr. Moshe Levine was the manager of the first Hebrew school and was an experienced teacher in the Hebrew language and the author of the first study book on Geography in Hebrew. Many teachers were helped by him. Moshe Levin is credited among the pioneers of education conducted completely in Hebrew.

Mr. M. Gelobotzki was the second manager of the Hebrew school in Goniadz. M. R. Gelobotzki was also teacher and mentor to the youth of the town.

Yehoshua Supraski (Z”L) in whose honor Neve Yehoshua is named, belonged to the first of the Haskela and Zionists generation of youngsters in town. He was a central figure in Zionist activity. Yehoshua was chosen already as a young man as a delegate to the Zionist Congress in Basel and also to the All Russia meeting in Minsk. He was a participant in the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel as a member of the temporary Government.

Yitzhak Yaffe was the brother of Mordecai Yaffe (Z”L), the member of a long dynastic line of Rabbis. With the first awakening of of Cultural Zionist work in town, Yitzhak became actively involved, taking part in the founding of the library and reading room in the town and the rest of the other Zionist undertakings of those days. When he was a young man he began working as a teacher and when pedagogic courses opened he was accepted by them and was conspicuously successful. He was also a teacher in the modern Talmud Torah in Kovno.

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Goniadz was a town situated on the banks of the river Bobor and there were not many sources of income and sustenance. Nevertheless, cobblers, smithies, a watch repairer and other small artisans existed in every town and village and sometimes a man's good name was passed along and recommended because of his abilities.

Zionist Goniadz loved nature and working the land. The people grew vegetables, flowers and even fruit trees in their gardens. Market day, which took place every Monday, was an important event in Goniadz. Both Jews and Christians gathered together and crammed the market place to over–filling. Loud voices and violent argumentative shouts filled the air of town.

The water–mills created one of the special businesses for Goniadz thanks to the river Bobor and the many streams in the district. The river Bobor was an important source of income for many of the town's citizens. There were two mills next to the river that encompassed the town, one belonging to Dolko and the other Meir Gozer. One of them was located to the east of town and the other to the north.

Logging was also a source of income for the town, which was surrounded with copses and forests. The trees were felled and saw–mills alongside the river dressed them and they were shipped to other towns up and down the river Bobor by rafts.

Osowiec castle, which was close to town, was used as an army base with many soldiers. These men needed clothes, food, flour and other things. The people of the town became suppliers of these necessities.

It was the water drawer who supplied the water to the town, at first with a yoke and two buckets of water but later on, with progress, he transported the water from the river in a barrel on a horse–drawn wagon.

One could easily see that there were not many rich people in that town; her wealth found expression in the spirit, not the material.

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All small villages in those days were plagued with fires throughout the year but especially during the summer months. The houses were mostly low, made of wood with sloping tiled roofs and even some of them with thatch. Jutting through the roof was a tall chimney out of which came the smoke from the stove used for cooking and heating the house, fired with wood or sometimes coal and even thatch. All that was needed was one small spark or red–hot cinder from the stove to set a fire going.

It seemed to me as if our town went up in flames more frequently than any other town in the area with massive fires that sometimes consumed entire streets. Because of that many of the surrounding villages seemed jealous of Goniadz because after every big fire the town was almost entirely rebuilt and a new town appeared in place of the old one, more beautiful and attractive than before. Brick houses were built with shops and large windows. The town's appearance became like a large urban center.

While other towns in the district were without a fire brigade worthy of the name, there existed in Goniadz two separate groups of fire–fighters. One – private citizens of the town and the second – a military one made up of the soldiers from the Osowiec barracks a few miles from town and they would come to assist our town in the event of a fire. And if you ask: “Why 2 fire brigades for such a small town like that?” There is an explanation for that also. Each one had its own role to play. The role of the “citizens'” fire brigade was to introduce a little festivity for entertainment in the days between fires. For example: they would organize occasional training exercises, especially during the nice summer days, to teach fire–fighting procedures. And how nice it was to see them all wearing their brightly polished copper helmets sparkling in the sun, coats shining metal buttons, their belt on the left thigh holding a shining axe with its red, wooden handle. They would march in an orderly fashion, headed by their commander, “Tuvia Manke the Chimney”, with his special copper helmet and a row of army medals on his chest, to the fire–station where the fire–fighting equipment is stored. They also had a brass band with a big bass–drum. The drum–major was one of the members of the army band from the barracks in the castle, who came to town to conduct the brigade's band. Obviously this was a wonderful event treat for the children – “light and happiness” accompanied the fire–fighters wherever they went and it

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was a special pleasure to watch them training, to see how they climb the high ladder as fast as they as they could or how they climbed the same ladder from the back, just using their hands; how they climbed a rope that had been let down from the roof, hand over hand, until they reached the top and all as fast as possible, in the blink of an eye.

Every member of the group was a volunteer. Men and newly–weds would volunteer for this work – first of all to enjoy the display of the parade and the special uniforms and secondly because of the reason for the entire corps – fire–fighting, even though they weren't very often successful.

For fire–fighting equipment they had a few wooden barrels painted red attached to an axle with 2 reels; a small pump fixed with four wheels and at its side a large diameter long hose; a long trailer carrying long ladders, axes, shovels, buckets and several other tools and items used for breaking down walls etc. The barrels of water the firemen would carry by themselves as quickly as possible and only the trailer was pulled by the two hitched horses all of which was owned by one of the town residents. Sometimes, they were forced to pull the trailer on their own with the help of youngsters who pushed from behind. More than once a barrel would arrive at the fire only half full of water because the water had splashed and spilled on the way, or the pump was faulty and the hose got torn on the way and all that was left to do was throw water on the fire straight from buckets.

In contrast to that, the military team were real fire–fighters. They were all young, strong and very well–trained for the work. They had modern equipment and horses were hitched to all the water tanks and to all the water pumps and hoses. They were well organized and led in with military discipline under the command of military leaders and controllers and thus it was they who were the real fire–fighters, saving the town from being entirely consumed in one fell swoop.

And this was the order of work of the firemen when a fire broke out.

A fire breaks out in one of the houses, or store or some other place and immediately one hears voices shouting: “Fire! Fire!” Those among the citizens who heard would immediately leave their homes and go out into the street and look around. If it's during the daylight hours they would see the plume of black smoke and by night, the red glare in the sky. Everyone would run in the direction of the nearest houses and immediately help in packing belongings getting them safely out of the homes and also helping the firemen in any way possible by hauling barrels and buckets of water, while the women busied themselves packing the household belongings but in places farther away from the fire. First the softer materials, such as cushions, blankets and other bedding items, linen sheets, clothing, etc. Afterwards, the kitchen equipment, books and as much of the other items of moveable property as possible. All the packed items were first taken to the Market square, a large open area in the town center leaving everything guarded by the children and older boys and girls. As the fire neared, as much as possible of the furniture and everything else moveable was also removed. For the children it was all a big game and a lot of fun, lessening slightly the fear of the encroaching fire and they played “hide–and–seek” among all the packages scattered about

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What did the citizen fire brigade do during this phase? Mainly they joined with the others in helping to remove material burning houses to the market square and especially commercial material from the shops in danger from the fire. The work of fire–fighting was not in their hands and their equipment was not used either. That responsibility was in the hands of someone who sent a telegraph message to the barracks and asked for the military fire–fighters to come. It wasn't long before the pealing of the bells and the sound of churning wheels could be heard approaching the site of the blaze. They immediately organize themselves with everyone knowing his place and what to do and the work of real fire–fighting takes place and begins to subdue the flames reaching up into the skies. The civilian fire–fighters help them by bringing water in barrels from the well in the square in front of the church or directly from the river.

Like all small villages, so it was with Goniadz where many fires broke out in the houses made of wood and thatch of the town.

The fire would eat mercilessly and indiscriminately destroying Jewish houses with no thought to property and soul.

Together the towns and villages surrounding Goniadz had no significant fire–brigade fit for the name and there existed in Goniadz two groups of fire–fighters, one composed of the citizens whose job was to introduce into Goniadz an atmosphere of festivity, entertainment and pleasure during the periods between blazes. The second group was from the military barracks located in the Osowiec Castle. In contrast to the civilian fire brigade, the military brigade was composed of much younger, full of strength and manliness, well–trained and led in the work of fire–fighting. Their equipment was more modern and sophisticated and it was these same men and equipment that extinguishes the fires and save the town from total annihilation.

The town of Goniadz is situated on a hill with no wells around and it was not possible to draw water as is usual in most towns and villages. Drinking water was bought from Jewish water–carriers who transported the water from the river in barrels and sold it in buckets to the house–holders of the town.

Nevertheless there was a private well in the vicinity of the church and it was possible to take water from it only during fires.

And so the work of carrying water from the well was performed by the men of the town and was of great assistance. The fire passed and with it much of Jewish Goniadz was consumed.

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The firemen were thanked and presented with bottles of brandy and foodstuffs found in those parts of town not damaged. When they had finished eating and drinking they climbed aboard their fire–engines parked around the town square and slowly, with the subdued pealing of their bells, left the town with the eyes of all the citizens full of gratitude for their saviours.

Goniadz…a destroyed town – but these few words are insufficient to describe the days gone by of the many communities that fell victim under the hands of the murderers.

But the name Goniadz awakens memories in the hearts of many of the ex–residents of the town. This town – the town in which they grew up and took their first steps. Goniadz – her forests, her streams, her open fields, her hills and gardens.

The town is encompassed by the well–known Polish river – the Bobor. On the banks of the river stood the house of Klutzki, not far from the bath–house.

And in the hearts of the people of Goniadz the thought always arises that on that symbolic Nile river will be found the small reed coracle with the little Moses inside…

And on more than one occasion they searched for the watchful and concerned Miriam, Moses' sister, following his fate, in and around the Klutzki's garden.

With the melting of the winter snows the waters of the Bobor burst its banks as far as the first granaries.

Along a dirt road were the barns and a fork in the road with a deep, sandy lane leading to the slaughter–house.

This was the same lane that our feet often trod on Shabbat. Here also was the same orchard that during school holidays, we would come to pick piles upon piles of apples, pears and plums. The street which turns to the right from here is the Christian street and there lives the only Jew among the Christians – Yankeleh the blacksmith. And from the home of “Yankeleh the Blacksmith” just a few paces away and we are in Dolistowska Street and from here we could get to all the central areas.

The forest of Kolkowoczyzna is near here, to the east. Every Lag B'Omer one could hear the school–children singing: “To the woods, to the woods, with our bows and arrows…,”

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proud and full of strength; marching children go past and from their mouths the songs of spring and freedom.

That same forest of ancient days, the tall erect trees and the shrubs all tangled up one with the other.

The narrow paths that no one knows where they lead, the hours of play looking for hiding places among the branches in that thick forest.

The forest ranger's cabin stands in the heart of the forest.

Next to the road that crosses between the old established forest and the new forest, near is the well surrounded by a low, moss–covered brick wall and just above it a heavy branch has a large wooden bucket hanging from it.

Walking along Dolistowska Street and turning right one quickly arrives at a paved section of the road. The south side of the road, leading to the wind–mill is empty. The parallel row of houses is the eastern arm of the rectangle which is the beginning of the wall encircling the home of the Borach–Barski family. The house has two frontages: one facing Dolistowska Street and one facing the market square.

The house of Moshe Dobatchki is at the beginning of the water lane. The church street is the street of our Shabbat and festival strolls and almost half its length is taken up by the church–yard wall.

The continuation leads on to Dolko, the location of the water–mill and the weir. And next to them the path used as a short–cut to the highway.

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The whole of “Yahdav” and from the class of the active representatives in the team memorializing the town of Goniadz, sat together round the table in the teachers' room. At the head of the table sat the Head–teacher and next to her Mrs. Sarah, today the Inspector of the “Working Youth” movement, Mr. Golman who had been a teacher in the first Goniadz school and Mr. Yitzhaki the Chairman of the Committee of Goniadz Jews.

The teacher began telling us in general about the town. We asked some questions and they answered us.

Here are some samples of the questions:

What is the source of the name “Goniadz”?

What are the various charities that functioned and what was their role?

Give us a description of family–life.

Were there any newspapers in Yiddish? Was there any newspaper in Hebrew? –And questions similar to these.

The members of “Yahdav” and the representatives recorded everything that was said to them. We all drank thirstily the enchanting words they spoke about the cherished town, Goniadz that had been razed.

Mrs. Sarah told us about family life in Goniadz. How the families in town lived together congenially and how they concerned themselves with the education of their children.

Indeed, it was an additional lesson for us and instilled within us additional knowledge on the town Goniadz.

There were two meetings between the school and the people of Goniadz. One – an abridged group of those active in the memorializing project and the second the whole school.

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At our first meeting, we met with three people: Mrs. Sarah Barkai, Mr. Moshe Golman and Mr. Fischl Yitzhaki. The conversation opened with a short description of the town, its history, the life of its people, scenery, local color, and so on. Afterwards there were many questions from every one of the pupils about Goniadz. The questions were answered. I will comment myself on one in particular that left a deep impression on me: “The Charitable organizations in Goniadz – what were they and what did they do?” The answer was given as follows: There were many charitable institutions in the town of Goniadz – anonymous donations, financial organization, medical assistance, ordinary donations, dowry assistance, basic food necessities for the impoverished on festivals and so on. There were marriage–arrangements for a poor bridal family – a scheme for providing suitable clothing for the brides and money to organize the weddings for those too poor or without means. But I was especially impressed with the “Aid for the sick” foundation. When someone was sick someone came to visit, they would sit by the bedside, nurse the patient day and night and provide him with every need. When that self–same loyal and faithful friend himself, a true neighbour, fell sick someone would come to look after him and so it would go on. I was truly amazed by these exalted deeds demonstrating courage, heroism and danger, mutual help demonstrating who and what is friendship is about, just like it is said: “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” Both children and adults of our people have much to learn from this.

I was deeply impressed at that same meeting by the quiet manner of these same pleasant, good–hearted people who drew from their obscure past all the “treasury of pearls” in their heads and bring to us everything that we ask and from these pages I wish to express on my own behalf and on behalf the entire school our sincere thanks that they have come here to visit.

The second meeting was an interesting and enjoyable experience. This time we had a “full team” in front of us: Mr. Moshe Golman, Mrs. Sarah Barkai, Mr. Aloni and Mr. And Mrs. Bachrach. To start Mr. Aloni gave a heart–warming speech which touched me with genuine feelings of yearning for the town of Goniadz and afterwards gave many gifts to the school: booklets about the town, different forms, icons from Yad Va–Shem, and I use this opportunity I extend many thanks for the positive reports.

And now, to the details of the meeting: the second speech, a much longer and concluding one, was delivered by Mr. Kalman Bachrach, who now resides in the United States, a wide–ranging inclusive one on the town but especially conspicuous in it was: the synagogue and the Study–House of Goniadz (especially the Study–House). Mr. Bachrach gave us an excellent topographical description of the town and its main institutions that constituted the center of its spiritual life – the Torah, culture, way of life and education. He explained clearly how they learned, for how long, and so on. I particularly liked the idea of intensive group study in the Study–House by rota and the energetic constancy of entire nights.

Indeed the meetings were an unforgettable experience, I threw glances around the hall which was packed full and saw that all the children were sitting and listening with great concentration, mouths agape, absorbing every word

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coming out of the speaker's mouth. Indeed the town of Goniadz is deserving of inclusion in the “Golden Book of Chronicles” of the People of Israel in the Diaspora.

And here, while I am still full of emotion and the deep faithful impression, again I wish to express my thanks to the people of Goniadz who have come here and granted us exceptionally interesting and instructive experience.

The table, covered with a green cloth is placed, as usual, silently, in the center of the room. The chairs stood silently as usual but in the hearts of the pupils around the table were feelings and thoughts that were not usual at every meeting and encounter.

In a few minutes a number of people were expected to enter the room that had lived, experienced and grown up and been active in the town of Goniadz. And these people will yet learn that indeed much knowledge and understanding had been acquired and digested by the pupils about life in the town.

Three people were presented to us: Mrs. Sarah Barkai, Mr. Golman and Mr. Yitzhaki.

After a short introduction our honored guests began assess our knowledge about Goniadz and were greatly surprised to discover the extent of our knowledge of the town. This one knew to talk about the personalities in town, that one knew much about the charitable institutions and their activities, yet another the activities of the Keren Kayemet others still about Shabbat and festivals in the town and again another described extensively the scenery in Goniadz.

By the look on their faces, the smiles of pleasure we gave them, it was possible to see their satisfaction at the depth of our dedication to the subject of the memorialisation.

The most heart–warming and throbbing thing from that meeting were the closing words of Mrs. Sarah Barkai in giving her praise and thanks to the management and pupils. Those words brought happiness and joy to our hearts in the knowledge that there was appreciation for our work and not for nothing had we toiled and strived.

The people of Goniadz esteemed and recognized the study.

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With these few words I wish to express our thanks to the people of Goniadz who granted us this great Mitzvah. The town of Goniadz is one of the many villages that were in eastern Europe and we feel we are granted a great Mitzvah by perpetuating the memory of the cherished town, while one born there related to us their way of family life, on the Hebrew school and on the Keren Kayemet. We were surprised how Goniadz concerned itself that its children should learn the Hebrew language and how the Keren Kayemet operatives strived to raise money for the Land of Israel. The People of Goniadz granted us the blessing of perpetuating the memory of the cherished town, of which there were many like her. We were privileged also that they troubled to teach and a spiritual life. We remember Bilka Klapp (Z”L) and many others who worked so hard to raise money for Israel.

We vow with this, that all the classes of our school will take part in perpetuating this community by participating in the entry of the names of all the town's victims who perished, in the album of remembrance. We will try, on each Memorial Day to light a memorial candle to their memory alongside their names and thus their names and actions will be forever before us.

Teachers and honored guests who have come to us here today from many countries, and dear children.

I bring with me today greetings of “Shalom” from my colleagues who are engaged in the Mitzvah of perpetuating and memorializing communities lost in the Holocaust. One of them is Knesset Member Attorney Gideon ^[1].

Only this morning he telephoned me and asked me to speak to you and send you his greetings. He is also the initiator of this very idea. Another compliment comes to you from the employees of “Yad Va–Shem” in Jerusalem who did much to advance this whole project.

And a special greeting from thousands of children from three hundred and seventy schools who are also numbered among those who decided to memorialize a community.

Tomorrow or the day after, when I meet with other schools, I will pass on greetings from you. Who among you or even from among your families, large or small, never heard or doesn't know of the 6 million – and among them 1 million school–children who were martyred during the years of the Holocaust whose graves are unknown or who have no stone to mark their place of interment?

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And now I will give you another number to remember: 34,000 Jewish communities were annihilated together with those 6 million.

Many years ago, the second Israeli Minister of Education, Mr. Dinur, suggested to the Knesset – and the Knesset endorsed his suggestion. I will read a few lines to you from that decision:

In the month of Elul 5713 (1952), this Knesset promulgated the law called: “The Law of Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day”. The function of this law is to gather together in the Homeland the memory of the Jewish people who rebelled, fought and died against the Nazi enemy and their accessories and to create a memorial for them.

That Knesset law we are here to enact and to create a memorial to the communities and to one of them that we knew nothing about and had never heard of – neither you nor your fathers – the name: “Goniadz”. And how great and magnificent is the action of the school administration on this day to gather all of you together and consecrate a memorial to that community.

We are standing now at the festival of Purim celebrated in crèches, kindergartens and schools in Israel and abroad. What happened at Purim? An evil one arose and incited against the people of Israel and the king of those days was persuaded to agree and ordained the destruction of all the Jews. And a miracle happened and the order was not carried out. And until this day millions of Jews cannot forget that miracle. What happened? They wanted to slaughter all the Jews and yet not one perished.

And in our generation a tragedy occurred not to one thousand, not to many thousands but to 6 million – all of whom were murdered. Generation upon generation will pass – thousands of years – and the Jewish people will not forget that event.

Everyone should consult his soul; the tragedy that fell upon us during the years of the Shoah, the tragedy that occurred. And you have decided to learn about one of those 34,000 communities, to revive the memory of the martyrs, to learn and to know, to interview, to hear from the very mouths of some of the survivors of that community; to bring back to life the memory of the murdered martyrs of the destroyed community. We will revive those dry bones that we don't even know where they are buried. Every one of us can revive the martyrs. This is a great and wonderful thing you are doing.

Your program is mighty. I hope we will meet here and continue to talk on this topic. Something of a token for the school and a number of the pupils is the pamphlet that has been written by the pupils. Everything that you have recorded from the mouths of the people and will yet write, you will print. Your words will be added to the journal that you will publish from time to time.

Translator's notes:

1. Later Attorney General Gideon Hausner, State Prosecutor of Adolf Eichmann Return

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It was the regular Erev–Shabbat time. Every week classes 6–8 sat in the hall. They sat tense and rooted to their chairs. In front of the congregation stood a long table covered with a green cloth and at the table sat all the members of “Yahdav” and the representatives dealing with the Perpetuation of the Goniadz Community.

On the stage sat the Manageress Mrs. Artziel, Mr. Aloni representing “Yad Va–Shem”, Mr Kalman Bachrach and Mrs. Sarah Barkai. They gazed at the audience facing them.

Mr. Aloni opened the program on the Memorialisation. He told us that there were many communities like the community of Goniadz that had been destroyed. He us about the Shoah and the tragedy that had happened in which about 6 million Jewish souls were murdered and no one knows of their burial place.

The members of “Yahdav” and their representatives recorded in their note–books everything that was said. I looked at the faces of all the other pupils. All heads were turned towards the speaker. Their mouths open wide and their ears soaking up every word. And when the speaker finished his speech, the pupils continued to weave his story into their thoughts.

After he had finished, Mr. Kalman Bachrach took the stage. He told us about the synagogue and the Study House in the town of Goniadz. How, on Shabbatot and Festivals praying took place in the synagogue but during the week in the Study House. During the winter there were no prayers in the synagogue because it was too cold there but the Study House had a large stove. The Study House was wood–built. It was large and spacious; there people learned night and day.

The children fixed their eyes on the speaker and absorbed every word uttered on the synagogue and the Study House.

Grateful thanks to those who came to tell us about the town of Goniadz that we are memorializing.

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Silence! All the children in the hall sat focused on one man, standing on the stage talking about the town Goniadz, its scenery and leaders – Mr. Kalman Bachrach.

The single voice heard in the hall was the voice of Mr. Bachrach, and from time to time the click of a camera recording for perpetuity this encounter.

And indeed, like the camera, in my heart also, the meeting in which I encountered the greatest experience in the work of perpetuation will never be forgotten: the meeting with the people of that same town who we were privileged to know during our work.

I also, like all the pupils, listened with great attention to the speaker and to all his wonderful descriptions, a picture of the town passing before my eyes: houses along the central main street from which stretched the lesser side streets, while in the background rose the synagogue on top of the hill looking out over the whole town.

I am certain that this encounter will never be erased from my heart, just as the cherished city, the town, a symbol of its revered and excellent leaders – Goniadz will never be erased from heart.

Friday evening. The hands on the clock point to 11:00. In the wide hall, the dining–room, the people take their places the “Yahdav” people and the Memorializing team.

After a few minutes even the guests take their places and they are: Mrs. Sarah, whom we remember from our first meeting, Mr. Aloni, the Yad Va–Shem representative and Mr. Kalman Bachrach, a graduate from the first year of the Hebrew school in Goniadz and his wife, Tamar.

Silence falls upon the room. Mr. Aloni makes a speech. The audience is rooted in its place. Mr. Aloni's voice fills the room. Then it was the turn of Mr. Bachrach to speak. He spoke with tears in his eyes. The audience sympathizes with him and listens intently to his words.

That Friday, the pupils of Classes 6 and 8 learned “Chapter ‘A’” about the town Goniadz.

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Description of the Morning Assembly I

At the morning assembly were the members of “Yahdav” and its representatives and this time on the memorialisation of Goniadz, one of the many European communities.

All the members of “Yahdav” stood facing the pupils of the school. One of the children from the school told about the first Hebrew school and its Head–teacher, Mr. Moshe Levin. The Hebrew school was resolute in ensuring that its pupils know the Hebrew language and the spiritual life of the Land of Israel. The faces of all the children were turned towards the speakers via loud–speakers, to hear about the town of Goniadz.

Morning Assembly II

This time Dorit from Class 7/1 appeared and spoke about the Keren Kayemet Le–Yisrael and about Bilka Klapp the founder who collected funds for the KKL and for Palestine generally.

About how the mothers would come and complain that their children were saving their modest lunch money and depositing it in the donation boxes; of how the members of the KKL endanger their lives and sneak into the Christian cemetery to pick flowers and sell them to people donating the proceeds to the KKL On Rosh Hashanah they sold postcards of the Palestine scenery and the money went to the KKL. On Tu B'Shvat they distributed dried fruit from Palestine. In the synagogue there was a collection–bowl and everyone who came in donated what he could to the KKL.

In every house as well, there was the “Little Blue Box” of the KKL, white with two blue stripes with the Star of David and on Saturday night the women would donate money to the KKL.

It was indeed an interesting story about the KKL and the children listened intently to the talk of the young pupil.

Morning Assembly III

At this morning's assembly two pupils from Class 6 came and told us about the charitable institutions in Goniadz, like: Preparations for poor brides, remaining overnight to care for the sick, matzo supplies for Pessach, anonymous donations and Acts of Charity.

“Preparations for poor brides” was an institution that collected donations for the dowries of poor brides and orphans.

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Overnight accompaniment for the sick was when volunteers stayed overnight with sick people to take the place of family members and allow them rest. Many volunteers themselves became ill and died from contagious illnesses but the service never failed for want of volunteers.

Supplying money collected by Benjamin the scribe to buy wheat for the poor to make Pessach matzoth.

Acts of Charity – help for the needy, mutual assistance both material and financial that was founded to assist the poor and those who wished to emigrate to Palestine.

The KKL in Goniadz.

On the Wednesday morning the group of “Yahdav” appeared with the Memorializing team for a morning session before an audience of 16 classes – sleepy but trying to act awake. The “Yahdav” group reads its conclusion on the KKL while the audience listens and absorbs what is said. This is where the audience receives its first introduction to Goniadz and began to know and study the town.

The pupils return to their classes.

The first assembly within the framework of Memorializing Goniadz and the team members has ended.

A gray, torrential morning greeted the second appearance of “Yahdav”. With no alternative, they met in the Head–teacher's room and from there read out the work schedule via loud–speakers. The pupils listened intently in their class–rooms.

Silence greeted me in Class 6/2. Sssh! was the first thing I heard. During the presentation I scanned the faces of the class. On every face was intense concentration.

I wondered: What are my friends thinking? Suddenly I remembered: They're thinking the same things I thought about some time ago – the life in Goniadz and the topics being read.

[Page 32]

The remarks finished. The children in the class–room immediately began arguing among themselves with raised voices but were silenced.

The lesson began. But the previous lesson on Goniadz remained in the hearts of the school's pupils.

A poster was placed on the dais. Goniadz. We Memorialize the Community! The eyes of the pupils gaze at the poster.

Yes! They already know Goniadz! And now they begin reading the program. The audience is concentrating, remembering the first assemblies concerning Goniadz.

The reading continues while the pupils concentrate and listen to everything: Every detail large and small. With the end of the reading the pupils disperse to their classes but many things remain in their heads.

Now, without the slightest doubt, the earlier words that they heard at the beginning of the assemblies became much clearer to the pupils of the “Yahdav” school.

Following the morning assemblies in which the conclusions on the pleasant way of life in the town of Goniadz and words describing it had been explained, one of the pupils from Class 4 said: “Honestly, I want to join you in this project of memorializing. I know your “circle” is restricted and that my request will be rejected but in any case I wanted to express to someone who is actively engaged my genuine feelings about this grand project: This is really an impressive and respectable scheme on behalf of a Jewish community in the Diaspora and even though the my ideas and knowledge of the topic are somewhat narrow and restricted, I do understand the subject as a pupil in Class 4. The whole school wants to memorialize the town and to leave a “golden book” to the classes that follow us through the school and the generations to come. Truly this is a great Mitzvah we are doing. During all the assemblies I stood there rooted to the spot, listening to every single word: “Accompanying the bed–ridden sick”, “Aid for the poor bride”, “Mutual aid”, “Young Pioneers” and more. A completely new horizon has opened in front of me and I freely admit it.” Thus spoke the pupil. It is apparently the feeling of the rest of the pupils who heard about the Memorialisation.

[Page 33]

Now I would like to review the event from my standpoint:

A). The value of the project speaks for itself, the perpetuation is important but its value is much higher when we think about the purpose that it serves: what is its object? And the answer: In order to create a monument and a memorial in the name of the Goniadz community. In order that we shall always remember them in this special, unique place and we, the creators, will always feel the matter very strongly.

B). The object of the project for the school. So far as the object of the project for the school is concerned there is very much value in this project of memorializing the town of Goniadz. We intend to publish a pamphlet that will grow as time passes, to remain as a reminder to the classes that follow on year by year, in the school. And you, the pupils remember well and tell everyone what this town was, how we esteem it and respect it, what we learn from it. We hope that you will fulfil this mission faithfully.

“To remember and not to forget!” That watchword echoed in our minds as we entered the school hall in remembrance of our six million brethren who perished at the hands of the Nazis.

Everyone entered on tip–toe, silently and sat down. Every eye showed the sadness at the memory of the terrible horror of murder of multitudes of people who were guilty of no wrongdoing.

On the platform students stood with bowed heads ready to give readings from the Shoah. In front of us 17 candles representing the 17 different countries in which Jews had been slaughtered. Each candle was not for one soul or even two but for hundreds of thousands.

One after the other the students approached the candles to light them with a shaking hand and a sacred trembling passes through your mind with what that candle reminds us of!

After the lighting of the candles, Mr. Ivri took the dais to speak. Mr. Ivri is a Holocaust survivor from Goniadz who passed through seven hells in that town. When the Nazis arrived at Goniadz they were received with cheers by the Poles who for years had lived and worked with the Jews. But now the mask came off their faces and the hatred for Jews was proved without the slightest pricking of the conscience.

[Page 34]

On the 3^rd July 1941 the Poles announced to the Jews that at 10:00 they must report at the town square. There wasn't a single person who dared to disobey because they would have been dragged to the place. The order was given by the Gestapo officer to identify Jewish Communists. There were none so they simply chose random victims as Communists. That day the square was sated with much Jewish blood and the Germans left.

Now the Jews were left to the mercy of the Poles and in their hands they were no better off. It was decided to burn the “Communists” in the printing–house but most of them escaped and some were recaptured. That sentence was cancelled only because of the proximity of neighbors of the Study House who feared the blaze would spread. Their punishment was to be tied together and dragged to the square. Broken in mind and body they marched to the square throwing a last glance of farewell to the town on their way. For three days they were incarcerated in a cellar and by night they murdered them on one of the hills of Goniadz in the most horrific and shocking manner.

On 2^nd November 1942 the Jews of Goniadz were taken by men of the Gestapo to a camp in Warsaw. There they were held for 7 weeks, badly abused and from there transported to the gas–chambers and crematoria in Treblinka where their souls breathed their last.

After that horrifying story, we remained deeply shocked and a glance at the faces showed many tear, pain and sadness.

Beyond the forest, on the approach road to town I remember a stone pillar on which was inscribed the name Goniadz. About a kilometer farther on were the streets and its houses – typical Jewish houses of villages in Poland and Lithuania that were destroyed. I would pass down the streets, turning aside occasionally to look at a deserted house, yearning to find someone, some residue of the community that once was here and is no more. And once, in the corner of the room, in a pile of junk, I found three books torn and broken, with no binding – the writings of Y.L. Perez, Shalom Aleichem or perhaps of Mendele Moher Sefarim – I can no longer remember exactly. I can't even remember if they were written in Yiddish or Hebrew, or if the anxiety came from the piles of silent witnesses. I hid them in my inside pocket and kept them safe among all the priceless possessions of all soldiers: the photographs of loved ones and their letters. In the evenings I would take them out read a few columns and return them safely to their place.

[page 35]

The year – 1944. Before Hitler's troops were pushed over the borders back to their own country, we stopped for a while, gathered our forces and reequipped with weapons more modern and destructive to the invader. One day, a soldier who served under me while I was an officer, brought me a lump of pig's fat wrapped up in something. As I laid my hand on it, it was as if my fingers had been burnt in a fire. The wrapping was a piece of parchment from a Sefer–Torah scroll. I was disturbed to the depths of my soul, I managed to blurt out only one question: “Where did you get this?” The soldier, somewhat surprised at the strange sight of my interest in the food that he had brought, explained where, and from whom he had got it. I snatched up my beret and rushed to the mess–room where the food was distributed to the regiment. With no difficulty I laid my hands on the remains of the parchment and redeemed it without anyone explaining to me how it had come into the hands of the woman distributing the food.

I returned to my tent and with a clean cloth I wrapped the parchment, made it into a small parcel and added it to my personal kit that I carried with me in all the unpredictable situations and battles that fate puts my way. I will have the feeling that I am carrying in my officer's back–pack some evidence of the destruction of my people…

And again the battles commenced and the thought recurred incessantly: If I am injured or killed (G–d Forbid), what will become of the parcel of Holy articles I carry with me? I had no peace of mind. Wild days and nightmarish nights, fire, blood destroyed limbs of man and tree, torn from pits and barbed–wire, echoing fire from afar and the thunder of explosions from near at hand. Once, as it happens on one of the surprisingly quiet nights in that horrifying nightmare called the war, I dreamt a dream: at the head of my bed stood a Jewish man with a long white beard and he aid to me: “My son, the law of scrolls is the law of Geniza – they must be buried!” ^[1] I awoke from my sleep, got up, grabbed the package of the scroll, put it under my shirt and fastened my belt to stop it from falling out, took a shovel and went deep into the forest where I felt Man had never been, and under a tree I dug a deep hole – a Geniza for the scroll in my hands – and buried the scroll without marking the place, without saying a word…

A heavy sigh came from my companion who tired of his memories, a deep groan from the heart of my elderly father who heard a conversation and a few moments of silence fell in the air.

“And the books – where are they?” I was asked.

As one torn by force from the description of this experience, I answered: “A short while after I was seriously wounded and after being transferred from one hospital to another all my personal possessions were lost and together with them – also the books.”

Translator's notes:

1. Religious artifacts and manuscripts may not be destroyed; they must be buried in a protected and secure place Return

[Page 36]

Once there was a little town Goniadz was its name Does it yet exist? A question indeed – But it cannot be forgotten; It was our cradle; The source of our life. There were we born, we learned and matured, From its school – Torah, knowledge, we drew From its fields –love of toil, we gained From its youth groups – to Zion be true. Who can forget the days of our youth? Days of joy and courage and light Recalled from the memory as if but today. Pleasant their murmur, the yearning in dream. Who will forget those bright clear nights? Blue skies shining with stars Strolling the suburbs until twelve at night Groups led by the guides of Beitar. From “He–Halutz” until the “Beitar” We strolled from “the Mount” [1] to the river, Songs of Zion sprang to our lips Joy and gladness set hearts aquiver Who will forget her clear streams? Her blue waters seen from afar Flowing softly ‘tween meadow and lea Spawning Elodea [2] and reeds. Upon her waters we sailed at night in boat and raft With cheerful song piercing the skies. Who will forget the meadow and lea? Where we played and our bodies laid down. Who will forget the youth groups we knew, ‘Twixt dancing and song discussions were sown. At the time of festivities, marches we held And to the forests with flags waving we happily fled. Those haters of ours will gaze upon us And burst with their anger. Were we not in Zion? Was it not our redemption we saw? Yes, gentlemen! In our dreams we were there! Profuse were the townships we saw in our dream But we quickly awakened for all was illusion. Towards “Aliyah” [3] we all pulled together Although in our country a stranger was ruling And by force was preventing the return of her sons . We therefore remained without help and salvation And Satan arrived with his false accusations. Our Eden of Goniadz became like a hell The killer destroyed her sons to the last So we went to slaughter by whipped up incitement; The Jackbooted murderers destroying the land. And so the annihilation began: By tens and by hundreds they grouped in the square And the work of “cleansing” began: Sticks and shovels rained down on the heads, Hoes, pitchforks raked them all over. The crying and sobbing tore at the heart, The wailing of children and parents, The groaning of babies rose up to the skies Filling all the vacuum of space.

[Page 37]

The blood of the Jews was spilled like water, Before our anxious eyes on the killing–fields. The courage of boys, who tried to flee, Their luck ran out and they were caught. And who their murderers? Not Germans not Nazis – Our Polish “friends” these many years; They knew our language, They spoke with our tongue, They were our neighbors, They knew our culture And plotted our destruction. Suddenly the hour came For which they awaited in silence For which they dreamed without end And at last, at last…they hunted the prey. The ancient old Study–House The wooden–walled – sent to the pyre Tens upon tens were pushed into the maws Hounded and beaten by clubs And the doors closed – locked and barred. An order is heard and this was the message: “Don't light the straw, the fire can spread And our houses close by are in peril.” The ones who had saved us were None but our neighbors – the Poles Concerned not with us but their homes. The doors of the Study–House opened up wide The victims all came out gasping Like dogs being tortured our brethren were chased And the killers began “work” anew: A long line of victims all placed in a row With limbs all bound up with chains. They formed us in threes and chained us together With razor sharp wire that cut. “The Old Judge” – Kaminski Waved his stick as a sign – “To the square” So the row moved together beginning to march, Three by three and back to the square. Exhausted and aching wounded and bleeding Chastened and chained up together. Their heads bound, their hands chained, Their clothes tattered and feet dangling. Everyone knew but his heart dared not speak That this is the last time he walks through his town. All heads are turned for one last longing glance A farewell look, a whispered “Good–bye.” Farewell forever, town of my birth, Here I was born, grew and was taught. By force I am taken from you… Tears flow from their eyes, Drops of blood from their wounds. Goniadz's earth soaks up the tears and blood. Always speak of her sons' destruction; From within the ground the cries of cruel oppression Demanding from us to avenge them. On their destruction by axe and by pitchfork On the knives driven into their hearts, On their tongues cut out and their heads split open While their young ones stood and watched. “Avenge us” the fathers and mothers cried out, “Our infants, our boys and our girls.” From their dying lips, rising and shouting And the silence fell over everything. G–d of vengeance who dwelleth on high Fulfill the request of your pure ones Who have been conveyed to the slaughter with Your Name on their lips; A redeemer and avenger we have none. We beg You avenge us of our enemies Fulfill their testament It is holy for us and our sons. For ever…

Translator's notes:

1. The locally known Mt. Hakaplitzki Return
2. A genus of water–plant Return
3. “Aliyah” means simply an “ascent” and implies a spiritual ascent to Palestine, The Land of Israel. Return

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