Memorial Book of the Communities
Szczuczyn, Wasiliszki, Ostryna, Nowy-Dwor, Rozhanka

(Shchuchyn, Belarus)
53°37' / 24°44'
(Vasilishki, Belarus)
53°47' / 24°51'
(Ostryna, Belarus)
53°44' / 24°34'
(Novy Dvor, Belarus)
53°48' / 24°34'
(Rozhanka, Belarus)
53°32' / 24°32'

Translation of
Sefer zikaron le-kehilot Szczuczyn, Wasiliszki,
Ostryna, Nowy-Dwor, Rozhanka

Edited by: L. Losh, Former Residents of Szczuczyn, Wasiliszki (456 pages H,Y)

Published in Tel Aviv, 1966


 

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

Ellen Sadove Renck

 

This is a translation from: Sefer zikaron le-kehilot Szczuczyn, Wasiliszki, Ostryna, Nowy-Dwor, Rozhanka
(Memorial book of the communities Szczuczyn, Wasiliszki, Ostryna, Nowy-Dwor, Rozhanka), ed. L. Losh, Tel Aviv, 1966

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Shchuchyn (Belarus)


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Introductory pages   1
Editor's Foreword L. Losh 5
 
The History of the Jews of Shtutshin - Vasilishki - Ostrina - Novi Dvor - Rozhanka Yosef Cohen-Tzedek 7
1. During the Period of the Kingdom of Poland (until 1772) 7
2. The Historical Development of the Aforementioned Cities 12
3. The Period of the Russian Conquest (1772-1914) 14
4. From World War I to the Holocaust 21
 
The Shtutshin Community
Part A: The Distant Past
The Distant Past Ben-Zion Levit 27
The First 20 Years of Our Century Ben-Zion Levit 28
A Short Visit in Shtutshin in 1913 Yehuda Rubinstein 49
People and Personalities 50
The late Rabbi Leib Chasman M. Tzinovitz 50
The Journalist and Author Moshe Ben-Eliezer (Glembotski) 54
Teacher and Poet Simcha Schneider Y.D. Gordon 56
The Editor and Translator, Raphael Chasman M. C. 56
 
Part B: Between Two World Wars
Aliya to Palestine in 1936 Thanks to Saving a Polish Soldier in 1920 Yitschak Epstein 59
The Shomer Hatzair Cell Miriam Kaplan (Milman) 61
The Joseph Trumpeldor Pact - Beitar Shalom Tzukernik 62
The Public “Beer House” Isser Tzuckernick 63
 
Part C: Holocaust and Vengeance
A. Slaughter and Holocaust in Souls and Property 83
B. War and Revenge on the Destroyers of a People 89
 
Shtutshin Necrology 99
 
Part D: Addendum
First Survivors in Italy Isser Tsukernik 105
A Tear and Encouragement from the Son of the City, on His Arrival in Israel Rabbi Shmuel-Mordechai Katz 108
In Memory of Missing People Rabbi Shmuel-Mordechai Katz 108
 
The Vasilishki Community
An Introduction to the Book Vasilishki Avraham Alpert 117
Before the First World War Kalman Dagni 119
Memories from the Years 1913-1920 Zvi Deichovsky 129
The Committee of the Society for Jewish Culture (1917) Dr. A. Foshter 132
The Magnificent Past of Teaching the Torah in Our Dear Village Rabbi Shimon Ram 133
Self Defense in the Year 1916 Bayrekh Sadovik 138
The Character of the Village B. Z. Gavorin 138
The Yavneh School Eliahu Pletovesky and Reuven Mordukovitz 144
The “HeChalutz-Hapoel-Mizrachi” Reuven Mordokovitz 145
The Young Pioneer Zionists in Unrest and Agony Moshe Etzmoni (Kushetzinevesky) 146
About the Youth of HaShomer HaTzair Chaim Reznik 148
The Men and Women of Betar Avka Kopelman 150
Religious and Secularism in One Place Mordechai Shvartz 153
The Popular Jewish Bank Doctor A. Foshter 156
The Amateur Drama Circle Lizeh Hochstein (Volochinsky) 156
From the Near Past Dov Koznietz 160
Departing the Town Rachel Lifdot 161
To the Memory of Dr. Mark Lifshitz Yosef Bayer 161
A Memorial to Dear People Ztifra Namyut (Pirach) 163
Reflections of My Youth Yosef Avni (Boyarsky) 167
A Special Person Batia Olkenitsky (Rein) 171
Yosef Bier (Boyarsky) Shlomo Aviel (Berkovitz) 171
Under Soviet Rule Chaya Alpert (Kravitz) 172
The Martyrs of Birkenau-Auschwitz B. Z. Gevorin 173
Moishe'le Foshter the Avenger Eliahu Volochinsky 175
The Shtetl Vasilishok Dr. Abraham Alpert 177
Places Just Outside the Shtetl Soreh-Gitel Boyarsky (Boyer), Tzipora Boyarsky (Wiel) & Chaya Kravitz (Alpert) 178
Jewish Livelihoods Etel Kravitz & Sara Boyarsky-Boyer 180
After World War I a Vasilishker 183
The Social and Spiritual Life Mendel Mashevsky 184
Business and Social Institutions a Vasilishker 189
Cheders and Melamdim [Teachers] Sara Gitel Boyarsky & Etel Kravitz 190
The Tarbut School Sara Gitel Boyarsky 192
Surrounding Villages Sara Gitel Boyarsky (Boyer) 199
A Villager's Holiday Reuven Morduchovich 200
Musicians of Vasilishok Josef Boyarsky (Boyer) 201
The Pozharne Command [Fire Brigade] Abraham (Aba) Kopelman 202
Fires in the Shtetl Sara Gitel Boyer & Etel Kravitz 203
Drama Groups Tzipora & Chaya 204
“Sale of Joseph” A.B. 207
A Chapter of a Jewish Kehillah [Community] A.B.I. 208
A Wedding in the Shtetl Tzipora Berkovich & Yosef Boyer 210
Holidays in the Shtetl Rivka Mayefsky-Friedgut 211
The First Aliyah Yosef and Sara Boyarsky (Boyer) 213
Yom Kippur in the Forest in 1915 Sara Gitel Boyer 214
Aaron the Feldsher [Barber-Surgeon] Yosel Boyarsky 217
Fredek Krusha -- The Ger Tzedek [Righteous Gentile] Chaya Alpert & Tzipora Berkovich 219
My Brother, the Late Moishe-Gedaliahu Eda Shapiro Maiyevsky 220
About the Old Home [Country] Yosef Ben-Abraham 221
My Shtetl of Birth Chaya Alpert Kravitz 224
A Collection of Memories Dr. Avraham Alpert 227
Types from the Shtetl Gershon Silverman 230
Under German Rule Chana & Eliahu Volochinsky 231
Between Life and Death Yehuda Shwartz 244
Three Times I Saved My Life Eliahu Volochinsky 246
I Escape from the Slaughter Leibke Einstein 250
The Second Small Slaughter Chaya Alpert (Kravitz) 251
What I Lived Through Outside the Ghetto Etel Kravitz 256
Vasilishok Partisans Chana & Lucik Volachinsky, Chaya & Avraham Alpert 259
Life in the Forest Chaya Kravitz (Mrs. Alpert) & Dr. Avraham Alpert 263
Experiences in the Red Army Binyamin Statsky 269
After the Liberation Chaya Alpert (Kravitz) 270
Two Letters from Vasilishok: March 1945 and May 1965 271
Vasilishki Necrology 275
 
Additional Necrologies for the Vasilishki Region
Sobakince 289
Died in German Captivity 290
Misievich, Polase, Shaleva, Kadzilon, Zakoloch 290
Skribove 290
Died in Partisan Camps 291
 
The Ostryn Community
A. The Shtetl [Village] of Ostryn 295
B. Religious Life in the Village 296
C. The Chederim for Older Children where Bible and Talmud were Taught 302
Ostryn Necrology 368
 
The Novy Dwor Community
A . The Shtetl of Novy Dvor 379
B. The First World War 383
Z. Craftsmen 391
Novy Dvor Necrology 428
 
The Rozhanka Community
Our Town of Rozhanka 437
The Years of the Shoah 443
“Mayn Shtetele Rozshanke” 446
Rozhanka Necrology 447
 
Name Index

 


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