Book of Remembrance for the Communities of
Shtutshin, Vasilishki, Ostrina, Novi Dvor, and Rozanka
(Shchuchin, Lida District, Vilna and Grodno Gubernii, now Belarus)

With information on the following communities:
Belitza, Demotchvy, Eisiskes, Kadzilon, Kolonia Dubruva, Misievich, Polasy,
Rakovich, Shalevy, Skrebovy, Sobakintzy, Zabloch and Zaludok

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

Edited by: L. Losh

"Community of Rozanka" edited by Rav Abraham Liss

Published in Tel Aviv, 1966



Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

Ellen Sadove Renck



Our sincere appreciation to Mr. Yacov Yellin for permission
to put this material on the JewishGen web site.

Thanks to Ellen Sadove Renck for integrating the information
from the two separate versions of the yizkor book.

This is a translation from: Sefer zikaron le-kehilot Szczuczyn Wasiliszki Ostryna Nowy-Dwor Rozanka
(Memorial book of the communities Szczuczyn, Wasiliszki, Ostryna, Nowy-Dwor, Rozanka),
L. Losh, ed., Former Residents of Szczuczyn Wasiliszki, Tel Aviv, 1966, (456 pages, Hebrew, Yiddish).

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fulfilling our mission of disseminating information about the Holocaust and destroyed Jewish communities.
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NOTE: This page contains translations for the yizkor book for Szczuczyn, Belarus . Translations for the yizkor book of Szczuczyn, Poland can be found at http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/szczuczyn/Szczuczyn_Pol.html

Two versions of the same Yizkor book exist. Both are dated 1966 and look virtually identical. The information is essentially indistinguishable but the order of three towns is changed. In one version, the Shtutchin portion is first. In the other version, Ostrina is first. The page numbers herein list the Shtutchin version first and the Ostrina version in brackets. Untranslated words are in italics.

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

[ Shtutshin ] [ Vasilishki ] [ Ostrina ] [ Novi Dvor ] [ Rozhanka ]

Note: identical in both versions of the yizkor book except for the page numbering

1 [-] (Yiddish Poem "Once I Had a Life"-- One page)
2 [5] Foreword
3 [3] The book's sections:
First Section - Shtutshin - pp 25-114 [111-200]
Second Section -Vasilishki - pp 115-292 [201-378]
Third Section - Ostrina - pp 293-378 [25-110]
Fourth Section - Novi Dvor - pp 379-434 [379-434]
Fifth Section - Rozhanka - pp 435-453 [435-453]
5 [5] Editor's Foreword
7 [7] Yosef Cohen-Tzedek: The History of the Jews of Shtutshin - Vasilishki - Ostrina - Novi Dvor - Rozhanka (Historical Review) [pages are the same in both yizkor book versions]
7     1. During the Period of the Kingdom of Poland (until 1772)
12     2. The Historical Development of the Aforementioned Cities
14     3. The Period of the Russian Conquest (1772-1914)
21     4. From World War I to the Holocaust
24 Bibliography
27 [112] Table of Contents

Shtutshin

 [Szczuczyn] - Pages 25-114 [111-200]

Chapter One

25 [114] The First 20 Years of our Memorial "Yarhondert"
32 [118] My Shtutchin "University"
33 [119] The "Tziere Zion"
36 [122] Shmuel I. Shneider: The Dur Was hat geshniten dem Veg
43 [129] From Thanks the Shtetl of my Yognt
47 [133] Meir Bezovik: the Stutchiner Yeshiva
49 [134] A Short Visit in Shtutshin in 1913
50 [136] The Late Rabbi Leib Khasman
52 [138] The Rabbinical Writings of the Gaon Rabbi Yehuda-Leib Chasman
-- Written in Shtutchin in the Year 1906
54 [140] Moshe Ben-Eliezer (Glembotzki)
55 [141] The Soul of a Journalist
55 [141] A Passing World
56 [143] Teacher and Poet, Simcha Shneider
56 [143] Editor and Translator, Rafael Khasman

Chapter Two
59 [145] Between the Two World Wars Aliya to Palestine in 1936 thanks to a Polish Soldier in 1920
60 [146] The House of My Father-Itzak Menachem (Mendel) Levin
61 [147] The Shomer Hetzair Cell
62 [148] Yosef Trumpledor Pact--Betair
63 [149] The Public "Beer House"
64 [150] The Yiddish Folks-School (Tzishia) Y. L. Peretz
65 [151] The General People's Library
66 [152] Ve azoi M'hot Consistent Need
69 [155] Origin of Threshold of the Perishing

Chapter Three
83 [169] Holocaust and Vengeance: Slaughter and Holocaust in Souls and Property/Entrance of the Germans
84 [170] The Judenrat and the Jewish Police, The First Slaughter and the Closure of the Jews in the Ghetto
85 [171] Destruction of the Intellegentsia and Religious Leaders, The Last Three Months
87 [173] The Last Sabbath
88 [174] After the Great Killing
89 [175] B. War and Revenge on the Destroyers of a People, 13 War Remnants, From Fights Who Died in Battle
90 [176] Three Daring Brothers
92 [178] Fighter of the Jewish War
95 [181] K'ben Geven in Sobibor and in Maidanek
96 [182] K'ben Geven a Christian in Vilna Sbiba
99 [185] Szuczyn Necrology

Chapter Four
105 [191] Tusfit--Tzugob Material "Der Adresat aiz Nito"
106 [192] Survivors from Italy
108 [194] A Tear and Encouragement from the Son of the City on his Arrival in Israel; With Hartz and Nshma for Hometown
110 [196] A Tefila for a Landsman; Kvod the Memory for the Aumgebrakte
112 [198] Tzugeherikeit , Not Forgotten
113 [199] Ben-zion Levit, Shmuel-Yakob Sneider: In Memory of the Missing
114 [200] A Poem signed Smuel Halkin

Vasilishki

 Pages 115-292 [201-378]
Pages 116-176 [203-262]: Hebrew
Pages 177-275 [263-360]: Yiddish
115 [201] title page
116 [202] section explanation; Holocaust Deaths from Vasilishki, Kadzilon, Misievich, Polasy, Shalevy, Skrebovy, Zabloch
117 [203] Preface , by Abraham Alpert
124 [210] HaPoelim-Tarbut 1916
144 [230] Hebrew School "Yavna"
145 [231] Chalutz--Ha Poel-Hamizrachi
162 [248] The Memory of Dr. Mark Lifshitz , by Yosef Beier
171 [257] Henya Volochinsky , by Batya Olkenitzki (Reien)
171 [257] Yosef Beier (Boyarsky) , by Shlomo Avial (Berkowitz)
177 [263] The Shtetl Vasilishok , by Abraham Alpert
178 [264] Places Just Outside the Shtetl , by Sara Gitl Boyarsky (Boyar),Tzipora Boyarsky (Avial), Chaya Kravitz(Alpert)
180 [266] Jewish Livelihoods , by Etl Kravitz and Sara Boyarsky-Boyar
183 [269] After World War I , by a Vasilishoker
184 [270] Social and Intellectual Life: Cultural Activities before the First Germans, Library, Tale, Press, Drama Circle, Tzeiri-Zion, The First Polish, Self-Defense, by Mendel Mashevski (America)
189 [275] Business and Social Institutions ; The Economy: Folks-Bank, Primitive Hospital, by a Vasilishoker
190 [276] Cheders and Melamdim [Teachers] , by Sara Gitl Boyarsky and Etl Kravetz: R' Shlomo the Melamed and R' Yankel Tzales
192 [278] The Tarbut School , by Sara Gitl Boyarsky
199 [285] Surrounding Villages , by Sara Gitl Boyarsky (Boyar)
200 [286] A Villager's Holiday , by Ruben Mordukovich
201 [287] Musicians of Vasilishok , by Yosef Boyarsky (Boyar)
202 [288] The Pozharne Command [Fire Brigade] , by Abraham (Avi) Kopelman
203 [289] Fires in the Shtetl , by Sara Gitl Boyarsky and Etl Kravetz
204 [290] Drama Groups , by Tzipora and Chaya
207 [293] "Sale of Joseph" , by A.B.
208 [294] A Chapter of a Jewish Kehillah [Community] , by A.B.I.
210 [296] A Wedding in the Shtetl , by Tzipora Boyarsky and Yosef Boyar
211 [297] Holidays in the Shtetl ; Erev Pesach, Beim Seder, Sukot, by Rebeka Maevsky-Freidgut
213 [299] The First Aliyah [1921] , by Yosef and Sara Boyarsky (Boyar)
214 [300] Yom Kippur in the Forest in 1915 , by Sara Gitl Boyar
217 [303] Aaron the Feldsher [Barber-Surgeon] , by Yosl Boyarsky
219 [305] Fredek Krusha -- The Ger Tzadek [Righteous Gentile-Convert] , by Chaya Alpert and Tzipora Berkowitz
220 [306] My Brother, the Late Moishe-Gedaliahu , by Ida Shapiro-Maevsky
221 [307] About the Old Home [Country] , by Yosef Ben-Abraham
224 [310] My Shtetl of Birth , by Chaya Alpert-Kravetz
227 [313] A Collection of Memories , by Abraham Alpert: the Late Yakob Koifman, the Late Israel Shapiro
231 [317] Under German Rule: The German Attack on the Soviet Union
232 [318] In the Grip of the Germans and anti-Semitism
234 [320] New Bosses--New Tzores [Aggravation]
234 [320] The Judenrat
235 [321] The Polish Police Commander
237 [323] Hard Labor
238 [324] A New Plague--Gendarmerie
239 [325] Polish Police Also
239 [325] Ghetto
240 [326] The Mass Murders Begin
240 [326] More
242 [328] The Last Slaughter [Schichta] , by Chana and Elihu Volochinsky
244 [330] Between Life and Death
246 [332] Three Times I Saved My Life - Eliahu Volochinsky; A. In Vileiker Lager [Prison]; B. Yet the Greater Slaughter; C. The Escape from the Ghetto into the Forest
250 [336] I Escape from the Slaughter , Leibke Einshtein
251 [337] The Second Small Slaughter , by Chaya Alpert (Kravetz)
256 [342] What I Lived Through Outside the Ghetto , by Etel Kravitz
259 [345] Vasilishok Partisans : The Life in the Forest, by Chaya Kravitz and Abraham Alpert, by Chana and Lusik Volochinski; Chaya and Abraham Alpert
263 [349] A Forest Varein of the Partisans
266 [352] Escape and the German Army: The Forest Entry to the Partisans
266 [352] The Last Action and Our Liberation
269 [355] Experiences in the Red Army , Benjamin Stotzky
270 [356] After the Liberation , Chaya Alpert (Kravitz)
271 [357] Two Letters from Vasilishok : March 1945, May 1965 from Moshe Aaron Feigus
273 [361] Holocaust Necrology for Vasilishki
289 [375] Holocaust Necrology for Sobakintzy
290 [376] Holocaust Necrology for Misievich, Polesy, Shalevy, Kadzilon, Zaboloch
290 [376] Holocaust Necrology for Skrebovy
290 [376] Umgekomene Als Zelner and German Gefangenshaft
291 [377] Killed in the Red Army
291 [377] Killed in Partisan Camp
361 [275] [Vasilishki Necrology]
377 [291] [Vasilishki region Necrology]  
377 [291] [Died in Partisan Camps] (Vasilishki region) 
376 [290] [Died in German Captivity] (Vasilishki region) 
376 [290] [Misievich, Polase, Shaleva, Kadzilon, Zakoloch Necrology] (Vasilishki region)
376 [290] [Skribove Necrology] (Vasilishki region) 
375 [289] [Sobakince Necrology] (Vasilishki region)

Ostrina

 Pages  293-378 [25-110]
A. 295 [27] Village of Ostrin
B. 296 [28] Religious Life in the Village
  297 [29] Maggidim [Itinerant Preachers]
  298 [30] Rabbis
  299 [31] Teachers
  301 [33] R' Shmuel the Cantor
  304 [34] Chevra Kadesha [Burial Society]
G. 304 [34] Educational Institutions
  304 [34] Melamed Leibchik from Shtutchin Street, Mordechai Leizer Kaplan The Hunchback, The Chederim for Older Children where Bible and Talmud were Taught, Yoshi Ber the teacher from Vasilishok Street
  305 [36] The Cheder of Moshe Abraham, Yesheya the teacher from Novi Dvor Street , R'Abraham Yelin
  306 [37] The First Buds of Modern Teaching Methods in the Village
  307 [39] Hanasoin HaRashub of Beim Meirov , The New Cheders , The First Modern School
  309 [41] The Tarbut School
  310 [42] A New Building for the Tarbut School
    Modern Teaching of Bi. M. Meirov
D. 310 [42] H. Financial life of the Village
H.   Financial Life
V. 316 [48] Y. During the First World War
Z. 319 [51] A Transition Period
Kh. 323 [55] Craftsmen and Professionals
T. 327 [59] The Zionist Movement
  329 [61] Hechalutz
  329 [61] Hechalutz HaTzair
  331 [63] Hashomer HaTzair of Ostrin
Y. 333 [65] Public Activitists
  333 [65] Berl Poretzky , Yehoshua Krinsky
  335 [67] David Mok , Yekhezkal
  335 [67] David Tkornitzky
  336 [68] R' Abraham Yellin
  337 [69] Berl Krinsky
YA. 338 [70] YA. frki hvi
  338 [70] Zvi Volfson (Rabbi Dov Ostrin)
  340 [72] Efraim Blaker
  340 [72] Ezra Rapoport
  343 [75] Jewish Coachmen
YB. 344 [76] Life Styles
  353 [85] The Life and Ruin of our Shtetl Ostrin -- Yiddish by Tzvi Segalovich , M.M. Yezerski , Shlomo Boyarsky
  357 [89] 1941-1944
  362 [94] From Ostrin to Auschvitz
  367 [99] Ostrin and Novydvor Memorial Plaque in Jerusalem
  368 [100] Necrology

Novi Dvor

Pages 379-434 (Page numbers are the same in both yizkor books)

  380 Table of Contents
A. 381 The Shtetl Novidvor
B. 383 The First World War
G. 384 German Occupation 1915-1918
D. 385 Self-Defense Organization
H. 387 The Economic Life
V. 389 Craftsmen
Z. 391 Coachmen
Ch. 393 The Jewish Community
T. 395 The Religious Life
Y. 399 The Zionist Movement
YA. 405 Education and Culture
YB. 412 The Social Institutions
YG. 414 Hospitality
YD. 415 Medical Care
TY. 416 Episodes and Facts
TZ. 418 Figures and Matters
  418 R' Pinchas Starinsky
  419 Yehuda Berechansky
  419 R' Efraim Kampinsky
  420 R' Yakob Berl "the Chasid"
  420 Raky Shmuel the Tzigelnik ( Berechansky )
  421 Our Parents by Bluma Gordon
YZ. 423 Novi Dvor Holocaust by Shmuel Kobrovsky
  422 Under Soviet Occupaton
  423 Under German Occupation
  424 In the Forest with Partisans
  424 My Stay in the Destroyed Home
  425 "Ve Azoi" is our Fatality, the Novy Dvor Jews
  427 A Witness to the Polish, Yozef Bush
  428-434 Necrology

Rozhanka

Pages 435-453 (Page numbers are the same in both yizkor books)

436 Title Page
436 Table of Contents
436 The Economic Life
437 Our Town of Rozanka
437 General Introduction
437 The Economic Life
438 Communal Organizations and Association Life
439 From the Character of the Community
443 The Years of the Shoah
445 The Remainder of the Refugees
446 Poem: My Shtetl Rozanka-Nechama
447 Holocaust Necrology (Martyrology)

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