The joy we felt during the few days after the Germans arrived did not last long.

During the three years of German occupation, the entire population of our town, not only Jews, suffered. There was no work, business was prohibited, the shops were empty. Merchandise could not be brought in from anywhere, the smallest item they found hidden was considered contraband. For every violation of a German command, we had to pay a fine. We were not permitted to go from one place to another without a certificate. The situation resulted in smuggling. Those who took the risk made a lot of money and became rich from the war.

Slowly, the Jews adapted to the new military conditions, to the new bosses, their commands and edicts.

Some managed to make a bit of money from a cow, others worked a small piece of land or garden. One helped out in the leased fruit orchards and another supported himself helping the farmers in the surrounding villages. From every cow, one had to give the Germans a certain amount of milk, and from each chicken, a certain number of eggs. It was a bitter fate for those owners whose chickens did not lay eggs and whose cows gave little milk.

All food products were distributed and normalized through cards.

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The destitution in town was great. It was especially difficult for families whose men were in America. Until the war, these families lived on the support they received from their dearest in America. Now that this support stopped, these families remained simply without bread. As difficult as the situation was in Novy Dvor, it was worse in the large cities. Refugees would often arrive from Vilna and other places. The refugees were detached and hungry. The Jews of Novy Dvor did everything to feed and clothe the refugees.

A small group of town activists founded an aid-committee. This committee organized a kitchen for children and poor families. Poor children would receive a warm free meal every day. Many people, young and old, volunteered in the kitchen. The head of the kitchen's administration was Shevakh's son-in-law, Sorele's husband (originally from Vasilishok) Alter Abeloz.

The German gendarmes in town accepted the philanthropic work done by the Jewish aid-committee. The German commander would even, from time to time, bring some half-frozen potatoes, yellow sugar and other products to the kitchen.

During the German occupation, in the region of Novy Dvor, there were small armed groups of Russian soldiers who, during the quick retreat were separated from their divisions. These groups hid in the surrounding forests. From time to time they would attack and rob Jewish communities. They also robbed wealthy farmers who collaborated with the Germans.

In the vicinity, people suffered greatly from frequent attacks by these gangs. The German occupying authorities tried to liquidate them, but were not successful. Some of the peasant population supported these Russian groups, some due to sympathy and others from fear.

One summer Friday night in 1916, when the whole town was asleep, a large gang attacked the house of the medic Mendl Vaynshteyn. The medic managed to escape from his house. He ran straight to the German gendarmerie and told them about the attack. That Friday night, all the German gendarmes of the region had gathered in Novy Dvor. Saturday morning, they planned to go through the surrounding villages and forests to look for the gangs. Hearing that a gang was in town they grabbed their weapons and ran toward Mendl Vaynshteyn's house.

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As they ran, they did not take any security measures and lit their way with electric flashlights. Shooting broke out and the German quartermaster was killed. The Germans retreated and the gang succeeded in stealing a lot of money and items from Mendl Vaynshteyn's house. They did not hurt anyone in the house.

1918. Armistice. The Germans, our guards and defenders left Novy Dvor. The town remained without authorities. Everyone was ill at ease. The Jews were living in fear. The youth in town decided to defend the town and organized a self-defence. After numerous attempts they acquired 3 rifles. The weapons specialist was Shloyme Shevakhs, who recently returned to town as a demobilized soldier in the Red Army. The three rifles were in our house under the bed.

One winter night, when we were already in bed, there was a knock on the window. “Reb Shloyme, they're here!”. A Group of Jewish youth who were out walking late at night, saw a suspicious farmer and were sure he was from a band of robbers. They quickly alerted the entire town. We dressed quickly. Meanwhile the whole town gathered. Shloyme Shevakhs and two other young men took the three rifles. Led by the three with weapons, the whole town marched through the streets of Novy Dvor. At the end of each street the three with weapons let out a shot in order to scare the robbers.

They let out a few shots and we all returned to our homes and went to sleep. We later learned this was an unfounded fear. The “suspicious robber” was merely a local non-Jew returning home from a nearby village.

This is how a few uneasy days and nights passed.

Disregarding the Jews in town had only three rifles, rumours spread they had a lot of weapons. The intention was to frighten the surrounding peasants and robbers. Due to these rumours, we endured many problems from the first Poles.

When the first Polish legions arrived in town, the Christians told them the Jews had a lot of weapons. A few legionnaires, accompanied by a town Gentile came to our house and demanded the weapons. My father gave them the three rifles, but they demanded more weapons. My father assured them the Jews did not have any other weapons. He explained the reason why the Jews spread rumours about having more weapons to instill fear in the gangs of robbers. The legionnaires did not want to listen and arrested my father. After great efforts, they freed him.

As mentioned, the Jews of Novy Dvor suffered greatly with the re-emergence of Poland. Various non-regular Polish military groups came through our town. Each group robbed, carried out investigations,

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and caused various problems. Jews especially suffered during the marches of the first legionnaires. They robbed Jewish homes and shops. In some homes they carried out harsh investigations, mainly searching for weapons. For even the smallest transgression the legionnaires had one punishment – beatings.

The Poles placed weapons at Yekhiel Kutchinsky's and accused him of hiding weapons. Yekhiel received his punishment – 25 lashes. Shimon Krinsky received a similar punishment. The legionnaires demanded he tell them where his brother Yosef Krinsky was. They accused him of being a communist. They beat him in Avreyml Amstibovsky's barn. You could hear the cries of those being beaten throughout the town.

To a certain extent the surrounding White Russian farmers also suffered at the hands of the Poles. In 1914 many landowners escaped to Russia. Meanwhile the peasants robbed their abandoned yards. When the landowners returned to the newly emerged Poland, they found their yards empty. They quickly understood what the peasants had done in their absence. The land owner Dr. Mikulsky brought down a special punishment brigade which travelled through the surrounding villages looking for stolen goods. When they found something, the peasants were severely punished. As usual, this punishment brigade caused a lot of problems for innocent Jews.

The Jewish community in Novy Dvor lived mainly off business and handicrafts. All the shops in town were owned by Jews. All week the shopkeepers hoped for customers and they all waited for market day – Wednesday. On market days a large proportion of the town earned enough for the entire week. The town came alive on market days. Hundreds of peasant carts from the surrounding villages filled the marketplace and surrounding streets. The Jews bought the following from the peasant farmers: wheat, cattle, chickens and various agricultural products. The peasants bought from the Jews clothing, food products and various items for their households. Most of the shops were small with half empty shelves. The owners of these shops barely made a living.

There were also wealthy shopkeepers and merchants who earned in abundance. The largest store in Novy Dvor belonged to Shevakh Srulovitch. His store actually had everything. People bought: food, haberdashery, chemicals. Shevakh would also adjust eyeglasses and sell certain medications. He knew which medications to give for diarrhea and coughs. The peasants in the vicinity

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would buy everything from him, from food to optical articles. Shevakh was a very honest man and all of his customers trusted him. Shevakh kept his own books. He would make the yearly balance. Despite the fact he has very busy and pre- occupied with his business he found time to study Torah and get involved with various town issues. He gave a portion of this earnings to charity. Shevakh's son, Shloyme Srulovitch, followed his father's example. He was also an honest businessman. Shloyme Srulovitch had his own store and sold many of the same things as his father. He also rented rooms to travellers and guests.

In later years, Yisroel Ginsburg the shopkeeper became known in Novy Dvor. Ginsburg's store also sold everything; you could buy anything from a shovel to textiles. All the officials and Polish teachers bought from him. The female Polish teachers would come to town every Sunday and drop into Yisroel Ginsburg's house. They would buy everything at his store.

In Novy Dvor there was a large wine and whisky business which belonged to Nokhem Moishe Gordon.

An important source of income for our town in the summer were the well-known country houses in Druzgenik. During the summer the Jews of Novy Dvor would deliver the following to Druzgenik: fruits, chickens, eggs and various other food products. Those who stayed in the country homes in Druzgenik were good customers.

In the vicinity of Novy Dvor there were many magnificent manors, and the Jews of Novy Dvor for years did many aspects of business with these magnates. Jewish fruit sellers would rent orchards from the magnates still while the fruit was blooming. Sometimes the wind and rain would destroy the blossoms. The orchard owners would cover the lost revenue. For the most part, the orchards produced a lot of fruit and provided a great income. They sold the summer fruit at the marketplace and in Druzgenik. The winter fruit: reinette apples and other types were stored in cellars and sold for high prices during the winter. Large fruit merchants from Vilna and Warsaw would come to Novy Dvor to purchase winter fruit.

In the town proper, a few Jewish homes had their own small fruit orchards which provided fruit for many families. The Jews of Novy Dvor would take various agricultural products and sell them in Grodno, Vilna and other large cities.

During the winter in Novy Dvor they would stuff geese to sell in Grodno. The town's youth complained about the merchants who bought all the geese in the region and sold them for high prices in Grodno. Once, between the late afternoon and evening prayers, in the synagogue, it was decided to prohibit the export of the stuffed geese from town in order for simple Jews be able to buy a goose at a cheap price and enjoy a bit of goose fat and cracklings. The youth placed guards to watch the goose merchants to make sure they would not export

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their merchandise. The goose merchants managed to avert the guards and the business of stuffed geese continued.

It was always a difficult struggle to earn a living and for the Jews of Novy Dvor to provide for their families and bring up their children.

In Novy Dvor there were a few families that earned a living doing business in the villages. Jewish sellers of farm produce would go from village to village exchanging small haberdashery items for a variety of agricultural products. These salesmen would leave town with a sack over their shoulders filled with peasant handkerchiefs, small mirrors, combs and various small items needed by peasant households. When he returned to town, he would be laden with hides, mushrooms, butter and cheese. These village salesmen would then sell the goods to larger town businessmen.

Some of these village salesmen worked hard enough to eventually buy a horse and wagon which made their work easier and enlarged their “business”.

One well known village salesman was Gotlieb Pilavsky, a devout man and a Talmudic scholar. As he often spent many days among gentiles, he had to be satisfied with a dry piece of bread and water, in order to not eat anything non-kosher, God forbid.

Avrom Dovid the glazier would go from village to village installing window panes and do a little business as well. Mikhl the teacher became a teacher at a young age. In his later years he would also go to the villages to do some business.

In Novy Dvor there was also a village saleswoman, Soreh-Libe, a woman of valour. She would walk from village to village alone, with a pack on her back carrying a bit of merchandise. Nothing was too difficult for her, as long as she could provide for her family. Her husband, Leyzer the cutter and stitcher of shoe leather, went a bit insane in his old age. Once, he attacked his wife with a knife and slit her throat. Later on, he jumped into a well. The well was not deep and they pulled him out.

For many years, the wagon drivers were the only ones who connected Novy Dvor with the surrounding cities. All the merchandise that came in and out of town was transported by them with horse and wagon. There were different types of wagon drivers. There were those that did a bit of business. They themselves would by goods on market days and various agricultural products in the surrounding villages and travel to sell them in the big cities: Lida, Grodno and Vilna (and in the summer in Druzgenik).

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There were wagon drivers that did not partake in business. They would only bring goods from Novy Dvor to the big cities and when they returned, bring things for the town's storekeepers. The wagon drivers also took passengers in both directions, from town and to town. They would usually travel to Grodno twice a week, Sundays and Wednesdays. They would only go to Vilna which was 126 kilometres away, once a week. It took there days just to get there. They would leave of Sunday and return on Friday. Part of the road toward Grodno was a highway. Unit Azhor, it was a dirt road. They would arrive in Azhor early evening after a day of travel. They would rest and spend the night at Reb Efraim's inn. They would sleep on their own fur pelts. In the winter, the lucky ones found a spot next to the warm oven. They were lucky if they got a spot on a bench or in a corner, in order to get a few hours sleep. They did not pay money for this “hotel”. The wagon drivers would buy food and have a drink. This was Reb Efraim's source of income.

In the middle of the night, they would get up and continue on their way. They would arrive in Grodno at dawn. The trip was slow. The wagon driver and the passengers would sleep most of the way. The horses knew the way “by heart”.

The best place in Grodno for wagon drivers and Jews from Novy Dvor to stay was at the beadle's inn.

The wagon drivers would run around the streets and shops of Grodno all day. They sold the merchandise they brought and bought various items to take back to the shops in Novy Dvor.

On the eve of Purim, the wagon drivers transported a special type of passenger, a few dozen girls from Novy Dvor would travel every year to Grodno to work as rollers in the matza bakeries.

The most difficult time for the wagon drivers to travel was the end of winter. They couldn't ride with a wagon or a sled. On the highway the snow had already melted and they needed a wagon, but the dirt roads were still snow covered and they needed a sled. On the eve of Passover, when the rollers would return from Grodno to Novy Dvor, they would have to help the wagon drivers push and pull their wagons over the half-inundated roads.

One of the most popular wagon drivers in town was Alter- Yoshe's (Khoykhe). The majority of passengers travelled with him.

Summer and winter, in heat, rain a cold, the wagon drivers of Novy Dvor, with their horses, wagons and sleds, connected Novy Dvor with the world around them.

In 1928 Novy Dvor progressed. The first buses began to travel back and forth from town to Grodno, Lida and the vicinity.

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A large portion of the Jewish community in town earned a living through handiwork. Jewish shoemakers, tailors, carpenters, blacksmiths and other craftsmen worked quickly and served the town's inhabitants and the surrounding peasant population.

Feyvl the woodworker (Zatchepinsky), on the gentile street, worked mainly for the peasants from the surrounding villages. Feyvl the woodworker had another source of income. In his courtyard he had a machine to brush wool. Townspeople and neighbouring peasants used to bring Feyvl t heir wool to clean and brush. A half-blind horse turned the wool-machine.

A popular artisan in town was Bertchik the carpenter (Beretchansky), on Ostrin Street. Bertchik was an artist at his trade. Bertchik built dozens of houses, stables and various other buildings in the neighbouring wealthy courtyards and for well-off farmers. Everyone paid this Jewish professional great respect. Bertchik the carpenter had a beautiful voice. On the High Holidays he would lead the prayers in the synagogue.

Also popular were Dovid the carpenter (Vasilik Street) and Yosl the shingle maker (on Ostrin Street).

Peretz the tailor (on Grodno Street). His specialty was new fur lined coats and fur coats for the gentiles. He would go to the villages to sew. He would be out of the house all week, from Sunday to Friday. He was a simple Jew, a strong-man. Jews and Christians were afraid of his broad, solid shoulders and healthy hands.

Yidl Kobrovsky the tailor was a good craftsman. Wealthy people, teachers and finer clients went to him. Yidl the tailor was an educated man with radical ideas. He read a lot of socialist literature and preached socialist ideas. His house was a gathering place for our town's youth.

While working as a tailor, Hirshke Vashilsky thought and dreamt about agriculture. He realized his dreams. With help from “IKO” he acquired terrain not far from town and planted a variety of fruit trees. He dedicated a lot of time to his fruit orchard and was successful in his work. Thanks to his help and initiative, other Jews also planted fruit orchards near their homes and in other places.

Leybe the tailor (Khasman) worked at tailoring with all his sons. Only one of his sons, Shloyme, was a shoemaker.

Shimen the tailor (Gordon) was a women's tailor, one of the first in town. All of his children were also tailors. Today they all live in America.

Aron, the tailor from Druzgenik, came to town during the First World War as a refugee.

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He taught the shoemaking trade to a few youths in town, who later worked on their own as shoemakers. Aron the shoemaker's son, Khaim-Sholem was also a shoemaker. Khaim-Sholem was a Zionist activist. The Zionist youth of the town gathered around him. Decisions were made about Zionist activities and various Zionist programs in Novy Dvor around his cobbler table.

Shloyme Khasman (Leybe the tailor's son) had a beautiful voice and as a young man sang as a choir-boy. Shloyme was a good shoemaker and later moved and worked in Grodno. There he sang in the Grodno municipal choir. Later on, he left shoemaking and became a cantor and ritual slaughterer. He served as the cantor in Zhaludok.

Reb Itche the shoemaker worked on Vasilik Streeet. His wife Khashe baked bread. He had two sons, Khatzkl the shoemaker (lived in the market) and Leybe the shoemaker.

Shmuel Kabrovsky belonged to the young generation of shoemakers. He learnt the trade from Reb Aron from Druzgenik. Shamai the blacksmith lived in the first house at the entrance from Ostrin to Novy Dvor. His children in America sent him money. He was charitable man and distributed alms to the poor generously as well as to philanthropic organizations.

Shaye the blacksmith lived in the last house on Grodno Street. He was a simple, honest Jew.

A Jewish apprentice worked for Moishe Khatzkl the blacksmith (on Vasilik street). His wife, Fayge, was very cheap and would give the apprentice boy very little to eat. The boy complained to the rabbi. The rabbi called the blacksmith and his wife to a rabbinic tribunal. The blacksmith's wife denied this categorically; she claimed, that in her house, in her cupboards are the best of the best, however, there was nothing on the table…

Many girls in town learned tailoring from Malka the seamstress. She sewed for the women peasants in town and surrounding villages. For her work, the peasants brought her lots of food. While waiting for her to finish her work these women would feed her children. Malke was able to support her entire large family from this work.

Girls from Novy Dvor learnt and worked as seamstresses and tailors in Grodno and other cities. Thanks to these girls, in 1905 revolutionary leanings reached Novy Dvor.

Reb Noteh the teacher (Segal) had four daughters. They were all seamstresses. Many girls in town learnt the trade from them, and later became independent tailors. Two friends, Rokhl and Feygl had a tailoring partnership for years, until the go married.

Hinde, Nokhem-Moishe's (Gordon) was a good seamstress. She sewed beautiful dresses for Jewish girls. Itche's wife Rivke (Zamoshtshansky) was also a good seamstress.

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Her customers were mostly Christians. Shifre and her sister Rivke, also seamstresses, sewed for Jews and Christians.

When the seamstresses would return home from the larger cities, they would bring slogans about freedom and struggle. They would sing revolutionary songs:

“Brothers and sisters tighten the wire,
There is no Czar, there is no God”
“Brothers and sisters from work and hardship,
All who are scattered and spread out”.
“In the salty sea of human tears” …

The only industrial enterprises in town were: the brickyard, the tanner and the tar-works.

The brickworks were near the river and belonged to the Jewish brickmakers: Shmuel Zamoshtansky, Aron, Hillel, and Yitzkhak, sons of Pinkhas. The workers at the brickworks were peasants from the region.

The brothers Leybe and Aron Prusky owned the tannery. They worked alone as well as with Christians and dealt in finished leather.

At the other end of town, on the road to Ostrin was the tar-works which was owned by Shmerl Lubetkin. Binyomin Kobrovsky worked there for many years.

The Novy Dvor Jewish community was a branch of the Vasilik Jewish community. The communal leaders in Novy Dvor were Nokhem-Moishe Gordon and Yisroel Ginzburg. The community supported a rabbi, cantor, ritual slaughterer, beadle and concerned itself with the religious needs of the town. For many years there was a Jewish communal record book where every statute and event was recorded.

The spiritual leader and authority in town was the was the rabbi. Whenever they had to find a new rabbi there were quarrels. There would be two sides. Each side was stubborn and did everything to ensure their candidate would be chosen as the town's rabbi. These quarrels, for the glory of God, would occasionally become fierce. As usual, the main weapon during these fights

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was “hindering the reading of the Torah”. After long debates, the sides would come to an agreement.

The last rabbis of the Novy Dvor Jewish community were:

Rabbi Yosef Rap (Reb Yosele), who died during the First World War.

Rabbi Isaac Komenetsky, the last rabbi of the Novy Dvor Jewish community who was killed with his community during the bloody Hitler occupation.

The rabbis did not receive a regular salary and lived very modestly. The main income of the rabbi came from selling candles, salt and yeast. If anyone dared to disrupt the “monopoly” of the rabbi with these three items, there would be a great rebellion and he would be excommunicated. The rabbi would also earn a certain amount by selling honours of being called to up to the Torah on holidays, as well as performing marriage ceremonies, tribunals and arbitrations over various conflicts.

Twice a year, on the Shabbat Shuva (the Sabbath between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur) and Shabbat Gadol (the Sabbath before Passover) the rabbi would deliver a sermon in the synagogue. A sermon by the rabbi was a happening in town. The packed crowd in the synagogue listened to the sermon with great interest.

Idealistic disputes would also break out when choosing a cantor.

There was a custom, that someone born in Novy Dvor could not serve as cantor. The reason for this custom was there were a few cantors born in Novy Dvor. In order to avoid a struggle, none of them would be chosen. Many that were born in Novy Dvor served as cantors in various larger communities. Popular cantors-ritual slaughterers were: Yitzkhak Zhetler, Aron Leyb, Zavl. Their main source of income was ritual slaughter. Most of the slaughterers were also cantors.

The Jewish community also hired a bathhouse attendant. The bathhouse and Mikveh (ritual bath) were important institutions in town. Friday, many men and children went to the bathhouse. The main attraction was the steam bath where they washed, rinsed and whipped with special brooms. On certain days they heated the bath for the women in town. The bathhouse in Novy Dvor did not excel in hygiene and comfort. The facilities were very primitive and it was crowded. Obviously, on the Sabbath eve, the people in Novy Dvor sensed everything…

Being a member of the burial society was a great honour. When a tragedy occurred and a town resident died, the bargaining would begin with the burial society over the price of the grave. This often-caused vexation and fights.

There was no room at the cemetery for ritual purification of the dead before burial. This would be done in the home of the deceased. If a Jew who did not live-in town but lived among Christians died, they had to look for a house to perform this ritual act, at a price. This often brought disgrace to the deceased, until they found a home to perform the purification ritual. The burial society made sure

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the cemetery was surrounded by a fence and kept things in order.

Once a year, during Chanukah, the burial society would make a banquet. On the eve of Passover, they would choose the manager of the society.

For years the managers of the burial society were: Reb Nokhem Moishe Gordon, Hillel Matchilovsky and Leyb Prusky.

The records of the Jewish community were held by the burial society. The most important events in town were recorded in this register.

Religious life in Novy Dvor had deep roots. For generations the town's life-style was rooted in religion: old and young, men and women observed the commandments and lived their lives according to the laws of the Torah.

The centre of religious and communal life was the synagogue. The Jews of Novy Dvor were proud of their beautiful, large, brick two-storied synagogue. It was well built. The interior was decorated with an original beautiful ark for the Torah. The building was completed in 1900. The ark for the Torah was carved by a well-known artist from Vilna over a period of two years.

The women's section was on the second floor. From there Jewish women looked down through the slats and soaked up pride, when their husbands, sons or sons-in-law were called up to the Torah. One could hear the wailing from the women's section on the High Holidays. That is when Kosher, Jewish women prayed and asked for a healthy good year for their families and all the Jewish people.

One would enter the synagogue through the anteroom. The rabbi lived to the right of the anteroom. On the left side was a large hall where various gatherings would take place.

The synagogue was always filled with Jews. This is where they prayed, held discussions and studied Torah. All the town's problems: relationships between man and man, man and God, and social problems were solved.

The synagogue was the cultural and social centre in town. This is where they elected the rabbi, cantor and the manager; this is where on Saturdays they celebrated the reading of the Torah, forced an influential person to go for a lawsuit before a rabbinical tribunal, or smooth over an injustice one has caused another. This is where they renamed a sick person and asked for him to be healthy. They listened to sermons by the rabbi or visiting preachers who were passing through. This is where poor transients or other poor people, paupers, found a place to sleep,

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and spent the night on a table or bench near the oven. And most important, this is where they prayed and studied.

Simple Jews met while reciting psalms. Householders and business owners would study Mishna and Talmud. Those who devoted their lives to study would hide in the corner all day and study. Their voices reverberated through the walls of the synagogue. Day after day, at any given hour, Jews would gather and recite psalms. For years the manager of the Psalm society was Reb Shimon Avrom's son. On the Sabbath they would recite psalms before praying.

One winter Sabbath, Reb Shimon Avrom did not come to the synagogue to recite psalms. A few Jews went to see what happened. This is what happened. Part of his house was not covered by a roof. It had snowed all night. The fallen snow blocked the door and the door could not be opened from inside. On the Sabbath, the Jews cleared the snow and only then, were the inhabitants able to get out of the house. With great fanfare, they led Reb Shimon Avreyml to the synagogue and recited psalms with great enthusiasm.

In town there were Jews who were scholars. Those who stood out were:

Reb Shevakh Eliyahu Srulovitch the “zealous”. He would get up at two o'clock in the morning, go to the synagogue and study until morning prayers,

Reb Avrom Moishe. He was saturated with love for Torah and people. He studied alone and with others.

Reb Nokhem Moishe Gordon, the “Talmudist”. He always sat beside the ark of the covenant and studied Talmud. He did not get involved in any communal issues. He was a quiet, modest man, but very generous.

Reb Yakov Yosef Prusky the “Expert”. He always studied in the synagogue. He had a beautiful voice and would sing under his breath has he studied. He would attract the attention of the crowd in the synagogue and passersby. The young man Meir Prusky, Reb Aron's son, the “prodigy” left our town at a young age and studied in Yeshivas in Grodno and Mir. When he returned filled with Torah knowledge, he would sit all day in the synagogue and study.

He would get up at dawn and go to pray. The synagogue was packed with people. In the evening between late afternoon and evening prayers, Jews would come to the synagogue to pray; they would hear news and discuss politics.

On the Sabbath all the Jews would gather in the synagogue. If someone did not come, it meant he was sick and needed to be visited. There was a very pious religious atmosphere in town, especially around the Days of Awe (the High Holidays). When they heard the blowing of the Shofar, they knew judgement day was approaching. It was dark in the street when Jews hurried to recite the penitential prayers. The beadle would go from house to house knocking on windows and waking people to go to these late nigh prayers. The end of the Sabbath before Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year) the synagogue was packed. One felt this was the best time to repent. On the eve of Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), after prayers, people would be released from previous vows.

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The culmination point was Yom Kippur at Kol Nidrei. Important Jews, wearing their prayer shawls and long white linen coats, would take out the Torah scrolls and the rabbi would call out: With the consent of the Almighty and the consent of this congregation etc. The congregation would be overcome with a shiver with “U'Netanah Tokef”, “Min Hamaytzar” and “Ne'ilah” Translator's note: Powerful prayers recited on The Jewish New Year – Rosh Hashana and The Day of Atonement – Yom Kippur). The voice of the cantor mixed with the voices of the congregants and the cries of the women instilled a sense of fear. Weakened from fasting, families would return home and sit down for the meal to break the fast. Everyone obviously saw that God listened to the prayers of his people, and the new year would be good and lively year, a year of health and world peace.

The sad Days of Awe passed. Right after Yom Kippur they began to prepare for Sukkot (the Feast of the Tabernacles). In every courtyard or small house fathers and children built Sukkahs (booths) and covered them with “Skhakh” (branches).

On the days of Sukkot wealthier Jews equipped themselves with Lulavs (palm fronds bound with palm and myrtle) and Etrogs (the fruit from the citron tree), and carried them to the synagogue. Each Etrog lay in a silver box, wrapped in soft flax or cotton. The beautiful scents of the Lulavs and Etrogs wafted through the air. The simple folk were satisfied with shaking the Lulav and sniffing someone else's Etrog.

And then the arrival of the most joyful holiday Simchat Torah. During this period the entire town gathered around the synagogue which was filled with people praying. Children with flags, on every flag a red apple and a candle. It is bright and happy in the synagogue. This holiday made everyone happy. While selling the passages from “Ata Hareit” every participant received an honour.

Yosl Krinsky was able to purchase the honour for the evening prayers on Simchat Torah. He paid as much was requested.

And now Hakafot, traditional procession seven times around the podium of the synagogue with the Torah on Simchat Torah. Young and old, everyone celebrated the Torah. On Simchat Torah there would quorums (ten men) for prayers in people's homes. Each quorum would enjoy a drink, some food a make merry. After prayers they would invite each other over for “Kiddush” to bless the wine. Relatives and ordinary people, all together. All day they celebrated and got drunk. They would remove dumplings and potato puddings from someone else's oven and play tricks on one another. Serious business owners and Talmudic students who never smiled all year, danced and sang on Simchat Torah.

One day in the year they would extricate themselves from worries and celebrated with a full heart. Everyone let loose. One could hear singing and cries of joy from everywhere.

The holiday ended. The young people did not want to say goodbye to the joyful Simchat Torah and enjoyed themselves late into the night.

On the Sabbath and holidays the town changed in appearance and content. It was a completely different town, removing the grey, everyday worries of earning a living and other problems, and enjoying uplifted spirits.

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In the synagogue beside the Holy Ark (The beadle Yekhezkl Vashilsky)

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The Jews of Novy Dvor lived their lives with feelings for the Land of Israel. A Jewish child absorbed love for the land of our forefathers from childhood on. Rachel's Tomb and the Western Wall were close to everyone's heart. Jerusalem, the holy city was mentioned three times a day, in every prayer on weekdays and holidays. The spiritual connection between Novy Dvor and the far away Land of Israel was never interrupted.

The first people from Novy Dvor who emigrated to the Land of Israel at the beginning of the 20^th century were:

Yosef Algvish, Reb Izik Prusky and the rabbi's wife Etze Amstibovsky.

Yosef Algvish was fortunate to be among the first builders of Tel Aviv. In his old age he was a farmer in Atlit. He died in 1961.

Reb Izik Prusky and the rabbi's wife Amstibovsky went to the Land of Israel to die and be buried in the Holy Land.

The children of the first immigrants followed in their parents' footsteps and soon after left to be pioneers in the Land of Israel.

The son of the rabbi's wife, Moishe Amstibovsky was among the first activist leaders for the Jewish community in the Land of Israel. On the Eve of Yom Kippur, he would stand in the synagogue with a plate and collect money for the Jewish settlement. The Balfour Declaration brought a lot of life and hope to our town. Zionist activity began attracting the majority of the youth in town.

The first Zionist activist leaders in Novy Dvor were: Blumeh Matchekovsky, Hinde and Rashl Gordon, Tankhum Cohen, Adina Srulovitch, Meir Aron Zamotchansky, Isar Bereshtansky, Yehoshua Baum, Khaim-Sholem Matchevitsky, Zvi Prusky, and Gershon Kobrovsky. The main work of these activists was to collect money for Zionist funds (the Jewish National Fund and the Jewish Agency). They collected money at every opportunity: in the synagogue when you received an honour to be called up to the Torah and at various celebrations. The Jews of Novy Dvor willing donated to these national funds.

Occasionally, Zionist leaders would come to Novy Dvor from Grodno, Vilna and Warsaw. They would attend Zionist meetings. Each visit from these activists was a happening in town. The youth in town read Zionist brochures and Israeli newspapers and took great interest in what was going on in the Land of Israel.

In 1926 the “Hechalutz” (Pioneer) Movement was founded. The active leaders were: Gershon Kobrovsky, Izik Srulovitch, Arye Vaynshteyn and Bezalel Beretchansky.

The locale of “Hechalutz” was at Yakov-Zalman Zang's and later at Yakov Leyb Kopelman's house.

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The committee and active members of the Jewish National Fund in the year 1925

The Jewish National Fund Committee in 1928 Seated from right to left: Berl Amstibovsky, Khaya Srulovitch, Arye Vaynshteyn, Ahuva Beretchansky, Khaim Sholem Matchevitsky (the shoemaker), a teacher, Baylke Sapozhnik, the teacher Gershon Kobrovsky

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The “Hechalutz” ran diversified cultural activities in town. They ran Hebrew courses, Jewish history etc. the “Hechalutz” organized meetings where they dealt with problems of the Zionist worker's movement and other actual Zionist issues. The members of “Hechalutz” actively worked for the Zionist National Funds. The members of “Hechalutz” particularly excelled at various campaigns for the local “Tarbut” school. A significant amount of our town's youth found their place and goals in “Hechalutz”.

The “Hechalutz” in 1926

In 1931 The following members went to the pioneer training camp: Borukh Strinsky, Soreh Radunsky and Soreh Krinsky in Pinsk and in Ostrog- Volhynia.

The first to immigrate to the Land of Israel after the First World War were: Yosef Beretchansky and his family (they came from Kovno in 1925); Adeleh Srulovitch (Green), arrived at the beginning on 1926; and Tankhum and Batya Cohen, arrived in 1927.

In 1930 the following immigrated to the Land of Israel: Khaye Srulovitch (Ginzburg) and Geneshe Prusky (Nekhe Krongold).

In 1933 the pioneers who immigrated were Borukh Starinsky, Soreh Krinsky and Yakov Vaynshteyn.

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Farewell evening for Bashe and Tankhum leaving for the Land of Israel (1927)

Farewell evening for Khaye Srulovitch leaving for the Land of Israel (1930)

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The immigration of members of “Hechalutz” continued. Those who went were:

Ruven Vinitsky, Zahava Prusky, Mineh Kutchinsky, Binyomin Kutchinsky.

After, in 1934, Itke Srulovitch arrived. In 1935 Rashel Srulovitch arrived. Their parents Shloyme and Sahyne Gilla arrived in 1936 during the events.

Arye Vaynshteyn (Lebke Mendl's son) arrived as a student in Mikve- Yisrael.

Blume Gordon and her family, and her sister Rus Trof arrived in January 1935.

Our town was small but the drive to immigrate to the Land of Israel was great. Young boys and girls from Novy Dvor wanted to realize their pioneering aspirations, immigrate to the Land of Israel and help build the land. Unfortunately, the British mandate government restricted immigration and the few certificates could not satisfy the huge request.

The “Hechalutz” organized summer camps and agricultural colonies, where they met with pioneering youth from surrounding towns. There was close cooperation with the “Hechalutz” from Ostrin. The “Hechalutz” members from Novy Dvor would head out on the highway toward Ostrin. Mid-way, in the village Kobritze they would meet the members from Ostrin, have discussions, sing songs and have a good time. The pioneers from Novy Dvor are today rooted in various cities, Moshavsim and Kibbutzim. They were loyal, devoted builders of the State of Israel.

The youth organization Betar was very active in Novy Dvor. The members were very disciplined and devoted. Their locale was situated in the home of Musieh Kompinsky on Grodno Street.

Betar ran active cultural and organizational activities. Revisionist speakers would often come to town. Every Revisionist meeting would excite the mood in town. There were often conflicts between the members of Betar and “Hechalutz”.

The members of Betar would often travel to get together with other Betar groups in the region.

The first members of Betar who left for agricultural training were: Basia Kopinsky and Izik Ginzburg. It was very difficult for the members of Betar to immigrate to the Land of Israel. Later, as the Revisionists left the Zionist organization and founded a new Zionist organization, the members of Betar barley had a chance to receive a certificate. The members of Betar from Poland tried every way possible to get to the Land of Israel. This is when illegal immigration began. Even the Betar members from Novy Dvor immigrated in an illegal way.

Some members of Betar from Novy Dvor succeeded in immigrating illegally to the Land of Israel on the eve of the Second World War.