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It is in the Shavel [Šiauliai] district. It is among the more recent Jewish settlements in Lithuania. There was not one Jew there in 1783. A Jewish community began to form around the end of the 18^th century. It developed strongly in commerce due to its proximity to the Latvian border. This attracted Jews, and their numbers grew quickly.

In 1847, there was a community of 1,042 Jews. Their numbers doubled by 1897.

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The settlement shrank greatly after the expulsion of the Jews of Lithuania in 1915. In 1923, 978 Jews lived there, and approximately 700 lived there prior to the Holocaust.

Eighteen Jewish families from Joniškis lived in the Jewish colony of Dubinova, Ezerene district, which was founded in 1847 on unsettled government land.

Jews were involved in shopkeeping, trades, and a small number in agriculture. Jewish commerce was concentrated in grains, horses, cattle, geese, and for the most part, flax.

There were 129 prenumerators [subscribers] of rabbinical books from Joniškis between 1839 and 1923.

An eyewitness, the well-known Binyamin Mandelstam, describes the town from 1840 as follows: “There is no building or proper house other than some form of small booths covered with hay, like dog shelters.” However, this quickly ended, and instead of these booths, large brick houses sprouted up.

Joniškis had a Jewish labor element, which developed well politically during the free times. In 1843, a Russian sub-officer and two soldiers conduced a Jewish arrest (for political reasons) from Shavel [Šiauliai]. Sixteen Jews from Joniškis attacked the soldiers not far from the city. They bound them and freed the arrestees.

Joniškis did not suffer from the great famine that afflicted parts of Lithuania in 1869-72. In 1869, the aid committee in Memel for the Jewish towns afflicted by famine sent fifty rubles for those suffering. From this, one can see that there were still enough Jews of means in the city who helped not only the local Jewish poor suffering from hunger, but also the suffering people in other cities. There were many people from Joniškis in a list of donors to the hungry in 1872. The collector was Avraham Heller.

The Jews slowly strengthened themselves. In 1879, they began to build a Beis Midrash. During that same year, the community maintained a physician for 300 rubles. The condition was: to heal poor for free. That year, a firefighters command was founded headed by Mr. Per. (Money was obtained from the korovka [meat tax]. The Christians refused to participate.) In 1881, Jews from Joniškis sent 40 pood of matzos for those who had suffered from the fire in Pokroi [Pakruojus], and in 1884, more help for those suffering from fires from outside the city. In 1904, Joniškis itself suffered from a great fire: 200 houses were burnt down from the fire.

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Zionism penetrated Joniškis already in its first years. There were many people from Joniškis in a list of donors (Hameilitz, 1898) for the Land of Israel. In a second list (Hamelitz, 1903), the representatives M. Tz. Klatzkin, and M. Milvidski were noted. The secretary of the Zionist federation in 1900 was Eliezer-Zeev Dunia. His activity later grew stronger with the assistance of Dr. B. Friedman.

Later, the Aguda also became active. In a list from 1913, the annual list of Aguda taxpayers from Joniškis consisted of: Zalman Katzenelenbogen, Shmuel Eidelzak, Zalman Zingerovitch, Yehuda-Zeev Pinski, Rabbi Yaakov Leib – head of the Yeshiva, Yaakov Shevtzik, Yitzckak Brom, Yoel Hendler, Avraham Ziv, Abba-Yitzchak Golomb.

Rabbi Nachum-Betzalel Jimitrovski, Shalom-Meir Shapiro, Efraim-Meir Flaks, Binyamin Shpirka, Avraham-Chaim Kaplan, Yosef Milvidski, Yosef Shlomo Cohen, Netanel Wolfson, Shimon Svetnik, Yehuda Kimmel, Baruch-Tzvi Yaffa, Netanel the shochet, Binyamin the shochet, Yeshiva head Rabbi Yehuda.

Rabbis – Rabbi Meshulam-Zalman the son of Rabbi David Katzenelenbogen. Since he died in 1830, we can deduce that he was the rabbi prior to Rabbi Shalom Rabinovitch^[1].

Rabbi Shalom the son of Rabbi Yehoshua Rabinovitch from 1808 until 1847. Later, he was the rabbi in Goldingen [Kuldīga] (Courland). He was a student of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. In 1857, he was a delegate to the Peterburg meetings of rabbis and scholars regarding questions on issues of Judaism. He died in 1872 [in the city of Vilna: 5622]. He was the author of Divrei Shalom VeEmet [Words of Peace and Truth] (Vilna, 5633 – 1873) published by his brother Rabbi Beinish, who was a rabbinical judge in Raseiniai, and included a few of his own Torah novellae in that book. Rabbi Shlomo's responsa are found in Ateret Yitzchak by Rabbi Yitzchak-Eizik, the head of the rabbinical court of Shavel [Šiauliai], and his Torah novellae in Zichron Yaakov by Rabbi Yaakov Benditman. His father Rabbi Moshe-Yehoshua Rabinovitch (Yehoshele Neishtoter) gave classes in Volozhin, and later, top level classes for expert students in Vilna, where he was the mashgiach [spiritual supervisor] in Rabbi Meile's Yeshiva. He died there in 1851. Rabbi Shalom was a grandson of rabbi Zelmele (Rabbi Shlomo-Zalman the son of Rabbi Yitzchak a student of the Vilna Gaon.)

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Rabbi Avraham Heller, born in Suwałki, from around 1860 until 1877 He was later a rabbi in Hazenpot (Latvia), and from 1882, rabbi in Libova [Liepāja]. He died in 1923. He was the author of Yefei Nof (Piotrków, 5668 – 1909). His father Rabbi Yechiel was the head of the rabbinical court of Suwałki and other communities. His son Rabbi Leib was a rabbi in Shavel [Šiauliai].

Rabbi Yechiel Michel Wolfson, born in Slutsk. From 1869, he was the rabbi in Parichi, from 1875 to 1877 in Seltz, and then for 22 years in Joniškis, where he died at the age of 55 in 1900. He was among the first rabbis to permit a device for performing metzitza [sucking the blood from the wound] during circumcision. He was the author of Sfat Hayam. He wrote approbations for Amtachat Binyamin by Binyamin Cheshin (Vilna 5645 – 1885), Zichron Chaim by Chaim Katz Bachrach (Vilna 5649 – 1889), Birchat Yitzchak by Yitzchak Ben Tzion Izekson (Vilna 5654 – 1994), Bnei Gershon by Gershon Lifschitz (Vilna 5659 – 1899), Zecher Chaim by Ch. N. Shochet (New York, 5673 – 1913).

Rabbi Nachum-Betzalel the son of Rabbi Yitzchak HaLevi Jimitrovski, born in 1871 in Eishishok [Eišiškės]. He served from 1900 until he was murdered in 1941. May G-d avenge his blood^[2].

Heads of the Joniškis Yeshiva: Rabbi Yaakov-Leib² and Rabbi Yehuda (1912); The teacher of righteousness [Moreh Tzedek]: Rabbi Eliyahu-Yissachar Yaffa; The shochet: Reb Netanel [Wolfson?] and Reb Binyamin [Shpirka?]; kabbalistic scholar [חו”ב]: Rabbi Eliezer Rabinovitch, born in Žagarė. Died here in 1879. He was the son-in-law of the local Reb Moshe-Mordechai Katzenelenbogen.

The Moreh Tzedek Rabbi Eliyahu-Yissachar Yaffa, from 1889 rabbi in Skaudvilė; The Moreh Tzedek Rabbi Aharon Shmuel the son of Rabbi Shimon Katz, born here in 1870. He was here for four years from 1897, and then became the Moreh Tzedek in Raseiniai and later the head of the rabbinical court there. May G-d avenge his blood.

People who came from there – Rabbi Avraham-Avli Yaffa, the head of the rabbinical court of Vekshna [Viekšniai], Ponevezh [Panevėžys], and Lietava. Died in 1820.

Rabbi Shmuel-Tzvi-Hertz [Luknichki], born here in 1822. He was the rabbinical judge and Moreh Tzedek in Žagarė, and later in Mituva. He has Torah novellae in Zichron Yaakov by his father-in-law Yaakov Benditman. He died in 1894.

Rabbi Yitzchak-Meir the son of Rabbi Avraham-Yehuda Joselson, born here in 1851. He served as the head of the rabbinical court of Zeimel [Žeimelis] from 1876, and later in Dublin (Ireland).

Rabbi Meir Janishker, the brother of the Vilna Gaon

Rabbi Eliezer-Yaakov Chwas, born here in 1850. He was the father of the Kolel idea: Taking in young men who would sit like ascetics and study, while they and their families would be provided with a livelihood. Already in 1874, he created

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the first Kolel consisting of ten youths in Slobodka. Ovadia Lachman, an Orthodox millionaire from Berlin, helped him greatly. Rabbi Eliezer-Yaakov was the anonymous author of Eitz Pri (5645) [fervent statements of Gaonim regarding the creation of Kolels] . The Chofetz Chaim said about him: “He sustained forty years of Torah among the Jews.” He was the son-in-law of Rabbi Naftali-Tzvi Trop, the head of the Yeshiva of Radin. He died in 1919.

Rabbi Eliyahu-Dov Leizerovitch, born here in 1856. He was the mashgiach of the Slobodka Yeshiva. From 1925, he was a head of the Slobodka Yeshiva of Hebron. He used to give a class in Gemara in Tel Aviv, where he died in 1941.

Rabbi Shalom the son of Rabbi Israelson, born here in 1861. He was a relative of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter and his student in Memel. He was in America from 1897. He was a rabbi in Milwaukee and Toronto. His works were Neve Shalom (Chicago, 5660 – 1900), Divrei Shalom (Saint Louis, 5680 – 1920), Derech Shalom (5686 – 1926).

Rabbi Shmuel Eidelzak, born in 1862. From 1894, he was a Yeshiva head in Rovno, from 1899 in Slobodka, Eishishok [Eišiškės], and other places. He was in the Land of Israel 1925. He was the author of Divrei Shmuel (Tel Aviv 5701 – 1941). He died in 1947.

Dr. Boris Kagan, born here in 1869. He was a Jewish communal activist in America, and the general director of the JOINT. He was a correspondent of Woschod. He died in Arcadia (California) in 1929.

Rabbi Yehoshua Klevan, born here in 1884. He was a rabbi in Jaskovitch [Joskevičiai] (1909-1915) and Gelvan [Gelvonai]. Later, he was a rabbi in Burlington (Vermont), and from 1936 in Washington.

Raii Chaim-Yosef Trop, born here in 1892. From 1930, he was a Yeshiva head in the Chofetz Chaim Yeshiva of Radin. In 1940, he was arrested by the Soviets in Utena for conducting his wandering Yeshiva of 50 students. He was freed in Siberia in 1945. From 1947, he was a Yeshiva head of the Chofetz Chaim Yeshiva in New York.

Rabbi Avraham-Chaim Trop, born here in 1897. He was a Yeshiva head in the Radin Yeshiva, and later in the Isaac Elchanan Yeshiva in New York.

Rabbi Reuven the son of Rabbi Naftali-Tzvi Trop, born here in 1904. He was a Yeshiva head of the Yeshiva of Hebron. He died in Tel Aviv in 1953.

Writers – Chaim-Yisrael Zaks, born in 1867. He lived in Shavel [Šiauliai]. He was a member of the Zionist headquarters of Lithuania. He wrote many articles in the Yiddishe Shtime (Kovno). He was in the Land of Israel from 1932. He died in Tel Aviv in 1934.

Aharon Baron. He was born in 1886. He immigrated to America. Prior to the First World War, he published musical reviews in Tog of New York and Tog Morgen Journal.

Yehuda-Leib Segal born

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in 1910. He was in Pretoria, South Africa from 1915. From 1928, he wrote poems in South Africa, and articles about poetry in the Africaner Yiddishe Zeitung. He also wrote a play called Churban [Destruction], which was performed in Pretoria.

The Hebrew writer Yehoshua Lewinsohn lived here for a long time. Here, he wrote a poem in honor of Moses Montefiore, who stopped here for a while on his way to Peterburg. The beginning of the poem is: “Hear the voice calling to you from Mianishki, for there too you appeared in the glory of your countenance.”

Correspondents – Hameilitz: Eliezer the son of Reb Shimon Kerbel, Yehoshua Leib Pupko, Eliezer-Zeev Dunia, Meir-David Hertz (also in Hatzefira), Baruch Rabinovitch – Halevanon: P. Sch. [?] – Hayom (Peterburg).

Honorable ones – From the 1860s-1880s: Reb Yehuda Leib Baranovski, died at age 59. (There is a eulogy for him in Miftach HaHespedim by B. Wachstein).

Reb Yaakov Shlapoverski. In the famine of 1869, approximately 300 local Jews suffered from hunger. He helped create an open kitchen.

Rabbi Chaim-Dov Klatzkin, son of Rabbi Yisrael-Isser, head of the rabbinical court of Hanoshishok [Onuškis], Livenhof [Līvāni] (Courland); Dr. B. Friedman.

Reb David Katzenelenbogen, lived in Moscow from 1870, where he conducted large-scale businesses. After the deportation from Moscow (1891-1892) he returned to his hometown of Joniškis, where he was one of the city notables.

1. a. According to Rabbi Sh. Y. Yatzkan, Rabbi Meir the son of Rabbi Shlomo-Zalman, the brother of the Vilna Gaon, was a rabbi here. Also according to D. M. Lipman, he only gives the brother's name: Moshe. D. T. Efraiti and Ch. Braverman note: “Rabbi Meir of the holy community of Joniškis, the brother of the Gr'a” – however, without “head of the rabbinical court.” If so, one can assume that he was the rabbi prior to Rabbi Meshulam-Zalman.
   b. Rabbi Meshulam's father was the head of the rabbinical court in Tzaikishok [Žukiškės], Srednike [Seredžius], and Vilce. Return
2. Found: “Rabbi Mordechai Fishel, the head of the rabbinical court of Joniškis.” In Ateret Yitzchak, by Yitzchak Eizik, there are responsa by Mordechai Fishel the son of Rabbi Yehuda Leib of Joniškis, the father-in-law of Rabbi Aharon-Shmuel Katz, the head of the rabbinical court of Raseiniai. Return

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