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H: In Memory of the Departed

May their memories be a blessing: From among the tens who survived the Holocaust and came to Israel, and also from those who succeeded in coming to the Land even before the Holocaust – death has already taken no small number. Let us honor their memories and note their names, one by one, in order of their passing:

1975 Berger, Yehudit – wife of Aharon Yosef Berger, Meir – son of Aharon Yosef Gurner, Shlomo – son of Pesach Harpazi–Celnik, Tzila – daughter of Berl Celnik Mueskin–Sirkis, Sima – daughter of Daniel Sirkis Srebnik, Moshe Yaakov – son of Shimon Fogel, Chava – wife of Moshe Reichert, Yisrael – son of Eliezer Chaim Szapsowicz, Feivel–Shraga – son of Ziskind Szpira, Avraham Yitzchak – son of Rafael Yaakov Konski, Yehuda – son of Yeshayahu

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1976 Boas, Avraham – son of David Greenberg, Regina–Rivka – daughter of Tzvi Cohen, wife of Fabian Greenberg Hofstein, Chaya–Hela – daughter of Moshe Eliezer Avishai, Yitzchak – husband of Ruth Czernikowska – Avishai Weinstein, Yehuda Leibush – son of Shalom Waldman–Gibralter, Henia – daughter of Mendel Gibralter Shilek, Moshe–Morris – son of Yaakov Shilek Schwartzbard, Yehuda – son of Natan

1977 Bornstein, Avraham Mordechai – son of Yerachmiel Ber, Avraham – son of Emanuel Baniel–Berliner, Yehoshua – son of David Chanachowitz, Moshe–Max – son of Chaim Tenenbaum, Aryeh–Leibel – son of Eliahu Noiman, Leibel – son of Avraham Frogel, Aryeh–Yehuda – son of Yisraelv Praszkier, Shalom – son of Feibish and Rache l Chernichovsky, Yitzchak–Sever – son of Mendel Rotapel, Moshe – son of Yitzchak (in Denmark) Sieradzki, Mendel – son of Tzvi (in Sweden) Bialer, Yehuda Leib – son of Chanoch, husband of Yehudit Sirkis Shuster, Moshe – husband of Bella, nee Szajngoltz

1978 Gotstat–Yakir, Chesia – daughter of… Spiwak, Nota – son of Yoel Haron, Mordechai – son of Yosef Meir and Rozia Manoach, Yehoshua – son of … (a member of Degania) Luksenburg, Menachem – son of Yaakov

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Meltzer, Yosef – husband of Yocheved, nee Weksler Globichover, David – husband of Chana, nee Ickowitz Landau, Yosef – son of Rabbi Dov Landau of Stryków Domnakwitz, Yaakov – husband of Chaya, nee Cukier Flam–Jozpowitz, Luba – daughter of Yeshayahu Jozpowitz

1979 Berger, David – son of Aharon Yosef Gotthelf, Shmuel Leib – son of Nathan Traub–Tzelgov, Esther – daughter of Yosef Celgow Franbach, Yitzchak – husband of Chaya nee Abramowitz Shiff–Kurshstein, Tova – daughter of Shimon David Kirsztajn Klonowski–Sherman Frania – daughter of Avraham Szerman Stamler–Gotthelf, Miriam – daughter of Avraham Szternfeld, Dov – son of Moshe Reichert, Yehudit – daughter of Zeev and Machla

1980 Skosowski, Zeev – son of Moshe Celnik, Nachum – son of Berl Ber–Gotthelf, Esther – daughter of Nathan Gotthelf Teichner–Nakritz, Mara – daughter of Barich Nakritz Zylberberg, Hadassa – wife of Yehuda Zylberberg Haber, Naftali – son of Yosef, husband of Rachel nee Tugendrajch Pilboski–Shindler, Henia – daughter of Yona Shindler Zadorf, Yisrael – son of Aharon Shimon Eiger, Tzvi – son of Avraham Szejwach, Mordechai – son of Mendel Pichontka, Yisrael – son of Efraim, husband of Naomi, nee Jakier

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1981 Klurfeld, Meir – son of Avraham Domnakowitz Nisan – son of Nachum Rajchert, Zelig – son of Zeev Slodiewicz, Shmuel – son of Wolf Kapitolnik–Sirkis, Bronia – daughter of Daniel Sirkis Franbach–Abramowitz, Chaya – daughter of Eliezer Abramowitz Liberman, Leib – son of Nathan Dov Gornicki, Yosef – son of Asher Binder–Nowak, Regina – daughter of Yehuda (in France) Sirkis–Yoskowitz, Bella – daughter of Shmuel, wife of Peretz Sirkis Sirkis–Sczaranski, Yael – daughter of Menachem wife of Pinchas Sirkis Mankita–Shevach, Tzipora – daughter of Hirsch Shevach Temerzon, Yissachar – son of Meir Ravid, Yuval – son of Uri and Ira, grandson of Rafael Kac

1982

1981 Fisher–Shmukler, Esther – daughter of Avraham Leib, wife of Wolfe Fiszer Kirsztajn, Menachem – son of Shimon David Nakritz, Nathan – son of Yitzchak Celgow, Moshe – son of Yosef Reler–Bornsztajn, Rachel – daughter of Mendel Siedlicer–Bornstein Fogel, Zelig – son of Meir Fogel, Berl – son of Meir Sirkis, Avraham – son of Eliezer Pomeranc, Chaim – son of… Kahan, Leon – son of Yehuda–Yudel (from France) Szapszowicz, Baruch–Bulak – son of Avraham Stupaj, Eliezer – husband of Mira, nee Akawie

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Shapan–Bori, Dvora – daughter of … Friedman, Sonia – wife of Avraham Konski, Shlomo – son of Yeshayahu

1983 Hershkowitz–Yakir, Chaya – wife of Avraham Yitzchak Hershkowitz Goldstein, Dorka – nee Szhiker, wife of Peretzv Reznik–Lewin, Achva – daughter of Yehoshua Lewin Yaffa–Katz, Dova – daughter of Nathan David Katz Krol, Rafael – son of Shraga, husband of Esther, nee Jakubowicz Ber, Yaakov – son of Emanuel Lebowitz–Hershkowitz, Rachel – daughter of Moshe Yaakov Hershkowitz Fisherman–Yakir, Chana – wife of Chaim Fisherman Eisenberg–Abramowitz, Sara – wife of Sender Eisenberg Berliner, Yechezkel – son of …

1984 Zilberberg, Yehuda–Leibik – son of Yitzchak Meir Finkelstein, Yisrael – husband of Hela, nee Goldberg Blau, Chaya – daughter of … Srebnik Leibush–Leon – son of Shimon Henich (in the United States) Poznanski, Michael – son of … Greenberg–Gryn, Fabian – son of Gedalia (in the United States) Elberg–Harel, David–Tevel – son of Rabbi Nathan Elberg Weisbrot–Finkielstein, Rachel – daughter of Avraham Petachia Finkielstein (in Russia) Pomerantz, Esther – daughter of Gerszon Gelkop Szwartzbard, Mendel – son of Getzel (in Australia) Wronska, Chaya (daughter of Shaul and Reila (in Australia) Blusztajn, Yaakov – son of …

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Blank, Menachem – son of Moshe (in the United States) Karpman, Simcha – son of Shmuel, husband of Esther Sher

1985 Baum, David – son of Shmuel Avraham Abba Bornstein, Aharon – son of Mendel Siedlicer–Bornstein Weinstein, Yosef – son of Shalom Dubiner–Gurner, Genia – daughter of Pesach, from Kibbutz Mizrav Glicksman, Miriam – daughter of Yechiel Margolis, wife of Shlomo, died in the United States Rotkowski–Rotkopf, Shmuel Asher – son of Avraham Ber Goldberg–Trojanowski, Sara – daughter of Shaul and Golda Moshkowitz, Nachum – from Kibbutz Givat Brenner Piotrkowski, Gershon – son of Yaakov Cytryn–Ber, Chana – died in the United States Koza Shimon Wagman, Shmuel – son of Hershel and Esther nee Hollander, died in the United States

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It is not easy to describe in a memorial book the distinctness and uniqueness of one city or town or another. We always turn to the general that characterizes all other Jewish communities. There were cheders, schools, Beis Midrashes, Hassidic shtibels, youth organizations and libraries everywhere; but every city has something that differentiates and separates it from others. However, there is a difficulty in defining that which is characteristic specifically of that community. On the other hand, in Zgierz, one's eyes immediately go to what is unique. In the Book of Zgierz, one immediately sees the uniqueness of the settlement, both in the whole, and also in separate people, simple Jews from the entire year, and personalities.

What must one have to be a personality? The question relates quite well to Zgierz, a city that gave forth many personalities, Orthodox and worldly, famous in the world. However, there were many more non–famous personalities, creative people in all realms. The element of creativity was especially characteristic of Zgierz Jews, and that is the test of the personality.

I am convinced that the future historian will unroll a wide canvass, a larger picture of Jewish life in Poland according to the example of one city from which one can learn a great deal. Whether it is a historian or a writer who wishes to create something from the world that has disappeared, I would hold up Zgierz as an appropriate example.

Zgierz embodied everything that characterizes Jewish life, from the Jewish reality of previous generations. In Zgierz, one could find the expression of all Jewish

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forms of life, manners, and spiritual streams. This come to expression in all realms: in work and business, in education and culture. Jews in Zgierz were involved in all types of work, and ran large–scale enterprises. They went with their merchandise to the farthest regions of Czarist Russia. They were overflowing with initiative and activity, from the small–scale handworkers to the large manufacturers. Thus, the Jews felt in their souls and spirit that Zgierz was their natural place of residence. The ways of life in the home and on the street, in the sacred and the secular, were through–and–through Jewish.

The first volume of the Book of Zgierz, a heavy book of 800 pages, already presents a broad picture of that succulent Jewish life. One feels the vibrant and simultaneously modest and clean life. The second volume broadens the picture, presents new passages, portrays and tells about new people, but did the second volume already cover everything? No – and this is to a large degree – it is specifically after the second volume that the feeling is to strengthen that no creation, even of a thousand pages, can capture the greatness and beauty of Jewish life. When one reads the writings of Mr. Wolfe Fisher, both in the Yeshiva and Beis Midrash, and with the Zionist youth, the community appears before one's eyes like a spring of enthusiasm for high ideals, national and general humanity, as for scholarship in Hassidism, morality, and fine traits.

Zgierz gave forth geniuses, rabbis, and Rebbes, but also great writers who created treasuries of Jewish culture. I know of no other city that gave forth such a large percentage of intellectuals, as Zgierz contributed to the rich Jewishness of Poland. This is all brought down in both volumes of the Book of Zgierz. The work of Wolfe Fisher is especially unique, written with great talent and great love. His descriptions of the originality and regionality of the advancement of Zgierz especially stands out. That uniqueness is the contributor to the organic whole of the Jewish monolith in Poland.

In the process of editing the manuscripts, I had the opportunity to get to know well several participants, especially Mrs. Chaya Halperin, who was the most active in preparing this book. She left Zgierz when she was very young, and I was left with the impression that she possesses all fine traits

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that are described in the book about the Jews of Zgierz: the chief qualities that characterized the Zgierz Jews are refinement and practicality, qualities which do not contradict each other. The Jews of Zgierz were practical with a longing for the additional soul^[1]. The Jews of Zgierz were known in the Jewish world for these dignified qualities, and were finely exemplified in the local ideal woman with so much initiative in her work.

In truth, the memory of how terribly and cruelly such a superb Jewish community was cut off rests sadly and sorrowfully upon the heart. Zgierz is no more.

Those who remain, the survivors, recite Yizkor and write books. At times, perhaps the doubt tears through the heart: will those for whom the books are written, the future generation, read them? These are sad thoughts that come upon those who have given up many days and nights to write and collect the means to print and publish the books.

To them, the people who have given parts of their lives for this purpose, I wish to point out the phenomenon that in Israel, more and more schools are adopting destroyed Jewish communities. This is done with the help of the Yizkor Books. The students study the Yizkor Books, and we are witness to the fact that they are amazed by the new world that appear before them; world about which they knew very little. It is worthwhile to become familiar with the work that is written by the students, and with the great level of respect they show toward the world of truly great Jewishness that unfolds before them.

There is indeed a mystique in the awakening interest of the third and fourth generation. Previously, it had seemed that we had not succeeded in piquing their interest in our horrendous experiences or with the high moral and cultural level of our parents and grandparents. It is good, therefore, that the memory books have the mysterious power to awaken the interest of the future generations in the cut–off lives of our forebears.

Through the Yizkor Books, we also recite our collective Kaddish for those who were murdered, for our nearest and dearest. Thus, both holy volumes of the Zgierz book serve as a Kaddish for Jewish Zgierz, accompanied with the ancient Jewish adage: through your blood you shall live!^[2]

Translator's Footnotes

1. This term generally refers to the additional soul said to be granted to Jews on the Sabbath. Here, it refers to general spiritual aspirations. back
2. Ezekiel 16:6. back

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