« Previous Page Table of Contents Next Page »

[Page 90]

In their concern for the education of the children, a line of teachers took upon themselves the assignment of teaching Torah and Judaism to the young generation. Those teachers – beginning with the alphabet-teachers and up to the Talmud instructors – who educated the young between the two world wars, were well-known to all of us. All of the youth in town, without exception, went through their schools. For some, reading a page of Talmud was enough, and some further expanded their learning in the yeshives. The “knowledge acquired in childhood” which he received in the kheyder, no one ever forgot.

In the following lines I will try to depict the intellectual situation of these educators, as I remember them.

The dardiki-melamdim in the town were: R' Berl Tsirman who, as a mitsve, went around every Friday as the Shabes eve approached, and called out “Yidn in shul arayn!” {“Jews to the shul!”}; R' Yekl Shprintse's, who in his later years became a beadle in the study-house; and R' Yeshaye Nosn Kruk, a meticulous person before whom the boys trembled if he even blinked, and especially at his whip.

Of the elementary teachers, who planted Jewishness in the hearts of the very small children, the brothers R' Hersh Itsik and R' Yehoshua Malavani had a special approach to the children and taught them with heart and soul.

R' Aba'le – people called him that [diminutive] because of his small build – was a Torah teacher. Most of the Goworowo youth passed through his kheyder. He was an unusual educator, awaking respect in his pupils and was devoted to them heart and soul. R' Aba'le cared for his pupils like a father, and his wife, the rebitsin, was faithful to them. The boys treated them the same – they were bonded to their rebi and loved him very much. It was very rare for him to use a whip.

For years after leaving his kheyder, his pupils felt an obligation to visit their beloved teacher. He was a God-fearing and acute Hasid and traveled often to the Ger Rebi.

[Page 91]

R' Hershl Glogover

The Talmud teacher R' Hershl Glogover, or, as he was popularly called, Hershl “the fop”, was a good Jew, a teacher and commanded respect, if only for his extraordinary appearance. Always dressed in neat, clean clothing, with a finely-combed beard, he made the impression of a wealthy lumber merchant rather than a teacher. His pupils were boys who had already studied Talmud with Commentators and were preparing to travel out to a yeshive. R' Hershl had been teaching even before the First World War.

R' Yisroel Leyb Kruk occupied an esteemed place in the education of the Goworowo youth. He was a real Talmud scholar and was gifted with rare pedagogic abilities. He was also a talented teacher and guide, not comparable to any teacher of the old cut. R' Yisroel Leyb kept to the modern and progressive, and strove to educate his pupils in the spirit of the times – according to the example of the modern Talmud-Torah. Himself a student of the great Lithuanian yeshives, he taught his pupils in the Litvish “style” – in a scholarly manner. It was a great merit for the student when R' Yisroel Leyb accepted him into his kheyder; and not everyone was taken. He sought pupils with good heads and with a strong will to study. It is no wonder, then, that the majority of his pupils continued their studies in the yeshives, and the more local yeshives also considered his pupils.

R' Yisroel Leyb Kruk, of blessed memory

[Page 92]

R' Yisroel Leyb was also an important member of ”Hoveyvi-tsion, and one of the founders and leaders of the “Mizrakhi” movement in town. Disregarding that the hasidic circles looked askance at Zionism, and in some instances chased the Mizrakh-ists out, he stayed firm in his membership in “Mizrakhi”. He would propagandize for Zionism, “sell sheklim”, work for “Keren kayemet l'Yisroel” and lead flaming discussions with his friends in the Agudas circles. R' Yisroel Leyb Kruk died in the war years.

Also reckoned among the important teachers in Goworowo was R' Avrom'le Grudke. Once he was a big grain merchant, but when he was older he took up teaching. R' Avrom'le was a great Talmud scholar and Enlightener although his outward appearance gave the appearance of an idler. He was full of Torah and wisdom, a master of Hebrew grammar, knowledgeable in TaNaKh, an expert in philosophical books, knew chapters of “Guide for the Perplexed” by heart as well as Yehuda Haleyvi. He was also very well-versed in world literature, knew the Enlightenment books well, was interested in history, natural science and so on.

R' Avrom'le loved to take a break during teaching and tell the pupils of the great wonder of God's world: about the wisdom of physics, chemistry, and other secular knowledge. On the long winter evenings when the sky was full of stars, he sometimes walked around outdoors with his pupils, pointing out stars with his finger and calling them by name: “Mars”, the “Chariot” and others, explaining their paths and thereby demonstrating an expertise in astronomy. About the meaning of the science, as in is there life on Mars, he explained, “Just as in our world everything is green, so it is on Mars that everything is red, because its [Hebrew] name is “Madim” is from the word “adom” – red.” The pupils swallowed every word that came from the mouth of their beloved rebi.

R' Avrom'le Grudke had the habit of ending the studies an hour early on Friday, closing the Talmud and sitting back to relate various histories. Each week he chose a different theme. He would tell the pupils about great Jewish personalities and historical figures, and thus weave in whole chapters of Jewish history. If it was about Rebi Avika or Bar-Kokhba, how energetically he depicted the Bar-Kokhba rebellion and the role of Rebi Akiva; whether it was about the era of Babylonia with its princes, the figures of Yehude Ha'nasi, Hilel the Old and others; the sources of the ganoim, the wonderful stories about RaMBam when he was the chief doctor to the Egyptian king; the story about “Ibn Ezra” who presented as a poor man and traveled all around the Jewish world; the tragic history of the expulsion from Spain, the decrees of the 1400s and others.

[Page 93]

When he talked about Erets Yisroel he did so with much enthusiasm, and hardly knew when to end. He often sat for more than two hours later than usual. He offered about the Turkish Sultans, how they uncovered the “Western Wall”, which had been shadowed in mist for so many years; about the “Cave of the Patriarchs” which no one dared to go inside of because a mysterious wind blew out of there; about “Rokhl's Tomb”, the graves of R' Simion ben Yokhay and his pupils and all the mystic stories that were woven around the kabalists in Tsfat. When he touched on the story of the revival to life of Erets Yisroel and the “Khibat tsion” movement, he literally shone. He spoke spiritedly about Baron Rot'schild, who bought land and established colonies with Hebrew names; about Moses Montefiori, the great Jewish intercessor who was received by powerful Tsar Nikolai and managed to lighten the burden for [Russian] Jews, and about his activity for Erets Yisroel. With his conversations and chats he brought a great coherence to Jewish history, a love for Erets Yisroel, for knowledge and a will to learn.

R' Avrom'le did not merit coming to Erets Yisroel. He was murdered along with all the Goworowo victims in the area of Slonim may God avenge their blood. Only his son Yehude with his daughter Tsipora managed to come to Erets a few years after the outbreak of the war. His younger son Khone, the Beys”Ri, who a short time before the war prepared to go to Erets Yisroel by foot along with the “Ripel Group”, did not manage to realize his dream. He, along with all the other family members, were murdered with all the martyrs, may God avenge their blood.

R' Yitskhak Reytshik – or, as people used to call him, R' Itsele – was also in his older years. He turned to teaching after he was forced to liquidate his manufacturing business.

R' Itsele, a fine scholar, a very pious and observant Jew, took pains to educate his pupils in his spirit. He died during the war years.

R' Beytsalel, or as we called him, “Tsale-Yosl”, belonged among the “temporary” teachers. In fact, he was a merchant, he dealt in fish, grain, leasing orchards and so on. But he did not make a good living from all that,

[Page 94]

and he had to turn to teaching. He was a scholar, with a sharp mind and agile comprehension, who did not like to think for long but to answer quickly and get to the point. In general, he was impatient and a quick decider. He had modest needs and did not worry about himself too much. When he did not have any great success at teaching, he threw himself into trade – and vice versa. He gave private lessons in Talmud with the Commentators to pupils in the town.

R' Beytsalel Yosef was one of the first victims of the Holocaust in Goworowo. He was shot right on the first Friday when the German murderers had just come into the town. heads and with a strong will to study. It is no wonder, then, that the majority of his pupils continued their studies in the yeshives, and the more local yeshives also considered his pupils.

R' Beytsalel Yosef Karvat

R' Yankev Shtshetshina, the son-in-law of R' Beytsalel Yosef, was a “temporary” teacher. He drew his main livelihood from his haberdashery business on the “long street”. R' Yankev was a fine, noble Jew, with a long beard and a constantly smiling face, with friendly glances. He was not supported by his teaching but was a teacher out of need – the shop did not bring in the full livelihood for his household. And since he was a man burdened with children, he had to seek an additional income. In poor health, he was not able to give over his knowledge to his pupils, and despite his scholarship and good humor his kheyder was not very large.

Right after the great fire in the town R' Yankev left for Ostrove. There the Germans caught him and forced him to clean the water closets with his bare hands. Later they shaved off half of his beard crosswise and he had to

[Page 95]

walk around that way. He would not shave off the other half of the beard under any excuse. He died in the war years.

R' Yankev Shtshetshina, of blessed memory

R' Yosef Batshan was also a “temporary” teacher. He was the grandson of the old Goworowo Rov, the “v'shev ha'koen” and son-in-law of R' Yehude Sheyniak. R. Yosef was really a grain merchant, but, since he did not make a full living from that trade, he often also occupied himself with teaching. He was known as a Talmud expert and Enlightener and considered himself one of the eminent proprietors in the town.

R' Yosef Batshan, of blessed memory

[Page 96]

R' Aron Aronson

Especially famous and well-known all over the land was R' Aron Aronson, author of books of his sermons. For the most part he traveled around over the towns and villages of Poland a presented his sermons, which were distinguished by their sincerity and folksiness. Masses of people gathered in the study-houses of every town when R' Aron spoke. His stories and parables had a good reputation in the world of traveling preachers, and more than one of the famous preachers repeated his sermons and often used his stories and parables that were then continually used by the audiences.

I will mention a characteristic case: One of his sons, who was of the idealist Socialist bent and far from being religious, from time to time used to become “someone else”. Then he let his beard grow. He traveled around the country for several months repeating his father's sermons. He delivered the sermons with such talent that it was hard to differentiate between father and son. When the writer of these lines was studying in one of the yeshives, far from Goworowo, I accidentally happened upon one of R' Aron's son's sermons. It is worthwhile citing the witticism that he wove into a sermon and as he characterized the revolutionary common people: The “song of glory” which is sung on Shabes after praying, and which begins with the words “I weave songs and poems”, he translated as what would be said when the Messiah comes: When Moshiakh comes there will be “songs of the meek” when the poor will sing “songs” and “murder the rich” – that is, the wealthy who have never reckoned with the poor, oppressed them and not helped them, will then find no place, and will be killed.

R' Aron used to leave the town after Peysakh and return from his wanderings over the Polish countryside a year later, for our Peysakh. When he wanted to spend a year's time with his family he packed in a few pupils and became a teacher. Being a permanent pauper, he had no great aspirations and sufficed with a small number of pupils. In his free time, he was busy writing additions to his sermons. R' Aron was probably killed in Lomzhe, where one of his sons was the cantor and ritual slaughterer.

Goworowo had another “teacher-preacher” in R' Velvl Yagodnik, or as people called him “Velvl Brizshnier”. R' Velvl was a tall, hearty Jew with broad shoulders, a sharp glance and a high, scholarly forehead. He was a teacher of average boys who had just begun to study Talmud.

[Page 97]

Although he was a scholar with a broad knowledge of secular things, he still kept himself apart, did not like to “intrude”, not mix in politics, and was not a fervent Hasid but a simple, “common” person. Thus, he was very devoted to his pupils. He necessarily chatted with them, preached Mussar, led them to love the Torah, to desire learning and to be honest Jews.

He spent a lot of time traveling around the land, delivering sermons, and calling the audience to be good and pious. He considered himself a bit of a socialist and in his sermons he preached for charity, justice and equality and not to, heaven forbid, exploit one another. R' Velvl was also one of the first victims from our town. He was shot by a German near his house on the first Friday of their invasion.

One must also count R' Aba'le Likhtman among the town's teachers, who for many years tutored children. He was a learned Jew and talented in song and music. He was also the bath-house attendant for several years. In his last years he gave up both his professions and became a wagon-driver on the Goworowo to Rizshan line. From all his livelihoods he remained a complete pauper.

R' Leybke Shmalts also dealt in teaching for many years. He was a fervent Aleksander Hasid and often traveled to the Rebi. On Rosh-ha'shone and Yon-kiper he led shul services. For a certain time he was also a beadle. As a Jew he was a doer of good works and a giver of charity. In his last years R' Leybke was a bath-house keeper in the town.

R' Leybke Shmalts, may God avenge his blood

[Page 99]

Before the First World War, during the time of the Russian Tsar may he rot in hell, there existed three “kosher” schools for children in Goworowo, and three “ritually impure” schools. Do not laugh, gentlemen, it is indeed curious, but such was the fact.

Why “kosher” and why “treyf”? I will explain:

Under Russian rule there was a decree that in each kheyder or school where children were taught, there must be hung a portrait of the tsar and of his wife, and that the children must be instructed in the Russian language and grammar at least two hours every day. Among the parents were some who, without an alternative, agreed to teach the children a little Russian. But there were other fathers who said, under no circumstances would they allow their children to be taught “goyish”. Therefore, there were two kinds of kheydarim, the “kosher” ones with the teachers Yekl Shtshetshina, Hershl “the fop” and Yosele Melamed; and the “treyf” ones with the teachers Mendel the Lame, Niske and Aba'le.

Both sides having a claim, both the kosher and the treyf had to give the Christian director of the schools, Stankius, a bribe in order for him not to tell the Russian inspector what was being done. The treyf schools Stankius covered over completely, as if they did not exist, and for the kosher ones he notified the teachers the day before the inspector was to arrive; they cleaned everything up, hung the pictures of the tsar and the tsarina, and at the hour the inspector came they seated the Yiddish-Russian teacher Kovkevitsh and his wife, and the children recited the prayer in honor of the tsar and studied a little Russian.

There was a time when the kosher kheyder children really did have to go to the general school for two hours each day and study secular subjects. This was designated for 11 to 1 o'clock. Those children had to pay their “debt” later by studying until 10 at night.

The teacher Yankev Kovkevitsh and his wife, very intelligent people, strove to spread education in the town. But they were forced to do the will of the most strictly religious householders. The teaching couple were also busy giving private lessons for boys and for girls in their parents' homes. Their son Lazar Kovkevitsh, who was born in Goworowo, also became a teacher of Yiddish and Russian. The Kovkevitsh family was in town until the Great Fire. After the First World War they never returned to Goworowo.

[Page 100]

After the First World War, when Jewish life in town was beginning to stabilize again, many parents sent their children to study in yeshives. The first yeshive “swallows” were: Meyshe Sarna, Aron Shron, Bunim Safran, Avrom Holtsman and Meyshe Aron Granat. Although they did not remain in the religious framework, their religious education still had a great influence on them. The rejuvenated emancipation, the national and revolutionary movements on the Jewish street, pulled many students away from yeshives and Torah teachers, and threw them into community work. They, the yeshive people, helped to build almost all the political parties and cultural movements in the town. They were also the leaders and the educators of the youth organizations. The level of knowledge constantly rose through them.

With the infiltration of the Novoredok Yeshive into Poland, the so-called “Musarniks” established similar yeshives in the towns around Goworowo, like Ostrove, Ostrolenke, Vishkove and others. The RaShI Yeshives and directors who went around to the towns and villages to recruit students, also visited Goworowo. They conducted a large enlightenment operation among the youths and indeed did recruit many young men. Already in 1924-1925 some of the best students from R' Yisroel Leyb's kheyder traveled to the Ostrove Yeshive, and they later developed a large yeshive movement that took in a significant number of the growing youth.

One of the first young men who went to the Novoredok Yeshive was Mendl Shtern, the son of R' Shleyme Shtern. He was one of the best pupils and very much involved with Mussar. In later years he held an important position in the Novoredok Yeshive world. He traveled around and founded yeshives and himself served as yeshive head in several of the yeshives that the had established. R' Mendl Shtern was killed in the war years, may God avenge his blood.

Fishl, the son of R' Khayim Krulevitsh of the small mill, was considered

[Page 101]

one of the best men of the central Novoredok Yeshive in Bialystok. He was a great scholar, was known as an innovator in Torah explication and refinements and was well-versed in the new Hebrew literature. Fishl Krulevitsh died two years before the last world war and left behind many manuscripts and explications on Talmud, as well as poetry in Hebrew.

R' Zalman Verman's son Yerakhmiel was one of the best yeshive-men that Goworowo produced. He studied in many yeshives and everywhere he excelled and advanced. He was a very assiduous student, sitting almost day and night to study and also became very pious; his outward appearance was as a typical Hasid, with a beard and peyes. (Goworowo was considered a half-Litvish [Lithuanian] town, and it was rare for the yeshive men to go around in hasidic garb, and beard and peyes. Most of them wore modern dress, in the Litvak style.)

Yerakhmiel studied in many yeshives, among them Bialystok and Lomzhe. In later years he was a pupil of the Lublin Rov, R' Mayer Shapira may his memory be for a blessing. When the Lublin Rov founded the famous “Yeshives khokhmey Lublin” in Poland, he selected students for his yeshive from the best geniuses of all the yeshives in Poland. Yerakhmiel belonged to that group and had the honor of studying in that yeshive. He was killed in Shtshigove, where he lived the last years after his marriage, may God avenge his blood.

Meyshe Mazes, the son of R' Niske the ritual slaughterer, was also one of the best young yeshive men in town and a great Talmud scholar. While still a young man, people were addressing him as “Rov” in the town of Vanseve, but he did not take the yoke of rabbinics upon himself. After his marriage he became a big grain dealer. He was also a leader in the “Tsirey Agudas Yisroel”. He is now in America, along with his wife Sima, the daughter of R' Khayim Potash, and their children.

The youngest of that group was Yitskhak Shafran, the son of R' Avrom Shafran. At the beginning he studied in the Novoredok, later in the Lomzhe Yeshive and more recently in the hasidic yeshive in Warsaw, where he became authorized to act as a rabbi. Yitskhak, or as we called him, Itshe, besides being learned in Torah, was also a politically orthodox leader and community activist. He was one of the founders of the “Tsirey Agudas Yisroel” in town,

[Page 102]

was the head of the “Beys Yankev” school for girls, and others. Itshe got out of Poland through Vilna and Japan and is now in America, where he holds a rabbinic office.

Yekhiel, the son of R' Yekl Nayman the shipping agent, came back from the yeshives in his free time. He had set aside studying in the Otvotsk shtibl and then helped his father in his business. Yekhiel was also a community activist in the “Aguda” circles. He was killed during the deportations to Soviet Russia.

Yerakhmiel Dronzd, the son of the great scholar and hasid R' Yehoshe Mordkhe, also studied at various Novoredok yeshives, until he was mobilized in the Polish Army. When he was freed from military service, he did not return to the yeshives, but helped his father in his business at the small mill. When the “He'haluts ha'mizrakhi” was organized in town, he became active in the Mizrakhi movement. Yerakhmiel Dronzd, along with his entire family, were murdered among the victims of the war years, may God avenge their blood.

The above-recalled group of yeshive men brought a revolution to the life of the younger religious youths. The bigger boys who had finished kheyder could see only one goal and ideal - to travel to a yeshive. In a few houses arguments took place between the children and the parents, who opposed their sons becoming “bench squeezers”. They would rather that they learn some trade, or even help the father earn a living. But the children, who believed in learning, were jealous of the first group and wanted, like them, to go to another city to study and come home for a holiday after a semester, soaked with Torah and the yeshive spirit.

The movement brought about the departure of several dozen youths for surrounding yeshives in 1926. Ten boys went to Vishkove alone, among them the writer of these lines. A comparable number traveled to Lomzhe. The following students belonged to that second group:

Simeon, the son of Meyshe Taytelboym the harness-maker, against the will of his parents, tore out of the house and took off to the Vishkove Yeshive where they were happy to take him because of his good mind for learning. Simeon excelled in his refinement and diligence in study. He was very friendly

[Page 103]

and helped weaker pupils understand the lessons. The yeshive took very good care of him, knowing what kind of home he came from and how he had come to them. Later he went on to larger yeshives, and in the last years was in Bialystok. Perhaps because of his poor health condition he should not have been out in the world, especially in living conditions that were hard for him. In 1938 he became very ill and died.

Khayim Kosovski was the closest friend of Simeon Taytelboym in R' Yisroel Leyb's kheyder. They were a “pair” that studied together and R' Yisroel Leyb was always proud of his two best pupils. He always used them as an example, emphasizing Khayim as son of R' Itshe Kosovski the rich lumber merchant, and Simeon as the son of Meyshe Taytelboym the harness-maker. Khayim did not go to the small Novoredok Yeshives where everyone had “eating days” in someone's home and often had to sleep in a bench in the study-house. His parents sent him to the big Lomzhe Yeshive on their own account. Khayim pursued his studies for several years in Lomzhe Yeshive, where he grew into a scholar and pious man. He dressed in modern clothes and also studied secular subjects. After returning to our town, he helped his father run his businesses and was also active

Standing, from right: Khayim Kosovski may God avenge his blood, Fishl Krulevitsh of blessed memory, and Yerakhmiel Drozd [sic] may God avenge his blood Seated: Yekhiel Nayman of blessed memory and _____ Yitskhak Shafran

[Page 104]

in the “Tsirey Agudas Yisroel”. Shortly before the war he was married in Lomzhe to the daughter of the well-known family Hendlish, of the manufacturing branch, and was killed along with all the Lomzhe Jews may God avenge their blood.

An interesting type among the yeshive people was Yehoshue Leybman, the son of R' Khayim Leybman, who was great pauper. At eight years of age Yehoshue was already known as a genius. His father, who was a keen Ger Hasid, wanted to educate him in that spirit. He allowed him to wear peyes (rare in Goworowo), a long coat and a sash. At ten years Yehoshue was taken into a yeshive and over one term he leapt several levels and studied with much older boys.

Later, Yehoshue began reading secular books, not wanting any more “learning”, and made friends with boys who were far from the yeshive circles. His religious parents suffered from him and literally chased him out of the house. He stopped being religious, made friends now with the “left” circles and positioned himself near the communist party. They provided him with “red” literature, which he used to read in his uncle Mayer Volf Tehilim's attic. Not having anything to do, he decided to become independent and to teach himself some kind of trade.

On a certain day he received a radical rupture in his life - he decided to return to the faith, in the full sense of the word. He went back to the famous “Musar yeshive” in Mezritsh where he told the whole truth to R' Dovid Bliakher (known as a great master of Musar) and demanded that he make him whole. Yehoshue took upon himself a vow of silence for several years, did not sleep in a bed (and for a time with a stone for a pillow), studied day and night and in general distanced himself from the pleasures of this world. He was patient and determined and did everything properly. Over that time, he grew into a great Talmud expert and became very observant.

Yehoshue then traveled around to cities and towns in Poland and founded yeshives, and the last two years of the war he himself became head of a yeshive. It is interesting to relate that during all those years he did not visit Goworowo; he did not want to recall what were for him unpleasant times. However, he supported his parents and family, and brought his two younger brothers to live with him. The whole family Leybman was murdered in the war years, may God avenge their blood.

[Page 105]

Mordkhe Aronson

Mordkhe, the son of the preacher-teacher Aron Aronson, was one of the outstanding yeshive students. He spent all the years up to the outbreak of the war studying in yeshives, especially in Bialystok and in Lomzhe. He was very diligent and expert, and had, like his father, distinguished himself with a talent in public speaking. Mordkhe gave modern lectures, and a bright future was predicted for him. During the war years he was seen in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Russia. His further fate is unknown.

Nosn Levkovitsh was one of the good students in the yeshive. It was hoped that he would grow into a big scholar. But even in his young years he distanced himself from the yeshive and joined the General “He'haluts”. Nosn left for Erets Yisroel just before the war, where he lives to this day.

Already at ten years of age Dovid stopped studying in the kheyder because his mother Khane Fridman, a widow, did not have money to pay his tuition. She sent him to learn to be a hairdresser and he gradually earned a little money. He went back to Avrom'ele in his kheyder, where he had been so good in his studies. At thirteen years he went to a yeshive, where he was one of the best students. He studied in many yeshives, and the last years, in the Novoredok Yeshive in Warsaw, where he received a rabbinic diploma. He was married before the war, lived in Warsaw, and was murdered there, may God avenge his blood.

Shleyme, the son of the Goworowo cantor and ritual slaughterer R' Khayim Marianski, studied all his life up to the war in the Lomzhe Yeshive, where he grew into a scholar. When he returned home, he learned ritual slaughtering from his father. He was also gifted with a beautiful voice and dreamed that he might inherit the cantor-slaughterer position in the town. In the war years he along with his family were in Zembrove, where they were all murdered may God avenge their blood.

Yudl and Motke studied in various yeshives. They were two of the richest children in Goworowo. Their father, R' Iser Rits, a keen Ger Hasid, was the co-owner of the big mill in town.

[Page 106]

After a time, they returned from the yeshives, joined Betar and helped run the mill business. They, along with their large, multi-branched family, were all murdered by the Germans. Of the entire family Rits, no trace remains may God avenge their blood.

R' Zalman Verman's second son, Meyer, also spent many years studying in yeshives. A few years before the war he returned to town and became a shipping agent. He traveled to Warsaw and back every day. Mayer was active in “He'haluts ha'mizrakhi”. He was killed in the war years along with his family may God avenge their blood.

Meyshe, the son of R' Avrom Galant, was a fine young man. Because of his poor health condition, he did not study for long in the yeshives. He helped his father in his business and was among the religious circles. He was also active in the “Tsirey Agudas Yisroel”. Murdered along with his family may God avenge their blood.

Standing, from right: Shleyme Goldberg (Yehoshe Rozen's son) of blessed memory; Aron Yehude Batshan (great-grandson of both Goworowo Rabbis, Klepfish-Batshan); and Mordkhe Aronson Sitting, from right: Shleyme Marianski, may God avenge his blood; and Yankev Mozes and Yosef Gurka

[Page 107]

Yankev Mozes

Yankev, the second son of R' Niske Mozes the ritual slaughterer, was one of the scholarly young men in the town. He studied in the big Lithuanian yeshives; in the last years, in the Kletsk Yeshive. He, along with his family, are in America today.

The writer of these lines, the son of R' Mordkhe Gurka, one of the keen Ger Hasidim, studied for many ears, almost to the outbreak of the war, in various yeshives in Poland, among them several years in Warsaw. He is located today in Ramat-Gan, Israel, where he is active in”Ha'poel ha'mizrakhi”. He is also correspondent for “Ha'tsifa” and holds a position at “Yedies Ramat-Gan”.

The last Goworowo Rov's son, Akhieyzer was considered a genius from his childhood and excelled in his broad understanding of study. He studied in the large yeshives, including the “Mesivta” in Warsaw. Akhieyzer later studied at the famous “Yeshives Khokhmey Lublin” of Rov Mayer Shapira, from whom he received a rabbinical certificate. He was one of the only Goworowo people who made it through the Hitler-hell in the concentration camps and survived. After liberation he was one of the leaders of the Shiras-ha'pleyte refugee efforts in Germany and served as the head of the Vad ha'hatsola rescue group. Rov Akhieyzer Burshtin is in Israel now, where he is leader of the trade and yeshive school “Torah v'melukhe” in Kfar Citrin near Haifa. He is the author of several books and is also active as a journalist.

Yosef, the son of R' Yonatan Zilbertson, studied in one of the yeshives for a few years. Later he was forced to return back to the town and help his father in his iron business. He was active first in the “Tsirey Agudas Yisroel” and then in “He'haluts ha'mizrakhi”. He is in Kholon today, where he is active in “Ha'poel ha'mizrakhi”. He is the only survivor from his entire family.

Besides those mentioned here, there were also the following yeshive boys: Yosef Kshanzshka, the son of R' Leyzer, who studied until the war in various yeshives, and today is in Germany; his brother Avrom also studied in several yeshives, today in America. The brothers Ayzik and Elieyzer Verman, R' Zalman's children, the last of the best students in the Kletsk Yeshive; they were murdered together with their families. Khayim Skurnik, the son of R' Meyshe, studied in several yeshives; he came to Israel after the last war where today he lives in Haifa. R' Yisroel Leyb Kruk's son Yankev returned

[Page 108]

home, founded the “Ha'shomer ha'dati” in the town and was active in the community; in the war years he was in Russia and apparently killed there. His brother Khayim Avigdor Kruk, one of the town scholars, was murdered in Vilna; Yosef Sandale, a long-time student in several of the big yeshives, was one the few Goworowors to make it through the German death-camps; he is in America today. Dovid, the son of R' Yisroel Itsik Shron, a fine young man, studied in various yeshives, was killed with his whole family. Nosn Hertsberg, son the R' Yeshaye, very industrious, studied well, was murdered with his whole family. Noske Mankete's son Shleyme studied in a lot of yeshives until the outbreak of the war, he and his whole family were murdered. The brothers Shmuel and Yeshaye Shtshetshina, the children of R' Yankev, studied in several yeshives, and are today in Canada. Both of R' Yekhiel Mayer Blumshteyn's sons, Leybl and Noyakh, studied at the Slabodke Yeshive [Kovno] for a long time; both brothers were killed during the war years. Khayim Zilbertson, R' Yonaton's son, a yeshive student, one of the great scholars, was murdered along with his large, multibranched family. Avrom and Shmuel Mazes, R' Niske the ritual slaughterer's sons, studied for a time in yeshives, and are now in America. Simeon Leybman and his younger brother, the children of R' Khayim Leybele, were also Lomzhe Yeshive men; they were murdered with their families. Also, yeshive students, the brothers Shleyme and Mordkhe Apelboym, Yitskhak Granat, and others.

I have endeavored to give a picture of the yeshive people of Goworowo. All the above-mentioned are far, far, from all of them. It would be no exaggeration to say that nearly a hundred young men studied in yeshives in the years between the two world wars. Because of the long period of time that has elapsed, I can certainly not mention them all. I have, heaven forbid, no bad intention here.

Still today, I meet Jews, great Torah scholars, who studied with Goworowo men in various yeshives. Our youth were found in dozens of yeshives in Poland. Judging by their number, one can discern what a great town Goworowo was. Only a few individuals remain alive. The much larger part was murdered by the German persecutors.

May my words indeed be a gravestone for the dear Goworowo children who were killed as martyrs. May God avenge their blood!

[Page 110]

When Sora Shenirer of blessed memory had just begun establishing the network of Beys-Yankev schools in Poland, Goworowo was among the first towns who quickly saw the light contained in that genial idea, and the religious leaders promptly decided to create such a school. Sora Shenirer herself came specially to Goworowo, presented a lecture for women and for the male leaders, and the Beys-Yankev was opened with much fanfare. Although everyone knew that Agudas Yisroel supported and directed those schools, all levels of the town's population sent their children there. The school took on a general and non-party character and was concerned only with the religious cultivation and education of the pupils.

Goworowo had a special merit in the Beys-Yankev Central because for our school they selected the best-qualified women teachers from the Krakow Beys-Yankev seminary. The first teachers were Khane Berliner, Frume Shremer, Rokhl Dhan, F. Orlanska and others. Indeed, the studies were on a very high level. After a short time, the girls could pray and read and write Yiddish and Hebrew; and in the second year were already studying TaNaKh, Judaism, Jewish history and so on. The huge success of the school could be seen in the open exams at the end of the school year which took place before the observation of the parents and of the head rabbi. All were, literally, inspired, hearing the fine smooth responses from the children and their deep knowledge of the material. A special impression was made by the pupils from the higher classes, who recited whole chapters of Isaiah by heart, well interpreting every verse and the main idea of the chapter.

Even today, in better times and in wealthy countries, community institutions fight hard for their existence. All the more so in those times in poor Poland. Yet in no large city was a Beys-Yankev school closed for a deficit or lack of funds. Thus we can be proud of our poor town, or better said, with the recollection of our town, which supported the school, without disagreement, for the whole time until the outbreak of the war.

Various leaders were involved with the school and the management of

[Page 111]

it for the whole time of its existence. I will note here the names of the most vivid directors to thank for the beginning and development of Beys-Yankev in our town. First of all - our Rov, our learned rabbi and genius, Rov Alter Meyshe Mordkhe Burshtin may God avenge his blood, who was from the founding through the end, the head and director and chief manager of the school. Every important decision was made only with his approval. Thanks to the Rov, the Beys-Yankev had a free town venue, without rent. When the school did have a deficit, he helped with the council and moved to even out the budget.

A group of pupils[1] with their teacher Frume Shremer in the middle About 1928

[Page 112]

relate here the sad story of the death of that undauntedly good man R' Yisroel Burshtin:

It was a Thursday, the 7^th of September 1939. In and around the town, skirmishes were taking place between the Polish voluntary army and the Germans. The residents ran into the nearby fields and lay on the ground to avoid the flying bullets. People did not move from their place for hours at a time. A young girl was crying that she wanted food. R' Yisroel Burshtin could not bear the crying of a Jewish child, so he got up from his place and went to take a piece of bread to the little girl. A murderous bullet struck him right in the heart. After a few days he was buried in the town cemetery. R' Yeshaye Hertsberg, who had helped with the burial, had found a ring of keys in his pocket. When he showed them to me, I quickly realized that they were the keys to the Beys-Yankev school.

A group of pupils[2] with their teacher F. Orlanska in the middle 1932

[Page 113]

I tried to defend myself: “I am just a young man, it is not appropriate, the town will talk…” and so on. By chance, the famous preacher Rov Mordkhe Barbateles was also sitting in the Rov's house. This was a Jew on fire. He burned, in fact, with love for Yisroel and awe of God. He stood up and cried out “What?! Hasidic simpletons! You drink Jewishness and you have to save it!” Naturally, I accepted the post and held it until the end.

The last two Beys-Yankev teachers who worked under my term of office were thank God, saved. Leye Gulevska - today, Rebitsin Epshteyn - worked in the Goworowo Beys-Yankev and brought the school to a higher level. Working that last summer before the Holocaust was the teacher Yenta Vrubel - today Rebitsin Mones of Cleveland, America. I met her in Lomzhe after the outbreak of the war and crossed the border into Lithuania with her.

I recall the Beys-Yankev school, the pupils, the teachers and the directors. I could weep and lament for the lost ones, but we must also thank Ha'shem who is to be praised for those saved.

A group of pupils with the teacher Rokhl Dhan in the middle

[Page 114]

The concept and the name of this group could make the false impression that there were breaches in observing the sabbath; that there were those who, heaven forbid, did business, traveled, worked on Shabes or kept their shops open. No! In Goworowo the Shabes was absolutely the sea of rest and joy, the holy Shabes Queen held her white wings open over the town the whole 25 and one-quarter hours, with all the supplements before and after. There was not one man in the town, a boy or an elder, a Bundist or a Ger Hasid, who would not go to shul to pray, both Friday evening and Shabes morning. Even Freethinkers and Communists fought over aliyes to the Torah in the study-house. I myself was witness when a Leftist party-leader raised his fists to Avromke the beadle when he thought he had not given him the maftir aliye on a yortsayt date.

I recall another story about a hairdresser who, not far from the study-house, tried to “infringe” a little on the Shabes. The Rov was walking to shul and by chance noticed that the door of the hairdresser's shop was only half closed and there was movement inside. The Rov did not hesitate but burst into the shop, shoving the door open. Indeed, there was a young man with a soaped face, and the hairdresser in his white apron was shaving his beard. The Rov gave a roar like a lion: “Shabes!” The soaped-up man dashed out the back door and the hairdresser received a slap from the Rov that made him see stars.

But that was a rare event, because the same hairdresser would later put on his new overcoat and go to shul to welcome the Shabes.

Indeed, it was not the fundamental purpose of the “Shomrey Shabes” society to protect the Shabes from desecration. The reasons were quite different, one could say - educational, which was in the framework of Jewish education. Basically, the group could have called itself “observing modesty” or “observing tradition”, and their activity could apply to all the days of the week. But who has time in an ordinary Wednesday to give attention to public things? Then who would be concerned with livelihood? So, it was put aside until Shabes evenings. Rested, having prayed, having eaten,

[Page 115]

the members of the “Shomrey Shabes” went out over the streets to conduct their activity.

I recall an example of those Jews, who sought something lost at night in the study-house courtyard. Passersby asked him, “What do you seek?” He would answer, “I have lost a purse with 50 zlotych. Really, I lost it by the river, in the mud, but go look in the mud at night? Here it is light, clean and dry - I search here for my lost things.”

The assignment of the “Shomrey Shabes” was to go around on Friday evenings in all the streets and lanes of the town and keep an eye on the strolling youths, so they would not, heaven forfend, do anything to desecrate the shabes. A boy and a girl should not be alone together, and when midnight neared, they drove the boys into their houses.

In the early weeks of this activity, the boys were a little shocked. They stayed in line and like “good children” they went home and went to sleep early. But later they resented it. Their young blood revolted, and they began a quiet, bitter fight with the “Shomrey Shabes” folk. They hid in the dark corners, in the attics, clucked and crowed like chickens, and made a mockery of the modesty- and Shabes-protectors. The “Shomrey Shabes” chased them, ran after them, but go chase the wind! The business began to be tiring - until the group was dissolved.

That same “Shomrey Shabes”, with the Rov at the helm, once reacted sharply when one Shabes evening during the ten days of repentance between Rosh Ha'shone and Yon Kiper, a theater troupe arrived in town to perform. The actors became stubborn and wanted a lot of money. The Rov shouted and turned the world: “What?! You want to do theater during 'remembrance of the covenant' week?! Not possible!” The show was to take place in the hall of the church. The “Shomrey Shabes” folk stood at the entrance of the hall and did not allow any Jewish guest to enter. The theater troupe had a big failure and left town in disgrace.

There was another time the “Shomrey Shabes” had an opportunity to do something: on a certain Shabes afternoon, when a Goworowo sports group was set to play a soccer game with a Christian team. A special messenger woke the Rov from his Shabes afternoon nap and told him the story. The Rov alerted the members of “Shomrey Shabes”, and they all went to the sports field on Ostrolenke Road. Some of the sportsmen fled in fear; Shayke Hertsberg delivered a hearty slap to the shameless players.

After that incident, there was no more open desecration of the Shabes in Goworowo.

  Goworowo, Poland     Yizkor Book Project     JewishGen Home Page

Copyright © 1999-2024 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 05 May 2024 by JH