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[Tenth unnumbered photo page]

Next to the Flaks home on the Street of the Road (1925):
Moshe Solsky, Rachel Levin, Mitzel Pogirsky, Malka Kaplan, Sara Burstein, Eliezer Goldshmid, David Pogirsky

 

Walking on the road (1928):
Nisan Burstein, Rachel Burstein, Tzvi Levin, Miriam Burstein, Eliezer Goldshmid, Rachel Levin, Yitzchak Burstein

 

Next to the “Kemach” (1932):
Levi Koper, Chasia Fridland, Shifra Lomiansky, Malka Unterschatz, Chana Goldshmid,
Yaakov Klibansky, Avraham Zuchovsky, Shmuel Goldshmid, Moshe Baron

[Eleventh unnumbered photo page]

 
 
Chana Segalovsky, Sara and Yitzchak Burstein, Masha Segalovsky
 
Izak Segalovsky and his wife Chaya

 

Beila Apatkina, Menashe Wiener, Surka Ziman, Etka Segalovsky, Yona Saltuper, Chaya Morr, Rita and Esther Bulnik, Chaya Kapol; Meir Zopovich, Pesach Shachor, Eliezer Goldshmid, Moshe Epstein, Sheva Segalovsky, Tzipora Kapol, Breina Yaffa, Sonia Epstein. Yitzchak B.[urstein], Dina Kapol, Sheina Segalovsky, Berl S., Ruth Hencha, Chaya Segalovsky, Alter and Mina Sandler, Zelda Solsky, Moshe Bulnik, Slumin, Henia Segalovsky, Chana Sandler, Blima Pogirsy-Epstein, Grunia Kaplan, Moshe Miltz
[Twelfth unnumbered photo page]

 
Yaakov Klibansky, Yehuda Katzenberg, Rachel Unterschatz
and her sons Binyamin and Menashe
 
In the yard of Abba Pogirsky.
Next to the scale -- Avraham Liberman and Zalman Abramovich.

 

The cart from 1920.
Tzvi Liberman, the lawyer Avraham Yudelevich, Tania Yudelevich, Ela Pogirsky (Segalovsky), Binyamin P.
On top -- Shlomo Dragatsky.

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only a small part that was opposite the water mill, as well as the stone fence in its foreground. Here is the monument atop the grave of Rabbi Silman, and here are the graves of Itzik Segalovsky and of many others. The fence was broken on the other side, and the monuments were scattered. Cows and horses were milling about.

A few days later, I returned here from Kovno. I continued to the city of murder. The town went up in flames and was destroyed along with its Jewish residents. As you come from the direction of Kovno, there is an iron and concrete bridge before your eyes. The road is covered with a wide layer of asphalt. Here is the post office building, remaining as it was, a reminder of the days of Nikolai. From both its sides and the center -- everything is empty. I can only identify with difficulty the place where our two-story house stood at an intersection. There is no sign or remnant of the houses. The only identifying landmark is the Catholic church. Houses remain on the continuation of Kovno Street behind the market square; on the right is the alley where Rabbi Silman lived. They appear poor and abandoned, and strange faces peer from their windows. I move over to Breizer Street. On the right is an empty field, and on the left the street remains whole until Keidain Street, which was also not harmed. The two synagogues at the edge of the Synagogue Street have turned into warehouses, and stand desecrated and defiled. Thus was also the appearance of the Synagogue of the Merchants (Krabliniks). The alley that leads from the market square to the Street of the Fisherman was also burnt. No remnant remains of the home of the Opnitzky family.

I wend my way through the road. No remnant remains of the Segalovsky house as well. All of the houses along the road were consumed by fire. Only the house of Yitzchak Levin remains. The sawmills of Opnitzky and “Madis” have disappeared from the horizon. New, gentile houses have taken their place. The foundations were built from the monuments of the cemetery. The building of the cooperative remains standing. The new marketplace and all of its houses remain intact, as they were. As you pass below the railway bridge (Tshigunka) and move further along, it becomes clear to you that no remnant remains of the Kemach enterprise. The “Oren” match factory remains. The cooperative of the furniture manufacturers also remains. The train station -- has passed through a furnace. On the left is the house of the Kaplan family. Next to it is a kiosk. I tarry there for a moment, drink something, and snatch a conversation with the woman, a survivor of the family. Her eyes exude deep sadness.

 

Jonava in the years 1916-1920

Let us present the Jonava of bygone days, as is etched in our memories. Many people, myself included, remember it from the time of the German occupation during the First World War. As I passed from Kaplice through the Markortishk estate, I would meet Jonava women who were walking to go to the German commander who lived there “for assistance”. When the Jonava refugees who were deported returned to occupied Jonava, Chaim Levin was appointed as the mayor. A Jewish police force was put at his disposal, whose members included Chone Katzenberg, Chone Perevoznik, and others. Do any of you remember that the first modern coffeehouse was opened by the daughters of Itzik Segalovsky?

Do you remember the smugglers, the malinshitzikim, of those days? Shmerl, Bina and Avraham Shapira, Itzik Nochimovich, Itzik Dans, the Gershoviches (the “Turks”) and others. They smuggled everything, especially grain, and caused a grain shortage in town. Therefore, Rabbi Silman imposed a ban of excommunication upon them. There were some brave, strong, and energetic Jews who would sneak away from the German guard at night, setting out for Kovno and Vilna. They were considered to be the wealthy people of the town. A smuggler with a leather coat was a desirable guest during parties of that time, which included confetti, buffets and “air mail”. They scattered money right and left at the buffets, and with raffles.

Do you recall the vehicles, the diliznases, on the road to Kovno? The monopoly was held by Shulem with the long, white beard, who was nicknamed “Methuselah”, the son of Avraham Lukman, Gershon Asher Itzkovich, and the three Yudelevich brothers -- Izka, Hirshka and Shaulka. Shmerl Dragatzky held an important place. They would sit at their stalls like angels on their thrones. Important and honored travelers would sit inside on soft seats. Those less important sat opposite them, and next to them at the stalls were the simple folk. If a very important traveler came at the last minute, Shmerl would not be embarrassed to ask one of the travelers to give up his space.

[Page 26]

No protests would help. They would go out at night in order to arrive in Kovno in the morning. First, they would recite the wayfarers prayer (Tefillat Haderech). When the wagon reached the forbidden forests that stretched for 10 kilometers on both sides of the road, they would awaken from their sleep and recite verses of Psalms as a protection against demons. They would reach the inn at Davalgonys, about 12 kilometers from Kovno, early in the morning. The family of Uncle Rom was there. They would drink a hot drink and eat fresh rolls that had just been taken out of the oven.

 

Jonava 1922-40

I once again ascended the mountain and turned my head toward the mass grave in Girialka. Jonava came to my memory, full of vibrant Jewish life.

The “Gaguzina”: parties took place in that grove. People would dance to the sounds of a military band. Our acquaintances Puzitzer and Abramovich would bring cold lemonade and soda in a wagon. Yisrael Namiot, Persky and others would set up buffets. Hundreds of youths would be attracted to the direction of the grove. At midnight, they would descend the mountain, some alone and some with their partner, full of impressions from the party in the bosom of nature. The echoes of Hebrew and Yiddish songs filled the air of the warm summer night.

Now we pass by the “Kemach”, a combination of a sawmill, a flour mill and parquet factory. The enterprise occupied both sides of the street. Its owners David Burstein and Leiba Wolfovich were nationalist Jews. The name of the enterprise attests to this. Fifteen Jews worked there as experienced officials: Yona Saltuper, Grinblat-- avowed bachelors during the 1930s and active members of Young Zion; Moshel Beker the hunchbacked bookkeeper -- a great joker, with whom one was always happy in his presence; Moshel Baron -- a young sportsman and member of “Maccabee”. The work in the mill went very quickly under his hands. However, at the end of the workday, he would suddenly appear clean-shaven, dressed in etched trousers, a silk shirt and a tie, as he hurried to spend time in the company of women; the brothers Leibel and Pinia Burstein of Wilkomir -- one of them was a member of Young Zion, and the other, with peyos, was a Revisionist; Hershel Wolfovich, short, was also a Revisionist. He was the first person in town to own a radio. He played the mandolin in the Maccabee band, had a sense of humor, and played comic roles in the Maccabee dramatic group; Shmuel Bulnik of Siesikai appeared on Sundays from the forests. His penetrating gaze would quickly attract the attention of anyone standing next to him, who would then successfully imitate him; Shimon Murbiansky -- with left leanings, who found favor among the women of the town; Micha Baron -- approximately 55 years old, the lessee of the mill, with a small beard and mustache. He was a great expert, with a sense of humor. He was always covered in flour dust; Dovil Dudak -- who would cook for the bachelors, and do her work quietly and with dedication.

All of them were like a collective unit, and they were bound to each other in life.

You can imagine for yourselves the attractive force that this enterprise had for the youth of the town, especially of the prettier sex. Toward the end, two lovely girls worked there: Masha Namiot and Chana Sesitsky. On Sabbaths, the youths would literally lay siege at the enterprise. The Grossman family lived close by in the house of Petrosovich. He was a grain merchant. Both he and his sister Rivka were members of Young Zion. Due to their proximity, they were also numbered among the “Kemach” collective. On the other side was the granary of Nachum Blumberg and Grossman. On market days, Nachum would stand on the road and examine the wagons of the farmers to find out what merchandise they were bringing with them.

Here are the railway tracks. We would walk along the railway tracks on Sabbaths and festivals, and thereby shorten our journey to the mill. From there, we would go to the Geizon station and eat to our fill in the restaurant, especially on Yom Kippur.

The sawmill and flourmill of Leiba Opnitzky were before the train station. A large staff also worked there. Leiba's four sons worked alongside him: Eliahu, Abba, Tzvi, and Ezriel. The first were members of Young Zion and the latter was a Revisionist. Eliahu and Abba were among the first pioneers in the “Achva” group who made aliya to the Land. At the request of his father he returned from there after he got married, and brought his two young Sabra sons with him. They all perished.

Here is the “villa” of Leiba Wolfovich -- a wooden structure with a garden in front and a fruit orchard in the back. He was nicknamed Leiba Taroker since he was born in the Tarok inn between Kaplice and Siesikai. He had a calm personality, was always satisfied

[Page 27]

and was slightly haughty. I see him in the eyes of my spirit sitting with a pipe in his mouth, playing a difficult game of chess with his neighbor Yitzchak Levin.

Here is the house of Yona Katz, the grain merchant. He was an intelligent Jew, a scholar, and a Zionist. He was tall, with glasses, spoke with pathos, was a general Zionist, was never satisfied, always imbued with discomfort and trembling. He conducted a battle against the bank and its director Chaim Abramson. His wife Ethel was the opposite. She was calm and deliberate. Her maiden name was Stern. Their daughters Tikva and Chaya, educated in a Zionist home, made aliya to the Land as chalutzot, and work today for Kupat Cholim. Yona and Ethel also came to the Land, where they died and were buried at a ripe old age.

Here is the house of the grain merchant Abba Solsky and Gordon. They were considered to be the largest of the grain merchants. They would purchase geese and export them to Germany. Opposite this is the house of the grain merchant Yisrael Buz. There is a field next to the granary, which the Maccabee rented for light athletics. Yisrael would intermingle with the landowners and the farmers, and his appearance was like one of them. His daughter Lipsha, one of the prettiest girls in the city, was active in Gordonia.

Here is the wooden house and granary of the grain merchant Chaim Perlstein. He was tall, quiet, intelligent, and a scholar. It was not easy for him to compete with Abba Solsky, Chaim Blumberg, and others. His intelligent son Yosef was the best chess player in Maccabee, and won games against the chess players of Kovno. There were three daughters in the household: Chaya who was married to Meir Zuchovsky, Hinda who was married to Mendel Dobiansky, and Dina who was married to Daniel Riklis, an activist of Tz.S.[1]. The two latter made aliya to the Land, as well as his brother Shlomo Perlstein. They were the only survivors of the family.

Here is the house and granary of Mota Feliks the miser. The house stood out with its unique shape, its garden, and the well in the front -- definitive signs of being well off. Reb Mota was one of the wealthiest of the grain merchants. He also engaged in profiteering. He refused to give donations and gifts. It is said that he was once asked to give a gift to a householder who had lost his means, and who had been a great philanthropist in his day. Mota turned to his wife with the following statement, “Did you hear what has happened to so-and-so, who used to be prominent among his people, and used to disburse many gifts?!...”

Opposite it stood the house of the Sluman family, with its blue shutters, and surrounded by a garden. Shlomo Nota was tall. He always went on trips for the purposes of the grain trade, and he befriended the landowners of the area. His wife was short and always sickly. The porch of the house served as a meeting place for the youth. The sounds of the piano and mandolin could be heard from the house. The three daughters, Shifra, Yentl and Sara, played the piano, and Chaim Moshe the dwarf and hunchback played the mandolin. He played music to accompany the silent films in the movie theater of Tovia Yaffa Wasgal. The sisters would sing romances to the accompaniment of the mandolin. Shifra and Yentl made aliya to the Land, and Sara immigrated to South Africa. After time, the house and the porch were abandoned.

Here is the house of Yerachmiel Shachor, the tall cobbler. He was a lazy person who earned his livelihood with difficulty. His son Pesach became a student in the Lithuanian university after he concluded his studies in the Hebrew high school of Wilkomir. He was active in Maccabee, and participated in the string instrument band and the dramatic club. Later he was active in Tz.S. His younger sister Sara was a member of Hashomer Hatzair.

Here is the hotel and tavern of Yisrael Rikliansky. His son Yosef married Rashel Davidovich, the writer and member of Young Zion. The stepdaughter Roza lives in the Land. She is married to the Jonaver Yerachmiel Garber.

Here is the first enterprise of Jonava, the flour mill, sawmill and electric station of Itzik Segalovsky. The house and garden are in the front, and next to it are two houses for officials and their families. For years, the mill provided electric light for the town. At midnight, the light would slowly dwindle. People would rush to find matches, “Hurry, hurry, Itzik is crushing!” The siren of the mill would announce the advent of the Sabbath. Itzik was handsome, and hard hearted, but treated his employees well. He had eleven daughters and one son from his two wives: Ella, Sheina, Esther, Pesil, Feiga, Henia, Sheva, Chana, Masha, Ethel, Saraka, and Berko. One daughter was prettier than the next. Masha

[Page 28]

was once crowned as the beauty queen of Lithuania. Many boys were attracted to this house. However, most of the daughters would be “Yatzuh”[2]. They would play cards and social games, and dabble in love.

Before the outbreak of the war, Ethel, Genia[3], Chiletz and Berl, who was married to Leah Burstein, remained in the house. The only one who tied her lot to the Land was Chana, who married the teacher Alter Sandler. They lived in Tel Aviv, where they died. Ella, who married Binyamin Pogirsky, also made aliya to the land with him. The mother Chaicha with the two daughters Ethel and Genia perished in the Kovno ghetto. Four daughters survive, two in the Land and two in the Diaspora. The official Grundman who worked in the factory for many years and fell in love with all the daughters, also arrived in the Land.

Here is the post office, which was already in existence in the days of the Czar. There was a building such as this every few kilometers. They would exchange their horses and continue hauling the mail. At holiday times, the mail would distribute letters that included checks from America and South Africa.

Opposite is the house of Chaim Goldshmid with its hide store. He was learned, bespectacled, and blessed with three sons and a daughter Dvorale. The eldest Shmuel, a graduate of the Hebrew gymnasium, worked in “Di Yiddishe Shtima” (The “Jewish Voice” newspaper). Nisan and Moshe Yitzchak were members of Beitar. Nisan was deported to Siberia and died in a camp there. Moshe escaped to Russia, enlisted in the Lithuanian division on the Kursk front, and died from an enemy bullet.

Here is the bench in front of the house. On summer evenings, this served as a place to idle away time, headed by Shmuel Goldshmid and Pesach Shachor. They would sing songs in Hebrew that were composed in the tune of the opera Rigoletto, “Tempo Allegreto / Figure Nito / places at his own pace / to the maiden Shmukleretto.”

From the corner of the house, a lane leads to the mountain, on the old path to the train station. There is a basketball court there. Opposite it was the house, called Beit Hechalutz, where the chalutzim from Jonava and other towns were housed. They received their training through working in the enterprises and workshops, and prepared themselves for aliya. The cultural activities were helped by Moshe Ivensky, Menachem Mines, the teachers Shaul Keidiansky, David Rosenberg, Leibel Stern, and others.

Here is the building of Yankel Weitzstein, who was a partner in the match factory. He would drink cups of liquor before the meal. He would face the mirror and say, “Lechayim, Reb Yankel!” He got married late and took pride in his two daughters.

Here is the new two-story building of Chaim Dobiansky. This was a family of builders. Whoever did not see Chaim and his sons at work, with their mastery of the plastering tool and the level, and with no compromise on speed or quality -- would not know how to appreciate this. His wife Sara-Eidel and his son ran a grocery store. The three sons were members of Maccabee. Mendel excelled in light athletics.

Here is the house of Reb Shlomo Zisel Blumberg, who was tall, thin and handsome. He had four sons like cedars, and a beautiful daughter Henia. Dov was one of the first chalutzim. Moshe, Chaim and Henia were active in Young Zion. Nachum was a Revisionist. Dov is in Africa, and Nachum is in the Land.

The Lopianski house was next to Blumberg's. One daughter was married to Mula Shpilansky, and their second daughter Perla, a graceful Maccabeeist, was married to Petrikansky from Kozlowa Ruda. Mula was a joker and a cynic, but was always ready to help anyone in need.

Going further, there is the house of Lipa Klotz, a nice man, who was a baker and store owner. On the eve of the Sabbath, he would take the pots of hot victuals from the housewives and place them in the oven[4]. Their daughter Feiga who was active in Young Zion and their son Alter both perished. Menachem Mines inherited the house and set up a wholesale store there.

Menachem was a political person, one of the heads of Young Zion in the town. He was active in the community, in the public bank, and the national funds.

Here is the building and store of Reb David Ginzberg and his two unmarried sisters. He was a measurer and later a treasurer at Kemach. He got married at a late age to Malka Wolfovich. He was a miser like Mota Feliks.

Here is the house of Nathan Wolchokovsky. He was short. He was active in the communal institutions, from which he earned his livelihood. He was active in the national funds, and served as director of the bathhouse and slaughterhouse. The young couple Chaya and Meir Zuchovsky lived with him. The four eyes of Chaya and Mrs. Wolchokovsky would peer out from the open door. From them, one could hear the latest news on matters between them.

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Here is the house of Yudel Rashkes, a scholar, maskil, and active Zionist. He was a member of the directorship of the public bank and the gabbai of the new Beis Midrash in Lipniak. For a time, his house served as the meeting place of Hashomer Hatzair. His son Mordechai made aliya to the Land. His daughter Shoshana survived the Kovno ghetto. She lives in the United States today, where she is a Hebrew teacher.

Here is the wooden, two-story house of Gershon Kagan. His daughter Rachel and her husband Moshel Kolbiansky lived on top. Gershon was tall, a scholar, intelligent, and cynical. On Simchat Torah he would be jubilant, drink, sing and dance. He was a kerosene merchant.

On the other side of the street is the house of Nusoviches. He was a merchant of forestry products. The teacher Rosenberg, who married Yosef's daughter Zlata, lived there. The house was full of books. The three daughters received a Jewish and general education. The son Nathan, who was active in cultural life, moved to Kovno and served as the secretary of the community. He founded the ethnographic-historical society.

Now I am tarrying next to the houses of my acquaintances Yechiel Davidovich and Yosef Munitz. They were cobblers. Yechiel's son Moshe-Hirschka, a member of Maccabee and Tz.S., helped him with his work. As has been previously noted, his daughter Chana was active in Young Zion and the Library. Even Feiga, the daughter of Yosef the cobbler, was active in Young Zion. The son Alter was active in Tz.S. Feiga was deported with her family to Siberia. All the rest of them perished.

Here are the wooden houses of Avraham Lukman and Shmerl Dragatzky, which served as class 3 inns. Since they were owners of carriages, they concerned themselves with hosting travelers. Entertainment groups that came to play in the town were forced to stay there due to the low prices.

Shmerl, broad shouldered, fat-bellied, red faced, would walk like Noach Pandre[5], with his hands behind him, giving instructions to his sons Shmuel and Shlomo as they were hitching and unhitching the horses. On warm summer evenings, after he ate fat, tasty tzimmes to satiation, he would lie down to rest in the fresh air in front of his house. His snoring, carried by the wind, could be heard from afar.

When the wagons went out of style and the pace of life quickened, Lukman and Dragatzky were the first one to obtain buses. They operated the Jonava-Kovno route.

The home of Reb Moshe-David Morr, with its large porch, stood out on the opposite side. Merchants, agents and matchmakers would come there. The house was clean and first class, all thanks to his wife Sara Batya. Moshe David was large in stature. He was formerly a “water man” who floated rafts. There was always a pipe in his mouth. With his black pipe, he always looked like the captain of his ship-home. He excelled as a host. He knew how to tell stories and tall tales to the satisfaction of his guests. The stories of Moshe David accompanied them as they ate their gefilte fish with fresh rolls. A home-style atmosphere existed. Moshe David himself had a large appetite. At night he would polish off the roasted ducks and leave money on the table. Sara Batya wondered:

“Moshe David, where did the ducks and fish disappear?”

“There were guests here at night. Here is the money that they left.”

I remember their two sons and two daughters. Yosef built a workshop near the grove and later sold it to Wolfovich-Burstein, who set up the “Kemach”. Their daughter Chaya graduated from the Carlebach Hebrew gymnasium in Kovno. She studied in a university in Germany and married the son of Intriligator from Kovno. The sons are in the Diaspora. The daughters Chaya and Reizl perished.

Yisrael Namiot lived near the banks of the Vylia after he gave up the inn on the other side of the river. He was brave. There was a bus stop in his yard. Jewish refugees from Poland were put up in his inn. Yisrael and Petrosovich received a permit to construct a wooden bridge on the Vylia in place of the ferry. They put up the bridge when the ice melted, and took it apart when the first ice blocks appeared. The buses from Ezsharni to Kovno would stop there for a light meal and to pick up passengers. The gefilte fish of Yentel Namiot and her sister Shula was well known. Shula, who married Manosovich, would treat us with roast ducks, potatoes, and sauerkraut that restored the soul. There was a smile on her face, and it seemed to us that the ducks were also smiling at us. Her husband Yisrael also smiled a lot. Their daughter Masha survived and lives in Vilna, and their daughter Leah lives in the Land.

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Opposite was Avraham Persky's inn with the billiard table. The youth would come there to enjoy a light beer after bathing in the Vylia. They would lick their fingers from the fresh buns that were filled with lung, the splendid handiwork of Frumel Perevoznik. Their daughter Chaviva is in the Land, as well as a son who has recently arrived from Vilna.

Next to the Vylia is the large house in which the sisters Zelda Solsky and Chaya Dina Epstein, two widows, lived. Zelda had a lovely daughter and three sons, Moshke, Itzke, and Leibka. The latter lives in Israel. Chaya Dina had three sons like cedars. She lived in the Land with her son Zelig, but returned and perished with her family.

 

The Vylia, Water Men, Raft Floaters

The Vylia played an important role in the life of our town. The fishermen, headed by Yosef Katzenberg and Suntochky (“Garbatzki”) earned their livelihood from the river. Carp would appear on the tables of the wealthy every day, and of the regular people only in honor of the Sabbath. The gentiles would mine rocks from the bottom of the river with pans. Earlier, Jewish quarriers would earn their livelihood from hewing rocks for various purposes. They even set up a synagogue of rock hewers.

“Water men” with long rafts would float with the current. This was a group of strong men. The rafts would float to Kovno, and even to the descent of the Neman. They would spend days and nights on the rafts, in the rain and the wind. They would light bonfires at night. The typical command was heard from afar:

“Father, break your head in the direction of the shore!”

“Shimon-Feitel, strengthen the rear in the direction of Skrol!”

Here is the gallery of the raft floaters:
There were four strong brothers, Nachum-Leizer, Shmuel, Yankel, and Yona Berzin. The four sons of Nachum-Leizer were Arka, Shlomoka, Luka and Lipaka (even their sister, who was a Maccabeeist, was nicknamed Marka Kozak). Yechiel (the Turk) Gershovich, David Kagan, the brothers Leizer and Lozer Levitt, the brothers Mendel and Shimon Suntochky, Avraham Morr, Chaim Kapiner, Moshe Yaffa, Koshka Snunit-Zelmanovich, Binyamin Kapliansky, and Yisrael Handler.
You certainly also knew the two brothers Hirshe and Abba “Veriker” Fridman, who were expert at riding the rafts. They would float on isolated blocks of wood and transport them to designated places on the raft. Outside, they would break apart parts of the raft and bring the parts to the ground. Then a group of wagon drivers would appear who would load the blocks with the help of cranes and their muscles, and bring them to the rafts. Everything was done quickly, and if you stood on the side, it would seem to you that it was even done with ease. However, their shirts were dripping with sweat, and droplets dripped from their foreheads. Before us is: Hirshe Klotz with his beard, the son of Menda with the long hair and strong body, Itzka Dudak, Hirsh Leizer Micha's Alter Micha's, Shepsl Droskin, Yudel Bereznikov, Nachum “Aho”, Chaim Elka Steinkert, Shaya Leib Heiman, and Leizer Shabtai's the “Kushi”.

Before there were connections with buses, steamboats would float on the Vylia. The travelers would enjoy the scenery. The boats would transport bricks from the brick kilns of Perevoznik, Meirovich, and Ricklis to Kovno. The boards from the “Kemach” would be transported by large boats to Tilsit.

On Sabbaths, the youth would sail on sailboats and sing songs of Zion accompanied by the mandolin.

They enjoyed bathing in the river, especially on the beach at the downstream of the current, between the willow trees. Persky's cabins were there. Some people would show their prowess by swimming to the other side, demonstrating various swimming strokes. At times there were competitions with lengthy immersions...

Images from those days, when there were still ferries, pass before my eyes. They would gather on the shore in order to cross to Namiot and Itza-Meir the Warsawer and arrange the “Drala” -- parties gluttony. However, the ferry was on the other side. They would shout loudly:

“Rafael, Davai Parum!
The ferryman finally woke up. After some time, they already saw the flickering of the lantern from the ferry. We would go aboard and disappear into the darkness of the night.

(continued on page 33)

 

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