Bobrka, Ukraine

Boiberke Memorial Book
(Bobrka, Ukraine)

49°38'/ 24°18'

Translation of
Le-sekher kehilat Bobrka u-benoteha

Edited by Dr Sharaga Feivel Kallay

Published in Jerusalem: Sivan Press, 1964

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

Tisha Bergwerk Bryan

Emerita Coordinator: Beverly Shulster Beiman

This is a translation from: Le-zekher kehilat Bobrka u-benoteha (Boiberke memorial book),
Editors: Sh. Kallay, Jerusalem, Association of Former residents of Bobrka and Vicinity, 1964 (H,Y,E, 256 pages).

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Bobrka

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The Editorial Board in the US and Israel:

Samuel Bergwerk
Julius Haber
Abraham Fischer
Sam Marcus
Uri Kruwi
Zeev Shilo
Zippora Perlstein
Haim Zohari
Michael Zohari
Moshe Wind

English
Page

You Should Know It Sam Marcus 7

History of Boiberke (excerpts) translated by Julius Haber Dr. N. M. Gelber 11

Boiberker Lansleit on the American Scene Julius Haber 17

Commemorations of Jewish Victims of the Nazi Holocaust 34

Hebrew

Page

Committee's Preface 5

Foreword 7

Table of Contents - Hebrew 8

To the Mountain of Corpses in the Snow - Poem Uri Zvi Greenberg 9

Part I - The City and its Inhabitants

The History of the Jews of Bobrka Dr. N. M. Gelber 11

Where Were You on the Day of Rage? - Poem M. Z. 24

A World that Was and Is No More Dr. S. P. Kallay 25

The Black Saturday of 1914 Dr. S. P. Kallay 31

Part II - People and Personalities

The Rabbis of Bobrka and Szwirsz Rabbi Y. C. Weisblum 33

Shmuel Karten Malka Stein 37

Memories from There Mordechai Galer 38

Feivel the Heder Teacher (Memories from the days in the Heder) Avraham Fisher 41

Zionist Organizations in Bobrka Arieh Zukerkandel 43

Petri the Policeman Dov Beker 44

The Founder of HaShomer Hatzair in the City Mordechai Galer 45

Part III - Memories

Autobiographic Notes Arieh Allweil 46

Memories of the Pioneer Movement in Town Hella Hamenachem 49

The Incident with the Rabbi from Stratin on Shavuot Dov Beker 51

The Baking of Matzos S. P. Kallay 53

On Sabbath Eves - Poem M. Z. 54

Slichot Night Alexander Karten 55

The Privileges of the Babes from the Rabbi's House Dov Beker 57

Childhood Memories from There Zippora Perlstein 59

My Father's House in the Village Naomi Berger 60

The Story of One Family Pnina Mantel 60

Part IV - Happenings

City Residents as Prisoners in Russian Captivity Dov Beker 61

Part V - Folklore

A Study of Names Dr. S. P. Kallay 63

The Shattered Folklore From There Avraham Fischer 66

The Words of the People of Bobrka Dr. S. P. Kallay 69

Religious Personnel in Bobrka Avraham Fischer 70

Part VI - Preparation and Aliya

Preparation and Aliya Uri Kruvi 71

The Youth in the 1930s Zeev Shilo 73

Beginnings of the Pioneer Movement in Bobrka Dr. S. P. Kallay 75

Aliya to Eretz Yisrael Chaim Kimchi 77

The Pioneers of Bobrka Shmuel Schrier 79

Part VII - Those Who Fell Along the Way

Yosef Apner - For the Good of All Dov Sadan 82

Bobrka - Poem M.Z. 84

The First Ones Dr. S. P. Kallay 86

Memories of the Fallen Dr. S. P. Kallay 87

Part VIII - The Valley of the Shadow of Death

Memories of the End Emanuel Kruvi 91

In Memory of My Brother and Sister-in-Law, Michael & Mania Zippora Perlstein Lotringer 94

Memories Yona Nemt Lotringer 95

Twenty Years Since the Destruction of the Jewish Population of Bobrka Yitschak Fuchs 96

Jewish Burial - Poem M. Z. 98

El Maleh Rachamim (God is full of Mercy) - Prayer 99

In Memoriam - List of Victims 100

In Memoriam - Memorial to Family Members 106

Lights in the Darkness - Righteous Gentiles 110

Yiddish

Page

A Memorial 111

A Word from the Editor 112

Table of Contents 113

The Shtetl is Burning Mordechai Gvirtig 115

Guardians of Israel (Picture) A. Allweil 116

Part I - City and People

Boiberik Dov Sadan 117

History of the Jews in Boiberke Dr. N. M. Gelber 121

The First Boiberiker Support Society in New York Israel Gimpel 135

The Town of Strilke Motl Ehrlich 136

Spirit of All Life... (Poem) M. Z. 137

Part II - Departure

The Flight to Vienna Abramtchi Fischer 138

What Brought Me to America? Shamai Bergwerk 140

A Boiberiker on the American Stage Julius Haber 141

A Yiddish Song from the Past 156

Part III - Characters

Reb Lippe Fenster Hersh Safran 157

Chaim Klintor Israel Gimpel 159

Ancestor's Grave Meir Shtiker 159

Feivel Melamed H. Z. 161

Israelik Israel Gimpel 162

The Bankrupt Man Meir Shtiker 162

Teachers, Beadles and Ritual Slaughterers Abramtchi Fischer 163

Part IV - A Way of Life and Memories from the Old Home

With Us at Home Shamai Bergwerk 164

A Sermon Mordechai Geller 165

Preparing a Bride Rabbanit Zippora Perl Twersky 166

Sabbaths and Holidays in Boiberke Israel Gimpel 167

Harassers (Memories from Before) Avraham Fischer 169

Feivish, the Tall One Meir Shtiker 170

Baking Matzos at Avraham Breitfeld's Dvorah Breitfeld 171

Belzer Hassidim Fight the Szwirszers Hersh Grass, zl 172

The Teacher Meir Shtiker 174

Childhood Years in Buberika H. Z. 175

When Strelisk Burned [Poem] Meir Shtiker 178

The Bar Mitzvah Boy [Poem] Meir Shtiker 178

My Shtetl, Boiberke Kinke Asher Kreiger 179

Part V - Holocaust and Destruction

The Ghetto in our Shtetl Avraham Fischer 183

The Szwirsz Forest Avraham Fischer 184

Gone Yehudit Altman 186

The Experiences of our Shtetl (1 Jul, 1941 till 13 Apr, 1943) Motl Ehrlich 187

The Beggar Woman [Poem] Meir Shtiker 191

The Rejected [Poem] Meir Shtiker 192

The High-class Woman [Poem] Meir Shtiker 192

Two Drunks on the City Asphalt [Poem] Meir Shtiker 192

The Bitter End Itche Karten 193

The Holocaust Chaim Karten 195

The Last Fight Yosl Fogel 199

My Experiences Selig Fluss 201

The First Forest People Israel Karten 204

Escape From the Death Camp Moshe Ehrlich 204

How a Shtetl was Erased Moshe Ness 206

Names in Photograph Captions

English
		Page
You Should Know It	Sam Marcus	7
History of Boiberke (excerpts) translated by Julius Haber	Dr. N. M. Gelber	11
Boiberker Lansleit on the American Scene	Julius Haber	17
Commemorations of Jewish Victims of the Nazi Holocaust		34

Hebrew
		Page
Committee's Preface		5
Foreword		7
Table of Contents - Hebrew		8
To the Mountain of Corpses in the Snow - Poem	Uri Zvi Greenberg	9

Part I - The City and its Inhabitants
The History of the Jews of Bobrka	Dr. N. M. Gelber	11
Where Were You on the Day of Rage? - Poem	M. Z.	24
A World that Was and Is No More	Dr. S. P. Kallay	25
The Black Saturday of 1914	Dr. S. P. Kallay	31

Part II - People and Personalities
The Rabbis of Bobrka and Szwirsz	Rabbi Y. C. Weisblum	33
Shmuel Karten	Malka Stein	37
Memories from There	Mordechai Galer	38
Feivel the Heder Teacher (Memories from the days in the Heder)	Avraham Fisher	41
Zionist Organizations in Bobrka	Arieh Zukerkandel	43
Petri the Policeman	Dov Beker	44
The Founder of HaShomer Hatzair in the City	Mordechai Galer	45

Part III - Memories
Autobiographic Notes	Arieh Allweil	46
Memories of the Pioneer Movement in Town	Hella Hamenachem	49
The Incident with the Rabbi from Stratin on Shavuot	Dov Beker	51
The Baking of Matzos	S. P. Kallay	53
On Sabbath Eves - Poem	M. Z.	54
Slichot Night	Alexander Karten	55
The Privileges of the Babes from the Rabbi's House	Dov Beker	57
Childhood Memories from There	Zippora Perlstein	59
My Father's House in the Village	Naomi Berger	60
The Story of One Family	Pnina Mantel	60

Part IV - Happenings
City Residents as Prisoners in Russian Captivity	Dov Beker	61

Part V - Folklore
A Study of Names	Dr. S. P. Kallay	63
The Shattered Folklore From There	Avraham Fischer	66
The Words of the People of Bobrka	Dr. S. P. Kallay	69
Religious Personnel in Bobrka	Avraham Fischer	70

Part VI - Preparation and Aliya
Preparation and Aliya	Uri Kruvi	71
The Youth in the 1930s	Zeev Shilo	73
Beginnings of the Pioneer Movement in Bobrka	Dr. S. P. Kallay	75
Aliya to Eretz Yisrael	Chaim Kimchi	77
The Pioneers of Bobrka	Shmuel Schrier	79

Part VII - Those Who Fell Along the Way
Yosef Apner - For the Good of All	Dov Sadan	82
Bobrka - Poem	M.Z.	84
The First Ones	Dr. S. P. Kallay	86
Memories of the Fallen	Dr. S. P. Kallay	87

Part VIII - The Valley of the Shadow of Death
Memories of the End	Emanuel Kruvi	91
In Memory of My Brother and Sister-in-Law, Michael & Mania	Zippora Perlstein Lotringer	94
Memories	Yona Nemt Lotringer	95
Twenty Years Since the Destruction of the Jewish Population of Bobrka	Yitschak Fuchs	96
Jewish Burial - Poem	M. Z.	98
El Maleh Rachamim (God is full of Mercy) - Prayer		99
In Memoriam - List of Victims		100
In Memoriam - Memorial to Family Members		106
Lights in the Darkness - Righteous Gentiles		110

Yiddish
		Page
A Memorial		111
A Word from the Editor		112
Table of Contents		113
The Shtetl is Burning	Mordechai Gvirtig	115
Guardians of Israel (Picture)	A. Allweil	116

Part I - City and People
Boiberik	Dov Sadan	117
History of the Jews in Boiberke	Dr. N. M. Gelber	121
The First Boiberiker Support Society in New York	Israel Gimpel	135
The Town of Strilke	Motl Ehrlich	136
Spirit of All Life... (Poem)	M. Z.	137

Part II - Departure
The Flight to Vienna	Abramtchi Fischer	138
What Brought Me to America?	Shamai Bergwerk	140
A Boiberiker on the American Stage	Julius Haber	141
A Yiddish Song from the Past		156

Part III - Characters
Reb Lippe Fenster	Hersh Safran	157
Chaim Klintor	Israel Gimpel	159
Ancestor's Grave	Meir Shtiker	159
Feivel Melamed	H. Z.	161
Israelik	Israel Gimpel	162
The Bankrupt Man	Meir Shtiker	162
Teachers, Beadles and Ritual Slaughterers	Abramtchi Fischer	163

Part IV - A Way of Life and Memories from the Old Home
With Us at Home	Shamai Bergwerk	164
A Sermon	Mordechai Geller	165
Preparing a Bride	Rabbanit Zippora Perl Twersky	166
Sabbaths and Holidays in Boiberke	Israel Gimpel	167
Harassers (Memories from Before)	Avraham Fischer	169
Feivish, the Tall One	Meir Shtiker	170
Baking Matzos at Avraham Breitfeld's	Dvorah Breitfeld	171
Belzer Hassidim Fight the Szwirszers	Hersh Grass, zl	172
The Teacher	Meir Shtiker	174
Childhood Years in Buberika	H. Z.	175
When Strelisk Burned [Poem]	Meir Shtiker	178
The Bar Mitzvah Boy [Poem]	Meir Shtiker	178
My Shtetl, Boiberke	Kinke Asher Kreiger	179

Part V - Holocaust and Destruction
The Ghetto in our Shtetl	Avraham Fischer	183
The Szwirsz Forest	Avraham Fischer	184
Gone	Yehudit Altman	186
The Experiences of our Shtetl (1 Jul, 1941 till 13 Apr, 1943)	Motl Ehrlich	187
The Beggar Woman [Poem]	Meir Shtiker	191
The Rejected [Poem]	Meir Shtiker	192
The High-class Woman [Poem]	Meir Shtiker	192
Two Drunks on the City Asphalt [Poem]	Meir Shtiker	192
The Bitter End	Itche Karten	193
The Holocaust	Chaim Karten	195
The Last Fight	Yosl Fogel	199
My Experiences	Selig Fluss	201
The First Forest People	Israel Karten	204
Escape From the Death Camp	Moshe Ehrlich	204
How a Shtetl was Erased	Moshe Ness	206
Names in Photograph Captions

Monument to Bobrka Holocaust victims in Ra'anana Cemetery, Israel

Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page Bobrka, at KehilaLinks

Yizkor Book Director, Lance Ackerfeld
Emerita Yizkor Book Project Manager, Joyce Field
Contact person for this translation Tisha Bergwerk Bryan
This web page created by Moshe M. Shavit