In memory of the Jewish community of Iwie
(Iwye, Belarus)

53°56' / 25°46'

A translation of
Sefer Zikaron le-kehilat Iwie

Edited by M. Kaganovich

Published in Tel Aviv, 1968


 

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

Robert B. Robbins

 

This is a translation of: Sefer Zikaron le-kehilat Iwie (In Memory of the Jewish Community of Iwie),
Editor M. Kaganovich, Tel Aviv, Association of Former Residents of Ivie in Israel, 1968. (738 pages, Hebrew, Yiddish)

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


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“Build yourselves houses of meeting
and houses of study” Megile 29
 
Bow Your Heads in Reverent Honor!

The “cold” wooden shul was a beautiful architectural construction.
It was built horizontally like a fortress.
It was burned during the Great Fire in May 1929.

 

TOC translated by Yocheved Klausner

From the Editor Moshe Kaganowitz 15
Foreword by the Editor [Y] Moshe Kaganowitz 18
A Little Town of Wooden Houses and Shingle Roofs [Y]   23
 
Old Ivye
The history of the Jewish settlement in Ivye Moshe Kaganowitz 35
The history of the Jewish settlement in Ivye [Y] Moshe Kaganowitz 43
 
Ivye in various encyclopedias   53
 
In the Jewish Press   56
Rabbi Moishe'le Ivyer (Ashkenazi) Rabbi Moshe David Baksht 71
The history of Rabbi Moshe son of R'Yakov Ashkenazi z”l Avraham Hakohen Eliav (Elyowitz) 75
The relation of the family of the late President Yitzhak Ben Zvi z”l to Rabbi Moishe'le Ivyer (Ashkenazi) Avraham Hakohen Eliav (Elyowitz) 81
R'Mende'le Ivyer (Baksht) Rav R'Moshe–David Baksht 84
Ivye before World War One Rav Dr. Eliyahu–Avraham 86
There once was a shtetl Ivye [Y] Yehuda Leib Bloch 92
The Yiddish Broadway and Other Songs [Y] Arye Leyb Baran 116
Memories Tzipora Bernstein z”l 118
Memories of One-time Ivye [Y] Sonye Viktor 125
Memories that cannot be forgotten! [Y] Sadie Peshkov 131
Tales of the millner's daughter Yocheved Shmukler (Bukhs) 134
Memories from my childhood and adolescent years in Ivye Yakov Levin 140
The stories of my grandfather R'Eliezer Kashetzer Avraham Eliav 150
Public, Charity and Cultural institutions in our town Avigail Lazarovski 152
A Purim Play in Ivye   157
The Ivye Bathhouse [Y] Yokheved Buks (Shmukler) 160
Ivye in the Years 1904 to 1907 [Y] Sonye Ayerof 162
Ivye as It Remains in My Memory 1890–1908 [Y] Dovid Shmukler 166
 
A. The Rabbis of the Ivye Community
The first rabbis in Ivye Moshe Tzinowitz 176
a. The “miraculous” Torah scholar R'Nisan ben Moshe ABD Ivye   176
b. R'Aharon, ABD Ivye   177
c. Rabbi Meir Shalom Hakohen Karlitz   177
The great scholar Rabbi Moshe Arie Leib Grodzenski z”l Avraham Eliav (Eliowitz) 180
The great scholar Rabbi David Shlomo Grodzenski z”l Avraham Eliav (Eliowitz) 182
The great scholar Rabbi Yitzhak Kosovski Avraham Eliav (Eliowitz) 184
The great scholar Rabbi Moshe Shatzkes z”l Avraham Eliav (Eliowitz) 188
Kolel Avrechim [a study community] in Kfar Hassidim in the name of our Rabbi Moshe Shatzkes z”l Avraham Eliav (Eliowitz) 192
The great scholar R'Zev Perlman z”l, last rabbi in Ivye   194
Rabbi R'Moshe Meirowitz, the Dayan z”l   197
Rabbi Avraham–Yitzhak Minkin, “the ascetic” z”l   198
Rabbi Yosef– Chaim Klatzki z”l   199
Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda Karpel, the Dayan z”l and his son Rabbi Moshe   200
Rabbi Eliyahu Shmukler, the Dayan z”l   201
Rabbi Avraham–David Bloch, the Mashgiah z”l   202
Rabbi Yitzhak Baksht Josephson z”l   203
 
B. Ivye Natives as Spiritual Leaders in Jewish Communities
Ivye natives as rabbis in other towns in the 19th century Moshe Tzinowitz 204
a. R'Nachum Shimon ben Nathan Neta   204
b. R'Eliyahu Hakohen ben R'Shmuel Levin   205
c. Rabbi Bezalel Epstein   205
The great scholar Rabbi Chaim Oizer Grodzenski Avraham Eliav (Eliowitz) Hakohen 206
Rabbi Yehuda Leib Chasman z”l Avraham Eliav (Eliowitz) Hakohen 213
The great scholar Rabbi Aharon Yosef Baksht z”l Avraham Eliav (Eliowitz) Hakohen 216
Rabbi Mordechai HaKohen Eliowitz z”l Avraham Eliav (Eliowitz) Hakohen 218
“Through those near to Me I show Myself Holy” (Lev.10:3) Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Meltzer 221
Rabbi Yakov–Moshe Shmukler Avraham Eliav 222
Rabbi Mordechai Shmukler z”l   223
Rabbi Naftali Rafalowitz   223
The great scholar Rabbi Chaim Paltiel z”l   224
Rabbi Yechiel Mechl Kosovski z”l   225
The Bet Yosef Yeshiva in Ivye Meir Goldschmid (Eynav) 226
Sayings and lectures of the Ivye rabbis   230
Ritual slaughterers and cantors in Ivye   233
 
Between Two World Wars
Memories and Notes
Correspondence [Y] A. Z. Bender 237
The Meeting about the Homeless Fund [Y]   240
Ivye – a town of Torah and Charity Rabbi Avraham–Aharon Schatzkes 243
The Batei Midrash [houses of learning, synagogues] Rabbi Arie–Leib Schatzkes 246
The Orphanage in Ivye   250
My visit in Ivye in 1922 [Y] Chaia Gita Palevski (Baksht) 253
Childhood in the home of my grandfather Baruch Moran (Bernstein) 256
The dynasty of the Maskil Le'eitan (Bender) Family Mendel Bender 262
The well [Y] Chaim Grade 267
Houses in town [Y] Chaia Levitin (Volanski) 270
Events and people Moshe Nevat (Novoprotzki) 276
Happy and sad days in the shtetl [Y] Chasia Karpilevski 280
The town in the thirties Yitzhak (Itze) Gordon 287
Memories of a “baradinstchik” Moshe Kaganowitz 296
There is no more Ivye [Y] Sonia Victor 311
Ivye stands in front of my eyes [Y] Yakov Levin 312
A wedding in Ivye [Y] Asne Kotcher 313
Purim in Ivye [Y]   314
Events and sensations in the shtetl [Y] Arie Shmukler 315
The economic life [Y] M. Kaganowitz 322
 
Way–of–life and folklore [Y]
Ivye types and folklore Chaim Byelavski 326
Hirshel the Bereziner Avraham–Zvi Mekel 333
Ivye Review–Folklore Moshe Novoprotzki (Nevat) 335
Nicknames (poem)   335
Ivye Jews – good money (poem)   337
A shtete'le of good luck (poem)   338
“Bakshtiada” (poem)   339
Ivye – a shtetl of nicknames A. Alef 340
Ivye nicknames   341
Ivye sayings, anecdotes and idioms M. Kaganowitz 343
 
The Great Fire [Y]
The great fire, which changed the face of the town M. 351
The destruction of Ivye (“Zeit”) Moshe Kaganowitz 353
Once there was a town Dan 354
The destruction of Ivye (“Zeit”) Moshe Kaganowitz 357
The destruction of Ivye (“Vilner Tog”) Moshe Kaganowitz 359
To the Polish Jewry!   363
A letter from Ivye (“Zeit”) Moshe Kaganowitz 364
 
Education and Cultural Institutions
The history of the Hebrew School in Ivye (“Hatzefira”) Ben Ya'akov 365
The history of the Hebrew School in Ivye (“Hatzefira”) M. Etzbe'oni (Finger) 366
Lag Ba'omer festivities in the Hebrew School in Ivye M. Etzbe'oni (Finger) 366
The Hebrew School in Ivye Peretz Alufi (Kliko) 368
The Jewish School for Girls [Y] Sara Gershuni, Chaia Levitin, Tzipora Gilinski 371
The “Hebrew Speakers' Circle” in the Bialik School Baruch Kopold 374
The last year of the Hebrew School Liber Losh 377
The school in Ivye during the Soviet rule Shmuel Geller 381
The Jewish Public Library Chaia Volanski (Levitin) 385
Theater in Ivye   388
 
Parties, Associations and Credit Institutions
Sprouts of the Zionist Movement after WWI M. Bender (Margolin) 393
Hechalutz and Hechalutz Hatza'ir organizations Yocheved Shmukler (Buchs) 394
Tze'irei Mizrahi association and Hechalutz Hamizrahi organization Avraham Eliav 399
Hashomer Hatza'ir branch Zalman Volanski 404
The Jewish socialistic workers' party Po'alei Zion M. Kaganowitz 411
Beitar and Hatzohar Chaim Belavski, Arie Shmukler, Chaim Shofar 416
Party Wars in Ivye Peretz Alufi 419
The Professional Association and the Communist Party Gershon Deliatitzki, Asne Koshtzer (Brand) 421
The Halutz [pioneer] training group in Ivye Moshe Ozitzer 425
The economic associations   427
The Credit Companies   429
 
Personalities and Public Figures [Y]
Yechiel Goldsmit z”l   432
Jewish actors talk about Yechiel Goldsmit In “Forverts” 433
Lea Robins z”l   437
The tragic life and tragic death of Lea Robins Yakov Reich 438
Yitzhak Arko z”l   441
Shechna Epstein Moshe Katz 442
Israel–David Gutlevski z”l B. M. 445
Malka Gutlevski z”l Baruch Moran (Bernstein) 446
Eliahu–Baruch Rabinowitz z”l, David Bender z”l, Aharon–Zelig Bender z”l, Arie Novoprotzki z”l,
Akiva Baksht z”l, Yitzhak–Yosef Bercowitz z”l, Moshe Stutzki z”l, Yeshayahu (Shaye) Baksht z”l,
Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu–Avraham Baksht z”l, Eliyahu Golinkin z”l, Yehoshua Bloch z”l, Lapidot Katz z”l,
Dr. Aizik Melamed z”l, Emma Melamed z”l, Devora Nathanson (Ginsburg) z”l, Dr. Wite Sinyok (Abramowitz) z”l
  449
 
Social Activists, House Owners [Baalei Batim] and Scholars
A memorial candle for the souls of martyrs: R'Israel–Kalman and Yeora Elyowitz z”l, Yakov Moshe Bloch z”l,
Bezalel Lazarovski z”l, Ahron–Leib Gutlevski z”l, David malchovsk z”l, Meshulam (Polye) Baksht z”l,
Eliezer Angel z”l, Baruch Stutzki z”l, Eliyahu Rogoff z”l, Meirim Volenski z”l, Leib Kalmanowitz z”l,
Aharon Boyarski z”l, Chaim–Aharon Kaganowitz z”l, brothers Yosef–Chaim and Mordechai Kabak z”l,
Meir Dvoretzki z”l, Israel Ginsburg z”l, the Avraham Bodner Family z”l, Yitzhak Feder z”l,
Daniel Goldsmid z”l, Shmuel Yankelewitz z”l, brothers Chaim and Yekutiel Nuchimovski z”l,
Yehuda Leib Patish (Molot) z”l, Rabbi Zelig Marlinski z”l, Zelig Kessler z”l, Meir Goskind,
Yeshayahu Berezowitz z”l, David Gilinski z”l, Yitzhak Goldsmid z”l, Alter Gershowitz z”l,
David Goldberg z”k, Israel Gutlevski z”l.
A. Eliav (Elyowitz) 470
 
Destruction and Heroism [Y]
 
Memorial Days   491
Deep graves, red clay Shmuel Halkin 492
Let there be no testimony!! Batia Baksht 493
How it was ruined… Moshe Kaganowitz 498
The extermination of the Jews in Ivye Shifra Margolin z”l 503
The slaughter in Ivye 12 May 1942 Dr. A. Kaplinski 519
We covered the graves of the martyrs Elimelech Melamed 525
From the great slaughter to the liquidation of the ghetto Moshe Kaganowitz 529
The fate of the Ivye Partisan Group in the Marin Forest Moshe Kaganowitz 535
The white laugh [H] Yakov Pilovski 540
The extermination of the last 1200 Jews in Borisov Shevach Chaimowitz 542
The fate of the Ivye Jews in the Lida ghetto and camp Tzipora Zhoravski 549
The first explosion [H] Elimelech (Mishe) Melamed 552
My road in the ghettoes and forests in the years of the Nazi occupation [H] Eng. Yitzhak Gordon 554
With the partisans from “Iscra” Mordechai Ginsburg 571
On the path of battle and vengeance Elimelech (Mishe) Melamed 580
Eighteen months of eternal night Shmuel Geller 598
How I Escaped from Hitler's Clutches Miriam Angel-Federman 604
This was how we struggled for our lives Nechama Katz 611
We survived the war in Germany Elimelech Yankelewitz 618
The joint destiny of the Trab and Ivye Jews Chanan Levkowitz 626
Ivye after liberation Shmuel Geller 628
A punisment from Heaven for the Shaliapke Family Dobe Shmeilowitz 631
The activity to renew the trial against the murderer Zhokovski M. 634
From the Courtroom   635
 
Ivye Natives Who Fell in the Battles Against the Germans
Eliyahu Baksht and Zev Shmukler z”l, Yosef Kabak and Pesach Bilavski z”l, Shepsl Sheftel and Sender Bilavski z”l,
Eliyahu Katz z”l, Gershon Katz z”l, Alberstein Eli–Zalman z”l, Efraim Melamed z”l, Tanfel Fruma z:l,
Yoel Sovitzki and Leizer Tzirolnik z”l, brothers Kagan Mordechai, Eli and Yakov z”l, Bezalel Ginsburg z”l,
Dvoretzki Chaim–Leib z”l, Moshe–Zalman Kinkolkin z”l, Yosef Bloch z”l.
  638
 
The Activity of the Ivye Landsmanshaften
To the Reader A. Eliav 655
A word to the reader [Y] A. Eliav 656
The Ivye Relief Committee during WWI [Y] Leibl Berezowitz 657
The activity of Ivye Relief in America [Y] Chaia Gita Baksht (Palevski) 664
Zelig Rogoff, the untiring communal worker [Y] Ch. G. Baksht (Palevski) 674
List of addresses of Ivye Landsleit in America   676
“The Organization of Former Ivye Residents” in Israel Avraham Eliav (Eliowitz) 683
List of addresses of former Ivye residents in Israel   693
Ivye Jews who died in Israel   701
Yizkor for the Holocaust victims   703
List of Ivye martyrs who perished in the Holocaust   704
List of Lipnishok martyrs who perished in the Holocaust   730
List of Trab martyrs who perished in the Holocaust   736
English Page   746
List of Illustrations    

 


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