rok000.gif [3 KB] - Memorial Book of Rokiskis


Photograph Captions



[See the corresponding pictures by clicking on the captions]


Caption Page
Active members of Rokiskis Landsmanshaft, 1932 6
Abraham Arelovitz 7
The railroad station in Rokiskis 8
The marketplace 9
The Board of the Folk Bank in the 1920's 12
Houses on Komeyer Street 22
The first autobus in Rokiskis 24
Celebration in marketplace of the opening of Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1925 25
The Board of the Loan Society of Artisans 26
Monday – a market day in Rokiskis 28
A farm yard in Rokiskis 31
Gravestones in the Old and the New Cemetery 33
Volunteer firefighter corps 36
The Maccabee parade commemorating the freeing of Schwartzborden 39
A celebratory gathering under a Fall sky in honor of the Balfour Declaration 39
Group photo of the Keren Kayemet Zionists 41
No group identification; date on photo: Rokiskis, 25 June 1927 41
Leo (?) Shalit 43
Pesach Ruch 44
H. Eidelson, Zionist leader 46
Jacob Smushkevich, WWII hero of Red Army 48
Hon. Prof. L. I. Rabinowitz 50
Yosef Itzhak Schneurson, Lubovitcher Rebbe 52
Moishe Leib Shtein (Stein) 56
I. Batnitzki 62
Jacob Leshtzinski 66
Jews of Rokiskis at the marketplace 68
The extended Davidovitch(itz) family in Rokiskis 70
Councilmen of Rokiskis with President Molevin 77
Hon. Prof. Israel Abrams 85
The Bet-Sefer "Yavneh" in Rokiskis 87
Rachmiel Feldman 88
Independence was celebrated in the town square 89
A painterly view of a Rokiskis scene, with the Count's dwelling in the background 91
Aaron Nissen Rubin 93
"Feigetczke" Ikus Mayers Abramovitz 95
Z. Gafanovitz 103
Pinchas "Pinkie" Gafanovitz 105
A winter scene in Rokiskis 107
"My Brother, who shot (upon) Shimke Dimentn" 118
Group photo of exiles in East Kulos 123
Bunen-Aidel Kril, his son Israel, and wife Malkah, 1913 126
Members of the Socialist Federation including Yiddish members  127
Members of the Socialist Federation 127
The first Litvisher (Lithuanian) Kibbutz in Palestine (Koidan) 132
Excursion from Lithuania to Jerusalem for inauguration of the Jerusalem University 133
The first Chalutzim of Rokiskis in Israel 135
"Harvest Time:" R. Arsh 136
Chalutzim at the tobacco plantation, training to be farmers to go to Israel 137
Certificate 138
Galiel Mamel, 1927 139
Group of Jewish soldiers in the Lithuanian army 139
Photo of I. Arsh, Staff Sgt. in South African Army 141
Rokiskis Zionists 142
Hon. Rabbi Bezalel Katz 145
Rabbi Bezalel Katz with Lithuanian President Smetana 146
Hon. Rabbi Avrum Meyerubitz 147
The Rokiskis people meet Pres. Smetana on Komeyer Street near the School 148
H. and Nechema-Liba Arsh with their daughter Blumeh-Liba Arsh 149
Joshua Arsh (Lubavitcher) 150
Moiseh-Jacob (The Wise) Farber 151
Hon. Gaon Saul Vilkomirer 153
Bertzik the "Shochet" (Butcher) 154
The library of Bertzik; the Shochet's wife Chaiye Kosef 155
Facsimile of Reb Bertsik's (the ritual slaughterer) writing titled "Questions and Answers" 156
Reb Shmuel Levitan 157
Shmuel Levitan and the Lubavitcher Rebbe 157
Rabbi Shloime Skopisher 158
Hon. Rabbi Zelig Arelevitz 161
Rabbi Micha der Rokiskiser and Hon. Rabbi Zelig 163
Sabbath after lunch 168
Reb Bertzik Laible's 177
Shmuel Itze the Tailor 182
[No caption] 183
Family photo of Shmuel Itze the Tailor 184
Nahum-Moses and Rochel-Leah Peres 189
Yechiel Rotman and Sara-Riva Levin 189
[No caption] 191
Gita Rubin Ferman 192
Gita Rubin Ferman and R. Rubinstein 193
Moishe Katz 205
School children and teacher, June 1927 206
Asneh Hit 207
Chaim Hit (died in Israeli War) 208
Two-story building which housed the Lithuanian Gymnasia in Rokiskis 210
Students in the Lithuanian Gymnasia 211
School children in the German (compulsory) school 212
World War I: greeting the German Crown Prince in Rokiskis 213
A Sunday Concert in Rokiskis 213

Germans in marketplace

 213
Tarbus School [primary school] 215
The Teachers 215
Tarbus School 216
Hashomer Hatza'ir Rokiskis, 18 June 1927 218
Teachers and school children 221
Performance by young schoolchildren with teacher A. Yoselevitz 221
School children and teachers Eda Kektor and Engel 224
The Yiddish Folk School Outing on Lag B'Omer Holiday 5-8-1928 224
Rokiskis Yiddish Evening School, 3 March 1928 226
Active Members of Sports Organization 228
Arke Nachumovits 229
Young men of sports organization 230
Rokiskis sports organization 231
Boruch Lekach 232
Chaim-Elya Abramovits and his wife Chaye-Riva 233
Rokiskis cemetery caretaker 233
Monument of Dr. Janus Basanowiczois 235
Farband (association), 8 April 1926 237
Maccabi members practicing sport 237
Maccabi sport members 238
The match between Kupiskis and Rokiskis 238
First Rokiskis Men Maccabi, 13 Feb. 1926 239
Rokiskis Maccabi, 28 Feb.1925 240
Maccabi, Rokiskis, 19 June 1925 241
Maccabi, 13 Jan. 1926 242
Group not identified 242
Women' s Section of Maccabi 242
Sample membership card for the Maccabi sports and gymnastics organization in Lita 243
Unidentifed portrait 243
Abba Rubin, President of Rokiskis Maccabi 244
First kibbutz in Rokiskis 245
Unidentified group photo, but probably a Scout group 246
A group of Scouts in Rokiskis 247
Rokiskis "Hasherah-Kibbuts" of future immigrants to Israel 247
Scouts in Rokiskis 249
"Hashomer Hatzair" Hebrew Scout Organization in Rokiskis 250
Chanah Shadur 252
Chanah Shadur with orphans 253
The Orphanage Building, 1927 253
Board of Orphanage 254
Flower day to raise funds for the orphange 255
Aid Society "Linat Hatzedek" 258
Members of Aid Society 258
Drama Section of "Maccabi" 259
Yiddish Theater 260
The play "Frighten Shaindel" 261
The Rokiskis Art Lover Association with the play "The Truth of Life" in 1926 262
The Rokiskis Art Lover Association with the play "Yekel the Coachman", 8 Nov. 1930 263
The Folk Bank 265
Management and staff of the Rokiskis Yiddish Folk Bank, 1929 266
The marketplace in Abel 274
Chasidic Synagogue in Abel 277
The firefighters of Abel 279
The lake in Abel 281
The Drama Circle 285
The Scouts in Abel 286
The first convention of "Chalutzim" (Pioneers) from Rakishok and vicinity that was held in Abel 287
An Abel family: Nacham Zeligman and his wife, and two sons, Shimon and Heshke 291
Benjamin Michel Hurwitz 292
The school in Kamay 296
Peretz Zev Hurwitz 297
Jewish children in Kamay 300
Survivors of the family of Yosel and Feiga Levin, after their return from the evacuation to Russia 301
B. Sachs: well-known journalist and writer 302
No caption. On photograph: Ezerenai [photographer: M. Botvimika] 306
A street in Novo-Alexandrovsk 308
Parade of firemen on Vilkomirer Street in Ezerenai 310
The hospital in Novo-Alexandrovsk 311
Headstone for the annihilated of Zarasai District 313
Yehuda-Tzvi Eikhilczik 314
Yisrael-Meir the Melamed (Teacher) 315
Zalman Feldsher (old-time barber-surgeon) 315
The end of winter in Novo-Alekxandrovsk 316
The Enlightenment Cheder in Ezhereni in the 1920s 320
Maccabis in Ezhereni 321
No caption (Elementary School) 321
The tombstone of the 8,000 Jews of Ezhereni and surroundings 323
Reizel Meikel-Berzak 324
Reb M. B. Fisher 327
Reb Avigdor Lempert z“l (of blessed memory) 328
Gershon-Velve the Shochet (ritual slaughterer) with his wife Sara-Chana 329
The marketplace in Ponedel 331
[No caption] "Maccabi" written on photo 333
[No caption] "Histadrut" written on photo 335
The Hashomer Hatzair in Dusetos 337
Pupils of the Tarbut elementary school, 1927 337
A group of Antalepter Halutzim (pioneers) before their aliyah (emigration) to Eretz-Yizrael 346
The Melamed (teacher) Itze-Bencie, in the military during the First World War 347
The Gemora Melamed [the Gemora (commentary on Talmud) teacher] Dovid-Hirsh Geli 349
Chaim-Yudel Brikman and his wife Hinda-Matla 352
Sitting: Moishe Shon, with his wife; Standing: Leizer Shon (fell dead in the First World War); Yerachmiel Shon (now in Johannesburg) 363
[Top] A group of sportsmen in Sevenishok 364
[Bottom] The Katz Family in Sevenishok: Motel Katz, Misha Katz, Sara-Ethel Katz, Yudel Katz 364
The great revolutionary and martyr Hirsh Lekert, who was hung in May 1902 by the Czarist hangmen. Holy is his memory! 368
The Rabbi, the Gaon [genius, brilliant man] Abraham-Dov Popel z''l (of blessed memory) 369
L. Karabelnik 374
Ezra Karabelnik 375
Zalman-Itze Misrakh 378
Panemunak Yiddish youth at the Nemunelis River. Right to left: Leah Beralski, Lyuba Kavalski, Vita Karabelnik, Beila Yaffa and Moishe Karabelnik 379
Breina Rotholz-Kur 383
From the palace of Count Pszedetzki – in the noble's building – where the Germans detained the Jews of Rokiskis and vicinity; the Jews were led to graves, to slaughter 384
Top right: Chaya Ita Schwartzberg poisoned herself (to avoid capture by the Nazis). Top left: Yordina, the young daughter of Miriam Farbereite and Henok Gandelman who poisoned themselves (to avoid capture). 389
Bottom right: Yankel Kark. He represented the detained Jews before the Germans. Bottom left: Dr. Miriam Farbereite Gandelman provided the poison to her children, husband, and Chaya Ita Schwartzberg 389
The Bube (grandmother) Chaya-Zipe Kur; sitting center – the father, Yakov-Hirsh Kur, and last in this row – the mother Sara Kur. The remaining [people] in the photograph are children of Yakov-Hirsh and Sara Kur. 390
Gise Levin 391
Jews on forced labor under Nazi domination. Top left: a work duty card from Kovner Ghetto 393
Jewish children who perished in Kovner Ghetto 394
Murdered concentration camp inmates. The Nazi butchers did not have time to make a bonfire of the murdered. 396
From right to left: Rifka Kremer; Roza Kremer, now in Johannesburg; the third – unknown. 397
Chana-Elinke Kremer: the bright memory of my wife Chana-Elinke – a daughter of Shmuel Hirsh and Ida Kremer and a grandchild of Bere-Leah's – and my little son, Shmulinke, who tragically were annihilated by the Nazi hangmen. 401
Bere-Leah: Chana-Elinke's grandfather 402
Hitleristic demons bully the Jews 404
Abraham Ginzburg as [a member of the] Red Army 406
This house survived in Rokiskis, undamaged. The photograph is from before the war. From the right: Chaya Dektar, her mother Toyba Dektar and her sister Lyuba Dektar. 414
After the war, this family returned to Rokiskis from the evacuation to Russia. From left to right: Ida Dektar, her child and her sister Chaya. Standing is Ida Dektar’s husband, Yakov. 415
Kovner Ghetto in flames and smoke 418
The house of Gecel Azrakh in Ponedel. On the porch is D. Dektar (now in Capetown), before departure for South Africa. 423
Yerachmiel Korb, after the Liberation 424
In the picture: a family from Kaltinyani that perished. Right to left: Berl Tabakovitch, son of Yakov-Moishe and Rajza. He perished [at the hands of the] Lithuanians and Germans together with his father; Yosel and Dworale Axelrod, children of Nekha Tabakovitch-Axelrod and Berl Axelrod. The children perished in Auschwitz; Berl Axelrod – pedagogue and social worker – perished in the 9th Fort* in Kovno. [Translator's Note: *The place where the Jews were held, tortured and murdered.] 425
A group of young people from Salok 427
Meilech Bakalczuk-Felin: Editor of the "Memorial Book of Rokiskis and Environs"; Editor of the journal "South Africa" – monthly [publication] of the S. A. Jewish Culture Federation 430
Dr. Philip Friedman: well-known historian and scholar 438
Dr. Michel Arelovitz 473
Top, right to left: Shimshon Schwartzberg with his family 480
Bottom: Chaim-Dovid Yaffa 480
Mendel Josselowitz and his wife Malka, departed from life 481
Yakov Snieg 484
Top right: Ethel Aarons-Schwartzberg 487
Top left: Yerachmiel Aarons-Arsh 487
Bottom: Aria Eidelman 487
Top right: Moishe Arlin 489
Top left: Teibe Arlin 489
Bottom right: Yitzhak-Zorkh Beinart 489
Bottom left: Nachom Bacher 489
Top right: Chaim-Sual (Zev) Bacher 491
Top left: Kopel Bacher 491
Bottom right: Yitzhak Ginzburg 491
Bottom left: Mote Gut 491
Top right: Dovid Dektar 495
Top left: Abraham Levin 495
Bottom right: Mendel Muskat 495
Bottom left: Yisrael Meikl-Mikhalevitz 495
Top right: Nach-Nochumovitz 497
Top left: Ahron (Arke) Meitovitz 497
Bottom right: Sara Klass-Spevak 497
Bottom left: Nachum-Leib Kopelowitz (Suklas) 497
In the photograph: Nachum-Leib Kopelowitz with his parents and brothers when they were in Russia, during the First World War. 499
Top right: Moishe Klavir 501
Top left: Heikl Rubin 501
Bottom right: Shlomoh Rubin 501
Bottom left: Genya Rubin 501
Top right: Berl Ruch 504
Top left: Libe Ruch 504
Bottom right: Moishe Yisrael Sharp-Saltuper 504
Bottom left: Hirshl Sher 504
Gathering of members of the Rokiskis Aid Society – Top row – right to left (standing) Mr. Pasvalski; Mrs. Pasvalski (Berkowitz); Mrs. Mervitch (Berkowitz); Mr. Mervitch; Shmerl Lubowitz. Second row – right to left (standing): Berl Ruch; unknown; Shlomoh Sher; Furman; Mendel Muskat. Third row – right to left: Heikl Rubin; Moishe Smit; Miss Muskat; Mrs. Furman; Mrs. Muskat; Mrs. Klein, Mrs. Shneider. Fourth row – Gordon; Shlomo Rubin and Yitzhak Ginzburg. 508
Top: a postcard from Russia 521
Bottom: a telegram from Russia 521
J. M. Sherman: well-known writer and journalist 530



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