Third part of Ilya [Translation]

TABLE OF CONTENTS*

Preface\The Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Dedicated to Her Image and Remembrance\Aryeh Koplovitz. . . . .15

Part One:

The Historical Ilya

The Town's Origins\A. Avi Avihud. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

The "Hagar-Tzedek" Affair\A. Avi Aviva. . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Rabbi Menashe of Ilya\The late Tuvia Ben Chefetz. . . . . . . .35

Ben Porath\Aryeh Ben-Abba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Ilya as a "Hostel" for Torah\A.B.A.K. . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

The Great Yeshiva in Ilya\-"-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

The Scholar Rabbi Reuven of Dinburg\-"-. . . . . . . . . .73

The Scholar Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Khari\-"- . . . . . . . . .74

The Scholar Rabbi Shmuel Zelig\M.TZ. . . . . . . . . . . .77

The Scholar Rabbi Wolf Broide\-"-. . . . . . . . . . . . .78

The Scholar Rabbi Moshe Yisrael Shapira\from

Sefer Ha'Yovel. . .79

Rabbi Ya'akov Efraim Nachmin\Chaim Levin . . . . . . . . .81

The Scholar Rabbi Avraham Eli Remez\Moshe Shlomo Balaks. .82

Part Two:

Between the Two World Wars

Arainfir[i]\Yossef Vinetski - Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

Mein Heim-Shtatele Ilya[ii]\Eliezer Shapira - Mexico . . . . . . .91

The Ties between Ilya and Eretz Yisrael[iii]\Aryeh Koplovitz. . . .145

The Zionist Movement, its Actions and Courses\Aryeh Bar Droma

and Ahuvah Teitelbaum 211

[8] From his Legacy\ Tuvia Ben Chefetz, blessed be his memory . . 233

My Ilya\Devorah Sherman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264

My Ilya (a poem)\A., Miriam's husband . . . . . . . . . . . . 267

From the Remembrance Notebook\Eliezer Dinerstein U.S.A. . . . 269

With the Hebrew Brigades\A., brother of Malkah K.. . . . . . .271

Gashtalten On Anshtalten[iv]\Leibe Gitles. . . . . . . . . . . . 277

Part Three:

The Holocaust

Der Untergang von Ilya\Die Radactie[v]. . . . . . . . . . . . . 303

Yizkor[vi] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305

The Names of the Martyrs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308

The Tale of the Wandering and the Tears\David Rubin . . . . . 317

At the Place of Slaughter, in the Ghetto, and in the Forests\

Bat Sheva Riar (Bronstein). . . 339

The Struggle for Life\Shraga Solominski . . . . . . . . . . . 373

Ein Die Finzere Taag[vii]\Zoshka Gitliez - America. . . . . . . . 403

The Holocaust\Yonah Riar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421

A Hand to Friends,to a Sister,and to Parents\Aryeh Koplovitz. 441

Ya'akov Lapidoth (Yankole) " " . . . . 442

Ya'akov Bronstein " " . . . . 443

Reuven Koplovitz and his Mother " " . . . . 444

Mordechai Rogozinski " " . . . . 445

Shlomo Zalman Sherman " " . . . . 446

Eliyahu Avriel " " . . . . 447

My Sister Malkah " " . . . . 448

My Parents " " . . . . 450

Part Four:

The Sons of Ilya in the Diaspora

Die Amigratzia in America[viii]\Fon Ilyer Zamlong - New York . . . 455

Die Amigratzia in Argentina\Dar Radacter. . . . . . . . . . . 459

Ilyer Ein Argentina\Salaman Koplovitz . . . . . . . . . . . . 462

Undazara Landslite In Mexico\Dar Radacter . . . . . . . . . . 464

Yazt Axistiranda Ilyer in America\Dar Radacter. . . . . . . . 465

[9]

Introduction

With excitement and awe, stooping under the burden of our sorrow, loss, orphanhood and helplessness, we present to the reader The Book of Ilya. This is our modest contribution to the communal tombstone, erected to immortalize the memory of tens of thousands of the communities of Israel, and millions of brothers, who perished in the hands of the Nazi enemy and his helpers: who were tortured, starved, murdered, burned, and killed in strange ways - during the days of the horrendous Holocaust, the like of which never occurred in the history of our people and of the world.

We have no words to describe even the minutest part of the vivid life of our town and the dimensions of the tragedy of its destruction, a tragedy that took place before the very eyes of the indifferent and uncaring people of the world. The Holocaust - that cut down a third of our people - cannot be measured by its astounding results only, without considering the quality of those who perished. We lost our best creative talents, who would have been able, perhaps, to provide a more fitting and appropriate description of the town's life and the dimensions of its tragedy.

And although we are not worthy, fate has assigned this mission to us.

* *

After much effort, the collection of material for the Book of Ilya is completed. We can now bless the effort and say that the job was not an easy one, for many reasons; because of the scarce numbers of our town's residents in the world who survived its destruction; since the community's records, where the main events of the town since its establishment were probably written - were destroyed; for lack of reliable sources from which we could glean information on the ancient town and its history; due to the fact that most of the survivors, who live in Israel, are relatively young, and did not have time to absorb within them the town's culture and history, and the few that did, lost it during their many travels and struggle for survival. All of the above prevented us from presenting a correct and full picture of the glorious past of the town and its effervescent life in the period between the two wars. In addition: we should consider the objective fact that the main burden of writing this book was assigned to only few people [10] and that flawed the description. Despite all, we tried to summarize what was available under the present conditions and to include it in the book.

It is our duty to gratefully mention all those who gave of their time, energy and abilities, material or literary, to the writing of this project. First and foremost, let us bow our heads before the grave of our town's resident Tuvia Chefetz, rest his soul, who initiated the idea and forced us to materialize it, taking the editorial task in his own hands. But how strange sometimes are the ways of fate. The man who longed to commemorate the town did not manage to do so, and died before the project began. May his memory be blessed and retained forever in our hearts.

With gratefulness we mention our town's members, the sons of Tzemach Shapira, rest his soul, from Mexico and the U.S., that thanks to their moral support, their crucial financial contribution, and their constant personal involvement - our tiny birth town, Ilya, gained this eternal tombstone.

We are proud of the respectable appreciation letter to our friends the brothers Shapira, written by Mr. Yossef Vintzki from Mexico, and hereby publish it verbatim with much pleasure:

" [in Yiddish] ......."

[11]

* *

A heartfelt thanks also to Mr. Chaim Levin from the Kibbutz of Ramat Hakovesh. Despite the fact that the man is past his prime, he did not worry about his health and came to see us in the evenings, to tell of his memories of the town's events. Let us wish that we will all have the privilege of blessing him on his 120th birthday.

[12] Hearty blessings to all of Ilya's sons in Israel and in the diaspora: in the United States, Argentina and Mexico. Especially to Zusman Geitlitz, Shlomo Koplovitz and Eliezer Dinerstein and to the members of the committee for the union of Ilya's descendants in Israel. To all the friends who contributed their writing, money, pictures and time to the publication of this memorial book - our deep thanks. All have a considerable part in the project of commemorating the town and its martyrs.

To my friend and work mate, Matityahu Bar Ratzon, for his advice on editorial matters and his interest in the progress of this work - my warm blessing.

* *

To my dear and loyal wife Miriam, who encouraged me to continue work despite the many difficulties and unpleasant obstacles I faced - I send the blessing of a loving and admiring husband.

This book enfolds a long history of the life of a tiny, ancient and lively Jewish community, and the details of its final destruction are at your disposal. Let it serve as an eternal tombstone, to bring together the generations of the past, the present and the future.

The editor.

[13]

- P H O T O G R A P H -

The Shapira Brothers, the main contributors to the publication of the memorial book. Standing from right to left: Ya'akov, Yehoshua, Gershon. Seated: Eliezer

[15]

Aryeh Koplovitz

On Its Image and Memory

A "Yizkor" book for the lives that were lost; for the dear souls that were cut down; for whole families who perished; for babies who were slain; for infants who were torn to pieces; for traditional values that were uprooted; for temples that were burned - and for a tiny and ancient community that was erased from under God's heavens. A book to immortalize the lives, actions and death, of simple as well as outstanding people; of those who contributed in their actions to the aggrandizing of our town's spirit and name among our people and in the world; and of all those who perished in strange deaths, invented by the Satanic enemy, in the period of the most tragic Holocaust in the history of our people.

* *

Although our tragedy is too large to bear, and is inconsolable; although our eyes shed tears over our huge and cruel loss, these are but one drop in the general suffering and morning of the nation. When we now immortalize our pure and dear martyrs, we are but adding our tears to a sea of blood and tears; a sea of loss, sorrow, orphanhood and destruction that cries from the depths - Revenge!

* *

Our town Ilya was like thousands of other Jewish towns attacked by the destroyer, but at the same time it was different. Despite its outer similarities to others, it had its own character,[ix] just like people of the same age, tradition and education have different personalities. Maybe its nickname - "silken sacs" (Ziedne Tarbas [in Yiddish]) reflects its character best: poor and proud.[x] Despite the fact that most of the Jewish population lived in want, with tightened belts and in poverty, the sons were never seen begging in other towns, although many of the poor of the vicinity swarmed our streets. Our poor were hungry in secrecy, but were embarrassed to stretch their hands out for alms. They slowly diminished, but pinched their cheeks to seem blushing in health.

* *

The economic base of the town was meager and the Jews' hearts were drawn especially to matters of the spirit, which changed shape with every generation. Thus [16] our town Ilya nurtured men of stature in Torah and values, of dimensions that were very wide in proportion to its Jewish population.

Two famous people, who have a guaranteed place in history, contributed to our small town Ilya's fame. First is Hagar-Tzedek, Graff Pototzki, who is forever bound with our town. The second is Rabbi Menashe from Ilya, of the disciples of the Ga'on from Vilna, the messenger of light and enlightenment and the rebel against conventions; the first preacher for the productivization of the Jewish street; the persecutor of underage marriages; the rebel against poverty and fighter against ignorance.

* *

The fact that genius, famed rabbis occupied the rabbinical chair in this tiny town, testifies to the Talmudic and moral level of the Ilya Jews and made our town famous in the Jewish street.

The Ga'on Rabbi Aryeh Leib Shapira, better known as Rabbi Leibale Kubner, occupied the rabbinical chair in our town and from there moved to Kubno.

The Ga'on who is well known under the name Rabbi Leibale Umner from the town of Uman.

The Ga'on Rabbi Reuven from Dinburg known as Rabbi Reuvale.

The Ga'on Rabbi Shmuel Ben Yehoshua Zelig - who made aliya in the beginning of the 19th century.

Four of the loyal disciples of the Rabbi Menashe Ben Porath, better known as Rabbi Menashe from Ilya, learned Torah from his lips and eagerly drank from the sources of his wisdom.

The Ga'on and God-fearing Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Khari, to whom miracles are attributed. And lastly, he who perished so tragically in the Holocaust, before the eyes of his parish, the Rabbi Avraham Eliyahu Remez, bless his soul.

Be the memory of the righteous blessed.

* *

In honor of our town we must mention also the existence of a large yeshiva, headed by the sharp and well-versed Ga'on, Rabbi Moshe Yisrael Shapira. Hundreds of students, sons of Torah, swarmed to the Yeshiva to hear Torah from his mouth, and Ilya's residents took care, with all their hearts and souls, of the students' every need.

[17]

* *

As we erect a tombstone today for the commemoration of the town of our birth, we will also praise the wonderful chapter of the blossoming of the Zionist Movement, in each and every one of its branches,[xi] in the period between the two World Wars.

The deep plough of traditional Jewish education and the dream of the Return to Zion that many generations suckled and absorbed in their hearts, surfaced after the end of the First World War. The buds of the organized Zionist Movement, that first trickled among closed circles now increased and conquered wider strata from year to year, until it appeared an overflowing river that sweeps along everything in its way. By the outbreak of the Second World War, our ENTIRE town Ilya was caught in the flames of belief in the Zionist Movement..

What was - is no longer there.

We now cry over the dear hearts that beat there, that stuck with their faith, that bubbled with life and dreamed and struggled. Now the destroyer cut all this down and it was erased from under God's heavens. The old cemetery, commemorating life, creation and tears, was plowed over and turned into a field, and with it, a long and glorious history of about 600 years disappeared: generations of Hasidim, Ga'onim, the righteous, the innocent, the honest, pioneers and warriors, were swallowed by the earth.

Earth! do not cover up their blood.

Yitgadal Veyitkadash Shmei Raba...

[21]

A. Avi Avihud

On Its Origins

(The City of Elijah the Prophet)*

Ilya is in the Vileika region and about 30 kilometers away from the town; it's in the Vilna District and about 150 kilometers away from it, and was built on the western bank of a brook called Ilya, which is a rivulet of the river Vilya that flows into the Nimen, on its way to the Baltic sea.

* *

The origins of our town are clouded in thick fog. Different opinions set different dates for its supposed origination, ranging between the 14th and the 15th centuries a.d., but there is no doubt that it is hundreds of years old. The only reliable facts that testify to its early existence we found in a Polish historical geographical dictionary from the year 1882, part 3, pages 258-269, according to which as early as in 1634, that is in the first half of the 17th century, there was a Christian church, a Jewish synagogue, and more in Ilya. In addition, the afore said geographical dictionary establishes the fact that our town Ilya developed from the mansion of a prince of the house of Redzivil, which name was Ilya as well.

One of the theories as to the origins of our town has a credible historical-legendary background, and is fit to be presented to you:

At the end of the 14th century Prince Witold ruled over the Lithuanian princedom. He was a brave, heroic man who fought courageously all his life, and struggled against the Tartars and overcame them. He encouraged his soldiers to acts of heroism by granting knighthoods and large estates for mansions. The prince was a distinguished soldier but also a wise statesman and settler. By these actions he achieved two aims simultaneously: the widening of the borders and their protection on the one hand, and the loyalty of his knights on the other. One of his heros, to whom he granted large areas around our town, was called Redzivil. It seems that this Redzivil was the father of that famous dynasty in Polish history, the Counts of the House of Redzivil.

[22] The ancient legend tells: "when this Redzivil first reached the spot, to survey the area and find a location for his mansion, he did not find one piece of land worthy of immediate cultivation. Thick forests lay in front and behind, especially huge pine trees. His searches throughout that day yielded no results. The man despaired and in the meantime the sun had set. His fatigue increased moment to moment, and he thus hurried along, aiming to reach the border of the forest. Suddenly he came across a river that blocked his way. Before the man made a final attempt to get out of this unlucky situation, he decided to rest a bit to gather strength. In the meantime, night had descended, the man's fatigue overtook him, and he fell asleep. He dreamt that, lo and behold, Elijah the Prophet stood near him, encouraging him and whispering: upon dawn you will find your way, don't be afraid, I will be with you, and you will expand westward and eastward, and your descendants will be men of fame."

The man who woke up in fright, discovered that Elijah the prophet has disappeared, and made an oath to call the river and the mansion that will be built - Ilya, after Elijah the prophet who came to him in his dream. And the man indeed fulfilled his oath; the mansion that was built on the spot and the river were called Ilya.

Prince Witold - who was kind to the Lithuanian Jews, granted them rights and even published statutes for their protection - continued in his settlement policies. The forest withdrew to make room for the plough, and many mansions were built in the area. Thus the first Jews appeared in the mansions; as tenants, managers and tax officers, who for obvious reason chose of their own free will to concentrate in one spot and live together. Thus our town Ilya originated and became a historical given.

Now it is no longer there.

[69]

A. B. A. K.

Ilya as a "Hostel" for Torah

Although Ilya was a tiny and poor town, it served as a hostel and center for Torah. It's a fact that on its rabbinical chair sat famous, genius rabbis, who achieved glory there, and then moved on to bigger cities and their names became known throughout the diaspora.

One should not credit mere chance with this phenomenon, since chance is usually a singular and exceptional event - and this is not the case here. This fact relates to almost all of Ilya's rabbis, with the exception of a few that due to modesty and humility refused it. We can suppose therefore that this is no simple matter; that this fact was probably deeply rooted in the town and its atmosphere. It seems to us that the close ties between the rabbis -- the spiritual shepherds of the town, and the Jewish population -- their herd, were ties of mutual fertilization. Jewish Ilya influenced more than a little the spiritual transcendence of its rabbis, whereas the rabbis bestowed their grandeur and splendor on the former. It follows that the rabbis found ample and convenient grounds in Ilya for their public and spiritual growth.

We do not have biographical and general details on all of Ilya's rabbis since its establishment, but the little that is known is enough to prove its singularity and our above claim.

We did not include in the list of Ilya's rabbis that famous Ga'on, Rabbi Menashe from Ilya, the late Ben Porath. Although this genius lived in Ilya most of his life and had great impact, he never occupied the rabbinical chair.

The second to be known and famous in the rabbinical world as a genius in Torah and morals, is Rabbi Leib Shapira rest his soul, who occupied the rabbinical chair in Ilya and managed to reach the rabbinical chair in Kubna and became famous in the world under the appellation - Rabbi Leibale Kubner. His descendants - sons, grandsons and great-grandsons, served and are serving to this day as glorious links in a chain of rabbis and heads of Yeshiva.

The third to be known in the rabbinical world as a marvelous genius, sharp and well-versed, is our Rabbi Reuven Halevi Levin rest his soul. As his predecessors, he too occupied the rabbinical seat in our town and when he became famous he was invited with much splendor to the big city Davinsk where he became famous throughout the diaspora under the name of the Ga'on from Dinburg.

[70] The fourth, the Ga'on Rabbi Shmuel Ben Yehoshua Zelig rest his soul, occupied the rabbinical chair in our town, but served in a dual role: the town's rabbi and the head of its yeshiva. He became known in the diaspora as a genius, and active and prolific creator. Like the disciples of the Ga'on from Vilna, he too the left that rabbinate, made aliya, settled in Jerusalem and published a few compositions known to this day.

The fifth is our Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Khari rest his soul, the son-in-law of Rabbi Leibale Kubner. He was a humble, pious, righteous man in everything he did, innocent, withdrawn, and many acts of miracle are attributed to him. The elderly told that he was interested in the mysticism as well, and our small town constituted a suitable place for him, from where he refused to depart.

The sixth is our rabbi Avraham Eli Remez rest his soul, a distinguished student, a gentle soul, a respectable and enlightened zionist, a servant of the public, and widely educated, he was the last rabbi of the town and perished there before the eyes of his parish. May his soul be blessed.

* *

The origins of the big yeshiva in Ilya are unknown as well, and some say that the seed was sown by Rabbi Menashe from Ilya. There are sources that testify that it was extant at the end of the 18th century, headed by the Ga'on Rabbi Shmuel Ben Yehoshua. In any cases, clear details are known only from the period of the 80s in the 19th century, when it was headed by the Ga'on Rabbi Moshe Yisrael Shapira rest his soul.

* *

It is appropriate that we mention another fact typical of the wise students of Torah in our town Ilya. They did not settle for turning the town into a fortress of torah, but went ahead to conquer important positions especially in the large cities in Lithuania: Minsk, Vilna, Bobroisk and more. Among the known and famous as heads of yeshiva in Minsk: Rabbi Ya'akov Lachovski, known as Rabbi Ya'akov Zabrir, Rabbi Naftali Hertz, Rabbi Leib Akman, Rabbi Gronam Akman, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Parsafa, Rabbi Shlomo Yo'el, the great grandson of Rabbi Menashe from Ilya, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Sherman, Rabbi Moshe Chatan Kostsakres, Rabbi Ze'ev Wolf Broide, who served as the head of the Bobroisk Yeshiva and the Ga'on Rabbi Yitzchak Pines, head of the law court in Minsk.

[71]

THE GREAT YESHIVA IN ILYA

It is well known that our town Ilya served in the past as an important hostel for the students of Torah. Many of Israel's geniuses and the masters of Judaism of Lithuania and Byelorussia in that period, learned there how to swim in the sea of Talmud. But now, when we are attempting to raise the forgotten, to light an eternal candle for our town, its personalities and actions, we unfortunately do not have reliable sources on its glorious and distant past, to describe the yeshiva that served as a lighthouse and shone forth with its Torah and wisdom. It is especially hard now to research and verify chapters of the past, since the community's book, where the important facts and events that happened in our ancient town were recorded - was destroyed along with the whole Jewish population. But from a few clues in the limited sources that we hold we can deduct that the yeshiva was established about 180 years ago, and had its ups and downs; periods of blossoming when she swarmed with students, and years of diminishment and decline. And again came days of ebbing and following them days of slump and destruction.

According to one version, the seed for the Yeshiva in Ilya was sown by Rabbi Menashe (Ben Porath) the Ilyite, when he established a circle of Torah students, in an attempt to root the studying of Talmud in the grounds of logic and action, rather than in the sophist method that was used in the past. Like his great rabbi, the Ga'on from Vilna, he too saw in the existing method of studying a method intended only for the talented few, but an obstacle for the widening of the circle of students that would encompass as large a mass as possible. In his opinion, it was crucial to heal and simplify the studying of Talmud. There were many among his students who, for the most part, later became famous in the Jewish world as distinguished rabbis and geniuses: Like Rabbi Leibale Shapira known as Rabbi Leibale Kubner, Rabbi Aryeh Leib Umner, Rabbi Reuven Levin, known as the Ga'on from Dinburg, and more. These facts have some support in the book "Beit Natan" by Rabbi Nachman Kornil from Jerusalem, which was published about 120 years ago. The list of patrons supporting the book - along with the Chief Rabbi of that period Rabbi Avraham Ashkenazi and others - includes also the Rabbi Shmuel Ben Yehoshua Zelig, who is presented as Ilya's Rabbi and the head of this yeshiva. More details on the Rabbi Shmuel are published in a series dedicated to the great rabbis of our town.

In a later period we find additional proof for the existence of the yeshiva in our town. In an article published in the newspaper "Hatzfira" no. 166 from the year 1891 we read: "in the last 10 years the Ilya yeshiva is blossoming [72] and flourished and many of Israel's students go there to acquire Torah and knowledge. Heading the yeshiva is the Ga'on Rabbi Moshe Yisrael Shapira who raised its level and made its name known in public. The righteous and humble rabbi of Ilya Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Khari does much to satisfy the needs of the students. Although Ilya is a small town, it supports the yeshiva students almost on its own and supplies for their needs generously."

Later in the "Hatzfira" article the event of the exploitation of the name of the Ilya Yeshiva is brought forth. It was made known to the community, that a certain man travelling in Russia was presenting himself as the messenger of the Ilya Yeshiva and was collecting money and contributions for it. The Ilya community thus issues a open request not to comply with the man's wishes, who presents himself as the messenger of the yeshiva, because no one has been sent to collect funds. The public is asked not to believe him, even if it sees a letter signed by the rabbi, for the letter is a forgery. One can presume that the "messenger" misled our humble and righteous rabbi. The writer adds: Ilya's small community is proud of its own ability and that of the generous Zaldovitz of Minsk - to provide for its students honorably, and does not need the alms of the public at large.

The reputation of Ilya's yeshiva began to decline after its head Rabbi Moshe Yisrael Shapira left its role as director and moved to the United States, to serve as the Chief Rabbi of Ilya's descendants in the New World. Details on the Ga'on Rabbi Moshe Yisrael are brought in the series on the Masters of Torah in Ilya.

[73]

THE GA'ON RABBI REUVEN HALEVI LEVIN, MAY THE

MEMORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS BE BLESSED

Rabbi Reuvale Dinburger

Our marvelous Rabbi Halevi Levin was son to the rabbi of the town of Smorgon. While still young, he showed transcendent talents and exceptional studiousness. When he matured, he was sent to Ilya to learn Torah from the famous Ga'on Rabbi Aryeh Leib Shapira, who was the head of the court of the town of Ilya and was later known as Rabbi Leibale Kubner, when he was in the rabbinical chair in the town of Kubno.

His great rabbi, Rabbi Leibale, was the one to pave the way for him to the Torah, to honor and glory, and to bestow upon his the adjective prodigy. Indeed, he became known in public as the prodigy from Smorgon. When he was ordained a rabbi by his great rabbi and other Ga'onim, Rabbi Reuven departed from his distinguished teacher and served as a rabbi in many towns, but when Rabbi Leibale was invited to serve as rabbi in the big city Kobno, Rabbi Reuven returned and settled in Ilya, succeeded the chair of his rabbi, and glorified our town Ilya with his presence, and ameliorated its reputation.

It did not take long for his name to become famous throughout the diaspora, and the city Dinburg-Davinsk invited him to serve as a rabbi. The son-in-law of Rabbi Leibale Kubner, Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Khari, succeeded him in our town Ilya. Now began the important period in the life of Rabbi Reuven Halevi, and his name became known throughout the Jewish world as Rabbi Reuvale Dinburger: as a transcendent Ga'on, a well-versed and profound teacher, as one of the important pioneers. Rabbis and Ga'onim of his generation turned to him for all their difficult questions from far and from near, and his name rose to prominence throughout the diaspora.

In his private life he was a humble, kind, congenial person, righteous in all of his deeds and pious in all of his actions. He was sharp, clever, and his rulings were celebrated for their logic and simplicity. He was very much loved by the masses of Israel, and accepted by all the generation's great. The name Rabbi Reuvale Dinburger was carried throughout the diaspora with admiration and respect. In the last 8 years of his life he glorified the rabbinical chair of Davinsk, and from hence was invited to the yeshiva up above at the age of 71, and the entire house of Israel mourned him.

[74]

OUR RABBI MOSHE SHLOMO KHARI,

MAY THE MEMORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS BE BLESSED

Our teacher Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Khari arrived in our town Ilya as the son-in-law of the rabbi, the Ga'on Rabbi Aryeh Leib Shapira, who was later known in the rabbinical and Jewish world as the Ga'on Rabbi Leibale Kubner.

The main characteristics of our Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Khari were: genius, modesty, innocence and awe of God. When the honorable rabbi the Ga'on Rabbi Aryeh Leib Shapira was invited to gloriously serve as the chief rabbi of the town of Kubno, his son-in-law, Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Khari, refused to occupy the vacant rabbinical chair, for reasons of humbleness and honor. He recommended that the rabbinate be passed on to Rabbi Leibale Kubner's distinguished student - the Ga'on Rabbi Reuvale Levin, later known in the world as the Ga'on from Dinburg. Only after Rabbi Reuvale was invited to serve as the chief rabbi of the town of Dinburg, did Rabbi Moshe Shlomo agree to succeed the rabbinical chair in Ilya.

Although Rabbi Moshe Shlomo was a genius in Torah and well-versed in Jewish Law, as was appropriate for the Ga'on Rabbi Leibale Kubner's son-in-law and for the famous brother-in-law of Rabbi Raphael of Velozin, of a widely branched and deeply rooted rabbinical family of generations, it is his innocence and righteousness that made him famous in public. Different legends and facts circulated about him that demonstrated his innocence and integrity. Even miracles were attributed to him, and we will hereby examine some of them.

A Humble and Withdrawn Man

1) One day it became known in Ilya that a resident of the town, a Jew known as Berale Bashas, was arrested by the Russian police, accused of stealing horses. The rumor spread quickly in town. One of the landlords thought it right to bring this to the Rabbi's attention, Rabbi Moshe Shlomo, and to deliberate as to what is to be done. When our Rabbi heard the story, he became very angry, and admonished the teller harshly for crossing one of the explicit "Do Nots" of the Torah: "Do not gossip," "Do not bear false witness," "Do not embarrass your friend in public," etc. Of course, Rabbi Moshe Shlomo did not believe the teller. "Such a story is impossible," he continuously claimed: "it is explicitly written: Do Not Steal."

[75]

2) As mentioned, our rabbi was an innocent man, withdrawn and distant from worldly events. When his name became known, he was invited to participate in a rabbinical convention in the town of Dolhinov, at a distance of about thirty kilometers from our town. The only means of transportation between the two town was of course the horse and wagon, and it took about 4 hours. After the honorable rabbi passed about half the distance, he turned to the driver and asked: is this still Russia? To the driver's response: "yes," our Rabbbi muttered: it is indeed, then, a huge country.

3) As a withdrawn man he was deeply absorbed in his Talmud studies day and night, and did not feel at all what was going on around him. One night he studied in his room by candlelight, and did not hear at all that his little child was crying and wailing. His father-in-law Rabbi Leibale, who was woken up by the howling, went to calm the child down, but was extremely surprised to see his son-in-law awake and studying Talmud, not hearing what was going on around him. In order not to interrupt his studies, Rabbi Leibale turned to calm the child down himself. After an hour, the whole situation repeated itself. The child burst out crying and again Rabbi Leibale went to the baby to calm him, although Rabbi Moshe Shlomo was still awake and studying the Talmud in front of him.

The following morning, Rabbi Leibale turned to his son-in-law, Rabbi Moshe Shlomo, and demanded that he grants his wife a divorce, since he does not participate in the burden of raising their son. To Rabbi Moshe Shlomo's amazement, Rabbi Leibale told him the incident of the crying at night, but Rabbi Moshe Shlomo apologized and explained that he did not hear nor feel the baby crying. To that extent he was deep in his studies of Torah.

The Righteous shall Live by his Faith

In the year 1905 when rioters made pogroms in the Russian Jewry, encouraged by the government to plunder and kill, rumors reached our town that conspiring peasants decided to take advantage of the weekly market day, when tens of thousands of peasants gather for market exchanges, to rob the property of the town's Jews.

Shocked and sorrowful, mourning, their heads bowed down, the Jews walked about upon hearing this intelligence. Their first deed was to go to the town's Rabbi, Rabbi Moshe Shlomo the righteous, the knower of the visible and the hidden, to tell him of their misfortune. [76] When the rabbi heard of this, he declared a small Yom Kippur. All the Jews from old to young gathered in the synagogue for public prayer, and the rabbi himself passed in front of the holy ark in order to eradicate the evil of the verdict. At the end of the prayer the rabbi turned to his flock and encouraged them to trust in God's assistance, that will arrive instantaneously.

After these consoling words, the spirits calmed down a bit, and the belief in the strength of Israel overpowered the hesitation and fear of danger. The public dispersed to their houses, and with relief the grocers opened their businesses. At the very same time the leaders of the conspirators gathered in the Jewish bakery, to get drunk and cheer themselves up toward the operation. Although this was winter and it was cold and snowy, loud thunders were suddenly heard. One of the bolts went into the bakery, where the conspirators were gathered, hit the leg of a small Jewish girl, and tore her shoe off without hurting or scratching her leg at all. On the other hand, this thunder bolt cut off the right hand of the head of the conspirators.

On hearing the thunder, the peasants who were about to plunder were frightened, and they embarked on a quick retreat from town, accompanied by their shouts: "The Jews are throwing bombs." Indeed, the hoped for miracle, that the Rabbi Moshe Shlomo promised, occurred.

Many years after his death, the elderly still insisted on his mystical force, and his holy name was uttered by all with awe and respect.

[77]

M. TZ.

THE GA'ON RABBI SHMUEL BEN YEHOSHUA ZELIG, REST IN PEACE

At the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th, the Rabbi Shmuel Zelig, rest in peace, served as the rabbi and the head of the Yeshiva in our town Ilya and its vicinity: Khachenchitz, Viazin, Susenka and more. Rabbi Shmuel was a hard-working student, an active public servant, and a capable writer. This we gleaned from his book "Minchat Shmuel," that was published in the year 1802 in Vilna.

As a talented pedagogue and a student of the Velozin Yeshiva headed by Rabbi Chaim, he tries in the aforementioned book, that constitutes an interpretation of the "Brachot" tractate, to use the method of the Ga'on from Vilna. That is, to explain the chapter simply and succinctly, in order to demonstrate to the young Torah scholar how to get away from endless sophistry, that would confuse him and distant him from the core of the matter. Rabbi Shmuel hopes that his thesis on the "Brachot" tractate will serve as precedent for his generation's scholars, encouraging them to publish other books in that spirit, which would make swimming in the sea of Talmud easier for young students.

As was appropriate for his generation of the school of the Ga'on from Vilna, he left the rabbinical crown in Ilya and made aliya to Israel and settled in Jerusalem. Here too Rabbi Shhmuel continued to serve the public with faith and devotion. According to Mr. Pinchas Graveski's book "In Memory of the First Chovevim" Rabbi Shmuel published another book in Jerusalem, in 1809, called "Gates of Tears."

Apart from his being a scholar and a believer he also handled the public affairs of the community. He especially struggled to provide for the poor and unfortunate among Jerusalem's Jewry. The many who lost their property received secret gifts from him without ever knowing who the anonymous giver was.

Rabbi Shmuel's name was made known in Jerusalem as a master of Torah, and among his many close friends was also the chief rabbi of the Ashkenazi community in this period. He was famous, much loved, and popular among the Jerusalem community, and his name was blessed by all its Jewish residents. In the year 1818 Rabbi Shmuel died and found a place of rest in The Mount of Olives.

May his memory be blessed.

[78] M. TZ.

THE GA'ON RABBI ZE'EV WOLF BROIDE REST IN PEACE

Rabbi Ze'ev Wolf was born in 1851 in the city of Minsk that is nearby our town. As was the custom these days, the youth turned to the Torah Hostels, distinguished himself there by his wonderful dedication and by his rapid and clear comprehension abilities. At the age of 18 he was ordained a rabbi by the Ga'on Soloveitsik, the head of the court of the city of Lutsek, and later the rabbi of the town of Brisk.

He was 19 when he reached our town looking for a hostel for Torah and for the right atmosphere for studying. In our town Ilya he married Mrs. Yachne of the house of Hotner. His wife was the one to carry the burden of providing for the household, and thus allowed her husband to study and teach Torah uninterrupted. And indeed Rabbi Wolf climbed from stage to state and became famous as a master of Torah.

Since his marriage and throughout his residence in Ilya, he would allocate time for Torah with the local Rabbi, the righteous Rabbi Moshe Shlomo, and they would both learn together laws and especially the "Shulchan Aruch" tractate.

At 30 he was already well known and accepted in wide circles of Torah in Lithuania and Byelorussia, and was thus invited to head the Broisk yeshiva and during his 25 years of service he brought forth many distinguished students.

During the First World War Rabbi Wolf returned to the city of his birth, Minsk, and along with his colleague the Ga'on Rabbi Leib Rubin from Volkomir in Lithuania, he established a yeshiva and continued to teach Torah. The end of the First World War and the stabilization of the borders between the states left him in Minsk in Soviet Russia, whereas our town Ilya, a distance of only 60 kilometers from Minsk, where his family lived, was considered a part of the state of Poland. This situation saddened his spirit and drew near his end..

On passover 1931, when he was 80, he was suddenly called to the yeshiva up above, and a letter from an anonymous writer, who risked his life and crossed the border for that purpose, told his son, Ben Zion Broide, that his great father was no longer alive.

May his soul be blessed.

[145]

Eternal Light

For my parents Abba and Gitah Koplovitz, of the house

of Broide, and my sister Malkah, who perished

in the Holocaust of our people; this on the eve of the resurrection of Israel.

May their souls rest in peace.

Aryeh Koplovitz

The Ties between Ilya and Eretz Yisrael, Past and Present*

(approximately two hundred years of aliya[xii] from one town)

Like burnt firebrands, to which providence allowed the privilege of coming to live in independent Israel, it is our duty to erect a memorial for our town and for its Jews, who once were and are no more. Our modest contribution will be in telling the wonderful stories of aliya, from the distant past and from the period between the two World Wars. These stories testify to the tight bonds between our town, Ilya, and Eretz Yisrael; bonds that passed the tests of time. We will unravel here chapters of grandeur, magic and longing, chapters saturated with yearning for Israel, for aliya and for Zionism, and stretching over a period of approximately 200 years. Since some of these tales refer to previous generations, however, and since they were transmitted from generation to generation orally, it is possible that here and there the facts are strewn with fiction. We will do our best, hence, to accurately transmit what others told us and also to describe the characters of immigrants from our own time and pass all this on to the next generations.

Numerous factors spurred the different generations of our town to make aliya, but common to all was the love for the land. Whereas the first generation was moved mainly by deep religious fervor, whereas the next generation came in order to fulfill the mitzvah[xiii] of settling the land, whereas those who [146] followed went to Eretz Yisrael to die and be buried there, afterwards a turning point has occurred: namely the development of the nationalist ideal. Now came to the land olim whose hearts' desire was to settle and build it. The motive of those who followed them was the vision of the resurrection of Israel; then came olim who carried in their hearts the readiness to struggle against the conqueror and to liberate the land. We have now arrived at the year 1948, and the next olim, who fought for the independence of Israel and sometime have bravely fallen in the battle field. The state was born. Olim from our town who were wandering across Europe picked up the immigration to Israel. Every survivor directed his steps towards Zion.

Even today, as these words are being written in the year 1961, during the State of Israel's thirteenth anniversary, we still see a feeble stream of olim from "over there" seeping in; their ragged limbs arrive from the valley of tears, to take cover underneath the shadow of the developing state of Israel.

And Our Eyes Shall See

The vision of the Jewish people and its love for the land intertwined for thousands of years. With his mother's milk, the Jewish child received the love and yearning for the land. Already in his childhood his lips were trained to mumble: "and our eyes shall see the return to Zion." All this stamped in him the indelible mark of love and yearning. Thus a secret and burning chain of desires and dreams was formed, that he carried with him throughout his life, in joy and in sorrow, until his descent to his grave.

To counter his impoverished and gloomy life, a life accompanied by constant anxiety and fear from the hostile and conspiring goyim surrounding him, he immersed himself in faith and in the memories of the Bible that were planted in his heart as a child and that awoke in his imagination longings for a glorious past...For we, too, were once a free people in Eretz Yisrael. A people like any other people: with our own royal habits, with our own governmental rule that provided days of war as well as of tranquility. But as long as we were rooted in the land, we knew no despair. There always came a leader who put himself at the head of the camp and for the most part succeeded... Eventually we were conquered. The people were exiled, disseminated among the goyim, and lost its independence.

Close to two thousand years have passed and the people began to recover. Despite their wide dispersal and their oppression through the generations, and because they were special and different from others, their spirit never failed. From the its depth, joyfully and sorrowfully, they turned their soul to Zion and to the renewal of national freedom. This longing passed from generation to generation and thus

[147] penetrated the souls of our fathers. As Judaism suckled from the roots of the holy and ancient

Hebrew tradition, thus our fathers' fathers carried in their hearts, in the darkness of the prolonged exile, the vision of complete salvation. In their hardships and their wanderings, they dreamed about it. Granted, in their difficult living conditions, in their fear, in their poverty, most of them were forced to be content with merely pure prayer. But in all periods there were a few, courageous and heroic, who stood up to fulfil their soul's desire - to immigrate to the land of their fathers.

The yearnings for Zion are no shorter than the length of the exile itself. But we shall skip over some of the better known facts of the history of Israel. In all periods of the bitter exile a few groups and individuals fulfilled the mitzvah of the return to Zion -- before and after the destruction of the First and Second Temples, in the middle ages of the false prophets, and so forth.

But these facts do not bear a particular relevance to our town, and we will now examine the direct participation of our town members in the various aliyot.

The Aliya of the Hasidim

The history of the Jewish people in the diaspora is inherently tragic: due to our loss of national independence, to our willing or forced segregation, and due to our historical destiny. Providential trials of tribulations and pernicious edicts, throughout the exile years, created a series of additional disasters, based on continuous suffering on the one hand, and the hope for salvation on the other. Despite our people's famous persistent and adamant faith in its Protector and Savior, the prolonged disappointments that it suffered created fertile ground for the actions of various radical visionaries. Even if their motive was the hastening of redemption for the oppressed and suffering people, the outcome was disappointment and conversion.

Many God-fearing believers were swept away by this tragic whirlpool. Such was the fate of the supporters of Shabtai Tzvi, of Ya'akov Frank's Hasidim, and of others. These tragic fates taught the leaders of Israel in the next generations to fight every new movement while it is still in its diapers, and to ban every new idea while it is still fresh.

Our purpose is not to explicate the origins of the Hasidic movement, its incentives and goals. This has been done by various historians and writers. Our present purpose is merely to clarify the background, to shed light on and explain the reasons for the bitter and persistent struggle between the Hasidim and their adversaries. To our town Ilya, located as it is in the planes between Lithuania and Reisen, the Hasidic movement arrived in a later generation and in its HABADic manifestation. The

[148] creator and spiritual founder of the Hasidic movement in our area was Rabbi Shneor Zolman Meladi. Although he was not among the direct disciples of the Ba'al Shem Tov, but rather a student of a student, of Rabbi Ya'akov Yossef, he was nonetheless discovered to be a gifted thinker of Hasidic learning and foundations, and a creator, founder and preacher of great stature. The core of this Hasidic learning is to instill optimism and joy of life into the grim existence of the people. His ideas were based on the Zohar writing, the Ari and the Kabbala, and he gathered these in his well-known book "Tania." He assumed that these ideas will provide firm foundations for the survival of a people that tribulations and disappointments brought to decadence and moral disintegration. The group that gathered around him was called HABAD, an acronym for "Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge."

The most important Talmudic authority during this period and in area was undoubtedly the Scholar Rabbi Eliyahu from Vilna -- better known as the GERA. Among his principles were the objection to the sophist method of learning Talmud, prevalent in his generation and before. Instead, he offered a more simple and practical method of learning. In addition, historians mark the fact that he prescribed the study of nature, mathematics and astronomy as necessary for the plunge into the Talmudic sea and for fathoming its bottom.

It is not our intention to deviate and describe the magnitude of this divine man and his many actions. This is not the task prescribed. We would like to explicate, mainly, the affair of his persistent, bitter and prolonged war against the Hasidic movement; a war that was undoubtedly the main and primary reason for immigration of Hasidic groups to Eretz Yisrael two hundred years ago, and among them the first olim from our town.

The dissemination of the HABAD groups in our area in those days was slow and hesitant at first, and encircled especially groups who did not include the biggest scholars and champions of Torah. The basics of the HABAD teaching were understood by the masses as the preferring of faith, joy of life and fervor over reason, learning, and knowledge of the Talmud, and hence their attraction to it. Moreover, the habit of condescension of the scholars of that period towards the lay "masses" hastened the growth of the Hasidic movement and contributed more than just a little to its integration.

The Scholar Rabbi Eliyahu from Vilna, the light of the Diaspora in this period, who knew the magnitude of the disasters brought about on the Jewish people by messianic and segregational cults, was horrified by the development of the Hasidic movement. The HABAD movement that rose in his area seemed to him to be a new edition of these messianic cults, but of a larger scope and greater force. The

[149] danger seemed real, and so he countered it with a war of annihilation. During this struggle, that took place in Lithuania and in Byelorussia, extremists on both sides used horrible and forbidden measures that even led to the interference of state authorities and to the arrest of the Rabbi and of the Scholar both. Of all the men who tried to reconcile and to prove to the Scholar that his fears were not founded, that no danger threatened Judaism from the HABAD movement, none managed to convince him. Even the special attempt of Rabbi Menashe Ben Porath, of our town, one of the Scholar's closest disciples, to personally examine HABAD by visiting the house of Rabbi Shneor Zalman, has not managed to sway the Scholar from his rigid position. The internal war persisted, accelerated and reached new heights of hatred.

Those were hard and bitter days. This futile hatred amongst the clan of Israel grew and flourished, and was especially felt, bitter as poison, in the small towns. Those were days of sighs and hardships for the Hasidim, but for their persecutors as well. Imagine this: in a small town, where a few hundreds of families emerged, grew, and formed together, tied to each other with family and neighborly bonds, suddenly thirty families segregate themselves from the crowd. The majority of the town were inspired by the Scholar, and thus saw the segregationalists as a real danger to its existence and to the existence of the people as a whole, and started a warfare against them. They were barred from participating in public prayer, stripped of the privilege of "going up to the Torah," their children forbidden to participate in Torah education, no one would have any contact with them - they became virtually lepers exiled from the camp. Those were dark days for the HABADs and heavy blows were dealt to them.

And despite all this, they would not capitulate. The blows toughened them and developed strong feelings of mutual help among them. Although most of them were of the lower classes and with scant material means, they began to recover, and with their special kind of enthusiasm began the construction of an independent temple, "Shtibel." The few men of means among them carried a very heavy financial load, but the poor, too, endeavored to help above and beyond their meager means. But even taking all this into account, it is doubtful whether they could have survived the financial strain on the one hand and the loneliness on the other, if it weren't for their decision to accept a widely branched family, one of the sons of which was involved in the tragic "Hagar Tzedek" affair. Now both sides reached out for each other and their loneliness subsided. The lone family joined HABAD and the HABAD people embraced it. This covenant allowed both sides to widened their social circle and the basis of their sustenance.

As long as the Hasidim were faced with hardship, they found the power and the energy needed to cope with the obstacles. But when the tensions eased a bit and they found themselves in a relatively tranquil position, they realized that in the final analysis they were isolated. This isolation increased day

[150] to day and weighed heavy on them, especially on the sensitive and wealthy among them. When no other solution was found, they decided to immigrate to Eretz Yisrael in order to resolve their special problem. Thus originated a consequential movement to make aliya among the Hasidim, including some of our town's people.

Rabbi[xiv] Isaac Meir Ben Yossef was a tenant of a flour mill in Ilya for almost his entire life. When a boy he was orphaned from his father, and instead of continuing his studies in the Cheder[xv] and moving on to the local Yeshiva, he was compelled to enter the work force at an early age, to provide for his small sisters and brothers and for his widowed mother. The man indeed succeeded in his task and achieved a firm financial basis, although at the expense of knowledge of Torah and education. As a wealthy and recognized community member, that has money but aspires for respect, he tried to gain the latter through public work and honorary community service, but his status as a layman hindered him from doing so. The educated town's people, who were the most influential in public affairs, rejected him for this reason and he thus became embittered.

The formation of HABAD in the town served him, thus, as a springboard for his ambitions. He felt that his time has now come and his dreams of becoming an important public figure will now be realized. Instantaneously, he joined the Hasidim and they provided him with wide grounds for public action and for achieving respect. Rabbi Isaac Meir now financed their actions and took care of their organization. Thanks to his energy and material means, the required sums for the construction of the "Shtibel" were now raised. Under his initiative and financial support, a HABADic scholar was summoned to instruct the children of the Hasidim, and his every need was supplied by the Rabbi: he ate his bread and sheltered in his house. All this made gave him the right to be considered a pillar of the HABAD community in our town. All was well, then, and Rabbi Isaac Meir was adorned by two crowns: wealth and respect. But fate decreed otherwise, and the tables soon turned.

The young scholar Rabbi Naftali Ben Yehuda, a hard working genius well versed in Talmudic law, was accepted as part of the family at Rabbi Isaac Meir's house, for the preceding eight years. He was a gentle boy, perhaps ten years old, when his father brought him from far away to the Ilya yeshiva, so that he could acquire knowledge of Torah and wisdom. The director of the Yeshiva, who liked the boy very much, managed to put him in a wealthy household so that he would be able to devote all his energy to the Torah without lacking for anything. Thus the boy arrived at Rabbi Isaac Meir's house, where he turned Bar Mitzvah and grew into a handsome youth. He made progress in his Torah studies and in his manners and earned love, respect and deep appreciation. But, as we shall see, action has to be preceded by thought. Rabbi Isaac Meir, a man of action, had been devising for some time practical plans concerning the young scholar Naftali; he wanted, with all his heart, to have him wed his beautiful only

[151] daughter, Esther, who was about to come of age. Despite his public success, the fact that he was but an ignorant layman caused him unimaginable suffering. Giving his daughter in marriage to a studious and distinguished Torah scholar would have compensated him for his suffering. He did not doubt for a minute that this plan would succeed, especially since he was not only rich but also an important activist in the HABAD congregation. The fruit was ripe - all he needed was to reach out his hand and pluck it.

Rabbi Isaac Meir's wide involvement in the HABAD congregation and his enthusiastic support, took as of late all of his time. No other cause occupied now so much of his attention and energy, as if he wanted, by his special efforts, to catch up with the years of no public involvement that were forced upon him. Suddenly fate interrupted and loaded the dice. His secret ambitions were shattered to pieces. Still debating how to raise the proposal to his future son-in-law, to speak frankly and negotiate the terms, his wife informed him that the desired son-in-law left the house never to return. He was shocked. The nightingale for whom he has builded the gilded cage flew away. Although this was a blow, he did not lose his senses. Recovering his serenity, his pragmatic and clear brain devised a plan to return Naftali, the intended groom, to his house. He understood that in this case the most promising means of doing so would be direct confrontation, but he hesitated to do so for various reasons. After further deliberation, he decided to plan a "coincidental meeting;" this was the only plan that could result in success. Since he knew his place of abode, and his hour of return at night, Rabbi Isaac Meir was able to ambush the future groom. The planning was impeccably precise. The meeting with Naftali, that occurred at a late hour, seemed absolutely coincidental.

"Greetings, Naftali," began Rabbi Isaac Meir, "what a coincidence. From whence are you coming and where are you headed?" he continued to ask, side-tracking the conversation. When he felt that the conversation flowed easily, he asked, as if by the way, "why do we not see you in our house lately?" The answer that came was hesitant and mumbled - part apology, part evasion. But Rabbi Isaac Meir did not let go of his victim until he discovered the complete truth. The reason had to do with the ties between Rabbi Isaac Meir and HABAD.

The young scholar Naftali stood there ashamed and embarrassed and whispered between his teeth, hesitantly and self-justifiably, "I cannot do harm to my benefactor, but be informed that the GERA from Vilna declared the HABAD Hasidim to be heretics and prohibited any connection with them." To the emotional response of Rabbi Isaac Meir the miller, namely that these allegations have no basis in fact or truth, the young scholar answered that the GERA undoubtedly knew what he was saying! "Who am

[152] I to doubt his deeds and words? His words are my law."

Cold sweat covered Rabbi Isaac's face and his vision grew dark. He felt that he was about to collapse. Such a blow has never been dealt to him in his life, and he realized that his beautiful dream was evaporating. He lost his balance, but did not collapse. His physical strength proved itself. Although the young scholar continued with his apologies, explaining his tough situation and his double loyalty, these words did not register in his brain. This condition persisted for a few minutes. Slowly he began to recover and his brain began to work. His tongue, that was temporarily silenced, now recovered its nimbleness. Despite all, he could not refute the allegations. He stammered: "only your good and the good of my daughter count, I am already old, my entire copious wealth was accumulated for your sake. Do you really believe me to be a heretic?" His heart told him that his response permeated the soul of the young scholar. He felt that the latter's perseverance has slackened, that a crack appeared in the wall, but in order to conquer it completely an additional assault was needed, and for that he did not have the required strength at the moment. He set the date, therefore, for the decisive assault that will take place in a meeting held, according to his suggestion, at the young scholar's house. Rabbi Naftali, whose nerves and conscience were undermined by this conversation, tried to clarify the futility of such a meeting, but he was not strong enough and was forced to agree, on the condition that the meeting will take place in the middle of the night, in an isolated place outside town.

They met in the middle of the night. Rabbi Isaac Meir, the miller, a practical man of much experience in life, was full of ideas and arguments. The young scholar virtually collapsed under the weight of his reasoning and was convinced that his arguments were correct - and yet he did not yield. "What will the people say?" he claimed, "my friends, my acquaintances, the heads of the yeshiva and the entire town? I can not!" To this emotional defense Rabbi Isaac did not have any answer. Morning dawned already and a solution was not to be found. Suddenly, the miller's face brightened. The brilliant, saving idea arrived. The appropriate and desirable solution to both sides was found: marriage and immediate aliya to Eretz Yisrael.

"For years now," began Rabbi Isaac Meir, "you have been dreaming of immigrating and settling the holy land, and now I give you my blessing and my assistance - I will give my daughter a generous dowry, that will last you for the trip and for sustenance for the rest of your lives. This is your opportunity. All over, Hasidic groups are organizing now to make aliya to the holy land. My wife and I will settle our affairs, God be willing, and join you soon. This, to my mind, is the plan that will solve

[153] all the problems and difficulties." The young scholar Naftali was astonished, and in his excitement he became tongue-tied and could not utter one sentence. His excitement was understandable. His life's dream was about to come true. As a sign of consent he was only able to extend his hand.

As the sun came up the two sides parted company and went each his own way, having sealed the agreement with a handshake.

Not many days went by before the young couple disappeared from the town. The mystery was solved when Rabbi Isaac Meir parted from the HABAD people before his family's immigration to the holy land. Rabbi Isaac Meir the miller promulgated the exciting news himself. These two families, therefore, were the first olim from our town, from the HABAD congregation, and they opened the way for additional others.

The Aliya of the GERA's Disciples

The relationship between the Hasidim and their adversaries in our town and in Lithuania in particular were reflected most clearly in our previous chapter. In one sentence we would have described it thus: The hatred between the camps was abysmal. Only one interest did they share in common, the longing to make aliya to the holy land. But even here one aliya was different from the other, in three salient features: in its motives, its composition, and its organization. In contrast to the motives of the GERA's disciples, that were purely religious, those of the Hasidim were, granted, mainly religious, but not solely; in any case not for the Lithuanian Hasidim. They had other motives: to be released from the continuous tension produced by the struggle with their adversaries and by the constant harassments. The second difference between the two camps of olim had to do with the age component. While the makeup of the Hasidic aliya was diversified, from young to old, the GERA's disciples were almost all elderly. And another difference. While the Hasidic aliya was almost a unique and spontaneous act, the aliya of the GERA's disciples was organized in stages and with discretion.

The first olim of the GERA's disciples came while he was still alive. But their organized aliya started, in fact, after his death, in the beginning of the 19th century, when his disciple Rabbi Baruch of Shkelov became their leader. This aliya was better organized, and included the provision for the olim's sustenance once they arrived in the land, using links between Eretz Yisrael and the diaspora. In our area the center of organization was in the town of Volozin, that was famous especially due to its well-known Yeshiva. Here the organization work was done thoroughly and with much thought; the result of a

[154] calculated and well-tried out plan. The material difficulty that the Hasidim in the Holy Land had to endure served as warning to the GERA's disciples. They thus dedicated their utmost efforts to the material side of the problem, in order to allow for an aliya of copious dimensions, even for the poorer classes, and to deprive them of suffering.

The first of the GERA's disciples from our town to make aliya was Rabbi Reuven Tzvi, a distinguished scholar and a God-fearing believer, but too much of an enthusiast. The idea of making aliya and settling the land captured his heart; he was addicted to it with his heart and soul and daydreamed about it, when he went to bed at night and when he woke up in the morning - constantly. But the organizational arrangements, that took many years, displeased him. His tempestuous nature gave him no rest. He wished with all his heart to bring about the salvation, and for that reason he traveled a several times to the organization's center in Volozin but returned empty handed. Out of frustration he even turned to the GERA and complained about the slow preparation and the postponement of salvation. The response, namely that lengthy preparations are crucial for the success of the aliya, did not convince him. He accepted the ruling reluctantly, but upon the GERA's parting he made preparations to be on his way. His wife's attempt to dissuade him, to control him, did not succeed. Her claim that one must follow the crowd was not heeded to. When his efforts to convince his older sons to join him did not succeed, he made aliya on his own. Only 10 years later his wife and sons joined him.

Rabbi Moshe Ben Ya'akov, from the congregation's leading members, product of four generations of scholars, public figures and men of action, stood at the head of the candidates for aliya in our town. Still in the prime of his life, He was tall, lofty, and handsome. His soft and smiling eyes radiated kindness, his black beard was strewn with first grey hairs on the background of his fair face, and his blushing cheeks added a special noble grace to his appearance. Smart, moderate and popular, his speech was slow and calm, convincing, and every sentence he uttered was weighed and measured. He was a wealthy man, partially from inheritance and partially self-made, earned by his work as a supplier for the big landlords. The fact that he could approach the landlords at any time and could talk with them freely in their own language added to his weighty public position. All these combined, naturally earned him the leadership of the community. His influence was thus very big and everything that crossed his lips was accepted unflinchingly.

However, Rabbi Reuven Tzvi's struggle to hasten the salvation and his sudden aliya by himself, that caused the family's disintegration, agitated the spirits and undermined the position of Rabbi Moshe Ben Ya'akov, the leader. The candidates for aliya, that up until then relied solely on his discretion, now began a vocal and public debate. Although the majority condemned Rabbi Reuven Tzvi's hasty behavior, there were many others who condemned Rabbi Moshe's slow pace of action. In fact, this storm contributed to the hastening of the process of immigration of the GERA's disciples from our town. From

[155] now on the pressure on Rabbi Moshe Ben Ya'akov increased. Some of the candidates complained and demanded the hastening of the aliya. Following this development, Rabbi Moshe began applying pressure on the organization center to quicken and to spur the process. In the mean time, the preparations were completed, the candidates settled their businesses and packed their belongings. On Lag Ba'omer holiday 1809, eight families from our town made aliya, all from the GERA's disciples, and Rabbi Reuven Ben Tzvi among them, all in all 54 people. All the town's people saw them off to their new life, the Torah scrolls carried at the head of the procession.

The year 1959, the State of Israel's eleventh birthday, was also the hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of this aliya; and the decedents of those olim, who are dispersed throughout Israel, gathered to commemorate that historical event, known in the history of the Israel as the "Vision of Zion" Aliya.

The Aliya of the "BILU"

Whereas we could only describe the aliya of the Hasidim and of the GERA's disciples of our town on the basis of general impressions transmitted from generation to generation, without being able to separate fact from fiction, we have now reached a period that was witnessed by the reporter of these facts, my late grandfather, Shalom Sheftel Broide, may his memory be blessed, when he was still in the prime of his life. Also, our town's member and our friend, Mr. Chaim Levin, may he live long -- who now lives here with us in the State of Israel at Ramat Hakovesh -- labored to tell us the facts as they occurred concerning this period and the one immediately to follow. We can now progress with assurance and describe with detail the olim, using the facts related to us by the above witnesses.

Again we see our town contributing its share to the general aliya effort, with renewed force.

Every period and its own problems, every aliya wave and its own motivations -- and this time they were the pogroms in Russia. Since the Hasidic and GERA's disciples aliyot and until this current one, the people have advanced significantly. Due to the French Revolution and its principles, due to leaving the Ghetto, and to other factors, lofty national sensibilities were awakened among the people. The place of the former aliya motive -- religion -- now was taken by national consciousness, that developed and found expression in the "BILU" movement, the latter being an acronym for "House of Ya'akov, let us go."[xvi] In contrast to the former aliya objectives, to go to the land in order to live there in a holy and pure manner and to grace its soil in death, the BILU olim posed the objective of returning to the land of the fathers in order to rebuild it and lay the foundations for auto-emancipation.

[156]

The Aliya of Rabbi Yerucham Chefetz

and his family, may their memory be blessed:

The spread of the BILU ideas that created strong waves amidst parts of the Jewish youth in Russia, lit a youthful fire in the heart of our town's member Rabbi Noah Hotner. Since the man was on the brink of old age and could not join the young BILU's and participate personally in the fulfillment of the ideal, he decided to contribute his share indirectly. The fact that his financial situation was stable and firm, since he was one of the proprietors of the glassware factory "Hota," and the fact that his young son-in-law was an enthusiastic supporter of BILU, made the accomplishment of his mission easier.

Rabbi Noah Hotner's desires integrated well with those of his young son-in-law, Rabbi Yerucham Chefetz, from Rogtsov. The former granted his approval to his son-in-law's ideals with the appropriate Hasidic enthusiasm. Moreover, he promised him considerable financial support for his getting settled in the land. While Rabbi Yerucham was still walking around in our town Ilya, making the preparations for the aliya, he was already daydreaming and planning his life in the new country: how he would be integrated into the new liberated society, that is in transformation from an old way of living to a new one, one that his father's-fathers did not know of. How he and others like him will lay the foundations for a new construction. How he would plant the vulnerable seedling that may grow into a multi-branched tree, deep rooted in the earth under the skies of the future national liberation of the people.

At the completion of his planning, Rabbi Yerucham and his wife made aliya to the land and joined its pioneer builders at the mother settlement[xvii] and the planters of its citrus groves.

This event left a deep impression on the town and opened the way for other families to make aliya.

The Aliya of the family of Rabbi Mordechai Zafran - Mazal,

may their memory be blessed

Mr. Mordechai Tzvi Zafran, a young scholar from the town of Cloria in Lithuania and an active BILU member, visited his uncle's house, Rabbi Moshe Mazal, in our town, before leaving for Eretz Yisrael. Although he was a temporary guest, he did not abstain from preaching the ideal he believed in and wished to realize with all his heart. He infected every young man or woman that came into social contract with him with the germ of his fervent belief and with the vision of redemption, first and foremost the members of the household that accommodated him, his uncle's house, the entire Mazal family. The

[157] atmosphere at Rabbi Moshe Mazal's -- him being the son-in-law of Rabbi Benjamin Broide, was saturated with Torah, enlightenment, lofty social background and wealth, and it captured the young scholar's heart. Here the young and cultured youth found peace and pleasantness. This pleasant environment that charmed him was completed by the figure of the young and graceful daughter Tzvia, who was an enthusiastic believer in the same ideals that he harbored. Slowly their acquaintanceship deepened until their hearts beat as one.

The next development was almost natural and certainly understandable: the young scholar took his cousin, Miss Tzvia, to be his wife, and together with her and other BILU's they directed their steps towards the land of their fathers. When they got there they settled in Petach-Tikvah and built their house and their future. The wife's conceiving of a child caused particular happiness to the couple because their first child would be born in Eretz Yisrael. But tragic and cruel fate decreed otherwise; the happiness was destroyed. In giving birth the wife died, on the land that so attracted her and that she so loved.

The Mazal family, remnants of the house of Rabbi Liebel Kubner, may he rest in peace, from the father's side, and of a multi-branched family tree of Torah scholars and men of action on the mother's side, were astonished by this tragedy; they were hard-hit but not conquered. "The lord gave and the lord taketh away," muttered the head of the family, the scholarly, innocent and honest head of the family, when they learned of the bitter disaster. But Rabbi Mordechai Zafran's emotional request arriving from Eretz Yisrael, to allow him to renew the tie with the Mazal family that he so respected and admired, cleared a bit the bitterness. "It is decreed that the dead will be forgotten," mumbled Rabbi Moshe Mazal.

Accompanied by mixed feelings, both hers and her family's, the second daughter, Miriam, started towards Eretz Yisrael and towards her fate, to fill in the position of her sister as wife and to be a mother to her first child. The shocked Mr. Zafran, that has been mourning for a long time over the wife of his youth who died so tragically, gradually found solace in the organization of the first school in Petach-Tikvah and the instruction of the children. He recuperated and waited for his second wife - Miriam. Entering his household, she found considerable courage and quickly adjusted to the new life, to being her sister's child's mother and a loyal wife to her husband.

For many years, Mr. Zafran enthusiastically continued the instruction and education of children. He saw his career as a crucial pioneering mission and thus raised generations of students. But in his spirit he always remained the pioneer. When he realized that the teaching track entered a smooth course and seemed well-established, he sought other pioneer jobs in the virgin land. The ideals that he espoused and preached when he was still abroad never abandoned him, and were always the guiding light of his life.

[158] Since he saw himself as a founder of the future nation he preferred to volunteer for the creation of the first pockets of Jewish self-rule, in which he saw the core of the realization of the independence dream. Thus he undertook the role of secretary to Petach-Tikvah's central committee.

Despite all this, he did not abandon the mitzvah of building and developing the land, and fulfilled it with his own two hands. He planted by himself orchards and citrus groves that bloom to this day. With his second wife, Miriam, he knew happiness and longevity. He raised a large family, that settled in numerous settlements in the land.

The Aliya of Rabbi Benjamin Broide,

may his memory be blessed

In spite of the fundamental change that occurred in the olim's composition and the objectives of the Aliya, some elderly people continued to make aliya in their old age to grace the land's soil. In this trend, too, our town participated directly. One of those olim is my grandfather's father, may his memory be blessed.

My late great-grandfather, Rabbi Benjamin Broide, was a descendant of a lofty family of Torah scholars, most of whom were also men of action. Tall, broad-shouldered, aggressive and full of self-confidence, despite being a scholar and a religious man he did not shut himself up in the domicile of the Torah; Despite him being a successful merchant, a major supplier to all the big landlords in the area whose doors were always open for him, this too did not suffice. He undertook the task of public work as well, a task which he carried out with love, loyalty, pride and determination.

He had two seemingly contradictory, but in fact complementary, characteristics: aggressiveness and gentleness. His public tasks he performed with determination, candor and persistence. But in his private relationships with people and in the circle of his family he was accommodating, indeed as pliable as wax. Outside his private business and his public work, he adopted an additional "career" as a "chanter against the evil eye." Every child that became sick was brought first and foremost to Rabbi Benjamin to be "freed" from the evil eye.

He loved his wife, grandmother Sarah, deeply, and canceled his own wishes for the sake of hers. He consulted on every issue, small or large, public or mercenary, with her, and her influence on him was decisive. My late mother Gitah, may she rest in peace, told me some facts that illustrate the magnitude of grandmother Sarah's influence on grandfather: sometimes (when people outside the family were present) one look from her sufficed to indicate to him the position he should take.

[159] Although he was on the brink of his senior years, he was still a healthy and agile man. Still at the height of his activeness, grandmother Sarah hinted to him that he is no longer a young man and that the time has come to fulfill their soul's desire and to make aliya to the Holy Land. The subtle hint became a command, and he immediately began the preparations needed for aliya. While he was distributing his many assets to his sons, his wife fell ill. He shut himself in her room and would not leave her bedside for months -- and she, before shutting her eyes and returning her pure soul to her creator, entreated him to make aliya to Eretz Yisrael.

Grandfather Benjamin Broide, may his memory be blessed, indeed fulfilled her request and her last will and made aliya on his own.

He was fortunate; his material means allowed him to remain independent in Eretz Yisrael. He was lucky not to require the "chaluka"[xviii] that poor, elderly olim of his age usually needed. Therefore, he felt good, and in his letters to his children abroad, letters that were filled with love and vision, he expressed his sorrow for coming to Eretz Yisrael at such an advanced age, that prevents him from joining actively the builders of the new settlements.

He had merely two years to live in the country of his childhood dreams and to enjoy its radiance and splendor. Still healthy and feeling well, he was suddenly attacked by yellow fever that forced him into a sickbed from which he never arose. He died, and his grave was dug in Jerusalem, on the Mount of Olives.

May his soul be blessed.

THE SECOND ALIYA

Isaac Mazal, son of Moshe and Tibel, makes aliya

The days of tension and pogroms that the Jews of Russia underwent were caused by the awakening of the masses to fight for freedom against oppressive rule of the Czar and his government. Aiming to weaken and oppress the spirit of liberation that increased and encompassed many throughout Russia, the Czar Government directed the anger of the masses against the Jews and gave criminal elements a free reign to spill their blood and thus acquiesced the dissatisfied and freedom-thirsty masses.

[160] The fact that Jewish blood was being spilled to crush a revolution, and that Jewish blood was also needed to oil the wheels of the revolution, gave rise to sad thoughts in the hearts of many of Israel's youth and led to the conclusion that there is no existence to the Jewish people outside an independent Eretz Yisrael.

We return again to the same family, this time to the elder brother Isaac. The teaching he received through his ties with the "Chovevei Zion"[xix] organization, namely to love Zion, led to the natural step of him joining the second aliya, and indeed Isaac made aliya with his friends from the second aliya and settled in Petach-Tikvah.

The crucial meeting between the two primary aliyot of this period - the aliya of the 1880's called "BILU" and the Aliya of the 20th century called "the second aliya" - was difficult, problematic, and rather painful. Although they shared a common goal and their motives originated from the same source, they could not reach a common understanding. The fervent and militant socialist baggage brought by the people of the second aliya estranged the BILU's; whereas the employment of Arabs by the BILU's was coolly regarded by the second aliya people. It was resented especially since it resulted in the difficult absorbance of the second aliya people into the scant agricultural work- opportunities of these days, a phenomenon that caused bitterness and an acute struggle.

Our acquaintance Isaac Mazal's final stop was at the mother of settlements, Petach-Tikvah. And this was natural. First because, like most of his friends among the new olim, he too was recruited to agricultural work at the settlement closest to the port of his entrance at Jaffa. Second, because his married sister Miriam lived in this settlement and was already rooted in the local community and has been for the last fifteen years. But the latter reason did not turn out well. Precisely because of the family relation, he found himself in a difficult and unpleasant personal situation. Why? Because he undoubtedly belonged to the second aliya, considering the date of his immigration and especially his social outlook; whereas on the other side, the one behind the barricades, according to his views, the unsympathetic group that objected to his friends' labor rights, stood his sister and brother-in-law and others like them, veteran residents of the mother settlement.

His inner conflicts continued until the notion invaded his brain that he was no longer trusted by either side. In debating his friends he did not wholly agree with them, and more than once made the

[161] claims of the veterans of the settlement and defended their point of view; whereas in his sister's house he felt that justice was on his friends' side and heatedly and fiercely fought for their position. The conflict increased from day to day and reached new heights. He felt that due to his unique personal situation -- the fact that he was stuck in between -- his loyal friends stopped consulting with him and began to doubt whether he still deserved their trust. On the other hand, it seemed to him that in his sister's house too he felt reservations and caution directed towards him. He walked around gloomily, and no longer had the force to glide over the abyss and fight for his soul and conscience; he needed to make a choice, and the choice was hard and complicated.

He reached the end of his rope at the last shift of labor in which he participated with his friends, especially since this time he needed to stand, fists raised, against friends that he had the honor to meet at his sister's house, from the BILU veterans of the settlement like herself. This confrontation completely shattered the gentle Isaac; the too-tightly-wound string broke, and he fell ill.

After his recovery there was a turning point. His sister, who carefully and with solicitation followed the stages of his disease, understood suddenly that it had to do with pricks of his conscience, and that the solution would therefore have to be found, first and foremost, in the area of pioneering. Indeed the crucial need for physicians in the new and suffering settlement convinced him that the proposed track was best suited to his pioneer ideals for which he has sacrificed so much. Our Isaac thus took a new and important path. With the help of his sister and brother-in-law he started for the University of Beirut and graduated there from medical school. Upon his return he became a doctor in Jerusalem.

For over 40 years he guarded the health of the Jews of Jerusalem under pioneer conditions. But most of his time was devoted to the inhabitants of an elderly home in Jerusalem, to ease the suffering of the aged and the lonely during their final days.

May his soul rest in peace.

[162]

Mr. Meir Dizengof Visits Ilya

A few weeks before the visit of this important guest from Eretz Yisrael to our town, the Jewish population was already full of commotion and alacrity. It is no small thing to have the privilege to see a Jewish minister from Eretz Yisrael, and especially when it was reported that this Jew is also the special envoy of the famous and glorified Baron de Rothschild. Could one miss such a rare opportunity?

During the few weeks of anticipation, the air was filled with legends, rumors, tales and interpretations as to the purpose of the visit. The curiosity to meet a Jew from Eretz Yisrael and see him in person completely vacated the houses of the town. Every inhabitant, young to old, streamed to the entrance of the town to meet the distinguished and rare guest with blessings and enthusiasm, carrying the Torah scrolls in their palms.

The second in order of importance to received the attention of the crowd and who was glowing with happiness was the host Rabbi Noah Hotner, one of the proprietors of the glassware factory. Mr. Meir Dizengof's mission was to visit him. Mr. Meir Dizengof, who later became famous as the founder and the mayor of the city of Tel-Aviv, turned to the Hotner family, the proprietors of the glass factory "Hota" near our town, in the explicit purpose of receiving their help in the instruction and perhaps the importing of a few specialist, for the construction of a similar factory in Eretz Yisrael.

The Baron Rothschild, also known as the "Great Benefactor" was at that time in the midst of his constructive activities for the development of the land. Having planted grapevines, he founded some wineries but in order to export their products abroad and make them marketable, he required a local factory for the manufacturing of bottles that will serve as containers for the exported wine. The Benefactor saw in this project yet another stage in the development of the land and in the creation of further labor opportunities for the Hebrew worker. The success of the plan depended, of course, primarily on the importing of experts, preferably allies.

Our town member Mr. Noah Hotner, who had strong emotional and family ties to Eretz Yisrael, wanted with all his heart to help its construction and development, and therefore did not hesitate for a moment to comply with Mr. Dizengof's wish. Happily and willingly he provided him with the required

[163] experts. Although this act of generosity caused the local factory considerable material loss, there was no happier man than our Mr. Hotner, especially when Mr. Dizengof appeared publicly in the local synagogue to deliver greetings from Eretz Yisrael and thanked Mr. Hotner publicly for the important and generous help that he gave for the development of Hebrew industry in Eretz Yisrael.

Mr. Dizengof's emotional farewell to the Jews of Ilya and the aliya of the experts that he chose to construct and work the glassware factory in Eretz Yisrael, were most impressive events, and very many remembered them for years to come.

The factory intended for the manufacture of bottles was indeed constructed in 1903 at Tantura in Samaria, but unfortunately it did not stand the hard tests faced by the pioneering Hebrew industry at that time and was doomed to failure and liquidation. But the families that made aliya became rooted in the land of Israel.

THE ALIYA OF THE CHALUTZIM[1]

Aryeh Mazal (Chaim Leib) and his Father's Household

Although 35 years of life have passed, his image still stands in front of me, as I saw him in my childhood, close to his aliya in the middle of the 1920's: squat, broad-shouldered, in the prime of his life, wearing a hard, black bowler. His fair face was full, meticulously shaved and embellished by a black "Chaplin" moustache, and expressing strength. He strode with a cane in his hand, that had a round ivory handle. His shoes were polished shiny and his whole being testified to glory and splendor.

When Aryeh Mazal made aliya, the foundations of the town's Zionist activities were shaken; Zionism was still in its diapers, and he was one of its leaders. Especially hurt was the Keren Kayemeth Le'yisrael[xxi] that he led for years. He not only preached Zionism and was the main spokesman for the Keren Kayemeth, but he did the "foot work" as well, going from door to door to explain and seek donations.

He suckled his love and yearning for Eretz Yisrael from two separate sources; The first was, of course, the fountain from which all generations have drank - the Bible, and the second, the one particular [164] and real to him, alive and bubbling: his ties with his sister and brother who made aliya dozens of years ago and became rooted in the land.

He grew up in a house characterized by a tangible Zionist atmosphere. The conversations that took place in his parents' house about the land were not dreams and yearnings, but facts and reality.

in responding Keren Kayemeth Le'yisrael

please mention Vilna Bureau

no. 1920

Permit

Comrade L. Mazal of the town Ilya, Vileika region, is a hardworking activist and for many years worked endlessly and faithfully for the benefit of Keren Kayemeth Le'yisrael, in his town.

All national and Zionist institutions are asked to accept and recognize him.

Keren Kayemeth Le'yisrael

General Bureau in Vilna

Paper issued by KKL to Aryeh Mazal before his aliya

The frequent letters from his sister, who was one of the Petach-Tikvah firsts, told of life's conflicts and of a tough and pungent reality. The letters from the brother, the veteran Jerusalemite doctor, raised the particular problems of the eternal city. Therefore his zionism was less ethereal and more practical. This is perhaps the reason why he devoted most of his strength to the Keren Kayemeth, which was concerned with the large task of redeeming the land.

To Aryeh's praise we should say that he never believed the imaginary ideas of a "redeeming revolution"; even when his friends were burned with their faith - he was concerned only with Zionism.

Suddenly the Czar's chair was jeopardized and Aryeh Mazal was asked to go to the front to aid him. But our moderate and sensible friend did not get overly excited over the Czar's invitation and did not make haste.... Instead he decided to alter his identity: he grew a large beard, equipped himself with the papers of an old man, and disappeared from the scene. At first he tried to hide at his relative's in other towns, but when the searches were made more severe and the chimney, into which he inserted

[165] himself at the last minute, saved him from being captured as a deserter one time, he took a saw and an axe, bribed somebody, and appeared in a new identity: that of a forester....

- P H O T O G R A P H -

Aryeh Mazal as a forester

The regime collapsed and the "comrades" assumed power. They now began an energetic and open search for draft dodgers and deserters and thus they arrived at the forest. The representative of the authorities -- apparently also from the seed of Avraham our father -- looked at Aryeh Mazal's face and asked: "what are you doing here?"; "I chop wood" -- responded our Aryeh. "His visage is not that of a 'worker'" -- declared the representative. "I do not work with my face but with my hands," responded Aryeh, -- "well, then, show me your hands" -- commanded the representative. And when he looked at his hands he added: "neither are your hands those of a worker".... After a moment's reflection he thundered: "come with me!!" But Aryeh escaped once again.

His Zionist activities, began before the First World War, was cut short and renewed only after the end of the World War when he and his friends in action, younger and older, returned from great Russia and the renewed Poland.

The days were those of post-war hardship, hunger and suffering. Aryeh Mazal, returning to his home at the end of the war, was found suitable to head the community and was elected to this position

[166] unanimously. From now on he devoted his time to the problems and worries of the collective: organized the project of "Brother's Aid" of the United States, intended to ease the hunger, took care

- F A C S I M I L E -

Community stamps and

the stamps of the chair and the secretary - 1920

of the organization of medical service, with the kind help of "Oza." He was elected to the position of the community leader, and re-organized community life.

- P H O T O G R A P H -

Aryeh Mazal in his

years as head of the local community

[167] Since he fulfilled his job with decency and honesty he sometimes was forced into confrontation with the authorities, but he did not recoil, and as a result was arrested and put in jail.

When he made aliya along with his father's household , his parents, Moshe and Tibel Mazal, and his sister Yocheveth, settled in Petach-Tikvah, while he was absorbed in Jerusalem. There he gave assistance to his brother the doctor in easing the pain of the elderly in the United Elderly Home in Jerusalem, in their last years.

He now rests from his life's labor in Jerusalem and is still strong, clear, and active, and contributed generously for the erection of the memorial for the town.

Tuvia Ben Chefetz, may his memory be blessed

At the end of June 1959, in the early hours of morning, I was startled by a discordant buzz of the door bell. When I opened the door, there stood my childhood friend Yonah Riar. In answer to my question of what his sudden visit so early in the morning might mean, he responded: "I need to find out something urgent from your wife." While they were talking, my heart predicted that something unusual has happened, some disaster occurred. As they were whispering and consulting on now to tell me of the disaster, I surprised them by guessing what has happened.

Tuvia! Dear Tuvia is no longer with us. We are left stricken, astonished, depressed and shocked, gloomy, widowed and orphaned. Surrounded by mourning and abysmal grief - we cry over the biggest loss and the tragic and sudden death of our town's member, our friend, Tuvia Ben Chefetz, may his memory be blessed, who left for the house of his creator, for God has taken him away.

* *

Only yesterday he glorified with his image, his appearance, and his astonishing stature, the streets of the eternal capital; only yesterday he spoke from the stage of Beit Ha'am[xxii] in Jerusalem and educated the public; the day before yesterday he eulogized on Kol Yisrael -- the Israeli Broadcast Service -- the martyrs of the most horrible Holocaust in the history of our people; only yesterday he still walked among us and glorified with his presence our town's assembly; only yesterday he was alert, and alive, and as full as a pomegranate with plans for action in the future -- but modest, humble and shy. And now? "There was a man, and behold: he is no longer," "Before his time he has died, and the poetry of his life was stopped in its midst;"[xxiii]

[168]

* *

- P H O T O G R A P H -

The late Tuvia Ben Chefetz (1899-1959)

I was a small child of maybe four years of age, and he a tall lad of 19. Only his tall stature is engraved in my memory of that time -- he was taller than the rest of the people. then he disappeared from my sight. When I grew up I discovered the astonishing and tumultuous story of his life: the shaking off of the illusory revolutionary ideas; the leaving of his mother's household; the thirst for knowledge and wisdom; the conquering of cultural and scientific values and the aliya to Eretz Yisrael.

* *

Like many young people of his generations, who cultivated foreign fields in their youth, Tuvia became addicted to lofty and illusory ideals of freedom with his entire tumultuous soul. But fate decreet that he would be liberated from these illusions, although not without inner-conflicts, sufferings, hardship, disease and imprisonment.

Tuvia began a new life upon his release from prison. First and foremost he desired Torah and knowledge, and with all his youthful energy he plunged into the fountains of knowledge and drank until he was saturated. First he was a student at the Polish gymnasium, through the Hebrew seminary for teachers in Vilna. But this did not suffice; the desire to plunge into the sea of knowledge and science

[169] brought him later to the university of Berlin, where he studied law and economy, but he turned to Zionist activity as well, this time to "Po'alei Zion,"[xxiv] first in Vilna and then in Berlin. He thus shaped his fate with his own two hands and found his way towards life in the land of Israel.

* *

While in Switzerland, recovering from a serious illness, he met his future wife Victoria. He made aliya to Eretz Yisrael, settled in Jerusalem, and build a nest for his family. Fate wanted him to serve the Hebrew public and educate it with his ideas, to preach for faith and vision in the State of Israel - a far cry from the ideas he worshipped in his youth. For thirty years he stood at the head of Bet Ha'am in Jerusalem and lit an eternal fire of deep faith in the hearts of the masses with his enthusiastic speeches. For thirty years he walked the streets of the capital, until he became a virtual part of the scenery, a rock among its rocks: salient, sculpted, strong, tall and exalted.

* *

When the horrid tragedy of the Holocaust was discovered, the extermination and mass destruction that included Ilya, his home town, and its Jews; when her scorched remainders, burned by the hellish fire of the destruction, began to assemble in independent Israel, he made an appearance among them. He stayed with them, encouraged them, and induced them to commemorate the town and its martyrs, by publishing a memorial book. It was the talented and educated Tuvia, of course, who undertook the weighty task.

Suddenly, we were orphaned. Although he tried to make haste, he was not privileged to begin the project that he so wanted to create. Now he is gone, and the heavy task fell from his wide shoulders to ours, but his will shall be done. We will try to be worthy of it, and will do the best of our limited abilities. And may God help us.

Tuvia Ben Chefetz, the elected and the glorious member of our town in Israel, was plucked away suddenly, and his grave was dug in the mount of eternal rest.

May his soul rest in peace.

[170]

Nechama Rogozinski - Meirovich

If you were to ask our town Ilya's people for Nechama, I promise you that the majority would not know who you are referring to. Some might not even know that you are speaking of a girl from the town. But if you were to ask for Nechemka - I swear by my "tzitziyot"[xxv], that every single member of the town would stand up and exclaim: of course! Which is to say, everybody called her Nechemka, her friends as well as her foes. There must be something special about her temperament. She is hard to argue with. This is how I remember her as a twenty-year old in our town, and this, or similar to this, is how she still responds today, after so many years. In one phrase: an eternal youth.

I knew her father well and admired him. An educated man, he was of a beautiful spirit and free in his opinions. In his youth he cultivated foreign fields and carried to the Jewish street the fervor of the revolution. With the rise of Poland he stayed on that side of the border, a fact that determined the rest of his life. Although his opinions were already shaped, he was tolerant to the opinions of others; he listened and he considered, and debates with him were easy, free and pleasant. When I visited his house I was still a lad and Motke his son was of my best friends. Fate was cruel to him. Still a newly-wed, his wife died and left Nechemka, still a baby, and Motke, an infant, to the grace and mercy of providence.

He married, went into commerce and succeeded, and thus allowed his daughter to have an orderly high school education - something very few of our town had.

There was no considerable age difference between us, only a few years, but we were of two different worlds. I was a small boy and she already a blooming and attractive young woman: her face contours very alert, her hair golden and a bit curly, her eyes small, blue and smiling, her mouth tiny and arched, an eternal laugh rolling charmingly over her lips. Despite her small stature and her round body she was proportionate, agile and quick. Her intonation was clear and her voice carried to the distance.

The father's success in commerce did not last long. The educated, the revolutionary and the merchant do not often combine in one body. Despite his tumultuous past, he was a very naive man, and his partner cheated him of his share of the business. Thus the decline began, and forced Nechemka to stop her studies and come back to town. And the father was forced to return to his previous occupation -teaching, and he taught Torah to Israel's children and raised a whole generation of Hebrew speakers.

[171] Years past and the Zionist movement made its assault, and conquered every house, and our Nechemka was taken captive. The next development was natural: joining the "Chalutz,"[xxvi] undergoing training, and then aliya to Eretz Yisrael.

After a pause of a few years, Nechemka was the first olah from our town in the beginning of the thirties.

Esther Laberferb - Barzovitz and Yehoshua Lapidoth

When I go back to the aliya made by Esther and Yehoshua I recall, inadvertently, the creation of the aliya fund. It was not acceptable in these days to have a fund-raiser or a raffle and to dedicate the income to an intended purpose, but this time we diverted from the town's customs. We transferred our action to the surrounding towns, although each of them had their own numerous problems. The mere novelty of our approach guaranteed its success, and indeed we achieved good results. If you were to ask my fried Yonah Riar, he could tell you about our "trip" for days, about the experiences and adventures that he and the writer of these lines went through. It was a courageous and unforgettable project.