Alter Shmidt - My father
By Malka Wisman

My father Alter was born in 1890 to David Gdalyahu Shmidt and Shula of Lebedevo. He was second to the head of the Jewish community in Lebedevo. My father was a very involved person who cared a lot about his community. He was active in all aspects of the public life of the shtetl. Together with Mr. Potashnik, he established the library and arranged the books. He was a member of the committee for interest-free loans for the needy Gmilut Chesed. He contributed a lot to charity work, establishing technical and financial arrangements for the people who had fallen sick in the shtetl. He arranged for them to travel (free of cost) to the health specialists that were only found in the big cities like Warsaw and Vilna. He was a member of "Bikur Cholim,” an organization in which the members took turns providing free nursing care to townspeople.

He sent his three children Batia, Malka and Yitzhak to the Tarbut School in Lebedevo, where almost all subjects were taught in Hebrew. He was elected to be one of the  Council Heads of the PTA at the Tarbut School. He worked as a merchant and partnered with Shimcha Eli and Moshe Halperin. Every summer they would send fruit and fruit products to the town of Katovitz (near the German/ Polish border). In the winter, Father would import porcelain goods from Prush?ov (near Warsaw) and an entire train car filled with porcelain goods would arrive. The goods would then be stored in a central warehouse and later supplied to the stores in our area.

Father was a Zionist and he instilled his love for the land of Israel in his three children. Educated with core values of commitment, we were all members of Zionist Youth movements.

Malka Wisman,
March 2007
bilha@netvision.net.il

Yad Vashem reports by Malka

Shmit*, Alter - Yaakov
Alter Shmit was born in Lebedevo, Poland to David Gdalyahu and Shula. He was a merchant and prior to WWII he lived in Lebedevo, Poland. Alter perished in 1942 in Lebedevo, Poland at the age of 48. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 03/07/1999 by his daughter from Israel, a Shoah survivor.


Szmidt Nee Milikovski,Bela

Bela Szmidt Nee Milikovski was born in Krewo, Poland in 1890 to Shimon and Malka Milikovski. She was married to Alter and prior to WWII she lived in Lebedewa, Poland. During the war was in Lebedevo, Poland. Bela perished in Lebedevo, Poland in 1942. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 14/02/1956 by her daughter, a Shoah survivor who was in Russia during the war.

Shmit*, Yitzkhak
Yitzkhak Shmit was born in Lebedevo, Poland in 1925 to Alter and Bela. He was a pupil and a teenager and he lived in Lebedevo, Poland. Yitzkhak perished in 1943 in the Ponary area at the age of 18. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted by Malka, his sister from Israel, a Shoah survivor.

Szmidt, Batia

Batia Szmidt was born in Lebedevo, Poland in 1922 to Alter and Bela. She was an accountant and single. Prior to WWII she lived in Lebedevo, Poland. During the war she was in Prudy and Soly, Poland (now Belarus). Batia perished in the Ponary area. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 18/02/1956 by her sister.

Lev, Yisrael
Yisrael Lev was born in Russia (USSR). He was a tailor and married to Golda. Prior to WWII he lived in Lebedevo, Poland and he perished there at the age of 48. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 02/08/1999 by an acquaintance.

Lev, Khana
Khana Lev was born in Lebedevo, Poland to Yisrael and Golda. She was
a shop owner and single. During the war she was in Lebedevo, Poland and she perished in 1943 in Ponary, Poland. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 02/08/1999 by her friend, a Shoah survivor.

Lev, Golda
Golda Lev was married to Yisrael and she perished in Molodeczno, Poland at the age of 46. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 02/08/1999 by her
acquaintance from Israel.

Lev, Meir*
Meir Lev was born in Lebedevo, Poland in 1925 to Yisrael and Golda. He was a student and prior to WWII he lived in Lebedevo, Poland. Meir perished in 1943 in the Ponary area at the age of 18. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 05/01/2000 by his neighbor, a Shoah survivor.

Lev, Yentl

Yentl Lev was born in Lebedevo, Poland in 1928 to Yisrael and Golda. Prior to WWII and during it, she lived in Lebedevo, Poland. Yentl perished in 1943 at the age of 15. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 05/01/2000 by her neighbor, a Shoah survivor.

Lev, Berl
Berl Lev was born in Lebedevo, Poland in 1923 to Yisrael and Golda. He was a yeshiva student. Prior to WWII he lived in Lebedevo, Poland. Berl perished in 1943 in Ponary, Poland at the age of 20. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 05/01/2000 by his neighbor, a Shoah survivor.

Klebanov, Fiya

Fiya Klebanov was born in Lebedevo, Poland in 1920 to Roda and ? (her father died when she was a baby). She was a ????? ?????. Prior to WWII and during it, she lived in Lewadowo, Poland. She perished in 1943 in the Ponary area at the age of 23. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 05/01/2000 by her neighbor, a Shoah survivor.

Klebanov, Khasia
Khasia Klebanov was born in Lebedevo, Poland in 1917 to Roda. She was a nanny and single. Prior to WWII she lived in Lebedevo, Poland. Khasia perished in the Ponary area
at the age of 26. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 05/01/2000 by her neighbor.

Information about Malka Weissman nee Schmidt of Lebedevo

(phone conversation to Qiryat-Motskin, Israel on July 22, 2004)

Malka was born in 1920 in Lebedevo and her father's name was Alter Schmidt. Alter had one brother who died in the war. Malka’s mother was Bella nee Shayevitz* (or Milikovski, according to the Yad Vashem reports) and there were six sisters in her family. They were also originally from Lebedevo (from Yad Vashem reports, Kreve) and some other family members lived in New York. Malka had a sister named Batyah, known as 'Batyah the Genuis,’ born in 1922. Her brotherYitzhak was born in 1925. Zukerman was the most common name in Levedova; half the town had that last name.

Malka, her sister and her brother were all very involved in the Zionist Youth movements. They were members of Hashomer Hatzair. When the Soviets came to the area in 1939, Malka took advantage of the opportunity and went to a teachers’ seminary in Molodechno. The school had been established by the Russians. She met many other Jewish men and women in the school in Molodechno, including some from Kurenetz.

In 2004, Malka visited her grandson. He showed her my site and she was very excited. After so many years, she saw all the people she recognized from her childhood. Her grandson lives in the Haifa area in Israel while she lives in the Tel Aviv area (Holon).  She couldn't sleep the entire night and she had tears in her eyes seeing all the people. She recognized all her old leaders in the youth movement: Hashomer Hatzair,
school teachers, her entire family.

Thursday, July 22, 2004 at 14:39:37 (EDT)

Hi Eilat,  

I'm sending you pictures (2 emails) from my grandmother’s hometown of "Lebedevo." My grandmother is Malka Weissman (her maiden name was Schmidt). The pictures include her family members and more "Lebedevo" friends. Please send me a confirmation that the photos are OK  

Thank you,

Omry Zolberg

Qiryat-Motskin Israel
.