Religious life (general)

35:09

Rezmovits speaks about his aliyah. According to him, he became less observant during that period. He then talks about prewar religious life, including the Hasidic community, in Debrecen.

35:09

Rezmovits speaks about his aliyah. According to him, he became less observant during that period. He then talks about prewar religious life, including the Hasidic community, in Debrecen.

7:30

Galambos addresses prewar religious life in Vaja and remembers the local rabbi. He then talks about prewar Sabbath celebrations and food customs.

11:52

Galambos shares his prayer customs and addresses local religious life.

40:32

Galambos answers questions about cultural terminology and speaks about regional geography. He then addresses prewar religious life and recalls the well-known Hasidic tune of the Kaliver rebbe "Szól a kakas már."

47:30

Galambos speaks about the contemporary community, before addressing his life after World War II, particularly in Debrecen. 48 30 places lived and work. Galambos then talks about contemporary religious life.

56:51

Galambos addresses his observance after the war. He states that twenty family members were deported to Auschwitz and only his sister survived.

10:57

Galambos talks about his mother's attire on Sabbath, before speaking about prewar religious institutions.

12:14

Smajovics talks about prewar Jewish life. He specifically touches upon a religious court case that took place in his hometown. Smajovics speaks about life and charity today.

50:24

Herbst speaks about his childhood memories, particularly games. He also addresses his father's observance and charity. Herbst recalls different fruits.

0:00

Herbst sings a song about local rebbes. He then speaks about prewar religious life.

32:03

Dof speaks about contemporary religious life. He is a cantor. He then addresses prewar religious life in Khust, specifically his cheder education. He then recalls a Yiddish-language synagogue service in Buda in 1944. He then talks about contemporary religious life.

9:19

Gotlieb discusses her family. She also addresses her work after the war. Gotlieb helped out her father after school. After the war, she managed her own business of leather supplying in Sátoraljaújhely, until the expropriation of her business by the Soviet government. Gotlieb then recalls her childhood memories and her mother's observance.

33:47

Gotlieb talks about her family, specifically her father's observance. She then answers questions about cultural terminology.

38:46

Rezmovits addresses prewar religious life in Debrecen. He also describes his religious school teacher (melamed), Reb Falkovich, and shares an episode about being caught reading something else. Rezmovits then explains his melamed's teaching style.

31:22

Herbst addresses his prewar religious education and speaks about religious institutions in the region. He attended a yeshiva high school for one year in Vişeu de Sus, Romania, (Yiddish: Oyber Visheve).

47:00

Herbst speaks about his school education at a Ukrainian school in his hometown. He then returns to his life in the postwar period in Debrecen, which included attending synagogue services. Herbst gives snippets of postwar religious life in Debrecen.

37:44

Deutsch discusses his childhood memories and addresses prewar religious life. Deutsch sang in a choir at the synagogue. He then describes Sabbath services.

43:26

Deutsch talks about singing in the prewar choir. He then addresses contemporary religious life and synagogue services.

23:46

Pearl discusses his childhood memories and prewar religious life in Tállya. Before he mentions his religious education, Pearl lists yeshivot in surrounding towns. According to him, 3000 non-Jews lived there. Pearl then addresses Jewish and non-Jewish relations.

42:06

Pearl talks about his family, specifically their observance. He then speaks about his life in Ukraine after the war. Pearl maintains that he did not hide his Jewish identity and did not encounter antisemitism.

48:29

Pearl speaks about his life and education after World War II. Pearl studied at a university and then worked at a patent office. He then speaks about postwar religious life. Pearl's children attended Hebrew School. Pearl then shares an episode when the Party checked upon his family.

54:07

Pearl addresses his sons' circumcision. Pearl also raised a daughter. He then speaks about prewar religious life. Pearl visited with his family rebbes in 56:45 Mad, orostisko, kerestir. They traveled with a horse and wagon.

16:53

Pearl talks about contemporary religious customs and recites a prayer. The camera then collects footage of Pearl's apartment.

41:11

Pearl speaks about his mother's observance. He recalls how his mother read the tsene-rene. Pearl then talks about his family, particularly his wife's work. Pearl raised a daughter and a son. He then speaks about his life today.

55:28

Doman shares an episode when he was attacked by antisemites on Shavuot before the war. He then describes the attire of observant Jews in Hungary.

5:33

Gotlieb speaks about prewar Jewish life in Sátoraljaújhely. She also speaks about her religious life today.

37:48

Gotlieb speaks about contemporary religious life and cantors' performances.

40:58

Gotlieb talks about her family and prewar religious life in her hometown, including the difference between Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews and local yeshivot. She then describes prewar Jewish life in Sátoraljaújhely. During his childhood, Gotlieb visited the grave of Yismach Moshe with her father, she explains.

53:45

Gotlieb talks about her school education at a Hungarian Jewish school. She then speaks about her family and recalls singing on Sabbath. Gotlieb also mentions her mother's observance.

31:20

Gotlieb addresses prewar cultural and religious life. She then answers questions about cultural terminology.

23:04

Blobshteyn talks about postwar religious life in Mukacheve. He then talks about his education at the local cheder with his melamed (teacher) Friedman. Blobshteyn also attended a Russian school. He then describes his daily school routine, as well as holiday celebration, including Passover and Hanukkah, in cheder.

31:27

Blobshteyn talks about his childhood memories. He mentions that his mother followed rituals to diassociate her family from non-Jewish holidays.

37:24

Blobshteyn describes the work of kosher butchers in town. He then speaks about Rabbi Chaim Elazar Spira, who was his mohel, as well as prewar religious life. Blobshteyn describes collective matzo baking in town. He then speaks about contemporary religious life.

44:13

Blobshteyn addresses prewar Jewish life, including religious institutions. He then recalls the Rabbi Chaim Elazar Spira's son's wedding, as well as speaks about the Spira family.

47:47

Blobshteyn talks about the conditions of the cemetery in Mukacheve. He then talks about Rabbi Spira and addresses Jewish and non-Jewish relations. Blobshteyn then recalls other local religious figures.

38:41

Blobshteyn addresses prewar religious life and songs, including "Szól a kakas már." He then shares episodes about daily interactions with non-Jews.

42:53

Blobshteyn speaks about prewar life and recalls non-Jews who converted. He then addresses postwar religious life and state persecution. Blobshteyn recalls interruptions of High Holiday services and mentions his friend, a chief police officer, who warned the community before planned antireligious activities.

8:41

Blobshteyn answers questions about cultural terminology. He also talks about the contemporary community and discusses Jewish teachings.

17:34

Blobshteyn speaks about prewar religious customs. He then shares a family episode, where his father, uncle, cousin and he went to see a rebbe in Keretsky to find help for his cousin. Blobshteyn explains that the rebbe cut his cousin's hair and he was able to walk out of the religious school (cheder) building afterward.

2:00

Smajovics addresses prewar Jewish life in his hometown Velyka Kopanya (Groys Kopanye). There were about 60 Jewish families there ("zekhtsik talaysim"). In particular, he addresses the differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardic (= Hasidic) communities.

42:50

Smajovics speaks about postwar Jewish life and religious customs in Vynohradiv. According to him, three kosher butchers worked there after the war. Smajovics then speaks about his life today and mentions Yiddish gatherings.

0:00

Herbst provides personal information and speaks about his life today and mentions acquaintances. He then addresses contemporary religious life as well as his praying customs.

17:58

Herbst recites a Sabbath prayer, before addressing contemporary religious life. Herbst mentions non-Jews who attended prayer services in Linz, Austria.

37:00

Herbst speaks about his family, particularly his father's observance and childhood memories of him. He also addresses food customs at home, where his parents kept animals.

58:39

Herbst talks about his life after the war, after his arrival in Budapest. He recovered at sanatoria in different cities, including Budapest and Debrecen. Herbst also addresses his religious customs.

7:37

Doman speaks about his family, specifically his father, and prewar religious life. Doman addresses the differences between the orthodox and reform communities.

49:47

Reti speaks about Jewish life in Nyírmada and the local rabbinical authority.

13:20

Reti speaks about prewar religious life in the region. He then explains how his father's mikvah was heated, by the "hoyf-goy." He also mentions peaceful relations between Jews and non-Jews.

35:17

The interview moves outside and Reti gives a tour of the former Jewish neighborhood, including the mikvah. Reti also mentions antisemitic daub and that antisemites set the Torah ark on fire.

0:00

Reti speaks about contemporary Jewish life and rabbinical authorities.

4:51

Reti speaks about contemporary religious life. He then speaks about his life and education before the war. Reti celebrated his bar mitzvah in Balkány. Reti states that he attended a yeshiva until his deportation in 1944.

0:00

The team walks with Samadi to the synagogue to give a tour. He provides historical background about the synagogue, as well as about prewar and postwar religious life in Debrecen. According to Samadi, services in the Great Synagogue stopped in 1984. Other members, including Goronvalgy and Reti, join the conversation and inform about contemporary Jewish life in Hungarian and Yiddish.

16:54

Reti addresses prewar religious life at the synagogue, when he visited Debrecen from Rohod. The members then chat among themselves in Hungarian.

43:01

Samadi speaks about his education at a religious school (cheder) until he was eleven years old and then Talmud Torah school for two years, which was located in Újfehértó (Yiddish: Ratsfelt). Samadi then talks about prewar religious life in Újfehértó. He recalls how his mother instructed him to learn Yiddish, so he can communicate with Jews anywhere.

26:52

Samedi speaks about his family, in particular his mother's observance. He recalls how his mother read tsene rene on Sabbath. They then chant Shir haMa'alot.

1:15

Reti speaks about his family, in particular his father. He explains how his father built a prayer house in Rohod and addresses prewar religious life in town. Reti also mentions that the Kosoner rebbe slept on a divan.

24:25

Reti speaks about prewar religious life and the visits of the Kosoner rebbe. He then sings a wedding song and recites a poem, as well as other hasidic songs. Reti then talks about contemporary religious life and his life today.

30:49

Reti speaks about postwar religious life and addresses the Mukachever rebbe, as well as contemporary religious life.

58:09

Reti discusses his childhood memories and going to the mikvah. He then recalls the ceremony of upsherin (chalaka).

0:00

Reti speaks about his life today. He then talks about his family, in particular his father's observance. His father worked as tax collector. He also addresses the fate of rebbes from the region during World War II.

6:47

Galambos talks about prewar religious life in Vaja, particularly his religious school (cheder) education. He also addresses his mother's observance. Galambos recalls how his mother read the megillah out loud to other women. Galambos then addresses different religious texts he studied in cheder and yeshiva.

35:45

Galambos speaks about religiosity and prayers, including "got fun Avrum" (women's prayer in Yiddish). He also addresses the Land of Israel.

40:56

Galambos talks about prewar religious life in Vaja, in particular visiting the grave of the Kaliver tzadik (Rebbe Menachem Mendel Taub). Galambos then shares an episode about the Tosher rebbe, Grand Rabbi Meshulam Feish Segal-Loewy.

3:15

Galambos answers questions about cultural terminology and addresses prewar religious and healing customs.

40:22

Galambos speaks about religious customs.

19:05

Galambos talks about prewar Jewish life, as well as prayers and religious customs.

14:01

Altman talks about postwar Jewish life and the difficulties practicing religion. She then answers a series of dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish questionnaire. Altman also talks about life today.

17:29

Bukshpun addresses contemporary religious life. He then talks about his life during the war in near Petyulke* Obodovsker region, where he was hold with 750 prisoners in a pigsty. The pigsty was turned into a concentration camp. He returned with his brother and sister in 1944.

13:14

Reizman talks about her life today and observing religious customs today and before the war. She then mentions food customs for holiday celebrations. Reizman then explains how her family was not able to support her and her sister’s religious education, whereas five of her siblings were able to enjoy religious education. Reizman recalls the custom of “bdikes khumets” (ritual removal of the last crumb of leavened bread before Passover).

25:27

Reizman remembers non-Jews who spoke Yiddish, before she discusses Jewish occupations and culture before the war. Reizman recalls a wedding and aspects of prewar religious life. She then answers a number of questions about cultural terminology.

3:51

Reizman talks about her parents and remembers her father kissing the mezuzah.

42:53

Meyer and Tsipora talk about folk remedies and recall sayings. They recall Chanukah celebrations. Meyer then answers questions about cultural terminology, before he talks about burial and other religious customs.

53:52

Meyer talks about his return to Bălți in 1946 and explains that his house was entirely destroyed. Meyer’s brother-in-law received an apartment through his job and Meyer’s family moved in with him. It happened to be his grandmother’s house. He then discusses Jewish life after the war. According to Meyer, the community reopened the synagogue and it functioned until 1961. After the closure, the community rented an apartment to hold services. Meyer briefly mentions contemporary religious life.

15:41

Tsipora talks about her life before the war. Her family kept geese. She then talks about food customs, including recipes, as well as holiday celebrations. She then describes the Jewish colony in her home village. Tsipora lists the different agricultural products they grew, as well as addresses religious life with Rabbi Chaim Silverman and kosher butcher Hershl. Tsipora and Meyer recall chalutsim (early pioneers to Israel).

0:00

Semyon talks about prewar religious life, in particular his religious education at a cheder. Semyon attended cheder, before going to a Romanian school. He also addresses Sabbath celebration at home.

4:14

Semyon speaks about prewar religious life, particuarly a kosher butcher.

28:17

Kalussky sings a Yiddish song about Simkhat Torah. He then speaks about prewar religious life. Kalussky explains the difference between a melamed (teacher at a cheder) and the "doyne moyre" (instructor who teaches Yiddish writing and singing).

23:14

Goldberg speaks about religious life before the war. She recalls that the community hired a cantor to come to Călărași. She then remembers Simkhat Torah and Hanukkah celebrations, as well as addresses other holidays.

45:02

Goldberg talks about postwar religious life during Soviet times. She recalls religious persecution and secret services. Goldberg maintains that people would meet in Chişinău on holidays. She then speaks about her family and then recalls someone who converted to Christianity.

48:28

Goldberg discusses her family's observance and prewar occupational structure. She then speaks about life today.

57:50

Goldberg talks about prewar Jewish life and recalls the custom "shlugn kapores" on Yom Kippur. She then discusses her childhood and religious life after the war.

31:31

Roif speaks about his life in the Dubyna forced labor camp between 1942 and 1944. He describes religious life and his bar mitzvah in the camp. Roif mentions that he visited the camp and addresses memorialization.

53:00

Roif speaks about religious life after World War II. In particular, he addresses food customs for Passover celebrations within his family.

35:53

Farber addresses prewar religious life in Vertiujeni, as well as his family's life before the war.

12:31

Shmid talks about prewar life in her home village. She recalls a local who converted to Christianity. Shmid also describes prewar religious life in the village. She explains that religious infrastructure existed in a neighboring village.

12:43

Shpitalnik speaks about Jewish life in Chişinău before the war. She mentions Judah Leib Zirelson, the chief rabbi of Chişinău.

15:43

Shpitalnik speaks about her school education at a Romanian school before the war. She remembers how Jewish students were given lessons by a religious teacher. She then speaks about prewar religious life and local rebbes, before answering questions about cultural terminology.

38:59

Shpitalnik talks about postwar religious life. She states that the only synagogue was closed down in the 1960s. She also addresses traditional weddings with performers. Shpitalnik then speaks about prewar Jewish occupational structure in Chişinău, particularly doctors and teachers.

11:39

Mester speaks about prewar religious life. She describes how her mother visited the Rîbnița rebbe regularly.

14:32

Mester speaks about religious customs in her family. She also describes how her mother koshered meat, as well as threw a piece of challah into the oven.

21:13

Mester talks about prewar religious life Stolniceni and recalls her father's prayer books at home. She mentions how men would rent a house to hold services once a week. She then speaks about holiday celebration, including Simchat Torah and Purim. Mester recalls music performances on Purim.

30:19

Tkach addresses her family's obervance and then recalls Passover celebrations at home. She also speaks about holiday food customs. Tkach then speaks about her family. Tkach's mother was a homemaker and her father played several instruments.

9:23

Abelsky talks about religious customs, particularly seeing a rebbe for advice.

12:44

Abelsky addresses contemporary Jewish life. He then speaks about prewar religious life in Moscow, as well as addresses his childhood memories, including holiday celebrations. Abelsky describes how his family celebrated Sukkot in secrecy.

18:05

Abelsky talks about religious figures during the Soviet period.

20:38

Abelsky shares episodes regarding intra-communal conflicts during prewar religious life, when his grandfather was the chief Hasidic rabbi. He then shares anecdotes about prewar Hasidic life from his grandfather.

56:19

The team concludes the formal part of the interview with Abelsky. He also addresses religious customs.

0:00

Abelsky addresses Lubavitch-Chabad religious customs. The team then concludes the interview with Abelsky and the camera collects footage of the synagogue.

3:07

The camera cuts to the interview with Shpitalnik. She addresses contemporary Yiddish cultural life, as well as the library's Yiddish book collection. Shpitalnik then speaks about contemporary religious groups in Chişinău.

19:59

Lipovetskiy speaks about his return to home to Bessarabia in 1944. He then addresses prewar religious life, including synagogue structure. He describes how the cook's synagogue offered meals and gave out food on Passover. He then recalls the rabbi of this synagogue and his visits to the talmud torah school.

25:40

Lipovetskiy talks about his education at the talmud torah school. He then speaks about postwar religious life and the restoration of the former bookbinder's/glazier's synagogue. Lipovetskiy also addresses local emigration.

33:00

Lipovetskiy speaks about his life and work as school teacher after the war. He then discusses contemporary religious life and his family, before talking about his life today.

14:06

Kishlyansky discusses his childhood memories of Jewish Briceni. He speaks about prewar religious life, prayer customs and his family's observance. In particular, he addresses Sabbath celebrations at home.

24:29

Roif addresses prewar religious life, particularly how her family sent flour to the Ştefăneşti community for matzo baking. She also touches upon Jewish and non-Jewish relations before the war. Roif then talks about the Ştefăneşti rebbe.

22:00

Gordin speaks about prewar religious life. He states that the local synagogue was also functioning after the war. Gordin attended a Russian school. He also describes his Yiddish-language education by Itsik Lander, which lasted two weeks. Gordin then addresses prewar religious life, including holiday food customs.

27:30

Sherman addresses prewar Yiddish cultural life, particularly local drama circles. He also recalls performances by Sidi Tal. Sherman then talks about prewar religious life, particularly the synagogue structure in Telenești. Sherman also describes how he went to see a cantor in Orhei during his secondary education.

31:34

Sherman speaks about prewar religious life, specifically Hasidism. He recalls how his mother went to see a rebbe to get blessing for her home. He

35:10

Sherman addresses his father's observance and prayer customs.

12:00

Sherman discusses religious discourse.

32:47

Diner addresses prewar holiday celebration, including Purim and Passover. She also talks about her family and recalls her grandfather's observance. Diner then discusses her childhood memories and shares an episode from a non-Jewish holiday celebration, for which her mother sewed costumes. Diner then shares more stories about her interaction with her grandfather.

8:36

Diner briefly sings "Itsik hot shoyn khasene gehat" (Itzik already got married). She then speaks about prewar Jewish life in Fălești, including occupational structure, drinking customs and religious institutions. Diner also recalls a Russian doctor who treated patients for free.

22:37

Diner speaks about Jewish life before the war and recalls the local village idiot. She then talks about local figures and mentions religious customs.

47:37

Mitlaeva addresses prewar religious life and describes how her mother went to see a rebbe for advice in the 1920s. She then addresses folk and healing customs, before addressing prewar Passover celebrations; including how to kasher dishes. In particular, Mitlaeva recalls how her mother practiced healing customs.

38:48

Mitlaeva talks about prewar religious customs and synagogue services. She also touches upon Sabbath celebrations and remembers family friends before the war.

19:36

Mitlaeva addresses postwar, as well as prewar, religious life in Chișinău. She also addresses antisemitism.

8:20

Muchnik discusses her childhood memories, as well as prewar holiday celebrations at home. She points out her father's observance and mentions that her parents were killed in Orhei during World War II. She then speaks about her family. Muchnik's older brother moved to Eretz Yisrael in 1930 and returned for his younger brother in 1935. She also touches upon childhood games.

27:10

Muchnik addresses religious customs at home. She points out the different prayer customs between herself and her father. She then recites the morning prayer "Modeh ani" and recalls prewar Passover celebrations at home.

30:19

Muchnik speaks about prewar religious life and holiday celebration, particularly Sabbath, in Orhei. She describes how her parents invited soldiers on holidays and mentions the family's Sabbath goy.

40:46

Muchnik discusses her childhood memories of Simchat Torah celebrations at her grandfather's house. She also addresses prewar religious life and Hasidic locals. In particular, Muchnik recalls how her grandfather put visiting rebbes up.

16:01

Muchnik speaks about prewar religious life. She maintains that her father attended daily services at the market synagogue and the Great Synagogue on holidays. Muchnik remembers the cantor in the Great Synagogue. She then shares an episode about spending Rosh Hashana at a Romanian police officer's house.

39:12

Muchnik speaks about religious life today, including her visits to Orhei to visit her relatives' graves.

44:03

Muchnik discusses her childhood home and family's observance. In particular, she addresses the generational gap between her Hasidic grandfather and her non-Hasidic father.

53:02

Muchnik talks about her life today. She then answers questions about cultural terminology and discusses religious customs for women.

6:28

Muchnik talks about her life today, religious texts and religious customs.

10:26

Abelsky addresses religious, Hasidic, life in Moscow during the postwar Soviet period. He specifically describes the underground organizational structure.

48:06

Abelsky addresses his childhood in Moscow and his family. Abelsky's father was a kosher butcher. He also addresses prewar holiday celebration and describes underground religious life before the war. Abelsky then addresses contemporary religious life.

4:50

Abelsky distinguishes Hasidic and Mitnagdic customs and mentions several traditions that were originally started by Rabbi Baal HaTanya. Abelsky then speaks about Purim celebrations.

9:36

Abelsky addresses contemporary religious life and characteristics of today's generation. Abelsky also speaks about religious discourse.

19:46

Abelsky chants a contemporary Hasidic nigun, before he talks about contemporary Hasidic religious customs.

14:07

Goldman addresses prewar holiday celebration at home, particularly Passover and Sukkot. He also addresses prewar religious life and his mother's holiday cooking.

28:19

Goldman speaks about her family. In particular, she addresses her father's observance and artifacts. She also talks about a contemporary Jewish museum in Chişinău. Goldman then provides more information on the professional school.

38:05

Goldman remembers holiday celebration and food customs, including Sabbath. She points out the difficulties to observe holidays during the postwar Soviet era.

41:09

Goldman addresses contemporary religious life, before she talks about her work as tailor. Goldman's brother published a book.

44:07

Goldman addresses prewar religious customs and Passover celebrations. She also addresses prewar religious life.

54:30

Goldman answers questions about cultural terminology. She then addresses her father's observance, as well as her reading preferences. Goldman also lists Yiddish writers.

17:03

Benderskij addresses prewar Jewish life in Nisporeni. According to him there were two synagogues and approximately four hundred people lived there. Benderskij also addresses his grandfather's observance. Benderskij worked as economist and Benderskaia was an accountant.

18:58

Benderskij talks about his family. They talk about their return home and mention that they gave their family members a proper burial in 1946. They then return to prewar religious life in Nisporeni.

47:31

Benderskij addresses prewar religious life and describes how his grandfather frequently visited a rebbe in Chişinău.

16:37

Dajch addresses her childhood memories and education. She attended a Romanian school, starting at the age of six. Dajch then speaks about her mother's observance and describes religious customs at home.

19:29

Dajch talks about prewar celebrations of Yom Kippur. She describes how her mother practiced the ceremony for repentance ("shlogn kapores"). She then speaks about her life, including work in the city hall, before the war.

22:44

Dajch discusses her childhood memories of games. She also speaks about her family's observance and addresses her mother's cooking. In particular, Dajch remembers Yom Kippur celebrations.

44:20

Dajch speaks about her family, particularly her mother's observance. She also mentions how her mother married off successfully her daughters. She then speaks about life before the war and non-Jews who spoke Yiddish.

7:34

Rotner speaks about her life and education before the war. She attended a Romanian secondary school and studied at a religious school (cheder) beforehand. She also addresses the relationship between Jews and Christians. Rotner then recalls prewar religious life and observance within her family.

49:41

Manevich briefly talks about her life during World War II, before addressing her family. She also touches upon religious customs.

55:06

Manevich answers dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish linguistic questionnaire. She also speaks about contemporary religious life and talks about Jewish life in Birobidzhan.

25:23

Fershtman speaks about prewar holiday celebration at home. He again addresses his education at the Yiddish school and also talks about prewar religious life. Fershtman mentions his relative Berl Fershtman, a local Yiddish writer.

13:57

Rojtman discusses her childhood memories and recalls her friends. She then addresses prewar cultural life, as well as her private religious education. Rojtman also speaks about her family's observance and prewar holiday celebration, particularly Passover, at home.

35:35

Rojtman talks about prewar high holiday celebration, before addressing Sukkot and Sabbath celebrations. She explains how her friends frequently came to her house on Sabbath. Rojtman also describes her mother's cooking and dishes for Sabbath. She then addresses religious customs.

41:22

Rojtman speaks about prewar religious life. She then speaks about daily life in Vadul Raşcov. Rojtman then addresses prewar folk and healing customs, as well as describes a local Romanian healer.

47:50

Rojtman answers questions about food and cultural terminology. She also addresses prewar religious life and describes locals.

5:44

Yaruskaya speaks about her life and childhood home before the war. She recalls poverty and describes her grandparent's observance. Yaruskaya then talks about prewar Jewish life and recalls non-Jews who spoke Yiddish.

48:30

Yaruskaya talks about contemporary religious life, before discussing different periods of her life. She then talks about her family.

49:55

Yaruskaya speaks about her life after the war. She was trained as motor-mechanic, but worked as conductor and dispatcher in a bus terminal for thirty-six years. She then talks about her family and contemporary religious customs.

43:15

Shmid talks about her life after World War II. She then describes her traditional wedding before the war. Shmid then talks about her family's life and holiday celebration before the war. Shmid particularly points to her parents' observance. She also addresses again how the community hired a cantor on the High Holidays, who performed in the local mill. She explains how a room in the mill was turned into the prayer room.

0:00

Shmid answers questions about cultural terminology and also addresses prewar religious life. She then speaks about her life before the war.

45:52

Gordin talks about prewar religious life in Florești. He then addresses his return to Florești after the war. He was married in 1965 and raised a son, who lives in Israel. Gordin then talks about his family.

38:12

Leibelman discusses her childhood memories. She played with Jewish and non-Jewish friends. Leibelman recalls how her family would not allow her to play with non-Jewish children in the neighboring village. She then talks about food customs for holiday celebrations, before she addresses her mother’s observance and story-telling from the Tkhine (Yiddish-language prayer book) on Sabbath. Her family bought the kosher meat in Rezina. Her mother was a seamstress.

34:31

Kleyman discusses her childhood memories and prewar religious life in Starye Karkushany. According to her, there were forty Jewish families out of four hundred inhabitants. She then talks about religious service with rabbis from surrounding cities. Kleyman then talks about contemporary holiday celebration. She visited Chernivtsi for Sukkot celebrations. Kleyman briefly describes prewar holiday celebrations at home and talks about life today.

0:00

Raisa talks about life today and her husband’s accordion playing at non-Jewish weddings. They then discuss Yiddish songs and talk about religious life today. She mentions her son’s wedding with a canopy in Lipcani. The rabbi came from Bricani.

55:02

Akkerman talks about her family. Her son’s children live in Israel. She then talks life before the war, including non-Jews who spoke Yiddish and a prewar Yiddish newspaper, published in Edinet. She also addresses religious life and food customs.

42:34

Mundrian answers questions about cultural terminology and talks about prewar religious life. Mundrian then talks about food customs at home, before addressing traditional healing methods. Mundrian shares episodes when her mother took relatives to a local healer. Mundrian continues to answer questions about cultural terminology.

11:28

Kigel discusses holiday celebration, in particular Sabbath. She also talks about prewar religoius life and synagogues. She then talks about Purim celebrations and sings a Purim shpiel.

50:37

Kigel sings a Purim shpiel, she remembers from her childhood, as well as sings again the lullaby. She then talks about contemporary religious life.

0:00

Rapoport, the president of the Jewish community in Orhei, provides information about the history of the community. The majority, roughly seventy percent, of the population was Jewish before the war. He addresses prewar religous life and mentions figures from the Orhei. Rapoport then talks about contemporary religious life.

12:17

Rapoport talks about religious life post-Soviet Moldova. Then the camera collects footage of the synagogue. Outside, Rapoport gives a tour of the former Jewish neighborhood. Rapoport worked as a regional economic planner. The team then concludes the interview and the camera collects outside footage of the synagogue.

37:51

Sharhorodskij talks about his family, particularly his sister. He also mentions again his German literature teacher and addresses his parents' observance.

45:26

Sharhorodskij discusses his childhood memories and holiday celebration. He then speaks about postwar religious life, particularly the Rîbniţa rebbe, Chaim Zanvl Abramowitz. He mentions the rebbe's work as kosher butcher in postwar Rîbniţa. Sharhorodskij also recalls the rebbe from the Rîbniţa ghetto and how he went to forced labor services. Sharhorodskij then describes secret services with the Rîbniţa rebbe in the ghetto, as well as the rebbe's bathing in winter after the war.

54:59

Sharhorodskij speaks about Rabbi Yosef Ber and his deportation. He then speaks about prewar cultural life and his family, in particular his observant sister.

4:01

Sharhorodskij addresses traditional weddings and postwar religiosity. He then recalls the Rîbniţa rebbe's charity and speaks about contemporary Jewish life.

6:05

Kotliar talks about holiday celebration, including Passover, at home before the war. She also mentions her parents' observance. Kotliar then speaks about food customs and her life before the war. Her family owned animals.

20:57

Kotliar speaks about prewar religious life and then the her mother-in-law's encounter with the Rîbniţa rebbe. Kotliar then speaks about the Rîbniţa rebbe, including his bathing during winter in the nearby town Rezina; where she worked after the war. She also recalls the rebbe's work as kosher butcher.

31:45

Kotliar speaks about reading and writing Yiddish and then prewar cultural life, including Yiddish theater performances. Kotliar then addresses postwar religious life and recalls how the Rîbniţa rebbe knocked on her family's door to invite for services. Kotliar then addresses different regional groups.

54:40

Kotliar talks about her family. She raised a son. Kotliar's father taught her how to dance. She then speaks about postwar religious life, particularly the Rîbniţa rebbe, as well as her childhood memories. Kotliar also mentions her family.

9:01

Boiarskaia addresses her childhood memories, including her observant home. She states that her father had a Torah ark at home. According to her, five Jewish families lived in Ţîbuleuca and her father held secret services. Boiarskaia then explains how local Jews would join the neighboring community near Goian (former Jewish town Yergolik 11:15, Yiddish: Irnik) to celebrate holidays.

41:41

Boiarskaia speaks about her life during the war, when confined to the Vastavka ghetto. She also addresses religious life during this period.

45:12

Boiarskaia speaks about her return to Rîbniţa in 1944. She then speaks about Yiddish literature and postwar religious life, led by the Rîbniţa rebbe.

8:31

Magetman talks about her school education and prewar religious life. Specifically, she talks about how her parents attended synagogue services with Rabbi Zukerman. Magetman attended a Romanian school before the war and a Soviet Russian school after the war.

10:44

Magetman discusses religious customs at home before the war and her family. She recalls Sabbath celebrations.

22:26

Plotnik talks about prewar religious life, in particular Rabbi Shternberg. She explains how her father often quarreled with the rabbi.

25:29

Rolshut talks about prewar religious life, in particlar local rabbis. She then talks about her religious education. Her parents hired a female private tutor.

46:13

Rolshut talks about prewar religious life, in particular synagogues. She remembers an older woman who would pray at the moon.

48:29

Rolshut talks about praying traditions. She recalls her mother "shlogn kapores" (a ceremony for repentance).

59:03

Rolshut talks about prewar Jewish life, specifically the local bathhouse and mikhvah.

25:45

Mirenburg discusses prewar religious life in her hometown Sguritzy, including visits to the Ştefăneşti rebbe. She also addresses blessings and talks about folk customs.

46:06

Roif sings a Yiddish song about daily ordinary life, she heard in the ? ghetto. She also addresses life in the ? ghetto underground religious activity. The second Yiddish song, Roif learned in the ghetto, talks about violence and living conditions in the ghetto.

3:27

Plotnik talks about prewar Jewish life in Dumbraveno and her family. She also addresses contemporary religious life. In particular, she talks about life after her father passed away in 1934. Her sister attended school in Soroca.

51:21

Plotnik talks about Jewish life before the war, as well as addresses traditional weddings and religious institutions. She remembers how her mother would not allow her hang around weddings.

54:00

Plotnik mentions prayers and religious customs. She then talks about life today and sings a different version of the well-known Yiddish song "Tumbalalaika."

38:01

R. addresses reading Yiddish literature after the war, before talking about prewar religious life in Soroca. She mentions different synagogues, including the cobbler, tailor, carpenter and Great Synagogue. According to R., only the Great Synagogue remained after the war.

18:02

Nusbrokh discusses his childhood memories and prewar religious life. He also addresses contemporary religious life and rebuilding the synagogue in Soroca.

21:55

Nusbrokh talks about prewar religious and communal life in Zguriţa.

45:58

Nusbrokh talks about contemporary religious life, in comparison with prewar religious life. He then addresses the population structure of Zguriţa. According to Nusbrokh, eighty percent of the town's population was Jewish.

53:55

Nusbrokh answers questions about dialectology from the AHEYM Yiddish questionnaire. He also addresses contemporary religious life.

56:21

Nusbrokh talks about prewar and postwar religious life. He recalls how people rented an apartment for private services. He then talks about contemporary Jewish life.

22:04

Milevskaya talks about her grandparents' observance and remembers her grandmother's cooking. She also addresses holiday celebration.

18:23

Dunaevskij talks about prewar religious life in Ştefăneşti and his family. He recalls how he learned prayers in cheder.

28:10

Dunaevskij talks about his family, particularly addressing his father's observance. He remembers snippets from Purim shpiels.

57:58

Dunaevskij talks about postwar religious life in privately rented spaces.

8:11

Klichinskaia talks about her family and holiday celebration, in particular Passover. She also addresses prewar religious life and occupational structure in Tighina.

8:03

Goldshteyn talks about preware religious life, in particular his bar mitzvah. They then answer questions about cultural terminology, specifically "a guter yid" (a good Jew).

42:43

Meir speaks about traditional weddings and also addresses food customs. He describes how observant Jews prepared cholent before the war.

45:05

David talks about his family, in particular his father's observance. He also talks about contemporary religious life and Sabbath celebrations, including food customs, at home before the war.

6:38

David speaks about prewar religious life, in particular Rebbe Burshtein and Hasidism.

12:27

David talks about prewar Jewish life, including synagogues and mikvas. He then addresses contemporary religious life.

12:03

Finkel speaks about prewar religious life in Suliţa. According to her, three hundred Jewish families lived there. She then addresses holiday celebration.

31:13

Finkel speaks about prewar religious life. She recalls that her father went to see the Ştefăneşti rebbe.

18:16

Brief talks about prewar religious life. He recalls how his father attended synagogue services.

3:14

Brief talks about his family, in particular his parents. He also addresses Sabbath celebrations at home and religious life after the war.

0:44

Brief's son provides historical background of the synagogue. It was built some time between 1835 and 1840. He also addresses prewar religious life and contemporary services during holidays.

55:46

Cohn talks about prewar religious life. He remembers how the community hired the rabbi of Sighetu Marmației, after the local rabbi passed away. He then answers questions about cultural terminology.

48:56

Burg explains the concept "parsha" (Weekly Torah Portion). The team then concludes the interview with Burg.

12:41

Grunfeld speaks about his grandparents and their observance. He then talks about his education. He attended a Romanian school in Bukarest, after being a student at a religious school (cheder). According to Grunfeld, he spent three years in cheder in Zău Mureș and one year at a Talmud Torah school in Cluj-Napoca.

44:08

Grunfeld answers questions about cultural terminology. He also addresses religious observance and recalls people talking about the Ştefăneşti and Vizhnitzer rebbes. Grunfeld also states that his uncle was part of the Satmarer Hasidim.

59:42

Grunfeld speaks about prewar Jewish and non-Jewish relations before and after the war. He then talks about Romanian attitudes during the war. He also briefly addresses Hasidism and contemporary religious life.

10:06

Hershkovich talks prewar religious life. He recalls how people from the surrounding communities came together for services in Bogota de Sus. He also describes professional life.

46:30

Hershkovich speaks about prewar Jewish life, specifically different religious groups, in Dej and Cluj.

59:55

Hershkovich explains different religious practices. He then answers questions about cultural terminology.

24:02

Grunfeld speaks about traditional weddings and food customs. He then turns to different religious groups before the war.

27:41

Freundlich talks about prewar religious life in Satu Mare. She then talks about her education. Freundlich attended a Hungarian school for ten years. She also received religious education from the brother of the chief rabbi of Budapest (after the war).

43:26

Freundlich discusses her childhood memories in an observant home. She also addresses prewar Jewish life, including kosher butchers. She then explains how to kosher meat. She then recites the prayer "Got fun Avrum."

0:00

Freundlich speaks about her family and postwar Jewish life in Cluj-Napoca and surrounding communities. In particular, she addresses different religious authorities before and after the war.

3:54

Hershkovich talks about prewar religious life in Bogata de Sus. He then speaks about his education. He attended a religious school (cheder) in Bogata and then a yeshiva in Dej.

10:14

Freundlich discusses prewar religious life and the activities of her family.

32:04

Freundlich talks about traditional dances. She then speaks about her family, in particular her grandfather's observant life.

35:01

Freundlich answers questions about cultural terminology and mentions prewar religious family life.

43:57

Freundlich answers questions about cultural terminology and talks about prewar religious life, as well as shares religious anecdotes.

53:49

Freundlich speaks about the prewar religious tradition for women.

8:39

Freundlich answers questions about cultural terminology and talks about prewar religious life.

54:49

Kraus sings a Sabbath song (zemira). Grunfeld then recalls what his grandfather would sing on Sabbath. They then speak about religious life in the 1980s and 90s.

7:41

Kraus recites a prayer and Grunfeld speaks about life today. He then briefly talks about prewar religious life.

12:13

Miller talks about his family and discusses his childhood memories of an observant home. His father was born in Hanychi, Ukraine. He describes his father's appearance as Vizhnitzer hasid. Miller grew up with three sisters and two brothers.

31:25

Miller speaks about his father's observance as Vizhnitzer hasid.

36:56

Miller talks about prewar religious life and the fate of religious authorities in World War II. Miller maintains that Rebbe Alpershtein of Cluj was brought to America from Auschwitz by Dwight D. Eisenhower. Miller then addresses Alpershtein's inheritance that remained in Israel.

39:09

Meir addresses prewar religious life in Dorohoi, including synagogues. He then talks about his family. He got married in 1951 and raised two son, who live in Israel and Iaşi. Meir maintains that his sons were circumcised by a local mohel. Meir then addresses postwar Jewish life in Dorohoi.

41:41

Isidor shares a prewar religious anecdote. He then addresses prewar Jewish life and contemporary Jewish life in Dorohoi.

19:14

Shaia answers questions about cultural terminology and dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish linguistic questionnaire. He also addresses prewar Purim celebrations and religious life in Dorohoi.

50:33

Isidor addresses postwar religious life and his religious education at a cheder for three years in the early 1950s in Dorohoi. Isidor also studied with a Hebraica professor. Isidor then explains how the community would gather at his home for religious services.

28:10

Gimberg speaks about her mother's observance and family. She raised a son, who lives in Satu Mare. Gimberg states that her son and grandson are circumcised and her daughter-in-law is not Jewish. She then addresses contemporary Jewish life in Satu Mare.

42:08

Gimberg speaks about postwar religious life. She explains how she attended services at her grandfather's synagogue up to the 1960s. She also talks about her work as teacher.

49:15

Lipovici answers questions about cultural terminology and talks about contemporary religious life.

3:26

Lipovici speaks about religious customs.

9:27

Isidor shares an episode about an encounter between the Kolomyya Rabbi and himself, his mother arranged in the late 1940s. He explains how the rov blessed a coin. He then explains how his school education was affected after the visit.

35:13

Hirsch mentions a pogrom in Dorohoi after the war. He then addresses prewar religious life in Luduș. He also mentions the local cemetery.

10:38

Hirsch talks about postwar religious life in Dej during the Soviet period. He recalls how party members checked services. According to Hirsch, the Great Synagogue was active until 1990.

0:00

Chajim speaks about his family and life today. He also mentions anecdotes about religious life.

26:24

Chajim speaks about his family's observance during his childhood. He also addresses holiday food customs.

30:21

Chajim discusses his childhood memories, including education. He also briefly returns to his work as forced laborer and then speaks about his family's observance.

35:52

Chajim addresses his life before the war in Podu Iloaiei. He also speaks about his life during World War II, before addressing prewar religious life, including synagogues in Podu Iloaiei.

42:31

Chajim talks about prewar Sabbath celebrations, before mentioning friends, who attended his wedding. He then refers to religious life today, including a prayer for Yom Kippur.

57:49

Chajim speaks about religious customs he observes and mentions his family's hanukia.

6:18

Chajim briefly addresses his wedding and life today. He then speaks about religious customs and prayer.

0:00

The camera collects footage of the synagogue and chats with Abramovich about the prewar religious life. He also provides personal information.

18:49

Shifra joins the conversation. Abramovich then speaks about prewar religious life and his religious school (cheder) education.

21:43

Abramovich speaks about his family and observance.

58:48

Chajim provides personal information and speaks about observance. He got married in Hîrlău.

46:40

Finkelshteyn speaks about his life after the war. He worked for the railway. Finkelshteyn then speaks about religiosity and shares an episode from his journey to Podu Iloaiei.

51:38

Finkelshteyn talks about prewar religious life, particularly the local bath house and synagogues. He then describes Sabbath celebrations with the local rebbe.

9:54

The formal interview with Karuel begins. He provides personal information and speaks about his family. Karuel's father was born in Podu Iloaiei and worked as cobbler. His mother was born in Ştefăneşti. Karuel also touches upon prewar religious life in Podu Iloaiei. Karuel grew up as an only child.

45:42

Karuel speaks about contemporary religious life and prewar Hasidic life.

52:27

Karuel talks about his life after the war and addresses his observance.

31:01

Resh speaks about prewar press and cultural life. He then addresses prewar religious life and answers questions about cultural terminology.

24:26

Resh speaks about contemporary Jewish, as well as religious life in Iaşi. He also mentions the local cemetery.

4:38

Shtaigman speaks about contemporary Jewish and religious life in Iaşi. He also speaks about his family, including his parents-in-law.

22:38

Shtaigman talks about postwar religious life in Rădăuţi, specifically active synagogues. He also speaks about his family, as well as a contemporary film project about the Jews of Rădăuţi.

22:23

Shvartz speaks about prewar religious life in Bîrlad, including important local figures and institutions. He briefly addresses contemporary Jewish life in Bîrlad and answers questions about cultural terminology. Shvartz recalls how Jews and non-Jews would attend the local Jewish bathhouse.

39:06

Shvartz speaks about Jewish life after the war, as well as contemporary religious life in Iaşi. Shvartz is the synagogue caretaker.

7:26

Kaizerman talks about his family, particularly his father's observance. He then discusses his observance after the war during military service. Kaizerman states that he attended services in uniform on holidays.

8:29

Kaizerman speaks about prewar Jewish and religious life, as well as poverty in Iaşi. Kaizerman recalls unemployment on the street he lived on. According to Kaizerman, more than half of the population was Jewish. He also remembers local rebbes.

31:26

Kaizerman speaks about Hanukkah celebrations, before addressing prewar religious life.

34:15

Kaizerman talks about prewar Jewish life and foodways. He then speaks about healing and religious customs.

46:32

Chirilau speaks about prewar religious life, in particular religious authorities. She then addresses geography and prewar buildings in Mihăileni.

43:32

Chirilau addresses prewar religious life, in particular a local tsadik. She then tells an episode about her father going to Chernivtsi and visiting a rebbe for advice to solve a fight.

27:49

Leichtner talks about his education and work as kosher butcher. He then talks about traditional weddings and religious customs before the war.

0:00

Leichtner speaks about writing letters in Yiddish, before he addresses prewar religious life.

4:04

Leichtner speaks about folk and healing customs to avert the evil eye. He then answers questions about cultural terminology and addresses prewar religious customs. He recalls how his father would visit with him the local rebbe.

13:50

Leichtner describes how his mother koshered meat. He then speaks about his family and observance, as well as holiday celebration.

3:51

Shwartz discusses his childhood memories, including his education at a religious school (cheder) and prewar religious life in his hometown. Shwartz's father passed away when he was thirteen years old. He states that he entered a yeshiva at thirteen in Mikhailvolva 6:13.

3:50

Freundlich speaks about his family, in particular his father, a Vizhnitzer hasid. He shares an episode when his father visited the the Vizhnitzer rebbe. He then addresses religious customs.

3:50

Freundlich speaks about his family, in particular his father, a Vizhnitzer hasid. He shares an episode when his father visited the the Vizhnitzer rebbe. He then addresses religious customs.

26:55

Macarie discusser her childhood memories and mentions her father's observance. She then speaks about her family.

47:19

Mezei speaks about her life before the war and shares an episode about her grandmother's observance. Mezei then talks about the literature she read before the war.

21:23

Grinberg talks about prewar religious life in Fălticeni.

29:29

Grinberg speaks Passover celebrations at home and her family. She also addresses prewar religious life.

10:23

Grinberg speaks about religious customs. She then answers dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish linguistic questionnaire.

47:54

Cojocaru speaks about Jewish life and custom during the postwar Soviet era.

4:31

Marcus speaks about Jewish life in Săveni after the war, including his childhood memories. He attended a Romanian school. Marcus states that five synagogues were active after the war. He also addresses postwar religious and cultural life. Marcus also describes his religious education.

14:18

Marcus speaks about Passover celebrations. He recalls matzo baking. He then remembers how he visited the Ştefăneşti rebbe's grave when he was ten years old. Marcus also speaks about his family, particularly his mother's observance. He grew up with one brother.

18:39

Marcus speaks about postwar religious life. He then speaks about his traditional wedding in Botoșani and recalls other traditional weddings.

35:34

Marcus speaks about the occupational structure in Săveni, including prewar synagogues. Marcus also addresses postware religious life and food customs and recalls Jewish drunks and someone who collaborated with the Germans during the war.

40:12

Salamon addresses prewar holiday celebration, including Passover at her grandfather's house. She then shares a family episode about her grandmother's observance.

28:09

Salamon speaks about her contemporary religious customs and holiday celebration. Salamon then addresses aliyah and mentions her visit to Israel, where she has relatives. Salamon also visited her relatives in Canada.

32:35

Salamon speaks about the contemporary Jewish community, as well as prewar and postwar religious life. Salamon recalls how the community hired a cantor for the Great Synagogue on holidays and her father would stop praying in order to listen to him.

41:52

Salamon answers questions about cultural terminology and speaks about contemporary religious life.

37:28

Kurtsberg discusses his childhood memories before the war, as well as his family's observance. He then speaks about prewar Passover celebrations at home.

22:42

Kurtsberg talks about prewar religious life, as well as the Siret cemeteries. The team then shows Kurtsberg how Iosif Kogan sings (see Tulchyn MDV 709,710,711,717,719,725,726).

55:28

Kurtsberg addresses Yiddish literature. Kurtsberg then speaks about his religious customs today, particularly yahrzeit and visiting the local cemetery. Kurtsberg also mentions contemporary hasidic visitors.

0:00

Kurtsberg speaks about contemporary religious customs of Christians, who pray at the Rădăuţi synagogue.

15:29

Petraru speaks about contemporary religious life and his activities as the head of the Suceava community.

26:52

Petraru speaks about the local cemetery and addresses prewar religious life.

37:36

The team enters with Mehler the Vatra Dornei synagogue. The camera then collects footage, while Mehler speaks about contemporary religious life and the relationship between Jews and non-Jews.

56:52

Mehler speaks about her family and religious customs.

7:10

Bercovici addresses folk and religious customs and talks about her education. She attended a Romanian secondary school in Chernivtsi and the pedogagical institute at the Iaşi university. Bercovici worked as high school teacher for seventeen years and then at a local bank until retirement.

21:30

Galambos speaks about prewar religious life, in particular yeshivot in the neighboring villages, such as Nyírmada, Vásárosnamény and Ópályi.

33:37

Galambos speaks about religious and food customs, particularly challah. He then answers questions about cultural terminology.

28:10

Weinberger recites a snippet of Purim shpiel, he recalls from cheder. He then addresses prewar religious life and education, as well as folk customs.

41:22

Weinberger addresses prewar cultural performances in Stropkov. He then talks about the best moments with his family on Sabbath during his childhood. Weinberger recalls how he walked with his family to a mikhvah on Sabbath. He then addresses food customs on Sabbath, including wine.

55:25

Weinberger speaks about his family and observance. He then answers dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish linguistic questionnaire.

27:43

Chaimović talks about his education. After he finished his school education in Prešov after three years, he attended a yeshiva in Hanušovce . He then addresses prewar religious life in Prešov. According to Chaimović, approximately 6,000 Jews lived there.

33:47

Chaimović recalls how his mother read from the tsene rene. He then speaks about his yeshiva education in Hanušovce and answers questions about religious terminology.

38:49

Chaimović talks about religious life before the war in Hanušovce nad Topľou. He recalls how members from the surrounding villages would get together for services in Hanušovce, Bystrý, Vyšný Žipov and Sol' for instance.

10:02

Steiner speaks about contemporary communities in Košice and the region, as well as religious life. He also addresses his teachings and regional geography.

57:37

Pivnik answers questions about cultural terminology. She then briefly discusses prewar religious customs and life in Birobidzhan.

0:00

Epelman talks about prewar Jewish life, in particular weddings. Epelman then talks about postwar religious life. He then talks about his family. He raised two children. Epelman recalls celebrations of Yom Kippur at his grandfather’s, who would tell stories. He also recalls his grandfather praying.

6:41

Miaskovskaia speaks about her family, in particular her grandfather's observance. Miaskovskaia also sings a Yiddish song about an old couple, she remembers from her grandmother. Miaskovskaia raised a daughter and a son, who lives in Germany. Miaskovskaia also speaks about her visits to Germany. Miaskovskaia's father worked as forwarding agent (экспедитор) at a warehouse. Her parents kept pigs, a cow, chickens and ducks. Miaskovskaia mentions that she also kept pigs until five years ago.

22:48

Miaskovskaia talks about contemporary Jewish life in Balta, before speaking about her life after the war. In particular, she recalls her mother-in-law's baking and addresses postwar religious life.

5:10

Life after the war. After the war, Guzman worked as an accountant. The Jews of Tomashpil were still practicing after the war, and the synagogue was rebuilt some time in the 1940s (?),

18:45

ife before the war. Kazakevich does not remember much of her life before the war. Her father used to attend the only synagogue in Lityn. There were a lot of Jews in Lityn, all of whom she says were killed. Kazakevich has only vague memories of Jewish practice, her father’s praying, and other accoutrement of Jewish religious life. There was a Rabbi in Lityn.

58:15

Family. Her mother was born in Lubenets, and spoke with her in Yiddish. Many of the other people in the Ural region did not speak Yiddish. Her mother was very religious, and many Jewish women came to their home for the Jewish holidays. Vaynman’s mother would pray together with these people. Her mother wanted to teach her how to pray, but Vaynman did not want to learn.

6:42

Religious life at home after the war

15:01

Passover celebrations and religious customs

45:18

The conversation turns to religious life and synagogues in prewar Bila Tserkva. She explains that one of the synagogues was turned into a Yiddish school. Zedelkovsky was the director of her school. The conversation turns to prewar holiday celebration and food customs, as well as about non-Jews who spoke Yiddish. She also remembers itinerant Yiddish theater troupes from Dnepropetrovsk. One actor frequently stayed at their apartment during season. They then briefly address the Yiddish newspaper "Der Shtern" (The Star), before they discuss the actor of the Moscow State Jewish theater Solomon Mikhoels.

7:12

She briefly mentions her evacuation to the Urals during the war, where she studied at a medical institute. She then talks about life after the war, before returning to discussing her family and life before the war. She finished her studies in Kyiv after the war. She grew up in a religious household.

9:34

Both discuss religious life after the war. They closed the synagogue in Bila Tsirkov in the 1950s. Sonya remembers how the police closed down the synagogue and boarded it up.

17:44

This is the beginning of the formal interview with Bublitskaia, born in Chişinău. She provides personal information, before talking about her family. She remembers religious activities among her family, especially with her grandparents. Her father Yankl worked as an accountant. She grew up with her brother Moyshe.

21:12

She discusses childhood memories, in particular her recollections of prewar religious life. She describes how visiting rabbis would come from neighboring countries and pray. She lived in Chişinău for fifty years.

26:57

Bublitskaia discusses prewar religious life, in particular holiday celebrations and food customs for Shabbat, and prayers.

45:43

Bublitskaia answers questions about religious terminology.

28:34

Berman talks about prewar Hasidism and lively religious life in Rivne, as well as about his parents. They were killed in Rivne during the German occupation. He remembers a number of cantors who would visit Rivne regularly like Yossele Rosenblatt.

37:01

Berman talks about prewar religious life in Bila Tserkva, which had at the time eighteen synagogues. Berman talks about the Rebbe of Skvyra. He then discusses the meaning of “shvartstime,” the Yiddish nickname for Bila Tserkva.

47:19

Berman provides information about Jewish buildings and streets, such as the former Great Synagogue in Bila Tserkva, which the team will visit with Berman’s son. He then provides information about religious life today in the Lubavitcher community. According to Berman, there were two Jewish streets and one street was called Peretz Street until World War II.

53:21

He discusses religious issues of today. After the war, Berman was asked by the rabbinate in Israel to fix up the graves from the Royver Rebbe and his followers at the cemetery of Bila Tserkva. He was a student of the Baal Shem Tov. Berman’s wife was able to help out because she remembered the location of the cemetery from her childhood as her father would pray in the same synagogue as the rebbe. The cemetery, however, was barricaded as part of a military zone, and he successfully asked a Soviet official for help. The military commander of Ukraine wrote an order that they were allowed to isolate the area around the graves of the tzaddik (righteous) and his followers. He and Meyer Gabai fixed up the grave for three months.

0:00

Episodes from his family’s in prewar Jewish religious life in Rîbniţa, Moldova

7:31

Prewar Jewish religious life in Orhei, Moldova

9:40

Isaak addresses his childhood memories of Jewish Berdychiv. He also speaks about his mother's observance. Isaak attended a Yiddish school for four years until 1938. He explains how he continued to study in the same building, which was turned into a Russian school.

25:03

Bella recalls her mother's recipe for gefilte fish and speaks about prewar Sabbath celebrations. According to Bella, her father worked on Sabbath, but not on Yom Kippur. Isaak and Bella then address prewar religious life, including synagogues and secret circumcision ceremonies, in Berdychiv. They then speak about their traditional wedding.

28:04

Bella speaks about her father's religious customs and praying. She also addresses his education, before Issak speaks about prewar holiday celebrations at home and his childhood memories. Bella and Isaak state that they had mezuzot (doorposts) at home and then describe their childhood memories when they lived across from each other in the same courtyard. Bella remembers how Isaak's mother borrowed money from her family.

35:49

Bella and Isaak answer questions about cultural terminology. They also briefly discuss prewar religious life with comments by Rabbi Breuer.

37:50

Prewar Jewish religious life

32:56

Bella and Isaak talk about their lives in the prewar Soviet period. They particularly address the generational gap between the older observant and the younger generations. Isaak addresses the difficulties to teach about Jewish history and religious under Soviet rule.

12:03

Skobilitskii talks about his cheder education. He then briefly talks about prewar religious life in Berdychiv, particularly remembering cantors visiting. According to Skobilitskii, the community collected money in order to invite a cantor from Kyiv for holiday celebrations after World War II. He then speaks about the synagogue building.

34:24

Skobilitskii addresses contemporary religious life, including Sabbath celebrations. He then returns to his Yiddish school education, including subjects.

24:01

Jewish holidays and religious customs

36:08

Skobilitskii speaks about his army service, as well as his family. In particular, he talks about his mother's observance and prewar religious life. Skobilitskii's maternal grandfather was a rabbi.

23:44

The team enters the synagogue with Skobilitskii. He describes prewar religious life in Berdychiv, as well as his career in the Red Army during World War II. Skobilitskii then gives a tour of the synagogue and provides historical background of the more than hundred-year old building.

30:16

Skobilitskii speaks about contemporary religious life, as well as religious education. He then speaks about the fate of local Jews in 1943. Skobilitskii then addresses his childhood, including education at a Yiddish school. He finished eight years.

47:56

Skobilitskii speaks about his family, particularly his father's observance. He also addresses his childhood memories, including education. Skobilitskii attended cheder for approximately four years.

12:07

Religious life today

23:31

Jewish religious life in Berdychiv today

19:59

Jewish religious life before and after the war

40:50

Jewish religious life before and after the war

1:14

Vainshelboim provides personal information and speaks about his family. He grew up with four siblings, two brothers and two sisters. His parents were also born in Berdychiv and his father worked as painter. He then recalls his grandmothers' observance during his childhood.

37:16

Vainshelboim addresses his childhood memories, including games. He also talks about prewar religious life, before briefly addressing his contemporary religious observance. He then talks about his family.

51:58

Vainshelboim speaks about prewar Jewish life and remembers locals in Berdychiv. He then addresses prewar religious life and speaks about his own observance.

57:11

Vainshelboim speaks about his family, particularly his wife. He was married in 1954. He raised two children and two of his grandsons live in Canada and Israel. Vainshelboim then speaks about contemporary religious life.

39:39

Religious life after the war

42:12

Religious customs at home and life before the war

46:05

School education and religious life after the war

10:31

Food customs on Jewish holidays and religious customs

50:09

Vanshelboim talks about prewar Jewish religious life and Soviet anti-religious persecution, before addressing contemporary religious life.

52:23

Vanshelboim answers questions about Jewish terminology, as well as contemporary Jewish religious life and charity. He also addresses his communal work in agriculture and involvement in the community.

1:11:30

Life before the war and faith

5:06

Religious customs

50:07

Weddings and religious life today. They then discuss weddings and religious life today. Hodinger frequently leads services.

6:43

Postwar religious life and family

12:00

* Religious customs and prewar holiday celebration

28:52

gute yidn and religious customs

33:53

Prewar religious life

9:45

Kozak speaks about prewar religious life in Bershad. She describes the local rabbi's family.

35:02

Kozak speaks about prewar Tisha B'Av celebrations and answers dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish linguistic questionnaire. She also talks about prewar religious life and her family.

10:25

Bershadskaya joins the conversation and provides personal information. They chat about regional geography, as well as prewar religious life.

31:53

Leiderman addresses prewar holiday celebration at home, including Sabbath food customs. She also touches upon prewar religious life.

28:39

The team concludes the interview with Leiderman and then camera then cuts to an informal chat with Kozak and Vygodner. They discuss religious and prayer customs.

30:06

The team briefly interviews an unidentified passer-by from Bratslav. He talks about contemporary religious life in Bratslav. They then talk about the contemporary community.

2:11

Bershadskaya addresses her childhood memories of Chernyatka, including occupational structure. She then addresses prewar religious life in the village.

10:35

Bershadskaya talks about Hanukkah celebrations before the war. She then discusses religious customs at home. Bershadskaya states that her family celebrated holidays in a rented room in her home town and attended synagogue services in Bershad.

1:49

Shor addresses religious customs and prayers before the war. He recites the morning prayer "Modeh ani." Shor then addresses his religious school (cheder) education at the age of six.

32:09

Shor touches upon prewar cultural life, before speaking about Yom Kippur celebrations. Vyogdner also addresses postwar religious life during the High Holidays in Bershad.

0:00

Shor speaks about religious life after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He then answers dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish linguistic questionnaire.

21:55

Vygodner talks about prewar religious life and prayer books. The camera then continues to collect synagogue footage, before Vygodner addresses contemporary religious life.

25:20

An unidentified community member talks about prewar Jewish life in Tomashpil. He was born 1945 in Tomashpil. They also discuss Yiddish sayings. The camera then continues to collect synagogue footage and they discuss contemporary religious life.

29:14

Vygodner speaks about postwar religious life in Bershad, particularly Simchat Torah in 1958. Kozak then talks about prewar religious life, particularly Yom Kippur.

30:31

Kozak talks about her life after the war, after returning from evacuation in Central Asia. She recalls how the community wanted to support her family; but states that her mother refused. Kozak then addresses prewar and postwar religious life, particularly the High Holiday celebrations at the Bershad synagogue.

39:39

Gvinter speaks about his family, as well as prewar Jewish life in Bershad. He recalls how his mother baked bread in a local synagogue. Gvinter then talks about contemporary commemoration and religious life. He also addresses prayer customs today.

44:09

Gvinter speaks about prewar holiday celebration. He recalls his mother and grandmother attending holiday services. Gvinter also addresses holiday food customs. He then talks about religious life in Bershad during the postwar Soviet period. In particular, Gvinter shares an episode about a local official who checked in on the community.

0:00

Feldman talks about contemporary religious life in Bershad. She talks about her family. Feldman has relatives in America. She then answers questions about cultural terminology and talks about her contemporary travels.

7:24

Feldman talks about religious life during the postwar Soviet period. She explains how the local community baked matzos. She then describes postwar Yom Kippur celebrations. Feldman states that she did not work at a factory on this holiday.

12:53

Feldman speaks about contemporary religious life. She then answers dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish linguistic questionnaire.

27:12

Feldman recalls Yiddish songs, before she addresses postwar religious life. Feldman shares an episode about fasting on Yom Kippur. She also describes religious customs, including yizkor services.

30:34

Feldman addresses contemporary religious life, before talking about prewar Jewish life, including occupational structure, in Bershad.

6:31

The team is headed to the synagogue. The camera then collects footage of the synagogue, while Marina Isaakovna Milevskaya gives a tour and talks about contemporary religious life. The community owned the building before the war. After the war, it was used as a sports hall until 1991. The community reopened the synagogue in the post-Soviet era.

21:59

Loyf talks about her son's circumcision in 1957 in Dzegovka and addresses postwar religious life. Loyf, Polina Enikovna. Interviewed by Dov-Ber Kerler, Moisei Lemster. 6/8/2007. Ukraine, L'vivs'ka Oblast', Boryslav

4:51

Berkovich talks about his father's observance. He also addresses prewar Passover and Sabbath celebrations, including food customs, at home.

21:19

Berkovich speaks about postwar religious life. He states that he built the synagogue door. Berkovich then speaks about his life before the war. Berkovich's parents spoke Hungarian at home.

24:46

Berkovich talks about prewar religious life, including synagogue and communal structure, as well as his family. Berkovich recalls how his father visited the Spinka rebbe in Săpânţa, Romania.

52:48

Hodinger joins the conversation and they discuss prewar religious life in Berehove.

5:01

Pustilnik speaks about observing customs and holiday celebration after the war. She bakes her own matzo. She then addresses weddings. Pustilnik, Frida Moiseyevna. Interviewed by Dov-Ber Kerler. 6/8/2007. Ukraine, L'vivs'ka Oblast', Boryslav.

14:32

Kupershmidt speaks about prewar religious life, before answering questions about cultural terminology.

10:53

Religious life after war

25:34

Postwar religious customs

15:14

Sofia speaks about her life today and the relationship with her non-Jewish neighbors. She discusses her childhood memories of Jewish Bratslav and her family. Sofia's father was a coachman. She also mentions her mother's observance.

21:21

Sofia speaks about her family, before she addresses prewar Jewish life and religion in Bratslav. She also speaks about the fate of the local Jews during the war. Sofia then recalls her mother's praying customs.

29:08

Kupershmidt speaks about well-off locals in Bratslav, as well as prewar religious life. Kupershmidt remembers the local religious school teacher and Hasidim. He also describes the socio-economic structure in prewar Jewish Bratslav.

25:00

Kupershmidt addresses religious customs at home and briefly recites prayers. He then talks about his family and life during the postwar Soviet period. In particular, Kupershmdit addresses a family conflict regarding circumcision.

30:42

Kupershmidt speaks about prewar religious customs in Bratslav, including circumcision celebrations. He then speaks about his family. Kupershmidt raised two children.

33:22

Kupershmidt addresses prewar religious life in the late 1930s, including synagogue structure. He then answers questions about Hebrew terminology, before talking about life today.

0:00

Prewar religious life.

11:07

Prewar religious life.

21:22

Religious life in 1930s and family.

27:06

Postwar religious life.

31:42

Religious life today.

38:05

Postwar religious life and family.

7:29

Religious tradition and prayers and blessings.

31:16

Religious terminology and pre-war life.

47:34

Pre-war education/religious life and family.

2:12

The former Great Synagogue and prewar religious life.

20:01

Pre-war religious life.

42:23

Postwar religious service and today.

52:51

Informal chat about religious life today.

33:31

Burg recites part of the Torah (chumash), before he talks about his bar mitzvah Torah portion (parshah), as well recites it. He then talks about religious life today.

0:00

Burg discusses prewar Jewish life in Chernivtsi. He then talks about his travels to Zurich, Switzerland, when he spent time at a reform community there. He recounts the differences in religious service. Burg then discusses the modernization of Jewish life during the Enlightenment period.

34:52

Kleiman talks about his father’s religiosity and discusses prewar holiday celebrations at home, in particular Passover and Purim. He recalls that he joined his father to go to the rebbe during holidays. Kleiman discusses prewar Jewish life in Vadrashkov, including Yiddish culture and political organizations. He then talks prewar weddings.

3:16

Kofmansky, was born 1946 in Chernivtsi, provides personal information and talks about his family. His grandfather Chaim Sholem was a rabbi from Bălți. Kofmansky attended a private school and studied with a private religious tutor in the afternoons. He then talks about contemporary religious life and the synagogue, as well as shares more about his family. Kofmansky studied physics at the Chernivtsi University. Kofmansky raised a daughter and a son, who lives in Israel.

9:31

Shternberg discusses food customs, in particular koshering meat. She recalls how she went with her mother to the mikva and discusses religious customs on Sabbath. Shternberg also mentions folk remedies.

33:06

Shternberg sings wedding songs and recalls the Moldavian cantor Fushman, who performed at a synagogue in Chotyn. Shternberg then sings a number of Yiddish songs about Eretz Israel and observant life, she remembers from Fushman.

31:36

Ziselis talks about prewar Khotyn, as well as about his work as a kosher butcher after the war. Ziselis worked with the kosher butcher and mohel Moyshe from Berdychiva and traveled to neighboring towns. He then talks about contemporary religious life.

21:12

Food customs and religious customs

24:25

Pogroms and religious customs

32:25

Religious service before the war

35:19

Jewish religion and wedding

22:33

Srulova speaks briefly about Jewish religious life in Novohrad-Volyns’kyy and Chortkiv. She also talks about the poverty she experienced in her childhood and during the war. Srulova details her contemporary family situation. She was widowed about twenty years ago and has two daughters. Srulova completed six grades in a Soviet Yiddish school before the war, and then attended Russian schools thereafter. She briefly describes what she remembers of the Yiddish school curriculum and recites some poetry in Russian and Yiddish.

41:18

Srulova describes how shabes (the Sabbath) was celebrated in her childhood home, demonstrating how her mother would light candles and say a blessing. The interviewee also notes how her daughter lights shabes candles today. Srulova briefly describes prewar Yiddish culture in her hometown, mentioning visiting theater troupes and Communist Yiddish newspapers. She also talks about religious Jews in the town, remembering a rabbi who lived in Novohrad-Volyns’kyy both before and after the war. Srulova also briefly describes the prewar Jewish weddings she recalls, and how they were celebrated with fiddle music and a “khipe,” or canopy. According to Srulova, there was also a Yiddish library in Novohrad-Volyns’kyy before the war.

39:43

Shekhovich discusses religious customs and holidays. She recalls her family singing Sabbath songs (zemirot) and Hasidic life.

14:35

Shekhovich answers dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish questionnaire. Shekhovich also explains that she has mostly lived in a Ukrainian environment and speaks predominately Ukrainian. She then discusses religious customs, before responding to more dialectological questions.

0:00

The first part of the tape is a continuation of a formal interview with Evgeniia Izrailovna Shekhovich. Shekhovich talks about religious customs and holiday celebration. She then sings a Yiddish Sabbath song. Shekhovich then talks about daughter, before she sings a couple of Yiddish song she learned from her husband. The first song includes a little girl and the second one deals with poverty and dreaming.

28:49

Kopyt talks about Jewish life after the war. She recalls Sabbath celebration with her parents and service gatherings in private homes. Kopyt talks about life today and Israel.

4:31

Burshtein discusses his childhood memories of Jewish Sobolivka, including occupational structure. According to him, the non-Jews lived in the countryside around town. Burshtein then speaks about Passover celebrations and describes how he carried the dough for matzo baking. He then addresses prewar religious life during the 1930s. Burshtein specifically talks about secret private services after the synagogue was closed down.

33:15

Jewish holidays and religious customs after the war and family

53:31

Dialectology and religious customs after the war

0:00

Religious customs and family

7:30

Jewish weddings after the war and religious customs before the war

44:13

Bukshtein talks about his family and contemporary religious life. Bukhstein serves as assistant rabbi. He then discusses the history of the region and prewar Jewish life in Novoselitsa. Bukhshtein recalls many non-Jews speaking Yiddish. He then lists Zionists organizations, including Hashomer Hatzair, Betar, and Poale Zion. Bukshtein was a member of the youth organization Hashomer Hatzair and recalls its activities to prepare chalutzim (young pioneers preparing aliyah to live in agricultural settlements). Bukhstein’s cousin made aliyah in 1935.

34:00

Bukshtein explains how he celebrated Passover during evacuation in Bolotnoye, Russia, with a family from Leningrad. He then describes Passover celebrations at home and talks about contemporary religious life. Bukshtein discusses contemporary memorialization and his wife’s family.

9:11

Bukshtein talks about contemporary religious life. He then talks about his encounter with the local rabbi before the war and answers questions about cultural and food terminology. Bukshtein also talks about traditional weddings and recalls one Jewish shiker (drunk) in his hometown.

11:44

Katz sings a Sabbath song and talks about prewar Yiddish theater plays and Jewish professions. He then discusses religious life.

36:10

Katz talks about religious life after the war in Stanislav (today Ivano Frankivsk). Katz mentions his friends in Israel.

24:34

Religious life today and Yiddish press.

28:06

(religious) life today and anecdotes.

29:31

Evacuation life in Samarkant and religious life today

0:00

Religiosity in the family and holiday celebration

4:30

Life today and religious customs (Christian and Jewish)

28:19

Kraidman recalls anti-religious propaganda that was promoted in school and at home. The only time she heard of anyone going to synagogue, in fact, was when her mother went to services in Zhytomyr in recent years.

25:26

Gaiviker briefly describes prewar Khmel’nyts’kyy’s rabbis and distinctive characters and types.

31:01

Sonya Gaiviker reports that both her daughter and granddaughter married ethnic Russians, but that her granddaughter is somewhat observant of Jewish religious law as she now lives in Israel.

45:09

Kaviner asks if the researchers are religious, stating that he prays, although he is not too religious ("ikh bin oykh nit keyn tsodik, keyn fanatik"). He has held onto some very old sidurim (prayerbooks).

20:58

Kaviner recalls the anti-religious propaganda and actions that were promoted in the Soviet Yiddish School as well as the “openly secret” nature of the yeshiva he also attended.

22:06

Vaisblai shares his views on the afterlife and G-d, and on morality and sin with statements such as “der malekh hamuves iz elter fun got” (“The angel of death is older than G-d”) and “A yid a parekh iz erger vi a goy a gozlen” (“A nasty Jew is worse than a thieving non-Jew”).

0:00

This tape is a continuation of a formal interview with Ilia (Elye) Zelmanovich Kramer (b. 1927 in Berezdov). He recalls that his father was a religious man, who completed kheyder (a traditional religious education for young boys). Although uneducated from a secular perspective, Kramer’s father was talented in mathematics and languages. Kramer briefly describes the atmosphere of his childhood home, mentioning holiday celebrations, and how his parents would pray in the mornings. Kramer’s mother was also educated at a Russian-language gymnasium.

53:00

Kaviner shares his views on prayer and religion, commenting on the place of both in his family life before the war. Noting his natural aptitude for learning, he describes the rapid progress he made in his religious education and what he remembers of it today. He also talks about the teachers from the yeshiva where he studied and the “open secret” status of the school under the Soviet Union.

51:13

Vaisblai underscores his faith in G-d, who has saved him from “many deaths and dangers.”

10:26

Snook talks about her religious education; she studied with an unemployed teacher for three years together with some other girls. She remembers Passover celebrations before the war, as well as other religious customs to avert the evil eye. Snook then talks about her family.

18:04

Snook discusses prewar religious life, when services were held in a “shtiebel” (a little room). She also discusses her family and holiday celebration, including food customs. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren live in Israel.

41:27

Katz discusses Jewish life and religious activity in Khust after the war, where he moved in 1954. The community was supposed to pay taxes for the synagogue in 1953. Katz then turns to the post-Soviet period and explains how a tavern was built near the site of the former synagogue, where the mikva once was. He expresses frustration that the community members were willing to sign over this property to the tavern.

7:32

Snook sings a Sabbath song and recites prayers. She then discusses religious life today and talks about her family.

41:36

Snook talks about religious life after the war and the demonstrations that she remembers against the closure of the synagogue in Khust. Snook remembers Purim celebrations before the war. She then explains how Ukrainians celebrate Easter.

24:53

Dialectology and prewar cultural and religious life.

37:00

Religious customs.

14:46

Religious groups and synagogues.

3:01

Childhood memories and religious life in prewar Vinnytsya.

0:00

Religiosity in Soviet Union.

46:20

Religious life and education.

38:32

Prewar religious life and dialectology.

49:25

Prewar religious life.

2:27

Prewar religious life.

3:24

Family and religious life pre-/post-war.

17:41

Religious life in Chornobyl' and holiday celebrations.

21:45

Charity and prewar religious life.

0:00

Religious customs.

23:57

Vider states that he remembers and recites the traditional blessings to be said upon hearing thunder, seeing lightening or a rainbow, and on other occasions.

29:24

Vider briefly discusses the Jewish bathhouse in his shtetl that was used as a mikve (ritual bath) by the town’s men on Friday night before shabes. From this topic, Vider and Professor Kerler discuss the origins and uses of the idiom "firn in bud arayn” (lit. "to lead somone into the baths”). Vider reminisces about the nignum (traditional wordless melodies) sung by his Rebbe. He then sings a loshn-koydesh (the Hebrew-Aramaic language of prayer and liturgy) song that his father would sing at the third meal before the end of shabes.

27:29

The camera cuts to a formal interview conducted in Russian with Roman Bileichuk (b. 1963 in Kolomyya), an aspiring convert to Judaism. Bileichuk shares his basic biographical information, describing his childhood without a father, and his education and early career path. After an extended period of religious exploration, Bileichuk recalls how one sleepless night after reading the Torah he somehow wandered three kilometers to Kolomyya’s synagogue, a place he was totally unfamiliar with before, and joined the Rosh Hashone (New Years) services that were then taking place. Despite conflict with his family, Biliechuk has been attending the services at the synagogue and observing Judaism for about 2.5 years, and has written to several rabbis in Kyiv about the possibility of formal conversion. Meanwhile, he states that he is trying to follow all Jewish religious laws and reads Jewish journals and traditional texts, trying, "like everybody else” to find Truth in the world.

50:33

Bileichuk further details the conflict he has had with his family over his new faith and notes the paradox of how the commandment to "honor thy mother and father” in this case would compromise his faith. He also describes how he prays at home with a homemade "bima” (prayer lectern). Bileichuk states that he keeps all commandments to the extent possible, and reports on what he calls the deceptive nature of the Catholic and Christian Bible, wanting the world to recognize the truth in Judaism. Bileichuk began his religious journey 4-5 years ago starting asking these religious questions, noting that he had a very Christian upbringing and was always of a very spiritual orientation. He also comments on his relations within the community, and, comparing himself to Abraham who took on G-d’s covenant at a late age, states that he will let no one deny him his right to convert. Bileichuk mentions his relationship with a non-Jewish woman who is also an aspiring convert and with whom he has a son. Bileichuk also complains about the politics of conversion and its connection to bribery in Israel.

0:00

Iosef (Yosl) Grigoryevich Grayf (b. 1922 in Kolomyya). He speaks about prewar Jewish life in Kolomyya and his education in a supplemental twice weekly Hebrew school. He also talks about his parents and Jewish religious life in the town, describing its numerous synagogues. He also makes several comparisons with the much reduced Jewish life in Kolomyya today and how the contemporary synagogue often has trouble securing a "minyen” (minyan, prayer quorum of ten men).

37:47

Grayf talks about the contemporary religious community in the city and how it has trouble securing a "minyen” on shabes (the Sabbath) in part due to the emigration of so many of its members. He then speaks about the lack of anti-Semitism in contemporary Ukraine and remarks generally about contemporary politics. Grayf states that he believes in G-d and shares his personal religious views of Judaism and Christianity as well as the religious revival in the country.

52:21

Grayf speaks briefly about the period of Soviet rule in 1939-1941 before the war began, noting that it was a happy time of increased economic opportunities. The Soviets did not close the synagogues in the town and religious life continued, according to Grayf, until the Germans came in 1941. Although Kolomyya’s synagogues remained closed in the postwar period, Grayf states that Jews came together in private homes to pray and celebrate shabes and the holidays through these years.

49:07

Krotsh briefly discusses prewar Jewish weddings that he remembers from his youth and describes his shtetl’s various synagogues. He also shares memories of religious life and particular customs, such "leygn tfiln” (putting on phylacteries) and going to the "mikve” (ritual baths).

56:29

Krotsh answers other questions related to Yiddish linguistics, discussing religious customs, such as "tashlikh” (going to the river on the Jewish New Year to rid oneself of sins). He also speaks about his visit to his hometown in Romania in the postwar period and begins to detail his family’s wartime experiences.

47:35

Krotsh shares his views on fate, G-d and religion. He discusses postwar Jewish religious life in Kolomyya, mentioning the clandestine prayer groups that would come together in private homes on holidays and important communal dates. He then speaks about the history of Kolomyya’s various synagogues.

51:48

Biter speaks in greater detail about prewar family life mentioning that his father immigrated to Canada, where he lived for three years and worked on the land. His grandfather held an arrenda (leasing right) and operated a tavern. Discussing prewar religious life in his village, Biter states that there were two "minyonim” (prayer groups of ten or more adult men) in his village; as such, communal functionaries, such as a shoykhet (kosher butcher) and kheyder teacher visited regularly from nearby villages. Biter briefly describes how he was given his "lapsterdekl” (lit. "small coat,” i.e. "talis kotn,” or Jewish male ritual garment) at the age of thirteen. Biter explains that his father wanted him to be a religious Jew, but his maternal grandfather, who was a Reformist and worked as a lawyer insisted he attend the nearest gymnasium in Snyatyn. Graduating in 1938, Biter then attended an agricultural lyceum.

2:46

Biter shares his father’s stories of military service during the First World War. He also talks about Jewish religious life in his childhood home, detailing Sabbath and holiday observances and food customs.

55:12

Krotsh speaks about prewar religious life. He then speaks about his life and work after the war. He got married to a non-Jewish woman in 1949. Krotsh lists the places he lived after the war, including Kuban, Russia, 56:49. He moved to Kolomyya in 1949.

4:49

The camera cuts to the interview with Krotsh. They speak about contemporary religious life.

36:13

Krotsh recalls non-Jews who spoke Yiddish and addresses prewar religious life. He also speaks about the yeshiva students and mentions story about the Ştefăneşti rebbe and a military tailor. Krotsh recalls the story from his master craftsman.

0:00

Krotsh sings again the song about non-Jews not understanding conversations among Jews. He then speaks about prewar religious life in the region, as well as his life before the war. Krotsh also mentions how his father decided for him to drop out of the yeshiva.

16:05

Krotsh speaks about his father's observance and visits of rebbes after the war.

51:25

Krotsh speaks about contemporary religious life and non-Jews submitting notes. He also talks about visitors from abroad.

48:08

Jewish tradition and life during military service

53:44

Shabbat celebration before the war and religious life in prewar Korosten

0:00

Religious life and holiday celebration

26:19

Ocheretianyi discusses his childhood memories and Jewish life in prewar Korsun. According to him, the synagogue was closed down before the war. Ocheretianyi refers to postwar prayer services in private homes. He then talks about his observant father.

0:00

The first part of the tape is a continuation of a formal interview with Mikhail Zakharovich Ocheretianyi. Ocheretianyi talks about prewar Jewish life and addresses the synagogues. He then describes childhood games and talks about the observance of his father, who was imprisoned before the Revolution.

21:55

Belobrov discusses his childhood memories and holiday celebrations. He maintains that his parents did not work on holidays, although they did not attend services at the synagogue. His father, a handicraftsman, often worked from home, where he could observe Sabbath. Belobrov then recalls Passover celebrations with neighboring families and shares a recipe for gefilte fish.

45:41

Kislinskaia discusses religious life after the war. She remembers a woman who held private services, which Kislinskaia’s mother attended. She also talks about her family in Israel.

4:53

Kislinskaia describes how to prepare gefilte fish. She then talks about her family and observance.

8:53

Kislinskaia remembers singing at home after the war and talks about postwar religious life.

11:32

Kislinskaia describes a regular day at a Yiddish school. She then remembers observant Jews and talks about her grandfather.

20:15

Groysman talks about his life during the war. He was drafted into the Red Army in 1941. He was injured twice: in the Rostov and Stalingrad region. He describes how he survived the war: I was 18 years old when the war broke out. When the war was going on for a month they already drafted me into the army. I was injured twice: once in the Rostov region and then in the Stalingrad region. I was injured and of course I had to stay with the Germans. I was crawling for twelve or more kilometers until I reached our territory. [...] Of course, when I looked at the injury (?)... my parents believed in God, but we, the youngest, we didn't care (?). We were pioneers and komsomols. But during the war, when I was injured I started to believe in God. I will tell you why. People were in a tank. When they moved onward, fifty or sixty meters toward the village, we all had to lie down. They started to shoot so heavily, we couldn't even lift our heads. They started to scream: “ “ ?. During that moment the tanks came toward us. The tanks were approaching with one next to other within five meters. [...] They started to scream that everybody should save themselves however they can. We simply ran and the tanks followed us.

31:11

Groysman talks about his son’s circumcision in Kyiv after the war. His son was born in 1945. He then returns to his life during the war. In particular, he addresses how he started to believe in God during battle.

38:50

Groysman talks about his education at a Yiddish school in Tarashcha. He then describes his family’s observance.

5:25

Angelova talks about her life before the war. She then addresses prewar religious life in Topole and recalls private religious gatherings, as well as the local kosher butcher. Angelova states that a rabbi would hold services and also taught children.

13:40

Obodovskii and Leiderman discuss postwar religious life in Kotovsk. Leiderman's family returned to Kotovsk in 1946. She describes how the older generation gathered for private services.

1:01:33

Obodovskii talks about his life after the war. He maintains that his family did not celebrate holidays.

32:16

Prewar religious life.

2:42

Non-Jews and religious customs.

27:03

Pensatii speaks discusses his childhood memories and prewar religious life in Odesa. He recalls how members taught him several prayers and speaks about visiting cantors on holidays.

22:59

Dorfman addresses his primary schooling at a Tarbut school. He then speaks about his parent's observance and recalls soldiers joining his family on holidays.

21:37

Nisman talks about postwar Jewish life in the region. She then discusses her childhood memories in an observant home, as well as her parents. Her father was a caretaker in a forest. Nisman recalls poverty at home. She also answers questions about cultural terminology.

2:48

Leibel talks about his family and observance. He then addresses the relationship between Jews and non-Jews before the war.

11:25

Leibel speaks about his education, particularly his private religious tutor, who studied with him in the evenings. He also addresses his parent's observance.

27:45

Leibel addresses prewar antisemitism, before speaking about religious life. Leibel recalls performances of the cantor Moshe Koussevitzky at the Great Synagogue. Leibel also discusses his childhood memories.

29:38

Leibel recites the morning prayer "Modeh Ani." He then speaks about his religious observance during the postwar Soviet era. Leibel then addresses prewar holiday celebration.

52:24

Leibel answers questions about cultural terminology. He also recalls Hasidic visitors to the Polish school before the war and addresses religious customs.

47:33

Dorfman talks about postwar religious life in Lviv. He also shares his findings in the KGB archives. He explains how the community rebuilt one of the synagogues after the war, which was closed down in 1945 due to antisemitic agitation. Dorfman continues that the agitors went to jail and the synagogue continued to operate. Dorfman recalls full attendance on major holidays. According to him, the synagogue was eventually "unoffically" closed down during the later postwar Soviet period, and reopened in the 1980s. Dorfman then describes the community.

0:00

Dorfman speaks about postwar religious life. He mentions Cantor Eleazer Schulman and other local religious figures. Dorfman describes how the community repossessed the synagogue in 1992.

3:50

Dorfman addresses contemporary religious life.

42:57

Meler provides personal information and talks about his life before the war. He was named after his mother's family, although he explains that at first his surname was Volf. His father's name was Samselik. Meler's family moved from Glina Navariya to Lviv in the early 1930s. He then describes prewar religious life in Glina Navariya. Meler has relatives in America.

54:37

Meler addresses prewar religious life in his hometown, particularly the synagogue and the local rebbe. According to him, approximately forty Jewish families lived in Glina Navariya. Meler then speaks about prewar occupational structure. His father and grandfather were kosher butchers.

51:55

Brandler speaks about his life before the war, particularly his cheder melamdim. He then speaks about his family. In particular, he addresses his father's obervance. Brandler's mother sold milk bottles to merchants for a living.

27:15

Brandler talks about prewar Purim, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur celebrations. He recalls how the synagogue caretaker symbolically hit the congregants on Yom Kippur. Brandler then addresses prewar religious institutions and continues describing holiday celebration during his childhood. Brandler recalls fasting.

33:09

The team concludes the interview with Brandler, before conducting an informal interview with Dorfman. They speak about contemporary religious life and the community.

59:20

Leibel addresses postwar religious life and his observance. Leibel worked at a municipal office for 43 years.

16:15

Leibel talks about postwar community in Rivne, after his demobilization. He then addresses his father's observance, briefly touching upon the Polish school.

44:50

Leibel sings a song about Yidishkayt and suppression of religious life during the postwar Soviet period. Leibel then talks about prewar Yiddish culture and life in Rivne before the war. Leibel also remembers traditional weddings at the Lviv rebbe's home before the war. Leibel mentions that his father hired a musical instructor to teach him clarinet.

1:17

Early childhood memories and religious life in Mohilev

7:20

Religious customs

45:41

Religious and cultural life after the war

28:07

Religious education and religious customs

5:20

Prewar religious life

26:42

Jewish customs

0:00

This video begins in the middle of a formal interview with Abram Davidovich Kaplan. He briefly explains what he sees as discrimination against women in Jewish religious tradition. Kaplan remembers his aunt Khone’s wedding from before the war. Jewish weddings before the war were celebrations complete with a chuppah, rabbi, badkhn (wedding jester) and the breaking of plates. Purim before the war was characterized by noisemakers, children going door-to-door to ask for money, and the sending of sholekh-munes (care packages of fruits and other foods to neighbors and friends). Recalling Passover, Kaplan remembers how matzos were baked in the home and how special holiday dishes were kept in the attic. Kaplan also briefly discusses traditions associated with Yom Kippur and shabes (the Sabbath).

28:35

The camera cuts to a formal interview with Tsilia Borisovna Khaiut, who was born in 1917 in Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy. Her father, a shoemaker known as Berl Adeser, was also born in Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy. Khaiut’s mother Rukhl was born in Bessarabia, a fact which causes her to remark about the dialect difference between her Yiddish and that of Bessarabia, as well as the killing of Bessarabian Jews in Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy during the war. Khaiut’s maternal grandparents and their family immigrated to the United States during the Tsarist era and she remembers how her mother used to receive dollars from them, with which they paid rent. When Soviets took power, Khaiut remarks, however, the official exchange rate made these remittances worthless and contact between these familial branches ceased. Khaiut had two sisters, Ester and Ronya, and a brother, Khoskl (who moved to Israel) all of whom have died. Khaiut also talks about her education in Soviet Yiddish schools and the traditionally religious life at home during her youth. Before beginning her formal education at ~4-5 years old, Khaiut studied with a melamed (private religious teacher) named Mendl. The melomdim were the very poorest people in the shtetl, and she tells a joke/anecdote about their poverty. Her first son (b. 1938, d. at age of 42) also learned with a rabbi. Khaiut has another son who still lives in Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy, as well as four grandchildren in Ashdod, Beer-Sheva and elsewhere. Khaiut shares her views of child-rearing and the difference between children today and in her youth. In her home as a child everything was done “Jewishly”. Khaiut discusses her marriage and family life, including the custom of taking off a bit of dough from the khale (challah) and burning it. She speaks about the curriculum of Soviet Yiddish schools, recalling for instance "Vi bisti geveyn ven dus gelt iz geveyn" (Where were you when there was money) as one of the songs they learned. In school she studied writers, such as Sholem Aleichem and Itsik Fefer, as well as sciences and mathematics, algebra and chemistry all in Yiddish. The interviewee also answers a series of questions related to linguistics and dialectology. During the war, Khaiut lived in the ghetto in Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy and was transferred to a camp in Transnistria. She relates how she would dress as a Ukrainian woman and buy goods in the bazaar, taking off the yellow star that identified her as a Jew, but was nevertheless hit by a German on one of these outings. At this time, her husband was serving on the front with the Red Army. Khaiut also recalls a number of recipes of Shabes (Sabbath) foods, including: yukh (chicken soup), tsimes fasolyes (bean stew), kigel (casserole), and different kinds of fish. Cities and towns mentioned on this tape: Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy, Ivano-Frankivs’k, Ashdod, Beer-Sheva.

4:20

She then demonstrates how to make gefilte fish, using a knife and newspaper. Khaiut also explains some aspects of pre-war Jewish life in the town, including how each profession had its own synagogue and brought in guest cantors from time to time. Khaiut remembers Sidi Tal’ and various Yiddish theater troupes that came to Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy before the war, putting on plays such as Sholem Aleichem’s 200,000. After the war, Jewish artists, such as Iosif Kobzon, also visited the town. Professor Kerler asks the interviewee about how she dealt with the potential contradiction of attending a Soviet Yiddish school, while maintaining a religious practice at home. She states that it's a lie that they made fun of religion and/or religious people in the schools. Nevertheless, in the 1930s, Khaiut reports, many of the synagogues in Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy were closed down. Khaiut then recalls several food and gaming customs associated with holidays, such as Shavuot, Chanukah, Purim, Passover, Sukkot and Yom Kippur. Khaiut can still read in Yiddish, and even reads Professor Kerler’s interview notes out loud. Her son Sema understands and speaks some Yiddish. Khaiut then shares some Yiddish idioms and sayings. Both of her sons are circumcised. When her second son was born in 1946, she got a moyl (mohel) from Chernivtsi to come and circumcise him. The interviewee also answers a series of questions related to linguistics and dialectology. Khaiut also talks in detail about her own pre-war Jewish wedding, which featured Jewish klezmorim led by “Moyshele der Puker mit der Muzike” (Moshe the drummer with the music). At her wedding, as at others, there was a chuppah, and the bride circled the groom accompanied by her parents. Berl Sanver presided over the occasion as a kind of master of ceremonies/badkhn, and spoke with rhymes and songs. Khaiut also shares more of her linguistic knowledge as well as recipes for tsimes (stew) and fludn (dessert).

10:07

Kaplan remembers the deported Bukovina, Bessarabian and Hungarian [sic] Jews that were sent to Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy during the war. Kaplan also describes how the Russian school had two classes set aside for children who grew up in Yiddish-speaking homes and didn’t know Russian, and so studied in Yiddish, Ukrainian and Russian, only later being integrated into the mainstream Russian school system after seventh grade. Kaplan himself did not enter school until after the war (he was supposed to enter in Sept. 1941, but could not attend as hostilities had already broken out by then). Kaplan also discusses synagogues in Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy both before and after the war. His mother was, as he says, “more frum (religious) than necessary” and fasted every Wednesday and Thursday. She died in his arms as soon as he returned from the army.

19:08

His father worked as a soap-maker and a cantor in one of the town’s synagogues. Kaplan relates shabes (Sabbath) customs from before and after the war, detailing, for example, how his mother sometimes employed a shabes goy. During the war, Kaplan was in different camps in Transnistria, and tells the story of how his family escaped and returned to Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy in 1942, all the time hidden and cared for by non-Jewish neighbors. Kaplan notes that many Jews collaborated with the Germans and Romanians, forming special Jewish police battalions, and relates the story of the sinking of a ship of Jewish orphans who had supposedly bought freedom off the coast of Constanta, Romania. Kaplan also speaks about contemporary war memorials and ceremonies, as well as ties to landslayt (former town residents) from abroad and the post-Soviet revival of Jewish life led by Sobol [late husband of interviewee Maria (Molke) Iosipovna Sobol (née Cioban)]. Kaplan then sings a fragment from the song "Shik mir a shtral" (Send Me a Ray (of Sunlight)). Kaplan also speaks about the different sections of the Jewish cemetery, how holidays were celebrated sometimes in secret before/after the war and answers some questions related to linguistics and Yiddish dialects. Cities and towns mentioned on this tape: Mohyliv-Podil’s’kyy, Kozenits, Ozaryntsi, Pechera, Constanta, Bucharest.

0:00

The first part of the tape includes a continuation of a formal interview, recorded in Solotvyno with Dora Abramovna Fiksler, born in 1924 in Solotvyno. Fiksler makes a number of phone calls, before they go inside to talk about Fiksler’s library, which includes prayer books. Fiksler then shows photographs of her family. Fiksler briefly talks about religious life before the war.

18:41

Fiksler recites the morning prayer “modeh ani.” She then talks about post-World War II Jewish life, in particular the kosher butcher.

0:00

Vider talks about his family and prewar Jewish life. Vider’s daughter lives in Hungary and his son is a Canadian citizen. His father was born in Sighetu Marma?iei. Vider recalls the wedding of Eluzer Spira’s daughter in 1934, as well as the rebbe’s funeral. He then talks about religious life today, praying in Russian. According to Vider, people called prewar Mukacheve “little Jerusalem.” He claims that even half of the non-Jews in the city spoke Yiddish. Vider explains that the former director of the local Hebrew school, Dr. Haim Kugel, became the mayor of Kholoniv after the war.

46:56

Vider and the team continue the formal interview at a restaurant. Vider remembers folk remedies. He talks about his return after World War II and postwar religious life. Vider attended privately organized prayer services and discusses how he would bake matzo at a Romanian Jew’s (Lebovich) house until 1953.

38:02

Nayman talks about his family, in particular his father. Nayman helped his father carrying food items. He then talks about contemporary religious life.

54:58

Snook talks about Jewish life today, before she continues talking about her family. Snook got married at 17 and lived in Drahovo for forty years. In 1971, she moved to Khust with her family, where there was a more active religious community.

32:45

Pasik talks about religious life on the kolkhoz before the war, including holiday food customs. She also addresses farming life.

46:51

Pasik discusses prewar Yiddish culture. She remembers translators at Yiddish theater plays for the Russian-speaking audience. Pasik then talks about prewar religious life on the kolkhoz and mentions traditional weddings, before talking about her family.

25:32

Endelshtein talks about his family, in particular his grandfather, and addresses prewar religious life. He recalls how he attended the New Synagogue. Endelshtein then discusses holiday celebrations at home, including Passover with singing. He sings the beginning of Chad Gadya.

52:16

Endelshtein recites the Morning Prayer and describes religious customs among his family before the war. He mentions how he continued to say the prayer during his military service.

0:00

Tzentziper sings a Yiddish song about longing for the years of youth. He then talks about his family and religious tradition, before he sings the song again. He then sings another song from his childhood about a rebbe meeting a girl.

17:29

Kenin talks about his education at a religious school (cheder) until he was seven years old. His teacher (melamed) was called Simen Ash. He then recalls family religious customs and addresses holiday celebrations, including Sukkot.

22:16

Kenin talks about prewar religious life in Nizhyn. He then addresses his education at the Yiddish school, including teachers. He recalls how he participated in theater productions and the school choir.

51:05

Masovich talks about prewar Jewish life in Nizhyn and answers questions about cultural terminology and a series of dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish linguistic questionnaire. He also mentions how he was not raised religiously during the Soviet period.

11:40

Trachtenberg talks about prewar religious life and shows his military awards. He then discusses his childhood memories. He attended a Yiddish and religious school. Trachtenberg recalls Jewish soccer clubs, including Imtzah*, Shomer, Beitar, and Maccabi.

38:07

Trachtenberg talks about life today, before addressing prewar religious life. In particular, he mentions his bar mitzvah.

26:27

Listengurt continues the tour of the former Jewish neighborhood. She also discusses prewar religious life.

16:29

Cherner discusses his childhood memories and Jewish life in prewar Balta. Cherner performed with his grandfather at Jewish weddings. He recalls one wedding with a wedding canopy in 1948 in Balta. Cherner also addresses postwar religious life in Balta.

19:27

Medved talks about prewar Jewish life, in particular her father’s religiosity. She then talks about her family and her work as a port dispatcher.

31:35

Tokar discusses prewar holiday celebration, in particular Purim. Tokar remembers modernized Purim celebrations. He then talks about prewar religious life. According to Tokar, more than one and a half thousand Jews lived in Zheludok. He recalls antisemitism before the war. He then talks about contemporary politics in Poland.

18:37

Tokar talks about prewar religious life in Zheludok. He then talks about his religious education. Tokar’s father hired a private tutor. Tokar then discusses life today, including journals published by the community.

30:40

Vainbrand talks prewar religious life at home. He then talks about his education at a Yiddish school and his family.

41:25

Vainbrand discusses holiday celebrations, in particular Purim. He then talks about prewar religious life in his hometown.

45:25

Vainbrand reads from a prayer book and addresses prewar religious life in Valedniki taking place in different prayer houses. He remembers how his mother provided shelter for pilgrims, visiting the Tzaddik.

50:35

Vainbrand answers questions about cultural terminology and recalls pilgrimage to the Tzaddik. He then talks about contemporary religious life.

7:53

Vainbrand talks about traditional weddings during the prewar Soviet period. He then addresses prewar religious life, including Sukkoth celebration, as well as answers questions about cultural terminology.

40:53

Vainbrand talks about prewar religious life, when pilgrims stayed at his home in Valedniki. He then talks about his family and mentions the Ukrainian police officer who attended a Yiddish school.

51:58

Vainbrand talks about his family and faith.

34:17

Brodsky talks about prewar Jewish life in Odesa and his childhood memories, including sports. He then talks about his life after the war. After he returned from his military service, he worked as a chauffeur for fifty years. Brodsky also mentions religious activity in postwar Odesa.

51:56

Kipervaser recalls traditional weddings and synagogues before the war. She then addresses postwar religious life, including private services in 1944 and how the community rebuilt the synagogue after the war. Kipervaser helped to collect money, she explains.

29:11

Shabes celebration and religious life.

36:28

Passover celebrations and postwar religious life.

41:39

Religious life today.

50:25

Prewar religious life.

13:07

Prewar religious life and today.

0:00

Religious tradition.

9:07

Religious life today and prayers.

13:44

Prewar religious life.

14:12

Dialectology and prewar religious life.

21:33

Father's religion and Volednicker tzaddik.

32:37

Religious customs.

33:44

Childhood memories of religious life.

32:03

Cultural terminology and religious customs today.

28:39

Yiddish songs and prewar/postwar religious life.

45:01

Prewar religious life and Volednicker rebbe.

0:00

Religious life today and family.

18:36

Religious life and tzaddikim.

25:14

Prewar religious life.

33:11

Prayer and religious tradition.

38:36

Religious life today.

25:28

Stories about the tzaddik and religious customs at the cemetery.

37:08

Religious customs today.

56:26

Religious customs.

3:27

Childhood memories and religious food customs.

7:59

Religious life today.

20:30

Celebration of Jewish holidays and religious life before the war

42:08

Libraries and religious life after the war

11:12

Fish then describes contemporary religious services in the synagogue: he reads the service aloud in Hebrew as tradition dictates, while the congregants follow along in Russian. The community does not have a Torah Scroll.

25:42

Fish describes the Jewish cemetery in contemporary Rivne, the religious leadership of the community in the late 1940s and mixed marriages in recent years.

45:30

Fish shares his personal recollections of the town’s pre-war baths and mivkes. He also speaks about growth of Rivne after the war, and how Christians move into former Jewish homes.

12:25

He describes the differences between a Rabbi, who certified marriages in the pre-war period, and a tsadik, who was a very learned man, immersed in the “kleyne eyselekh” (“in the fine print,” i.e. the details of Jewish religious law).

0:00

This tape consists of a formal interview with Sonia (Sure) Shevelevna Litvak. She begins the interview telling of a recent visit by a Chabad Rabbi and his wife.

43:18

Litvak discusses the role of anti-religious propaganda in the Yiddish schools.

59:55

Litvak recalls the Jewish baths in her town. Once a year, her mother took her to the mikve (ritual bath) that was attached to the regular Jewish baths.

25:18

Khiterman’s mother was a very pious woman [an erlekhe], but was frequently sick, and so the rabbi allowed her to eat on Yom Kippur. Khiterman tells other short stories about her mother and other family members from the pre-war period.

37:42

Khiterman speaks about her and her family’s difficulties reconciling religious duties with the harsh realities of everyday living. On this topic, her grandfather Alter would say: “vos mir zaynen, zaynen mir, ober yidn zaynen mir” (What we are is what we are, but [in the end] we are Jews).

41:08

Khiterman's grandfather was descended from a family of cantors, and as such his family was very religious. They once went to Jerusalem, Khiterman reports, and brought back soil, which people would buy [for their burial plots] before they died.

59:07

Khiterman shares her memories of her grandfather, explaining how he was a “sheyner yid”, a pious, decent and observant Jew. Her childhood, she states, was a very happy time.

5:09

Religious life before the war and dialectology

33:40

Life before the war and religious customs

42:03

Family and religious customs

47:49

Fish describes Jewish religious life in postwar Rivne, stating that the Great Synagogue functioned until 1955, when a local Ukrainian paper published an anti-Semitic story after which the synagogue was closed. After this, the Jews of Rivne were afraid to speak Yiddish or publically identify as Jews, signaling the end of Jewish activities in the city under the Gorbachev years.

14:16

Fish briefly comments on his role as the head of the contemporary Jewish religious community in Rivne. No one in the town, according to Fish, knows how to pray properly, and everyone reads the siddur in Russian.

0:00

Continuation of interview with Abram (Arkadii, Abrashe) Khaimovich Vaisman, born 1940 in Sharhorod. (Part 2 of 4. See MDV 655, MDV 656, and Accession # 09-010.58-F MDV 776) His father, named Khayem was also born in Sharhorod, and, having lost his right hand, did not work. His grandmother owned a store. Vaisman is named for his grandfather Avrum. His mother Blume was born in Chernivtsi (Kleyn Tshernovits), a shtetl 15km away and worked as a seamstress. Vaisman has three siblings: Roza (b. 1923), Danya (b. 1929) and Kolmen (b. 1936), the third of whom now lives in Israel. Although Vaisman is now retired, he worked for the local newspaper as a photographer/photo-journalist, a craft he learned from his brother Danya and loved to do. Vaisman remembers Jewish religious holidays and how his father used to pray in shul (synagogue). Although he has been told that there were eight synagogues in the town before the war, he remembers only one shul, which was burned down after the war 40-45 years ago. Vaisman went to Ukrainian schools growing up and learned some English, but he cannot read or write in Yiddish. Vaisman describes his town as a Jewish city until emigration and shows old photos he took of the town’s elderly Jews, most of whom have since left for America or Israel. In Sharhorod, according to Vaisman, there were all kinds of Jews in the town, both religious and non-religious. He also tells the interviewers about the two tsadikim (righteous men) buried in Sharhorod’s cemetery who have been popularly credited with the fact that no Jews were killed when the Germans came to the town (Vaisman adds that some Jews also bought their way out of danger). Unlike other shtetlekh (towns) in the area where all the Jews were killed, in Sharhorod the Romanians killed no Jews.

0:00

Klava Vaisman (Abram's daughter) used to work as a machinist and typist, although she has never learned how to work on a computer. The camera cuts to the Vaisman family outside their house, speaking about contemporary Jewish life in the town and why they do not want to leave. Abram leads the research team to the old Jewish cemetery where the local tsadikim (righteous men) are buried. Shots of the street leading away from cemetery. Passing the plant on the road, Dov-Ber Kerler explains thistles, which are thrown in the hair of those crying on Tisha b’Av. Abram leads the team to the home of Faina (Feyge) Rivelis. The researchers go into Rivelis’s house and begin a formal interview. She remembers her parents, Shmil Khayem and Sheyve Srulovna Rivelis, as very pious. Her father was a tailor and had four kids, of whom she was youngest (b. 1916). She remembers the shul (synagogue) in town, and religious holidays, including Passover. As a child, she attended Yiddish schools where she learned to read and write in that language. Faina lived in Germany for a year, but returned to Sharhorod to be between her “fir vent”, her “four walls”. Rivelis recalls how the Jews in her town survived the war years, but nevertheless lived through hardship and hunger. Faina worked for fifty years in the village government. Rivelis answers a series of dialectological and linguistic questions about the Yiddish language. Outside Rivelis’s home, the researchers also talk to Faina about her father’s old prayer books. Shots of the town’s old synagogue. Video of the team driving on the road at night.

0:00

The camera focuses on the interior of his house with its newly placed mezuzahs. Exterior shots of courtyard. Street scenes of Bratslav. Researchers speaking and taking photos with the informant outside his home. Street scenes of Bratslav. Kupershimdt leads the team to the Bratslav cemetery where Reb Nosn haTsadik is buried and tells them about the shtetl along the way. Scenes of the Bratslav cemetery. Scenes of Sharhorod. The researchers begin a formal interview with Mikhail (Motya) Isaakovich Yerikhman, who was born in Sharhorod in 1939. (Part 1 of 3. See MDV 658 and MDV 659) He starts his interview talking about his family, including his son, now in Israel, and his nephew, who still lives in Sharhorod, who has became religious. Yerikhman remembers Sharhorod as being a Jewish shtetl into the 1990s, where all the non-Jews spoke Yiddish. During the war, Yerikhman tells the interviewers, only two Jews died in the town, both of whom, a deaf man and a woman, were killed by accident. He also describes the town’s wartime ghetto population as being almost exclusively women and children, as most of the local men were drafted into the Red Army and were thus on the front. Yerikhman also talks about the Pechera camp where Jews from the whole region were killed.

0:00

Kurman remembers going to synagogue with her mother, a woman who, as she describes it, knew Yiddish, loshn-koydesh (Biblical Hebrew) and loved to pray. She remembers the interior of the synagogue as decorated with painted murals on the walls as well as with candles. Although the synagogue was closed before the war, her father continued to pray in a private home with other Jews—he was a pious man and Kurman remembers how he would make blessings before and after eating. Kurman’s father decided to send her to a Russian school because career opportunities would be better than with a Yiddish education—she therefore can neither read nor write in Yiddish. Kurman recalls celebrating Passover and the hiding of the afikoymen (matzah), but says that when her siblings got older they were more interested in going to the theater than in the holidays. Kurman then answers a series of dialectological and linguistic questions about the Yiddish language. Kurman remembers Dr. Taykh, a rich Jew from Bukovina, who died in Sharhorod during the war and is buried there. It was with his help that she and her family survived. The camera cuts to the research team in Shpykiv at the home of Evgeniia Krasner. (Part 1 of 4. See Accession # 09-010.45-F MDV 664, MDV 665, and MDV 666) When Evgeniia (Sheyndele) Isaakovna Krasner finally emerges, she and the team introduce themselves to each other, telling jokes. She sings a Russian song and tells the researchers about Reb Shulem-Munye (Shulemunye), the local tsadik (righteous man). Krasner then sings “Ay iz dus a Rebenyu”, a theater song she knows from her mother with whom she spoke only in Yiddish. The house Krasner currently lives in belonged to her uncle, who was killed in the camp in Pechera. Evgeniia recites a children’s counting ditty and nursery rhymes and then sings another Yiddish song learned from her mother.

42:04

Religious life before the war during Soviet period

9:41

Jewish religious and geographical life

7:56

Education in Yampol and religious life

19:06

Holiday celebration and religious life before the war

29:35

Shvartsburg talks about religious life after the war during the Soviet period. He also addresses contemporary Jewish life.

24:03

Religious life in Slavuta

31:55

Yiddish school education and anti-religious agitation

36:09

Religious life after war

15:41

Postwar religious life.

17:03

Family and rabbis.

42:40

Prewar religious life in Slavuta and family.

12:34

Holidays and tradition.

19:08

Holiday celebration during Great Hunger and religious life today.

24:33

Religious life today and food customs.

33:55

Post-religious life at father’s synagogue.

44:09

Cultural terminology and religious life today.

47:53

Family and religious life today.

49:55

Religious customs /life today and documents.

10:54

Religious life in Ostroh.

2:17

Conversion today.

11:07

Religious life.

21:41

Work and religious life after war in Starokostyantyniv.

25:31

Jewish weddings and religious customs.

34:01

Postwar religious life and Yiddish dialects.

26:25

Postwar religious life and food customs.

26:38

Prewar religious customs.

31:01

Postwar religious life.

31:43

Yiddish cultural life and religious life.

8:42

Education and prewar religious life.

23:28

Religious life during 1930s.

24:10

The team gets back into the van and then stops at a former synagogue, which is now used as restaurant. Berger talks about contemporary religious life. Berger owns a hotel.

33:31

Berger remembers snippets from a Yiddish song about raising children. They then talk about religious life today and his family. His older sister lives in Israel.

56:00

Tartinets discusses holiday celebration and prewar religious life. She then sings a Yiddish song about a child. She then recites the morning prayer. She then answers dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish questionnaire.

54:35

Dorfman gives some historical background on the synagogue. The synagogue was built between 1924 and 1931. Dorfman himself worked at the synagogue. He then describes the conditions of the building in the immediate post-Soviet period and how Dorfman helped to fix it up. He then talks about contemporary religious life, including rabbis. The camera then records footage of the synagogue area.

18:41

Yakuta addresses prewar Sabbath celebrations at home. According to Yakuta, her father would tell stories about life of the past, as well as his experiences in Uman. She also describes her mother's observance.

25:35

Yakuta addresses her father's observances and pilgrimages. She then talks about prewar Jewish life in Teplyk, including synagogue (tailor's, cobbler's, klezmer's, wealthy's, pauper's) and occupational structure, local klezmers, as well as traditional weddings.

35:25

Yakuta talks about prewar religious life and persecution, before recalling the Great Hunger in 1932/33. Yakuta remembers that famished Ukrainians ate the mash of the local alcohol plant from a pit outside and often died of it.

10:07

Yakuta speaks about prewar Jewish and religious life in Teplyk. She describes how the community gathered in private homes in the 1930s. Yakuta then addresses her family's life in the 1930s. Yakuta explains how Ukrainian officials arrested her uncle in search for money.

26:12

Marinina returns to the subject of her youth in the Crimea and sings a fragment from the popular Soviet Yiddish song “Dzhankoye.” She also comments on the various Yiddish writers she read for pleasure and in school. She states that although her father was not religious, he was nevertheless a highly educated and proud Jew. He thus encouraged Marinina to speak, read and write in Yiddish. She recites a fragment from the song “Makheteyneste Mayne.” Marinina’s mother was very religious and strictly observed Passover. Marinina observes Passover today and makes many of her mother’s traditional foods.

12:40

Palatnikova also talks about Jewish religious life in Crimea before the war. She describes the practices of the “Gern,” who were ethnic Russians who followed the Jewish religion and learned to speak Yiddish, although their outward appearance remained non-Jewish.

39:30

Returning to the subject of the early years of Soviet rule, Gliazer describes the general enthusiasm for the regime among poor working Jews. He further details the immediate closures of Jewish political, religious and cultural institutions, although one synagogue was kept open. Gliazer also briefly talks about the Soviet Yiddish newspaper Eynikayt.

19:03

Gliazer speaks about Jewish religious life in his shtetl and how it changed when the Soviets took power in 1939.

48:13

Gliazer details what newspapers were read before the war in his town, and talks about the traveling peddlers who sold Jewish religious books and ritual items in his shtetl.

0:00

The continuation of the formal interview with Rita Davidovna Shveibish in a café in Tul'chyn. (Part 2 of 2. See MDV 708) She talks about the Jewish community and life in Tul'chyn today and before World War II. In the past, there was a thriving cultural life in Tul'chyn. She talks about ghettos during the Romanian occupation. She continues to answer a series of dialectology questions about the Yiddish language. She then discusses religious practices immediately after the war. She provides more information about local Yiddish speakers in towns nearby.

14:08

Kogan talks about the daily life in the Bershad ghetto and addresses the fate of refugees. He then speaks about postwar religious life in Bershad, before addressing prewar Passover celebrations.

18:24

Kogan talks about his life and religious customs in Bershad before the war. According to Kogan, there were three synagogues. He then addresses Passover celebrations at home, as well as his family.

0:00

A formal interview of Rita Davidovna Shveibish at a restaurant. She talks about life in Horyshkivka and Tul'chyn before and after the war. She then moves on to discussing today's Horyshkivka. She then discusses the difficulties of working with today’s Jewish institutions in Tul'chyn. She gives a short description of agricultural life before and after the war. She also reflects upon how non-Jews experience postwar times. She talks about pogroms in Horyshkivka and Tul'chyn before the war. The conversation then turns to a series of dialectological questions. She then talks about Jewish food customs and the difficulties of practicing Judaism in today’s Tul'chyn. Shveibish then discusses food customs and recipes. The conversation then moves to the mystical Jewish tradition. The interview concludes with a dialectological questionnaire about the Yiddish language.

55:50

Golfeld speaks about episodes when he snuck out of the camp in search for food in the villages. He encountered a rebbe in Chechelnyk and joined him for services. Golfeld also addresses his mother's observance. He then remembers a Ukrainian who brought a Torah scroll from the Tulchyn community into the Pechera concentration camp.

59:31

Golfeld speaks about his mother's observance and religious dexterity. He recalls prayer services at home. Golfeld then talks about his family.

0:00

Golfeld speaks about his life after the war. In particular, he addresses secret private religious services, he organized in his home. Golfeld also mentions secret matzo baking.

15:27

Presler briefly speaks about her life in the Pechera concentration camp during the war. She then talks about her family and prewar holiday celebration at home. Presler states that she started fasting at the age of ten.

0:00

Kogan speaks about prewar religious life in Bershad, particularly Hasidism from Bratslav. Kogan states that he barely attended services before the war. The team then concludes the interview with Kogan.

15:21

Shveibish talks about postwar and contemporary Jewish life in Tulchyn. She also addresses her traditional wedding in 1958, as well as postwar religious life in Tulchyn. Shveibish states that families would travel to Bratslav for their sons' circumcision. She then returns to postwar traditional wedding celebrations, including food customs.

20:53

They discuss prewar religious customs. Pesis then speaks about her family and observance, before she remembers the local poor Jew Ayzik. According to Pesia, he taught her to build a mezuzah. Yenta also describes Ayzik. Among other episodes, Pesia describes how he helped her during "his visit" to the Pechera concentration camp when she was sick with typhus. Pesia's family also helped Ayzik out after the war.

34:05

Pesia talks about prewar Jewish life, including religious customs. She describes circumcision ceremonies, as well as birth customs.

56:16

Pesia speaks about prewar Sukkot celebrations, as well as wedding customs after the war. They also discuss postwar religious life, particularly recalling the local kosher butcher.

1:02:52

They address postwar religious life in Tulchyn. Katsman states that the community baked their own matzo. They then address Passover celebrations.

51:07

Lev surveys Jewish history, before Yenta addresses postwar religious life in Tulchyn. Her father was a baker and frequently attended services after the war. Lev's mother was born in Tomashpil.

33:02

Yenta talks about her family. Yenta then speaks about prewar Jewish life in Tulchyn and recalls poverty. Pesia also addresses prewar religious life and mentions a local synagogue. Lev shares an episode where they officials would not allow an extension of the synagogue.

58:10

Religious customs before the war and family

1:00:23

Return home after the war and religious life

0:00

Religious life today

8:22

Celebration of holidays today

18:55

Yiddish song and religious life before the war

33:28

Religious life before the war

38:02

Religious life today and family

10:37

Religious life today and family visits

48:57

Reb Nahman and religious life today

17:13

Katz discusses religious life today. His son helped to organize a minyan from neighboring towns, so Katz can observe yahrzeit. The camera records the excerpt of the Parsha Chukat in the tsene rene, which Katz read earlier in the interview.

23:35

Katz remembers his cheder education and discusses prewar religious life in general.

53:49

Ernest remembers religious life during the Soviet period in Mukacheve. Jews, who had no official relations with the state, lived a religious life with a small study house (besmedresh).

49:00

Naybauer talks about life during World War II, during his imprisonment in the Hungarian forced labor (i.e. "Munka Tabor") within the labor battalion of the Hungarian army. They arrive at the former Great Synagogue. Naybauer discusses religious life after the war. The Jewish community used the synagogue until it was closed down in 1948. When the former head of the Jewish community, Bergider, heard that the Great Synagogue was about to be closed down, he went to Moscow to speak with Golda Meir to prevent the closure. As soon as Bergider returned to Uzhorod, he was arrested and sentenced to twenty-five years in jail. Bergider was in jail for seven years and died two weeks after his release. Naybauer then briefly remembers prewar Hasidic life; before talking about holiday celebration today. Naybauer remembers that Jews hid their belongings in two synagogues, before they were forced into the ghetto. He then returns to talking about prewar Jewish life and institutions. Naybauer grew up as the oldest of five siblings. His father could not work for health reasons and therefore Naybauer had to help the “kosher sausage dealer “ carry meat.

48:38

The team begins the formal interview in a restaurant. Naybauer talks about his family. His father and sister perished in Auschwitz. Naybauer then talks about his childhood memories of Mala Dobron, in particular his father Avrum, who died of the flu in the 1930s. He then lists several Jewish families who lived in Mala Dobron and discusses prewar religious life.

10:18

Naybauer discusses prewar antisemitism, before addressing contemporary religious life. He then recites prayers, before discussing religious life after World War II. Naybauer got married in 1957 and his son was circumcised in 1959. His mother agreed to bring Naybauer’s son to the mohel and was sentenced to three years in jail, but with the help of Jewish journalists she could evade the sentence. Naybauer then talks about synagogue activities after the war.

43:55

Zinger recalls Jewish life before the war in Velykyi Bereznyi. His father worked as a tombstone carver (matseyve kritser) during the summer. Zinger assisted his father in the cemetery. During the winter, his father was a frame builder and glazier. Zinger then talks about the local prayer house, before addressing religious life today.

16:13

Religious practice late 1930s and under Romanian occupation

32:56

Liudmila sings the well-known Chanukka song "Oy Chanukkah." They then answer questions about cultural terminology. She remembers her father-in-law's work as rebbe. They also discuss prewar religious life.

0:00

Religious customs and Yiddish song

28:01

Religious customs and holidays in Zhmerynka

21:21

Chirkova speaks about her life before the war. She finished seven years of schooling, before applying to a technical institute. She also speaks about her family and bribing during her educational years. Chirkova also discusses keeping her faith.

39:14

Chirkova addresses prewar religious life, particularly occupational synagogues.

0:00

Chirkova speaks about her life after the war. She taught dance to children for six months. Chirkova then talks about prewar religious life in Krasne, before addressing postwar life, as well as life today.

4:11

Chirkova speaks about religious customs and prayers.

11:13

Chirkova shares insights about her Jewish idenitity. She then addresses religious customs, including cleaning before Passover.

28:43

Chirkova addresses prewar religious life in Krasne. She also gives advice on being a good human being, as well as conducting a religious life.

39:24

Chirkova addresses her personal piety.

0:00

Chirkova speaks about her life today, as well as the support she receives from her children. She then discusses religious customs, particularly explains how to bless Sabbath candles. Chirkova also shares a personal prayer.

14:16

Chirkova talks about her family, as well as her personal piety and faith.

0:00

Religious life and holiday celebration at home

36:19

Early childhood memories and religious life

12:41

Furer addresses contemporary religious life, before he turns to poverty and hunger before the war. Furer states that his father passed away when he was fourteen years old.

18:25

Furer speaks about his family's religiosity. He recalls how his grandfather prayed at home, before continuing to answer dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish linguistic questionnaire. Furer also addresses contemporary religious services.

21:32

Furer addresses holiday food customs before the war. He remembers how his grandfather would keep geese in the attic. Furer also addresses contemporary religious life.

6:40

Vainer-Shpak talks about Jewish life before the war, particularly Yiddish books and press. She also speaks about her family, as well as prewar religious life. In particular, Vainer-Shpak remembers the local cantor and her father chanting at the synagogue.

10:58

Vainer-Shpak remembers prewar religious life, specifically a local rabbi. She then answers questions about cultural terminology, before she addresses prewar Jewish life in Bratslav.

20:32

Vainer-Shpak talks about her family and her faith in God. She then answers dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish linguistic questionnaire.

31:50

Religious customs in her family

36:39

Yiddish stories and prewar religious life

18:40

Life before the war and religious customs after the war

31:16

Jewish culture before the war and religious life

12:15

Work and postwar religious life in Yampol

22:13

Moving to Vinnytsya and religious life after the war

45:00

The rabbi/shoyket of Keparet and religious (food) customs

6:58

Religious life in Vinnytsya after the war and dialectology

36:23