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Permanent Exhibitions > Eastern European Jewry > Stories from our Ancestral Homes

At the request of my beloved children, I, Ikusiel Pliskin, born in 1854, have taken it upon myself to record my life story, my experiences, and also stories of my father, Israel Groinen Pliskin, and the stories my father had heard from his father, Ikusiel Pliskin, and grandfather, Reb Itche, the son of Avraham the Vilner (who became Reb Avraham Pliskin) our ancestors, so that we shall know who we are (our roots). My father had a family and a family letter; however, this letter remains in the Holy Land. This letter will be described when I tell about my father. I'm very pleased that you, my dear ones, have an interest in knowing who you are, the history of your family and the reason why our family name is the same as the city in which our forefathers lived, Plissa. You shall be proud of the information in this historical document.

The first Jew who arrived in Plissa, my great great grandfather Reb Avraham, born in the mid 1700's, came from Vilnius (Vilna). His name was Avraham the Vilner. In days of old, important Jewish people were given last names according to the the city from which they had come, because family names did not exist then. About middle-class Jews I will write later on how their last names were given. Vilna was then the capitol of Lithuania. Avraham the Vilner performed great business transactions with the Lithuanian government and became very rich. He was well known, a great Torah scholar, was also learned in secular studies, and had two famous sons. He was in Vilna one of the seven great leaders of the city. Every city, town, and hamlet appointed seven capable leaders who led their people, and whose job it was to appoint Rabbis--Shochtim, to supervise over Tzadaka --charities, and Talmudei Torah--Hebrew schools, and to see that poor children be given schooling, food and shelter. If a certain community was in need of a favor from the government, the procedure was to contact the group of seven leaders of the capitol of that specific land, for they had great influence with the government. My wish is also to give you an idea of how people led their lives in those days. My belief is that not only in Vilna did people live this way, but also in the whole of Poland and Russia. Our family Pliskin were devoted Chassidim of the Baal Shem Tov (Chassidim-Chassidic followers and disciples.) I will also explain the difference between Chassidim and Minxa Misnagdim. Going back to the behaviors of people in those days, the Lithuanian gentile (Muzik) was the property of the Porets (the ruler and usually tyrant ruling over everyone--who had the power, even over life and death); the Jew was also the property of the Porets. When the Porets would sell his terrain (town, city, or cities) automatically the Muziks of serfs would be sold along with his property to the new owner. Jews and gentiles were at the mercy of this Porets as were all his horses and cattle--he had the power to shoot them or hang them without a trial.

I will now relate to you an appalling tale that I heard from my father. About fifteen miles from Plissa there is a city called Luski. The Porets of Luski was called Graf Zobe. His custom was to go hunting in the forests three times a year, together with his family and friends. In order to test his shooting ability or workmanship, he used to force women and children to crawl high up on the trees, thus practicing and testing his shooting ability upon them. Whenever he shot down a woman or child from a tree, all the bystanders would shout hurray in approval--also the echo of all the shouters would travel through the entire forest.

When the Porets decided to turn the Village of Plissa into a city, and all the governors then knew that it was impossible to create a city without Jews, he ordered that a mill be erected, since through the city of Plissa ran a river. Moreover, he ordered a whiskey distillery be established together with a hostel where the governors (Pritzim) would be able to obtain lodging for a day or two, because Plissa was the center to all our neighbors who wished to travel to the great city of Polotzk. When all these preparations were finished, the Porets sent fifteen chariots with additional help to pack all the belongings of Reb Avraham, his wife and children. He sent two chariots with four horses leading each chariot.

He (Reb Avraham) had to come to Plissa whether he wanted to or not. He was presented with the above items--the distillery, etc. In addition, he was given the full authority of supervision of the income of the complete property of the Porets--and also the tasks of fund raising in the form of loans for the benefit of the Porets, because although the Pritzim were very wealthy, they were also extravagant spenders.

The greater the Porets was, and the richer he grew, the more he searched for a Jew as a minister or supervisor so he should be famous as a business personality and a great manager of interior affairs of whom they would boast to their colleagues. The less well-to-do Pritzim, would greatly revere these Jewish managers because through these Jews, they would learn how to deal in business and how to speak to the great Porets. The great Porets who sent for Reb Avraham was also a representative of the Lithuanian government; his rank name was Deshped. In Russian this rank was called Knias. Thus, Reb Avraham did great business with the Lithuanian government; it was for the above reason that the Porets picked on Reb Avraham's influence for this position as supervisor.

When Reb Avraham arrived in Plissa, a few Jewish families followed his example and settled in Plissa, too. In a short while, great business transactions began to take place in Plissa.

Reb Avraham had two sons. If he had any daughters I do not know; the younger son was the rabbi of the whole vicinity and was also its "shochet." He was also a great scholar, handsome, hardy, and everybody praised him. His name was Reb Velvel. My father possessed some of the texts of books of which he was the author. The older son was also a great Talmudic scholar; also he was vastly secularly educated. He was very religious, and he was the one to take over the business affairs from his father. His name was Reb Itche; he left over four sons and two daughters. They were married in Vilna, but what became of them I do not know. These four sons of Reb Itche were named 1) Shimsel, 2) Velvel, 3) Ikusiel, my grandfather and 4) Itche.

Shimsel moved to the town Kiblitz, and he had a son named Yosef Mordechai; and a daughter who later became my aunt. Velvel was the rabbi of the city and its "shochet."

Itche had three sons and one daughter. These three sons were great scholars, businessmen and famous people. They were Chassidim, (disciples of the holy Baal Shem Tov.) The Chassidim were the scholars who searched for an ideal in Torah study, as I will later explain. As I said before, Itche had three sons and one daughter, one named Lazar, who moved to Filipove, a large village near Drisa. Lazar had two sons named Dovid and Zalman; what became of the I do not know.

About Itche, I forgot to mention that he had two other sons. One of them Noson, lived in a mill, though I do not know where. Berel, the other son, was a Torah scholar. Berel and his children already called themselves after Berel's wife's name (Bailenson), because she handled the business transactions. Berel left a daughter whose name was Kashiel from Barishkowitz and sons .. one named Zorach, who was a Shocket in Plissa.

I described before how the Christian nobility behaved, and now I will describe how the Jewish nobility (scholars) behaved before the Baal Shem Tov revealed his philosophical Chassidic teachings.

Until the Baal Shem Tov emerged, all Jews were Misnagdim. The Misnagdim disliked the Jews who were not learned. They called them unlearned Jews, Bur, and Am Haarets. Although these ignorant people were very religious, these Misnagdim would poke fun at them saying, "what do these Jews know about religion?"--If he knows nothing, not even the meaning of the prayers. These deprived Jews sent their sons to learn a trade as shoemakers, tailors, blacksmiths. These professions were as treif (unclean) as chazir (pigs). These sons were the ones to be drafted into the army from their particular cities. The period of devoting time to the army was not less than twenty-five years. The rich Jews looked for a groom for their daughters, an important young man. This in turn means that the groom should be a scholar.

These ignorant rich Jews, in order to find an intelligent scholarly young man would travel to the nearest Yeshiva. Here the rich man would ask of the Rosh Yeshiva to pick for him a great Torah scholar for his daughter.

The Rosh Yeshiva was already able to make a deal with the rich man, the ignoramus, and set a date for the wedding. The rich man would buy for his groom all the necessary clothes for the wedding plus expenses. They would then write to the chassan's (bridegroom's) parents to come to the wedding at the set date. If the groom's father would not be able to pay for the ride to the wedding, the bride's father would sent a chariot at his own expense.

The bride did not see the groom until the wedding. If the chassan was wise, he would find a way to his future father-in-law's house and look at his future bride, but this had to be done in secret so that the Rosh Yeshiva did not learn of this.

After the wedding, the young groom would continue his Hebrew studies. The parents would then begin looking for a business for the young couple. Upon their finding such a business, the young wife would manage it. The husband's name even in those days was called in reference to his wife; for instance; Chaim, the husband of Leah. So were called all people according to the name of the business manager.

However, upon the arrival of the Baal Shem Tov, he decided that the real religious Jew is really the ordinary layman. The shoemaker, the tailor, the blacksmith; the one who eats the bread at the sweat of the brow--he knows that G-d wants only a true heart.

When this ordinary Jew whistles and declares that he intends to worship G-d with his whistle because he knows of no other way to worship, this type of Jew is regarded with more esteem by the Almighty than a scholar who learns day and night, because the latter has in mind either honor to be derived from his learning, or through money.

The Chassidim of the Baal Shem Tov began to attract and befriend ordinary Jews. They would sing with them, dance with them, and even intermarry with the ordinary layman.

You can imagine that the Old Rabbi took a son-in-law whose father was an ordinary butcher. When being asked why he took a son-in-law from the family of a butcher, he replied that if a Jew has the understanding to give a nadden (dowry) for the amount of 10,000 rubles because he thinks that I am a pious Jew, I can then do with him a shidduch. (arrange a marriage.) Because of this, parents asking great scholars as grooms for their daughters stopped considerably.

As a result, the man of the household began his role as both the business manager and provider of a livelihood.

You can imagine what occurred then among those who opposed the Chassidism, better known as Misnagdim.

I shall now relate to you what my father told me. The city of Shklov and Moliev were in those days the pride of all the Jews. Its Jewish inhabitants were rich, scholarly people, and business personalities.

The old Rabbi and his son the Intermediate Rabbi went by, I do not remember exactly which city, Shklov or Moliev, so let's say Moliev. He rode through on Thursday night through the city of Moliev, where they were arrested. They were brought to the "Kohol Shtibel"--a Jewish courthouse. They were tied down, and were ordered to remain until Saturday night. On Saturday night, there was supposed to be a meeting to decide what was to be done with the "prisoners. "

The reason for the delay to Shabbos night was because all the rich men of the city came back to the city for Shabbos.

The Elders of the city took turns to guard them, for they would not trust any other person, lest they would be allowed to escape. The Chassidim (followers) did not know where their Rabbi and his son were to be found. Since these elders were also scholars, and in the "khol Shtibel" there were "seforim" (books of Jewish interest in Hebrew), these rich elders would learn from these Seforim as they kept guard on the Alter Rabbi and his son. Shabbos afternoon, as one of the elders was learning "Talmud" on guard, he suddenly could not figure out a passage in the Talmud and in vain were his efforts. The Alter Rabbi, upon seeing this man's plight, voiced his opinion as to how to solve that Talmudical problem. However the elder turned a deaf ear to his rescuer thinking, what could such a man know? And the elder tried going ahead with the passage but he became stuck again. This time he became annoyed and had no choice but to listen to the voice of his "prisoner." The Alter Rebbe then showed this scholar his own great intelligence and scholarliness. Upon hearing his logical and scholarly Talmudical explanation, the rich elder was astonished and replied to the Alter Rebbe, "I see that you are great in Talmudic studies, now give me a small discourse in Chassidic studies.

When the Alter Rebbe ended his discourse, the elder said to him, you are indeed my Rebbe, and as soon as Shabbos ended, he took a horse and buggy and traveled with the Alter Rebbe to Liady, where the Alter Rebbe dwelt.

I have forgotten to tell you about how the Pritzim behaved.

Although we mentioned before that the Porets was close to Jews and lent money to and borrowed from them occasionally, nevertheless, it happened many a time that when a Jew would ride through his estate and the Porets would have a fit, he would order the Jew to be taken from his buggy and be flogged for as long as he wished; no bit of mercy was of any avail. Afterwards, the Porets would order the Jew's buggy to be filled with beans, vegetables, and potatoes, have the Jew put on his buggy and sent the horses with the buggy on their way to the Jew's house. A joke went around about the Jews, that if a Jew would not have what to eat, his wife would drive her husband out on the road with his buggy, hoping for the chance that a crazy Porets would remand him, have him flogged and fill his wagon afterwards with food.

The Jewish intellectual, from the Misnagdim, did not behave much better than these Pritzim. We, descendants of Chassidim, should be proud of ourselves, for we are born with a delicate understanding and intellect.

Now I will tell you about myself. My name was given to me after my grandfather, Kusiel Pliskin, the reason being that my grandfather died the day that I was born.

My grandfather became the manager under the Porets of his town Plissa. He owned the inn, was well-to-do, was a scholar, and became very famous.

He once said that when we come along important people, then we see that we are great people, too.

My grandmother came from a family of scholars of Shklov, rich people, or from a family of intellectuals from Moliev. She wa a good-looking, intelligent, good-natured woman; her name was Bobe Sarah.

I do now know for sure if I knew her, but I think I did know her. Either I believe I knew her or else I just heard of her from the description of others. She had two sons and one daughter, of whom the oldest son was my father, or your grandfather. The daughter was my aunt Chava; the son was Mendel. Mendel, my uncle, married Sheitel's daughter. Sheitel was, in turn, my father's uncle. Mendel became divorced from his wife. Mendel, my uncle, left toward Frankfurt-Demain together with a young man from Disna. Upon arriving in Frankfurt-Demain, they both went to the synagogue to learn they were both very learned. It did not take long, that the Rabbi of that city befriended them, and took a liking to them, and told them that he had a daughter. "My dear young men, the time has come for you to meet my daughter, and for her to decide who of you two best suits her taste," he said. So it was--a date was arranged and the Rabbi's daughter was introduced to these young men. The question of choice was put before the maiden. She chose my uncle Mendel.

The Chassena (wedding) took place not long afterward; and the dowry from the Rabbi was a beautiful vineyard. A while afterward, my uncle opened up a weaving factory; he would travel every year to Russia with his materials, and would buy other textiles from Russia. My father carried on a correspondence with him until the Russo-Turkish War, after which we do not know what became of him.

**Now, about my aunt Chava. I heard her name only once. Upon receiving a letter from  her once, my mother asked my father, "Who is the letter from?" My father replied, "The letter is from Chava." She wanted to make a "shiddach" with us. She boasted of having nice daughters, and she was ready to give meaningful dowries. She was quite rich. I saw her once on this occasion. I had to travel to Oshva near the city of Drissa. In order to get to Oshva in those days, I had to travel first to Disna, from Disna to Drissa by train, and then from Drissa to Oshva by horse and buggy. I arrived at Drissa on a Sunday. I went to the fair, and found a wagon that was bringing firewood to sell. With this sled he would bring me to his home. From his home he would harness a good sled and bring me to Oshva.

On the way, riding to the driver's home, the driver said to me that he will bring me to an inn where there were Jews, and he will go to his home to care for some things. It was winter and very cold and he brought me to an inn.

Upon entering I noticed that the inn had a large cold room, without a wooden floor, and two non-Jews were sitting along a long table and drinking whiskey.

In the room it was as cold as the outside. I did not, however, see anyone of the proprietors. I looked for another door to the other room. With much frustration I managed to find it. I enter through that door and behold, in that room it was brightly lit and warm. A man about fifty was playing with a young child.

I approached this Jew and asked him if  it was possible to obtain a samovar. He answered, no! I asked again perhaps, you have a good drink of whiskey, he answered again, no! and extended his hand to me saying "Shalom Aleichem." I did not take his hand and replied, this is your kindness, give me better a samovar, so I should be able to warm myself, I will pay you as much as you want. I continued walking around the room, until I warmed myself a little. Now that you are not angry, he continues, Shalom Aleichem, where are you from? I reply, from Disna.

"Perhaps from the suburbs of Disna?" he inquires. "Yes, from a small town near Disna" I replied. "What is the name of the town?"

I reply in question, "Do you know the towns around Disna?" "Yes I know of them," he answered.

"I am from the town of Plissa. "

"Who are you in Plissa?" he further questioned me.

"Who do you know in Plissa?" I questioned in return. "I have a brother-in-law in Plissa."

"Who is your brother-in-law?" I inquired again.

He replied, "Israel Brinom is my brother-in-law. Why, do you know him?" I replied, "I know him."

"How long are you away from Plissa?" he asked. "Two or three days," I replied.

"How is he?"

"He is alright," I replied.

"What kind of business is he in?"

"His business is to learn Torah and pray," I answered. "He asked again, "And who are you in Plissa?"

I am Sverdlov, and answering thus, I tried to look away so that he should not notice that I am laughing. I wanted to bluff a little to my aunt as well.

Standing from far, I notice there entered a good looking lady with a royal outlook, tall with a well-tailored look. I thought to myself could this be my aunt, for as it seemed to me, she resembled a Melamed (poor old teacher), and she had the look of a royal duchess, about the age of forty or forty-five. She seemed to want to take the child from him. He said to her, go first ask about your brother, for here before us is a young man from Plissa. She replied, asking "Who is he from Plissa?"

His name is Sverdlov," the man replied.

The lady turned to me, and said to her husband, "you can be talked into believing anything. "

Then she turned to me saying, "Come over here, my dear young man."

I did not hurry to call her, so she started walking towards me. I started walking towards her. She hugged me and started kissing me saying, "You are Yekusiel!" I reply, "Yes."

She took the child and she called me along to follow her. They did not let me go on my way that same day.

I asked my aunt Chava whom she resembled in looks.

She answered that she is the exact copy of her mother, my grandmother.

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Now we'll begin to tell of my father, your grandfather. He married at the age of thirteen.

Your grandmother, or my mother, was eight years old at the wedding. It so happened that my grandfather Yekusiel was on business trip in the city of Disna. A big tumult had taken place in the city, namely that the greatest Shochet of the city suddenly died of cholera. His name was Barigin. He was survived by a wife, four children, two sons and two daughters.

My grandmother was asked to come to a meeting in the city, with regards to what to do with the surviving family.

The oldest daughter was married in Disna to Urates Moshe Shenkman. The latter was from a fine, rich, Chassidic family. One of the two sons, Menschem Barigin, was given over to a blacksmith as an apprentice. The second one was given to a carpenter as an apprentice. My mother, the second daughter of the Shochet, was taken and brought to Plissa by my grandfather Reb Yekusiel Pliskin, when she was five years old.

I forget to mention, that Motes Moshe was survived by two sons. One was named Yosef Shenkman, who lived in the city Disna and was a fine person and the owner of a beer brewery. He had educated children. About the other son, I do not know anything.

Thus, when my mother Reise Mirka became eight years old, and my father was thirteen years of age, they were married. They were commanded that they must go to sleep on time, and both in one bed. They set aside for them a separate room. In those days, it was the custom that the bride's hair was completely shaven off, and she was clothed with a white bonnet called a heibel (a bonnet that covers the hair of the head completely.)

My mother, as it seems, was quite mischievous. One evening, when my grandfather was coming home from his evening prayer, Maariv, at the shul, he noticed that his young, thirteen year old son is sitting at the porch, crying. His father asked him, "why are you crying?" 

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When we heard what he had to say, we began to laugh; he laughed along with us. Upon entering the shul we found nobody but ourselves.

He approached the altar, and when he opened his mouth it did not take more than five to ten minutes for the synagogue to fill to capacity, both the men's and women's section; not a living soul missed shul that day. From this man I learned the song "Polnes" which you all know.

I will tell you how greatly my father was revered. At first the "Pritzim" were required to give a quota of soldiers from the Jews and non-Jews under their jurisdiction. Naturally, the sequence was to give to fill the quota non-Jews instead of many Jews. Afterwards, a new law appeared that the quota of Jews was to be given and filled separately. However, they were allowed to hand over "Poimenicks." This mean that every town would grab Jews from journeying on their way, riding even from far away places. Although they would be forty or fifty years old, they would alter their ages and draft them for the quota account of the city which grabbed them. Later on, a law was passed forbidding this practice too, and "Achvatknikes" were allowed to be given, meaning they would hire a "tramp."

They would make up with him to give him two hundred rubles, and sometimes three hundred rubles; they would keep him in town and give him food and drink. There used to be a saying then that "he has it as good as an Achvatnik." In addition they would also catch a "Yungen" in case the first was not good.

One day as I was going home from "Cheder" to eat supper, as I approached the house, I heard a big commotion in the house. As I ran into the house, I saw a woman on the floor, kissing my mother's feet and crying. Five or six children are with her, crying along with her. In addition, an old father and mother are crying, too. I couldn't comprehend what was taking place. I approached the maid and she was crying too. I certainly could not come close to my mother, as she was also crying. So I had to stand and wait for the outcome to this affair. With great effort we managed to break this woman away from my mother, and I heard my mother trying to comfort her saying, "I will bring my husband here but stop your crying." My father descended from the "sharka" or attic (he used to learn there), and he went into his room on the lower level, where he would receive guests.

This room had adjacent to it another room where there were two beds. My mother called in the woman who was laying on the floor into this room. I also managed to steal myself into that room because I still did not know what was happening. However, my mother noticed me there and chased me out. I was angry at my mother for that, but still I went out from the room. Then I heard the door of the room open; the woman was holding a letter and was happy. My father said to the woman, "As they will notify you that they cannot help you, you should return and I will go immediately with you to Disna." I was given lunch and I left the house toward the cheder, but I left unhappy. Firstly, because I would not have a reason to give my rabbi for being late to class, and secondly I wouldn't have what to tell my friends. As I was walking, thinking to myself, I hear the maid, Chaike, shouting for me to return home.

When I returned home, my mother told me I should not tell anyone what happened at the house. But I managed to be allowed not to return to cheder that day. I also demanded to be told what all the crying was about. My mother replied that I shall know in a week or two.

Two weeks later, coming home I see that in the house there is a great commotion. The same woman with the children are there together with a young man, who is the husband of this woman. Now I understood what had taken place. From the people of Plissa, this young man was caught to serve as a soldier to fill their quota. And whenever my father wrote a letter to the people of Plissa, he was let out free. This is how greatly revered my father was in Plissa.

We have elaborated too far, before we mentioned about the Sabbath's Brocha (the prayer making after the davening services). After the Brocha, we small fries used to leave the house to play during the summer season. During the winter, we would have enough room to play in the house. Two hours later, we would be called in to eat dinner.

At dinner my mother would already be sitting next to my father, who then related to us about the beginning of our family, because then all the strangers had gone, such as the rabbi, the shochet or the shammes.

Unless there would be other strangers that would be staying at our house, we would have not hurried to eat dinner because we were not hungry, but for two reasons we did not want to miss being at the table. For one, we loved to hear my father's stories, and second, we loved the noodle kugel. The first course would be chopped liver and "Puchar." "Cholent" followed, and then the kugel. whenever Chana Meriashe would give us less of a portion than she gave her own children, we would peek at their plates in a hidden manner. We wouldn't talk with our mouths, only with our eyes. Our good mother would, however, notice this and she would say, "children, keep still." Afterwards, they would serve cholent meat. This we would not eat at all, but nevertheless we had to stay seated at the table. Firstly, we had to sit until then because father and mother were still sitting at the table, and secondly to teach us how to behave in the presence of strangers, and also because of etiquette, how to hold a spoon and a fork. All these teachings took place on Shabbos at the table, after the Shabbos afternoon nap. My father and mother would get up and a few of the city dwellers would gather at our house for tea. Then we took the cholent from a big pot and we would serve everyone tea while they discussed many things.

-------------------------

I was born in the year 1854 in the town of Plissa, during the holiday of Shemini Atzeres, the twenty-third day of Tishri, which corresponded to the month of October.

In my time, my father's position was on the way down. I, your father and grandfather, will tell you about my life, and about my two marriages--also why I wanted to travel to America. How I aspired that my children should journey to America. But who and what I am, meaning my mistakes and blemishes I cannot write to you, because each person counts his wrongdoings for virtues. Even if a person finally sees that he did wrong, he tries to find ways to clear himself or rationalize his mistakes. Then my virtues I do not want to write about for the same above reason. This, to tell about my virtues I leave to you.

About my early youth I haven't what to write--a great or lesser mischievous child is the same. I'll begin to write from the age of ten or twelve years old.

Naturally we went to cheder. I'll tell you about my cheder. My Rebbe's name was Berel the Melamed. He was a tall and skinny man with a slight beard. He was a nervous person and used to snuff "tabak." When my father was a youngster about my age, he learned under him also.

The Rebbetzim's name was Bobe Toibe. She was the grandmother of the city. "The Bobe" used to be called then a midwife.

My friends used to tell me that she also snuffed "tabak," and she hid her tabak box in the pocket of her apron. She was, however, a good woman. More than once she used to plead to the "Rebbe" on our behalf, that he should not hit us.

Although the Rebbe never hit me, instead he would threaten and scare me that he would hit me. The Rebbe would always postpone hitting me, so I thought that he just forgot to punish me. However, a while later, the daughter of the Rebbe whose name was "Perke" told me the reason. "Do not cry, my father will not hit you," she said.

"Why not," I asked, "why wouldn't he hit me?"

She replied, "Because your mother asked my father not to hit her children be healthy non­scholars than sickly scholars."

However he would do this, if a student had to be punished, he (the student) would unfasten the hooks of his trousers, pull them down and sit lying on a bench. Children like me, there were probably more, whose good parents had asked the Rebbe not to hit them. These children used to be given the task of holding the hands, feet and heads of the ones who had to be given a spanking. And we, the ones that held the punished one, as the thrashings would come down, we would cry along with the one that was being spanked. The Rebbe had two kinds of spanking tools. For children of age eight or nine he had a stick eight or nine feet in length. At the tip of the stick there was a long piece of heavy skin, cut to the size of wide long noodles and these "noodles" were banged down with nails to the stick, this was called "Tzipline." For ten to twelve year olds, children who learned the "Gmora" (Talmud), these he would not tell to remove their trousers, firstly because the student would not listen, secondly the Rebbe wouldn't be able to put him down either, and thirdly the lad would be more agile and stronger than the Rebbe. For those students the Rebbe would have another tool called, "Suchedrebke." This was softer and longer than a bath brush. Whenever the Rebbe would give a swing with this at someone's back, this strap would wind around the body of the recipient like a snake.

The Rebbe was not completely at fault. Let us look at who the Rebbe was. This was one of the "Kloiznikes," who became the son-in-law of very wealthy people, or as they were called "Shmalts gribbers of accumulations of fats and riches." These accumulations eventually dry up, and the fathers-in-law were not able to continue to support their sons-in-law. As a result, the young man had no other choice but to look for a teaching position. This young man was already "broken" because these young Klozniks they would fix up with women who are not good for this world and not for the world to come. I know of a cousin of mine, whose mother was my father's sister, he was called Israel-Zalman Kapelushrink. He was fixed up with a wife who had a hole in her cheek. When she had to eat she would have to hold her cheek with her hand so that the food would not fall out.  He was a learned man, and is a Rabbi somewhere, I do not know where. As I am writing now, I am reminded about two sisters of my father. One was from the town of Druye, this Kapelushrink was mentioned before, and the other from another town named Leiple, by the name of the Harderesha. Her children live in Riga. Anyway, this type of young man would come to ask to be entrusted to him children to learn with them. whenever the father or the mother of the child would tell the young man that their child is a great trouble maker whom they cannot control. Also, the father or mother would come to the Rebbe and complain to him that their son played on the Holy Shabbos with "Shkotzim," gentile children; and that the shkotzim tore off his hat from his head and threw it on the roof, and that their son continued to play with them, without his hat on. He also learned from his shkotzim how to whistle. The mother would not leave the Rebbe until the Rebbe would not spank her child. He had to do what he was told, otherwise he would not be rehired for the following term.

However in more intelligent houses, it was different. For instance, in my house, by my mother, whenever the Rebbe would come to ask to teach us, she would ask us first if we agreed. If she liked a certain Melamed or Rebbe, and we were not happy with her choice, she would talk us into accepting him. However, if we told our mother that we didn't want to attend Cheder with this or that child, to this she would not listen.

Our mother would make up with our Rebbe, that more than eight children should not be in the class, and that this or that child she does not want in my class.

Naturally for an eight-child class, they would pay as much as the income for a fifteen-child class. Afterwards, my mother would make up with the Rebbe that after his class was over, he should notify her who were the members of the class. However, we always learned under the same Rebbe.

My father never mixed in about us. We, during our lives, never heard from our father not a good word, not a bad word. Our mother never raised her voice toward us. We never heard a curse. We never heard our father argue with mother. We were not in the room with our father. If we ever fought among ourselves in the house, our mother would exclaim, "Children, you father is in the next room." That would be enough, and we would leave the house and continue outside.

Once there occurred a nice story. Our "shul" was very large and roomy. Our father had built the shul. It had in addition a bath house with a warm "Mikvah." Because before that, the women would go to immerse themselves in the river, where they would chop a "prolavke," which is to bore a hole into the frozen ice, and the woman would then immerse herself in the water. However, when the shul was built and a Mikvah installed, the women would not have to go through the above hardship, for now they had a warm Mikvah in which to immerse themselves.

The shul was very spacious. We boys would go to play there Shabbos afternoon. We really didn't have a better place where to play, that is, during the time that all the parents would sleep Shabbos afternoon. After the Cholent and the kugel, they would sleep heartily.

You probably wonder why we had no better place to play, and why Shabbos afternoon of all days. The reason was because the rest of the week we would have to go to cheder at eight in the morning until the evening; during the summer and winter until eight or nine in the evening, closed up in a narrow dirty and dark Cheder. We had no worries, so we wanted to play and fool around in the street of the "shtetl" which was small and everyone would know us. We could not fool around, for as soon as they would see us being mischievous, they would warn us saying, "wait I will tell your father what you did, or your mother or older brother," and we would then get into trouble.

Although on us no one would tell, for when someone would come with a story to our mother, she would exclaim, "what do you want from them, they're children, and children have to fool around, 'Reciting Thilim' they already do all week long." As for going to the outskirts of the "shtetl," there we would be afraid of the "shkotzim" (gentile boys), therefore the only place left was the shul. In shul, "Matis the Shames" would give us trouble. Although he was a Pliskin, nevertheless, he was a stern man. The best game we played was during the time between Mincha and Maariv. It was not necessarily so for me. During that time, my father would take me with him to the front, where they would sing, and I had to sing along. This took place when my father would come home between Mincha and Maariv.

Whenever it would turn dark, that was when the fun started for us. This darkness period would last a long time, and we children knew that Shabbos night, we "daven" Maariv very late. This happened because on Shabbos the wicked people in heaven are not punished or burned for the various sins they performed on earth, and in order to have pity on these wicked souls we would prolong the Shabbos day by extending the time to daven Maariv and lighting a fire very late.

By Jews, everyone is considered wicked the first year after death, that is the first year everyone has to go to "Gahenim."

Once, Zalman the cobbler became angry at Matis the Shames and cried to him, "Why do you not watch that these young Shkotzim should not turn the shul upside down?"

Matis replied, "But what could I do, if the whole mischief is led by the children of Israel Groinen. Why they even lost my "tefillin" and my siddur was torn from its binding. Everyone knows that when one starts with tales about children's mischief, everyone has another story to add to the previous one."

If it hadn't been for Zalman the shuster, who opened his mouth, all would have been quiet.

They decided among themselves that Matis the Shammes, should tell Israel Froinim, my father, what his "Tannefare" is doing.

My friends, the boys came running to me, and one tried to beat the other at breaking the news to me over what happened in shul. The boys were very much afraid of what would happen. They were afraid that I should not get a spanking. The boys swore on their own lives and the lives of their parents how they heard that Matis the Shammes was going to tell my father what happened in shul. Other boys remarked how they heard with their own ears that Chaim the Blacksmith jested that Israel Froinim is going to beat him so that he will remember that beating for the rest of his life. The brat, everyone has "tsores" from him.

The Rabbi, the Shochet, and the more important townspeople were not among the talebearers. Whenever my friends told me of those developments, my heart began to beat like a clock, tick-tock.

However, I listened to them and a fake laugh came out from within me. All my friends were waiting openmouthed, for  what I would say next. I replied, "First of all, my father will not be home for this Shabbos, and perhaps not even for the following one. And who knows, by then Matis the Shammes may die." One of the gang called out to me, saying "Maybe your father will die by then."

It is true then that an older boy gave the intruder a shove, saying "his father is a good father. He never hits his son, let my father better die, the thief, for when my mother sticks up for me, he not only hits me, but her too."

My father arrived the following Shabbos. On Friday we were let out from Cheder after lunch. On my way home, I notice that our "Zdereftzick" runs toward me (this word means a young pony of five or six months of age. I will later explain how this pony came to us.) The pony was licking my hands looking for sweets, sugar or candy, that we taught him to eat from our hands. We also taught him to stand with his forefeet on our shoulders and thus remove our hats from our heads. However, the usual procedure was that he would return the hats, but this time he galloped away with my hat. It was not our pony's fault, for his mother, my father's horse, had just called him after he took our hat, and our pony, forgetting that I was not allowed to walk under the sky without a hat, forgot to return it. I, however, remained standing in the middle of town without a hat on. To go home then without a hat on I was afraid, as it was I was in a lot of trouble, that Matis the Shammes would come the following day to complain to my father about me. If now I would go through the town without a hat on, I would be nothing better than a regular "goy." I even put both my hands on my head in order to keep it covered, whenever my best friend comes running towards me, the one who had said, "maybe your father will die before Matis comes to him with the news." My friend wanted to give me his cap, but I did not take it. For if he would get caught without a hat on, that he would be going into the street without a hat on, he would then be liable to receive a harsh beating from his mother.

So I asked him to fetch my own hat, and I went home. As I entered the house I told Chana Mariashe, the wife of Yosef Dovid, that I did not feel well. She asked me what was the matter, and I answered that I had a headache. She told my mother about it.

My mother came to me immediately,  and she asked me what hurt me, while she felt my forehead. She said, "He has no temperature." Ten minutes later, mother came again and this time she brought along her medicine. Sains leafs and warmed cabbage is what she brought. I would perhaps have much rather suffered from receiving my father's beating than having to taste my mother's medicine. Suddenly, G-d performed a miracle. At that moment Ma received a message that Pa was calling her, and that gave me a chance to quickly spill the medicine given to me. When Ma came back she asked me if I took the medicine. I replied "yes," and at the same time I asked for something sweet to remove the horrible taste in my mouth. I made sure to make the necessary gestures of faces for such a horrible taste. I received very little to eat that night, because Ma was under the impression that I had an upset stomach. I, however, did not go hungry, I managed to swipe something or other from the kitchen. This carried on until Shabbos when Matis would come. Matis always came when Pa would wake up from his nap. Whenever Matis came, the maid brought a glass of tea for him, and I overheard that Matis had asked her to tell Pa that he wanted to talk to him.

Pa asked Matis to come into his room. What they said in there, I do not know. After they finished, Ma came into my room and asked me how I felt. With these words she helped and soothed me much more than with her medicine. For if my father would have taken the talebearing seriously, my mother would have said, "just wait until your father gets a hold of you for being so mischievous in shul."

A few hours later a whole bunch of boys came running to me happily, and they all want to tell me first, until I quieted them down. This is the story: On Shabbos after Mincha, Zalman the cobbler asked Matis the Shammes, "Did you see Israel Froinom?" Matis did not answer Zalman's question.

The tailor remarked, "why do you not answer Zalman's question, and you are angry at him for asking?"

Matis replied, "you are right, I am angry." "Why are you angry?" they asked.

Matis answered, "He was able to lead me to a bundle of Tsorres." "What did Israel Froinom say to you?" they asked impatiently.

He said that a child who does not fool around and is not mischievous is not a normal child. Whenever I mentioned the damages that he caused in shul, he offered to pay for them completely. Reize Mirke added that I should not dare to raise a hand to her children, or even to throw her children out of shul, for they can then easily catch a cold.

Zalman the shuster replied, "Ha! I would not listen to her, I would knock his head off."

Matis replies, "Yes, you but not me."

Here Shumel, the tailor, intervened saying,·" And why not you?"

Matis replied, "Just look, today Ikusiel is not in shul, and the shul appears dead, not a sound. When he is there he sings, and everyone sings along. Have you forgotten that the shul is no one else's property but Israel Groinen's, his father?"

In addition, from Reize Mirke I benefit more then from anyone else. Shumel the tailor then asked, "What do you mean, she sends you Chanuka gelt and Purim gelt?"

"Certainly she sends me. If it would not be for Reize Mirke, I would not have enough to make Pesach."

They all quieted down; no one had anything to say or add. This is all that my friends, the young boys, told me upon listening in.

My father owned a beautiful, good and intelligent horse. (Why do they call him a horse if he is intelligent? Because he lets himself be ridden upon.) My father wanted to have a pair of similar horses, but the opportunity did not present itself. Until one day they brought a horse, the perfect match to the one he had. The driver had to leave because his wife took ill, and my father had to buy the horse without the driver's advice. When the driver returned, my Pa boasted to him that he managed to buy a horse, the exact replica of ours, and they both went to look the new horse over. When the driver noticed the horse, he exclaimed this is nothing but a female horse, and within a few weeks she will give birth to a pony. The driver added that the following Sunday he will take this "Klatche" and sell it. Upon hearing this, we rushed to our mother and with great trouble, we managed to convince our mother not to sell the horse. This is the story of how we came to own a pony.

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The years passed by quickly. I was now fifteen or sixteen years of age, a little more grown up and serious; it did not look right to fool around. One day my Rebbe said to all the children in Cheder, "Children go home." This happened during the summer three or four in the afternoon. Everyone ran out of there as if there had broken out a fire.

I was held back by my Rebbe in the Cheder. When everyone left, my Rebbe said to me let's go right home. Upon arriving home my mother greeted me saying, "Go into your father's chamber. Father needs to see you." I asked my mother what does father need me so urgently for? Mother replied, "I don't know," with a slight grin on her face. She led the way and bid me to follow her. I entered the chamber, and behold, father is sitting at the table, the Rebbe alongside, with two strangers, one older man and one younger man.

I went over to the window, where upon my father said to me, "My son, you see two strangers, greet them with 'shalom." I greeted them, and I noticed a "Gemora" is lying on the table. My father questioned me, "What Gemora are you now learning?"

I replied to the question.

He opened the Gemora and asked me, "About what does the Gemora discuss here? What does Rashi comment upon it?"

At first I answered in a sleepy tone. However, after I warmed up, after a few seconds, I began answering more livelier, and I wanted to continue further. My father said it was enough. I noticed that the Rebbe was very proud of me, and that my father and the two guests were also quite satisfied.

Throughout our discussion in learning, I noticed that the maid has brought in a tray of delicacies and a few bottles of the fine liqueurs.

The complete procedure of events looked a bit strange to me; to test me, and in the presence of strangers. When my father closed the Gemora, I wanted to leave my father's study, but I noticed that my mother brought in a piece of corn cake, and she said to me, "My son, please do not leave yet. Father still needs you here." I ate my portion of cake, and father said to me, "Now sing a pleasant melody." I sang for them as I felt. Then I noticed that the two visitors and mother were wiping their tears. I sang very well when l was a young lad. Afterwards my father said of me, "Now sing a happy song." This time I sang a "march." In the middle of singing the march, I noticed that the city dwellers are coming into the room with their wives clothed in their Shabbos clothing. Now I really began to wonder what was going on.

I slipped out of the house, and as I stood on the porch for a few moments, I noticed the maid coming towards me saying, "Come inside. You are being sought." I asked her, "What do they need me for?" She answered smilingly, "Go inside, they will let you know."

I went inside, but not too happily. I entered the chamber where everyone was, and behold the shochet was there, who was our cousin. He grabbed me, hugged me lovingly and wished me "mazel tov." I didn't have the chance to ask her what  was the occasion of the "mazel tov," when the shochet grabbed me by the hand and said, "Behold the Chossom" (bridegroom). Everyone then sat around the table while the shochet lifted me up in the air, and a few seconds later, sat me in between my father and the older of the two strangers. I lift mine eyes and notice that the tables were set with delicacies and liquors and the Rov takes from his "Sartuk" a yellow handkerchief, just like the one that he uses to wipe his nose with when he snuffs snuff (tabak). One half of the handkerchief he held in his hand, and the other half he motioned me to grab, and he said to me, you're accepting this transaction. He then takes out a large document and reads "Tuovin". I sort of wanted to cry, but I held myself back with restraint. Meanwhile, while the Rov finished reading the Troyin, plates were flying all over, and they ended up broken on the floor. It became very noisy and they started to kiss each other, saying "Mazel Tov." It became very lively and they started to say "Lecha," one to another. I overheard the shochet's wife asking my mother have you seen the "Kalla? Is she a pretty girl?" My mother answered that Israel Groinom and I saw her. A nice girl but an older girl. "How old did she seem to be?" the Shochet's wife again inquired. "About eighteen," my mother answers. The Shochet's wife exclaims, "that is not an older girl. What does she do, this girl?" My mother answered, "Her father owns a large mill near Kublitz, and they bring from there flour, barley, and herbs. They own a large store where these goods are sold. This is a large business. "How much 'Hadden' is being given?" My mother replies "Five hundred Rubles." My mother came over to me, said Mazel Tov, and we kissed each other. My mother said to me, "You, my son, you have a beautiful Kalla." My Merchuten also approached me, and said Mazel Tov too. He kissed me, handed me a watch, and said to me that for Pesach he will send for me to see the Kalla.

Time passed and two days before Pesach a buggy with two horses came for me and I journeyed all the way. Upon arriving in the courtyard, my Mechutan, his wife and their son came to greet me in the courtyard. I descended from the wagon, and we all kissed each other. They then led me into a nicely decorated room, and asked me what I desired, whether I would like ,a cup .of tea or a meal. I answered "Whatever you will serve is fine with me." Pesach elapsed and the Kalla I saw, but I was not able to converse with her at all. Tuesday, before departing, I was standing near the fence of the grocery store house, and I noticed my Kalla trying to lift up a sack of flour on the scale in order to weight it, and there is no one to give her a hand with it. I, at once, entered the storehouse and helped her with it. My Kalla then asked me, "How do you enjoy Kublitz, our city?" I answered, "A very muddy town." She again asked, "Is your town any dryer than this one?" During this particular time, it is dry by us. She again inquired, "If so, where would you like to live?" I answered "Wherever you will be." In short, at the age of seventeen I was married. I had a good natured, intelligent, good-looking wife. Children were born, however, they were skin and bones and did not survive more than three or four months. We had five children and they all died. I lived with her for six or seven years. Throughout this time, we had two fires. She died in a period of three or four hours. Upon standing up from Shiva ( the mourning period lasting seven days.) Shneur, the cobbler, approached me asking if he should search for a shidduch (match) for me. I replied in the negative, saying that I would like to rest up for a few years. The cobbler Shneur told my father about my decision. My father wrote a letter and sent it with the cobbler to the town of Zarkushene, and wrote in it to someone that he would like his daughter, whose name is Zisle Reize, to be the wife of his son. This person, later to be my father-in-law, answered that he has to ponder over the matter. About a half year before the death of my wife, there were great rumors that overturned the world literally, namely that a grandson of the Baal Shem too was journeying through the different towns, and among his great miracles was that he had the power to make the dead live again.

My father was very angry at the Chassidim of those towns who let such rumors go by unchallenged, thus, helping innocent people become misled. It is not proper for the Misogdim (the enemies of the Chassidim) to let them think that Chassidim are so naive to believe these stories, and this person is lying. First of all, the Baal Shem had no surviving grandson at that time, and even if there were, they certainly did not have the power of holiness of the Baal Shem Tov. In short, my father took a trip to Sharkuzene and conferred with the important Chassidim from there. My father-in-law, Abraham Michael, was also among those present. It was decided that my father was to visit the Holy Man, talk things over and find out more about his character. The leaders of the city were afraid to let my father go to argue with the grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, lest they tear him apart like a herring in their arguments, because, firstly many people made a livelihood because of this "grandson" and the miracles, such as the Shamoshim and others, who would be furious if they would be deprived of their situation. Secondly, there were also many "coarse" Jews that came for miracles, and they were liable to do anything against the opposition of their revered Holy Man. In order to avoid any trouble, a few Baal Batim entered the house of the "Holy Man" with my father, and a few others peeked through windows, to see what would happen. Whenever my father entered the chamber in which the "grandson of the Baal Shem" dwelt, he was given a chair to sit, and they both conversed. Afterwards, my father said "Now, won't you say some "Torah?" and the Holy Man obliged. My father then exclaimed angrily, "You are a moron, you got to get a beating and be thrown out of town. "

You have no idea of what occurred next. My father was carried out, and from there he was quickly taken into the house of my future father-in-law. My father was very well greeted and welcomed at my father-in-Iaw's, and your mother, my dear wife, served my father tea. My father, noticing this young lady, asked Abraham Michael, our grandfather "is this your daughter?" He replied "Yes, this is my older daughter." My father inquired, "Is she betroved yet?" "No," he replied, and asked "Perhaps you know of a nice young man for her?" Father answered "It could be." Father then came home and sent a letter to his Rebbe about this alleged "grandson of the Baal Shem Tov" and reported on the gullibleness of the Chassidim for accepting this imposter as their leader. Then my father sent a shadchem to match my brother, Zalman Ber, to this young girl. My father-in-law, however, refused the match. Afterwards, when my wife died, my father send a "shadchen" to my father-in-law to take me as his grandson. My father-in-law journeyed to Liady, to see the "Rebbe." Upon having discussed the whole situation with the "Rebbe," the Rebbe replied that he had already received a letter from Israel Groinom of Plissa that in your town lodged a grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, and that you greeted and accepted him like a.Rebbe. We concluded the above subject, and I told the Rebbe that I have an older daughter and that they are matching her with the son of Israel Groinom, who was widowed from his wife without children. The Rebbe inquired "and Israel Groinom wishes to have his son betrothed to your daughter?" My father-in-law replied, he had sent a shatchum to us. "So why do you hesitate," the Rebbe inquired, "do you know who Israel Groinom is, a great scholar, a great Chassid, a pious and clever man? Go home, accept the match, and have lots of luck. When my father-in-law came home, he at once wrote a letter to my father that he accepts the match with everything.

I myself did not know about the entire matter, even about my father asking about Zalman Ber, and later about me. One day, my father asked to see me. Esther came in to see me, and she said to me, "Yekusil, father wants to see you." I did not answer her. She came closer, and noticed that I was leaning against my two hands and crying. She left to tell my father that she found me crying. My father came down to see me and asked me to come up to his room. He had a room on the upper level of the house where he used to study. I ascended to his study and he asked me why I was crying. I replied, "Because I have lost my wife and children; at least had I been left with one child from her. Without children, my life is not worth a penny to me." He handed me a "sefer" (hebrew book) and showed me what was written in it. In this sefer it was written that it is impossible to obtain good things without some bad things that preceded the good. Upon having looked through the text, my father explained it to me further, saying, "Hear me, Yekusiel, what I have to tell you. I have been to the Zsarkushene, where a Jew asked me in for tea. A nice-looking, good-hearted Jew, clever, and a stage agent. Although he is not rich, he makes a comfortable living. He has a daughter, who served me the cup of tea. Upon noticing the young girl, I was astounded. She is as beautiful as a princess. In my life, I have not seen such a beauty among our Jewish brothers. I conversed with her, and I got to like her very much. I would like to have her as a daughter-in-law. A girl such as this is an adornment in a house. I had, then, sent a matchmaker for your brother, Zalman Ber; however, her father refused the match. Today I received a letter from her father that she is interested to have you as his son-in-law. Now listen--although Kasriel Barishkowitzer is ready to give five hundred rubles to her daughter's suitor, there is, however, no comparison between his daughter and this beautiful young girl (Kasriel's daughter is the mother of the Pliskins whom you knew in Riga.) Listen to what I tell you. Take this girl, she will be your consolation in your life." I did not reply. In the Gemora it is written that when a person remains silent after being told something, it is as though he is in agreement with what he was told. I descended from my father's study. A while later, I ascended to my father's study once again and said to him, "Father, do as you see fit." At the same period of time in which my father communicated with this girl's father, Tzippe, Nochum's mother also managed to obtain this girl as a match for her son Nochum (Nochum was the teacher who learned with you in the town of Boltzes.) My father-in-law, however, refused. Why I do not know. We had made up to meet about halfway between Plissa and Zsorkushue--I, my father-in-law Abraham Michael, and his daughter, the kalla. About midway between the above towns there lived an aunt of mine who was my mother's sister from her second father. Her family name was Lazar from Palnovich and they lived in a mill there. Her first name was Chana Chaya. To this site I had to come from Plissa, and my future wife from Szarkushue. We arrived, but the kalla was not in sight. A messenger arrived saying that the kalla refused to come, and if anyone wishes to see her, they must come to her home. She gave directions on how to get to Szarkushue, and with whom to stay, being that in Szarkushue there weren't any hotels. So we continued on to Szarkushue, and we arrived there about three or four in the afternoon. About two hours later we were sent a message to come to my future father-in-law, where we found a large crowd gathered. Tea was served to the guests. I saw and noticed young girls and young married women, but I failed to recognize my kalla. However, one young girl seems to be doing nothing at all but facing the crowd in the dining room ,and she seemed to be staring at me. I stared back at her; however, I did not believe her to be my kalla. My father had told me that she has the appearance of a princess; however, she resembled a queen more than a princess. Our host, with whom we were staying, was also present at the affair. He approached me asking, "Do you know who the kalla is?" I reply negatively. He answered, "she is the one sitting close to the door, facing in this direction." I look to his eyes and I remarked, "you must be jesting." "I am absolutely serious, she is your kalla. Why do you not believe it?" he inquired." "A girl like that does not need me, she looks like a queen." "You will soon convince yourself," he added.

The Rabbi took out a handkerchief and handed me half of the handkerchief. The father then exclaimed to his daughter the kalla, "Zisle Reize, please come to the table." The Rabbi, then, handed her the other end of the handkerchief which she took.

The following day we were invited for dinner. Upon having finished half the meal, my kalla picked herself up and returned to the place where she had stood the night before, because from there she was able to see me best. I also looked at her there. I noticed her large and beautifully brilliant eyes. She motioned to me with her brilliant eyes, to exit through the front door of the house, into the house. She also motioned to me from the street to converse a bit, had we not been noticed by her brother Yosef Leib. He was very fanatical, and on top of it all, not very clever; and he followed me right into the street. So as soon as we saw each other, her brother came out and ordered her to go back inside, which she did. Naturally, this incident hurt us very much. A few hours later, the kalla approached me, asking "You most probably would like to recline after the meal." I certainly agreed. "Come and I will prepare a bed for you," she continued. Upon entering the room, my kalla asked me, "How are you enjoying the local environment?" "I enjoy only your company" was my reply. She smiled at my reply, then my brother-in-law entered again and asked her once again to leave the room. She left my room. Afterwards, we corresponded with each other by mail. One day I received a letter from her asking that I come out to them for Shabbos if possible, since her parents are traveling to Drinsk for eight days. I replied at once that you should know that between me and you there is no such thing as possible or impossible, and that I am coming to her at once. I was with her for Shabbos until Sunday afternoon when I left for Drinsk to buy merchandise for the store I had. We were finally married.

Now I shall elaborate about my wife's family. From which town my brother-in-law came from, I did not manage to find out, only that in Druye he had very rich friends. Their name was Finkelstein, the nicest people in the city. They were also learned people and Misnagdim,  or perhaps not Misnagdim. My father-in-law was a Chassid. My mother-in-law, your grandmother, was from Vitz. I knew her father, my wife's grandfather. He was a great scholar, a diamond of a person. As I was standing under the Chuppa with your mother, it was then the style to look solemn because it is the day that God forgives the couple for all the sins they committed. Her grandfather jokingly came over to me, pinching me in the nose saying, look, we are giving you such a beautiful kalla and you are yet angry? His father was now in Vitzby, the name of the Lozar the Great because he was a great scholar and a great Chassid.

In those days it was the style of Nicholas, the Czar of Russia, to travel through the above area, the town of Vitz. Lazar the Great would have to spend all his time with the Czar throughout his stay in Vitz. There once was an instance in Vitz when four Jews of Vitz were sentenced by a court to death, in such a manner that their bodies should be cut up into four pieces. The Elder of the city imposed upon Lazar the Great, for him to prevail upon the Czar to free the man sentenced to such a horrible death. The Czar was then visiting maneuvers in Moscow. Your great grandfather went to Moscow, straight to the site where the maneuvers were taking place. He was given a designated place where he could meet with the Czar. Why, he even possessed a saber give to him by the Czar with his name engraved upon it. Whenever he was seen by Czar Nicholas, the latter took him by the hand for a stroll. The Czar then asked him, "What is the trouble?" "Tell me the truth," and Lazar the Great told him the complete truth. The Czar asked him to go home. When he returned to Vitz, he already heard of the Czar's decree, namely that the old decree should be carried out, with the condition that Lazar, your great grandfather, should stand by during the complete procedure, the reason for this punishment being that Lazar had come to ask a favor for such wicked people. What the transgression of these four Jews was, I do not know. Your great grandfather used to say that it is better to be cut into four pieces than to see someone undergo such punishment.

Your mother had two wonderful brothers. Their names were Yosef Leib and Meyer Hirsh. There were in all three sisters. My dear wife was the eldest, she was born in Szarkushue, the twelfth day of Shevat, 1860. She passed away in America, Rochest 9(?), the second day of the new moon of Adar in the Jewish year 5680, or the twentieth day of February 1920. My dear wife Zisle Reize lived to be sixty years of age. The second sister's name was Sarah, and the third Gittel. We have nine children, they should all be healthy. Ben was born in Irmonovetch on January 30, 1880. He was married in Riga on January 1, 1905, to Clara Abramovitch from Liba. They have two sons and one daughter, they should be healthy. The elder son Avraham(?) Chaim was born on May 16, 1906 in America (in Syracuse.) The second son, Israel, was born on April 7, 1908; the daughter Eide was born in Syracuse on April 22, 1912.

My daughter Ella was born Chol Harmes Sniklos, September 13, 1884. When she became four or six months we entered Riga. She had two children; one daughter Nera Shlevoik who was born on December 31, 1907, in New York. One son David Shlebik, who was born on October 10, 1918, four days in Mera, was married to Mr. Hesh. She gave birth to a child by Mr. Hesh on May 16, 1929 in New York; the child's name was David Groinom.

Ella was married to Herb Shlevik on June 25, 1907. My daughter Lina who was born October 29, 1885, was married in Riga to Zork Siegal on August 15,1915. She gave birth to a son Meyer Itche (Isidore) on June 21, 1916. She also gave birth to a daughter on September 3, 1926.

Zork Pliskin was born in Riga on December 1, 1881. He was married to Pennia Schlossberg on September 10, 1910 in Syracuse. Sarah Pliskin was born on July 16, 1911, Daniel was born October 29, 1913. Robert Leroy was born September 1, 1917, Irving was born July 1, 1924. Ralph was born August 28, 1929. (My daughter Sara Bratah was born on January 29, 1880 in Riga.) She was married to Tzoi Weiner, on July 10, 1921. She gave birth to a son Bobby on January 10, 1922. She also gave birth to a daughter Helena, on February 11, 1925.

Avraham Michael Pliskin was born in Riga on September 17, 1893. He was married in Riga to Keila or Katherine on September 28, 1925. A son was born to them by the name of Leon on November 9, 1926. Ralph and Rotbistle were born on January 11, 1929.

Sam was born in Riga on June 3, 1898. He married Tila Krizik on May 30, 1926. They had a son named Roy. Roy was born in the year 1927. Mendel (Milton) was born February 6, 1930 in Flushing.

Mary was born in Riga on September 22, 1895. She married David Lerner on June 8, 1921. They bore a son named Roman on May 10, 1922. They also had a son named Babry on July 23, 1927. Irving was born in Riga on April 6, 1900.

All these are my dear beloved children and grandchildren. They should only receive the blessings that I wish upon them.

Now I will tell you what caused me to leave my wife and children and go to Riga. A few years after our wedding, I went to visit Riga. Among many households, the families would remain in the small towns while the head of the household would go to the big city, Riga, on business. My father-in-law would also travel to Riga while his family would remain in Szarkuzne. He was afraid that his children would be badly influenced if they were away from their Jewish religion in the big city. In his later years, my father-in-law moved with the whole family to Riga.

Upon returning home from Riga for the first time (between Chanuka and Purim, planning to return after Pesach to Riga), I went to see my father (because by then I was already not living in the same house with my father), and behold, at my father's a Din Torah was taking place (my father passing judgment.) A young couple was standing along side my father. The man's name was Abba Shlomas. I was born on the same day that he was. He was an inhabitant of Plissa. His wife was from the town of Schashuik. People used to say about this town that it was one quarter of the size of Riga. The outcome of the case or ruling was that my father gave them lodging for six months in order to determine who was right. The accusation by the husband was that his wife was a squanderer of his money, mainly that she would buy two herrings for Shabbos. That would amount to a sum of three kopeks. One of them she prepares for the Friday night meal and the other for Shabbos afternoon meal. On the first Shabbos they just quarrelled; however, on the second Shabbos, they hit each other. When this occurred, the young women came with a bitter heart to my mother, that my father should delve into this matter.

I now must tell you how people lived then. What people ate is immaterial, but I'd like to explain how people ate. In Plissa, there were only two families that ate with a full set of utensils, namely, a knife, fork, two spoons, etc. These were our family and the Tzipe family. There were two families that dealt with people of large cities. The usual custom in Plissa was that they would serve on the table a large earthen pot, and everyone would serve himself from this pot of soup, with wooden spoons. Meat was served by the head of the household by tearing the meat apart with his hand and everyone would take from the large plate with his hands. However, the young woman, Abbo's wife, was from the town of Schachner, a larger town than Plissa was simply because there lived there rich merchants who had business dealings in Riga. This young woman had brought along wedding gifts to her house, nothing less than silver spoons. She had also bought porcelain pots and dishes; perhaps the forks and knives too. As a result, she could not just serve the first course on Friday night; she had to use the knife and fork for something, so if fish was too expensive, at least serve a herring. She was brought up this way, and she couldn't do otherwise. As a result, her husband claimed she was a squanderer. Upon noting this and another scene, namely seeing two Jews arguing in the market place over two pennies, and still other scenes of young children playing silly games, I could not stand such petty arguments and games, for I had been in Riga and there people wouldn't argue over ten kopeks, even, in fact, in the small towns where there were not any schools for the children to attend.

Upon coming home I said to my wife, "Manninke, with the Almighty's help if I will have a good year we will move out from here to Riga." I told her the story of Abba. In addition, I told her what may become of our children, living among such people without schools. Your mother replied with a flat NO to my suggestion. Why not? I inquired. She did not give a reason for her refusal. I reasoned that she was afraid that her children would not remain religious Jews in the big city. She could not tell me her reason because everyone claimed that since she came along, I was definitely not as religious as I had been (that she had made me an atheist.); namely, that until I married her I went along dressed in a long coat, the trousers tucked into the labels of my boots, with long sideburns (curls) with a large garment from which hung long tzizis. The collar of my shirt was about four inches long and tied dawn with strings. A few months after our wedding, I had to travel to Polotzk for merchandise. She wanted to come along to Polotzk, to which I agreed. From there she brought nice ivory buttons and she resewed my shirts so that the shirt would be fastened with buttons of with the strings... She trimmed the collars of my shirts down to modern size; also upon the sleeves she made cuffs. My sideburns also trimmed down. She also brought from Polotzk a short suit. Also she brought a smaller garment with short tzizis. She also coaxed me into placing the trousers over my boots. The tzizis I was asked to keep inside my trousers. In short, a whole revolution took place in my house.

I was the talk of the town, and they claimed that she made me into a free thinker. She also ordered gardeners to plant flowers near our windows, and so it was done. One evening, we had a visit from the nicest and most important people of the town, Berel Yakov, the Shochet, a learned man and one of the most affluent in town. Another was