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Organic Gluten-Free Vegan Plant-Based Pumpkin Seed Protein Powder 12oz (340g)
Groovy Bee® Organic Gluten-Free Vegan Plant-Based Pumpkin Seed Protein Powder 12oz (340g)
Pumpkin seeds, sometimes called pepitas, are the cream-colored seeds found inside all pumpkins. If you've ever carved a jack-o-lantern, you've encountered them when scooping out the stringy, seedy inside of the squash. Pumpkin seeds are sometimes roasted and eaten as a snack or appetizer or used as an additive in baked goods. The health benefits are impressive:
- Efficient source of natural protein
- High levels of magnesium, which is essential for heart health and muscle recovery and relaxation
- Rich source of zinc, which supports immune function and helps improve sleep quality and moods
- Excellent source of plant-based Omega-3 fatty acids
- Supports prostate health
- Supports heart and liver health
Our Pumpkin Seed Powder is a delicious super food that you can use in a wide array of potential recipes. In food preparation, the powder can be used as an ingredient in pancakes, protein bars, baked goods, waffles, pasta, crepes, brownies, cookies, muffins and snacks. You can also use it in smoothies, shakes, beverages, juices, breakfast cereals and granola recipes, among others.
Groovy Bee® Organic Pumpkin Seed Powder is lab-verified for purity and packed with multiple vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and protein. Its wide applicability as an ingredient in numerous recipes makes for a tasty addition to your favorite dishes and preparations. Low in carbohydrates, non-GMO and vegan.
- USDA Organic
- Kosher-Certified
- Glyphosate-Tested
- Non-GMO
- Vegan
- Gluten-Free
- Laboratory-Verified
Serving size: 24g (4 tablespoons)
Serving per container: 14
Ingredients: Organic Unroasted Pumpkin Seed Powder
Country of Origin: Product of Austria
This product is verified A++ based on glyphosate analysis standards published at www.GlyphosateTested.com.
This means the product has been tested via triple quad mass spec (LS-MS-MS) and conforms to the glyphosate / AMPA limits required for an A++ rating as described at www.GlyphosateTested.com.
Low Heavy Metals Verified!
This product is verified A+++ according to the heavy metals standards published at www.LowHeavyMetalsVerified.org
This means the product has been tested via ICP-MS and confirmed to meet the limits for an A+++ rating as described at LowHeavyMetalsVerified.org.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Buying Process
In order to take advantage of any of the tailored incentive packages that we offer, our customers are advised to use our approved brokers or solicitors. These independent experts are totally unconnected to us and they offer unbiased advice on all financial matters that is not tied into any one particular lending source.
By using the approved broker we can be sure that our customers are receiving the best possible financial advice available as they have no direct tie with any one lending institution. Countryside receives no payment whatsoever from the brokers, solicitors or the lending sources, but the advantage to our customers and ourselves is their knowledge and expertise in dealing with new homes.
It is to our customer's advantage to allow the approved broker to assist them in placing their finances as they will take away the worries of obtaining a mortgage and will ensure that our buyers are in a position to exchange contracts within the agreed time period and therefore receive any agreed incentives.
"Our approved brokers and solicitors have dedicated new build departments and are fully aware of the demands of new build transactions. For example, the broker has close links with many of the mortgage lenders and has access to deals which are not always available on the high street – something which may be particularly attractive in the current market."
Emma Greenaway-Evans, Progression Manager, Countryside
As well as the individual adviser that the buyer initially deals with, there is also a dedicated administration team to process the mortgage application.
"Our approved solicitors also have dedicated new build specialists and are chosen for location and experience. Solicitors are also chosen on recommendation and are closely monitored on performance and feedback from purchasers via customer satisfaction surveys. Each approved solicitor produces a pack outlining their services and fees. These are available at each sales office for purchasers to make a considered choice."
Emma Greenaway-Evans, Progression Manager, Countryside


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Fall was in the air. I was six months pregnant with our second child. Our oldest Christopher was four years old. We were living in a two bedroom duplex in Coeur d'Alene, ID. My morning routin was always to get up and have my cup of coffee and breakfast while watching the news. This morning was no different. I had gotten Christopher up and given him breakfast and gone to take my shower. As always I left the TV going so I could listen to the news while I got around.
I was in the bathroom doing my hair when I heard something about a plane crashing. I came out of the bathroom and stood behind the couch that was by the hall way watching the TV to see what was going on. I'll never forget the sight of the second plane as it hit. I stood there frozen for some time. My hand rested on my belly. I still get teary eyed when I remember rubbing my tummy and looking down while whispering to my unborn child "what kind of world am I bringing you in to?"
I continued to get myself and Christopher ready for the day while listening. Popping back in to the front room often to see what was happening. We loaded up and headed out. I dropped Chris off at daycare with an extra big hug and rushed to work.
At that time I worked for a photography studio as their sales consultant. September was always a slow time of year. The senior pictures were done and no more sales to do. The gal who did the masking of the negatives was very busy in the office, but I had a lot of free time. We had a large TV in my sales room to show the customers their portraits. This day it was not being used to show photos. Instead the photographer and I spent most of the day on the couch, where customers would normally sit to view their photos, and watched the tragedy unfold.
It wasn't easy to hold back the tears. It must have been the hormones. We didn't know anyone in that part of the country, but my heart broke for them. At some point though, life goes on, especially if you weren't personally effected by the tragedy. I'll never forget that dreaded feeling of bring another child into such a horrible world, but three years later we were bringing another child into the world. For us life went on.
My interest in genealogy started when I was a child. My dad's mom use to tell me that the family history book had been burned in a fire, but she knew we were related to Daniel Boone. I never forgot that, nor have I ever found the connection haha. Along with doing genealogy I spend a lot of my time doing photo restorations, namely for victims of Sandy through Care for Sandy, and also of family photos that I add to the books I write on our family history.
10 September 2012
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[Page 207]
Translated to English by Zvika Zmora In Ciechanowiec there were five large factories which were run with steam power. Four of those were owned by Germans who were local residents. The two first carried the names Shultz and Freimark. These were factories for spinning and weaving. The other two were called Liamfricht and Meyer, and they did the finishing process and dyeing of textiles.
The fifth large factory manufactured various fabrics and was called The Jewish Steam Factory because its owner was a Jew called Meir-Yitzchak Scheinberg.
Wood was used to generate the machines because electricity was unavailable in Ciechanowiec in the beginning of the 20th century. Coal had to be imported, whereas wood was plentiful and cheap in the area of the town.
In addition to these five large factories, many Jews manufactured textile products using looms in their own homes. The owners of these mini industries were Fishel, Rozen, Alter Lifszyc, Hershel Strakstein and the Rozenblum family. Each one of these families owned ten to fifteen looms. This industry was passed on as an inheritance to their children and their sons-in-law Yitzhak Farber, Yitzhak Rozen, Moshe Rozen and others. Because of the many factories, Ciechanowiec was then named Little Bialystok.
Commerce was very prevalent in our town. Most of the commerce was wool products. This trade was mainly in the hands of Simcha Konopiaty and Fishel Rozen, whose wool trade was renowned all over the country and in the neighboring countries. They would buy the wool from the landowners (Poritzim), while it was still on the sheep. The quantity of wool was so large that the advance payments would be many thousands of rubles.
Many people found their livelihood in this trade, mainly middlemen and coachmen who transported the merchandise to and from the railroad station (Ciechanowiec did not have its own train station. The closest station was in Czyzew, about 18 km from Ciechanowiec). The firm Konopiaty & Roszn would transport thousands of wool bales to the factory owners in Biaystok. They were the tycoons of the town. Their fortune was estimated at 200-300 thousand rubles, an immense fortune in those days. There was a popular saying in those days that a Warsaw tycoon has half of what is estimated by others, whereas a Ciechanowiec tycoon has double of what is estimated by others.
There were also rich wheat merchants in Ciechanowiec who exported many wheat containers out of the country. Among the whales were Yaakov Botchke, Sender Plonsky and Berl Chazan. There were also small time merchants who would buy the wheat from the farmers in the market for the great merchants.
There was a fair in the town every Monday and Thursday. On these market days, farmers from neighboring villages would congregate in Ciechanowiec. It was so crowded that although there were spacious squares both in the Alt Stadt and the Nei Stadt markets, they filled many yards with their wagons and blocked the streets. Before the Christian holidays, the farmers would bring wagons filled with goods of all kind. The Gentile women would bring a variety of animals chickens, ducklings, turkeys, geese, and eggs. The farmers did not take the money, which they earned by selling their goods, to their villages. The money returned to the Jewish hands, to the merchants of textiles, merchants of haberdashery, tailors, shoemakers, hatters, etc.
In addition to the regular weekly market days, there were six or seven large fairs a year in Ciechanowiec. The largest was The Wojeczech Fair, which began in the spring season and lasted five to six weeks. This fair was mainly focused on buying and selling of horses. Many foreign horse dealers, especially from Germany, would come to this fair. Many horses were brought from the far ends of Russia. Many homeowners had large yards in which they built large stables, especially for this fair, in which they could hold up to 100 horses. The owners of the large estates would come to the Wojeczech Fair earlier and rent the yards, together with the stables.
In Ciechanowiec there were many stores for textile goods. The most renowned was that of Shmuel Jaskolka (or as he was called Shmuelke Chaizes). These stores sold textiles of excellent quality mainly for men. The prices were set.
Another store belonged to Israel Mishkes (Kaplansky), in which they sold mostly textiles for women. A third store belonged to Malka Nencies . She ran the business because her husband Reuven Lubowicz was a Torah scholar. When he came to Ciechanowiec, he devoted himself to studying Torah and was removed from worldly matters.
After a time, the store was inherited by their children, the daughter Chayale and her husband Ben Zion Nabozny.
[Page 229]
The work was accomplished by volunteers under the supervision of Rabbi Schneerson, may his memory be blessed. Each institution functioned independently. In 1928 the Polish authorities ordered that every Jewish community democratically appoint representatives who would be responsible to the government. The order was carried out in Ciechanowiec and the entire Jewish population participated. A representative group was formed consisting of four lists: Orthodox, Zionist, merchants, and labor. The following were elected as delegates:
President - Shabbtai KaplanskyAll of these representatives devoted their energies to the job and diligently worked for the community. However, from the very beginning disaster befell us with the death of Rabbi Zalman Schneerson, the head of our shtetl. It was not easy to find another rabbi, or even a knowledgeable leader who did not have that title. Funds were short, and we had responsibilities towards Rabbi Schneerson's family.
Orthodox - Alter Sackno and Yechiel Yablonka
Zionist - David Heller and Lewin the dentist
Merchants - Yosef Schweider and Meir Lavendesh
Labor - Chaim Rosenberg
The community was indeed in a dire predicament. Before World War I, we had maintained a hospitality house. But that was destroyed in the big fire and was never rebuilt despite the great need for one. Now, when poor Jews would visit Ciechanowiec, there was no place for them. They had to sleep in the synagogue. Visualize the scene; in the morning people would come to the synagogue to pray and there on the benches were sprawled these poor strangers who had no other place for shelter. Sometimes they'd be joined by poor local Jews. And that was not the end of the picture. The problem concerned the dead as well as the living. When a Jew from the outlying area died, he was brought into town for a proper Jewish burial. The body was housed in the synagogue until the funeral. Previously, it would have been brought to the ritual bathhouse, but the government had claimed it was unsanitary and forced its closure. To meet the government's regulations would require 3,000 zloty, money we did not have.
We also needed to build a concrete wall around the cemetery. Anti-Semitism was getting more virulent each day. The bigoted Poles had usually been concerned only with the living but now even dead Jews were anathema to them. They abused our dead by breaking the monuments and other dastardly actions.
Our yeshiva was also in a critical situation. Young men, mostly from Russia, would come long distances to study. They were without parents and away from family and needed sustenance. It took money to clothe and feed them, money we did not have. Funds for all our institutions were dried up; all suffered from the shortage of money. And the townspeople could not help as they were burdened by ever-increasing taxes. This was the situation of the Jewish community of Ciechanowiec in the 1920s. Surely we would have collapsed under that burden were it not for the help we received from the Ciechanowiec Relief Committee in New York. Our landsmen from across the waters answered our appeals and helped us with whatever was possible.
And with all they gave, they answered again when Rabbi Schneerson made an urgent appeal in 1921. He wrote about our poor children and the need for their education. Our American brothers raised still more funds, and we were able to finish the other side of the synagogue which was turned into a Hebrew school. The community house, which had resembled a dilapidated barn, was rebuilt thanks to their help. The building served dual purposes. One part was reserved for living quarters for Rabbi Schneerson and his family. The other part was for Jewish community meetings. It was there that vital issues were discussed and decisions reached.
The Relief Committee continued helping us as the situation became more and more perilous. It was their generosity that enabled us to function in a more or less normal way throughout this period.
[Page 231]
Thursday was the market day and large numbers of people would converge on Ciechanowiec. The stores were filled with people, among them many Gentiles, who came to sell their goods and purchase for their own needs. The beggars knew that the large numbers of people meant a greater chance for handouts. The merchants also knew that the beggars might come and distract customers. So special people were hired to stand at the entrances to the stores and dispense charity to the poor so that business would not be interrupted. Refusing to help the beggars entailed risk. They were very persistent, and if someone refused to help, they would loudly disparage the person. It was not pleasant to be degraded before all your fellow townsfolk.
To alleviate this most undesirable scene, the Jewish community decided to find other measures to help the poor. A Charity Fund was organized and everyone was obligated to donate monthly. The smallest donation was 30 kopeks and some gave as much as a ruble or two, but each gave according to his ability. Two trustees were appointed to supervise the Charity Fund. One was Berl Ita-Brochas, a learned, honest Jew who assisted the Rabbi in judging difficult questions of Jewish law. The Rabbi would also review cases with him before rendering decisions. Berl was an excellent Torah reader in the Old Synagogue. He was paid by the congregation and since his duties were now expanded, his salary was increased by a couple of rubles a month. He was appointed Chairman of Social Help. He would go around with a ledger book to collect the donations the members had pledged. The second trustee was Benjamin Lazarus who was an aide to R' Berl and also insured that those receiving money would not go begging.
In the synagogue yard stood the large Community House. It was remodeled to serve as an open house for poor people. It was there that the needy would congregate to meet with R' Berl. He would distribute to them all - some more, some less. Berl Ita-Brochas had a keen eye and excellent judgment. He recognized the poor and how much help each needed. He discerned between the truly needy and those who begged as a way of life. He knew those who were disrespectful and who would never be satisfied with the aid they received from the Relief Committee. That type would later resume begging from door to door. R' Berl gave less to that kind. It was painful to see such behavior from these ungrateful souls. They would spread out over the town to beg, despite their promises to the Committee. Benjamin Lazarus kept an eye out for these types. It was his aim to catch them and force them to stop begging. He was the bane of the beggars and they would flee as soon as they would spy him. But Benjamin was already up in years and had a handicap that prevented him from running. In most cases the beggars were successful in escaping. Those that were caught were to return the money that they received from the Committee. In practice, the money was rarely recovered, but the rule-breaker was forced to leave town immediately.
I first became acquainted with Gittel when she was already 50 years old. She looked much older. Her wrinkled face was the face of a much older woman and her back was as curved as the shape of the Hebrew letter - a final kof. She was so bent over you couldn't see her face. But you could see it when she asked for a charitable donation. Then she would straighten up and you would be confronted by a woman of medium height with a wrinkled but very refined visage that would say, Please give something, as I need it for a very important cause.
And the very important causes were many, such as help for widows or orphans. Gittel knew everyone's problems and tried to provide aid for them all. A girl promised as a bride to a young man was short in her dowry. The prospective groom balked at marrying her. Gittel knew about it beforehand and helped augment the dowry so that the wedding could be held. Or on Thursdays she would arrange to meet two girls from among the poor people. She would give each a sack and she herself carried a wide apron. She would take the girls to the bakeries and collect challahs so that the poor could have a more complete Shabbos. The bakers knew Gittel and donated the challahs with pleasure.
On Fridays Gittel would go to various homes to collect food which she would bring to the Community House, or as it was nicknamed in Ciechanowiec, the Holy Place. The food may have been enough for Shabbat, but these poor people needed food for a whole week. Gittel would provide the food anonymously and did so well into her old age.
In addition to the Community House for the poor and lonely, the Jews of Ciechanowiec cared for the orphans and the homeless. The warmth and concern that were shown the hapless children was characteristic of the fine spirit within the Ciechanowiec Jewish community. Women and men of all classes considered it a holy obligation to care for the children so they would not feel abandoned. The Jewish community wanted the children to feel that the orphanage was a true home and that there were many people who were loving and caring, who would make their life in the orphanage easier.
R' Rosenberg, Chairman of the Orphanage Committee, was crowned Father of the Orphans. His devotion to these children was unexcelled. Another who worked tirelessly for this cause was the secretary of the committee, Sima Gittel Pasternak. She cared for the orphans with a deep maternal feeling, and the children responded to her love, considering her a devoted mother. Because of people like this, many children were saved from lives of despair. They developed into healthy and well-adjusted human beings, graduated schools, learned trades, and became independent adults.
Chaya recognized that there were businessmen in Ciechanowiec who were less fortunate than her husband, who with a little help and the right opportunity could improve their positions immensely. The problem was that they were always short of rubles. If only they had the funds to take advantage of an opportunity to buy merchandise at a cheap price, they might make a decent profit from their efforts. Mrs. Wolf pondered over their problem and decided to organize a borrowing fund in Ciechanowiec.
The first action she took was to tax herself 200 rubles for the fund. She then convinced Meir Yitzhak Sheinberg's wife and the wives of Fishel Rosen and Simcha Konopiaty to tax themselves 100 rubles each. Almost immediately, the fund had a total of 500 rubles. Then other wealthy women contributed, some 50 rubles, some 25. In a few weeks over 1,000 rubles was collected. Each day the fund grew. The women organized into a formal committee and selected Chaya as the Chairwoman. Itzel Rosen's wife kept the books. The woman were all volunteers and worked hard and continuously to insure that the funds were safe and would continue to grow.
The first rule that was adopted stated that the goal was a fund of at least 2,000 rubles. Until that was reached, no loan could exceed 50 rubles. Once the goal was reached, loans could be as high as 100 rubles. At the beginning, borrowers would put up some collateral to guarantee the loan. But as the Loan Society expanded, there just was insufficient room to house all the collateral. An alternative procedure was established whereby the borrower had to have a co-signer.
The petty merchants and small shopkeepers had it much easier once the fund was established. On market days they would go to Chaya Wolf's house. They would borrow 50 or 100 rubles from the cash box. Merchandise would be purchased, prepared, and resold. Once the money was back in hand, the loan was repaid.
The Free Loan Society of Ciechanowiec is an historic example of the communal spirit of help that existed in the old Jewish shtetls of Eastern Europe. It was a symptom of the love and devotion that marked the relationships between Jews in those small communities.
He really did not need to keep his money in the bank. He conducted another flourishing business. He acted as an agent for hendikes (turkies), Jews who wanted to leave Eastern Europe for America, Africa, and other destinations. To emigrate from Russia was forbidden. It was necessary to apply for a passport which was very expensive. Even then, it wasn't granted to everyone; perhaps a rich merchant who conducted foreign business and could pay or a sick person who had a doctor's authorization to seek medical treatment in another country. But just to get up and leave was impossible. Despite the impediments to travel, millions sought immigration to America. Around the turn of the century and until World War I, America's gates were open and immigrants were welcomed into the land of the free.
Every Jew in Ciechanowiec who desired to leave Russian controlled territory went to see Michel Chaim Faivelis. They paid him 100 rubles and he arranged all the details for transportation to America. He had two partners in the business, Fishel ben Meir Yoel and his nephew Michel Mendel. They would receive 20 rubles per head for accompanying the immigrant at the start of his journey. Business was so brisk that they would take crowds to the border, arrange for bribes to the guards, and see their landsmen off to a new life. The immigrant did not have to know a thing about the process. The Catherine that he paid Michel Chaim was his best charm. It was an amulet that allowed him to leave Russia/Poland. The 100-ruble note was called a Catherine because her picture was printed on it. Some were afraid of engaging in illegal border bribery. For another 10 rubles, Michel Chaim arranged for legal train travel across the border.
With the outbreak of World War I, all the banks closed, including Michel's. The old and the young, mature women and prospective brides - whoever had money in the bank surrounded it and cried out. But the bank was closed and the funds were unrecoverable. Michel Chaim Faivelis and Itzel Shapiro disappeared. So ended the operation of our savings and loan association.
[Page 238]
The establishment of an independent Poland after the end of World War I brought the repatriation of many Ciechanowiec citizens. They had been forcibly evacuated by the Tsarist regime in 1915 during their retreat before the invading Germans. Among those who returned was the so-called Brainsker Doctor. His name was Dr. Sorotchinsky and from the day he returned to Ciechanowiec, he lived near Antonina Court. The dentist Dr. Lewin, a son-in-law of the Horowitz family, also returned. And then there were two non-Jewish midwives. One was formerly Zozhetzka-Fishibalawsko, now known as Lyodzye. The Russians had called her Uradnitschke.
The town had a well which supplied adequate water. And at that time, a well-equipped Jewish medical facility was established, known as Ahavat Achim (Brotherly Love). Another organization was called Linat Hatzedek (Hostel for the Poor). These organizations proposed to provide medical help at cheaper rates than were otherwise available. In the case of Ahavat Achim, members paid fixed monthly dues. If a member needed medical attention, he would come to the society to get a note authorizing treatment. The note would allow the patient to see the doctor or medical technician at 30-40 percent reduction in the regular price of a visit. Ahavat Achim also provided ancillary medical tools such as thermometers, hot water bags, ice bags, or portable bathtubs. In addition, members were assigned to sit vigil at the bedside of critically sick people. Throughout the day and night the unfortunate patients would be watched.
Ahavat Achim was maintained through collection of membership dues and was augmented by contributions of landsleit living in America. It operated in the Old City beginning with the conclusion of the war. Later, a chapter was established in the New City, but the two were totally independent of one another.
Medical care was very limited during the German occupation. The need was enormous but there were only Dr. Novrotzki and myself. With the rise of the Polish government and the Bolshevik invasion, Ahavat Achim along with other Jewish residents intensified efforts to bring another doctor to Ciechanowiec. They succeeded in bringing Dr. Brenner.
At the same time, the Christians attempted to bring in medical personnel to the town. They enticed a Dr. Harnyewicz, a tall, materialistic, Lithuanian who was not friendly towards Jews. After a few years, Harnyewicz left and was replaced by young Dr. Olshewski, a Gentile from a neighboring village. Olshewski was very anti-Semitic.
Through the efforts of the two Christian doctors, the magistrate in Ciechanowiec was able to open a small hospital. It was housed in the former Polish public school and had ten beds. Jews avoided that hospital. I can't remember a single case of a Jew being treated there.
At about the same time the Polish government forced all citizens, Jews included, to pay dues for the establishment of a new medical institution in Ciechanowiec. Dr. Olshewski was appointed Director. The Jews would sarcastically refer to the institution as Kronkase (sickness). Olshewski gave the Jews a lot of trouble. Jewish business owners were forced to support his organization and were taxed doubly because they had to pay membership dues for their laborers, most of whom were Polish. If a Jewish homemaker hired a Polish woman as household help, she was required to register her in the medical institution and pay her dues. Olshewski had his spies everywhere and knew who was doing any hiring. The Jews of Ciechanowiec despised the medical institution and those associated with it. Medical care was considered inferior, and even dangerous, because it was administered under the aegis of Dr. Olshewski for whom no one had any trust.
Olshewski gave the Jews a lot of trouble when he was appointed Sanitary Inspector. He would periodically tour the Jewish neighborhoods, inspecting restaurants, food stores, soda water stands, and any other business that would attract him. He would peer into people's yards and wrote reports wherever he went. The reports resulted in summons to the Jews. Whenever the town magistrate needed money, he sent Olshewski out on an inspection tour. Accompanied by policemen, he would head straight for the Jewish quarters and, of course, raised the required funds. The yards of the Gentiles that were so filthy that you would sink in the mud and dirt were never inspected. This Dr. Olshewski is still alive and still working in Ciechanowiec, but now there are no Jews to fine for imaginary infractions.
Subsequent to Dr. Brenner, there were three Jewish doctors in Ciechanowiec. First came Dr. Klotzkin from Warsaw. He was the son-in-law of a rich grain merchant from Zambrow. Dr Klotzkin was a young, decent fellow, and very popular with the Jews of Ciechanowiec. After a few years in the New City, he left for OstrowMazowiecka. Later he went to Bialystok when it was under the domination of the Communists. After Hitler reneged on his treaty with the Reds, Bialystok was quickly overrun and Dr. Klotzkin was killed by the Nazi beasts together with his wife and two wonderful children.
After Dr. Klotzkin left, Dr. Shapiro of Vilna took his place. He quit his practice after a short time and left town. Next came Dr. Faktor, a young native of Bialystok. He returned to Bialystok in 1939 and perished in the Holocaust. Dr. Shapiro had married a dentist from Warsaw and then came back to Ciechanowiec. Both he and his wife were declared victims of the Shoah in Treblinka. But rumors persist that Dr. Shapiro and his wife Basha Zmiyevska committed suicide before reaching Treblinka.
There were also two Jewish dentists in Ciechanowiec. There was the previously mentioned Dr. Lewin and later Mrs. Lyuba Vasilsko-Berkowitz. Dr. Lewin had a well-deserved excellent reputation. His many patients included Jew and Gentile alike. Although he was a Zionist he spent little time in communal work. He lived in his own newly built home in the Old City.
The second dentist, Vasilsko-Berkowitz was another type of person. She was very much a Jewish nationalist. She came from Vitebsk and married a young man from Krynki, Yitzhak Vasilsky. He was a teacher by training but through working with his wife he became an excellent dental mechanic. His work was secondary to his Zionist activities. Their home was the center of the Zionist movement in the New City. Shortly before the advent of World War II, they left Ciechanowiec for Grodno. There they died at the hands of the Nazis.
During the German occupation in World War I, there was only one midwife in Ciechanowiec, the young, diplomatic lady Shayna Feldman (later to become my wife). She was brilliant and was very effective in her work. Nevertheless, the women of the town missed Pshibilowska-Zazshetska, popularly called Ladzya, who had served previously. They constantly spoke of her. When she returned from Russia after the war, the women ran out in the street to hug and kiss her. Ladzya was a native of Ciechanowiec, who had a great deal of experience as a midwife. Already in her sixties, she did not employ newer methods and scarcely had any idea of modern hygiene.
Despite her popularity, Ladzya had some competition in the New City from Shayna Wrona, the wife of a poultry merchant. Shayna, while still single, was a nurse in the hospital of Dr. Harnyewicz. After her marriage, she went to Warsaw and studied midwifery. She returned after one year to set up practice.
There were two drugstores in Ciechanowiec, one on either side of the river, in the Old City and the New City. They were originally owned by Gentiles but were sold to Jewish pharmacists. The Old City drugstore was sold to R' Rabinow from Vilna. His wife was from Mogilev. R' Rabinow was very ill and died in 1940 with the Old City still under control of the Russians. His wife and daughter were murdered at Treblinka.
The New City drugstore was bought by a young Jewish couple. She was a master pharmacist, having studied in Vilna. She was daughter of Officer Beigel, a Jew serving in the Polish army. This young lady was estranged from Judaism as she had received only secular education. Beigel also had two sons, both in the army. One was a captain and the other a lieutenant. The captain owned a drugstore in the shtetl of Boczkii and remained in that region until the end. He died fighting with the partisans. After the death of the elder Beigel, his daughter married a young Jew named Bok from Vilna. He had returned from South Africa with a considerable sum of money. With the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-Aggression Pact, the Red Army took over Ciechanowiec. They immediately nationalized both drugstores. The former owners were forced to exchange positions. R' Rabinow, formerly of the Old City, was sent to live in the New City. The Boks were assigned to run the Old City store.
When the Nazis occupied Ciechanowiec, they set up a Jewish ghetto but both drugstores remained outside its boundary. The previous owners returned to operate their original stores. My wife Shayna and daughter Tzipke then worked in Rabinow's store. Until the liquidation, Shayna was a cashier and Tzipke was a clerk. The Pharmacist Marisha Bok had been reared in an assimilated Austrian atmosphere and spoke German as well as any native. She was able to pass as a Christian. But the Germans wanted her to divorce her husband. When she refused, they shot her on the spot together with her eight-year-old daughter. The husband escaped into the woods and encamped with some unsavory characters. These men of the underworld discovered that Bok had some gold with him. They robbed him of his last piece. Totally distraught with his own situation and the loss of his family, he threw himself in a well and drowned.
There were in Ciechanowiec a couple of drug warehouses which were illegal. These warehouses operated like the real drugstores, filling doctors' and medics' prescriptions, dispensing medicines and chemicals, and maintaining complete stocks of patent and ready-made formulas. The warehouses presented severe competition to the legitimate drugstores and were reviled by R' Rabinow and Mrs. Bok. Yet, there were plenty of sick people and they all made a good living.
One of the drug warehouses had been around well before World War II. It was modern and well equipped. The owner was R' Sendik, a short man who worked in a very brisk manner with rapid motions. His frenetic pace seemed clownish and he appeared to be a joker. But, in truth, he was an excellent worker who presented real competition to the drug stores. His wife was tall and lanky in complete contrast to his short stature. People would see them walking through town and say, There go Mutt and Jeff. (The Yiddish expression is There are Short Friday and Shabbat Hagadol.)
Sendik was one of the first victims of the Nazis. He happened to be in Bialystok when the Germans swept into that city. The first job of the barbarians was to catch every Jew they could find and pack them into the large synagogue. Sendik was one of these unfortunates. When the synagogue was full, the doors were barricaded and kerosene and benzene poured around the foundation. Then it was set afire. The blaze engulfed the building. Those who tried to escape by jumping through windows were immediately shot. Three thousand innocent Jews died in that conflagration.
The second drug warehouse was even older. It even predated World War I. It was entirely different from Sendik's modern facility. In those old days, the owner was very difficult to find. His warehouse was a large area with an entrance in the Old City market. Inside were rows of shelves with a myriad of bottles, boxes, and jars. Each contained an inscription in Latin. You could find almost any potion there: herbs, pills, powders, chemicals, and medicines. Also stocked were various soda waters, bitter salt, English salt, castor oil, rock candy, sucking drops, thermometers, cold and hot water bags, plasters, cotton, gauze, bandages, etc. A wooden table and bench were set up in the middle of the floor. On one side of the table was a pharmacist's scale. On the other side were stacks of religious books. A man of about sixty with a long white beard and his head covered with a yarmulke would almost always be sitting on the bench studying from one of the holy books or praying. This patriarchal figure would only pause from his learning to satisfy a customer's needs.
This was R' Avraham Yaacov Shapiro zl. We were dear friends from my arrival in Ciechanowiec. His warehouse resembled a grocery store more than a pharmacy. But no customer ever left empty handed. They would bargain with Avraham Yaacov, and he would let the merchandise go for whatever price they were willing to pay. He was beloved by his customers, and they always left with a smile, totally satisfied. Avraham Yaacov filled every prescription to the best of his ability. If some ingredient were missing, he would tell the customer to return in an hour. Meanwhile, he would contact the doctor or medic to discuss what changes could be made in the prescription. The doctors had great respect for Avraham Yaacov and would work with him to the benefit of the patient or customer. He used a special antique bowl and spoon to mix the powders and was proud of his technique. He would tell me that his ways were better than those of the modern pharmacists. He was a wonderful person who lived to a very old age before perishing at the hands of the Nazis.
In 1948 I returned to Ciechanowiec for a visit. All medical supplies were then in the possession of Olshewski, the anti-Semite. He was the only doctor left in town. The Old City drugstore was given to Olshewski's brother. The New City drugstore had been destroyed. That is the sad conclusion of another chapter in the history of Ciechanowiec.
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text:
Census County Divisions and Minor Civil Divisions, 1995 - California
- Author(s):
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Geography Division
- Description:
- This datalayer displays the Census County Divisions and Minor Civil Divisions of California. Census county divisions (CCDs) are county subdivisions that were delineated by the U.S. Census Bureau, in cooperation with state and local government officials for data presentation purposes. CCDs have been established in 21 states where there are no legally established minor civil divisions (MCDs), where the MCDs do not have governmental or administrative purposes, where the boundaries of the MCDs are ambiguous or change frequently, and/or where the MCDs generally are not known to the public. CCDs have no legal functions and are not governmental units. The boundaries of CCDs usually are delineated to follow visible features and coincide with census tracts where applicable. (In a few instances, two CCDs may constitute a single census tract.) The name of each CCD is based on a place, county, or well-known local name that identifies its location. Minor civil divisions (MCDs) are the primary governmental or administrative divisions of a county in many states (parish in Louisiana). MCDs represent many different kinds of legal entities with a wide variety of governmental and/or administrative functions. NOTE: While CCDs are established in California, the U.S. Census Bureau does not recognize MCDs for the state.
- Publisher:
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census
- Place(s):
- California
- Subject(s):
- boundaries
- Held by:
- Harvard
|Click on map to inspect values


text:
Difference between revisions of "Diva"
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{{about|the former slave of Ariel Val'Sargress|the empress of Chel'el'Sussoloth|Diva'ratrika Val'Sharen}}
{{about|the former slave of Ariel Val'Sargress|the empress of Chel'el'Sussoloth|Diva'ratrika Val'Sharen}}
{{appears in | 3 4 6 11 12 13 14 15 20 21 22 23 30 31 32 35 39 43 45 50}}
{{appears in | 3 4 6 11 12 13 14 15 20 21 22 23 30 31 32 35 3943 45 50}}
| alt_img = Liriel
| alt_img = Liriel
Revision as of 23:16, 15 October 2018
Appeared in chapters 3 4 6 11 12 13 14 15 20 21 22 23 30 31 32 35 39* 43 45 50
- Earth sorcery
- Sil'lice Val'Sharen - master
- Formerly known as Liriel
Diva is the product of the aura of Diva'ratrika Val'Sharen being implanted in the body of a young drow girl named Ragini. Immediately following the initial possession, she entered a fusion state of the two clashing auras who named herself Liriel. Liriel had features of both Liriel and Diva, but due to the constant struggle between the two aura, she drank liberally. Upon following Ariel to the surface and seeing the old country, Liriel regained all of Diva'ratrika's memories and metamorphosed (physically and mentally) to take the form of Diva.
Diva told her story to Ariel and Faen but promised to serve them until she could regain the power she once had. She now works as a tutor, using her personal knowledge to teach the girls about the history and politics of Chel'el'Sussoloth.
Appearance and Personality
Due to Diva's nature, she has shown drastically different appearances and personalities.
LirielOverworld with Ariel, Diva was a combination of Diva'ratrika (the dark elf Val'Sharess of Chel) and Ragini (a drowolath slave) that named herself Liriel. Her hair was pale blue and cut short, and her eyes were a light purple. Her skintone was similar to that of a dark elf, but her pupils had the red glow unique to a drow. She wore simple dresses and a slave collar around her neck.
Due to the clash of auras in her mind, Liriel was often confused and in pain. She dulled this by drinking large amounts of beer, making her silly, outspoken, and immature. She was a carefree trickster who stuck by Ariel's side even after Ariel insisted she leave.
Diva is much more mature than her Liriel persona. Without the constant pain of two auras competing for control over her body, she did not need to intoxicate herself with beer. She became wise, polite, and respectful to her masters. Though she exhibits frustration with her situation, she is generally patient and tactful.
Biography - Arc I
Liriel the Slave
Diva first appeared as Liriel with her origins unknown. She met Ariel and Faen after her previous master, who attempted to rob the girls, was killed by a wolf under Faen's empathic control. She insisted on following them as her new masters. She quickly showed an insatiable appetite for mushroom beer and one of her first actions as the pair's slave is to offer to guide them to the Black Dragon Tavern in payment for a beer. She helps the pair buy a gladiator slave, Vaelia, to fight on their behalf.
She followed Ariel everywhere, even when her "master" ordered her to leave her alone. She gave Ariel un-asked for advice at every turn until she finally followed Ariel up to the surface to help find Faen.
Diva RebornHalme castle, she experienced severe flashbacks from the memories of Diva'ratrika, triggering a metamorphosis in which she became Diva'ratirka reborn.
As she adapted to this change, she cut her bangs short and decided to make amends with Ariel. She told Ariel her story, and though Ariel was dubious, she agreed to begin calling her Diva.[2]
She remained Ariel's servant as she gathered information at the Val'Sarghress Fortress. Eventually, she discovered that her "daughter," Sil'lice Val'Sharen, had survived and was hiding with the Val'Sarghress. She approached Sil'lice, meeting the young Vel'Sharen siblings Chrys'tel and Nau'kheol along the way. She told the present Sharens that she used to work as a personal servant for Diva'ratrika, and offered her services when they would not interfere with her duties to Ariel. She was assigned to tutor the young Kau and Shala Val'Sharen.
Biography - Arc II
Journey to Mimaneid
Diva remained with the Val'Sarghress, serving not only Kau and Shala, but Ariel and Faen as a tutor. She told them stories about the history of Chel'el'Sussoloth and the legend of Blossom, and taught them about the politics ruling the city.
Diva uses this as an opportunity to install herself in Sil'lice's path of vengeance, and eventually finds herself on the trail to Mimaneid with Sil'lice and Nishi'kanta Vel'Sharen--who had recently come out of hiding to support her sister's cause. Diva's role in the renegade group is unknown, but she serves as a source of information for Nishi'kanta's children when they reach their hosts, the Mimian clan called Kavahini. With Sil'lice gaining an alliance with the minor clan to strike Felde, Diva's hope in setting things right is renewed, and she is seen on top of the Mimian World Tree thinking of her third daughter's accomplishments.
Assault on Orthorbbae
Diva is there for Kau to comfort the young male, after Sil'lice rejects him for being tainted[3]. Some time later, Diva decided to see where the Saghress stored looted items from her tower, guarded by Tebryn. She has a moment of doubt as the merged dark elf goes over her life decisions while looking at her corpse[4]. Teb'ryn doesn't believe Diva's story of aura transposition, however Diva is unconcerned, knowing nobody would really believe her anyhow.
Even though she wishes to try again with both Sil'lice and Nishi'kanta after Snadhya is confirmed dead, Sil'lice's attitude creates a rift between Diva and her third daughter: The two arrive in the Ninth Tower with Sil'lice's family and Sarghress soldiers, only for Sil'lice to impale Sha'sana before the dark elf could address Diva[5].
As Sha'sana lay dying on the floor, Diva speaks to her old friend: the former Headmistress immediately discern's Diva's true nature but chooses not to transfer her aura as the Empress did. Instead, Diva comforts Sha'sana in her final moments, recalling old memories of the time before the Moonles Age, and telling her a story of how the surface world they knew is recovering once more[6]. Among Sha'sana's last words were directions about a particular book, with research notes documenting her quest to find Sharess' spiritual self in the nether worlds.
When Sil'lice wakes up to a tainted aura within her, Diva is less than impressed with her daughter's antics. Leaving her to deal with the new condition, Diva heads for Sha'sana's personal library, but not before visiting Sharess' body to reaffirm her purpose[7].
Notable Quotes
"You are in the presence of Queen Blueberry the Third!" - Liriel to Rik about being placed in a bag if she causes to much trouble.
"Sharess, if only you could see this. The world we knew passed away, but the seeds we gave our lives to protect is bringing new life. All it needs now, in order to thrive, is the right guide to ensure my elder daughter does not extinguish it." - Diva, watching Kavahini forces take off for Felde.
Character Concept
This article reflects events up to Chapter 45.


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