The first youth movements that blossomed in the Jewish streets of Poland did not leave out Sopotkin. The first youth movement was in the town by the name "Hashomer Trumpeldor" (the guard Trumpeldor). The center of this movement was in Kovel, a city in the region of Wolyn. At the head of that organization stood Chodorov (now Rav-Chovel). The first of the organizers of "Hashomer Trumpeldor" was Samuel Kubnianski. He liked to decorate himself with all kinds of badges and leather belts and to sing Hebrew songs with great pathos. The members of this organization came from Bialystok. Meetings of this cell took place in the apple orchard of the gentile, Brownushki.
In the year 1926 the movement of the youth "Hashomer Trumpeldor" merged with the youth movement "Hashomer Hatsair" (the Young Guard). After the merger the movement "Hashomer Hatsair" became the main and central movement in town. This movement concentrated the best and most intelligent young people in Sopotkin.
The woods and forests around were the meeting places for the members of the movement. The echo of "Hatikvah" and "Techezakna" were heard all around.
The bonfires of "Lag Baomer" (Youth Holiday) and the celebration of different holidays brought holiday spirit into the town. And something else. The Zionist movement served as a direct continuation to school. The Zionist movement implanted into the young generation the desire to learn and to enlightenment.
A special teacher was brought from out of town. He became the leader of the branch and supported himself by giving private lessons to the members of the movement. There were organized study clubs in history, nature, mathematics, etc. A sport club and a Hebrew library were established.
The movement brought in the Israeli atmosphere, the Hebrew songs and the Israeli dances (Hora, etc.).
In the footsteps of the "Hashomer Hatsair" the "Hechaluts
Hatsair" (the Young Pioneer) was organized.
(Continued on page 82)
Pages 76, 77
|The Chamber of the Youth Movement Hashomer Hatsair
|First row (from right to left):
1. Perl Liptchak, 2. Acha Idinskl
Second row (from right to left):
1. Mordechay Perestownski, 2. Esther Yudilevitch, 3. Reuven Niselkovski (Egozi),
4. Nechama Samborski, 5. Berl Perestonski (Ephrati), 6. Chayele Rosenshtat, 7. Henia Lanski
Third row (from right to left):
1. Sara Dulski, 2. Shlomo Niselkovski, 3. Blume Dulski, 4. Aryey Ivashkovski,
5. Leah Flaskovski, 6. Bela Reyzner
Fourth row (from right to left):
1. Meier Dvorsky, 2. Chaya Yenta Idinski, 3. Elka Gezes, 4. Keyla Flaskovski,
5. Eliyahu Shadzunski, 6. Tsipora Rupetski, 7. Keyla Flatkovski,
8. Nechama Liptchak, 9. Nechama Lanski, 10. Miriam Yaglovski
Fifth row (from right to left):
1. Yekensiel Glikson, 2. Moshe Mentchinski (Manor), 3. Eliezer Shadzunski (Marvik*),
4. Chonon KLeynbort (Eylati**), 5. Yisrael Perestouski, 6. Tsevi Reyzner,
7. Zeer Kravits, 8. Aleksander Mentchinski (Manor***)
|*||Dr. Dr. Lorens Marvik is now the head of the Hebrew Department of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. At the request of the State Department he published a Hebrew practical book for diplomats.|
|**||Chonon Eylati published romans and stories about the life of Jews in France, South America and the United States. His books in Yiddish: 1. Father and Son, 2. The Hotel That Does Not Exist, 3. Yiddish Proverbs, 4. The Check and the Eternity, 5. Far from Brooklyn. His books in Hebrew: 1. "Bimchilot" (In the Caves), 2. "Ki Temol Anachnu" (We Are As Of Yesterday) – Translation from Yiddish. This book was awarded with a very distinguished prize for the Yiddish literature, prize Louis Lamed, was translated into Spanish. Appeared in Yiddish in the countries of South America.|
|***||Aleksander Manor's books were published in Hebrew, Yiddish,
Spanish and French:
a) Fascism - Its Economic and Politic Essence
b) To Socialism and the Man's Problem
c) The Workers Movement and Imperialism
d) On the National Question
e) The Socialist Zionism and its Gloomy Image
f) The Essence of the "Histadrut" (Federation of Labor in Israel)
|Adolescents of the Hashomer Hatsair movement (1925)|
|Standing first row:
1. Aryey Ivashkovski, 2. Tsiporah Pupetski, 3. Shlomo Niselkovski,
4. Beyle Rashvam, 5. Aryey Samborski, 6. Chaya Yenta Idinski
Sitting (from right to left):
1. Zeev Kravits, 2. Leah Platkovski, 3. Samuel Kovmanski, 4. Sara Polak,
5. Shlomo Platkovski
|Younger members of Hashomer Hatsair movement (1931)|
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