Shershev Yzkor Book - Chapter 5
The Kehillah (Jewish Community) in Shershev
(in
the years 1928-1935)
The following account was
published in the above-mentioned Pinkes (book of records) of the general
private folks-shule (people’s school), "Yavneh", run by the Tarbut in
Shershev.This short account and also the budget of the Kehillah, complete the
work of Z. Yablonovitsh on Shershev, which is published in the introduction to
the section "Shershev" in our Pinkes:
Every
new phenomenon in life calls forth opposition on the part of conservative
elements. The Kehillah in Shershev, also provoked strong opposition for
whatever reasons. Its functions were still very weak, but gradually one notices
more breath of life in the Kehillah(the Jewish community). The thought is
becoming more acknowledged that there must be a boss over the property of the
town, and that the influence of such a boss on cultural, societal and religious
life is a condition of the age.
In
1928 the leaders of the Jewish communities in Pruzhany received instructions
from the Interior Ministry to hold in their Krayzn(district) (Pruzhany,
Shershev, Lineve and Oranchits), elections to the Kehillah. Two representatives
of the leaders of the Jewish Community in Pruzhany traveled to Shershev, called
together the important citizens of the town for a meeting where an electoral
committee of 16 people was formed (half
of them being artisans and the other half merchants). The electoral committee
carried out a registration of the population of the town and of the surrounding
district. The elections took place in July, 1928. The ballot box with the votes
was taken to Pruzhany. As a result of the elections, two parneysim (heads of
the community) were elected in Shershev, Mr. Kopl Kantorovitsh and Mr. Meyer
Gelman. An account of the proceedings was sent to the administrative
authorities. This was not confirmed for the Kehillah until five years had
passed. On August 1, 1933, the division of the Kehillah in Shershev was
organized with its center in Pruzhany. The secretary, Mr. Yankev Meyer
Kabizetski, was elected by the parneysim. As time went on, the
"Yavneh" school lost the sources of income, i.e., the percentages on
kosher slaughter and Khalot Kodesh, which had been acquired with difficulty by
the prezes(chairman) Mr. Yekhezkhel Krugman. With difficulty, the chairman
succeeded at the budget meeting in obtaining a relatively large grant for the
school. Unfortunately however, this remained on paper only. Taking into account
that the expenses of the Kehillah, as an institution embracing the whole town,
were very great, and that its income, on account of the strong opposition of
the population, was small, it is understandable that the Kehillah could not
possibly pay the grants it had promised.
Finally, thanks to the efforts of Mr. Yekhezkhel Krugman, it was settled
that the institutions, including the school, would receive 50% of the income
(community revenue) paid in cash every month.
During
the existence of the Kehillah, the parneysim carried out colossal repairs in
the public bathhouse, which was very dilapidated. The activities of the
Kehillah, in detail, are reflected in the following budgets:
YEARS
OF 1933 – 1935 (IN POLISH ZLOTYS AND US $ EQIVALENTS)
NOTE:
The following Budgets were actually a part of the Pruzaner Community
Budget which included the “Autonomous” part of Shershev.
YEAR
1933
|
|
Zlotys |
US
$ ** |
INCOME
|
|
|
Ritual Slaughter
|
1500 |
187.50 |
|
Burial Society |
500 |
62.50 |
|
Births and Weddings |
200 |
25.00 |
|
Jewish Community Taxes |
2600 |
325.00 |
|
TOTAL |
4800 |
600.00 |
|
|
|
|
EXPENSE
|
|
|
|
School & Talmud Torah |
1500 |
187.50 |
|
Orphanage |
700 |
87.50 |
|
Women’s Association |
400 |
50.00 |
|
Lodging (For Visiting the Sick) |
200 |
25.00 |
|
Wood for the Poor |
210 |
26.25 |
|
Alms for Passover Needs |
200 |
25.00 |
|
Library |
50 |
6.25 |
|
Bath and Cemetery |
500 |
62.50 |
|
Secretary |
300 |
37.50 |
|
Installment Pay In Pruzany |
300 |
37.50 |
|
Trip Expenditures |
120 |
15.00 |
|
Beadle (Sexton) |
60 |
7.50 |
|
Stationery |
30 |
3.75 |
|
Budgetary Contingencies |
230 |
28.75 |
|
TOTAL |
4800 |
600.00 |
**
8 z = $1.00
|
|
Zlotys |
US
$ ** |
INCOME
|
|
|
|
Ritual Slaughterer |
3800 |
730.77 |
|
Birth Certificates |
200 |
38.46 |
|
Jewish Community Taxes |
1312 |
252.31 |
|
Burial Society |
500 |
96.15 |
|
TOTAL |
5812 |
1117.69 |
|
|
|
|
EXPENSE
|
|
|
|
Ritual Slaughterer |
1800 |
346.15 |
|
School |
1200 |
230.77 |
|
Orphanage |
200 |
38.47 |
|
Women’s Association |
100 |
19.23 |
|
Lodging (for Visiting the Sick) |
200 |
38.47 |
|
Doctor |
300 |
57.69 |
|
Secretary |
400 |
76.92 |
|
Installment Pay In Pruzany |
360 |
69.23 |
|
Library |
50 |
9.62 |
|
Alms for Passover Needs |
100 |
19.23 |
|
Bath |
500 |
96.15 |
|
Bank Debt |
100 |
19.23 |
|
Money for the Sick |
125 |
24.03 |
|
Stationery |
30 |
5.77 |
|
Trip Expenditures |
120 |
23.08 |
|
Budgetary Contingencies |
227 |
43.65 |
|
TOTAL |
5812 |
1117.69 |
** 5.2 z = $1
|
|
Zlotys |
US
$ ** |
INCOME
|
|
|
Jewish Community Taxes
|
1000 |
191.57 |
|
Ritual Slaughterer – 50% |
1500 |
287.36 |
|
Burial Society |
400 |
76.63 |
|
TOTAL |
2900 |
555.56 |
|
|
|
|
EXPENSE
|
|
|
|
Installment Pay in Pruzany |
500 |
95.79 |
|
Secretary and Beadle |
225 |
43.10 |
|
Stationary and Books |
10 |
1.92 |
|
Yavneh School |
610 |
116.86 |
|
Orphanage |
300 |
57.47 |
|
Women’s Association |
300 |
57.47 |
|
Lodging (For Visiting the Sick) |
50 |
9.58 |
|
Wood for the Poor |
100 |
19.18 |
|
Bank Debt |
100 |
19.18 |
|
Library |
20 |
3.83 |
|
Bath |
300 |
57.47 |
|
Cemetery |
40 |
7.67 |
|
Trip Expenditures |
100 |
19.18 |
|
Alms For Passover Needs |
100 |
19.18 |
|
Budgetary Contingencies |
145 |
27.78 |
|
TOTAL |
2900 |
555.56 |
** 5.22 z = $1
NOTE:
The Budgets above were actually a part of the Pruzaner Community Budget
which included the “Autonomous” part of Shershev.