Shershev Yzkor Book – Chapter 6
The General "Gmiles-Khosodim" Fund in Shershev*
At the start of its activities, the "gmiles-khosodim" fund in
Shershev developed its work very feebly. There was little money in the fund,
and the number of loans distributed was insignificant.
Due to dissatisfaction with this state of affairs, a meeting was held on
April 15, 1935 at the headquarters of the "Tog-heym" [day home],
attended by 45 members. At this meeting the demands of those who were assembled
were clearly expressed, vis-a-vis an institution of such first-class importance
as the "gmiles-khsodim” fund; and that the situation that had prevailed up
to now could no longer be tolerated in the future.
After quite a long discussion, it
was decided to vote for a temporary organizational committee, which would last
3 months.
*This report on the Gmiles-khsodim fund in
Shershev is also from the cited pinkus of "Yavneh". We also have here
in the history of this institution of mutual aid, the list of members of at
least 100 names and the kind of social help they received. Incidentally, it can be seen from the list
that some individuals belonging to the fund lived outside Shershev (Brisk,
Pruzhany, Byalistok).
The
following gentleman, in alphabetical order, were elected to the temporary
committee:
|
Family
Name |
Given
Name |
Family
Name |
Given
Name |
Gikhman
|
Iser |
Lindin |
Yitskhok |
|
Kantorovits |
Ruven |
Pomeraniets |
Yoysef |
|
Kiselev |
Yoysef |
Rakhames |
Avron |
|
Kleynerman |
Yankev |
Sini |
Binyomin |
|
Koloditsky |
Avrom |
Tenenboim |
Shapsi |
|
Kozyol |
Mikhail |
Valdshan |
Notl |
|
Krugman |
Yekhzekiel |
Visoker |
Yisroel |
Total: fourteen people, among them five from the
previous committee and nine newly elected.
At the meeting to decide on the structure of the committee which was
held right away on the same day, these people were elected:
As chairman – Yisrael Visoker
Secretary – Yoysef Kiselev
Treasurer – Yekhzekiel Krugman
Members of the Presidium – Avrom Koloditski and Yitskhok Lindin.
The loans committee - Mikhael
Koziol, Shapsi Tenenboim, Iser Grikhman.
The audit committee – Yankev Kligerman,
Mikhael Kozyol, Ruvin Kantorovits, Binyamin Sini.
The newly elected committee developed an activity of
feverish intensity. At the meeting which took place immediately on the
following morning (June 16), the chairman Yizrail Visoker suggested that the
wealthy members of the board should on their own initiative, lend the
Gmiles-khesed fund certain sums of money without interest.
Weighing the importance of the proposal, that is, that
if the members of the board did not, themselves, want to help the institution
with interest-free loans then the Gmiles-Khosidim fund could not exist – those
preset showed an exemplary pattern of behavior, not only in fine words, but in
deeds and decided that they themselves would give voluntary loans, without
interest, to the institution they represented. The first to speak up was the
author of the proposal, chairman Yisroel Visoker, with a loan of 100 gilden for
a period of 6 months, without interest.
Then
the following made their offers:
Yekhzekial Krugman 100 gilden
Iser Grikhman 100 gilden
Yoysef Pomeraniets 100 gilden
Mikhael Kozyol 50 gilden
Binyomin Sini 50 gilden
Ruven Kantorovits 50 gilden
Yitskhok Lindin 50 gilden
Shapsi Tenenboim 25 gilden
Avrom Koloditski 25 gilden
The rate of payment for members was fixed at 10 groshn a month. The
chairman, Yisroel Visoker, having a full sense of the responsibility and
seriousness of this matter, and wishing himself to serve as an example to other
people, suggested that everyone present should pay his membership dues for a
year in advance.
The suggestion was accepted unanimously and all the
members of the committee paid their dues on the spot. The amount of each members contribution was calculated at 5
gilden, which was divided into 3 payments: immediately upon paying out the
first load, 2 gilden were substracted, and the rest in 2 amounts of 1.50.
The loans themselves were to be a sum of up to 40 gilden, and to be paid
back within 5 weeks. Loans are given
out twice a week on Tuesday and on Saturday evening.
At a meeting, which was for the purpose of giving a
report, and which took place on July 30, it was established that in the 2 weeks
since the Gmiles-khosidm fund came into existence, 30 members had joined. 105,
50 zlotys were paid in contributions. Deposits: 575 zlotys. Members’ fees:
12,30 gilden. 11 loans were paid out at
the average rate of 330 gilden.
On July 10 there was a meeting of the credit committee, consisting of
Mikhl Kozyol, Iser Gikhman and Shapsi Tenenboym. They agreed on credit for 42
members, according to their financial standing, at an average of 1,695 zlotys.
Likewise, the audit committee, consisting of Yankev
Kleynerman, Mikhl Kozyol, Ruvn Kantorovits and Binyumin Sini, audited the books
on July 15 in the presence of chairman Yisroel Visoker and the treasurer
Yekhzekyel Krugman and established that everything was in the best order.
After the Gmiles Khsodim fund had proved popular and
beloved thanks to the tireless and exemplary work of the members of the
committee, the news about the young much-needed institution reached the landslayt
of Shershev abroad. Then in a letter
our fellow townman, the respected activist and worker for the community Zorekh
Birenboim of Petack-Tikvah (Eretz Yisroel) offered to give the Gmiles-Khosidm
fund an interest free load of 500 dollars for a period of 3 years.
The board of managers, which met on August 2nd
considered Herr Birenboim’s proposal very seriously. After a lively discussion,
it was decided for the time being to apply only for a loan of 300 dollars. As a
guarantee for this amount, Birenboim was to be sent a promissory note for the
general value of 1.600 zlotys. Zorekh
Birenboim however having full confidence in the committee did not wait for an
answer and for promissory notes, but on August 17 sent to the address of
Yekhzekiel Krugman for the Gmiles-Khsodim fund a check for 550 dollars. $500 as
a loan & $50 as a donation to the fund.
Then the committee accepted the loan, with the condition that Zorekh
Birenboim was to change the 500 dollars into Polish Zlotys according to the
daily rate of exchange (5.25 zlotys); and decided to express their thanks to
Zorekh Birenboim. Of the 500 dollars,
it was meanwhile decided to exchange only 50. The rest (450) remained, for the
time being in effective dollars. In accord with a later decision, a further 100
dollars were exchanged for zlotys.
At the beginning of September,
Szorekh Birenboim of Eretz Yisroel spent some time in Poland and visited his
own native town of Shershev. On this occasion a celebratory meeting of the
whole committee headed by the respected guest was held. The
Chairman, Herr Visoker, gave an exact report of the activities of the general
Gmiles-Khosidm fund in Shershev. The number of members had grown to 75
borrowers – 46 loans given out: the general sum of 1,276 zlotys.
Every member could get a second loan three days after
repaying the first. The size of a loan has been raised to 50 zlotys. The
loan-office which was formerly open only twice a week is now active every day
from 7 to 9 in the evening (in the house of Yekhzekyel Krugman).
The honored guest, Zorekh Birenboim, showed great
interest in the work that had so far been accomplished. Following his
suggestion, it was decided that in future sums larger than 50 gilden would be
made also. He appealed to the members of the committee to take an interest and
said that as many people as possible should benefit from the Gmiles-Khsodim
fund.
As for the loan of the 500 dollars: since the money in
the Gmiles Ksodim fund are given out and banked in Zlotys only, Herr Birenboim
took cognizance of this and decided that the committee should change the whole
sum according to the daily exchange rate. The debt was changed to the value of
2.625 gilden, and the committee obligated itself to repay the loan within 3
years. It was given as a warning that in the case of a change in the exchange
rate, the management board must change the money in its loan-bank into dollars
again.
"The management board of the Gmiles-Khsodim fund
in Shershev hereby expresses its great gratitude to the respected activist and
donor, Zorekh Birenboim of Eretz Yisroel; and we wish him in the name of all
the members, happiness and success and his life, blessing and success on all
the work of his hands!"
At the same time, an appeal was made to all our
landslayt from Shershev in America and other places that they should interest
themselves in such an important institution as the Gmiles-Khsodim fund, which
helps with interest-free loans the ruined population of Shershev giving them
the possibility of supporting themselves by their impoverished sources of
income. May the blessings and wishes of the local Jewish inhabitants cheer
their distant landslayt, and interest them in their home town and in its
Gmiles-Khsodim fund, which alleviates and fights the dreadful impoverishment of
the Jewish Settlement and may they succeed in all the work of their hands, as
is the wish of G-d who will pay well those who partake in this important
endeavor.
The
Management Board of the General Gmiles-Khsodim fund in Shershev
Chairman – Yisroel Visokyer
Secretary Yoysef Kiselev
Treasurer Yekhezkl Krugman
Members of Presidium - Moyshe Elyohu
Zilbershtein,
Yoysef
Pomeraniets, Fayvl Granat
Credit committee - Iser Grikhman, Mikhl
Kozyol, Shapsi Tenenboim
Audit committee - Binyomin Sini, Ruven
Kantorovitz, Mikhl Kozyol,
Yankev
Kleynerman