Shershev
Section

Report:

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, attended by
45 members (it took place on April 15, 1935, at the headquarters of the "Tog-heym"
[day home]. At this meeting were expressed clearly the demands of those who were
assembled, vis-?-vis an institution of such fist-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 pinkes
of "Yavneh". We also have here in the history of this insitution of mutual aid, the
list of members, of at least 100 names ant 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, Pruzhene, Byalistok)

To the temporary committee were elected the following gentleman, in
alphabetical order
[i.e. in the Yiddish text – tr]

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 – Herr Yisrael Visoker
Secretary – Herr Yoysef Kiselev
Treasurer – Herr Yekhzekiel Krugman
Members of the Presidium – Avrom Koloditski and Yitskhok Lindin

The loans committee was joined by Mikhael Koziol, Shapsi Tenenboym, Iser Grikhman

The audit committee – Yankev Kligerman, Mikhael Kozyol, Ruvn Kantorovits, Binyamin Sini,

The newly elected committee developed an activity of feverish intensity. At the meeting which took place immediately the following morning (June 16), the chairman Herr 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 temselves would give voluntary loans, without interest, to the institution they represented. The first to speak up was the author of the proposal, chairman Herr Yisroel Visoker, with a loan of 100 gilden for a period of 6 months, without interest.

Then the following made their offers:

Herr Yekhzekial Krugman 100 gilden
Herr Iser Grikhman 100 gilden
Herr Yoysef Pomeranyets 100 gilden
Herr Mikhael Kozyol 50 gilden
Herr Binyomin Sini 50 gilden
Herr Ruven Kantorovits 50 gilden
Herr Yitskhok Lindin 50 gilden
Herr Shapsi Tenenboym 25 gilden
Herr Avrom Koloditski 25 gilden

The rate of payment for members was fixed at 10 groshn a month. The chairman, Herr 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 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 plave 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 Herr Yisroel Visoker and the treasurer Herr Yekhzekyel Krugman – and established that everything 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 Herr Zorekh Birenboym 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 Birenboym’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, Herr Birenboym was to be sent a promissory note for the general value of 1.600 zlotys.

Herr Zorekh Birenboym however having full confidence in the committee did not wait for an answer and for promissory notes, but sent on August 17 to the address of Herr 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 load, with the condition that Herr Zorekh Birenboym 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 Herr Zorekh Birenboym.

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, Herr Szorekh Birenboym of Eretz Yisroel spent some time in Poland and visited his own native town of Shershev. On this occasion was held a celebratory meeting of the whole committee headed by the respected guest.

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 Herr Yekhzekyel Krugman).

The honored guest, Herr Zorekh Birenboym, 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 asked 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 Birenboym 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, Herr Zorekh Birenboym of Eretz Yosroel; 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 lanslayt 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 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 Zilbershteyn, Yoysef Pomeranyets, Fayvl Granat

Credit committee Iser Grikhman, Mikhl Kozyol, Shapsi Tenenboym

Audit committee Sini, Binyomin, Ruvn Kantorovitz, Mikhl Kozyol Yankev Kleynerman