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From Kolomea Between the Two World Wars By Aron Stahl (1908 - 2005)


translated by Barbara Stahl

6.Talit factory owned by Shimson Heller

The world famous Talit (prayer shawl) factory owned by Shimson Heller was the glory of Kolomea, despite there having been another large Talit factory in the town.  The Hellers, however, were much better known.  The business became famous when, in 1905 the employees went on strike.  The way the workers organized the strike was interesting.  All the employees were Chasidic Jews who attended the same Shul.  They huddled in a corner of the Shul and made their plans to strike, taking an oath of secrecy(iii).  That was among the very first organized worker’s strikes in the region.  It launched the National labor movement and set off alarm bells far and wide. 

I personally knew two of Shimson’s three sons (iv), the first born Avrom Shmuel and the youngest named Lipe, as well as his grand children.  Both of Shimson Heller’s sons were observant Chasidim.  Lipe lived near the Polish church and worked in the civil court.  He had a marvelous blond beard and townsfolk nicknamed him ‘smoky (מעשענע) beard’.  Avrom Shmuel had two sons.  The older one, Shloyma followed the Jewish traditions and lived a decent, respectable life.  The younger son named Fayvish was the opposite. 

Avrom Shmuel had a spectacular black beard that turned prematurely white from the shame his son Fayvish caused when he became engaged to a non-Jewish woman. The woman was a tall, educated blonde; the daughter of the town gardener.  Her father owned a flower store on Pilsutzski Place, in the center of the town, directly across the street from Avrum Shmuel’s residence.  It was said that Fayvish, who began calling himself Fabian, shortened his father’s life through his flouting disrespect.  Rather than help in the family’s Talit business, Fayvish became a covert agent with the Polish police and cavorted with unsavory characters.  This tarnished the family’s good name. 

Following the first World War, the Talit factory was forced to close.  Kolomea was divided into a triangular parcel called “Pokucie” and surrounded by multiple foreign borders.  Through the Polish border corner, Talits were being exported abroad secretly.  That became economically infeasible due to the exorbitant duties levied by the external authorities. The Hellers attempted to deal in woolens, but found it impossible to compete in that market. Consequently, the factory shut down and the resulting poverty in Kolomea became absolutely indescribable. Amid these hardships, Fayvish flagrantly strolled with his fiancé arm in arm while his father’s heart sank.  His father’s black beard turned white practically overnight. 

Avrum Shmuel tried talking to the girl’s father, Pan Sefanski, a typical Pole with a large mustache and a beer belly.  Pan Stefanski said that he also disapproved of his daughter’s engagement and chased Fayvish as often as he could. He advised Avrum Shmuel to send his son out of the country so he would forget her.  After WWI, an opportunity arose for Avrum Shmuel to send Fayvish to Belgium.  What became of him I do not know because I never again heard any of my remaining townsfolk mention his name.

The other large Talit factory in Kolomea was owned by Yoyne Zager. His son Felix was taken into the Red Army, as was I, on May 14, 1941.  We served together in the same Division until July 1, 1941, when the Army commanders ordered a retreat from Kolomea.  We remained together until the first Ukrainian front at Kharkiv.  Eighty of we young Kolomeier soldiers were on a freight train when one morning, a Colonel came in, called Zager’s name, and took him out.  We never heard of him again.

Some fifty years later, as I revisited Kolomea, I went to see the Heller factory which still stood as it did then.  It was rundown, unpainted, and obviously not in operation.

[Translator’s Note - the author explained that the extreme poverty that arose immediately after the end of WWI, brought Kolomea to the brink of mass starvation.  Kolomea was spared by emergency soup kitchens established by the Joint Distribution Committee of the U.S.]

7. Kolomea Chief Rabbi

Kolomea had no shortage of Rabbis, of both major and minor influence.  There was the Soholer Rabbi, the Komarner Rabbi, the Makrer Rabbi, the Bakhor Rabbi, the Rusisher Rabbi, and several others who I can no longer recall.  Yet, there was no “official” Rabbi(v) to represent the Yiddish Kehila for quite some time after the loss of Reb Hillel Lichtenstein [served for 24 years; died approx. 1891].

The position of City Rabbi had become neglected apparently due to the transfer of governance of Kolomea from Austria to Russia twice during WWI, then to Romania, and then to the Ukrainians for a short time, and thereafter to Poland.  When political conditions stabilized and Kolomea was left in Polish hands, an edict from the Mayor, by proclamation from the external minister, required that the Jewish council must select a Polish speaking Rabbi to carry out official duties.  These duties included swearing in new recruits for military service, as well as making official speeches at parades and other public events.  When the circumstances demanded, the role had been handled intermittently by Rabbi Shapiro who was a military Rabbi and dressed in a military uniform for public occasions.  However, Kolomea didn’t have an officially appointed Rabbi.  There were many candidates for the post, but the Kehila representatives couldn’t come to an agreement.  Understandably, Kehila funds were very restricted due to the poverty that pervaded in the city between both world wars.  Kolomea was cut off from all sides by foreign borders.  As such, no commerce was present. 

The political strife between the parties and the factions was for the most part centered between the Zionists and the Agudath (Orthodox Anti-Zionist) followers. The Agudath was being led by Reb Josef Lau, a son-in-law of a respected family, the Beidafs.  His father-in-law, Reb Yakov Beidaf, was friendly with the formerly wealthy in Kolomea and he had “purchased” him as a son-in-law for his daughter.

Extremely clever among Jews, first, he possessed a dignified appearance even as a young man.  He was a child genius not only in Jewish customs, but also in worldly affairs.  He had a wonderful talent for public speaking in Polish, and was witty in German as well.  He was occupied in his father-in-law’s business, and in his free time, he used to offer Talmudic instruction to we young boys, at his own expense.  Shmuel Aidler was one of the students in our group.  Around the same time, Reb Josef Lau founded and oversaw the Yeshivah Yesodei HaTorah along with Agudath Y’srael.  As it happened, his business endeavors declined and his income dwindled to nearly nothing. 

His father-in-law, Reb Yakov Beidaf, traveled with those who emigrated to Israel.  Reb Josef Lau was forced to find some source of earnings.  For a short time, he used to work as a co-merchant with my brother-in-law and I.  But, during the Seim elections he used to give speeches on behalf of the Agudath.  His masterful speeches used to diminish the appeal of the Zionist candidates.  That used to have the same effect not only on the Seim elections, but also for district court officials, and for Kehila posts.  The votes would be swayed toward the Agudath’s own list of names, causing tremendous defeats for the Zionists.

At a Zionist meeting convened by the new leadership, the leader of the Mizrachi, Reb Yonah Ashkenazi, offered a proposition as a way to dissipate the damaging influence of the speeches given by Reb Josef Lau.  He noted, given that there were no acceptable candidates for the Chair of the Rabbinate in Kolomea, an outside non-Kolomeier had been put forward by the Mayor.  Wouldn’t it be better to recommend Josef Lau for the position and thereby provide Kolomeier Jews with a proper community leader?  That would also neutralize his emphasis on raising awareness of the Agudath party. Thus he became the official Rabbi of Kolomea.

Rabbi Josef Lau was respected by great and small, Jews and Gentiles alike.  I remember when the Soviets entered Kolomea in 1939.  The city’s militia leader [Natchalnik] was a Jewish officer named Tzadikov.  When he was introduced to Chief Rabbi Lau, Reb Lau remarked that with a name like that, he surely must be descended from a distinguished Orthodox family.  “No”, the man said, “my father drove a horse and wagon”.  Reb Lau replied that surely his grandfather must have been a Tzadik.  He answered no again, explaining that as far as he knew, his ancestors had for several generations been menial laborers.  At that, Rabbi Lau said it’s very likely that his children may become Tzadikim.  Such a glowing personality was Rabbi Josef Lau, tragically extinguished by the Germans.

Only one of Rabbi Josef Lau's sons, Shmuel Yitzhak Lau, survived the Holocaust and emigrated to Tel Aviv.  His nephew, Israel Meir Lau, who was 8 years old when freed from Buchenwald, went to Israel in 1945, and later became Chief Ashkenazic Rabbi of Israel.

8. Church in Kolomea

In Kolomea there were several antediluvian churches, likely as in all European cities and towns.  The “Tzerkva” church, built in the Greek Orthodox architectural style, stood not far from the courthouse and was, for a short time when Kolomea was under Ukrainian rule, the center of State holiday celebrations and Easter festivities.  However, after the Poles took over, things were swiftly transferred to the Polish Church. The Polish Church was constructed in a Gothic style, with a dozen bells in the front near the entrance. 

But, the most notable thing was the insignia of the name of God in large golden Hebrew letters (יהוה) on the tip of the spire just below the Crucifix. The Jews of Kolomea, even the very old, could not say when or by whom that insignia had been made.  At their processions, when they used to parade with their banners, Crucifixes, and idols, one could see the same golden Hebrew letters over a statue.  Older Jews would relate what they were told; that a convert had done it using a verse taken from the Psalms, [34:11 - ליכו בנימ שומער לי יראת השמ אלמדכים - “Come ye children, harken unto me and I will teach you the fear of God”.] However, we only saw the letters that spelled the name of God.  On my visit to Kolomea in July 1993, I saw the church again. The spire was gone, probably lost in the bombing, and with it, those Hebrew letters.  Thus, the symbol that the Jews of Kolomea had to abide for so many generations was removed and only the cross was left on the Polish church.

[As an aside], every Yom Kippur during the recitation of the Kol Nidre prayer, a non-Jewish man used to come into the large Synagogue and stand by the door.  Everyone knew him well.  He used to speak very good Yiddish and everyone had encountered him in town throughout the year.  He often used to stop people on the street, especially Jewish school children, and ask them if they knew the date and time of the new month (Rosh Chodesh Molid).  When anyone did not know, he would tell them the date and time and even name the month.  I myself had many times spoken with him, but could never extract any information about who he was or where he was from.  People used to say that he was a convert who lived somewhere outside of town.

9. Polish Independence Day holiday

The Polish Independence Day holiday used to be celebrated on the eleventh of November.  That date used to occur deep in the midst of winter and quite often, there used to be heavy snows and freezing cold weather.  It was an ordeal merely to watch the soldiers, school children, and patriotic citizens marching in their parades with the frost biting at their skin.  But, the holiday was regarded as a large and important one.  Businesses were all closed.  As we were all free from work, we came to see the parade.  The part on Polandigaste was near the end of the parade [route].  There, the marching barefooted priest, in a white priestly frock, large bare feet, and long blond hair, used to take enormous strides marching on the deep snow, to the curiosity of the onlookers.  I came to see whether he would be wearing his open wooden sandals because, on a very frosty day, he would wear them to keep the flesh on his feet from freezing directly to the shoveled road.  I used to sometimes see him in the summer on a sweltering hot day wearing heavy clothing, thick boots, and a warm fur hat on his head.  In town, people called him the “Pustelnik” [Anchorite].

10. Shepsel

Dr. Shlomo Bickel z.l., a few months before his departure [to the U.S.], had published an article in the Forward.  The body of the article was a retrospective and he wrote about a Kolomeir Jew who everyone had called by the name Shepsel.  Dr. Bickel wrote at length about Shepsel, stating that he was a Talmudic scholar particularly in Gemara and Rabbinical commentary on the Bible.  The article also documented his tragic death at the hands of Christian hooligans who had thrown him into water until he was drowned (possibly when he was drunk).  I don’t recall what motivated Dr. Bickel to write about a Jew like Shepsel from his hometown. The details of Shepsel’s life he probably didn’t know because the doctor left Kolomea when he was still quite young.  As such, I will round out the information that Bickel [seemingly] didn’t have. 

Shepsel was a Jew who was truly a Talmudic scholar, though I do not know from where he originated.  It is a mystery.  He had lived in what was called the “new world”, the most impoverished section in town.  He had had a son who was named Shuendele.  Still quite young, he used to follow along with his father who went out to find some liquor somewhere.  Shepsel used to appear at every party in town that served libations.  He used to drink until the hosts had to forcibly throw him out and lock the door.  Yet, he would still not leave.  One had to pour water over him from the window, which did not always deter him.  Later, when his son had grown a bit, they both went out searching for liquor and became intoxicated beyond their wits.  What had driven him to this?  Likely, it was the deprivation.  Their poverty defied description.  He was a son-in-law of a water carrier and they lived near the town’s public well, past the Potiek (brook) and below the hill of the Greek Orthodox church.  His mother-in-law was named Sharah, but she spoke Yiddish with a non-Jewish accent.  People used to say that she was a convert to Judaism originally from Werbish near Kolomea.  Her father had brought her to Kolomea to serve as a maid for a Jewish man.  A water carrier had married her on the condition that she would convert to Judaism. 

Several families were living together in their house - dear mother, what a ruin!  That is how poor Jews used to live.  Exemplifying the poverty of the Jews were their rusty candlesticks and their tiny rooms with crooked walls and rotted roofs.  I recall how I had once seen Shepsel in the middle of the night, standing drunken and looking up at the lovely moon, shouting and making hand gestures at it, and asking in a raspy voiced rhyme(vi), “oh moon with your slanted crown, if you’re so drunk, why do I fall down?” At the time, we laughed, but today I finally know better.  He was in every way a casualty of the Anti-Semitic brutality of that time, though it was then still half concealed (שונאי ישראל מערדער).  חנדבה

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Footnotes:
(i) For more information about Sarah Shenirer see - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Schenirer

(ii) For more information about the Bais Yaakov girl’s schools see - https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/bais-yaakov-schools#:~:text=Bais%20Yaakov%20is%20a%20network,defection%20of%20girls%20from%20Orthodoxy.

(iii) The Talit workers were led by Reb Josef Lau who later served as the official Rabbi of Kolomea.  Rachmiel Green wrote a book “The Weavers of Kolomea” in Yiddish that contained a detailed account of the strike. The book was printed in installments in “The Heint Daily” newspaper in pre-WWII Poland and in book form in Kiev in 1941 (294 pgs). 

(iv) Shmuel Heller also had a middle son named Yosl who was taken hostage by the Russians in 1915 during WWI and perished there.

(v) Reb Gedaliah Schmelkes served as the Kolomea Rabbi briefly, but stepped down abruptly in 1907 amidst a dispute.

(vi) The rhyme in transliterated Yiddish went: “oy levuna vos shteys du krim, az du bist shiker, vos fahl ikh im?



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