Radoshkovich history

Radoshkovich, Belarus - history

Jewish Radoshkovichi
Communal History
A town in (today) Belarus. The Jewish community was established in the 16th century (as part of the Lithuania / Polish kingdom).

The Jews numbered 455 in 1765; A well known Jewish family who lived in Radoshkovichi of that time ( and some years later) was the family of Abraham Maskileison "Maskil le-Etan," (1788-1848) a Jewish scholar, rabbi and author descendant of Talmudic scholar, Israel Jaffe of Shklov

There were 1,701 Jews in 1847 (Radoshkovichi became part of the Russian Empire by 1790s); Well known Jews who came from Radoshkovichi of that time were; Russian Hebrew author and book dealer Naphtali Maskileison -; born in Radoshkovichi Feb. 20, 1829 and Aryeh-Leon Scheinhaus,
a writer and a business man born in Radoshkovichi in 1867. Best known was the artist and poet Mordecai Zvi Mané. ( 1859- 1886)

There were 1,519 Jews (58% the total population) in 1897. Many left for America during those year. Check the Ellis Island list for more information.

To learn about life in Radoshkovichi before and during the first world war, read the yizkor.

1921; Under Polish rule; 1,215 Jews (49.4%) in 1921. In the 1920s and 1930s the Jewish economy suffered and there was considerable poverty as a result of the poor returns, the heavy taxes, and the competition of non - Jews who were supported by the Polish government. Pioneers from Radoshkovichi were among the first members of the Third Aliyah. After World War I, Zionist youth movements were very active and a Ha -Chalutz training farm was established.

In 1921 - 22 Radoshkovichi (then on the Polish - Russian border) was a transit station for the Jewish refugees returning from Soviet Russia to their homes in Poland. Communal institutions included a Tarbut school, and a Hebrew library.

Holocaust Period
On the outbreak of World War II there were about 1,200 Jews in Radoshkovichi. On Sept. 18, 1939, the Red Army entered the town and a Soviet administration was established there. The Germans occupied the town on June 25, 1941. An Aktion took place on March 11, 1942, when 850 Jews were killed. After this Aktion, a ghetto was established for the remaining 350 Jews. The Jewish community was liquidated on March 7, 1943, when the remaining 300 Jews were killed in the ghetto. During the liquidation, about 50 Jews succeeded in escaping to the nearby forests, where they joined the partisan unit, "the Revenge."

Partizan; Binyamin Zilburg was born in Radoshkovich in 1917. He passed away in Rishon Lezion, Israel on 6/3/1994. His wife Tzila head the Radoshkovichi society in Israel.

After the war some survivors returned to Radoshkovichi and they were joined by Jewish survivors from neighboring towns.

1958 Radoshkovichi; sitting on the ground; ZALMAN LEVIN.
Sitting above from left; RIVKA BOTVINIC, SHOSHANA ZILBURG, AVRAHAM RUDERMAN, YAKOV RUDERMAN, MOTI LEVIN,
ZINA ALPEROVICH, standing from left; SARA BUNIA BOTVINIC, VELVL BOTVINIC, RAIA MEDNIC, ZILA ZILBURG, ZILA LEVIN,
LUBA ALPERUVICH, HIRSHL SHULMN, KILA ALPERUVICH, HAIA SHNITMAN,SHLOMO SHAPIRO, GALIA RUDMAN,
MAIR RUDMAN, BENIMIN ZILBURG, PESAH IZICSON, CHAIM LEVIN, ZAV KAPLAN, ELI CHNITMAN, ZALMAN ALPEROVICH

In 1960 most of the Jews left to Poland and from there they were able to get to Israel.
Today two Jewish women live in Radoshkovichi; amongst them is Raya Levin.

Raya from the Levin /Botvinik family (on the left) in the Jewish cemetery of Radoshkovichi in 2005 with visitor; Eilat Gordin Levitan.

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