Ekhezkel Kotik

It is well-known what written down is only reflection of thoughts of heart and oral speech, moods, beliefs and opinions, free conversation and discussion of the Torah, performance of the speaker and even singing in a circle of friends. Both for all this and for many other types of written down - the form of expression on the letter. So – in each people, and also - from time immemorial - and in ours. A layer behind a layer there are cultures, and in each of them - a wonderful and difficult system of languages of that era which knew and in which their carriers and spokesmen from generation to generation thought.
Contents written serves then, in many years, as a basis for theoretical discussions and sotsio-historical, linguistic and so forth researches.
Presently, on the dawn of the third millennium, the new and fascinating practical aspect - attempt by means of a family tree and the family saga to find traces of the personal and historical past of each of us was added to it. The one who will become interested in it will find, eventually, the special way suitable for his personality and requirements.
It happened to me at a meeting with the Mrs. M. U. who wished to learn language Yiddish and its culture which she almost did not know. Through some time the translation into Hebrew of the memoirs of Ekhezkel Kotik living in Lithuania in the second half of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th, written in the original into Yiddish got to it. Having become interested in memoirs, Mrs. Ulanovskaya wanted to translate them into Russian. Has to admit that despite quite serious acquaintance to the Jewish subject, I heard a name of the author of memoirs then for the first time. As soon as we began to read the book, I with surprise found out that the author was born and grew up in Kamentsa – the town about which my mother, is blessed her memory, having heard that someone is from there, happened spoke: "Yes it from our places!" As well blessed memory the father told that in his native town of Gorodets, near Brisk, there was an ancient cemetery where his ancestors and part of a family are buried. The childhood and youth of my parents – the father from a family Ziskel and mothers from the house Shermanov – before their emigration to Argentina, passed to Polesia, between Brisk and Kobrin. Never thought that, having left the parental house, I will keep in the cultural heritage not only words and expressions into Yiddish, but also the special foods mentioned in the text, descriptions of the nature and stories about life which sank down once in soul. "The intellectual adventure" began for me already with chapters 1. I felt that the part of the family saga is not alien to me. And so we reached the end of the first volume which was for me similarity of a bytiyny and associative meeting. Words and expressions into Yiddish of Lithuanian Jews, characteristic of area between Brisk and Kobrin which Kotik so freely uses - I heard them the boy and the teenager, together with the brother and sisters. As well the grandfather with the grandma from a mother's side living in one of settlements of the baron Girsh after a long trip to them by train, told with us on this special Yiddish, and I did not understand then yet as language will take roots in me as I will be excited, having heard it again.
I want to thank Mrs. M. Ulanovskaya whose great interest in a subject and diligence in work on the translation allowed me not only to endure anew a meeting with places of my childhood but also and to help it, to become her "accomplice" in unusually important cultural undertaking.
E.Kotik's memoirs – the museum of the Jewish life. Acquaintance of Russians the alim and all Russian-speaking Jews with this book – an important contribution to deepening of their communication with the past of the people, to revival of feeling of solidarity with a rich heritage of the East European Jewry. Ignoring of this heritage formed deep vacuum and a gap in cultural continuity of generations in our old and new country. The book will help to overcome it.
Dov Mordechai Siskel

Jerusalem, 15th day of month shvat, 5761

7.2.2001

 

• From the translator
• Dov's preface
• Instead of the preface
• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2-5
• Chapter 6-8
• Chapter 9-12
• Chapter 13-17
• Chapter 18-21
• Chapter 22-26
• Chapter 27-29



• Chapter 1-2
• Chapter 3-4
• Chapter 5-8
• Chapter 9-11
• Chapter 12-13
• Chapter 14-15
• Chapter 16-17
• Chapter 18-21
• Chapter 22-25
• To return back