Preili file / תיק קהילה

🕯️Righteous Among the Nations and Holocaust Remembrance in Friuli and Rivne

These sources document the The history of the Jewish community in the town of Fraili in Latvia, from the beginning of its settlement in the 19th century until after the Holocaust. The texts review the Cultural, religious and economic life The prosperity of the Jews, who constituted the majority of the town's population and took an active part in its political management. Significant emphasis is placed on Holocaust period, including details of the massacres committed by the Nazis and local collaborators in 1941–1944. Sources include Exciting personal testimonies, such as the diary of the girl Shayna Gram and the survival story of Mordechai Hagai. In conclusion, the efforts to preserve memory are described through Erection of a monument and honoring the Righteous Among the Nations who saved Jews in the town.

Below is a comprehensive and detailed historical overview of the history of the Jewish community inLatvia, focusing on the community Frailey (Preili), based solely on the attached sources. The review combines information from printed sources, archival documents, and handwritten testimonies.

The beginning of the community and demographic development

The first Jews arrived inFrailey (known in Jewish sources as Fraile) in the early 19th century, with the founding of the settlement (C95-15f). The settlement was initially a manor owned by Blessed (Borch), and Jews rented plots of land and built houses on them (C95-1f, C95-6f). According to printed sources, in 1847 the community numbered 284 Jews, who constituted about 65% of the total population (C95-15f). The community grew rapidly throughout the 19th century, and in 1897 it numbered 1,375 Jews (C95-4f). A manuscript appearing in the archive records indicates that the rapid population growth after World War I was mainly due to natural increase, as many Jewish families had eight or nine children (C95-21f). In 1935, 847 Jews lived in Friuli out of a total population of 1,662 (C95-15f, C95-2f).

Economic and commercial life

Most of the community's Jews made a living fromtrade, peddling and various crafts (C95-15f). By 1898, the production Liquor was a significant source of income, but its transformation into a government monopoly hurt many Jewish families (C95-1f). To help them, a cooperative credit union was established in the early 20th century (C95-4f). Among the merchants were grocery store owners, cloth merchants, and linen merchants such as the Silberman (C95-21f). Printed sources indicate that in 1936 there were 206 commercial establishments in Friuli, the vast majority of which were Jewish-owned (C95-21f, C95-2f). In addition, the community had craftsmen such as blacksmiths (the Tsemlis), tailors, shoemakers, photographers (such as Nadal) and owners of wood sawmills (C95-21f, C95-19f).

Religious life and education

The community was largely traditional, and in the 1870s and 1880s four churches were established in the town. Synagogues, one of them belonging to the Hasidim Chabad (C95-15f, C95-21f). Among the prominent rabbis who served in the community were Rabbi Shlomo Pinchas Weisbord And the rabbi Laser Yankel Grodsky (C95-1f, C95-21f). Initially, the Jewish children studied at the Russian school, and received their religious education in **"chambres"** (C95-15f). In 1920, a Jewish elementary school was opened where the language of instruction was Yiddish, although the language was also studiedHebrew (C95-4f). The curriculum of the Jewish school in the 1920s also included studies of the language, history, and geography of Latvia (C95-21f).

Political and Zionist activity

At the end of the 19th century, a movement began operating in the town. "Lovers of Zion", but organized Zionist activity intensified after the 1917 Revolution with the establishment of a branch of "Youth of Zion" (C95-1f, C95-15f). Most of the town's Jews identified with this party, and a library, reading room, and drama club operated there (C95-4f). Zionist youth movements opened branches in the town, including "The Young Guard", "eternity", "Beitar", "Borokhov" and **"Gordonia"** (C95-1f, C95-15f). Jews served as members and even as heads of the city council, including Elia Gurevich, Zalman Silberman, Joseph Gacker andAvraham Ziman (C95-1f, C95-21f).

The Holocaust Era in Frielly

The German army occupied the Frailey On June 28, 1941 (C95-1f). Immediately after the occupation, acts of robbery, abuse, and theft of property by the Germans and local collaborators began (C95-19f). The Jews were forced to wear Yellow Badge In the shape of a Star of David on the chest and back, and they were forbidden to walk on the sidewalks (C95-21f, C95-8f). The extermination was carried out in two main stages:

1. July 27, 1941: Jews were gathered in the synagogue and then taken to the Jewish cemetery, where they were shot in the pits they had been ordered to dig themselves (C95-15f, C95-1f). According to handwritten testimony of Mikhail Krapunov, the Jews were initially told that they were being taken toPalestine (C95-21f).
2. August 9, 1941The rest of the Jews of the community, including the rabbi Weissbord, were murdered in the same way (C95-1f, C95-15f). The sources indicate that more than 800 Jews were murdered in Friuli during the Holocaust (C95-23f, C95-22f). Important evidence for this period is the diary of Shayna Gram, a 15-year-old girl who documented the events until the day she died (C95-13-4f, C95-16f).

Salvation and the Righteous Among the Nations

Despite the mass extermination, six Jews were saved thanks to the rescue efforts of Vladislav Voskan (Vladislav Vushkan), a local Pole who hid them on his farm (C95-15f, C95-19f). Among the survivors was Mordechai (Motti) Hagai (Motya Hagi), who described in his handwritten testimony the difficult hiding conditions in the pit under the floor and in the attic (C95-8f, C95-9f). According to Hagi's testimony, Washkan Probably acted out of motives of Make money or Pride, but he showed great courage by risking his life (C95-21f, C95-9f). Another family that worked to save Jews was the Zagorski (Zagorskis), who hid the White heart (Lev Luban) (C95-20f).

Prominent personalities

• Sheina Gram: A 15-year-old girl who kept a diary in Yiddish documenting the last days of the community. Her diary was found after the war and became an important historical and literary source (C95-13-4f, C95-16f, C95-22f).
• Moshe Yesman: A painter born in Freilass (1906), who studied art in Belgium and lived in Paris. He returned to Latvia before the war, and engaged in graphic documentation of the town (C95-12f).
• Vladislav Vushkan: Righteous Among the Nations who saved six Jews from the Hagai, Osband and Shapir families (C95-19f, C95-21f).

Terms and concepts from the sources

Below are explanations for terms that appear in sources that are not common in modern Hebrew or are local terms:

• Kahal: The local Jewish community committee that managed religious, social, and legal affairs (C95-19f).
• Room (Heder): A traditional educational institution for children to study Torah and Hebrew (C95-15f, C95-19f).
• Shochatim: A religious official responsible for kosher slaughter (C95-15f, C95-19f).
• Yeshiva: An institution for the study of Torah and Gemara for advanced levels (C95-19f).
• Kibbutz: A cooperative farm. The source states that young people from Frieli founded the kibbutz "Shafim" In the Land of Israel (C95-19f).
• Zionism: A national movement striving for the establishment of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel (C95-19f).
• Chabad: A sect of Hasidism that had religious and social influence in Latvia (C95-19f).

List of sources

To view the document, click on its number.

• C95-1f – A printed review in Hebrew on the history of the Jewish community in Friary, its institutions, and the Holocaust period.
• C95-2f – Statistical and geographical description of Prilep from the 1936 Latvian census data.
• C95-3f – A historical overview in Hebrew of religious life, the Zionist movement, and the Holocaust in the Fraili community.
• C95-4f – A historical summary in English about the Fraley community, including demographic data and a description of the Holocaust period.
• C95-5f – An excerpt in Russian from a collection of materials on the economic situation of the Jews in the Russian Empire.
• C95-6f – Documenting an interview and historical overview of the beginnings of the community, social life, and the extermination in Frieli.
• C95-7f – An official handwritten document in Russian from 1945 documenting the investigation of Nazi crimes in Freili.
• C95-8f – Personal handwritten testimony in Russian by survivor Mutia Hagai about the days of hiding and rescue.
• C95-9f – Testimony printed in Russian by Mutia Hagai describing the conditions of hiding on Washkan's farm.
• C95-10f – Original handwritten diary pages in Yiddish by the girl Shaina Gram from the summer of 1941.
• C95-11f – Handwritten and photographed information notes from Sheena Gram and her relatives who perished in the Holocaust.
• C95-12f – A Hebrew newspaper columnist dealing with the life and artistic work of the painter Moshe Yasman.
• C95-13-1f – A clipping from the "HaMelitz" newspaper from 1885, which includes reports on the life of the Jewish community in Friary.
• C95-13-2f – Newspaper clipping from 1890 including rabbinical correspondence and local news from Friary.
• C95-13-3f – A report from the newspaper "HaMelitz" from 1897 on the appointments of rabbis and charitable institutions in the community.
• C95-13-4f – An article in the Russian press from 1996 that includes a translation of excerpts from the diary of Shayna Gram.
• C95-13-5f – An extended article in Russian about the diary of Shayna Gram, her family members, and the history of the community in Friary.
• C95-13-6f – An article in the Latvian newspaper from 2000 to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day in Prilep.
• C95-13-7f – An article by Shmuel Letvinsky in Russian on the commemoration of the community and the local Righteous Among the Nations.
• C95-13-8f – A Yiddish article from 2004 about the story of the rescue of Mutia Hagai and the commemoration of the community's victims.
• C95-13-9f – Press clippings and information in Russian dealing with the documentation of the Holocaust in Friley and the diary of Shayna Gramm.
• C95-14-1f – Photograph of a class of students at the Jewish government school in Friary from 1925 with an identifying caption.
• C95-14-2f – A historical photograph of five prominent Jewish men in Friary around a table.
• C95-15f – A research paper in English dedicated to Fraley, including a map, demographics, and a description of the stages of the extermination.
• C95-16f – A research article in English that analyzes Sheena Gramm's diary as historical and human testimony.
• C95-17f – A list of photographs and their descriptions, including the synagogue and bank buildings in Friary and tombstones in the cemetery.
• C95-18f – An information sheet in English about the Jewish Svaleb family who lived in the village of Griboška near Prilep.
• C95-19f – Academic research paper in Latvian on Jewish life in Prilep in the 20th century and the impact of the Holocaust.
• C95-20f – A report on a memorial ceremony from 2012 and the story of the rescue of Lev Loban by the Zagorsky family.
• C95-21f – A detailed research paper in Latvian on Jewish history in Prilep and testimonies about the Holocaust.
• C95-22f – An article by Joseph Rochko in Latvian dealing with the diary of Sheena Gram and the fate of the town's Jews.
• C95-23f – A comprehensive Semitic list of Holocaust victims in Friary, including residential addresses and professional occupations.

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