Zilupe file / תיק קהילה

These sources document the History, social structure and tragic fate of the Jewish community in the town Zilopa in Latvia. The collection includes Statistical data On the city's population in 1935, detailed Semitic lists of families and their occupations, and a schedule of Family conference held in Jerusalem in 1980. The documents review the Cultural, educational and religious life The wealthy who lived in the town, alongside the extensive Zionist activity that characterized it. A central part is dedicated to the documentation Holocaust period, detailing the names of those murdered, stories of resistance, and testimonies of the destruction of the community by the Nazis and local collaborators. In addition, the sources provide A nostalgic look About daily life through personal anecdotes, local nicknames, and a description of the region's political transitions throughout the 20th century.

The establishment of the settlement and its early development

The city Zilopa (Zilupe), also known in Jewish sources asRozinovsk (Rozinovsh) and in German asRosinhof (Rosinhof), was established on the banks of the riverSignet (Sineya) at the end of the 19th century (C50-15f, C50-4f). The settlement grew around the estate of Baron Count, who was close to the Russian Tsar, and developed significantly following the inauguration of the railway on the Windau (Ventspils)-Moscow and the construction of the railway station in 1900 (C50-15f, C50-3-01f). In 1920 the name of the place was changed fromRozanova (Rozenova) toZilopa, and on June 9, 1931, the Latvian government granted the settlement official city status (C5-16f, C50-15f). The area of ​​the city was 5.6 km2, and it was located about 3 km from the border with Russia (C50-18-5f). According to the 1935 census, the city had 1,566 inhabitants, of whom 471 Jews (about 30% of the population), alongside Latvians, Russians, Belarusians, Poles and Germans (C50-15f, C50-18-5f).

The Jewish Community: Leadership and Institutions

Jews from nearby villages began to settle in the place upon its founding, establishing a community that included a synagogue that was also used for various events (C50-4f, C50-1f). The community's first rabbi was Rabbi Aharon-Bezalel Paul, who served between 1908–1921, and was followed by Rabbi Chaim Menachem Nachamkin, who later perished with his community members in the Holocaust (C50-4f, C50-1f). Many charitable and relief associations operated in the community, including "Visit to the sick", "Falling Trust", "Bringing in a Bride" And **"From Hittin", as well as assistance from the organization"Joint"** (C50-1f, C50-4f). In the field of education, the children initially studied in two "Rooms" traditional, and in 1923 a Jewish elementary school was established where the language of instruction was Yiddish (C50-4f). Starting in 1930, the language of instruction in the school changed toHebrew (C50-4f, C50-3-01f).

Economic and social life on the eve of the war

Most of the Jewish houses were built on the city's main street, and they made a living as peddlers, small merchants, and craftsmen such as tailors, shoemakers, carpenters, and tinsmiths (C50-4f). In 1935, many Jewish businesses operated in the city, including the containers of Figa Man andShayna Ahern, the bakery and pastry shop of Mark Alterman, and a butcher shop owned by Feiga Aharon (C50-18-4f). Prominent figures in the field of commerce included Eliezer Goldberg who ran a pharmacy, andAharon Lazar who established a power plant to produce electricity as well as a sawmill (C50-18-4f, C50-4f). The community was active in a wide range of political movements such as the **"Bund"**, "Agudat Israel", and Zionist movements such as "Youth of Zion", "Beitar", "Gordonia" and movement "The Pioneer" (C50-1f, C50-4f).

Prominent figures in the community

• Noah Dreyer: A businessman and ardent Zionist, whose home was a center for public activity (C50-6f, C50-7f). He was described as a city gentleman who in his youth was inclined to socialist views (C50-7f).
• David Bar Aharon: A well-known figure in the town who served as a rabbi and teacher in the **"Heder"** (C50-18-2f, C50-7f).
• Zalman Yershov: A respected teacher in the town who held a rank in the Latvian army (C50-18-2f). The sources state that when he was led to be killed, he rejected an offer of clemency that was given to him alone and chose to go with his wife and child (C50-18-2f).

The Holocaust Period: Soviet Occupation (1940–1941)

With the withdrawal of the Latvian army and the entry of The Red Army In the summer of 1940, Soviet rule was imposed on Latvia.Zilopa (C50-1f, C50-18-6f). During this period, shops and businesses were nationalized, and wealthy or influential Jewish families were exiled toSiberia (C50-4f, C50-1f). The sources describe the nights on which they appeared "The Black Cars" of the authorities to take people to an unknown destination, among them was David Dreyer, who was taken from his home and his fate was unknown for years (C5-8f).

The Holocaust Period: The German Invasion and the Destruction of the Community

On June 22, 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, and on June 28, 1941, it was occupied. Zilopa (C50-18-6f, C50-4f). In the days leading up to the occupation, the city was bombed by German aircraft and a major fire broke out (C5-8f, C50-5f). Some Jewish families managed to escape deep into the Soviet Union, sometimes with the help of wagons provided by local wagon owners such as Beinisch Yocha (C50-18-2f, C5-8f). After the occupation, the Germans, with the help of Latvian nationalists, began the murder of the Jews (C50-4f). Most of the community members and their families were murdered in firing pits inZobolovsky Hill (Zobolovski Hill), about 2 km from the city (C50-4f, C50-1f). According to one version, a large group of Jews gathered in the synagogue, which was set on fire (C50-4f). The sources mention a heroic act by a Jew whoKilled two Germans with a shovel. Before being shot (C50-4f, C50-3-01f). Detailed lists indicate hundreds of victims, including entire families such as the Goldfine, Dryer, staff andPonrov (C50-18-2f). Information from handwritten notes indicates that Sima Aharon, Chaim Aharon's sister, died in Russia during the war, and their mother died in the ghetto (C5-10f). At the end of the war, only a few Jews remained alive, some after serving in theLatvian Division of the Red Army (C50-18-1f, C5-8f).

Terms and concepts in the town

• room: A traditional school for the initial study of Jewish sources (C50-4f).
• Teaches: Teacher in "Heder" (C50-18-2f).
• Yiddish: The primary language of speech and instruction of the town's Jews until the 1930s (C50-4f).
• The black cars: A nickname for the Soviet government vehicles used for night arrests and deportations (C5-8f).
• Visiting the sick: Community Association for Medical Assistance and Visiting the Sick (C50-4f).
• Hittin's mines: Charity fund to supply flour for matzo for the needy in preparation for Passover (C50-4f).

List of sources

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• C50-1f – A printed historical overview of the Zilopa (Rozinovsk) community, religious life, the Zionist movements, and the destruction of the community in the Holocaust.
• C50-2f – Photocopy of pages from a geographical-statistical book in Latvian (1936) that provides official information about the city of Zilopa and includes a map.
• C50-3-01f – A comprehensive article in Hebrew that reviews the history of the Jews of Zilopa from the beginning of settlement to the liquidation of the community and the commemoration activities.
• C50-4f – Information pages in English from Beit Hatfutsot that review the history, economy, culture and community of the Jews of Zilopa.
• C50-5f – A chapter from the "Community Register" detailing the history of the town of Zilopa and the life of the Jewish community there over the years.
• C50-6f – Detailed personal testimony that includes a description of the community institutions, memories of the train station, and key figures in the town.
• C50-7f – A collection of memoirs and personal anecdotes about extraordinary figures and events in the life of the Jewish community in Zilofah before the war.
• C5-8f – Written testimony in Hebrew about the experiences of the Tzantsiper-Dreyer family in Zilof, their escape to the Soviet Union, and their return to Latvia at the end of the war.
• C5-9f – Handwritten pages that include personal testimony or a letter concerning the family and community history of the Jews of Zilopa.
• C5-10f – Email correspondence from 2005 regarding clarifying details about the Aharon Mizilofa family for the Shefayim Archives.
• C50-11f – Invitation and detailed schedule for the Dreyer family conference held in Jerusalem during the holiday of Sukkot in 1980.
• C5-12f – Jewish school in Zilupe 1917
• C5-13f – List of names and contact information of survivors of the Zilopa community in Israel, including addresses and telephone numbers.
• C5-14f – An extensive table that includes the names of the residents of Zilopa before 1941 and information about their fate in the Holocaust.
• C50-15f – An article in Russian that reviews the history of Zilopa since the beginning of the 20th century, including information about educational, religious, and economic institutions.
• C5-16f – A document in Russian that deals with historical land reform in the city of Zilopa and the activities of local land committees.
• C50-17f – A detailed map of the streets of the city of Zilpah from 2004 indicating street names, central sites and locations of public buildings.
• C50-18-1f – A summary of quantitative and statistical data on survivors, casualties, and missing persons from the Zilopa community based on cross-referencing Semitic lists.
• C50-18-2f – A detailed list of the Jewish population of Zilopa on the eve of the war, including occupations, residential addresses, and information about their fate.
• C50-18-4f – List of Jewish-owned businesses in Zilpa as recorded in the official Latvian census of 1935.
• C50-18-5f – Compilation of geographic, demographic and historical data on the city of Zilopa based on census data from 1935.
• C50-18-6f – A table of historical periods in Latvia detailing the stages of independence and the various conquests between the years 1772–1991.
• C50-18-7f – A detailed population table that cross-references information from various name sites and archives regarding the fate of the Jews of Zilopa between 1941–1945.
• C50-18-8f – List of Jews of Zilopa in 1940, organized by surnames, residential streets and types of professional occupation.
• C50-22f – A personal letter in English from Norman Seymour Fliner, who is researching the genealogy and roots of the Fliner family from Zilofah.

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