PRUZHANY YZKOR
BOOK
1958
Chapter 9
By N. Tzukerman
(TN: We should
remember that word "Pinkas" means "register", a book were
certain acts are registered, as notaries do. They were registered in protocols,
and its binding was done later and in many cases out of time order)
We have the Pinkas of Pruzhany Community that includes the period from
year 1801 up to 1851. This Pinkas as that of the Chevra Kadisha (Holy
community), is paged in disorder. We can find "protocols" of previous
years at the end of the book, or old one at the beginning. It is very difficult
to define if it was the only protocol book of the community, or there were
others that got lost. According to information received, there was in the city
another Pinkas, still older, but nobody
knows where it is.
The cover is very simple, without decoration neither ornaments. Pages
are united with a double line with the
form of a portal. In upper part, there is an inscription: "Pinkas of local
Community, Saint Community, Pruzana". Lower says "year 1801" and
very below there is a stamp with an
double head eagle (T.N.: See Kahal seals in documents section).
Language used in the Pinkas is Hebrew, but also existed texts in
Yiddish. They didn't register continuously the facts, and for that reason there
were many non written pages. It is very difficult to imagine which was the
cause for which they left free spaces. Maybe they were reserved to register
facts that should be registered, and that finally were not written.
Economic life
In the Pinkas we find a great quantity of material related with economic
and social life of Jews in our city. Are very interesting and instructive
protocols that treated then economic situation of Jewish population. We bring a
protocol written in Yiddish in year 1823, page 119, column b.
In this act is proclaimed in the Synagogue and Bet
Medresh of this town a severe sanction, according to the consent of most
distinguished people of this city and of the Rabbi. We decree that is
absolutely forbidden from today on, to all horse mill proprietor in our
community, to rent it, to leave it empty and to charge a rent, or to associate
with others. It should maintain it for it's own means. All person that doesn't
respect the order up mentioned, will be transgressor of the law, he will be
excommunicated and expelled with all severity, without harming another person
not being the transgressor.
Month Elul, 1823
As we see in the content of this writing, authorities of the community
prohibited absolutely to join other millers, for not raising product's price.
It didn't also allow to organize a society, under excommunication threat.
About this text, we cannot define which were possibly real causes that
impelled to community authorities to act in so strict way, could possibly be
for other reasons or simply to benefit people.
In general, the community regulated economic situation of Pruzhany Jews.
Besides the before mentioned example, the community protected consumers from
millers that raised product price. We have another very characteristic case in
year 1851 when the community tried moderating cereals trade. The price
increased a lot, and began to prevail hunger in the proximities. These went
warnings to consumers, according to following protocol:
That nobody buys in the market any trade cereal,
barley, trenches, or any eatable cereal ...Nobody will be located in lateral
streets outside the city, to buy cereals to merchants that bring it to the
market, until imposing decreed price...
This way community authorities limited prices increase. There was also a
warning, prohibiting the exit of cereal outside the city, because this would
create hunger and price would increase
even more.
That same year, 1851, was written another protocol in which situation of
the community is evaluated. We should highlight that financial situation worsened.
Tax to alcoholic beverages collected by the community, didn't mean a
great income (as we have highlighted in previous protocols). Permission to
elaborate alcoholic beverages was obtained through a bid that was made in
Grodno, where was defined the beneficiary. People most outstanding of the city,
decided to send YTZHOK AIZIK GOLDBERG, the richest man of Pruzhany, to the city
of Grodno to negotiate the bid, which was granted to the person that offered the highest amount. The important part of the protocol was the
following observation.
Members of the community demanded to boycott strangers
that sought to obtain in the bid the right to elaborate alcoholic beverages. The
end of mentioned case, was that it fell in strange hands and the boycott was
imposed, as it was registered in a later protocol. There they mention that they
won't rent them houses to be used as taverns, and neither accept the lease of
taverns.
Taxes
We also find in the Pinkas interesting information about Pruzhany
community income sources. Here as in other Jewish towns, taxes existed: to
illumination, to meat, to bread. We lack figures that clarify the amount of
each item. We have only a summary of year 1827, but only related to bread tax.
It was an extraordinary year. Were imposed high taxes to Pruzhany
bartenders. They presented an
application to the community so that it
helps them in this emergency. The community leaders decided that
collection of bread tax of year 1826/27 was going to be the sum claimed by
bartenders. At the end of the Pinkas we
find Cash summaries. This tax produced an income of 97 silver rubles monthly ,
or 1164 annual rubles. It was the only case in the community of Pruzhany in
which the community authorities defended
certain group, and was paid this sum of money, considering that bartenders were most outstanding
proprietors. Population approved this tax!!
In normal times, the community collected bread tax just as is registered in the protocol of
year 1825:
Therefore we are forced to give in lease bread tax of
years 1826/27, that previously was paid only by some people.
This protocol had below the stamp of local community, and it is the only
case in whole Pinkas. As we deduce from this material, the destiny
of sums collected also covered state tax.
Illumination tax was instituted in Pruzhany in 1845 (protocol of page
38). Just as tells Pinkas scribe, was a great emergency that year, poverty grew constantly, and then community
decided to impose general illumination tax. For candles that were produced for
sale, were charged three guilden for a (the quantity called) " pud ",
when it was for private use two guilden, and one guilden were charged those
veil of Russian origin.
In Pinkas is never mentioned which was the amount of income from
illumination tax, but a summary sent to the District in 1878 declares that had
entered 659 rubles for illumination. Which was income of other taxes, is
impossible to imagine, due to lack of information.
Another fact highlighted in Pinkas, was the means by which were given
taxes in lease. First protocols tell us that members of community decided that
starting from that date on, would not be given in lease taxes until proclaiming
three times in synagogue the price specified by experts. Lacks information
about how was given collection of taxes
until then. We should imagine that lease was received by rich people and distinguished men of town by means of a
"familiar procedure", and was maintained with strong hand. This is
demonstrated by a sentence in the protocol that says:
"Will be what will be"
meaning that rulers waited a rebellion of some sector that didn't agree
with new regulations. The case, for granted, was due to community taxes, which
should fulfill all taxes State demanded, and the form of acquiring important
sums was to give in lease its collection by means of a bid.
Military recruitment
The other important issue that constantly worried community members was recruitment. In 1833 they
decided to collect gifts for soldiers who were sent to army in benefit of the
town, and be able to maintain their Judaism by means of bribe to state authorities. These sums were
collected in marriages, circumcision acts, monthly regular payments, which are
detailed in following protocol.
"We are shaken because was requested us, those
that that sign below, the following: to accelerate water of spring just as we listen it; we also saw
writings of depressed and broken-hearted, they are those that lead souls of
city inhabitants, who left in dimness, without light. They risked their life
with fear, as were taken in charge of serving King, in benefit of others. They
are oppressed by damages that are caused to us in current moment, and they
cannot make anything to vivify their soul and be liberated of rulers. This way,
they will allow other fulfilling Jewish laws".
"For this means we inform all that it is our the
responsibility, and it is worthy and desert to pity intensely, for soul of those that should load sufferings and
to support poor and needful."
"Therefore our demand to city inhabitants of our
city, is that they don't stop to maintain constantly the commitment with community authorities and with distinguished
people, so that they are not discouraged and repair those that load with the
responsibility, and sign below. We clarify different forms of
contributing..."
The issue of the protocol refers to the situation of those who were
mobilized in State army in benefit of Jewish Community. They suffered a lot and
community authorities were the only responsible of this situation. Therefore
they decided to offer different forms of monetary help for soldiers who were recruited.
When one of the youths was given as soldier, through him were liberated
his more closer relatives who were not included in lists of candidates to serve State Army. There were cases in
which community activists forgot that a person had already been recruited, and
one of his brothers or close family members appeared in the list. Those cases
were registered in the Pinkas to remember and not to forget that it should not
happen again.
A very outstanding case was registered in 1842 protocol; content is
following:
The young ZUZMAN son of CHANOCH BERESTITZKY, went
to military service and this way
liberated all his family. His brother was father of two boys, and nobody should
make injustice of inscribing them in
the list for future military service, while there is not a new warning.
Parents of youths whom community sent to military service, were exempt
of paying taxes. Tells us the protocol
that during year 1845 a certain R' YTZHOK was liberated of paying taxes during
10 years, but he should pay alcohol taxes, for not being different of rest of community.
In hands of community authorities, and later on
"representatives" was destination of each Jewish citizen. If any made
some error, was placed first in recruits list, but if somebody protested and
his cause was fair was liberated, and his place was occupied by following
one.
Virginity
At the end of Pinkas are registered different cases, as for example: an
accident happened with small girls, in which resulted the doubt if in that
occasion she lost her virginity. The text tells the following:
Be registered and remembered what happened to a
girl named RIBL daughter of SHIMON BEN
R' AVIGDOR. She jumped from one bed to another one and she hit in that place.
Her nightwear was bloodstained, and for this cause she lost her virginity. This
was their mother's GUITL story, and it happened in the night of sacred
Saturday Tamuz 10, 1869.
This is another example:
Be registered and remembered what happened last
summer, year 1868. That the girl of
Mrs. ESTER RIBL was hit by a Christian in that place and she bleed a lot. She
possibly lost her virginity. So was told by her father SHLOIME CHAIM son of
MORDECHAI ARON, the day 11 of Shvat 1868, here in Pruzana.
Other issues
Were registered similar cases in Pruzhany City Pinkas. Almost all got lost
in same decade, and we cannot affirm if this was carried out according to time in which happened, or were added later
in last Pinkas pages
All detailed in this description, is about important issues that
embraces Pruzhany Jewish life system . We also find protocols that are related
with personal issues, questions on not paid accounts, questions on places sold,
etc.
Among others, we find the translation of a manuscript carried out by a
local merchant, MICHAEL BIRNBOIM. He went to Jewish community, for they
liberate him of being devoted to intermediation, and be able to become an
independent merchant of first
Pruzhany's "guilda". The
community grants to plaintiff MICHAEL BIRNBOIM a manuscript with the condition
that he continues paying taxes to the community.
Another important place is occupied by issues related with religious
community life. Some protocols mention money that earns the Rabbi. For judges
were law amendments which regulated
relationship of new Batei Midrashim with Great Old Bet Medresh, etc.
We have to see that Pinkas (as well as other " Pinkasim
") frequently made grammatical
errors, so much of style as of language. For that reason they used - and it is
characteristic - a symbolic language when writing protocols. Many times through
this sea of symbolic language, substantive content of protocol is eclipsed..