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THE BELLS OF REDEMPTION
By Nathan Tchelet (Blumen)
The older generation of Jews in Luboml, together
with the rest of the Jews of the diaspora,
looked forward to the coming of the Messiah
and awaited the end of days. The Jews of the
diaspora, as well as the Luboml Jews, rejoiced
at the first tidings of the redemption of Jews
after the end of the First World War.
The event occurred in April of 1920, when it
was decided in San Remo to deliver the mandate
over Palestine to Great Britain. Jews all over the
world rejoiced. Newspapers from Warsaw printed
special editions in order to emphasize the significance
of this event.
The joy in the city was overwhelming. In the
central synagogue there was a festive gathering to
celebrate this great event. Children who were
taught in cheders were released from their studies.
Students of the Talmud Torah and all Luboml
youth marched to the central synagogue, which
was full from one end to the other.
For the first time, the town's youth saw the
national flag waving freely in the air. Prayers of
celebration were said on the occasion of the
establishment of a national homeland in Eretz
Yisroel. Enthusiastic speeches were given. These
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speeches were full of fervor and expressed an
undying loyalty to the reborn Zion. The man who
headed the civilian militia during the period of
the Austrian conquest, Binyomen Farshtey from
Lutsk (z"1), gave a speech in Hebrew. This was the
first time the youth of the town heard an enthusiastic
speech in the Hebrew language, and it excited
the audience greatly.
Women gladly parted with their jewelry in
order to contribute toward the building of Eretz
Yisroel. As a matter of fact, all the citizens contributed
what they could. With tears of joy in
their eyes they brought all their donations to the
special fund-raising committee. The happiness
in our town was overwhelming.
The Zionist organizations and youth movements
worked energetically. Also, a part of our
town's youth began to prepare for aliyah. At the
start of 1921, the first two pioneers from Luboml
left for Eretz Yisroel. These two individuals
were Mordche Grimatlicht and Tsvi Fuks (z"1).
In 1923, following in the footsteps of these
two men, the first aliyah of pioneers from
Luboml began and did not cease until World
War II.