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SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
not just nice intelligent talk, it was Jewish youth
who had military training and were carrying real
weapons. These young men knew how to protect
the lives of Jews in Israel. They would not allow
any more bloodshed like there had been in Hebron..
Here before us stood proud Jews who aroused
respect even among the gentiles of our town.
At the heels of this procession in the streets of
Luboml there gathered a large group of young
people, which then became the local branch of
Beitar. The life of our town's youth changed, and
instead of the selective organization HeChalutz
Hatsair there appeared in the streets a youth
movement of the common people. In this movement
there was a mixture of educated and wellbred
youth alongside the working-class youthincluding
tailors, butchers and so forth, who had
until now been drawn to underground leftist
movements.
The first leader of Beitar in Luboml was
Yitshak Shapira, a teacher of religion in the government-controlled
public school. The fact that
he was a teacher added prestige to the new movement.
Evening classes were organized where
Hebrew was taught. Cultural activities were organized
and broadened.
I personally initiated and edited (along
with Joseph Shterntoday Dr. Joseph Shtern
who later left Beitar and returned to HeChalutz
Hatsair), a magazine for youth called Tel Choi,
which was printed using the spirograph method.
It was not long before this new movement
became known in town as one that was sympathetic
to the public at large. Also, it was accepted
by the authorities due to its obvious nationalistic
character. The leaders of Beitar were some of the
most educated, enlightened youth of our town.
Nevertheless, these educated youth were only a
thin layer of the organization, for the rest of it
consisted of common peopleworking-class
young men.
The fact was that the educated, well-bred
youth, when they joined Beitar, gave up on the
social and cultural life of their natural milieu,
since most well-bred young people continued to
concentrate in socialist, pioneer-oriented youth
movements. Nevertheless, the educated youth
experienced joy and fulfillment from seeing the
Shmuel Zilberberg, second commander of Beitar.
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poor youth walk with their heads high, from
seeing them endowed with a newfound pride in
themselves and their nation. These poor youngsters
were proud of their membership in the
movement.They studied Hebrew enthusiastically,
and they attempted to broaden their cultural horizons.
One who contributed much to the movement
was the second leader of Beitar in Luboml, Shmuel
Zilberberg. He was an educated man, spoke Hebrew,
and was learned not only in the Torah but
in general subjects as well.
Shmuel was, for the most part, self-taught. His
ungroomed appearance, however, left much to be
desired. Nevertheless, although Shmuel's outward
appearance was lacking, he was respected
for his knowledge and education. He was thought
of as a cultured man and did all he could to
develop cultural and social activities in town on
behalf of Beitar.
During the time in which Shmuel served as
the leader of Beitar, a training group for the
movement was established. Also while he was in
office, arrangements were made for the
in augaration of Beitar's flag. This ceremony, however,
never occurred, because the flag was stolen.
The theft of this flag almost led to some serious
conflicts in our town. It is believed that the flag