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ments from the Temple [in Jerusalem]. And more
beautiful than all the restthe doors to the Holy
Ark, whose decorations reached all the way to the
ceiling.
We were also proud and boasted about the
beautiful lectern (balemer) in the center of the
synagogue. Its four carved hexagonal pillars
reached upwards to the domed ceiling, and from
it copper chains descended, with huge crystal
chandeliers that flickered in a rainbow of colors.
It was an impressive sight when a procession of
Torahs ascended the stairs to the high lectern as
the entire congregation stood by.
The walls and high arching windows on three
sides also made a special impression. We were
amazed by the force of the acoustics in the synagogue,
and when we had a chance to remain there
alone we would shout and wait excitedly for the
echo that came to us from all directions.
On the other hand, we were afraid to pass
close to the synagogue alone at nightthe "time
when the souls of the departed came to the
synagogue for prayer and the reading of the
Torah."
The Surroundings
The city was located on a broad flat plain, which
spread out for miles and was covered by thick
forests of pine and fir trees in the areas where the
ground was lighter and sandier, and birch trees,
beeches, ashes, poplars, and oaks in heavier,
damper ground. Brooks and lakes filled with
various sorts of fish, among them the famous Lake
Shvitazh, were spread out along the northern and
northwestern segments of the area, bordering on
the swamps and forests of Polesia (southwestern
Belorussia). About 7 to 9 miles from the city, the
river Bug meandered, forming the border between
western Ukraine and Poland.
Most of the soil in the area was thin and light,
which mainly supported the growth of rye, barley,
spelt, millet, and potatoes, and of course, there
was abundant pasture land. There was very little
heavier, richer soil on which wheat, flax, oats,
and other crops grew. In a few places there were
orchards of fruit trees, especially apples, plums,
and pears. The city itself excelled in a great
number of gardens with fruit trees, a few belonging
to Jews, most of them to the residents of the
THE EARLY DAYS 47
suburbs, non-Jews. Especially worthy of praise
was the large garden owned by Kampyoni, which
stretched out over a considerable area of the
eastern part of town.
On the southern edge of town ran the railroad
tracks that were a direct connection between east
and west, from Kiev through Zdolbunov, Rovno,
Kovel, and other towns in the east, and to Chelm,
Lublin, and Warsaw in the west.
On that same side, south of the city, an old
dirt road led south to Vladimir Volinsk (Ludmir),
a distance of 60-65 versts (about 40-43 miles);
on the western edge ran the strategic road that
was paved, it appears, at the end of the previous
century, leading to Brisk of Lithuania (Brest-
Litovsk), 85 miles to the north. Roads wound
from all entrances to the cityall of them wide,
dirt roads, with acacias, plane trees, and willows
growing alongsideand led to the adjacent small
towns and villages.
Streets and Ditches
Though the city itself sits on high ground, during
the rainy season it would drown in sinking mud,
which made travel difficult both for pedestrians
and vehicular trafficthe wagon, of course.
Crossing from house to house and street to
street was accomplished by walking over thin
wooden planks (briklach)stretched out the entire
length of the main streets on both sides. Underneath
were the trenches, for sewage and rainfall,
connected with the main, large drainage ditches
that drew off water to the outskirts of the city.
Those who lived in the low-lying areas had
it particularly hardthe area around the bathhouse
and alleyway of the butcher shops. During
the rainy season the connection with villagesthe
major source of livelihoodwas greatly weakened
or cut off altogether and the townspeople,
who walked around with nothing to do, prayed
and anxiously awaited an improvement in the
weather.
During the First World War an attempt was
made to pave the road with wooden planks by the
Austro-German conquerors, employing refugees
from other occupied territories. This attempt was
halted immediately at the end of the war. In
1919-20, the first roads were paved with crushed
stone in the main thoroughfares of the town.