My old home, my dear town of Disna -- how deeply you lay in my memory! Many years have passed, but my childhood always stays before my eyes.
I see my school, my dear Jewish public school, with its teachers, dear to this day. I see as in life my teacher as he comes into our class: hands behind him, he stands still in the door and waits patiently till the children take their benches, a tall, good looking man with clear blue eyes, always with a sweet smile, good humor and tenderness shine from him onto the children. We, the students in the class, greet him with all our hearts with a childish "Good morning, teacher!"
I recall the Hebrew lecture with the teacher Ber Kozlinier; the teacher Etinger, wife of the teacher Baskin; the teacher Saval; the teacher Modeyski and so many others. Ah, where are my dear instructors? How I long for those years, every day!! How much joy we had then, and lived through.
Before my eyes, the evening of Chanukah, in which I also took part. The children's chorus sings
p. 89
lively Jewish songs. The teacher Alexander Markovich conducts. The hall is full of parents and friends. I recall the production of the older students: "The Snow Maiden". Sarahle Beilin as the Snow Maiden; Sonia Gusikov, in the production "The Mixed-up Maiden" [by Litvak] in the role of king and Line Dagovich as Rusalka with the long golden hair. After that she left us and went off to Russia. I hear the song "Hemerl, Hemerl Clap". Sung and played by Dod Skibitz.
I see my brother, Noach Drauer in the "Snow-Man". I can clearly hear the recitatation of "Chanukah, the old lamps burn again", executed by Chanah Smoshkovich: Musia Klat and so many other dear children, forever enclosed in my heart--children from the Jewish public school!
And I still see before my eyes: during the break, Fanie Finkelman dancing with Tsviah Lapid. With her little woven braids.
The joy and happiness of those days is not to be forgotten. I see my neighbors, friends from school: Manie Gildin, Reisele Tsirlin. Where are they all now? Mothers and grandmothers, those who live, may they live long! And those, who are gone from us, or were cut down--let us always think of them!
I recall: a bright, sunny Lag b'Omer day, the whole school wanders in the forest merry and playful. With us, the teachers Baskin and Kozlinier. We are having a good time and enjoying the refreshing forest breeze. The children sing. Chane Smushkovich sings the song "A Cheder". So singing and playing the evening came and we take ourselves back. Coming into the city we feel a bit restless. The teachers gather the children and we line up by the vestibule of the Ruppa family house. From there we split up. We learn that Dora Neustadt's mother has died while we were in the woods. A great misfortuen has befallen the family. There were four girls and the smallest one, Feiele, was four years old.
I remember the parents' committee: Avraham Ber Katz, Greiniman, Chanin, Shmushkovich, Ruppa, Finkelman, Shushkovich, Lakach. How much energy, vigor, love, and devotion to the children of the Jewish school did our dear, not forgotten parents contribute! Where are they all? Dear children, dear parents, relatives and friends, where have your bones been thrown? Where has your holy ash been spread? Forever shall remain in our memories the holy recollection of those who were cut down. Forever we will think of our dear martyrs, from our dear city Disna.
