Balvi / Bołowsk

He was the sole rabbi of the community.

Born in the year 5634 (1874) in Rezhitsa, where his father served as a teacher. He was ordained for halakhic rulings by the Geonim, R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski of Vilna and R. Chaim Yehuda Susnitzer, Av Beit Din of Smorgon.

Son-in-law of R. Yehuda Levin, rabbi of the town of Antoliept, district of Kovna.

From the year 5666 (1906) he served as rabbi of the town of Baltinova in Latgale, and from the year 5669 (1909) as rabbi of Bauska.¹⁾

He perished in the Holocaust in the town of Gulbene.

Ohalei Shem, p. 17. Yahadut Latviya, p. 409. Latvia: Batei Knesset VeRabbanim, p. 232 (where it states he was born in 5633). Pinkas HaKehillot, p. 71.

His letter to R. Mordechai Dubin:

For my people, erev Shabbat, Sunday, 12 Adar Rishon 5684, Bauska.

May God ordain blessing for the honored, distinguished communal activist renowned for praise, R. Mordechai Dubin, may he live —

Peace to him and to all the many members of his household, peace.

In the name of the community of our town I hereby give thanks to his honor for his labor and toil, that he labored and exerted himself to travel and to intercede for the good of our town; his memory will be engraved on the tablet of our heart, forever we shall not forget him, and may the good Lord repay him for his good and worthy deeds!

But now I am turning once again to his honor in the name of our community.

As there in their Consistory they promised his honor that within a few days they would replace the pastor with another, and with the new pastor they would come to a compromise, and also they do not wish to do wrong and will not raise the price so much as to make it unbearable; we waited on their promise, which they would surely keep, since they had named the new pastor by name — and if it were only a promise, why give his name and the name of his town? But to our deep sorrow, the days passed and we have not yet been saved; the hateful pastor who oppresses Israel remains in his post and continues his defiance. For at the end of last week he summoned one of the householders to sign the lease contract, and when the householder told him that it was impossible for him to pay thirty-five thousand rubles a year, he replied in his usual manner: “In that case you are withdrawing from the lease and I will give it to another,” and said no more.

And the householder, who wished to speak further and add a few words in his own defense, was not given ear, and he left him alone by himself and walked off to another room. One may expect that he will summon yet more householders individually in the same manner, for it appears from his conduct that he will not summon them all at once, but only one at a time.

Therefore I beseech his honor to reply to me what is to be done, for the householders are at present shocked and shaken, not knowing what to do or where to turn. Perhaps his honor should speak once more with Bishop Rancen about them, and if he has not spoken, then perhaps it is necessary to speak with him again, for even though Rancen replied to his honor that he knows nothing of this and will not interfere in such matters, and everything depends on the opinion of the Prelate there in the Consistory — nevertheless it is self-evident that this is only a mere deflection, for surely he has the authority to order and direct all matters that take place there, and his word is heeded. And in particular since our hostile pastor has boasted before the householders that whatever is done cannot be undone, for everything done in the Consistory is carried out by the Deputies at the Sejm — that is, Rancen and Trason and another pastor, Skudrinsky — it is evident that he has been interfering in our affairs and everything is done at his direction. I beseech his honor, since he has begun a mitzvah, to complete it — as the Sages say: one who begins a mitzvah is told to finish it — and strive to meet once more with Bishop Rancen, and not relent until he prevails upon him to write to the Consistory to find a way not to burden the residents of our town and to improve the situation.

When I was in Riga and spoke with Nurak, he told me that it may also be possible to speak with Pastor Trason. Therefore, let his honor act according to the counsel of his understanding, whether to speak also with Pastor Trason or not — since he too is no friend of the Jews and may be counted among their adversaries — but with Rancen he should speak and strive to prevail upon him to give an order to the Consistory to find a way to reach a compromise with the householders. If they do not replace the hostile pastor, let them send from there some representative who will draw up contracts with the people of our town, for with our pastor it is im- possible to speak, as he does not hear what is said to him, and his way is only to cause harm.

My hope strengthens me that his honor will surely fulfill my request and strive to speak and prevail with Bishop Rancen, and if he says he does not interfere in these matters, his honor knows how to respond that this is an impossibility, since he holds a higher office than they and how can it be that he cannot command them; and furthermore all matters are carried out through him, and he will surely fulfill my request. I request that he reply to me immediately what Rancen replied to his honor and in general what is to be done.

His friend who honors and esteems him at his lofty worth and awaits his exalted reply:

David Noach Kubant, rabbi of Bauska

Latvia and Rabbis