Paltiel Derales and his little wife used to come from Zabludow to Michailova (the village I lived in) every week and sell barley and beans. My father used to lift me to their wagon and send me with them to visit my grandparents. I used to visit Zabludow even when we lived in Bialystock. My father used to bring me to the coachmen who had just arrived from Zabludow before they planned to return. Sander the coach owner immediately put me on top of many straw sacks. When passengers began to come Sander asked me to move a little. I did it whenever a passenger came, I ended up sitting at the end of the wagon, on the corner where the ladder was tied to a wooden stick. This wasn't a pleasant trip, my ribs were hurting, but when the coach arrived in town I gladly jumped from it, ran to my grandfather's home and with a cheerful greeting walked in. I forgot the troubled trip very fast.
I was very welcome at my grandfather's home. It wasn't an unimportant thing to be the first born grandson. I was eight or nine at that time. I remember my parents' trip for uncle Motkeh's wedding in Bilsk. I still remember the morning of that summer's day. They put me by the ladder, leaning on stacks of straw. The coaches were ready for all the guests. Grandmother Soliah was on the first wagon. She took a bag full of candies and began to throw them all over as we were entering Bilsk.
I loved staying at my grandparents. More than once did I wake up at night and see my grandfather sitting on a stool mumbling something that resembled crying. Later I learnt that he said a Tikkun Khatsot (night prayers for the restoration of Israel). When my uncle Moshe went to the Japan war my grandfather bought a map of the far east and then you could see the next scene: my grandfather rolling a cigarette with his favorite tobacco and then lights it. Then he used to spread the map on the table, takes out the letter he received from his son yesterday, and begins to look for the places he mentioned in the letter while mumbling: " first his battalion stood in Nicolski, from there they moved to Vladivostock and so on"
I remember the Beit Hamidrash on Bilsk Street, where my grandfather used to pray. Heffner and his sons used to sit at the kotel hamizrakh (eastern wall) on the Sabbath. During the week days distinguished Jews used to sit there until eleven before noon while their wives took care of the livelihood. They had no reason to worry and hurry they read the "Hamelitz", discussed the Dreifus trial or the Boer War and whatever interested them.
On Saturday night, just before the Sabbath ends, grandfather's room was enrolled in twighlight mood. Aunt Belie used to stand by the window, her head leaning on the glass and sadly singing "spring winds have already begun to blow". Grandmother Soliah walks in chanting " god of Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaacov". My grandfather's home in Zabludow was perhaps the only home where "the new winds" winds of the Haskalah (enlightenment) were blowing. A minute later- the Sabbath is over. Grandmother takes two slices of bread and goes to open the shop.
And there is nothing you can't find in the shop of grandmother Soliah: bread, challah, various types of pastries, bagels, work tools, utensils, dry cheese, pickled cucumbers, cabbage, apples, pears and different fruit, gause, peppers, nuts, seeds, herbs for medicine of grandmothers…
I continued my visits in Zabludow also as a young man. Often I visited the dear Zabludow that was surrounded by a romantic atmosphere. I felt strong ties to Zabludow where my dear family lived.
On the night I said my final good-bye to my beloved town it snowed. In that town I knew my first love, in it are the most beautiful memories of my childhood and youth. I want to shout with pain and sorrow: " my dear town, your stamp is forever in my heart and I shall never forget you."
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Web: 2003 Tilford Bartman
