Zareby Koscliene
Memories of Yesteryear
by Yosef Shloirneh Rosen
It was not too long ago that I had occasion to recall the days of my youth, the days when all of us had wondrous hopes and special dreams.
It brought to mind the visions of my departure form our village, our Zarornb, visions of my home, the street on which I had lived, my neighbors, everyone with whom my life was interwoven. The memories of the difficult days, weeks and years, the beautiful weekly Sabbaths and the holidays spent in Zaromb -- all these were part of my fife that I gave up in the search or a better life.
With tearful good-byes and parental reminders that a Jew must his daily prayers, wear his "tallith and tefillin" not forget to be in Shul or "mincha and maariv" prayers, and of course to observe the Shabbat and the Holidays, we, the dream filled young men set out to foreign lands. I recall carrying a small sack with some clothing and some food to help sustain me through the journey.
Yes, we were inspired young men, full of dreams, we left our homeland and dispersed to different parts of the world -- some went to Argentina, others were Pioneers who went to Palestine, Canada and the United States. Our beautiful homeland Zaromb remained with us as a memory even though it was destroyed in the Holocaust.
Our one realistic dream was fulfilled when Israel was established as a Jewish State. After waiting so many years for this to become reality, I wanted to witness this with my own eyes, heart and body. I had to see this land of Israel, this land this is a new beginning for all Jewish people.
Shalom, Shalom, peace and strength to all our people.