The Children's Home in Kovna
The educational institutions in Kovna /written by Rafael Levin (R. Ben-Levi):
Immediately after Kovna was liberated by the Red Army (31/7/44) Jews began streaming back to the city from different locations. A handful of Jews met in the streets of Kovna, kissing and hugging like long-lost brothers. The people were simultaneously happy yet miserable as they noticed who was missing from their families and friends and the list was by no means short. You recall all the missing at every moment and on every corner. Walking past the "Art" and 'OSE' buildings, the old age home, the orphanage, the children's home, the Real gymnasium and Schwaba gymnasium, and you ask yourself where all the bodies of the thousands of children who learnt there, are. Where are all the community workers who invested so much time and energy in these institutions? Are they In the Seventh Fort or the Ninth Fort? What we have lost is shocking. A person asked his friend: Was it worth staying alive?" "No," was his friend's response. However, they found justification for living and consolation for the sake of the children who had survived.
A small group of Jews decided to open a school, a kindergarten and an orphanage for the children who had survived. How could it be done? There were no teachers, no textbooks and no teaching implements. Were there even enough children to warrant opening a school? Rafael Levin was the only teacher in Kovna at the time and he took upon himself all the necessary functions. He hung notices requesting every Jew who knew where children could be found to inform him of their whereabouts. The list grew longer daily. Thanks to the lobbying by Dr. Benjamin Bludz, a community worker who had returned from exile, the central committee of the party gave orders to open a school. In the meantime, two teachers, Asia Abramowitz and Berel Kagan had come out of hiding and, later, the well-known Fada Gagin and Helena Khatskels, had returned from Stalingrad. They found a building in the center of the city, which had formerly been the Ministry of Jewish Affairs. The building was in need of renovation and had no windows. Engineer Lubotsky took the renovation upon himself and was assisted by Engineer Yellin (and others). They finished the renovation quickly: they worked round-the-clock shifts. They were in a hurry: after all, they were doing it for themselves, for our children! There was a problem with the windows. There was no glass to be had in the whole city.
Professor Rebelski, the chief psychiatrist at the war front, was a godsend; he walked around the streets looking for Jews. He had heard that we were setting up institutions for Jewish children. He came across Rafael Levin, the teacher, and said: "The Red Army liberated you from Fascism and the danger of death, now the Red Army will also help you build your educational institutions." This professor devoted himself entirely to the work of renovating the buildings for those institutions. Thanks to him, the Red Army helped find glass for the windows, wood for heating in the winter, beds, blankets, pillows for the orphanage, potatoes, five cows, shoes, clothes, underwear and whatever else was necessary. General Gurvitz and other officers helped him….many of the military and people returning from the U.S.S.R. offered assistance which was greatly appreciated. Engineer Fisher, who was the manager of the tobacco factory and Engineer Breuer, who was the manager of the alcohol factory, also made noteworthy contributions.
The children were psychologically impaired when they began school. The teachers set themselves a target: to erase the deep traces of the life in hiding and to restore a normal childhood for them, to uproot their fear, to make them forget the terrible past and to lead them to a happy future and to bring joy and remove sadness.
They set up a music group. Yerahmiel Berman, the actor, Musia Yaalon, the musician and the writer, Meir Yaalon, together with the teachers, spent productive hours every night with the children. These cultural evenings stimulated the children and brought joy to the adults. Everyone rejoiced at each of the children's movements and at every song they sang. Every performance the children gave brought tears of joy to the audience's eyes.
The opening of the orphanage was a bone of contention for the authorities: if it were appropriate to open an orphanage for Jewish children, why couldn't one also be opened for Lithuanian children? When the council members came to visit the Jewish orphanage, they realized how right they had been. The children were clean, well-dressed and well-fed just as in all the orphanages in the U.S.S.R. All three institutions: the kindergarten, the school and the orphanage had their own doctor (Dr. Gurevich-Brojde), their own nurse and a small, sparkling-clean pharmacy to further enhance the three institutions (the "Kombinat" as it was called). Fifteen people were elected to a parents' committee, headed by Engineer Kolodni. The committee put a great deal of effort into the work of the "Kombinat" and when, at the dedication of the building, Rafael Levin pointed out that the "Kombinat'' was in much better shape than any of the other institutions, he was not exaggerating. The saddest days of all were those on which members of the committee went to bring Jewish children back from their saviors who either fled with them to Germany, or hid the children so that they would not be taken away. There were many such cases. If no family members were looking for the children, they would be lost to the Jewish people. Had family members in America or Israel corresponded with the children in our care and sent them small gifts occasionally, it would have been better. How happy the children were when they received a book for the Jewish library from the Jews of Russia…the children must feel that they are not alone. They belong to the Jewish people and the Jewish people must not forget them.
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