From a small group, the Ladies Auxiliary grew into a strong affiliate of the Center. Its members served with supreme devotion, raising large sums of money to help needy /andsleit and, especially, the elderly residents of the Bialystoker Home. These women always brought beauty and festivity to the Center’s activities. The auxiliary involved itself in three areas: visiting and arranging medical treatment for the sick, implementing social and cultural activities for its members and friends, and fund-raising for the Home. Whenever the Home was financially strapped, the Ladies Auxiliary was the first to secure loans to rescue it. In fact, in 1930-31, when the Home was built, during the Great Depression, members of the auxiliary borrowed $50,000 to promote the building project. Later these loans were repaid with gratitude to each woman. The founders and top officers of the Ladies Auxil- lary were: Ida Aidak, President; Rose Lipman, Trea- surer; and Sophie Cohen, Financial Secretary. They served for more than ten years. The auxiliary organized sub-groups that were active in New York and other cit- ies in America and Canada. It exemplified humanitar- lan work. Fortunately, the present officers and active members of the Ladies Auxiliary continue its hallowed traditions. THE YOUNG MEN’S BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION One of the few Bialystoker societies founded at the start of the twentieth century still in existence is the Bia- lystoker Young Men’s Benevolent Association. Its lon- gevity may be credited to a handful of active officers and members who are elderly, but insist on carrying on the important work of the organization, despite chang- ing circumstances and the passage of time. The “Young Men’s”’ significantly assisted the Bialystoker Center in New York, as well as the State of Israel and other causes dear to the hearts of American Jews. The society was founded October 21, 1906. Its present officers are Charles Koss, Manuel Grodnick, Emily Grodnick, Herman Schwartz, David Fine and others. Mr. Fine is the current president. Chartes Koss, the driving force behind the society, was honored sev- eral years ago at a banquet given by the group in recog- nition of his many years of devoted service. When the Bialystoker Home was built, the members of the ‘“Young Men’s” made generous dona- tions and raised funds from other sources. The society also aided in establishing Kiryat Bialystok, a village near Tel Aviv (see page 187) in Israel. The year 1981 marked the seventy-fifth anniversary of this worthy organization. The Bialystoker Memorial Book CLUB OF BIALYSTOKER FRIENDS An important affiliate of the Bialystoker Center in New York פ1‎ the Club of Bialystoker Friends, organized in 1945. When I came to the United States in June 1947, I found the club quite active and joined its ener- getic members as an active participant. Among them were: Sam Mines, Bernard Kaganowski, Barney Sacks, Harry Feinberg, Nathan Mines, Sam Saide, Saul Saide, Sol Mines, Marvin Fine, Sol Krim, Louis Krim, Julius Zabludowski, Harry Lazar, Nachum Gross, William Perl, Harry Silver, George Lozoff and Dave Miller. When the Holocaust survivors and Bialystoker Jews who had returned from exile in Siberia came to America, they found a welcome at the Bialystoker Cen- ter, which helped put them on their feet. The club’s members became one large, happy family. This cama- raderie had, in fact, inspired the formation of the Club of Bialystoker Friends, which sponsored social and cul- tural events and raised funds for the Center. The Club sent food, clothing, books, newspapers, medicine and other important items to Jews remaining in Bialystok as well as to those interned in the displaced-persons camps in Germany, Austria and Italy. We also assisted our /andsleit who were interned in Cyprus and those who went to Switzerland to cure their ailments. We financed the vital restoration of the Bialystok ghetto cemetery on Zabia Street and installed a protective fence around it. In 1947, we formed a group within the club to pre- serve the cultural and spiritual heritage of Bialystok. These activities generated much enthusiasm among our landsleit and friends. For example, we published an album, which I brought from Paris, containing songs and pictures from the Bialystok ghetto. The club also estab- lished annual memorial assemblies in tribute to the 60,000 martyrs of Bialystok and immediate vicinity who perished during the Holocaust. This custom has continued. Furthermore, when the State of Israel was proclaimed in May 1948, our members were among its first enthusi- astic supporters, purchasing Israel bonds and contri- buting to the United Jewish Appeal. In 1949, at the world conference of Bialystoker /andsleit held in New York, the club made a generous contribution to establishing Kiryat Bialystok. Bialystoker Jews in America — A Record of Proud Achievement

As we review the one-hundred-year experience of Bia- lystoker Jews in the United States, we can be proud of their achievements and the prestige they brought to Bia- lystok, their birthplace and spiritual cradle. Despite the difficult economic and social circum- stances the early immigrants from Bialystok found in 171