IZAAK RYBAL-RYBALOWSKI, General Secretary BIALYSTOKER CENTER AND HOME— 50 YEARS Last year, 1981, Bialystoker /andsleit in New York, all over America and throughout the world celebrated a most important event: the fiftieth anniversary of the Bialystoker Center and Home for the Aged. During this half century, our Home has developed into one of the finest geriatric facilities in the country, a model of mod- ern, compassionate care for the elderly. Moreover, our Center is the international headquarters of Bialystokers in many lands, among them survivors of the Nazi Holo- caust that annihilated one of the great centers of East- ern European Jewry. This institution gives renewed life to the humani- tarian tradition that Bialystok taught. Indeed, its founders translated into reality their desire to assist people in need generally and, in particular, the elderly. A small group of dedicated Jews, determined to con- struct a home for the aged under Bialystoker auspices, launched a frenetic series of meetings and festivities to draw support for their ambitious project. Their leader was the late David Sohn, affectionately called ‘‘Mr. Bia- lystok.’? Despite the formidable obstacles facing them, these men and women pushed on to achieve their goal. The Bialystoker Spirit These activists planned the nursing home and the landsmanschaft headquarters in June 1926. They con- fronted the tragedy of elderly Bialystokers without proper care, all alone and in desperate straits, a prob- lem affecting many aged immigrants at that time. Imbued with a passion for assisting the elderly and the needy who would follow, the committee assured that their desperate charges would be well treated. Beginning with Devotion The plenary meeting of Bialystoker /ands/leit held in June 1926 investigated the feasibility of building a nurs- ing home. It appointed a special committee to formu- late an appropriate plan. The committee worked for almost a year before it delivered its final report in May 1927 at a general meeting of the Bialystoker Center and Bikur Cholim. It reviewed the possibilities of going ahead with the project and the numerous anticipated difficulties. Nonetheless, everyone was optimistic. Mr. Sohn wrote, ‘One thing is clear: we will build a home for our elderly people sooner or later.” 168 Cast Us Not Away in Our Old Age Leafing through the pages of the Bialystoker Stimme, one notices the love and devotion with which the Jands- leit built the Bialystoker Home, one of the finest in the country. In a moving article in the September 1927 issue, the author linked the new Home with prayers chanted on the High Holidays. ‘‘We recite the prayer, ‘Cast us not away in our old age.’ To lessen the isola- tion and loneliness of old age, the directors of the Bia- lystoker Center and Bikur Cholim decided to establish their own nursing home for elderly people, where they can spend their remaining years in comfortable rooms among their own friends.”’ Much effort went into erecting the Home. Fund- raising activities proceeded; donations poured in, swell- ing the Home’s coffers. In July 1928, more than $40,000 was raised, a substantial sum at that time. As the Stimme proclaimed, “‘The plans for the old age home are complete and we contemplate more than an institu- tion for the elderly. Our Home will combine modernity with compassion — ‘A Home with a Heart’ that will stand as a monument for succeeding generations of our landsmanschaft.” A Home with a Heart and Soul On Monday, September 16, 1929, the contract to build the Home was signed. One week later, the corner- stone was laid. Bialystoker landsleit all over America contributed in many ways. Several condemned build- ings were demolished along East Broadway to make room for the new structure. Festivities to launch the building campaign were held on September 22, 1929. Thousands of Bialystoker Jews, friends, and official representatives of numerous organizations joined in lay- ing the cornerstone. The building committee estimated the cost of erecting the Home at around $400,000. The Bialystoker Ladies Auxiliary undertook }0 raise $20,000, donating $5,000 right away. The Home was completed in 22 months. Finally, the day arrived for moving into the handsome new building. In the balmy days of May 1931, the Bialy- stoker Home officially opened and regular meetings of the /andsmanschaft were held in the new quarters amid much celebration. The dedication festivities extended from Saturday night, June 20, to Sunday, June 28, 1931. A committee The Bialystoker Memorial Book