The Diary of Yitzhak Lamdan
Concise Summaries

Contents

The concise summaries of Lamdan's diary entries follow below or you can return to the overview, translations, or interpretive summaries of the diary entries.

June 1914 | July 1914

Notebook A

June 1914

Friday, June 26, 1914

Much has happened before Yitzhak writes this first entry. Apparently, Yitzhak has been planning to make aliyah to the Land of Israel with the Weitz family this summer and had arranged that they would add his name to the immigration documentation they were trying to secure.

Yitzhak reports that Abraham Weitz’s son David came to his house the day before. He was excited to see him but then learns that they temporarily stopped trying to get immigration papers since there is doubt if they will journey to the Land of Israel. It depends now whether their relative Avraham Lender decides to go.

Yitzhak also reports that he still didn’t get a response from the administrators of Shaharit to his letter a week ago complaining he didn’t get the third issue.

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

Monday, June 29, 1914

Yitzhak was excited that Abraham Weitz’s son, David, stopped by Yitzhak's home that day. But there was good news and bad news.The bad news: the Weitz family paused their immigration efforts. Their decision to make aliyah depends on the decision their relative Abraham Lender. The good news: would try to include Yizhak’s name. Yitzhak also reports that a week before he sent a letter to the periodical Shaharit inquiring about the 3rd issue that hadn’t arrived. Still no reply.

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

July 1914

Thursday, July 2, 1914

Nothing new has happened and Yitzhak has no new news. The plans for the journey to the Land of Israel remain murky. He is still waiting for the third issue of the periodical, Shaharit, after writing to the administrative office about its failure to arrive. He is also excited about an issue of Perahim that is going to publish a poem he wrote called, “Spring Rain.”

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

Monday, July 6, 1914

Yitzhak reports receiving news on the Sabbath from Dr. Pikhulitz the leader of the agricultural school in Petah-Tikvah. He was responding to questions Yitzhak sent him. Even though the Weitz family sent a wagon to the Yitzhak’s home to buy supplies from his family’s store, Yitzhak hesitates to get on the wagon going back to Bokiima lest his visit is unwelcome. He remains in the dark about Abraham Weitz’s plans to journey to the Land of Israel.

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

Wednesday, July 8, 1914

Yitzhak says he has nothing to write and that he has received no update and it still hoping that David Weitz or a courier from the Weitz home will come visit so he can get an update. He thinks about sending them a letter but is not sure they will answer. He is filled with self-doubts and the “crisis period” still haunts him. He does report he composed a new poem.

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

Thursday, July 9, 1914

Yitzhak reports learning the contents of an encouraging letter that arrived from Abraham Weitz’s son, Yosef, who was already living in the Land of Israel. He was updating the family on efforts made to prepare for their arrival.

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

Sunday, July 12, 1914

Yitzhak begins his entry with a quote from a poem of Zalman Shneour, a profilic Yiddish and Hebrew poet. Abraham Weitz shows up in a wagon at Yitzhak's home with news he is not making the trip to the Land of Israel but that his daughter Hinda and relative Abraham Lender may still go.

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

Thursday, July 16, 1914

Yitzhak is writing behind his home, taking note of the beautiful nature around him. He hopes to visit Abrham Weitz on the Sabbath to learn if Weitz's daughter, Hinda, will make the trip to the Land of Israel.

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

Sunday, July 19, 1914

The blessing for the new month of Menachem Av took place yesterday. Yitzhak wants to visit Weitz but a wagon doesn't come and an anyway he injured his foot and can't get around. He philosophizes as well about whether human goals are in vain given human mortality. He also reports the story he heard from Abraham Weitz about how the journey of his friend, Shmuel Bortnik from the town of Hubyn Pershyi, to the Land of Israel was abruptly cancelled by his sponsors, the residents of his hometown.

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

Tuesday, July 21, 1914

Shimon Berger comes to Yitzhak's home and talks about a business opportunity with hops in Dubno. He hopes to get Yizthak and his brother Moshe involved in the venture.

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

Wednesday, July 22nd

David Weitz sends a note asking Yitzhak to resubscribe him to the newspaper HaZeman. But he was still subscribed. Moshe Grinspun shows up at Yitzhak's home and talks about a business opportunity in Dubno and wants to hire Yitzhak’s brother Moshe and even Yitzhak himself. No news yet about whether Hinda, the sister of David Weitz, will make the journey to the Land of Israel.

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

Thursday, July 23rd

Yitzhak’s entry for July 23rd discusses a failed opportunity to visit Abraham Weitz, the fact that his brother Moshe is soon to leave for Hubyn Pershyi where he works, and an exchange of letters with Shmuel Borshtak the young man who had his journey to the Land of Israel cancelled.

Go to the diary entry, the interpretive summaries or return to the top.

July 27

Yitzhak gets a note from David Weitz with an update about the family plans and a request for a new subscription. He writes to his brother in Hubyn [Pershyi] requesting he bring back several books. Yitzhak reports reading an important statement in HaZeman and reading a story in the booklet HaShiloach which arrived today.

July 29, 1914

This day Yitzhak walked to Mervits to deliver butter and then he and his friend Ben-tzion were ridiculed by Christian workers who were repairing the road.

August 1914

Sunday, August 2, 1914

This is the first entry in which Yitzhak mentions and discusses the beginning of what is becoming WWI. On July 28th, Austria-Hungary declared War on Serbia. Russia, a Serbian ally, immediately began mobilizing its army. On August 1, an ally of Austria-Hungary, demanded Russia cease mobilization. When Russia refused, that day, Germany declared war on Russia. Against this background, Yitzhak describes the emotions affecting the towns’ residents and the call up of reservists. He also mentions briefly receiving a postcard from Moshe Katz, most probably the young man born in Mlynov, who becomes the Yiddish poet Aleph Katz in America. It is also the commemoration called the 9th of Av (Tisha B’av) but is taking place on the 10th of Av because the 9th was a Sabbath. He ends his entry so he can go to the prayer house for the afternoon prayers.

Return to the top.

Compiled by Howard I. Schwartz
Updated: July 2024
Copyright © 2025 Howard I. Schwartz, PhD
Webpage Design by Howard I. Schwartz
Want to search for more information: JewishGen Home Page
Want to look at other Town pages: KehilaLinks Home Page

This page is hosted at no cost to the public by JewishGen, Inc., a non-profit corporation. If it has been useful to you, or if you are moved by the effort to preserve the memory of our lost communities, your JewishGen-erosity would be deeply appreciated.