A group photograph of a class of Jewish children in the "Tarbut" school in the small town of Holszany - Vilna. 20s.
The top line is distinguished by a group of children disguised as Eastern European children with their Tzitzit and yarmulka Alongside their ‘secular’ educators.
"Tarbut" men established Hebrew Zionist and secular (but not anti-religious) schools, Combining Hebrew and general studies, using modern educational methods, to prepare the student to contribute to his people in the future. These were actually more modern, revised rooms, open to new approaches, and with national character and public oversight.
Jews began to settle in the village of Halhanei in the early 18th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were about 1,000 Jews in the town, which constituted half of its inhabitants. Between the world wars, there was a Jewish school of "Tarbut" and Torah students, and there was a Zionist activity there. When the area was conquered by the Soviets in September 1939, Jewish refugees from western Poland arrived. At the outbreak of Operation Barbarossa, the settlement was shelled. On June 25, 1941, the German entered to the village, and soon the Jewish community were ordered to wear a yellow badge, and were taken to hard forced labor. At the same time was appointed in the village of Judenrat, led by Rabbi Reuven Hadash, who was ordered to pass on ransom and valuables to the authorities. Later, the village's Jews were transferred to the ghetto that was established there, and some 200 young people and youth from the village were sent to forced labor in Gejzmarya, Lithuania. With the assistance of the local Judenrat, and after news of the extermination of Lithuanian Jews arrived, many ghetto refugees fled the ghetto. In October 1942, the Halhanei Ghetto was liquidated, and the remaining Jews were transferred to the Ashmian Ghetto.
Size: 9x14 cm. Very good condition.
