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There was a synagogue in Medvin. I remember visits of our rabbi Shymshemar Polonski. He was well educated and had a brilliant memory. He could recite pages from books in Hebrew without a mistake. Besides, he was a very nice, decent and smart man. He often borrowed books in Hebrew from my father. They discussed books and interpretation of the Torah. My father respected him a lot. If there was a dispute in the town Ukrainians and Jews were seeking the rabbi’s advice. Ukrainians knew that Polonski would always take the right decision regardless of the nationality. In the middle 1900s he moved to another town and in due time he became a rabbi in Jerusalem. My father missed their sessions a lot. They wrote each other for many years. They wrote their letters in Hebrew. Another rabbi came to our synagogue to replace Shymshemar Polonski. He was a very indecent man. The new rabbi was always trying to favor Jews if he were to resolve a dispute. He didn’t have any authority in town.
Period
Interview
Abram Karmazin