Lottery ticket for the benefit of the Talmud Torah in Kutno 1915. Left - approval of prizes by the organizing committee
LOTTERY HELD FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE TALMUD TORAH IN KUTNO, 1915* By Aharon Szlomo ELBERG Translated from the Hebrew by Carole Turkeltaub-Borowitz
With the help of G-d, 2nd day of the new moon, the month of Tamuz, 5675, Kutno 1915 In the year of the Revolution, when the foundations of the world toppled and a tempest was raging because of the world war, where all the monarchies provoked each other, we shook and wavered, as in a sieve: and the money box of the Talmud Torah was empty. No one would have held back even miserable donations, if they had been dedicated to Israel. There are those who have and do not want to give, and those who would like to, but do not have. And so I attempted to find a solution of raising money by way of a lottery. With an official permit I set up a raffle of one thousand tickets, at a price of one mark; half to the winners and half to the Talmud Torah. But to my great sorrow I was not able to find enough willing helpers and 182 tickets went unsold – and there was a shortfall because of that. Let us hope that the heavens will smile on us and that we will celebrate an increased income, allowing us to lift the Talmud Torah up from its slump and misery and raise it to the glory of Israel. Aharon Shlomo, son of Zeev ELBERG
[See the list of lottery tickets in the search section of the website]
Today, 1st of Tamuz 5675, was the lottery draw for the Talmud Torah, presided over by the undersigned sponsors; the following persons drew the winning tickets: 1) Mr. Izrael Szmuklerski, #6, wins 200 Marks 2) Mr. Mordechai Manszester, #50, wins 50 Marks 3) the young Szymszon Gajst, #165, wins 100 Marks 4) Mr. Awigdor Grauman, #225, wins 100 Marks 5) the young Icze Goldman, #886, wins 50 Marks We the undersigned, this day: – (signed) Rabbi Icchak Jehuda Trunk, and seven wise men of this town – (signed) Mordechai Zandel – (signed) Icze Holcman – (signed) Abraham Kinstler – (signed) Szymon Josef Lipski – (signed) Nachman Elberg – (signed) Dawid Bagno – (signed) Mosze Klingbeil
*** The undersigned acknowledges having received for the winning ticket #50 the sum of 50 Marks on the 1st of Tamuz 5675 (13th of June 1915) Mordechai Manszester The undersigned acknowledges having received for the winning ticket #335 the sum of 100 Marks on the 1st of Tamuz 5675 (13th of June 1915) Awigdor Grauman The undersigned acknowledges having received for the winning ticket #886 the sum of 50 Marks on the 1st of Tamuz 5675 (13th of June 1915) Icze Goldman The undersigned acknowledges having received for the winning ticket #6 the sum of 200 Marks on the 1st of Tamuz 5675 (13th of June 1915) Izrael Szmuklerski
The undersigned acknowledges having received for the winning ticket #165 the sum of 100 Marks on the 1st of Tamuz 5675 (13th of June 1915) Sz. Gajst
Editor's comment: this notebook with the nearly one thousand names of Jews who bought lottery tickets for the Talmud Torah of Kutno, has been kept by Aharon Szlomo Elberg for nearly 50 years — and as an important document is hereby published "as is". in original spelling and content, without any modification. *
Taken from the author's diary. The names have been copied from the original. The numbered, but empty, places also appear like that in the diary.
