RelatioNet IT JA 28 NA CH

RelatioNet IT JA 28 NA CH
Itskovich Yaakov (survivor)

Interviewer:

Hadar Romashkano, Ran Avraham
Email: hadaromash@walla.co.il
Messenger: hadaromash@walla.co.il
Address: Alfe Menashe, Israel


Survivor:

Code: RelatioNet IT YA 28 NA CH
Family Name: Itskovich First Name: Yaakov
Birth Date: 1/01/1928
Town In Holocaust: Town Country In Holocaust: Country
Profession (Main) In Holocaust: Profession
Address Today: Town Country

Neresniza
48°07' 23°46'
Ruthenian: NeresniceHungarian: Nyereshaza[Russian: Neresnitsa]

A village located 20 kilometers northeast of the city Tecs.On the narrow-gauge railroad line Teresif-Kenigsfeld. Administrative centerfor the surrounding villages. Nearly all inhabitants Ruthenian.

The first Jews to reach Neresniza almost certainly arrived there between the late 1710s and the early 1730s.
Among the first accomplishments of the community was the establishment of a chevra kadisha (burial society), the building of a mikveh, and the hiring of a shochet.
Five or six teachers taught Torah in Neresniza, starting with a teacher for beginning students and finishing with Gemara (Talmud) with the commentaries of Rashi and Tosefos.
Most of the Jewish children also learned in the local Czech school.
In about 1927 was founded in Neresniza for the first time a branch of the “Mizrachi Youth” movement.
As a counterbalance to this activity, immediately the “Aguda Youth” movement was organized. However, through lack of organizational strength, both of these groups disbanded not long after their founding.
Both groups became active again only shortly before the holocaust, during the period of Hungarian rule, when also were formed in the town branches of the “Bnei Akiva” and “HeChalutz” movements.
In the village was a clinic, staffed by a doctor and a nurse, a police station, and a post office. In the 1930s, a high school was also opened.
In the mid-1930s, small industries were founded: a weaving mill, a brick factory, a bicycle shop.


Yaakov Itskovich's story

Yaakov born in Czech, on a village called Neresniza. He grew up as a single child, in a very religious familly, like all other famillys in their area. His familly was also very wealthy, they had an orchard, a farm, and a convenience and textile store.
His father, Israel, was a fruit trader.
Yaakov's daily routine on his childhood was like this:
On the early morning – learned bible on the "Heder", went to a czech school until noon, and returned to the "Heder".
On 1939, the whole area was conquered by the Hungarian, and Yaakov joined to an Hungarian movement, which provided military preparation. The movement chared all Youth by age 12 and older to join her.
5 Years after that, the German army reached Neresniza, and at 22/1/1945 his family was sent to Buchenvald, there his parents past away.
4 months after, at 19/5/45 Yaakov was sent to Auscwitz, there he worked at a coal mine.
The russian army set Auscwitz, and also Yaakov to freedom, and Yaakov went back to Buchenvald, but this time he lived there in a Kibbutz of the "Hagana", there Yaakov met his future wife, Zipora. They got merried after 6 months.
The "Hagana" prepared them to the "Alia".
After a year at the Kibbutz, all it's members made an "Alia" on a ship called "Empire Errival" as a part of 'Egzodus'- 3 ships, within 4,500 people. Those 3 ships reached to the Israeli coasts, but the British didn't let them come in to Israel, and a fight started between the 2 sides on the ships. They brought back to France, and then to Germany.



On june 1948, Yaakov finaly arrived to Israel, in a ship called "Kedma", and settled in Netanya. At the minute he arrived, he joined the army, and was injured at jerusalem, in a fight against the Egyaptian army.
On September 1949, he was realesed from the army, and joined the police, and served there 34 years.
In his repertoire:
Head of: Petach-Tikva, Netanya and Kfar sava stations.
Head of police-school in Shfaram.
Yaakov and his wife, Zipora, have 2 children.
A 56 year-old boy, an electric engineer, and a 51-year-old girl, a special education teacher, with second degree.
They also have 4 grandsons.
Zipora died on year 2000, at age 70.