Death of Gershon Vinik

Gershon Vinik, of blessed memory

(A few words at the fresh grave.)

Our whole Pruzhany Zionist community was deeply shaken the Sabbath before last on learning the sad news that the devoted public and Zionist activist Mr. Gershon Vinik had been suddenly torn from us in the very bloom of his life. Quietly, modestly, without noise and without pretensions, but with great faithfulness and an enormous sense of responsibility, Comrade Vinik did his Zionist and public work. He belonged to those few who neither talk themselves nor give others the chance to make much noise about their achievements. But whoever stood close to Comrade Vinik and knew his Zionist and public work, whoever knew how devoted, punctual and exact he was in carrying it out, and with what contentment and good grace he used to perform a Zionist duty, knew what deep understanding and fine feeling Comrade Vinik had for every kind of work for the people. Comrade Vinik was far from brooding over theories — he did not need them — for him Zionism and work for the people were a deep content of life. He was a man of action, and only that which obliges one to deeds impressed him.

That is exactly why he quickly won the sympathy and trust of the youth, and why he once succeeded so well in drawing in the youth and placing the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael in Pruzhany at a proper height, and why he always stood close to the various youth organisations that belong to the working Land of Israel, such as "HeChalutz", "Gordonia", Hashomer Hatzair and so on. And when heavy personal burdens lately pressed on him and held him as in tongs, he nevertheless, feeling the deep Zionist responsibility, did not give up the work for the youth, because his withdrawal might perhaps have harmed one organisation or another. And how much quiet and laborious work Comrade Vinik accomplished for our newspaper "Pruzhaner Shtime", which was so close to him both as one of its co-founders and as a member of its council. And where did Comrade Vinik not devote his free minute after a hard working day! Whether it was "Tarbut" or the "League for the Working Land of Israel" or the "Committee for the Kibbutz" — he was a man of extraordinary orderliness and discipline, and he had time for everything and everyone. Especially great and keenly felt is the loss for the local branch of "Hitachdut", where the deceased was a very active member and accomplished much with his energy and time. With particular zeal Comrade Vinik devoted himself to party work after "Hitachdut" had fought with great effort for its constructive-Zionist ideals of work in the spirit of Gordon and Vitkin. There has been torn away from Zionist Pruzhany, in his best years, a comrade with a beautiful, gentle soul, breathed through with pure, simple humanity and deep, popular faithfulness to everything that lives and stirs in the people. Honour to his bright memory!

A Comrade.

Gershon Vinik of blessed memory.

With the sudden passing of this excellent man and faithful Zionist, the whole town was wrapped in black and the Zionist camp was shaken. All felt that a pure and clean heart had fallen silent; a dear comrade and a diligent and devoted worker was lost, whose sense of responsibility knew no bounds. The deceased dedicated the best of his time to the idea of national revival; all his great energy and immense strength he revealed in his valuable work for the Keren Kayemet. Even in his last years, when he was already stumbling under the burden of his private troubles, he was always alert to every Zionist undertaking. Great is the pain, and the orphaned Zionist camp will not soon be consoled, that cruel death uprooted from our ranks, in its very bloom, a dear and beloved soul, and the place of a modest and quiet worker, careful with a light Zionist commandment as with a weighty one, is empty. At his fresh grave we stand with bowed heads, and in holy awe our lips will murmur: May your memory be blessed, our dear comrade!

One of the mourners.

The funeral of Comrade Gershon Vinik, of blessed memory.

The news that on Friday night, going into the Sabbath, Comrade Gershon Vinik, of blessed memory, had died suddenly of a heart attack struck the whole Zionist camp like thunder. In the evening he had gone for a walk and was healthy and lively. He went to bed at 11 o'clock, at 2 in the night he felt unwell, and within 10 minutes he had breathed his last. Dr. Feingold, who was called urgently, could only confirm the death.

On the Sabbath at 9 in the morning a mourning meeting was held by "Hitachdut", where Comrade Vinik had been an active member. It was decided to set up a funeral committee, to which representatives of all the Zionist organisations in Pruzhany were invited. At 12 noon the representatives of all the Zionist institutions and organisations gathered at a mourning session: the General Zionists, Hitachdut, Poalei Zion, Keren Hayesod, Keren Kayemet LeIsrael, Tarbut, Yavneh, Hechalutz, Hechalutz Hatzair, Freiheit, the local kibbutz and others. On the spot an honour guard was formed from all the Zionist groupings and tendencies with which the deceased had worked. A plan for the funeral was drawn up. The kehilla announced that it was donating a burial plot for the deceased.

On Sunday at exactly 11 o'clock the funeral began. In closed ranks the whole Zionist youth kept order. Delegations took part from all the Zionist groupings, as well as from the local People's Bank, where the deceased had worked devotedly until the last minute. Thousands of people took part in the funeral. At the open grave there spoke, in the name of Keren Kayemet, its representative Comrade Shlomo Judewicz, and in the name of Hitachdut, Comrades Erez and Grinwald. In deep mourning the great crowd left the fresh grave of the young and devoted Zionist activist. Honour to his memory!