Fallen in the Land of Israel: the leader of "HeHalutz", Hillel Schwartz-Shchori of Seltz.
Great sorrow was caused among the local population, chiefly in the pioneer ranks, by the news of the death of Hillel Schwartz-Shchori, who perished together with his comrades through the mine that exploded near "Ramat HaKovesh" while a group of workers was returning by car from work. Hillel Schwartz was much loved by all the pioneers, and above all he was highly esteemed by his close friends. He possessed much intelligence and a noble character; he embodied great idealism with pioneer stubbornness. Exceptionally honest and innocent, but always strict with himself. He was always ready to set himself as an example to all comrades in the struggle for pioneering. Hillel Schwartz was born in Maltsch. Having no ground there for social work, he often comes to Pruzhany and to Bereza to meet the comrades of "HeHalutz". He takes an interest in everything and is finally drawn into active work. He also attends the "Tarbut" seminary in Vilna. The professors admire from the first minute his extraordinary abilities, for which they predict for him a brilliant future as a teacher and educator. After finishing the Vilna Tarbut seminary he works as a teacher with great success in the "Tarbut" schools in David-Gorodok and in Siedlce. As a teacher he meets various difficulties in realising his educational methods. With stubbornness and fervour he fights for his views on education. The well-known principal Y. Shlita, who was then working in Siedlce, describes him as a genius in education. As an illustration of his life and struggle the following fact may serve: being a teacher of Hebrew, he decided with his pupils to publish a fortnightly Hebrew newspaper, and when the parents' committee allocated no money for it, he printed the newspaper out of his own very modest salary.
Hillel Schwartz was not only the preacher of Land-of-Israel patriotism, Hebraism and pioneering, but also their faithful realiser. The way to this is through hachshara to the Land of Israel, to the dangerous positions.
In 1932 he goes on hachshara in order to accustom his delicate and weak body to hard physical work. He is also the secretary and the cultural leader. In all areas of kibbutz life he is active and very energetic, full of initiative and bold in carrying out his plans. He breaks completely with home and devotes himself entirely to the kibbutz. He joins Kibbutz Grochow, gives his private money to the "kupa", works physically by day and in the evenings teaches the comrades Hebrew, Palestinography, etc. After an attack by certain persons on the kibbutz, where a comrade was shot, he demands military training for reasons of defence. Having a certificate, he does not use it, and with satisfaction goes off into the army. While in the army the sad news of the Arab terror reaches him; he calls on his comrades to train and prepare for the demands of the Haganah. When he returns from the army, after staying a certain time in his kibbutz, he immigrates to the Land of Israel. There he occupies a respected place, and in the most dangerous positions he is seen first, voluntary, cheerful and brave. A great hero and a pioneer, a teacher and educator, he also learns from his comrades. A wonderful person, and fallen like all the other comrades for our cause. Not the first victim and not the last in realising Zionism, but one of the most capable and most faithful. In the speedy and complete realisation of Zionism may the family, the kibbutz and his close comrades find consolation.
Al. Izraelit.