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I3C & DIMJanuary 2006
By Dale Kiefer
With the increasing toxicity of our natural environment, guarding against cancer is an essential part of the quest for a longer, healthier life. Despite the expenditure of hundreds of billions of research dollars, the war on cancer has yet to produce a significant cure for most forms of this deadly disease. As a result, all health-conscious adults are advised to adopt an aggressive strategy of cancer prevention.
Fortunately, scientists have identified and isolated remarkable chemicals in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and watercress that can protect against cellular changes that lead to colon, breast, thyroid, and other cancers.1-12 Many studies have demonstrated that specific compounds isolated from these vegetables—including diindolylmethane (DIM) and its precursor, indole-3-carbinol (I3C)—have unique cancer-fighting benefits. These compounds have been found to alter estrogen metabolism in both men and women, thus protecting against hormone-dependent cancers such as those of the breast, cervix, and prostate.
According to the American Cancer Society, diet and lack of adequate exercise are implicated in about one third of all cancer cases among adults.13 Given that more than 1.3 million new cases were expected to be diagnosed in 2005, improved dietary and exercise habits could help prevent more than 400,000 Americans from developing cancer in just one year alone.
Colon cancer, for example, is among the cancers believed to be directly inhibited by compounds in cruciferous vegetables. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2005, more than 100,000 new cases of colon cancer were diagnosed and more than 56,000 Americans died of this dreaded disease.14 Prostate cancer, which studies show is also thwarted by compounds in cruciferous vegetables,1,2,11,15 is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among US men. More than 200,000 new prostate cancer cases and 30,000 deaths from the disease were expected in 2005. Among women, breast cancer is comparably devastating, with about 212,000 new cases expected in 2005 and more than 40,000 women expected to die of the disease.14 Clearly, there is a need for increased protection against these and other cancers. If cancer-fighting compounds in cruciferous vegetable could have prevented just one third of those breast cancer cases, perhaps 13,000 or more lives could have been saved.
Given the status of current research, it is a safe bet that increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables would save lives. Epidemiological evidence suggests that abundant consumption of cruciferous vegetables correlates with lower breast cancer risk. For example, a recent study in China concluded that greater cruciferous vegetable consumption "was associated with significantly reduced breast cancer risk among Chinese women."16
Health-Promoting Chemical Conversions
Not everyone consistently eats the cruciferous vegetables that have been shown to reduce cancer risk. Moreover, there is also natural variability in the anti-cancer phytonutrient content of these vegetables.
Scientists have long sought to extract the beneficial compounds of cruciferous vegetables. One group of bioactive nutrients responsible for cancer protection in cruciferous vegetables is known as glucosinolates. When consumed by humans, glucosinolates are converted to highly beneficial compounds including isothiocyanates such as sulforaphane and indoles such as I3C. These compounds are believed to inhibit cancer by various mechanisms within the body.17
The conversion of glucosinolates to isothiocyanates occurs naturally in several ways. One method is through the presence of myrosinase, an enzyme found in the cells of cruciferous vegetables. However, the process of cooking cruciferous vegetables destroys much of the naturally available myrosinase. Glucosinolates obtained from cooked cruciferous vegetables can still be converted to isothiocyanates inside the body, albeit much less efficiently than when myrosinase is available. This conversion can occur in the colon, where native gut bacteria hydrolyze the glucosinolates.18,19 Among the most powerful, abundant, and important glucosinolate derivatives is I3C.
Remarkable Effects of I3C
While cruciferous vegetables supply numerous beneficial compounds, I3C is the real reason that "eat your broccoli" has always been good nutritional advice. According to a recent article in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, "Mounting preclinical and clinical evidence indicate[s] that indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a key bio-active food component in cruciferous vegetables, has multiple anticarcinogenic and antitumorigenic properties."6 Although it may seem obvious that a substance consumed by millions worldwide over thousands of years is inherently safe, scientists have now taken a closer look at this important phytonutrient. Numerous cell culture, animal, and human studies have demonstrated I3C's safety and tolerability,20-22 along with its targeted ability to suppress cancer growth and induce programmed cell death in a variety of tumors, including those associated with breast, prostate, endometrial, leukemia, and colon cancers.1
Many scientists consider I3C to be especially valuable in protecting against hormone-dependent cancers—such as certain breast, cervical, and prostate cancers—due to its ability to favorably influence the human body's balance of estrogens.1,22-26 For example, I3C halts cancer cell growth by interfering with the production of proteins involved in abnormal cellular reproduction, and by promoting the production of tumor-suppressor proteins.1,27,28
As one researcher recently noted, "I3C . . . regulate[s] many genes that are important for the control of cell cycle, cell proliferation, signal transduction, and other cellular processes, suggesting the [multiple beneficial] effects of I3C.2
I3C has also been shown to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells by interfering with the production of cellular products that cancer ordinarily marshals to resist apoptosis.1,29
In the liver and intestinal lining, I3C is believed to enhance the functioning of critical enzyme systems that are responsible for detoxifying the body of harmful, potentially cancer-causing chemicals. Such toxic substances may be ingested in food or drink, or be absorbed through environmental contact. These enzyme systems, technically known as Phase I and Phase II enzymes, alter the chemical structure of unwelcome compounds in order to detoxify them.21,30,31
Newly published research suggests that I3C may also work to prevent cancer by interfering with angiogenesis, a process critical to the body's defense against cancer. Angiogenesis—the formation of new blood vessels that tumors rely on for nutrients and oxygen—has long been regarded as a major potential target in the battle against cancer.1,32 In addition, research shows that I3C also induces breast cancer cells to become more responsive to interferon gamma, an important immune system chemical associated with protecting the body from disease.33
How DIM Complements I3C
Many scientists believe that I3C's beneficial effects are partly driven by one of its principal byproducts, diindolylmethane, or DIM.34,35 For instance, DIM has recently been shown to promote production of beneficial interferon gamma by breast cancer cells. According to scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, "This novel effect may provide important clues to explain the anti-cancer effects of DIM because it is well known that [interferon gamma] plays an important role in preventing the development of primary and transplanted tumors."36 Recently, scientists working with cell cultures also showed that DIM activates cellular stress response pathways in breast, prostate, and cervical cancer cells. This response mimics the reaction of cells deprived of adequate nutrition, further enhancing the cells' susceptibility to destruction.37 In other studies, researchers have shown that both DIM and I3C induce cell death in prostate cancer cells.15,29
Scientists at Wayne State University School of Medicine recently noted that "I3C and DIM affected the expression of a large number of genes that are related to the control of carcinogenesis, cell survival, and physiologic behaviors."15
Like I3C, DIM also stops the growth of new blood vessels that tumors require for their survival and metastasis. This newly discovered anti-cancer activity (anti-angiogenesis) is significant. In research at the University of California, Berkeley, in both cell culture assays and live animal models of cancer, small amounts of DIM dramatically reduced biochemical markers of angiogenesis and significantly impeded the rate of new vessel growth. "This is the first study," the scientists noted, "to show that DIM can strongly inhibit the development of human breast tumor in [an animal] model and to provide evidence for the antiangiogenic properties of this dietary indole."8
Taming the Estrogen Connection
Perhaps the single most important mechanism of action of I3C and DIM is modulating estrogen metabolism. This is because estrogen receptors are present on the surface of virtually every type of tissue in the bodies of both men and women, and are associated with several hormone-dependent cancers.38 The body modifies, or metabolizes, estrogens through two mutually exclusive pathways, which lead to compounds with dramatically different biological activities. Estradiol is the primary estrogen in circulation, and one of the most active. It is metabolized to a number of other chemicals, all with some degree of estrogenic activity.
The enzymes 2-hydroxylase and 16-alpha-hydroxylase help metabolize estrogens. Several years ago, scientists hypothesized that a preference towards the 2-hydroxylase pathway, which generates 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1), results in less toxic estrogen in the circulation, which should result in a reduction of breast cancer. On the other hand, they reasoned, women in whom a preponderance of estrogens tend to be metabolized via the 16-alpha-hydroxylase pathway—leading to greater amounts of a more biologically potent form of estrogen, 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone (16a-OHE1)—should experience a greater risk of breast cancer.
In 2000, in a study known as ORDET, scientists analyzed data gathered on more than 10,000 Italian women over more than five years, examining diet and other factors associated with breast cancer risk.39
The researchers found that a higher ratio of "good" 2-OHE1 to "bad" 16a-OHE1 at the beginning of the study was significantly associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. Subsequent studies of different populations have lent support to this finding.16 The ratio of these two estrogen metabolites is now widely regarded as an indicator for the risk of breast and other hormone-associated cancers, with a higher 2-OHE1:16a-OHE1 ratio considered desirable.16,35,40,41
In a subsequent study, scientists examined the association between the 2-OHE1:16a-OHE1 ratio and prostate cancer risk. Although the study results failed to achieve statistical significance, elevated 2-OHE1 levels in urine suggested a reduced risk of prostate cancer, while elevated 16a-OHE1 urinary levels were associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Men with the highest values of 16a-OHE1 were twice as likely to have prostate cancer as men with the highest levels of 2-OHE1.42
I3C appears to be effective in shifting the metabolism of estradiol from the dangerous 16-alpha-hydroxylase pathway to the 2-hydroxylase pathway.43-46 As a result, consumption of I3C boosts the ratio of 2-OHE1:16a-OHE1, which correlates with reduced risk of breast and other cancers, including cervical, prostate, and even head and neck cancers.16,38,47-53
Another estrogen of note is 4-hydroxyestrone, a relatively potent estrogen with growth-promoting effects. DIM does not appear to increase 4-hydroxyestrone levels, and the available research does not clearly indicate that I3C significantly increases 4-hydroxyestrone levels in humans. For example, in a dose-ranging study of I3C in human volunteers, 4-hydroxyestrogens increased following supplementation with 400 mg of I3C daily, but this increase was not significant.43
Other studies actually show that I3C inhibits the formation of 4-hydroxyestrone. For example, a quantitative study evaluating DIM levels in urine after I3C supplementation in humans showed that I3C supplementation decreased 4-hydroxyestrone levels.54
Clearly, while more research is needed to assess I3C's effect on 4-hydroxyestrogens, a preponderance of the available scientific data consistently supports I3C's cancer-fighting effects.


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It is a rare occurrence when a ring does everything you want it too. This V jacket does not disappoint. Perfect to pair with a hard to fit solitaire you will be pleasantly delighted by its versatility. Enjoy dressing up a plain solitaire by pairing it with a new friend. This 18k gold hewn ring jacket features three round rose cut semi opaque diamonds and four full cut round diamonds. The V curve of this ring complements a multitude of styles including vintage rings.Pictured in:18k yellow gold.17ctw semi opaque diamonds.03ctw full cut white diamonds2mm wide band
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On Thursday, August 27, HiTel FCU employees volunteered at the annual Children's Miracle Network – radiothon and telethon – at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children. Our staff eagerly answered phones to receive generous donations from Hawaii's community.
For the past nine years, KSSK has supported the Children's Miracle Network, and has helped Kapi'olani Medical Center raised over 1 million dollars! All proceeds collected remain in Hawaii and provides assistance to the entire Pacific region.
The time we spent at the hospital was humbling and heartfelt. We had an opportunity to meet some of the children and their families who received assistance. They were very appreciative and grateful because the Children's Miracle Network's monetary support they received was a miracle for their children!
Mahalo, to everyone who pledged and contributed their time to a wonderful cause!


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Skeletal Invitation
SUPPLIES: Cardstock: (white) Georgia-Pacific; (black) Patterned paper: (Vintage Linen, Advertisement from For the Record collection) Echo Park Paper Clear stamp: (You're Invited) Studio G Dye ink: (Tuxedo Black) Tsukineko Color medium: (green marker) Copic Accents: (clear rhinestones) Doodlebug Design; (black cameo) SnapCrafty Stickers: (houndstooth tape) Pink Paislee; (postage cancellation tape) Tim Holtz Fibers: (black/white, green/white twine) The Twinery; (black tulle) Tool: (cameo punch) Fiskars Finished size: 5 1/4" square
1 Make card from cardstock; adhere patterned paper.
2 Affix postage cancellation tape to patterned paper panel.
3 Adhere tulle to panel and tie on twine. Adhere panel to card with foam tape.
4 Stamp You're Invited. Color rhinestones with marker; adhere.
5 Cameo-punch cardstock. Pleat houndstooth tape and adhere to punched cardstock. Adhere to card.
6 Adhere cameo.
More Frighteningly Fabulous Projects
If you love these projects, you'll find more monstrous creations in the "Creepy, Spooky, Happy Halloween" feature in the September/October 2011 issue of Paper Crafts magazine. Get your copy HERE!
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What is wrong with today's banking system? The past few years have shown that risks in banking can impose significant costs on the economy. Many claim, however, that a safer banking system would require sacrificing lending and economic growth. The Bankers' New Clothes examines this claim and the narratives used by bankers, politicians, and regulators to rationalize the lack of reform, exposing them as invalid. Anat Admati and Martin Hellwig argue we can have a safer and healthier banking system without sacrificing any of the benefits of the system, and at essentially no cost to society.
Learn more about it from Anat Admati's interview from NPR's Morning Edition:
Anat Admati argues that banks carry too much debt and have too little equity.
We invite you to read a book excerpt at npr.org at:
The Bankers' New Clothes:
What's Wrong with Banking and What to Do about It
by Anat Admati & Martin Hellwig
"Crucial . . ."–Jim Surowiecki, NewYorker.com
"Ms. Admati and Mr. Hellwig, top-notch academic financial economists, do understand the complexities of banking, and they helpfully slice through the bankers' self-serving nonsense. Demolishing these fallacies is the central point of The Bankers' New Clothes."–John Cochrane, Wall Street Journal
We also invite you to try your luck and enter for a chance to win a copy of The Bankers' New Clothes: What's Wrong with Banking & What to Do about It at Goodreads:


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Seek, Enrich, Elevate
Gold Canyon International is a purpose-driven, social company that provides families and communities life-changing products and opportunities. By setting the Gold Standard of quality for candles, scented products and home decor, we've helped millions of people make their home and lives better.
* Gold Canyon offers first-class Coworker resources and coverage for medical, dental, and vision—along with life insurance and short- and long-term disability benefits options.
* Gold Canyon's 401(k) allows you to build your future and contribute pre-tax dollars toward your retirement account while receiving matching contributions.
* Time away from the workplace can be necessary and is beneficial to good health and well-being. Gold Canyon Coworkers receive vacation, sick time, bereavement time and a personal day for their birthday.
As we strive for continuous growth and quality, we need dedicated people who are energetic, crave challenges and love working in a fun atmosphere. Is that you?
If so, then check out the open positions below to start your life-changing career with Gold Canyon today!
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An image making the rounds on Facebook gave us a chuckle — it's a notice posted in a port-a-potty on Camp Leatherneck in Helmand province, Afghanistan, and it sends a clear message to the troops deployed there:
Stop playing with yourself, or else.
The notice threatens anyone in violation of this silly rule with legal action, specifically under Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Affectionaly dubbed the "catch-all" by Marines, Article 92 allows the military to prosecute its troops for "failure to obey an order or regulation."
The notice, which hilariously refers to a port-a-potty as a "masturbation facility," claims that there have been several cases of illness in the region due to exposure to bodily fluids.
That sounded a little scientifically fishy to me, so I reached out to the Navy Corpsman who was my medic when I was deployed to Helmand province in 2011. He called malarkey.
"Unless they're getting semen in an open wound, there's no way," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Dodson, a Corpsman with 2nd Marine Division in Camp Lejeune, N.C. "There's no transdermal infection passable through semen, at least to my knowledge."


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Blu–ray + DVD + Digital HD
Blu–ray + DVD + Digital HD
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- Building An Epic Battle—Creating the clash between Maleficent and King Henry's forces.
- Classic Couture—Examine Maleficent's spellbinding head wraps and jewelry.
- Maleficent Revealed—Explore the layers of extraordinary special effects.
Featured Videos
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Read about some of your favorite Maleficent moments.
Maleficent Gallery
Take a peek at Maleficent, now on Blu-ray™ and Digital HD.
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Saving Mr. Banks
Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson bring to life the untold true story about the origins of one of the most treasured Disney classics of all time. John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side) directs this acclaimed film that reveals the surprising backstory behind the making of Mary Poppins. Determined to fulfill a promise to his daughters, Walt Disney (Hanks) tries for 20 years to obtain the rights to author P.L. Travers' (Thompson) beloved book. Armed with his iconic creative vision, Walt pulls out all the stops, but the uncompromising Travers won't budge. Only when he reaches into his own complicated childhood does Walt discover the truth about the ghosts that haunt Travers, and together, they set Mary Poppins free!
Muppets Most Wanted
There's plenty of fun for the whole family as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Animal and the entire Muppets gang head out on a world tour.
From Disney comes two-time Oscar® winner Brad Bird's riveting, mystery adventure "Tomorrowland," starring Academy Award® winner George Clooney. Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as "Tomorrowland." What they must do there changes the world—and them—forever. Featuring a screenplay by "Lost" writer & co-creator Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird, from a story by Damon Lindelof & Brad Bird & Jeff Jensen, "Tomorrowland" promises to take audiences on a thrill ride of nonstop adventures through new dimensions that have only been dreamed of.
Million Dollar Arm
From the studio that brought you Remember the Titans and Miracle comes Million Dollar Arm — a true inspirational story of self-discovery, second chances and personal triumph in the face of adversity. In a last-ditch effort to save his career, sports agent JB Bernstein (Jon Hamm) dreams up a wild game plan to find Major League Baseball's next great pitcher from a pool of cricket players in India. He soon discovers two young men who can throw a fastball but know nothing about the game of baseball. Or America. It's an incredible and touching journey that will change them all — especially JB, who learns valuable lessons about teamwork, commitment and family.


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The Pardi of The Year
It's time to start pulling out the funky hats, the feather boas, the "special occasion" koozies and the boogie shoes — Mardi Gras has landed, which means one thing.
It's party time.
This year, Southeast Texas Mardi Gras returns Thursday, March 3, through Sunday, March 6, and by the looks of the festival lineup, organizers are planning to make this year's event one for the record books.
"We're extremely excited; the weather forecast looks good, and it's looking to be one of the largest events yet," said Mardi Gras president Laura Childress. Since the inaugural festival in 1993, the Southeast Texas Mardi Gras has maintained a reputation for throwing a fun, safe Mardi Gras festival appropriate for the whole family, drawing crowds by the thousands to Procter Street Port Arthur. In fact, the February issue of the Port Arthur Business Journal reported that the Port Arthur population of about 58,000 jumps to 250,000 during the festival weekend alone.
"We're kind of centrally located between Houston and Louisiana, and the people north of us don't have too far to drive," said Childress, adding that the location and the quality of the festival draws non-locals from as far as Shreveport, La.
As far as Golden Triangle natives who have moved off, "It doesn't seem to matter how far people move — if they're Mardi Gras people, they return to Port Arthur for the festival," she said. "It's a large reunion for many people. Lots of families come in and meet here — people from out of town, people from Louisiana, people whose hometown is nearby come home for Mardi Gras. The biggest thing is that we have all the traditional aspects of Mardi Gras — the parades, the concerts, the carnival, the costumes, all of that — and you put it together with that home-town element, and you've got something really special."
The gates will open Thursday at 5 p.m., and the carnival rides will crank up as the first of eight parades will roll the good times down Procter Street. And a newly added option for festival-goers this year is the MegaPass, which can be purchased for $20 in lieu of ticket bundles, granting unlimited carnival rides for any one day at the carnival — definitely a wise investment for the ride enthusiast in the family.
Of course, those who forget to purchase their advance tickets at the discounted rate will still get plenty of bang for their buck. Mardi Gras weekend has a live entertainment line-up of 10 concerts, including crowd favorites Kevin Fowler and Wayne Toups and Zydecajun.
Guests are also advised to keep their eyes out for strolling artists meandering through Mardi Gras festivities, including Jerry the Monkey Man, Dallas the Fire Guy and newcomer Tim Decker, a performance artist who paints celebrity and patriotic paintings live to music in less than five minutes.
And of course, 120 vendors will be strewn over five blocks of Procter Street, not including token booths for alcohol purchases.
"There's truly something for everyone. Concerts, food, arts and crafts, carnival rides and games, parades, pony rides, petting zoo — there are lots of family oriented activities," said Childress. Mardi Gras alums have something they look forward to every year, and for Childress, who has 19 years of experience behind the scenes, the return of the Budweiser Clydesdales is what she's looking forward to most.
"They're larger than life," she said, adding that booking the horses is not always a guaranteed thing depending on their busy schedule (they recently appeared in a commercial during the Superbowl.) The Budweiser Clydesdales will be on display in the float den and will also appear in four parades this year.
As far as what makes Southeast Texas Mardi Gras a family-friendly destination, Childress said that law enforcement is present throughout the festival grounds.
"Speaking from experience over the last 19 years, our Mardi Gras has always viewed safety as a high priority. I think most would agree by the amount of law enforcement present from area police that we have a no-tolerance policy regarding trouble. We are most interested in having a great time, and we want it to be for everyone," she said.
Another pleasant perk to look forward to thanks to the March Mardi Gras dates this year is the weather, Childress added.
"I think the weather's going to have a tremendous impact on this year's festival — it affects any outdoor festival but especially with Mardi Gras, when in the past it's been cold and wet. Any time you've got good spring weather like we've been having, and you've got 70-degree temperatures, the people love to be there. It's much more enjoyable."
More details about this year's attractions, rates and sponsors can be found at www.mardigras.portarthur.com.
Those wanting to get in some bead catching action in the meantime are encouraged to make their way over to Orange for Mardi Gras on the Sabine's Krewe of Krewes Parade on Saturday, Feb. 26, at 5 p.m.
Veterans of the Southeast Texas Mardi Gras festival know one thing's for sure — you may lose track of time once you enter the gates, but when authorities start parting the seas of Mardi Gras people with roadblocks, it's time to get ready for the parade.


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Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum
Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum
Title of work: The
Fire Next Time, "Sonny's Blues," and "The Rockpile" by James Baldwin
Title of work
In Baldwin's work, you have the themes of alienation, of marginalization, coming of age, conflicts between father and son, mother, and mother and father or husband and wife. You have all of these conflicts, and the recurring theme is what it means to be on the outside. You also have the themes of migration, because he's ... if you look at his work, it starts in the 1950s, goes through the civil rights and continues up until the black arts movement, where some began to silence him. But he crosses a number of decades and represents a number of movements within the black literary tradition.
Q & A with Brenda Green
Why is James Baldwin an appropriate author for high school students to study?
James Baldwin represents the essential outsider. He always felt marginalized, which is something that young people identify with as they are growing up. How do I fit in this society as those hormones are going crazy? How do I fit in this culture? With whom am I going to connect? Baldwin's experiences as a black man and homosexual provides a starting point for getting students to talk about difference and what it means to be different.
Talk about the importance of Baldwin's nonfiction.
Baldwin is a prolific writer. He's a very complex man. I think it's important for people to read him and to look at his fiction as well as his nonfiction. Some people would say that his strongest writing is represented in his essays. And when he's writing in his personal voice, that's even more powerful. When he does his memoirs, Notes of a Native Son and The Fire Next Time, that's the writing that's making an impact, that's making a statement and that's why people turn to him, because of the power that comes from the emotions and the conflicts that he's dealt with.
Who were Baldwin's influences?
Baldwin crosses a number of decades and represents a number of movements within the black literary tradition. And you can see his influences, people like Richard Wright, who wrote Native Son, the whole Beat generation living in Greenwich Village.
Why did black writers ostracize Baldwin?
During the Black Arts movement, there were artists who were very nationalistic and very Afro-centric, and then you had those who were considered, like, more the integrationists. And those who were part of the more radical Afro-centric, nationalistic perspective were saying that people like James Ellison and James Baldwin were irrelevant. The fact that Baldwin was also a homosexual further distanced him from these movements. That was not something black men could be; you know, you had to be "the man." The man producing children. So he was silenced by a number of black artists.
So Baldwin was marginalized because of his sexual orientation. So although he wrote some strong, powerful essays, they weren't necessarily appreciated.
Baldwin also felt silenced by black writers and black artists and the Black Arts movement because he was not nationalistic. He did not espouse the Marxist view, and he was not Afro-centric. And part of the movement around the Black Arts was the whole concept of cultural nationalism, that not only did you have to produce art that was culturally relevant, you had to produce art that was political, that showed evidence of the African ancestry and that spoke to a national movement. And Baldwin was outside of that movement. He had the advantage of being able to look from the outside in, as a result of being in Europe and living abroad for a number of years. So he was caught between two worlds. I think that because of that, some of us, meaning those who were very caught up in the movement during that time, may not have read him as carefully as we should have.
Information about key references
In "Sonny's Blues," the protagonist, an aspiring jazz musician, draws a distinction between the musical style of Louis Armstrong and the "bebop" of Charlie Parker. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the bebop style, pioneered by Parker (known as "Bird") and others, was characterized by quick tempos, harmonic complexity, and improvisation. Standing in contrast to the more conservative, old-guard jazz of Armstrong, bebop was considered a bold, revolutionary force in music, and had broad implications in social and political spheres as well.
Like many other artists and writers, James Baldwin left for France in an effort to escape the racism of American society. While Europe offered him some respite and an opportunity to write, he soon found racism to be just as pervasive there.
Religious Influences
From early adolescence through his late teens, James Baldwin belonged to the Pentecostal Church of Mother Horn. There, he found solace from racial harassment and sexual exploitation. The presence of the church, and particularly the spiritual experiences of the "black church" known to many African American Christians, can be felt in much of Baldwin's writing, especially The Fire Next Time.
Black Masculinity
James Baldwin's novels and essays were written at a time when the African American literary scene was dominated by men. Contemporary criticism suggests that in much of Baldwin's literature, there is an effort to debunk the stereotype, long-held in portions of mainstream white society, that black men were over-sexualized and animalistic.
Suggestions for applying other theories to James Baldwin's work
A reader-response approach to James Baldwin's novels and essays allows students to explore their personal feelings about a variety of historic and contemporary events and issues. After reading one of his essays, teachers might have students write a fictitious letter to Baldwin in which they express their understanding of what they read. They can follow the letter with an imaginary interview in which they would describe the interview location and draft questions for Baldwin.
Teachers can give students an experience of the popular cultural context in which Baldwin lived by having them go to music stores to search for records produced during Baldwin's era. They can also research news - including politics, sporting events, and social issues -- by looking at old newspapers from that era. After their research, they can explore connections and draw inferences between Baldwin's writing and the popular culture texts.
James Baldwin was a fiery rhetorician who exuded great political force. Critical teaching could have students look at the specific political issues Baldwin tackled, and try to trace the development of his political activism. A follow-up would be to write reports or letters concerning the current status of those issues that concerned Baldwin -- or to examine new political issues that have evolved out of those older ones.
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Standish Youth Wrestling
These are a few of the State Placers that participated at the NEMWA State Wrestling tournament at Bay City Western on Feb. 26th. In all Standish had 15 of our young wrestlers take home a trophy out of the 26 who qualified for the State tournament. Pictured are from front to back left to right, Jonathan Luke,Tucker Rokosz,Seth Jackson,Nathan Tremble,Kurt Kroczaleski,A.J. Karnath,Lincoln Pritchard,Christopher Campau.
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Looks like a winning crew in a few years......
Wednesday, April 20, 2011 | Report this


text:
Wynton Marsalis is explaining jazz to me by talking about my boots. He is coming to Walt Disney Concert Hall this weekend to play his ambitious new composition, "Swing Symphony," with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. But before we get into musical details, he says, "I want you to understand the concept of swing."
"It's all about fundamentals," he says. "And what is a fundamental? A fundamental is me and you. We're two different people. I don't have any idea where you're from. Maybe you know I'm from New Orleans. I could look at your glasses, the color of your hair, your shirt, the way you're dressed — you have on boots — and deduce who you are. It would all be wrong."
The trumpet player, of course, is as famous for his sermons on jazz as for the pellucid tones of his horn. The subtitle of one of his books is: "How jazz can change your life." But on this afternoon, the 49-year-old musician, casually dressed in khakis and a pullover sweater, is all charm and enthusiasm.
Sitting on the edge of a couch in his dressing room at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the performing arts organization of which he is artistic director, shadowed by photographs of Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, Marsalis continues his verbal run.
Now, imagine this wasn't an interview, "which is an unnatural situation," he says, "and we just met on a plane and started talking. Man, we'd have so much in common. I got to figure out when I'm going to be quiet and when I'm going to ask you something. You have to figure out what you're going to pick up on. We're swinging! So the ultimate swing is when opposite poles comes together and are forced into a dance with each other."
"I think I've got it," I say, eliciting a smile from him. He then proceeds to launch into a five-minute dissertation on the rhythm of swing, punctuating his nouns and verbs with hand claps, foot taps and onomatopoeic sounds. Should he ever tire of the trumpet, Marsalis clearly has a future as a human one-man band.
Combining two seemingly opposite musical poles — classical music and jazz — into a swinging whole is what inspired Marsalis to put pen to stave. In six multivalent movements, "Swing Symphony" traces the quintessentially American journey of jazz from New Orleans ragtime to Kansas City swing to New York bebop.
For two performances at Disney Hall, Marsalis and his 15-piece big-band ensemble, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, will be flanked by the L.A. Phil, conducted by Leonard Slatkin, music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, a passionate advocate of new music and well known to local audiences for his many Southern California appearances.
Born into a jazz family, Marsalis also grew up with Beethoven on his mind. He earned bravos at age 16 for playing the Haydn Trumpet Concerto, studied classical music at Juilliard and in 1983 won a Grammy for an album of trumpet pieces by classical composers, including Mozart. (He also won a jazz Grammy that year.)
Since then, along with his 50 or so jazz albums, which have sold around 7 million copies, he's recorded nine classical albums that range across the canon; his 1997 oratorio, "Blood on the Fields," won the Pulitzer Prize. "Swing Symphony" is his third venture into classical music's big-time form, following "All Rise," a 12-part symphony recorded with the L.A. Phil in 1997, and the six-part "Blues Symphony," premiered at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 2009.
Orchestrating major productions describes Marsalis' role at Jazz at Lincoln Center. The nonprofit enterprise, housed in the Time Warner Center and a few blocks from Marsalis' apartment, hosts two clubs and the Frederick P. Rose Hall, an exquisite space that has graced the world's best jazz artists. For the past 23 years, the jazz czar has been on a mission to enlighten kindergarten kids to college students through the center's programs. Like "America's music" itself, he says, the center is about "relationships, communications and negotiations."
On their way to perform with the L.A. Phil, Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra are on tour — by bus, as Marsalis hates to fly — playing a repertoire of Marsalis originals and classics by Ellington, Coltrane and Mingus. Disney Hall features that concert Feb. 15. And they'll be back June 22, at the Hollywood Bowl with trumpeter Hugh Masekela.
Jazz beats at the heart of Marsalis' classical compositions. He sees them as descendents of works by early 20th century black composers Will Marion Cook and William Grant Still, the Jackie Robinsons of classical music in America.
Marsalis also proudly admits that his musical path was paved by George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein, who swung open the patrician white doors of Broadway and Carnegie Hall to African American and Latin American music. Most of all he is indebted to Duke Ellington, who perennially strove to show that jazz and classical music belong on the same cultural stage.
As Marsalis reminds me, Gershwin and Ellington faced racism all along the way — Gershwin for supposedly condescending to blacks by employing blues in "Porgy and Bess," Ellington for daring to invoke Richard Strauss and Debussy in "Black, Brown and Beige."
"People thought, 'What's this black person doing writing this music?'" Marsalis says. "It was the same with people saying Bill Cosby was pretentious because his character on his TV show was a doctor."
But Marsalis sees more than black vs. white. By combining genres, Gershwin and Ellington gave the world a harmonious racial tune. And Marsalis has taken heart from it.
He wrote "Swing Symphony," he says, in a spirit of American optimism. What makes it American? "My belief in the freedom of other people who are not like me," he says.
Through its evocations of music rooted in America, Marsalis adds, the symphony is saying, "We don't have to segregate ourselves from who we are. We are Winslow Homer. We are Walt Whitman. We are William Faulkner. We are George Gershwin. We are Duke Ellington. We are Louis Armstrong. All we have to do is embrace that."
Progress, too, can be seen in the concert hall. "It may seem unnatural to have a lot of horns sitting around violas and cellos," Marsalis says. "But from a cultural standpoint, we have never met with anything but love from orchestras."
That was true for the Berlin Philharmonic and its conductor, Simon Rattle. For years, Marsalis and Rattle had discussed collaborating on a new work. The genesis of "Swing Symphony," Marsalis says, "was very much about doing something with Simon. I wanted it to be something he would like and we could play." The work was co-commissioned by the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic and London's Barbican.
During a week of rehearsals in June 2010, Rattle urged the musicians, "Swing hard and swing harder!" Just as Marsalis hoped, the jazz and classical musicians were soon dancing right in step — thanks, Rattle explained, to Marsalis' composition.
"The idea was not to do the normal thing, where you get the jazz band playing and the orchestra doing something stiff in between," he said in an interview, filmed by the Berlin Philharmonic following a rehearsal. Rather, Marsalis created "something where we are really like two orchestras, a concerto for two orchestras [having] a conversation."
Clearly, the classical musicians loved the dialogue. In a short film made by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra members in Berlin, Sarah Willis, an ebullient French horn player with the Berlin Philharmonic, says, "We feel like completely stiff, inflexible idiots playing with you guys. It's so fantastic. It's been the most amazing week of the season."
For his part, Marsalis was worried about the Berlin premiere, which took place June 9. "Sometimes when you hear new pieces, they just sound like noise," he says. "I'll be sitting in the middle of everybody, playing, and I'm thinking, 'Damn, it doesn't sound like I thought it would!' But when we first played in Berlin, we were all looking around, going, 'OK, this sounds much better than what we normally experience.'"
Last September, the New York Phil opened its 2010 season with "Swing Symphony." Berlin and New York audiences greeted the piece with loud applause. Critics were muted, praising the jazz but questioning whether it shortchanged the orchestra and prevented the work as whole from taking flight as a symphony.
Although Marsalis doesn't bother with reviews — "You get into middle age and you lose interest in that stuff" — he accepts the criticism that jazz and orchestral writing can undermine each other.
"It can undermine both," he says. "And I don't know that I avoided it. I'm trying to." And therein lies a final lesson.
"Say I'm playing trumpet and a guy starts to play the clarinet," he says. "Does it undermine me that I can't play high Cs and Ds that I would like to play? Yeah. But now there's two of us playing. We can reach a mutual objective that's much more powerful than just me playing. And you know what that is?"
"I do," I say.
"That's swinging," he says.


text:
Elvis on Tour at The O2 - Tue 23rd Jan 2018
- Durée: 1 Jours
- Code produit: P0NB1P
Due to the phenomenal success of the previous Elvis Exhibition in 2014, Elvis is back! Elvis On Tour will showcase more than 200 artefacts from the Graceland archives in the UK for the very first time. Specific items leaving Graceland for the first time in this unique exhibition include; over 35 jumpsuits and stage wear, guitars, microphones, tour trunks, concert posters, memorabilia and advertisements. Perfect day out for all Elvis fans in the heart of the 02's celebrated entertainment hub in East London. Fantastic selection of restaurants to choose from. Limited availability.
Price includes entrance.
Dropping off point – O2, London.
Estimated time of arrival - 12.00pm approx.
Departure time - 4.30pm approx. (TBC by driver on day)
Return to the local area – 7.30/8.30pm approx.


text:
Willis Allen's Premium Listings are our most exclusive properties that are listed for $1 million and above. These premier properties not only get the Willis Allen luxury treatment locally, but they also gain global exposure through our exclusive affiliations with Christie's International Real Estate and Luxury Portfolio.
Christie's International Real Estate – a division of the Christie's art auction house – was formed to satisfy the lifestyle requirements of discerning clientele. By cultivating a unique balance of worldwide scope with a personal touch through local affiliates like Willis Allen Real Estate, Christie's International Real Estate has become a global authority on the effective marketing of fine properties. The Christie's brand – like that of Willis Allen – is defined by trust, integrity, discretion and excellence.
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This information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. You should rely on this information only to decide whether or not to further investigate a particular property. BEFORE MAKING ANY OTHER DECISION, YOU SHOULD PERSONALLY INVESTIGATE THE FACTS (e.g. square footage and lot size) with the assistance of an appropriate professional. You may use this information only to identify properties you may be interested in investigating further. All uses except for personal, non-commercial use in accordance with the foregoing purpose are prohibited. Redistribution or copying of this information, any photographs or video tours is strictly prohibited. This information is derived from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) service provided by Sandicor®. Displayed property listings may be held by a brokerage firm other than the broker and/or agent responsible for this display. The information and any photographs and video tours and the compilation from which they are derived is protected by copyright. Compilation © 2019 Sandicor®, Inc.


text:
8 cups your favorite kind of lettuce
3/4 cup small shrimp or blue crab meat
3 to 4 teaspoons fresh chives cut in at least 1/2 inch length
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup reduced-fat croutons
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard (powdered)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Whisk all ingredients for dressing together until emulsified and chill in refrigerator until serving time.
Lightly toss lettuce with shrimp or crab meat and fresh chives with the dressing a little at a time.
You can always add more dressing if you need, but if you add to much it's almost impossible to remove it.
Serve with extra dressing on side and garnish with fresh ground black pepper, croutons and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves four
– See more at: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Recipes/Sides/Healthy-Homemade-Caesar-Salad#sthash.esLMHDel.dpuf


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So many things are on my heart right now. I've wanted to write them down for a few days now, but just didn't know where to start. If this ends up being a "popcorn post" (all over the place), that's why.
|My mom
|Celebrating my 4th birthday
My mom and I weren't as close as I think a mom and daughter should be. There are a lot of reasons for that, and the many miles that separated us is not the only one. We talked fairly often and always had a connection, but it just wasn't the mother-grown daughter relationship that I hope to have with my own daughters. Regardless, she's still my mom. I love her, and I miss her.
The last couple of weeks have been full of moments that remind me of the anniversary that approaches. Remembering Kristen's CT scan last July and believing that this test would prove to the surgeon that we wouldn't need him after all. The x-rays and ultrasounds done on Kristen after her birth didn't show the mass in her chest. We just "knew" that the CT scan would be evidence that God had healed our baby girl. But, it wasn't to be. The mass was still there and had to be removed. As straightforward as the surgery sounded (though certainly not a routine procedure by any means), it didn't turn out as any of us had imagined.
I'm still struggling so much with feeling out of place in situations and relationships where I once was so comfortable. Every part of my life has been affected by the death of my daughter. Nothing feels "normal" anymore. When we were on vacation in Colorado a couple of months ago, I remember actually feeling, for a couple of very brief moments, pretty much like I did before my life was suddenly turned upside down. Perhaps it was the change of scenery or the company we were with or just being able to step out, even for just a minute, from underneath the cloud of sorrow that follows me around.
My dear sister-in-law's due date approaches, and I find myself still so very torn between being happy for her and so very sad for me. Every week that goes by seems to get harder. I think what I worry about most is that Kristen will be forgotten by the rest of the family once my niece arrives. I've been told that's silly, but the thought is still there. I am praying for extra grace in that area.
As I continue to mull over these things (and several that I didn't include here), I know beyond all doubt that God will reveal something in each one that I need to learn. I'm doing my best to pay attention to Him, to glean the good from such difficult times.


text:
[Page 36]
by Haim Gmar
Translation by Naomi Gal
The wounds of World War One had not yet healed, the revolution had not yet settled down and the new ways of Jewish life in the cities of Ukraine were not yet set, when the Ukrainian commonwealth announced freedom and national self-determination for all its inhabitants. Jewish representatives were active in the new state regime. But the honeymoon of the new state did not last for long; internal conflicts, political and national influences caused a civil war whose results for the country, its citizens and the Jews were tragic.
Ukrainians ruled Rovno since the declaration of the independent commonwealth. They were conquering one post after another. Most inhabitants, Jews and others, except the peasants in the nearby villages, still considered themselves as Russian citizens. The situation was unstable and the powerlessness of the regime which had no time to stabilize, was well felt. The disputes and disagreements were not only amid the heads of the regime, which entailed change of governments, but among the administration and the army as well. The anarchy was a threat to the large Jewish population in Ukraine. There were rumors about different camps of fighting Ukrainians being formed as an official army, headed by nationalists who were harming Jewish citizens. The rumors had a solid ground since the Jews still remembered the way the Cossacks treated them
In the summer of 1918 there were in Rovno a few isolated incidents between Ukrainians soldiers and Jews. When the incidents became more severe, representatives of the Jewish Community complained to the authorities and this helped. Things settled down, although there were still reports about robberies and looting in the areas outside of the city; the Jews in Rovno believed that the raging soldiers would not dare touch the city population.
But the reports grew more frequent and people in Rovno were agitated. Soon a few weeks passed by and Petliura's army, on its way to grab power, was approaching Rovno. The Ukrainian darkening skies horrified the Jews. It was clear that the top Ukrainian phalanges and the government, as well as the enlisting of veterans into the Russian army, were summoned by Petliura in order to liberate the homeland from the reign of Hetmanate Skoropadsky and his German associates, which would not be a blessing for the Jews. There were many signs indicating that Petliura or his assistants and advisors gave a free hand to destroy Jews in different ways and places. There was a rumor that the soldiers got permission to take all they needed from the Jews. So began the riots against Ukraine Jews.
A regular Hetmanate army was stationed in Rovno and in the vicinity. The last days before it left the city due to pressure from Petliura's armies, were days of fear for the Jews. Tension grew when they found out that the stationed army was indeed leaving and the city was in danger of remaining with no structure or army. And then they heard echoes of shootings growing closer. The sounds came from unruly soldiers who were roaming the streets and of panic-stricken army-units passing through. They took, grabbed, stole anything they could and left. They did not clash with Jews but scared them deeply. When dark came, shouts and cries could be heard every now and then, but no one was brave enough to go out and help. Everyone stayed behind closed shutters and doubly locked doors. The lights in most houses were turned off to avoid the attention from the troublemakers. The shootings and shouting testified the attackers assaults. It was an alarming night for the Jews.
With daylight the signs of the looting could be seen: remains of goods and clothes that were left behind by the soldiers who ran wild throughout the night. Not one Ukrainian soldier was left in town. The children were not sent to school that day, and all the stores besides grocery shops were closed. There was anticipation and lots of guessing. In the evening units of guards patrolled the streets. At night the guards saw the forerunners of Petliura's army pass through the city without stopping. At noon the next day groups of soldiers entered the city. They were Petliura's armies chasing their Ukrainians brothers from Hetmanate Skoropadsky's army. The conquering army hastened to announce that the national army came to cleanse the city and its surroundings from the destroyers of the Ukrainian homeland. The citizens were ordered to help the army and its victory and get back to normal life. The shop owners were ordered to renew their commerce at once. Finally a threat was issued declaring that whoever helps the enemy will be court-martialed.
Rovno Jews heard the announcement and were terrorized. Petliura's army seemed to them as gangs and not as a regular army, but they were powerless and scared. They were ordered to stay home at night and a curfew was declared. The guards, organized the previous night, had to be dispelled.
That night groups of soldiers from the conquering army attacked Jewish households in several parts of the city. They robbed, beat and raped indiscriminately and without pity. All of a sudden the fire brigade alarm was heard (the firemen back then were all volunteering Jews). Soon a few firemen appeared with their cart, the famous khbhhev (fire brigade) armed with clubs beside their fire extinguishers. The gangs next to Litman the baker on Soborna Street saw the firemen approaching noisily and retreated alarmed while the firemen and some of the night guards' youngsters chased them.
Rovno Jews were shaken, realizing what they could expect from the new regime. The heads of the community assembled an urgent meeting, discussed the situation and sent a delegation to the city's commander, a young low-ranked officer, voicing the Jews apprehensions after the events of the previous night. His response was short and dry: I don't know of any harm done to citizens by soldiers. I will investigate and if indeed our soldiers were having fun I hope it will not be repeated. You go back to your brothers and tell them to show hospitality to our soldiers, invite them and feed them and take good care of them. If you will do what you have to do, our soldiers will be able to fight properly and win over our enemies. If you fail to do so it will be your responsibility.
The delegates left the meeting with the officer frightened; they were about to offer him a gift, but after his decisive statement they lost heart.
There was no guarantee that the situation would be rectified but surprisingly enough the aggravation stopped (besides a few minor incidents) while Petliura's armies went on ravaging other cities and towns.
Meanwhile hundreds of Jews from the vicinity flocked to Rovno fearing Petliura's and other armies that were roaming everywhere and assaulting Jews. The different reports about Ukrainian civil war and the Bolshevik threat increased the fear. Those were difficult times for Rovno Jews. Jews were scapegoats in every political change. It seems as if to this day there is no exact estimate of the pogroms Petliura's men inflicted on Ukraine Jews. There is no ground to the belief that Petliura himself did not perform riots on the Jews, but that his untamed armies went wild and their leader could not curb them This black page in Ukrainian Jews history in Petliura's times, 1919-1920, will remain engraved forever as a stigma of the forehead of Symon Petliura, the national Ukrainian oppressor: the memory of the rivers of our brothers' blood can never be wiped clean.
Here are some of the riots Petliura's bandits performed on Rovno Jews as I witnessed them with my own eyes in the spring of 1919:
It was known in the city that Petliura's soldiers were attacking Jews wherever they went. The citizens remembered their entrance to the city and were agitated. Fear increased when the Jewish peddlers who traded in the surrounding villages reported that the non-Jews in many of the Ukrainians villages were preparing for robberies in the city to avenge the Jews they always hated. Soon the day came.
On the afternoon of Tuesday May 22, 1919 a train arrived with dozens of coaches full with the Ukrainian army and, instead of passing by, the army stopped in the city. Passers-by saw armed soldiers marching toward Shossejna, the main street, singing animatedly and then crying: Jel, jel
When the Jews heard about it they were terrorized. In streets and alleys people were running around panic-stricken, seeking for a passage or a hiding place, rushing to their homes or their relatives. The stores closed down and the market emptied.
Back then my family lived in the Great Minska Street, next to the creek. When the commotion began all of us kids came home, the shutters were drawn down and silence fell on the house. Father's gentle walk from room to room reminded the children that it is unthinkable to make any noise in those moments of danger: we knew that Petliura's people are in town, that they are dangerous and that we should fear them. The rooms were dark; the family was sitting in the corner listening to every rustle and step in the street. Dad began reading psalms, pushed prayer books into our hands saying: read psalms, children! We knew nothing about the happenings in the city and the hours seemed as long as days and weeks.
When night fell the house filled with terror. Shadows were dancing on the walls and we heard drunken shouts. By the sound of the steps in the street we knew that Petliura's bandits were cruising the streets. And then we heard the cries: Bai Jidov! (hit the Jews) and following screams of gevald! (help!) The screams subsided and were then renewed. The air was filled with voices of women and crying children mixed with wild laughter and Ukrainian shouts. My mother, who was constantly sighing, turned lost to my father: what will happen to the kids, where can we hide them? Maybe in the closet? But dad didn't respond, sitting concentrating and never stopped reading psalms: God hear me with emphasis and in low voice. We didn't ask for food, we huddled close together and fell asleep in our clothes.
Morning came. Light was streaming through the shutters. Mother was sitting on a stool in the corner, miserable, tired and dozing off. Dad, pale due to lack of sleep, went every now and then to the window facing the street and peeked out through the shutters to see what was going on. Finally he couldn't control himself and half opened the kitchen backdoor. He hesitated a moment till he saw the neighbor leaving his backyard. Father went to him and a third neighbor appeared. From him we learned some of the horrors of last night: in the pogrom that lasted all night Mussia Zabronski and his wife, from 34 Shusnya street were murdered, as well as Pinhas Fishman and his son, Samson Stein (he was murdered on the roof of his house blowing his horn in alarm.) We supposed that there were many more dead and wounded in the city. We heard that most of the stores in the market were pillaged. Non-Jews from the neighborhood went from shop to shop and took whatever they could find.
Berl son of Zelig Maykovski
(Page 39 in the Hebrew version)
While the three were talking we heard from a nearby alley a woman screaming: they are coming! and those standing scurried quickly to their homes.
In less then an hour a soldier was standing in the room, cursing and demanding money from dad, while pulling his beard. We were all in the adjunct room and mom was perched around us like a bird protecting her nestlings, we were sobbing, but mother tried to silence us. Father handed the soldier a bundle of bills, but he wanted more and more, while holding a gun. Through the wall we heard dad plead while the soldier was searching the closet and the drawers. More soldiers entered by the open window and the house filled with drunken soldiers who entered the other room as well, spitting and laughing rowdily and wildly. They took what they wanted, overturned the closet and left for the closest house, while we were frozen by fear.
A group of the remains of the self-defense guards [1] Borek, Haim Mekel, Berl Mayakovski and others went at dawn to guard the streets. In Tomrovsky Alley a bullet heat Berl Maykovski, the leader, and he fell down covered with blood. The murders stabbed his body and abused him. Another victim was added to those of last night.
Towards noon we heard the call: Jews, leave your houses! we didn't know what that meant. Father hesitated at first, but then went out and came back immediately saying that the call came from Dr. Segal and Dr. Goldstein, city leaders. They risked their lives going through the city while Petliura people were busy robbing in broad daylight and called for the Jews to leave their houses and save their lives and property. This ensued after they succeeded in contacting the army's main headquarter that was located in Zdolbonov Station and reported the events that were taking place in the city. They were promised the game was over and asked people to resume their normal lives.
This ended Petliura's pogrom in Rovno, the yield was twenty-two victims, around one hundred wounded and much of Jewish property looted.
[Page 40]
by Engineer M. Gildenman
Translation by Naomi Gal
The wave of pogroms that washed over Jewish Communities in Volhynia and Podillia in the summer of 1919, either organized or randomized by Petliura's armies, and in which around 150,000 Jews were exterminated, did not spare Rovno Jews. The city was on Brisk-Kiev, the main road that served as main artery for all the armed forces that conquered Volhynia for a short or long period of time in the years after the Russian Revolution. Rovno at that time was a Ukrainian center, and in and around her were stationed the main army headquarters. The luxurious apartments of the city's wealthy citizens were confiscated for officers or army offices. The city was an important strategic center: her railroad connected Western Ukraine to Podole on one side and to Policia's region on the other, where bitter fights took place in 1919. The fear Rovno Jews felt at those frantic days was not unfounded since they had already experienced the cruelty of Petliura's people. The rumors about the pogrom in Proskurov on February 15 1919, in which 1650 Jews were murdered by Petliura's bandits, were spreading all over Podillia and Volhynia and reached Rovno as well. They had no time to digest the atrocity when they heard about the pogrom in Zhitomir, were between March 23 to March 26 1919, 317 Jews were slaughtered. The Jews in Volhynia, Podillia and the Kiev region were constantly terrified of pogroms. More so after they saw the Ukrainian army-units performing them openly, with no law abiding them. The fear increased in face of the hostile attitude of the Ukrainian population that was being inflamed by suspicious elements. The feeling was that Jewish blood was permitted, and in every place where Jews and Christians lived together propagandists called openly for robbery and murder. Once the beast was released it was difficult to restrain it. That is how things were in Rovno and neighboring areas. The severity of the situation back then can be seen in a memorandum sent by Rovno Community to Ataman Petliura who was back then the head of the Ukrainian armies. The memorandum was submitted on March 26 1919 and stated:
To the president of the directorate of the National Ukrainian Ataman Petliura and to Ataman Askilko, the chief commander of the south-west front.This memorandum was submitted to the bloody ruler of Ukraine Ataman Symon Petliura, but with no results. As were in vain hundreds of interviews and memorandums of Jews from other Ukrainians cities and towns. The rulers in charge not only refrained from taking any measures to prevent the bloody deeds; they didn't even see fit to respond to the memorandums.
Memorandum from the Jewish community of Rovno:The grave hour that is upon Ukrainians Jews in general, and Rovno's and its surrounding Jewish population in particular, compels us to inform the democratic authorities of the Ukrainian Republic as follows:The Jewish Community in Rovno, based on the above-mentioned, and assessing the grave danger Jews are facing, felt it was their duty to draw the attention of the Supreme Rulers of the Ukrainian National Republic and to point out the venom being spread by irresponsible elements, venom that carries destruction which must not be ignored.
Documented Evidence:
- Lately suspicious elements are conducting forceful propaganda in writing and verbally with the clear aim of inciting riots and pogroms against Jews.
- In the city and in its surroundings pamphlets are posted on walls and poles in public areas, especially among the army, signed by unfamiliar institutions. In many of these pamphlets the Christians are called to take a bloody revenge on the Jids, the haters of human race.
- In different parts of the city, especially in markets and busy streets, unfamiliar people in army uniform are conducting pogrom propaganda. They attack solitary Jews, not only verbally but physically as well, and they entice riots amongst the peaceful population.
- The official newspaper Free Ukraine publishes frequent articles and essays that could instill hatred among Christians for the Jewish Nation. As a proof we enclose several documents and facts about the latest happenings in Rovno.
- A manifest calling: Brothers! and signed by the Ukrainian Public Spirituality (Printed in thousands of copies in Hazantshook printing press in Rovno)
- A copy of a pamphlet headlined: Peasants! signed by the Cossacks of the Ukrainian Republic (attached is a copy certified by the Jewish Ministry)
- A pamphlet in Russian To all the Red Army Soldiers! signed by the Rebels of the first Soviet Soldier
- A pamphlet to the Ukrainian people signed by the Cossacks of the Active Army
- Issues of the newspaper Free Ukraine containing articles and defamations in an anti-Semitic style.
- On April 7 masses of people, mainly soldiers, convened next to the barracks in Rovno, and an unfamiliar man in uniform delivered, undisturbed, an inflaming speech with pogrom connotations and encouraged the crowds to destroy and kill the Jews.
- On April 17 at 2 o'clock in the afternoon obscure elements in uniform attacked Jews next the Brom stores and cruelly beat two Jews, creating panic amid the peaceful population. The storeowners had to close their shops and escape. No one interfered with the rioters' deeds.
- On April 19 at 5 o'clock in the afternoon a sailor from the volunteers' army amassed crowds from the streets, mainly soldiers, and conducted propaganda enticing local people to perform pogroms on the Jews. He boasted that he slaughtered over three hundred Jews with his bare hands.
In view of the danger facing the lives and property of the Jewish Population, and since the general accusation against the Jewish People undermines its national pride, and turning one part of the population against another damages the whole republic, the representatives of the Jewish Community of Rovno asked the Supreme Rulers of the Kingdom to take extraordinary measures to protect the lives and properties of the Jewish Population and to forcefully conduct a war against the Black Century propaganda of irresponsible elements.
The Jewish Community of Rovno (signature)
Rovno, March 26 1919
Meanwhile there were a few incidents against Jews in the city, but not a full-fledged pogrom. A great help was the sincere and firm attitude of Kovenko, the city-commander, a liberal who arrived on scene with his own squadron and dispersed the rioters. Days went by and the Jews almost got used to the situation in the city, but on May 20 Petliura army was about to leave Rovno under Bolsheviks' pressure. Before they left, the city commander Kovenko advised the city leadership to take charge of the city and organize a municipal militia. His farewell from the city leaders was friendly and in haste.
The same day an urgent meeting of the municipal authority was held with the participation of community representatives and the workers' unions. They discussed the situation and organized an armed militia, mostly Jews who were members of the self-defense group. Guards were patrolling the streets. But this militia operated one day only. The next day, on March 21, an armed train of Petliura's army arrived to Stralitz, Rovno's train station and when the commander of the train heard about the civil police force controlling Rovno, he suspected it is was a Bolshevik force and immediately sent soldiers to disarm the members of the militia and disperse them. (While they were disarming the militia they arrested Helez, a Jewish student, took him to an investigation on the train and killed him by electric shock). Rovno Jews now depended on the graces of the commander, a Jew-hater, who was stationed in his train; Jews didn't know what would become of their city. As usually in these cases, there was fear of pogroms and a bad premonition. And indeed, close to midnight, when the city was fast asleep, groups of soldiers left the train station, spread over the city and began pillaging. They went from house to house in the center of the city, robbed money and jewelry, took clothes and any objects they fancied. Many Jews were beaten to death, there were cases of rape, desperate cries and pleas for help echoed through different parts of the city, but the cries were to no avail no help was on the way.
And then a daring venture at defense was made. A group of youngsters from the defense group of Africanska Street stood up, and armed with axes, clubs and guns went against the rioters. The group advanced rapidly and reached a place where a robbery was being held and with their courage and determination succeeded in warding off the rioting soldiers, who did not expect any resistance from the disarmed Jews. The cries were silenced for a while. But the bandits arrived to the train station and reported being attacked by Jews. They got reinforcement from the armed train and at the same time they began shooting their canons from nearby Volya. The defenders were in dire straits and had to retreat. The soldiers reappeared and went on pillaging and murdering without disturbance. And so elapsed the night of May 22 a night of fear and horror for Rovno Jews.
In the morning commander Kovenko arrived in Rovno with a squadron of soldiers, cruised the city, saw what happened and addressed at once the Stralitz. As a result the rioters were given an order to stop at once. But for some it was too late: ten dead Jews and about twenty wounded, among them old Trachman from Volya. There were around fifty lighter casualties, as for the robberies tens and tens of thousands.
[Page 43]
by Arieh Harrari
Translation by Naomi Gal
It is 1919. By all signs it seems that the Ukrainian rule in Rovno is dying, but no one knows who would replace the crumbling regime. Some predict the return of the Bolsheviks, others believe that the white-Russians might come back, and maybe it would be the Poles? Jews kept speculating. They guessed, but didn't know what was in store for them.
The hypothesis that the Ukrainian armies were about to leave Rovno and its surroundings grew stronger every day and the Jews feared the day they would leave as much as they feared the day that the new conquerors would enter They had bitter experiences from days of retreat and occupation. Days of anarchy without stable rulers when lawlessness spread everywhere.
Monday evening the Ukrainian armies were heading to Lutsk. Some observers interpreted it as the last retreat, but could give no explanations. The armies' traffic went on all night. The next day was a cloudy day. An autumn rain and some snow were falling down alternately from the gloomy sky. Since no soldiers were seen in the city's streets, everyone presumed that indeed this was the last retreat. To be on the safe side they kept out of the streets. A rumor spread about bands of soldiers creating havoc and robbing Jewish apartments the previous night.
A few days earlier a delegation representing Rovno Jews, headed by Dr. Segal went to the Ukrainian army headquarters in Klevan, next to Rovno, reported the rowdy behavior of the soldiers and asked for protection for the Jews. The delegation, by the way, brought a gift of money. It worked: a young officer heading an armed unit was sent at once to control the soldiers in the city and prevent their harming peaceful citizens and Jews among them. The rioters were threatened by severe punishments. The officer went out on his mission representing the headquarters and carrying Kovenko's orders, the city's commander who was known in Rovno as an objector to any irresponsible acts and persecutions of Jews. Now, facing the grave situation and the lack of authority in the city, a second delegation was about to travel to Kovenko and ask for protection, but the train was off limits for military reasons and driving a cart was too dangerous. The plan was postponed and the Jews had to suffer another terrifying night.
In the morning the spearhead of the Russian-Bolshevik army entered the city, advancing from two sides toward Klevan and Dubno. All were panic-stricken: the behavior of this unorganized army was still remembered, like the Ukrainian Cossacks they robbed and confiscated objects, merchandises and food wherever they could find them, and the confusion was great.
On that day non-Jews from the neighboring villages were seen in the city with their wives, carrying bags. The appearance of the gentiles raised suspicions did they come to pillage? Some wise men explained: since they felt the Soviet Regime aimed to overthrow the wealthy (according to them the Jews), they came to assist. Word of mouth was that the Bolshevik's partisans intended to welcome the new rulers that were about to enter the city in a few hours. But the hours grew longer, and later that afternoon a squadron of two hundred soldiers was seen on the main street preceded by horsemen. The soldiers did not linger in town they moved toward Klevan and came back to Rovno as night fell. That night armed units of the Russian army entered Rovno and took control. Every now and then there were sounds of shootings till the Russians occupied the whole region.
On Thursday morning a few Jews left their houses on the way to the synagogue, praying shawls and teffilin under their arms. They intended to find out what was happening in the city, but soldiers who stood on guard blocked their passage and sent them back home. Indeed the fear was not unfounded; the conquest of the city by the Russian would be followed by Jewish bloodshed; walking a few steps farther some of the Jews were shot. Three victims were found on the pavement in front of the Home of the Aged on Frantszuska Street. Rovno Jews were outraged: is this the redeeming and liberating regime?
The city was in mourning. A big funeral was held for the victims of the previous night, and there was fury and discontent with the new regime. Not so for the supporters of the Bolsheviks: they ignored the sad incident and hastened to send a delegation to the Bolsheviks expressing their wish to provide the army its needs and reminded their loyalty to Bolshevism in the past, when the city was under the Bolsheviks. The same day a City Council was founded including representatives of ex-Bunds and others who enthusiastically declared themselves Bolsheviks' loyalists. By Sunday a plan was drafted and a list made for collecting contributions from the bourgeoisie, meaning the Jewish merchants. The following day public announcements were posted by the City Council demanding those merchants pay the exaggerated sums they were taxed. Some Jews who were at the regime's service helped collect the money, as they helped make the tax assessments and supposedly mediated the reduction with a payoff later.
Among the bits of information given to the conquerors were the names of the prominent Zionists in the city. They were described as dangerous counter-revolutionary and their persecution began at once, as it was under the Tsar and worse. Every Jew who did not cooperate with the new regime was considered an enemy and a profiteer someone who smuggles merchandise and sells it for exorbitant prices. Soon the confiscations began: apartments, furniture, food, merchandise, money and everything of value. In short: everything that could be taken. Allegedly this exploitation was meant for all citizens, but in fact the Jews were the main sufferers. And not necessarily the rich among them: all were weighted down by the new regime.
Those were difficult times for Rovno Jews. They were oppressed and there was no law to protect them. Most of the Jewish inhabitants were having a tough time adjusting to the new reality. But soon the Bolsheviks, under the Polish army pressure that conquered most of Volhynia, evacuated Rovno, again life conditions changed and Rovno was under a new oppressor the Polish army. But this regime as well did not last and left in haste the way it came. The Jews were again locked at home waiting fearfully for the change of regime, without knowing what the next day will bring.
Soon the Bolsheviks were back ruling for a few months till the Polish army took over half of Volhynia, and Rovno became a Polish city.
[Page 45]
by Sara Shacnai
Translation by Naomi Gal
Once the Ukrainian armies left Rovno in spring 1919 the Red Army entered the city and established at once the Soviet Government. In addition to the many officials and servicemen who came to Rovno from the outside, many locals, mainly youth, were hired for different positions and administrative jobs. The truth is that most of the hired people were Jews, to the point that it seemed as if Jews and Bolsheviks were one and the same, which served as proof for those among the non-Jewish population claiming that Jews are indeed Bolsheviks.
How come the Jewish youth helped establish the local Soviet Government? Some young men and women who worked for the Bolsheviks back then were asked this question, and their answers are quite typical:
It is simple, said one of them. On the first day the Bolsheviks entered the city soldiers stopped me in the street and made me dig a grave for a dead soldier. My attempts to evade did not work. They said that every citizen had to serve the freeing government 'and you obey at once my order'. I realized this is an unequivocal order and decided to apply for a job instead of being dragged to perform odd jobs.
A young woman who was preparing for exams at a local high school explains: I saw that the new regime forces you to work using the slogan 'He Who Does Not Work Does Not Eat.' I understood that sooner or later, if the Bolsheviks will rule the city, I would have to work. So should I wait to be forced? I enrolled to the waiters' union as a worker in Abraham Mann's coffeehouse (but as a matter of fact I didn't work, and was able to go on preparing for my exams). And then the union summoned me to an urgent meeting I went. For some reason I caught the eye of one of the activists and was asked to be the union's secretary. I tried to wiggle out, but he raised his voice at me saying: 'with us you don't dodge. You have to fill up any job you are given'. That's how I became a worker for the Soviets for the whole three months they governed Rovno.
A man around thirty gave another point of view: I was a grocer for many years. And then I found out that my livelihood was revoked and that I will wind-up being an unproductive bourgeois in the eyes of the Bolsheviks, and I'll have to pay contributions, the way the rich merchants had to. So it was best to look for a job as someone who is unemployed. I did that and was appointed as a controller of merchandises.
A youngster who was passionately drawn to the Bolsheviks confessed: Didn't we suffer enough under Tsar Nicholas' boot? Now, when Russia is liberated and all the citizens enjoy freedom, isn't it our duty to be with the liberators and the revolutionary regime?
Back then Rovno Zionists were walking on the sideways so as not to attract attention. They didn't know what to do; they didn't apply for and didn't get jobs. In some cases they heard comments, especially the young ones, telling them that is it unfair to avoid serving the new regime that needs everybody. Barkov, one of the high officers, a young student from Zhytomyr, working in Rovno, told a young Zionist: You will come to a bad end if you don't obey orders and serve us. Think about the counter-revolutionaries, and you'll understand what's in stake for you.
It was difficult for Jewish Rovno to come to terms with the new regime's order, its rules and regulations, businesses came to halt, stores were closed, merchandises were confiscated and many people were unemployed. Confiscating property was something that happened on a daily basis, and these actions were executed by those who served the authorities with the help of soldiers of the Red Army. There were cases when a son had to operate against his father, against one's own blood. The ransom demanded from the merchants, meaning the local Jews, was collected in whole or partially after threats, pressure and imprisonments. The number of government and military offices grew, meetings and parades became daily routine, so that Rovno seemed like a celebrating, revolutionary city, but in fact the citizens were unhappy with the regime, Jews and Christians alike, except the few who supported and served the authorities.
After three months the Bolsheviks suddenly left the city under the pressure of the Polish forces, and with them went some of the youngsters who worked for them.
[Page 47]
by Abraham Mann
Translation by Naomi Gal
Spring of 1920. When the Russians left Rovno the Polish army came back. And this is how a Rovno citizen describes the Polish re-entrance:
For two days we were trapped at home. We stayed in interior rooms, hiding, fearing to show ourselves outside. The fear was from those who left as much as it was of those arriving, since we didn't know who they were. In periods of change citizens are always in danger, especially Jews. We were veterans and knew that when there is no ruler, ruthless criminals arise to power. Every new conqueror acts carelessly and every retreating one doesn't care about the citizens and gives his soldiers free range with the excuse of leaving nothing for the enemy. On the second day after the Russians left, at eleven o'clock in the evening, when I could no longer stand the isolation, I decided to move with my family from our hiding place to my apartment, which was at the same courtyard facing the street. I peeked around the corner to see what was going on and didn't see a soul, I just heard galloping of horses. I called for my neighbor and we both stood for about fifteen minutes at the entrance to the courtyard. Suddenly we saw three horsemen. We were frightened, but couldn't retreat. From their broken Russian we assumed they were Poles. One of them asked for water for themselves and their horses. I run to the courtyard and brought back a bucket of water. One of the horsemen asked me: are you Jewish? Yes, I answered. He giggled, ordered me to stand against the wall and aimed his gun at me. My wife who just arrived protected me with her body and begged for my life. The horsemen smirked and said: 'a Jew deserves a bullet' and left. That was the beginning of the Polish entrance to Rovno
The sight of the Shossejna, the main street
at the time the Poles entered the city, 1920
(Page 47 in the Hebrew version)
When the citizens woke up in the morning they found the Polish army roaming the streets and guards at streets' corners. Imprisonments began at once: citizens were arrested with no discrimination, especially Jews. Shalom-Fridel Langer, the attendant of the old school, was arrested because he gave shelter in the school's attic to some refugees who came from across the border. He suffered in prison a few months until the Jewish institutions were able to free him. Everyone suspected in having had relations with the Bolsheviks was arrested and interrogated. From the Polish Regime point of view every Jewish youngster was a suspect. The deep-rooted Polish anti-Semitism was well felt, but lo and behold! There were no violent abuses of Jews. On the contrary: there were reports about their civil behavior in some cases, did they change their nature or did they get an order to behave that way? One way or another, the Poles were ruling and the Jews adapting and beginning to omit a sigh of relief.
Views of the city at the time of the Polish reign 1920-1939
(Page 48 in the Hebrew version)
Present were, as well, the armies of General Haeller, who was infamously known for cutting Jews' beards and other famous pranks, but even they refrained from assaulting Jews, the only reports about hurting Jews came from the surrounding villages.
Soon enough the communication with Warsaw, Poland's Capital, was renewed. Reports and newspapers begun to arrive, and people who were stuck on their way were returning to their city and home. After a while, with some restrictions, the authorities began granting permits for leaving and entering the city and it seemed as if life was getting back to normal. It is easy to imagine the new general mood in the city after all she's been through under the Ukrainians and the Bolsheviks for the last two years. Still the city was under military occupation and every step encountered hindrance from the army headquarters. Particularly difficult was getting permits for circulation.
In this atmosphere, and with Warsaw's Center encouragement, the Central Zionist lodge grew stronger and planned a new program. The feeling was that the Poles would not disturb the Zionist actions, since Zionism was recognized as a legal movement in Poland. And indeed the authorities did not intervene in the Zionist work, but whenever a problem concerning Zionism arose, it became illegal in the Polish occupied territory. Sometimes the outcomes of dealings with the authorities were disheartening, since they tried to stop public and national activities. For an obscure reason they connected Rovno and Volhynia region to Vilna's region, which complicated every small or big procedure.
The Jewish community in Rovno went on operating under the new conditions, but its reputation sank. It was penniless and lacked the public vision it had under the Ukrainian regime. The authorities considered the community as nothing but a religious institution and left it alone for the time being. The educational institutions, not knowing what would be the Polish program for Jewish education were the first to suffer when they had to provide new franchises for their existence. Jews and their institutions encountered many difficulties at the beginning of the Polish occupation. Many doubted the possibility of the Poles staying in the city for long, in view of the many changes of regimes during the last years, but the regime was settling down and with time there were signs of mitigations in different areas; permits for circulation, a revived commerce, more public and national activity, and Rovno was becoming a Polish city.
Time went by and the summer was nearing its end. The Polish regime adapted to the cities and the inhabitants way of life, and Rovno Jews as well adapted to the regime and its rules, they began to learn and speak Polish, changed the language of their businesses' signs the began absorbing Polish culture.
[Page 49]
by Engineer Moshe Gildenman
Translation by Naomi Gal
Ukrainian Jews knew very well the name of Ataman Askilko, who used to serve as the chief of staff of the south-western front and was Petliura's right-hand and later one of the few Ukrainian commanders who remained in Rovno, a territory occupied by the Poles.
And then a dramatic event took place: in one of Paris boulevards Sholom Schwartzbard assassinated Ataman Symon Petliura. The news about Petliura's assassination by a Jew evoked feelings of revenge in Jews all over the world, but unrest as well, especially amid Ukrainians Jews, who , for generations, had experienced their neighbors' hatred. Their joy was mixed with fear of the leader's followers' revenge. Apprehension was felt especially in the region that was annexed to Poland, close to the eastern front where most Ukrainians remained Petliura's supporters. The Polish authorities in this region, for their own reasons, granted special privileges to ex-Atamans and high-officers of Petliura's regime. Among them was Petliura's close assistant Askilko, who found refuge in Rovno.
Volhynia's Jews did not forget the bloody-deeds of Askilko's armies in the spring of 1919. Askilko himself was responsible for the pogrom in Berdichev and for others, as well. Whenever a Jewish delegation came to see him asking to protect the Jews from the bandits, he used to smile and say: I will not confront my heroic soldiers on account of a few assaulted Jews.
Askilko chose the village Uvarov, close to Rovno, as his residence, where he lived in one of his relative's villa. He enjoyed all the civic privileges as well as the permission to publish a Ukrainian weekly Dilo in which he printed political articles from the point of view of Jews-hating Ukrainians. He also published memoirs from Petliura's great days and was a teacher in Horodok.
The day after Petliura's assassination, an enthusiastic obituary to the dead leader was published in the Dilo. He was depicted as a national hero and a prominent politician of his generation. Askilko enumerated Petliura's merits and with foaming rage called on the Ukrainian people to take revenge on the Jews. This hostile article was an explicit call for pogroms, since the author had a huge influence on the Ukrainian population. The Jews of Rovno and her surroundings were shocked. The agitation was great and everybody talked about Askilko's anti-Semitic article that showed his true colors, for the moment by his pen only.
That same evening three Jewish youngsters sat at a table in Zabronski coffeehouse in Rovno: Yankoviak, Feldman and Blay. In front of them spread open was the Bilo issue with Askilko's obituary for Petliura. The three concluded that a few venomous articles like this one would provoke the Ukrainians to take revenge on the Jews, which endangered particularly the Jews in towns and villages. It was necessary to get rid of this enemy as well.
The three decided to do this themselves and designed a plan to exterminate Askilko. The next day the three went to the village of Uvarov to explore the house's entrances and the windows of Askilko's room, and to find out his timetable. The plan was kept a secret and only few knew about it. Two days later the three carrying arms arrived in the dark of the night to the marked house. Askilko was sitting in front of a window facing the courtyard and was writing by the light of a table lamp. The room was in the second floor of the house. One of them climbed on the shoulders of the other two, and shot Askilko, who died on the spot. The perpetrators disappeared at once into the dark. When the neighbors hurried after hearing the shotgun they found no one at the murder scene.
Doing justice to this evil man was no less impressive than the killing of Petliura, his mentor. The Ukrainians nationalists connected those two events that were performed at the same month and marked them as acts of revenge by the international Jewry.
There were different rumors and opinions about the murder. The Polish authorities were put on alert, either because they really meant it, or perfunctorily, and they searched in all directions. Fearing an unwanted discovery someone made sure the search would not spread and deepen and indeed the investigation concluded promptly and a few weeks later the case was closed for lack of evidence. The rumor was that the Poles intervened because they had their own reasons to get rid of Askilko
Thus three brave Jewish youngsters from Rovno performed an act of revenge on one of the main responsible for the 1919 pogroms of Ukrainians Jews under Petliura's reign.
The city's views: Eftiskarska Street the 13th division
(Page 51 in the Hebrew version)
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