Pusalotas [Lithuanian] - Pushelot [Yiddish] – Pusholaty [Russian]
Pushelat (Pusalotas) a small village in the central part of Lithuania, has existed for hundreds of years. It is located about 21 miles Northeast of the fifth largest city in Lithuania, Ponevezh (Panevezys). It is not known in what year the first Jews arrived in Pushelat but according to the 1816 census, Jews were living there at that time. On the 1882 census, 811 Jews are listed as living there. By then, it was more of a shtetl rather than a village. In 1897, 920 inhabitants were Jewish out of a total population of 1,200. After the turn of the century, emigration began to have its effect and the number of Jews living in Pushelat was about 500. In June 1941 when the German army invaded Lithuania, approximately 120 Jews lived in Pushelat, about 15% of the population. On July 1, 1941 The Lithuanians murdered some of them there and the Nazis forced the rest into the Panevezys ghetto. In September-October, 1941 they were murdered in the Pajnoste Forest outside of Panavezys.
Jewish Settlement until World War Two
Karaites that were associated with Posvol also settled in the town in the year 1554. In the middle of the 18th century, the Karaite community left and a Jewish community arose in its place, apparently in the beginning of the 19th century.
In 1911, a major fire occurred in Pushelat. The wooden synagogue was destroyed and 77 Jewish houses sustained damage. Jews from Pushelat, living in America, sent money to rebuild the synagogue. A decision was made to have the Rabbi, Ruvin Brug, hold the money until a new synagogue could be built. Rabbi Brug had graduated from Vilnius University as a pharmacist. The shtetl could not afford a full time Rabbi so Rabbi Brug supported his family by being a pharmacist in Pushelat. Lithuanian burglars found out about the money being held by Rabbi Brug, robbed him, and murdered him and his wife Frida in the process. Their two sons, 4 year old Mejer, and 2 ½ year old Israel, survived. Rabbi Brug's grandson, Ehud Barak, was the Prime Minister of Israel.
The Jews of Pusalotas made their living from active commerce, crafts, and agriculture. In the days of the First World War, in summer 1915, the Russian army exiled them to central Russia. At the end of the war, some remained in Russia. Many of those who returned to the town emigrated to South Africa, Israel [Palestine] and the United States. The Jewish population diminished and before the Second World War they were only 13 percent of the number before the First World War.
After Lithuania became independent in 1918, according to the law of autonomy, five members of the community were elected to a Community Committee. This committee was active for a number of years and dealt with most of the aspects of Jewish life in the town.
As in the past, in this period the Jews earned their living by active commerce, crafts and agriculture. In 1937, within the Jewish community there were 10 workshops, 4 tailors, 3 butchers, a carpenter, a shoemaker and a watchmaker. In addition to this, there were two cart men and another five who were in agriculture on their own land or on rented land. According to the governmental survey of 1931 two Jews owned textile stores. Another two Jews had factories for ceramic pots. In the town there was a “people’s” bank which did a lively business, a charity fund, and an inn for poor travelers, all of which helped many of the more unfortunate. In 1939 there were 6 telephone lines, one of which belonged to a Jew.5
The Jewish children learned in the Hebrew school in the town, where they also learned Yiddish. Next to the school was the library.
Many of the Jews of Pusalotas adopted Zionism already in the time of the First Zionist Congress. People from Pusalotas were delegates to the Russian Zionists Committee which took place in Vilna in 1899. The youth was organized into “Hashomer Hatzir” and other movements.
Among the rabbis who had positions in the town were: Rav Yakov Kalmus (1904-1910) who left to become the Chief Rabbi of Moscow (1926-1935). In 1935 he moved to Israel where he was a member of the Chief Rabbinate and a judge in the High Rabbinical Court. Rabbi Ahron Zalman Das (born 1859) held the position in Pusalotas for 16 years. He was educated and a Zionist and published articles in Hamelitz and other periodicals. Other rabbis were: Rabbi Yosef Pagramanski and the last rabbi was Rabbi Tzvi Flaxman. The Nazis murdered the last two during the Holocaust.
Among the natives of the town was the Magid, Shlom-Bezalel Tzadikov (born 1853) who spread the idea of “Love of Zion” in Russia and the United States.
During the Second World War
With the absorption of Lithuania to the Soviet Union, in 1940, many of the Jewish factories and stores were taken over by the Soviets. All the youth and Zionist organizations disbanded. The Hebrew school became part of the Lithuanian school system and the language of instruction was Yiddish.6
When the Germans came on the 24th of June, 1941, the arrests and murders began, carried out by the local Lithuanians. The first victims were those who had a connection with the Soviet government. Several days later the Red Army returned and took over the town but several days later, on the 27th of June, retreated from it. The Lithuanians came out of their hiding places and returned to control the town.
There are no sources about the Jews who were murdered in the town. According to Soviet sources, in July 1941 most of the townspeople were murdered, but there is no doubt that the meaning is that the intention was the Jews.
