Betty Fagenson Lewis: My Autobiography, 1903 -- 1998
My Father
My father was also born in Wisoko-Litovsk, probably about the same time that my mother was born. His family had also lived in the village for generations. Apparently, he and my grandmother had grown up together and must have known each other as children, although they never spoke of it during their lifetime. In Europe, people never indulged in sharing reminiscences, or even current happenings with their children. I don't know whether they ever played together, because the character of the village was primarily religious in structure and the emphasis was on learning. As a youngster growing up, my father only wanted to learn Torah. He wasn't motivated to work and to contribute financially to his family. There were those like his older brother who left Wisoko-Litovsk to go to the bigger city, Bialystok, to further their secular education. He had no ambition or desire to leave for a big city. He wanted to be near home and to study Torah. That was not totally acceptable to the family, and from time to time, he found odd jobs to contribute to the home. For example, there was a leather factory in Wisoko-Litovsk, and it was a necessary process to soften the hides. My father was involved in bringing the hides to the river to be softened. It seems to me that the turning point in my father's outlook came about when he was compelled to enter the Polish army. It must have been quite a change for him to endure the hardships of military life, to leave his books and a less disciplined life, and to assume military responsibility. He was in the army for four years.
