Our Money
For a glimpse of “high finance” -- only in our village was the kopek (one penny) divided into ten pretas (one-tenth of a kopek) by the authorized tinsmith who punched small round tin discs, approved by the Rov (head Rabbi) and accepted by all merchants. This permitted even the poor to donate to the poor.
Our Water Supply
The village of Visoko, Litovsk, did not have even a single water pump.
Water had to be carried in pails from the river. The river was also conveniently used as a laundry and for many ... unsanitary purposes. In addition to the multi-seated outhouse located near the shul, there was only one privately owned outhouse at the home of our paternal grandparents. To visit them was a joyful experience.
Inconvenience and Change
To all of the foregoing can be added a multitude of other inconveniences, and yet the older generation, the great-great grandparents, were content to live out their lives the same as their forefathers had done. But the younger generation was becoming restless and dreamed of changes for the better. Life as planned for them by their fathers became unacceptable.
We Dream of America
The tales about AMERICA, as told by a few who had returned and from other sources, were exciting as well as fascinating. People [there] were FREE to live their lives without fear of pogroms. Opportunities were unlimited for those with foresight and ambition. They knew the streets being paved with gold instead of cobblestones was only a myth and that a lot of effort must be exerted in order to achieve a higher standard of life than was obtainable in the village.
