Lamentation in the honour of Isaac Lichentin, who passed away in Paris on the 28 July 2004.
It is hard to find words to express the painful feelings to be seperated forever from Iko, a beloved friend, who passed away and will not be among us more. But his memory and charity activities shall be conserved and kept in our minds and hearts , especially to all who knew him and were close to him.
Isaac, or Iko as we called him, let him rest in peace, represented the huge, human generation which is passing away by the nature. He was an old and a sick man physicaly, but with a young spirit and soul and with a phenomenon memory, especialy of his beloved old home Slonim.
I have always liked to speak to him and to discuss different events and to listen to his stories from Slonim in so a detailed and picturesque way , as it happened a short time ago.
Iko, the youngest son, was born in Slonim in 1907 to a well situated family, finished the High School and went abroad to his academic studies in France were he was degreed as a chemical Engineer. He married his sweetheart Mery from Slonim and they settled in Paris. Their house was converted into the center of the Slonim survivors in Europe after the Holocaust, conducted by his late wife Mery.
Iko was a honorable member of our Slonim Jews’ association in Israel and a sponsor of its activities and the edition of the annual bulletin “ Yedioth “.
The destructed Jewish community of Slonim during the holocaust , where they have lost a big part of their families, was very close to their hearts and they participated and helped us to perpetuate the memory of the victims and the community.
I have to remind Iko’s late brother Engineer Kalman Lichtenstein, our not forgetable member and friend, the famous historian of our community , the author of the four volumes of “ Pinkas Slonim “, the most impressive Yizkor books edited after the horrible holocaust, who emigrated from Slonim to Israel between the two World Wars.
The Jewish population suffered very much from the struggling armies, the Russian, the German and the Polish, during the World War 1, which invaded and retreat the town and robed the Jewish population frequently. After that war the Jewish community was recovered and flourished fast enough till the second World War. Slonim was istrategic situated , the river Shchara crosses the town, above which are bridges of the the railway and the highway from Warsaw to Moscow, important for the transportation especialy in war times.
Slonim was known in the jewish world in Euorpe , because of the high Jewish education and culture levels of the schools and Yeshive, their teachers and writers, genious Rabbies, whos names were famous and appreciated as editors of many religious books.
Iko and Mery brought to the world two wonderful chidren Lily and Michel, who caused to them a lot of proudness, hapiness and “ nachas “, as well their families.
I wrote and called Iko frequently, have visited him some years ago and had many conversations about our past and listened to his interesting stories from Slonim which I have published in our bulletin “ Yedioth “. I have enjoyed every minute staying with him and listening to his stories.
A month ago, before my trip to Slonim with a group of descendants, I have called him and told him all about the trip and promised , according to his wish, to report him the details of our visit there and to make an effort to accept his invitation to visit him in Paris.
Unfortunately, I have got the sad news of his death from his daughter Lily a day after my return home from Eastern Europe.
The children and their families have lost a beloved father and grandfather and we have lost a respectful member of our association and a personal beloved relative and friend, in spite of twenty years of the difference in our ages.
In the name of our association and its members, and in the name of myself and my family I want to express again my deepest condolences to you Lily and to Michel and your families and wish that you will not have any sad news more and the saint memory of your parents will protect you for long and happy years in the future.
I am very sorry of not being able to participate personaly at the funeral, due to a medical problem I have got suddenly. My best wishes and appreciation to all the people who came to give the last honour to the beloved man , Iko.
Keep all well, Amen.
Zvi Shefet – chairman of the Slonim Jews’ association in Israel.
