Interview

Adolf Smajovics grew up with two brothers and one sister, as well as four half-siblings. He attended cheder at the age of four and began his education at a Czech school in Vynohradiv when he was six years old. His father was a field worker and died in 1926, as result of an accident with his horses. He began a blacksmith apprenticeship in 1939. Before he was a forced laborer for a Hungarian army battalion from 1942 until 1945, he worked as locksmith and blacksmith.

A True “Khosid”

Khust, Ukraine

Malke Snook sings about a hasid’s devotion to his rebbe. The song was popular in the small towns of the Transcarpathian region, where Hasidism was popular. We recorded another version of the song, shared by Adolf Smajovics, who was born in nearby Velyka Kopanya.

Oy bay dem davenen vel ikh mikh shoklen
un makhn farsheydene havayes.
Un der rebe mit zayne khasidimlekh
geyt zey oys dos khayes. (x2)Hey-hoy rebenyu, ikh shtey un tsiter,
in mayn hertsl brent a fayer.
ikh vel zayn a khosid a guter,
eyn khosid eyn getrayer.A volenem shal vel ikh mir ontun,
zumer in di greste hitsn. (x2)
A langn kaftan vel ikh mir ontun
mit finf-un-zibetsik shpitsn. (x2)

Hey-hoy rebenyu, ikh shtey un tsiter,
in mayn hertsl brent a fayer.
Ikh vel zayn eyn khosid eyn guter,
eyn khosid eyn getrayer.

In der kalter mikve vel ikh mikh toyvlen
vinter in di greste keltn, (x2)
an erlekh yidele vel ikh farblaybn
oy-oy af beyde veltn. (x2)

Oy, I will shokel during prayers

and make different grimaces.
And the rebbe with his hasidim,
[so that] they lose themselves of joy.

Oh yes, my dear rebbe, I stand [before you] and tremble,
a fire burns in my little heart.
I will be a good, devoted hasid
a hasid, a faithful one.

I will put on a woolen shawl,
in the greatest heat of summer.
I will put on a long black coat
with seventy-five laces.

Oh yes, my dear rebbe, I stand [before you] and tremble,
a fire burns in my little heart.
I will be a good, devoted hasid,

a hasid, a faithful one.

I will immerse in the cold mikveh

in the greatest cold of winter.
I will remain a pious Jew
oy, oy in both worlds.