Rescuers of Jews

     After Lithuania regained its independence, David Goldstein and his wife traveled from Los Angeles, USA, to Lithuania in the summer of 1991. David visited Eržvilkas to meet the rescuers of the Goldstein family, their relatives, and to pay respects at the sites where Eržvilkas Jews, including many of the Goldstein family’s friends, neighbors, and relatives, were murdered during the summer of 1941. Chaim and Menucha Goldstein, and their children, three-year-old Dovydas and eight-year-old Ariel, survived the war through resourcefulness, faith, and the help of many Lithuanian villagers. Without this assistance, their fate would likely have been as tragic as that of the other Jews of Eržvilkas.
     Before the war, Chaim Goldstein was a cattle and grain trader in Eržvilkas and had many contacts among local farmers. When the Germans occupied Eržvilkas, persecution of Jews began immediately, followed by orders for all Jews to prepare for a three-day march to a camp. Despite being surrounded by police, Chaim Goldstein managed to escape with his wife and children. Initially, the family hid in nearby forests, obtaining food from farmers. As the weather grew colder, they sought shelter in peasant homes, frequently changing locations and often separating to reduce risk.
     Several of the rescuers of the Goldstein family have already been honored with the Life Saviour’s Cross Award. During the 2024 ceremony, additional rescuers from the Eržvilkas region, including Jonas Norkus from Palabaukščiai village in Jurbarkas district, were also recognized.

From the Memories of Jonas Norkus' Daughter, Valerija Kaminskienė:
     The hiding Goldstein family would come to our home to rest before my father guided them to other neighbors. Their youngest son often had to be carried in a sack because constant wandering left the child exhausted.
     The final and most crucial encounter between my father and the Goldstein family occurred in Tauragė. After long wandering, the family had fallen into the hands of German soldiers in Tauragė. A local woman who knew the family warned them of the danger to their lives. She told them that if they were promised release after bringing their documents and gathering together, they must run immediately. When such a promise was made, the Goldstein family managed to escape.
     On the day of their escape, it was snowing, and my father was preparing to return home after running errands at the market with his horse and sled. Suddenly, Chaim approached him, pleading, “Jonas, help us”. There was no time to think. Everyone climbed under the blanket in the sled, and they set off toward Gaurė. In the forest, Chaim asked my father to turn left onto a side path and take them to a house where they could stay. The family remained there.
     The police in Tauragė realized the Goldsteins were missing but were too late to capture them. They pursued the escapees, but at a fork in the road, they took the opposite direction. Years later, we received a letter from Los Angeles full of gratitude and a package. It was then that my father shared this story with me, his daughter Valerija.

     Chaim Goldstein felt a deep obligation to thank everyone who had helped save him and his family. He wrote letters and sent packages to his rescuers. Many residents of Eržvilkas and the surrounding villages remember the Goldstein family. In 1991, a large group of rescuers and their descendants gathered to meet Dovid Goldstein, Chaim's son, during his visit.