From The Wedding by Joseph Levine Chapter 18

Chapter 18
From the wedding

I leave Germany for Russia to register with the draft board.I am detained en route to Russia and mistaken for a Yankel.

I arrived at the train station and purchased a ticket forAustegara. The trip lasted a few days. As I left the train stationI was approached by a man who asked me if I wanted to cross theborder. I answered yes. He took me to his home and transportedme across the border. To travel to Kalish the price was one rubeland 50 kapicks. From Kalish till Lodz one needed to travel with awagon driver that drives an enclosed wagon. They accepted manypassengers which resulted in standing room only. The roof wasoverloaded with packages. We left at dusk in the hope of arrivingin Lodz by dawn. Exactly half way we arrived at an inn with atavern where we all washed, warmed ourselves and ate.
I too entered the inn. A maitre d' (an old man) was standingat the entrance assisting customers. He immediately noticed me andshouted to his daughter "Saraka! (Sarah) Look! Yankel hasarrived!" Sarah, her mother and everyone present all shouted inunison that "Yankel is here!". Yankel was Sarah's husband. WhenSarah and her family left their previous town to come here Yankeland Sarah got separated. Since everyone established that I wasYankel, they immediately removed my bags from the wagon, paid thedriver and I was left in the town while all the other passengerscontinued on to their destination.
What I experienced in the next few days is terrible todescribe. I was caught between and betwixt: If I remain here Imust become Sarah's husband, and this could have a pretty bad end;also I will forfeit the draft. Additionally I do not have apassport to show the police. Then they will send me with the"Jewish community tax" and I will end up in jail. It would take along time. So.. this was my big dilemma. But G-d helped me and Iescaped to Lodz. From Lodz I went to Warsaw. From Warsaw toGrodna and immediately traveled by wagon to Amdur. As I arrived intown in the early evening I heard that the authorities had alreadyarrived and that the following day the draft would begin.
Now I first did not know what to do: Should I go see aDoctor? For that I would have to pay right away. To go alone -- Icannot. To take an intermediary to the doctor also costs money.Too much money I did not have. So I figured the only way is torely on G-d. Whatever the time would bring. I reckoned that in themerit of my father I would not have to become a soldier.
I already saw clearly the miracle that G-d did for me - Hegave me the idea to immediately leave Germany for the draft, beingtotally unaware whether I was early or late - and the woman'sdetaining me thinking I was her husband and I knowing that I am nother husband, it took several days -- I had time to become familiarwhile waiting to see what time would bring. I waited until Sundaywhen she left with her mother to go to town until evening -- herfather was busy with his customers in the inn. I had the chance totake my packages and hire a horse and driver to take me to Lodzand thus arrived Tuesday early evening in Amdur at exactly theright time. Had I arrived even one day later I would have missedthe draft and I would be "given up". It was obvious G-d helped mearrive at precisely the right time and G-d would further help.Whatever happens would be the way G-d wants it. If they let me off- then good, however, if they draft me to be a soldier, then Ialready learned the way back to Germany and from there to America.
And so it was. The following morning the draft board wassitting around a large table awaiting their chairman while we allstood around. At this point they were not allowing any of the boysout. I however was dressed in a good coat from Germany and wasmistaken for a writer from the commission. I went outside untilthe chairman hastily arrived and rushed to his seat at the table -he opened the large book and called out "Levine - is he here?" Iwas terrified and could not say a word. The chairman said to me"do not fear - what is your name?". I answered fearfully "I amJoseph Leibowitz** Levine." "But why do I have to be drafted as Iam much older than your records show?" I further stated "Since Ilive in Odessa I was unable to apply for my proper papers whichwould state my age".
The chairman suggested that since I did not have my agedetermined in the past it would be done here on the spot by a groupof attending physicians. The doctors examined my eyes and teethand were quiet, the clerk then announced "he appears to be 23 yearsold", so the chairman said that if I am 23 years old then I must bedrafted. I stood and shivered. Another official mixed in andannounced - "he looks to me to be older than 23 years" My heartimmediately felt lighter. The chairman then asked "and you,doctors, what do you say?" They both answered, "This man isdefinitely passed 25 years of age." The recording clerk then tookthe record book and entered that Joseph Levine was determined to be26 years old and he instructed me to wait. He noticed that Istarted to stand on the side and told me to get the clerk to comeover. He prepared my papers, affixed the official stamp and handedall to me happily, saying "Here are your official papers. You arefree!"
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**If anyone in the family knows anything about the name Leibowitz, please let me know. Was Leibowitz possibly Joseph Levine's mother's maiden name?