SUMMARY:

This English translation of Abraham Rechtman’s diary notebook of 1913–1914 documents his travels and research as part of the An-sky ethnographic expedition in various towns and cities of Podolia and Volhynia. Rechtman meticulously records his efforts to collect Jewish cultural artifacts like pinkasim (community registry books), gravestone inscriptions, and synagogue items, challenges he often faced in acquiring them. Throughout his journey, Rechtman gathers folk songs, stories, and customs, detailing the practicalities of his work, from travel logistics to encounters with individuals ranging from beggars to influential community leaders, providing a rich snapshot of Jewish life in the Pale of Settlement. The diary not only illuminates the day-to-day management of the expedition but also reveals its deeper purpose: the collection of materials to strengthen a unified Jewish national identity amid the challenges of modernity and rising antisemitism, as evidenced by Rechtman’s thorough notes on contemporary issues like the Beilis affair and Jewish emigration.