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This site is dedicated to the memory of the Jewish population who perished during the Holocaust.

eilatgordinlevitan.com HOME PAGE

Rabbi Barry Marcus of the Central Synagogue, London, has asked me to
inform Litvaks and anyone else interested that they are hosting a
function to honour Holocaust Survivor Joseph Levinson from Vilna,
Lithuania, for all his years of work memorialising Lithuanian Jewry.

This is on Wednesday 1st September 2010 at 7:30pm

For the full flyer please reply to me privately <saul65@gmail.com>

Joseph Levinson traveled the country and extensively investigated the
massacres. He located more than 200 Jewish mass graves and cemeteries
in Lithuania for commemoration. He organised and supervised their
restoration and maintenance, as well as the erection and documentation
of Jewish memorials which led to him writing and publishing his 'Book
of Sorrow'. Skausmo Knyga (Vilnius: Vaga Publishers,)

They will also honour and acknowledge Survivors, here in the London area.

There is no charge for the event, but for catering and security
purposes, kindly RSVP to Raquel Amit at
raquel@centralsynagogue.org.uk or 020 7580 1355.

Saul Issroff

Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Time:
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Location:
Vilnius Jewish Cemetery (Seskine)
Description
The Litvak Studies Institute is proud to join the Ziburkus family in
paying respects to Vilnius Litvak icon Tsile Zhiburkiene (Cilia
Ziburkiene) who passed away last Friday aged 93. She was a towering
figure here in the Litvak community. Friends and colleagues are
invited to the brief funeral ceremony at Vilnius Jewish Cemetery
(Seskine), Tuesday May 11th at 1400.

I am a descendant of Tabakin family from Birzai, Lithuania. Over the
last several years I was lucky to find hundreds of the family members
who live in many countries and speak many different languages. Some
families left to USA and South Africa in 1890-1910 and some today live
in Russia and in Lithuania.

I am looking for some recommendations. I'd like to organize a large
family reunion of my family in Israel and looking for practical
advices from people who already did it in the past. I am sure many
did.

Igal Sokolov

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Businessman Sheldon Adelson, Russian
mogul Roman Abramovich and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg rank among
the world's richest Jews, according a new survey published by
TheMarker.

The financial newspaper on Wednesday published an analysis of the
world's richest Jews, ranking them by sector and industry and based on
their standing on Forbes' list of the world's richest people.

Most of the people included on TheMarker's list have business ties
with Israel and are also involved in philanthropy for Jewish causes.
dvertisement
Contrary to Forbes' list, a number of the Jewish billionaires listed
have not inherited their fortunes, but rather earned them through
entrepreneurial initiatives or political changes, such as the
dissolution of the former Soviet Union.

So who ranks number one? According to TheMarker, Oracle founder
Lawrence Ellison is the richest Jew in the world, with a net worth of
$28 billion (Forbes No. 6).

Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg News service, ranks as the richest Jew
in the media industry, with a net worth of $18 billion (Forbes No.
23). Isaac Perlmutter, CEO of Marvel Comics, ranked second on
TheMarker's list, with a net worth of $1.6 billion (Forbes No. 616).

In the technology sector, Ellison came in first place again, followed
by Facebook's Zuckerberg, the youngest member of TheMarker's list,
with a net worth of $4 billion (Forbes No. 212).

Energy companies and Chelsea football club owner Abramovich led the
way in the oil and commodities section, with $11.2 billion (Forbes No.
50), followed by Viktor Vekelsberg, the owner of Renova Group, a large
Russian conglomerate (Forbes No. 113). His net worth stands at $6.4
billion.

Other categories ranked by TheMarker include real estate, finance and
gambling and tourism, with Australian property developer Harry
Triguboff (Forbes No. 316), entrepreneur George Soros (Forbes No. 258)
and Adelson (Forbes No. 73), topping those categories, respectively.

According to notes left by Yasha KAMBER, his cousin Abraham "Abrusha " KAMBER born 1897 was a doctor in Shavel in the 1930s and later in the ghetto there .

Yasha tells that Abrusha was married to a non-Jewish woman and the wife and son survived WW2 and the Holocaust. Abrusha perished in Muhldorf Concentration Camp on 6 December 1944

I will be grateful for any information about Dr. KAMBER and any suggestion about how to trace his son. I suspect that the wife went back to her family and her maiden name.

Jules Feldman
Yizreel, Israel

Abraham Foxman, left, and Rabbi Leo Goldman meet again after 65 years. Each had lived in the other man's memory. (David Brystowski)
Detroit, MI - In the fall of 1945, a Soviet soldier hoisted a 5-year-old boy aloft and paraded him through a Lithuanian synagogue that had been closed throughout a long Nazi occupation.

For 65 years, the boy and the soldier carried that moment in their heads and hearts. Unknown to each other, they told the story to family and friends. A Toronto songwriter memorialized it in song. The boy became a man and included the anecdote in his 2003 book.

On Thursday, they met and embraced for the first time since then in Rabbi Leo Goldman's Oak Park living room.

"It was very emotional, much more than I would have expected," says the former small boy. He is Abraham Foxman, the New York-based director of the Anti-Defamation League. In that role, he is a public voice against racial and religious intolerance.

The soldier is Goldman, 91, an Orthodox rabbi in Oak Park and an educator who continued to work as a Beaumont Hospital chaplain until a few months ago.

"We tell this story every year," says Rose Brystowski, the rabbi's daughter, who says her father has become too frail to interview. "It's very moving to us, because it's about survival, about a child symbolizing the future of our people."

The memory remains vivid for Foxman: He had lived with his Catholic nanny, separated from his parents and concealed from the Nazis as a so-called "hidden child" for four years.

The nanny saved his life -- but also taught him to spit on the ground when a Jew walked by.

In mid-1945, he was reunited with his parents. His father waited four months to take him to a synagogue on the holiday of Simchat Torah, an ancient and festive holiday that celebrates the reading of the Torah -- the Old Testament -- on hand-written scrolls. "That was very smart of him because it is a fun holiday for children," says Foxman, who remembers walking by a church and making the sign of the cross entering the synagogue for the first time.

For Goldman, who had been wounded twice as a soldier, and lost his parents to the Nazis, the return to the synagogue in Vilna that day was also momentous. The concentration camps had been liberated, Jews were reuniting with their families across Europe, and in Lithuania, it was no longer a capital crime to be Jewish. Most had been dispersed or exterminated. Only 3,000 of Vilna's 100,000 Jews remained.

"Are you Jewish?" the Soviet soldier, asked the boy. When he nodded yes, Goldman said, "I have traveled thousands of miles without seeing a Jewish child." Then he stooped down, lifted the boy and danced around the room with him.

Neither man ever forgot that day, that celebration of religion and survival under extraordinary circumstance.

But only last summer, after an Israeli researcher finally put together a song, "The Man From Vilna," about the incident with a Michigan rabbi, did Foxman learn that the Jewish Soviet soldier he wrote about in his 2003 book, "Never Again?" was Goldman, still alive and living in the United States. The songwriter had credited Goldman as the story's source.

Getting to Thursday's reunion was circuitous: Three years ago, Foxman told the story at Yad Vashem, the Israel Holocaust Memorial Museum. There, a researcher embarked on a quest for the dancing man in uniform Foxman described: Eventually, she found the song, inspired by Goldman's story, and the rabbi's name in the credits. For Foxman, that day "was a memory, a bittersweet memory." The soldier -- a stranger -- had embraced him in public, in a synagogue. He had carried him like a trophy around the synagogue.

"That was for me the first time anyone took pride in me," says Foxman, who as "a hidden child didn't know who or what I was."

For both men, the memory was frozen in time, unattached to any living person.

"I thought that story was a kind of legend," recalls Brystowski. "I always believed it in my heart, but on another level, I wondered, did that really happen?"

She was stunned when she learned last summer, when Foxman called, that "this prominent, grown man" was the little boy she had grown up hearing about.

The mythic boy had become a very real and prominent man. "It shows us that any gesture, any mitzvah or good deed, can have an impact," she says.

On Thursday, the two men hugged and talked and recited a Hebrew prayer, a blessing that's a reminder of the importance of celebrating life in the moment.

"It is a privilege to have lived long enough to have this moment," Foxman says Goldman told him.

Goldman's parents and older brother were killed by the Nazis. Foxman's early years as a "hidden child," living with secrets and lies, led him into a career of speaking out publicly against injustice and hatred.

For each man, the memory of dancing in a Vilna synagogue was a pivotal moment. "I came home and told my father that I wanted to be Jewish," recalls Foxman. "It was the beginning of my life as a Jewish person."

Each man had a memory of a moment -- a dance in a synagogue -- that symbolized then and throughout their lives the promise of freedom and faith and life.

At long last, the boy and the soldier who carried phantom memories, now know each other as two grown men who have, against the odds, survived to find each other.
http://www.vosizneias.com/52836/eid/76230705

Abraham Sutzkever, 96, Jewish Poet and Partisan, Dies

Published: January 23, 2010

Abraham Sutzkever, one of the great Yiddish poets of his generation who evoked the nightmare of the Holocaust with images of a wagonload of worn shoes and the haunting silence of a sky of white stars, died Wednesday in Tel Aviv. He was 96.



William E. Sauro/The New York Times
Abraham Sutzkever devoted himself to keeping Yiddish alive.
His daughter Mira Sutzkever confirmed his death.

“In the postwar world, he was the most important Jewish poet and a world class poet in general,” said Dr. Paul Glasser, associate dean of the Max Weinreich Center for Advanced Jewish Studies at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in Manhattan. “People thought he should have gotten the Nobel Prize, but now he won’t.”

Mr. Sutzkever had helped rescue YIVO manuscripts and other treasures from the Nazis when they occupied the Lithuanian city of Vilna.

Writing poetry helped Mr. Sutzkever survive a war in which he lost his mother and an infant son as well as the Jewish soul of his beloved city of Vilna, which prided itself as the Jerusalem of Lithuania for its fiercely cultivated intellectualism.

There, with his sometimes flint-hard, sometimes lyrical voice, he found an audience as a member of a renowned group of Yiddish artists and writers, Yung Vilne, which included Chaim Grade, Shmerke Kaczerginski and Leyzer Volf.

That golden age came to an end in June 1941, when the Nazis invaded the city and eventually herded its 60,000 Jews — one-third of its population — into a ghetto as the first step toward mass killings in giant pits and deportations to concentration camps.

Mr. Sutzkever, a wiry man with an impish sense of humor and a full-throated appetite for living, smuggled arms into the ghetto. When he was assigned by the Nazis to round up books that would be sent to Frankfurt for an ominously named Institute for the Study of the Jewish Question, he and other intellectuals in a so-called Paper Brigade concealed precious books and art works, including a diary by Theodor Herzl and drawings by Chagall, in building cavities and crannies.

He helped unearth many of them when he briefly returned to Vilna after the war, and those treasures wound up in YIVO’s home in exile in Manhattan.

All that time he composed poems, writing, he once said, while crawling through sewers and even while hiding in a coffin.

“If I didn’t write, I wouldn’t live,” he said in an interview with The New York Times in 1985 while reminiscing over a glass of French cognac. “When I was in the Vilna ghetto, I believed, as an observant Jew believes in the Messiah, that as long as I was writing, was able to be a poet, I would have a weapon against death.”

In a 1942 poem called “My Mother,” he wrote of a dead mother who tells her son:

If you remain

I will still be alive

as the pit of the plum

contains in itself the tree

the nest and the bird

and all else besides.

His poem about a sky filled with white stars was put to a plaintive melody and became a classic of Yiddish song — “Unter Dayne Vayse Shtern” (“Beneath the Whiteness of Your Stars”).

Mr. Sutzkever and his wife, Freydke, fled the ghetto with a group of partisans and were airlifted to Moscow, where their daughter Rina was born. The family made its way to Poland and Paris and finally to the British mandate of Palestine, where they remained after independence in 1948.

In Israel, where modern Hebrew was the muscular language, he devoted himself to keeping Yiddish alive even as the number of speakers diminished year after year. He founded and edited Israel’s leading Yiddish literary journal, Di Goldene Keyt (The Golden Chain), until it stopped publishing in 1995. And he continued to turn out Yiddish poetry, most notably “Lider fun Togbukh” (“Poems From a Diary 1974-1981”), which many regard as his masterpiece. In 1985, he was awarded the country’s most prestigious award, the Israel Prize.

Mr. Sutzkever’s wife died seven years ago. In addition to his daughters Mira and Rina Sutzkever Kalderon, he is survived by two grandchildren.

Abraham Sutzkever was born in 1913 in Smargon, a small industrial city southwest of Vilna in today’s Belarus. With the outbreak of World War I, his parents fled to Siberia.

In 1921, after the death of his father, his mother resettled the family in Vilna, where Mr. Sutzkever attended Polish-Jewish schools, audited Polish literature classes at Vilna’s university and studied Yiddish literature with the great linguist Max Weinreich. His debut on the Vilna cultural scene was notable for his rejection of politically themed poems for ones that emphasized wordplay and experiments with sound and rhythm.

Many readers remember him most, however, for poems that capture the pathos of what he and other Jews experienced in the war, like the verses he wrote in 1942 in “A Vogn Shikh” (“A Wagon of Shoes”), about a wagon clattering through Vilna’s alleys filled with a heap of “throbbing shoes.”

The poet asks:

Tell me the truth, oh, shoes,

Where disappeared the feet?

The feet of pumps so shoddy,

With buttondrops like dew —

Where is the little body?

Where is the woman, too?

All children’s shoes — but where

Are all the children’s feet?

My father's sister, Sora Schaya - born in Dvinsk about 1873, married Hirsh
Joffe, son of Gershon Joffe, from Kupiszki, Lithuania. They had at least two
children, Gershon Joffe, b. 1899 in Dvinsk and Lia Joffe, b. 1905 in Dvinsk.

They all lived in Dvinsk, but I don't know if and when they left or where
they went. The only piece of information I have is that a relative in
Baltimore received a post card from China in 1948 from Sora. This is a
verbal hand-me-down story so I have no idea whether it is true or not. I
know that many Jews went to Shanghai to escape the Holocaust and perhaps
Sora and family did go there. Any information or suggestions would be
greatly appreciated.

Barry Shay

From: Baltos lankos export and import <eksportas@baltoslankos.lt>
Date: Thu, Jan 21, 2010
Dear Sir / Madam,

We are proud to inform you that Baltos lankos publishing house has recently reprinted Dovid Katz's monumental Lithuanian Jewish Culture. It is the most comprehensive work ever to appear in English on the cultural, linguistic and spiritual worlds of the Litvaks - the Jews hailing from the lands of the medieval Grand Duchy of Lithuanian and its successor modern states - Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, and parts of northern Ukraine and northeaster Poland.

Dovid Katz

Lithuanian Jewish Culture

ISBN: 978-963-9776-51-7

Price: 75 Eur

E-mail for orders: eksportas@baltoslankos.lt

Dovid Katz was born in New York City in 1956. After completing his studies at Columbia University he settled in Britain where he founded and led Yiddish studies at Oxford university for eighteen years (1978-1996). After a stint at Yale, he resettled in Vilnius, Lithuania in 1999 to take up a new chair in Yiddish language, literature and culture at Vilnius University. Professor Katz is the author of dozens of studies in Yiddish language and culture, as well as three collections of fiction in Yiddish. He is a winner of a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Manger Prize and numerous other awards. For a decade and a half, he has led expeditions to seek out and record the last survivors in smaller towns in Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine and northern Poland. He is the son of Yiddish poet Menke Katz (1906-1991).

This exquisite huge folio volume provides an introduction to Jewish history and culture starting with antiquity and leading methodically to the rise of Lithuanian Jewry some seven centuries ago. It covers the traditional rabbinic culture of Ashkenazic Jewry, the specifically Lithuanian rabbinic and kabbalistic (mystical) traditions, and the Hasidic-Misnagdic conflict. It carries on to cover the various modernistic 19th and 20th century movements, including Yiddishism, Hebraism, Zionism, Socializm, and Jewish Art. Sections are also devoted to the life of the Litvaks in the interwar republics, in emigration centres in America and Israel, and around the world today, including the post-Holocaust remnant of survivors in Eastern Europe. Professor Katz has spent a decade and a half leading expeditions to discover and record these survivors. For the first time, a book on Lithuanian Jewry appears with equal emphasis on religious and secular Jewish life. The chapter on Lithuanian Jewry's most famous scholar, the Gaon of Vilna (1720-1797) contains a complete translation of the never-before translated biography of the Gaon penned by his two sons shortly after his death. It is in many ways astounding, and its more unusual aspects are usually left unmentioned in works on the Gaon. There are also translations of various other never-before-translated excerpts from vital works in the field in Hebrew, Aramaic and Yiddish.

This 400 page volume contains 325 rare photographic images collected by the author, many appearing in print for the first time. There are also 26 maps and charts, all of which are newly produced specially for this volume by Dr. Giedre Beconyte of Vilnius University's Centre for Cartography.

If You are interested in buying this title, please contact us by e-mail eksportas@baltoslankos.lt or by phone + 370 656 90447

Kind regards,
Mindaugas Grigas
Export manager

Kestucio St. 10
LT - 08116 Vilnius, Lithuania
Phone. +370 5 240 86 73

Fax. +370 5 240 74 46
Mob. phone. +370 656 90447
eksportas@baltoslankos.lt
http://www.eksportas-importas.lt

President Shimon Peres Launches YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib41HeqW4tE&annotation_id=annotation_3182&feature=iv

December 12, 2009

" To:

Dolhinovers, Descendants,

Other good people to whom

the subject is close to their heart

Dear Friends,

Re: Dolhinov Forest Project in Israel

After completion of the "Dolhinov Cemetery Project" which comprised �|

* Building a fence around the Jewish Cemetery of 500 m's long.

* Raising two Memorial Sites to all massacred Jews by the German Nazis

their collaborators in Dolhinov in March-May 1942. and

* Insuring proper continuous maintenance of the Cemetery and Memorial sites by

the local authorities after reaching an agreement with the Mayor of Dolhinov,

We have decided to initiate a new Project - The Dolhinov Jews Forest.

We wish to create a living Memorial in Israel for the 5000 Jews of Dolhinov, men, women and children,

who were murdered by the German Nazis and their collaborators in Dolhinov during the Second World War.

We want the Jewish community of Dolhinov to be remembered by creating a place that is a living Memorial

and a live contribution to the State of Israel. A peaceful place that people would like to visit and feel part of.

A forest of 5000 trees will be planted. One tree in memory of each member of the Jewish community

who perished at the hands of the Nazi murderers.

For the realization of this Project a fund of $50000 is required ($10 per tree).

We appeal to you for your assistance and ask you to contribute generously to this important

and meaningful Project to us and future generations.

Special Certificates of thanks and appreciation will be issued and sent to donors by the JNF of Israel

( Keren Kayemet le Israel ).

10 trees - $100 15 trees - $150 20 trees - $200 25 trees - $250

30 trees - $300 35 trees - $350 40 trees - $400 45 trees - $450

50 trees - $500 55 trees - $550 60 trees - $600 100 trees-$1000

A special bank account for donations has been opened in Bank Hapoalim.

The Account number is: 12-524-188424.

Cheques, signed to "Leon Rubin for Dolhinov Forest Project", or cash, can be sent to:

1. Leon Rubin or 2. Dan Price

2 Hartsit Str., 23 Kfar Yona Str.

Ramat Efal, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv

52960, 69974,

Israel Israel

I am sure that with your cooperation and generous support we'll accomplish our goal

and execute the Project as planned.

Sincerely yours,

Leon Rubin

Head Dolhinov Committee

P.S.

Please distribute this appeal letter to your friends and acquaintances that might be willing to contribute

to this meaningful Project.

Best wishes to all for a happy and peaceful New Year,

Leon Rubin "

I have been trying for some time to find documentation about my maternal GGF
Shale GREENGOUS, who served as chief Schochet (Jewish ritual slaughterer)
for the city of Minsk in the early years of the 20th century. I'm looking
for a municipal record of his service, or documentation in the records of
the Jewish Community (Kehillah).
Several years ago, I wrote to the archivist, and received a rather vague
reply about non-existence of such records. Are there more potential sources
that any of you could suggest? Do the Kehillah records exist, or were they
all destroyed by the Nazis?
Thanks,
Beryl BLICKSTEIN
(researching GREENGOUS, SASONKIN, BLICKSTEIN, and GITLER)

Archives in Minsk followup

Since several people asked me about my info regarding the National
Historical Archives of Belarus in Minsk, I am following up on this list.

Here is the link to the page that has the addresses of the archives in
Belarus:

http://www.rtrfoundation.org/archdta2.shtml

Yitzhak Ike Ahronovitch, the captain of the Exodus ship whose attempt
to take Holocaust survivors to Palestine built support for Israel's
founding, has died, at 86.

The Exodus 1947 ship left France in July 1947 carrying more than 4,500
people - most of them Holocaust survivors and other displaced Jews -
in a secret effort to reach Palestine. At the time, Britain controlled
Palestine and was limiting the immigration of Jews.

The British navy seized the vessel off Palestine's shores, and after a
battle on board that left three people dead, turned the ship and its
passengers back to Europe, where the refugees were forced to disembark
in Germany.
Advertisement

His daughter Leah said following his death "he never overcame the
surrender of Exodus, and believed that they should have fought the
British over it."

The ship's ordeal was widely reported worldwide, garnering sympathy
for the refugees, especially because they were taken to Germany, where
the Nazi murder of 6 million Jews during World War II originated.

It inspired a fictionalized account by American writer Leon Uris and a
classic 1960 film directed by Otto Preminger and starring Paul Newman.

Newman's character was patterned after Yossi Harel, who commanded the
Exodus mission as a leader of the Haganah pre-state Jewish armed
force. Harel died last year.

Ahronovitch, who was nicknamed Ike, captained the ship. His daughter
said the experience remained a pivotal part of his life for years
afterward.

It was one of the most important things of his life. He wasn't a big
storyteller, but he'd happily tell schoolchildren about it, she said.
The Exodus influenced him and his friends deeply. Those were the days
that defined them and as far as they were concerned defined the
character of this country.

President Shimon Peres eulogized Aharonovitch and said that "Ike was
unlike anyone else and no one was like Ike - a rare combination of
pioneering, bravery and love for the people," said Peres.

"Exodus was the product of his very spirit, as he was not just a
regular captain, but a captain who gave the voyage its character
through amazing leadership skills" he added.

Aharonovitch, also known as Ike, died after a long illness, his
daughter Ella said.

Ahronovitch was born in Poland in 1923 and moved to pre-state Israel
10 years later. He later worked with ships and always loved the sea,
his daughter aid.

Ahronovitch is survived by two daughters, seven grandchildren and two
great grandchildren. His funeral is scheduled for Friday in northern
Israel.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad revealed to have Jewish past
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's vitriolic attacks on the Jewish world hide an astonishing secret, evidence uncovered by The Daily Telegraph shows.

By Damien McElroy and Ahmad Vahdat
Published: 7:30AM BST 03 Oct 2009
Ahmadinejad showing papers during election
Ahmadinejad showing papers during election. It shows that his family's previous name was Jewish

A photograph of the Iranian president holding up his identity card during elections in March 2008 clearly shows his family has Jewish roots.

A close-up of the document reveals he was previously known as Sabourjian �| a Jewish name meaning cloth weaver.

The short note scrawled on the card suggests his family changed its name to Ahmadinejad when they converted to embrace Islam after his birth.

The Sabourjians traditionally hail from Aradan, Mr Ahmadinejad's birthplace, and the name derives from "weaver of the Sabour", the name for the Jewish Tallit shawl in Persia. The name is even on the list of reserved names for Iranian Jews compiled by Iran's Ministry of the Interior.

Experts last night suggested Mr Ahmadinejad's track record for hate-filled attacks on Jews could be an overcompensation to hide his past.

Ali Nourizadeh, of the Centre for Arab and Iranian Studies, said: "This aspect of Mr Ahmadinejad's background explains a lot about him.

"Every family that converts into a different religion takes a new identity by condemning their old faith.

"By making anti-Israeli statements he is trying to shed any suspicions about his Jewish connections. He feels vulnerable in a radical Shia society."

A London-based expert on Iranian Jewry said that "jian" ending to the name specifically showed the family had been practising Jews.

"He has changed his name for religious reasons, or at least his parents had," said the Iranian-born Jew living in London. "Sabourjian is well known Jewish name in Iran."

A spokesman for the Israeli embassy in London said it would not be drawn on Mr Ahmadinejad's background. "It's not something we'd talk about," said Ron Gidor, a spokesman.

The Iranian leader has not denied his name was changed when his family moved to Tehran in the 1950s. But he has never revealed what it was change from or directly addressed the reason for the switch.

Relatives have previously said a mixture of religious reasons and economic pressures forced his blacksmith father Ahmad to change when Mr Ahmadinejad was aged four.

The Iranian president grew up to be a qualified engineer with a doctorate in traffic management. He served in the Revolutionary Guards militia before going on to make his name in hardline politics in the capital.

During this year's presidential debate on television he was goaded to admit that his name had changed but he ignored the jibe.

However Mehdi Khazali, an internet blogger, who called for an investigation of Mr Ahmadinejad's roots was arrested this summer.

Mr Ahmadinejad has regularly levelled bitter criticism at Israel, questioned its right to exist and denied the Holocaust. British diplomats walked out of a UN meeting last month after the Iranian president denounced Israel's 'genocide, barbarism and racism.'

Benjamin Netanyahu made an impassioned denunciation of the Iranian leader at the same UN summit. "Yesterday, the man who calls the Holocaust a lie spoke from this podium," he said. "A mere six decades after the Holocaust, you give legitimacy to a man who denies the murder of six million Jews while promising to wipe out the State of Israel, the State of the Jews. What a disgrace. What a mockery of the charter of the United Nations."

Mr Ahmadinejad has been consistently outspoken about the Nazi attempt to wipe out the Jewish race. "They have created a myth today that they call the massacre of Jews and they consider it a principle above God, religions and the prophets," he declared at a conference on the holocaust staged in Tehran in 2006.

The family of David (son of Yosel Todres) and Mina ( daughter of the Olsfein family)
Pictured from left: Mina (Mother). twins; Isaak/Isaac and Berel/ Ber/ Bernardo (alive in Argentina, age 89 in 2009), Oldest daughter; Freida youngest son Abraham .
A the time the picture was taken David was already in Argentina. David' brother: Notel Todres, perished with some of his children in Vidzy. His son Meir survived. He served in the Red Army and later came to Israel. In 2008 he gave Yad Vashem reports and lived in Ramat Efal. The family in Argentina would like very much to find him or his children

Horacio Todres

hht.1212@y

This year the Disna District Research Group has funded the translation of
the Disna District Additional Revision List 1851-1856 and the 1857 District
Farmers List. As well work has begun on the 1834 Revision list and data
for the three towns of Glubokoye, Golubichi and Germanovichi has been
received. Together this represents 3,300 lines of new data which is not
yet on the All Lithuania Database (ALD).

Translation work is now underway for the following towns.

Leonpol (Disna)1834 RL
Luzhki (Disna) 1834 RL

With the translation of the above two lists, the district will be out of
funds and work will come to a complete halt.

The following towns in the Disna District 1834 RL are waiting to be
translated. The only holdup is a lack of funds.

Disna around 1800 lines,
Druya around 1900 lines,
Plissa around 550 lines,
Postavy around 550 lines
Sharkovshchizna around 500 lines.

The translation cost is $0.55 per line. If you can raise the necessary
funds to have any of the above towns translated, those towns will be next
in line to be translated. Please let us know if you are willing to
contribute to a particular town or are willing to try and raise the
necessary funds.

If you are already a contributor to the work of Disna District, please
consider making another contribution. Would you like to become a
contributor and receive copies of all records as they are translated
in spreadsheet format ? - please make a contribution of $100 at
www.litvaksig.org
http://www.litvaksig.org/contribute.

No donation is too small but $100 is requried to become a qualified
contributor.

Dorothy Leivers
Co-ordinator of the District Research Groups of LitvakSIG

The following text has been revised to correct information about
Novogrudok during the Holocaust:The pre-war Jewish community of Novogrudok numbered about 6000. More
than 10000 Jews, most from Novogrudok and the district, were killed
in Novogrudok and, except for 52, were not buried at the Jewish
cemetery. The place in the cemetery where the 52 victims were buried
on the 26 of July 1941 is unknown. 250 Jews escaped from the Ghetto
through a 250 meter long tunnel. Of those 170 reached the Bielski
partisans and survived, the others were killed on the way.

Aaron Ginsburg

The document is mentioned in the book "Surviving the Holocaust" by
Avraham Tory, Martine Gilbert, Dina Porat and Jerzy Michalowicz, Pages
15-16.

Here is the list:

Jewish Hospital, 3 Jakstu Street
Jewish Orphanage, 15 Fire Brigade Street
Jewish Home for the Aged, 15 Puskos Street
Well-known restaurant, 10 Mapu Street
Jewish Community Centers, 14 Rotuse Square and 12 Luksio Street
Mikvah, 3 Luksio Street
Hebrew Gymnasium, 25 Nieman Embankment
Talmud Torah School, 17 Ugnagesiu Street
Jewish Clinic, 7 Pilies Street
ORT School, 86 Jonavos Street
OZE Jewish Health Organization, 1 Misku Street
Jewish Central Bank for the Support of Cooperatives, 76 Laisves Boulevard

Ann Rabinowitz

The Internet is a rich resource for locating references for Jewish
orphanages which were established pre-World War I, during World War II
and post-World War II in Lithuania. Some of these references can be
found at YIVO in New York, others in various books and other resources
includng JewishGen. Sometimes, the orphanages were called kinder hois
or kinder heim and you can find them that way.

One reference I found some time ago and posted about then was for the
Kovner Yidisher Kinderheim. It was found in the records of the
Kupishok Benevolent Society in Cape Town, SA. Evidently, the Society
had sent money to the orphanage after World War II.

There was a listing of 108 children with the names of their parents,
where they were from originally and their year of birth. Of course,
not all of the information was provided for each child.

An example of what is found in this listing is the orphaned SAPLICKI
family of five children, all born in Kaunas, Lithuania, whose parents
were Sholom and Rose: Genie, born 1934, Malka, born 1935, Moshe and
Sheine (twins), who were born 1936, and Chone, born 1938.

Another family of children in the orphanage were the STOLIARSKI
family, no parents' names given, all born in Salakas, Lithuania:
Avrom, born 1935, Eda, born 1936, and Reise, born 1940.

Two other families were those of WAINER from Taurage, Lithuania, whose
parents were not listed: Yankel, born 1938 and Raine, born 1940; and
ZIMAN from Lazdijai, Lithuania. whose parents were not listed: Sheine
and Shmuel (twins), who were both born 1937.

There were even three children listed who had no first name at all,
but their parents names were provided: Zalman and Freda GITLIN's
child; Rachmiel and Dina LACHOWITZKY's child; and Dovid and Slave
SHNEIDER's child.

The shtets represented in this listing were the following: Dusetos,
Daugavpils, Janova, Kenigsberg, Klaipeda, Kaunas, Krekenava, Kretinga,
Lazdijai, Oriol, Panevezys, Prienai, Raiseniai, Riga, Salakas, Shantz,
Siauliai, Taurage, Vandziogale, Viesintos, Vilnius, Vilkaviskis,
Vitebsk, Ukmerge, and Utena.

All in all, these references can provide valuable clues to the
whereabouts of relatives.

Ann Rabinowitz

Subject: Axelrod and Betwinik

I was very excited to find your site. My grandmother's maiden name was
Axelrod/Axelroad. I have evidence that her grandfather Victor/Vigtor
Axelrod/Axelrood and grandmother Dubbie/Doba Betwinik lived in Minsk. Her
father Morris was born in Vilnius in 1872/4, and he had 8 siblings: Nathan,
Hyman, Charlie, Israel, George, Sam, Rachel and Ann. Morris immigrated to
the US in 1888, and I know that Israel was here as early as 1904.

Any additional info you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for an informative site!

Jennifer Martin
San Francisco

If there is anyone connected to the Berman family, particularly Annie (Chana)
and Louis, and their son Isaac, or daughters Liza ?, Clara Katzman,
Rebecca Lepofsky, Julia Landy, and Sara Rogovein, please be in touch privately
at sljban@verizon.net.

I am particularly interested in finding information about Annie/Chana, who
seems to have the same maiden and married surname, but also at times was
referred to by the surname Kapelovich. Her sister Ida gave her place of birth
as Radoshkovichi, and there is quite a bit of information online about
that town, but no reference to my ancestors. The Berman family
immigrated to Port Arthur in the Thunder Bay district of Ontario, then
later to Windsor.

Also Ida married Hyman Yudis, who appears in a photo in some sort of
Russian military uniform? They immigrated first to Canada, then to NY.

Would love to know if anyone is connected.

Chana Sanders
Passaic, NJ

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From: justbrakes

Eva Bublacki was known in Liverpool as Eva Black, she had two children, a son Harry Black, and a daughter Rosa, we think she married my wife great grandfathers brother, see this email from my daughter Linda who lives in Newcastle Upon Tyne England>>>>


She was a funny one this Eva. In 1926 she went to Africa (Durban) and is recorded coming back into the country in 1926. She describes herself as a furniture dealer and lived at 6 Ravenscroft Road, Birkenhead. She is listed as a Russian citizen.

I found a Samuel Black who died in 1889 in Birkenhead. You'd have to order the death certificate to see if it is him, but I reckon this must be her husband. So if this is her husband, then Samuel Black must be Nathan Black's brother. It fits as Samuel was born in 1864 and Nathan in 1861. So Eva is a relation by marriage.
She is the woman in ; http://www.eilatgordinlevitan.com/slonim/slo_pix/new_scenes/082608_82_b.gif
For other pictures of Eva during her visit t her family in Slonim:
http://www.eilatgordinlevitan.com/slonim/slonim.html
Our family are related to the Bublackis of Slonim, and one side resided in Leeds, a large tailoring town, NATHAN BLACK formerly BUBLACKI came to Leeds, he had quite a large family, best regards.

FRM / E WILSON AND DIANE WILSON [NEE BLACK]

Dear friends,
This is an invitation to all concerned
to attend the Dolhinov Memorial meeting "Askara"
at Beit Vilna in Tel-Aviv on the 16th of June this year.
Our intention is to let people, especially abroad,
know about the event well in advance.
Best wishes to all for a happy and enjoyable Pesach Holiday,
Leon Rubin

The invitation below is in Hebrew:

My name is Bruce Sadler <bsadler2047@att.net> and I live in the
United States. I have attached some pictures both front and back that
have the town name Gorodok and the date on the back, the rest I can
not read. Any information you can give me about these pictures would
be wonderfull.
Thank you for your help
Bruce Sadler

His son; <LEN1202@aol.com> wrote;

Putting together pictures and documents with my sister - in - law, regarding my Father, Dr. Elliott Konis born in Vilna Poland on May 26, 1911

My father's original name was Dr. Eliasz Konichski (Koniuchski). Don't know how many brothers and or sisters he had in his family. His parents, family members and relatives where killed by the Nazi's when Poland was invaded by Germany. Before War World Two my father became a physician . He served for a short time in the Polish army. Later, he was captured and held in Dachau Concentration as a physician. He help countless number of survivors.(Will provide a letter in the future) He found one of his brother's in the concentration camp. Sometime later he was transferred to another location. After the war, my father, his brother and his brother's sister in law, and son adopted by his brother and sister in law immigrated to New York City (United States).

Enclosed (first picture) my father in uniform.
Second copy of his title and name on a card (Dr. med. E. Konichski - Medical Officer - Heidenheim)
Third picture - (from left to right) - Dr. Konis, my aunt (Olga Konis) and Benjamin Konis. (Very likely Olga and Benjamin names where previously spelled differently before they immigrated to the United States). The adopted son name is Edward Konis

My father died in 1984 and my mother died in 1979

Further pictures, documents, and information will be send, including pictures from Vilna. I have old photo album. Will take some time to copy, and download some pictures to you.

Maybe someone may know about the Konichski family?

My brother's family and I live in south Florida (USA).

Thanks,
Lenny

THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWS FROM VILNA AND VICINITY IN ISRAEL

Maureen Piasecki (cimabello@gmail) on Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 22:26:22
Message: Thank you - I am researching my Irish Immigrants 1949 story and
happened on yours - so alike we are, so unique we are.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mara Turecaite (sendasmile23@yahoo.com) on Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 21:28:49
Message: On photo 63 is pictured my uncle Simon Bloch, sitting is Yakov Ratner
(a father of schoolmate). I thing his daughter Khaya is living currently in
Canada.
Mara

Subject: remaining 256 records of the Glubokoye Society of New York

Is there any way to post the remaining 256 records from the "Glubokoye
Society of New York" link? The current list is truncated after 200

records.
We are most interested in the "K"'s - i.e.KLIOT.

Thanks so much. Your site has been most helpful in our family searches.

Regards,
S. Lancashire

This particular branch of the LOTZOV family moved from Ludza to Dvinsk in
the 1890s. Dvorka LOTZOV married Itzik Mendel TRAININ. They had three known
children: Sora Faiga, David and Hirsch. According to all the evidence this
whole branch, as well as all of their cousins, were wiped out in the
Holocaust. However, Sora Faiga married Sam CHITRIN and left before the
Holocaust.

Christine's translations allowed me to reconstruct this branch of the family
and I'm now in contact with Sora Faiga's family in Canada.

Many thanks again,

Paul Cheifitz
Cape Town

Researching:
VIDAN, LOTZOV, MAKWITZ - Ludza.
VIDAN, KHEYFETS - Dvinsk.

With best wishes,

Vlad Grausbard

General Director

"RENDERMEDIAPRODUCTION"LLP

050002, Kazakhstan, Almaty,

Zhibek Zholy st. 50 #915

tel./ +77272718451

tel/fax./ +77272718459

mob./ +77772990858

vlad@render.kz

www.render.kz

My great-uncle, Majer (Meier, Meyer) INGBERG,
lived in Bialystok. He resided at Polna 19 or 17 in the 1930's. He
was born around 1877 in Warsaw. It is my understanding that he owned
a factory/shop which made leather goods. He had three sons, one named
Moshe, and one daughter, possibly named Paula. One of the sons married
a girl who was a teacher. I also have a letter dated 1933 from a Dr. H.
Lukaczewski indicating that my great-uncle had arteriosclerosis.

I recently sent a message to the Archives in Bialystok.
What follows is a rough translation through Poltran;

Record office inform in bialystok kindly, that we lack in local stock:
Acts (records) from period of interwar .m bialystok person confession
moses metrykalnych For from period of interwar registration books .m
of bialystok; Act from end for XIX .m of warsaw metrykalnych w.;Thus,
we can not lend information about your family jakiejkolwiek.We inform
simultaneously, that records (acts) are transferred from offices of civil
statuses after hundred from moment of fabrication ( 100 ) lat (summer;
year) metrykalne. Therefore, bialystok is belonged to return regarding
documents for from period of interwar for office of civil status .m
confession moses metrykalnych, street 9 Branickiego, 15 089 bialystok.
In questions of act of birth carrying (concern) Majera Ingberg, ur.
In warsaw 1877 , it for record office .m st. warsaw advise (consult)
return, bandy circle A street 7, 00 270 warsaw...
it appears there are no records for my family.
I cannot request a look-up of my Uncle's birth record in Warsaw
as I do not have an exact date or the District in which he lived
which the Archives in Warsaw requires for a search.

I had hoped there would be some way to trace my Uncle through the
address at which he resided in Bialystok, but again have hit a brick
wall. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I might be able to
find information on my family?
Thank you in advance for your help!

Elizabeth Jackson

Susan Weinberg
Minneapolis

BELARUS: RAICHEL from Dunilovichi, LEIBOWITZ, SHER and GOLD from Glebokie
UKRAINE: KISHLANSKY and SHEICHER from Kamentz-Poldolsk
POLAND: WAJNBERG, RUBINSZTAJN, BEKIERMAN, DREZNER, BAUMZECER from Radom and
WAJNBERG and ROZENBERG from Sienno

have just distributed to the qualified donors of the Panevezys
Internal Passport Project another 401 records. This makes a total
of 7,025 records distributed to the donors thus far. More records
remain to be translated. If you are not already a donor to the
Panevezys I.P. Project, you can receive all of the translated
records merely by making a $100 contribution, specified for the
Panevezys Internal Passport Project. Go to
http://www.jewishgen.org/JewishGen-erosity/ You can use your credit
card as the site is secure. To see a full description of Internal
Passports, and to view images of original records, go to
http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Lithuania/InternalPassports.htm

Just because your ancestors left Lithuania before 1915, it does not
mean these 1919-1940 records hold no interest for you. Your immediate
family may have left but, in most case, other family members and
relatives remained there. In 1915, the majority of the Jews in
Lithuania were forced to go deep into the Eastern part of Russia.
After 1919, most of those Jews returned to Lithuania and had to
apply for an Internal Passport. Many researchers have had great
success with the Internal Passport records.

Every time I receive another group of translated Internal Passport
records, it never ceases to amaze me about the outstanding information
presented. Several examples from this group of Panevezys records will
illustrate my point.

(1) Leib NEMAS / [NEMM], son of Yankel. Born 1877 in Baisogola. Applied
for his Internal Passport on 14 December, 1921. (This is an indication of
the date he returned to Panevezys from Russia because he had to apply
within 30 days of his arrival back in Lithuania). He lived at Ramygalos
st. 60 in Panevezys and was a Merchant. He was married. He died 18 July
1927. His Military Service Certificate Nr. 5151, issued in Siauliai in
1899 and his Internal Passport are in the file. His wife was Hinda
FARBERAITE / [FARBER] born in 1883, daughter of Yovel. They had three
children - Yosel - Born 1908, Tauba - Born 1909, and Rakhel - Born 1914.
(Baisogola, Panevezys, Siauliai - you can see the possibilities this
opens up to find more records. Also, his Military Service Certificate
may offer the information needed to find his Russian military records).

(2) Basia MILSTEINAITE / [MILSHTEIN], daughter of Abraham and Rebecca.
Born 1903 in Vilnius. She was single when she applied for her Internal
Passport 28 August 1920. (Upon reaching the age of 17 she had to apply
for her own Internal Passport). She lived with her parents at Kranto st.
10 in Panevezys. Her mother's maiden name was BIGELYTE / [BIGGEL] and
she was born in 1869 in Vidzai, Ezerenai Uyezd. Her father was born in
1868 in Vidzai, Ezerenai Uyezd. He was a carrier. The German passports
for Basia and her father were issued 29 May 1916 in Vilnius and her
mother's German passport was issied in Panevezys 19 May 1917. All three
German passports are in the file. Basia got married to Hirsh DOLBERGAS /
[DOLBERG] on 8 August 1926 in Kaunas. In addition to Basia, Abraham and
Rebecca had three sons. Alter - born 1908, Shimon - born 1911, Jacob -
born 1913. (Again, the records not only provide a wealth of information
but also present an opportunity to do further research in the records for
Vidzai, Vilnius, Panevezys, and Kaunas).

Howard Margol
Coordinator, Internal Passport Project 1919-1940

n 1894 record from Vilna shows my great-grandparents Abram and Feiga
(daughter of Eliyahu and Ida FINBERG) LANDSMAN having a child Isaac
and the record says the family came from Podberzhe (Paberze). Available
records from Paberze show virtually no LANDSMAN activity which got me
wondering why my GGGF would have been there.
Based on past experience with family in Poland, a very likely
possibility would be that Feiga's family may have come from there (it
appears that LANDSMAN spread out from the Bagaslaviskis area into the
surrounding towns) as the husband often
moves to the wife's shtetl.

Checking the Paberze records I came across some records for FAIN which
may be related (Feiga's surname in the US was always listed as FINBERG
except on records related to her oldest son, where it was listed as
PEANEN, which if spoken quickly sounds close to FA-IN?).

From Paberze vital records:
David (son of Israel) FAIN was married to Itka (daughter of Ber)
ARNOVITZ. Their children included Feiga (b.1861), Avram (b.1864),
Shmul Khayim (b.1859), and Khaya Lea (1863-1866). What is interesting
is that this Feiga is the correct age to be my GGM and her mother's name
Ida would be correct for the Itka here. The only part that doesn't fit
is David versus Eliyahu/Eliasz as Feiga's father, so I would surmise as
a working hypothesis that either these are cousins of my GGM or the
father had the double name David Eliasz and this could in fact be
my GGM's birth in 1861.

If any of this sounds familiar, please contact me privately at
<MandJMeyers@
Martin H Meyers

I have recently been researching my family history and found my
grandfather, Samuel Raskin, who is listed as having arrived at Ellis Island
from Novo Libki or Nozebkow on 3/26/1906, on this site. He married Sophie

(Sonja) Nechamkin (I am not sure of the correct spelling) who arrived, perhaps
in 1908, chaperoned by Samuel's sister, May Raskin. I am interested in finding
additional information if it is available. Sophie & Sam had 2 children,

Jeanette, born about 1909, and Isadore David (my father, born in 1911.
Jacki Fromer

http://http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/p/e/r/Jana-L-Perskie/index.html

I think we may be
related. My family, (descendants of Lazar Perskie and Mindel Dithy Perskie),
are originally from Volozhin and came to the US in the mid-19th century. Check
my genealogical Website for more information. Also, please email me your email

address. THanks. Jana Perskie

Werner (gwerner@dc.r
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: Very well done, enjoyed reviewing each photo looking for my father. I

am looking for a relative of Chaim Kremer who would have hidden for about 20
months following the late 1942 Aktionen in Kosow, Poland. My father, the
plumber, hid out with Chaim Kremer at a Ukranian friend's home with Chaim until

liberated by the Russians. Is your relative the same Chaim Kremer? Do you know
more about that particular time frame. I have several photos with relatives (or
friends) of my father that I cannot identify, so I am scouring through other's

photos lookiing for familiar faces. Also, am interested in posting my own
website with the photos. What software and hosting site do you use?

The most famous Lithuanian rescuer of Jews during the Holocaust was
probably Ona Simaite, a librarian in Vilnius University, took advantage
of her freedom of movement into the Jewish ghetto, ostensibly to retrieve
books loaned to Jews before the war, as a pretext to secure valuable
literary works by Jewish authors. She also looked after Jews in hiding
outside the ghetto. Arrested during an attempt to smuggle a Jewish girl
outside the ghetto, she was tortured and sent to a concentration camp.
She survived but suffered permanent damage to her health.

You will find a write-up on another Lithuanian Righteous among the
Nations at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazys_Binkis

And a Wikipedia site has a whole list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian_Righteous_among_the_Nations

There is now also a book published by the State Jewish Museum in Vilnius
that lists more than 2,500 Lithuanians who helped save Jews during the
Holocaust (though whether all have been recognized by Yad Vashem I don't
know.) I had some correspondence a few years ago with Viktorija Sakaite,
who was working on this book. At the time, a book had come out by a
Lithuanian, Antanas Gurevicius, listing more than 10,000 Lithuanian
rescuers. Sakaite was attempting to verify as rescuers the people named in
Gurevicius' book. It's obvious that she was able to do so with only about
25% of those listed by Gurevicius. See:

http://www.ncsj.org/AuxPages/022602Rescuers.shtml

Marjorie Rosenfeld

Included in the data are:

1834 Revision Lists for four towns in the Trakai District: Nemunaitis,
Punia, Stakliskes and Varena,

1887 Family List for Birzai (Paneveyz District)

1858-1908 Additional Revision Lists for 4 Oshmiany District towns:
Golshany, Oshmany, Soly and Traby

1875-1880 Additional Revision List for Ukmerge

1816 & 1818 Revision Lists for Pusalotas; 1818 Revision List for Pumpenai
and 1816 & 1818 Revision List for Zeimelis (Panevezys District)

Amongst the tax and voters lists, there are new entries for:
Gargzdai, Kretinga, Zidikai and Telsiai (Telsiai District)
Kvedarna and Kelme (Raseiniai District)
Grzuzdziai (Siauliai District)

There are 12 district research groups matching administrative districts
-- uezds or uyezds -- of the Russian Empire period (1795-1917). They focus
primarily on translating revision and family lists. These were registers
for each family in a given shtetl that generally covered a period of about
10 years. Families often lived in one shtetl and were officially registered
in another shtetl. There is a District Co-ordinator for each district.

You can find a list of the Districts and their coordinators by going to
www.Litvaksig.org and selecting Meet the LitvakSIG Team.

Qualified donors for a given district are sent excel files of all records
translated for that district and new translations generated from available
funds soon after they are completed. This is usually one year or so
before they are published on the All Lithuania Database ("ALD"). The
qualification level is US$200 for Telsiai and Vilnius districts and US$100
for all other districts. Smaller donations can be made over time to build
up to the qualification level.

District donations are allocated to specific projects by LitvakSIG.
However if a donor wishes wholly (or partly) to fund a particular project
then this is possible and should be discussed this with the relevant
district co-ordinator.

Where a particular list is very large it may be treated as a project by
itself, distinct from other projects for that district. Currently, for
example, funds are being raised for the City of Kaunas family list
1858-1915. This has its own US$100 donor qualification.

Please support our work with a contribution. There is still so much to
be done. Donations can be made online

http://www.litvaksig.org/HTML/donate.htm) or by post.

Dorothy Leivers
Coordinator of the District Research Groups of LitvakSIG

A life-saving swap
By Nurit Wurgaft and Ran Shapira

"The Eretz-Israeli residents that have been exchanged have arrived
from the Reich," a Haaretz headline announced on November 17, 1942.
"There's been much commotion at the Afula station," the article read,
"in preparation for the arrival of 114 women and children, relatives
of Eretz-Israeli and British residents, who've come from Germany. They
were exchanged for German women and children from Eretz Israel, who
were allowed to travel to Germany."

Ora Reshef, 73, from Kiryat Ono, may have been aboard that train to
Afula. In 1939 she journeyed with her mother from Palestine to Poland,
she thinks, "to celebrate Passover, and so that my grandmother and
grandfather could get to know their grandchild." The grandparents, a
wealthy couple, lived in a large wooden house, she recalls. After they
occupied Poland, and return travel became impossible, "the Nazis came
to the house and found us. Since we weren't Polish citizens, but had
documents issued by the British Mandate authorities, Mother had to
report to the police station every week. In 1942 they came and told
us, 'You're going.' No one knew whether to believe them, but a few
days later we were put on a train and got to Israel by way of Turkey."

Between 1941 and 1945, some 550 Jews arrived in Palestine under
similar circumstances, having been trapped in occupied Europe and then
released as part of the same deal, for Germans detained in Palestine.
Some of them have remained in touch with each other to this day.
Advertisement
The German women and children who were deported from Palestine were
Templers - members of a Protestant religious movement founded in
Germany in the mid-1800s. The Templers worked to bring about salvation
and the second coming of Jesus Christ, and believed the only way to do
this was to live a productive life in the Holy Land.

By World War II, the Templer population in Palestine was already in
its third generation, with communities in the German Colonies of
Jerusalem and Haifa, as well as in Sarona (now the Kirya in Tel Aviv),
Valhalla near Jaffa, Wilhelma (now Moshav Bnei Atarot), Beit Lehem
Haglilit and Waldheim (now Alonei Aba). Although they lived in Eretz
Israel, they maintained their German citizenship, studied in German
and identified as Germans. Many supported the racist-nationalist
ideology of Adolf Hitler; indeed, after Hitler's party rose to power
in 1933, some Templers joined the Nazi cause. The Nazi regime decreed
that their party would run all German affairs in Eretz Israel and
placed Nazi activist Cornelius Schwarz at the head of the local
community.

"They went from religious messianism to political messianism," says
Prof. Yossi Ben-Artzi, rector of the University of Haifa and a
professor in its Land of Israel studies department. He believes that
the Nazi episode in Templer history has been blown out of proportion.
"The members of the younger generation to some extent broke away from
naive religious belief, and were more receptive to the Nazi German
nationalism. The older ones tried to fight it."

In 1938 about 17 percent of Palestine's Templer community were members
of the Nazi Party. British Mandate authorities were not happy to have
Nazi activity in their own backyard. And at the end of August 1939, a
few days before the war broke out, young Templer men eligible for the
draft were conscripted into the Wehrmacht and left for Germany. Those
who stayed behind became enemy nationals, imprisoned in their own
homes. Palestine's German colonies were surrounded by barbed-wire
fences and watchtowers, and effectively became detention camps. The
British wanted to expel the German citizens from the country they
controlled. And so the road was paved for an exchange of German
citizens in Palestine for British subjects - Jews from Palestine, who
had left for Europe just before the war and were stranded there,
unable to return.

"In return for the Germans whom the British wished to deport, they
received Palestinian citizens - Eretz Israeli Jews in occupied
Europe," says Hebrew University Holocaust scholar Prof. Yehuda Bauer.
"Jewish groups pressured the British government to negotiate an
exchange of these British subjects for the Germans."

The swap, Bauer stresses, stemmed primarily from British and German
interests: Just as the British wanted to get the Germans out, Germany
was happy for the chance to rid itself of a few hundred more Jews. The
exchange, however, was not an even one. The number of Germans deported
from Palestine was greater than the number of returning Jews.

Bauer explains that despite the pressure they exerted, the various
institutions affiliated with the Yishuv (pre-state Jewish community)
wielded no real influence over the talks that ultimately enabled a
group of Jews to escape the ghettos of Europe. It was the British who
negotiated with the Germans, first under the auspices of the U.S.
Embassy in Berlin, and later through the Swiss.

"The Yishuv's leadership had no idea when the Jews exchanged for the
Templers would arrive. They did not even know how far the negotiations
had progressed - the British had that little regard for the leadership
and its power," he says.

Yishuv protest

Ostensibly prevented from taking substantive action, Yishuv leaders
settled for protest. Some 10 days after the second group of exchanged
Jews arrived in November 1942, they thus decided to appoint a special
committee "to oversee the response of the Hebrew Yishuv in Eretz
Israel to the atrocities and the decreed extermination against the
Jews in Poland and other German-occupied areas," Haaretz reported.
Additionally, a special session of the Yishuv's parliamentary assembly
was planned, in which the community's claims would be formally
drafted.

On December 21, 1941, immediately after the arrival of the first
group, Haaretz published a story about a woman who had left Palestine
with her daughter before the war to visit her hometown and family in
Poland. "Our little town did not even have a cemetery in ordinary
times," the unnamed woman was quoted as saying, "but now the Germans
have established one, and it contains hundreds of graves of local Jews
and of others deported there from the big cities."

Leah Bartal, 77, from Haifa, was five years old when she left to visit
her grandparents in Tarnow, Poland. Her parents made two such visits,
returning to Palestine in 1939, just three weeks before the war broke
out, after "they looked for work, but didn't find any," says Bartal.
Meanwhile, she remained with her relatives in Poland. At first, she
recalls, "there were rumors that all foreign nationals were being
rounded up and killed, and people were terrified. But my grandmother,
a smart and prescient woman, told me to guard my passport at all
costs. She sewed a special pouch for it, which I always wore around my
neck."

Although she was not listed among the Jews of Tarnow, Bartal moved
into the city's ghetto along with her aunts. "My parents weren't with
me, but I was a little girl surrounded by a great deal of love," she
remembers. The aunts had to work outside the home, and she was forced
to learn the art of survival herself: how to keep quiet, how to listen
carefully, then run and hide at any small sound. Yes, she says, "it
was alien to a girl who had grown up in Eretz Israel, partly on a
kibbutz, but I didn't think of it. I was like all the other people,
getting through one day, then another, then another." Later Bartal
would survive two German roundups, one of which left many of the
ghetto's children dead.

Bartal: "In May 1943, shortly before the ghetto was taken over, they
said that all foreign nationals had to report in order to be sent
home. There were 12 of us, mainly from Argentina and Eretz Israel. I
went with another girl, Dalia, and her mother, Rachel Klein Handler,
who took me under her wing as though I were her own daughter. There
was much fear, but there had already been two roundups, and people saw
that the end was near. That's what the rumors said, too, so there
wasn't much to lose. The next day we reported to the German offices
and walked out of the gate. My aunt stayed behind. The entire ghetto
stood by the gates and waved goodbye. It was hard.

"We rode on the train to a prison in Krakow and from there, a few
months later, we were transported to Bergen Belsen. They had a
separate camp for foreign nationals - no forced labor or executions. I
think the Red Cross was involved, because we got food and a shower
once a week. Then we were taken to France, where we waited for the
liberation, after which we sailed to Palestine on a British ship,
half-filled with soldiers. It was not until a few years ago that I
learned we had been part of the deal with the Templers."

Says Dalia Gavish, 72, from Haifa, who returned on the same boat, in
September 1945: "My cousins were killed in the ghetto, and if we had
not been part of the deal, we might not be here today. I remember that
everyone at the port looked the same to me. Father was waiting for me;
it was the first time I saw him. They gave us orange juice, and we all
went our separate ways."

Among the people waiting to welcome Bartal in an apartment in Haifa
was Rina Efraim, then eight years old. She, too, had spent time with
her mother in Poland, but they had returned in late 1938. "The
economic situation here was difficult then," she says, "so young
mothers with children traveled to their families, if they could, till
things improved or until their husbands could find work or lodgings."

Bartal, Efraim says, was referred to all through the war as "the girl
who remained there": "On the day the ship docked at Haifa, we stood on
the balcony, very many of us, and someone came and said they had
arrived. They came home in a taxi, and when they got there - how
people cried."

Five groups

According to Prof. Bauer, most of the Jews who returned as part of the
exchange were not residents of Palestine who had gone to Europe and
gotten stranded there, but rather citizens who could prove they had
relatives in Palestine and had secured immigration permits. All in
all, the exchange involved five groups of Jews, the first landing in
December 1941; the second group, consisting of 69 Jewish passengers
and 45 British ones (as described above in the Haaretz article),
arrived on November 14, 1942; the third and fourth groups landed in
February 1943 and July 1944, respectively; and the final group, to
which Leah Bartal and Dalia Gavish belonged, arrived in mid-April
1945, shortly before Germany surrendered. The total number of Jews
extricated from Europe this way was about 550, in exchange for some
1,000 Templers sent back to Germany.

Despite the swap, Ben-Artzi notes, most of the Templers remained in
Israel after the war. "They lived in open detention camps in Beit
Lechem Haglilit, Waldheim and the other communities, and went to work
every day under escort. The Yishuv pressured the English to expel
them. When the fighting between Arabs and Jews broke out in 1948, they
were caught in the middle. On April 17, 1948 Waldheim was captured,
and a local couple was killed. The Templers realized they could not
stay here, and they left. Waldheim was taken when the
Israeli-Palestinian war was at its peak. That is, many of them did not
think they needed to get out."

Michael Jesse Chonoles (mjchonoles@yahoo.com)

I'm a descendant of Tziril Minah first husband Aaron Leibe Haneles (by his
previous wife). I'm interested in any descendents of Haneles or the Botwiniks.

Haneles was also variously spelled as Khaneles or Ganeles and were concentrated
in the Minsk area.

Thanks
Michael

I am trying to find the descendants of Girsh Schnaider from Birzai,
Lithuania. My great-grandfather Haim Itsyk is Girsh's grandson. Below
is the brief summary of the families I am looking for. Please let me
know if the names sound familiar.

1. Girsh Shneyder had two sons
Ruvel (Reuven) Shneyder (1840)
Shimen Leizer Shneyder (1851)

2. Ruvel (Reuven) Shneyder (Shnaider) was born in 1840.
Ruvel married Pese Leia.

Their children:

Haim Itsyk Shneyder (1878-1916)
Ester Shneyder (1868)
Mariasha Shneyder (1876)
Khaia Minukhe Shneyder (1876)
Khaia married Itsyk Josel Klaz on 15 Apr 1911 in Birzai, Lithuania.

Mariasha married Shmuel Nokhum Shneyder (Shnaider), son of Shimen Leizer
Their children:

Gene Shneyder (1890)
Pese Shneyder (1904)
Abram Shneyder (1903)

3. Shimen Leizer Shneyder (1851)
Shimen married Shore Mushe. (1854)

Their children:

Freide Rive Shneyder (1873) Freide married Girsh Abrem Khait
Minukhe Khaia Shneyder (1878)
Eide Shneyder (1881)
Gena Shneyder (1889)
Elke Shneyder (1888)
Shmuel Nokhum Shneyder (1876)
Eliash Shneyder (1884)
Movsha Leib Shneyder (1895)

Thank you,
Igal Sokolov
Sunnyvale, CA

Holocaust Remembrance / Living in Israel helps survivors cope with trauma

Holocaust survivors in Israel cope better with the traumatic effects
of the genocide than those living in the U.S. and Australia, according
to mega-analysis of prior studies performed by researchers from the
University of Haifa.

The analysis, carried out at the university's Center for the Study of
Child Development, encompasses results from dozens of research works
on some 12,000 Holocaust survivors living in the three countries.

The research found that living in Israel played a role in moderating
the long-term effects of the Holocaust on survivors.
"The results of the research clearly suggest that Holocaust survivors
in Israel have higher functionality than elsewhere, and are in general
coping better with the trauma," Dr. Efrat Barel, who performed the
study, told Haaretz. She added that alongside this resilience there is
also considerable vulnerability in Israeli Holocaust survivors. "It
comes out less in their [everyday] lives, but in nightmares and
sentiments and in their emotional existence," she said.

Barel, a developmental psychologist, says there is no definite
scientific way of interpreting the results, but notes a few
conjectures. "We were groping in the dark when we first started this
research. We were dealing with a few conflicting ideas. On the one
hand, the difficulties connected to life in Israel through wars and
problematic financial situations would intuitively mean a less
supportive environment for coping with trauma." The statistical
analysis of the 59 previous studies, however, seems to support an
opposing view, which argued that the "national sense of purpose" in
Israel and "togetherness" offer a more supportive environment than
elsewhere, she says. "The fact that the troubles of war and pressures
that come with it are shared by everyone could help reduce trauma and
isolation rather than augment it," Barel adds.

The groups of survivors surveyed in the 59 studies, Barel explains,
were tested against control groups of people from their countries of
residence. In other words, the trauma level of Holocaust survivors
living in Israel was measured against the trauma level of
non-survivors from Israel, while trauma levels of Holocaust survivors
who had moved to Australia was measured against trauma in "ordinary"
Australians.

In this context, Barel notes the high prominence the Holocaust
receives in Israeli society as a possible means for reducing trauma in
survivors. "Israel has ceremonies, panels, commemorations. Society is
more open to discussing the Holocaust and this could relieve
survivors' sense of isolation," she says. At the same time, Barel
mentions that during Israel's first two decades the Holocaust was
"swept under the rug." She adds: "This has changed over time, which
could help explain the results."

The newly released study, conducted under the supervision of Prof. Avi
Sagi-Schwartz, has yet to draw reactions from researchers in the
field. "[This study] is important in discussions on the need to offer
support for survivors - in Israel and elsewhere - and how to go about
it," Barel concluded.
By Cnaan Liphshiz

How many Jews would there be if not for the Holocaust?
By Ofri Ilani

If not for the Holocaust, there would be as many as 32 million Jews
worldwide, instead of the current 13 million, demographer Professor
Sergio Della Pergola has written in a soon-to-be published article.

Della Pergola, who holds the Shlomo Argov chair in Israel-Diaspora
relations and is the director of the Division of Jewish Demography and
Statistics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, attempts to estimate
the demographic damage to Jews of the Holocaust. The Holocaust 'struck
a mortal blow particularly at the Jews of Eastern Europe because of
their especially young age structure,' and particularly the number of
children. This led to significant long-term demographic damage. The
quantitative ramifications are far beyond what we think," he writes.

In the article, to be published in "Beshvil Hazikaron," the periodical
of the Yad Vashem Holocaust commemoration authority's school of
Holocaust studies, he writes: This was the destruction of a
generation, and what we are lacking now is not only that generation,
it is their children and their children.
Advertisement
According to Della Pergola, while the birth rate of the Jewish
population outside Israel is relatively low, the young Jewish
population of Eastern Europe has great potential for growth. "What
would happen if there were another 10 million Jews in Eastern Europe?
It raises questions that are like science fiction - for example, would
the State of Israel have come into being?

Della Pergola says another demographic outcome of the Holocaust is the
lower relative number of Jews in the world. "At present, the
percentage of Jews in the world is constantly in decline. Before the
Holocaust, the rate was eight Jews per thousand people in the world;
today it is two per thousand.

Della Pergola also notes in the article that various estimates put the
number of Jews killed in the Holocaust at between 5.6 and 5.9 million,
and that part of the problem in pinpointing the numbers lies in the
question of 'who is a Jew', he writes, since some of those killed
converted to Christianity before the Holocaust or were part-Jewish

I have recently been in touch with Professor Dovid Katz of Vilnius
University and The Vilnius Yiddish Institute in Vilnius,
Lithuania. He advised me of a fascinating once-only two-week seminar
on Jewish Lithuania which is part of the Summer Literary Seminars for
which he serves as Program Director. It is intended for English-speaking
individuals.

Please take a minute to look over this link about the program that
describes it in great detail and includes links to lodging
possibilities and such.

http://www.sumlitsem.org/lithuania/jewishlithuania.html

Danielle Weiner
Dallas, TX

shoshana (shoshana13@013.net.il) on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at 07:29:11
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: My mother was born in Rakov (1914). Her maiden name was Uzlaner. I
know that her fathr died before the war, and that her 3 sisters and mother were
killed. She and her brother survived. I would like to know whether there is an

archive of photos in Rakov. She had relatives in Minsk.

Uzlyaner Bobe

Bobe Uzlyaner nee Leikind was born in Minsk in 1880 to Sara nee Leikind. She was a housewife and married to Moisei. Prior to WWII she lived in Minsk, Belorussia (USSR). Bobe perished in 1942 in Minsk, Ghetto at the age of 60. This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted on 26-Oct-2006 by her granddaughter.

Alan Zeligson (Bigvan82@gmail.com)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello there , My name is Alan M Zeligson. I was born in Johannesburg

South africa. My fathers mother was Chaya Gafanovitch , but I believe that her
mothers maiden name was Chait. From Kovna .i would love to hear from anyone who
is also researching family from Lithuania. I think they got married In Dusyat ,

Lithuania. Alan M Zeligson

Dear Sir or Madam,

My name is Victoria Shaldova, I am an executive director of Jewish community
"Shamir", Riga, Latvia.

Activity of "Shamir" is aimed to commemorating the memory of Latvian Jews. The
most significant project of us is Latvian Jewish Encyclopedia, which gathers
information about all the Jews, connected to Latvia. It will be a memorial for
the Latvian Jews, which do not exist now. We have gathered already more than 2
500 biographic and thematic entries and it is a half of the proposed amount. It
covers the period of time from 1561 to 1991.

Now we are looking for information about David Stupel and Henriette Hes nee
Stuppel.
David Stupel was born in Riga, Latvia in 1891. David died in 1942 in
Auschwitz. This information is based on a list of deportation from the
Netherlands found in the In Memoriam - Nederlandse
oorlogsslachtoffers, Nederlandse Oorlogsgravenstichting (Dutch War
Victims Authority), `s-Gravenhage (courtesy of the Association of Yad
Vashem Friends in Netherlands, Amsterdam). More Details...
Stupel Elfriede
Stupel Elfriede
Elfriede Stupel nee Schereschewsky was born in Riga, Latvia in 1900.
Elfriede died in 1943 in Sobibor. This information is based on a list
of deportation from the Netherlands found in the In Memoriam -
Nederlandse oorlogsslachtoffers, Nederlandse Oorlogsgravenstichting
(Dutch War Victims Authority), `s-Gravenhage (courtesy of the
Association of Yad Vashem Friends in Netherlands, Amsterdam).

Hes Henriette
Henriette Hes nee Stuppel was born in Riga, Latvia in 1877.
Henriette died in 1943 in Auschwitz. This information is based on a
list of deportation from the Netherlands found in the In Memoriam -
Nederlandse oorlogsslachtoffers, Nederlandse Oorlogsgravenstichting
(Dutch War Victims Authority), `s-Gravenhage (courtesy of the
Association of Yad Vashem Friends in Netherlands, Amsterdam). More
Details...

do you have more information about them?

I would like to invite you to participate in the project of Encyclopedia with
any information you have on the topic or pass the information to people, who
may be interested in it.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon,

thank you in advance,

Victoria Shaldova

Sara Leber (pattyi@sympatico.ca)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: I am looking for any information on the Urison Family from Kovno
father was Chaim (Khaim), Wife was Sara (Sura) they had 5 daughters and 1 son.
Ester Mina, Chaya, Doba, Judishka, Hennala, and Schmeul. Found document of
internal passport card for both Chaim and Ester Mina (my mother). Asking for
any information on the family. Thank you for this opportunity.

Yoram Wolkowyski (geowisky@covad.net)
: My parents Dr. Shlomo and Mina Wolkowyski escaped from Slonim in 1941
/42 to the forest close to Slonim to join the Russian Partisans.
The Russian partisan usually did not admitted Jews, but they agreed to take my
Father and Mother because they needed a Medical Doctor and a Nurse.
After the war my parents moved to Israel where they lived for rest of their
life.
Anyone who would like to know more please feel free to contact me.

From: Lawrence Litwin <theslice@sympatico.ca
HI all. I was wondering if there were any good sites for researching the Slonim Shtetl?
Any help would be great.
Specifically dealing with Yugeroffsky or other spellings of such name.

Thanks.

Lawrence Litwin
Montreal Canada
Searching
Reisapfel, Kuhn, Fogel, Litwin, Singer, Gelb, Wilhelm, Engelsberg, Wertman
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Susan Weinberg <susanweinberg@comca
I am planning on visiting Belarus for a one day visit to Dunilowitz and
Glebokie in August and am interested in anyone else's experience in visiting
these towns. Has anyone worked through the Jewish Heritage Research Group
in Belarus? (Please respond privately to me on this question)

My great-grandparents, Schloime and Malka Raichel (later changed to
Rothchild) and all of their grandchildren came from Dunilowitz. My
great-grandfather's parents were Pinchus Mordechai Raichel and Malka
Liebowitz. My great-grandmother was born in Glebokie to Pinches Scher and
Chaja Gitl Gold. I would be interested in any potential linkages as an
additional line of inquiry. I will be in Vilnius for a month prior at the
Vilnius Yiddish Institute and hope to do some research in their archives as
well.

Susan Weinberg
Edina, Minnesota

Researching:

BELARUS: RAICHEL, LIEBOWITZ from DUNILOWITZ, SCHER,GOLD from GLEBOKIE
POLAND: WAJNBERG, RUBINSZTAJN, BAUMZECER, ROZENBERG, BIEKERMAN
UKRAINE: KISHLANSKY, SCHIECHER, BEZNOS

Leon Rubin (rubinlj@netvision.net.il) on Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 18:39:17
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: I want to congratulate Steven C. Sosenski for his proper comment on
the Aidan
Gaynor hypocrite note on the 6th of February 2009.
Right answer,well done, Steven!
Leon Rubin

David Conway (smerus@gmail.com) on Monday, March 09, 2009 at 04:38:15
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Home Page: http://www.nadiaconway.org

Message: Very interested in your photos of the Bublackis of Slonim. I am
descended from Bublackis of Bialystok (see my website) - I assume there is a
connection. In England they changed the susname to Simons - Isaac
Bublacki/Simons is 'ben Shima' on his tombstone. If anyone has details of the
Bublacki family/families I should be very interested to hear from them.
David Conway

Bublacki family of Hajnowka, Bialystock & Slonim. (dalefarmer@ntlworld.com) on
Monday, March 09, 2009 at 05:32:11
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: Thank you for your wwwsite, from information found we traced family
members who perished in the Holocaust. The photos you show on your Slonim page
shows [we think] several family members, most of who died in the Treblinka
death camp. My own views are that it was the myth that 'All Jews had money and
were wealthy', was the match that lit the holocaust-fire, but it was robbery
and and the thought of looted personal gain what got the lynch mob motivated.
These people were looters masquerading as nationalists, just the same as Hitler
was when he robbed 2 firms of German banknote printers during the Munich
putsch.

Lithuanian hypocrisy
By Dov Levin
Tags: Israel News, Lithuania

Last week I was caught in a debate with myself: whether or not to appear, despite the feeling of nausea, in a discussion with Lithuanian historians, writers and poets at the International Book Fair in Jerusalem. The idea made me so sick that in the end I decided to stay away and I also convinced my friend, former partisan and former chairman of Yad Vashem Yitzhak Arad, to excuse himself from the discussions.

In recent years, the government of Lithuania has been making considerable efforts to improve the country's image in Israeli public opinion. The discussions in Jerusalem were part of this attempt, which is entirely fraudulent and deceptive. Lithuania's policy is two-faced. One of the faces is smiling and demonstrating ostensible friendship with Israel. The other is doing all it can to deny the horrors of the Holocaust and harass partisans and Holocaust survivors in Lithuania and Israel.

With utter gall, the Lithuanian prosecutor tried to summon Arad for questioning in 2007, on the grounds that he had committed "war crimes" during World War II. I don't know what the prosecutor's father did during the war, but I do known that Arad and I, and many other good people, were partisans and we fought the Nazis and their Lithuanian collaborators. Similar "investigations" are still underway in Lithuania against a number of other partisans.
Advertisement

All this is going on in the context of the "rehabilitation" and the granting of wholesale clemency to Lithuanians who collaborated with the Nazis, a policy that began shortly after Lithuania declared its independence in the early 1990s.

At the end of World War II, when Lithuania was annexed to the Soviet Union, these same collaborators were sent to prison for war crimes. The policy of the post-Soviet Lithuanian government has been to treat the Nazis' crimes and the "crimes" committed by the Red Army that fought the Nazis and their Lithuanian collaborators as equivalent.

When Lithuanian president Algirdas Brazauskas came to Jerusalem in 1993, I, as a Holocaust survivor, had a bitter argument with him about the sweeping pardons he had granted to tens of thousands of Lithuanians who had murdered Jews, some of whom had even taken over the property of those who were murdered.

In response, Brazauskas delivered a flowery speech in which he said that he bowed his head before the 200,000 Jews of Lithuania who perished in the Holocaust and asked their forgiveness, "for the deeds of those Lithuanians who cruelly killed, shot, deported and robbed."

In hindsight, it appears these were empty words. The policy of pardons has only accelerated. Its real purpose is to cleanse Lithuanians of their responsibility for the murder of Lithuanian Jewry and thus downplay the Holocaust and its significance.

To my regret, because of their desire to maintain good diplomatic, trade and security relations with Lithuania, the governments of Israel have kept quiet about this policy. Instead of protesting and condemning it and perhaps even lowering the level of diplomatic relations, they fawn over the country.

This ingratiation reached its peak over a decade ago, when the Foreign Ministry agreed that Israeli representatives would participate in committees of historians that would discuss Lithuania during the war. The letter of appointment for the committees was based on a starting point of "equality" between the crimes committed by the Nazis and their Lithuanian collaborators and "the crimes committed by the Soviet Union" after it occupied Lithuania.

Now, the government of Lithuania is trying, by means of its embassy in Israel, to blur and conceal the disgrace with the help of collaborators of a new sort: obsequious intellectuals who came to Israel for discussions that bear no relation at all to intellectual integrity and cultural discourse.

The author is a former partisan, a member of the board of Yad Vashem and a professor emeritus at Hebrew University.

Dee Axelrod (deeaxelrod@gmail.com)

Subject: Comment

Landsman,

Dee Axelrod, here. My grandfather, Benjamin Axelrod and his brother, Samuel,

left Dolhinov in 1914. They settled in Salem, MA.

I teach Hebrew School. We're currently on the Holocaust. That makes me think
about personal history. Once again, I thought of Dolhinov, feeling sad, as I

have so many times, that I couldn't go back and see the place my ancestors came
from. Ii can't tell you how wonderful it is to find this site.

Thank you so very much.

Michael Davis (michaelphilipdavis) on Tuesday, February 03, 2009
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Question

Message: Dear Sir:

Enjoying your website enormously.

Would you know how we may obtain a high-resolution image of a painting shown on
the Krakow home page, Zydowski democrasza by Regina Mundlak (1929).

B'shalom and cordial greetings,

Michael Davis
Vice President, Remi Arts, Inc.

Steven C. Sosensky (sosensky@sbcglobal.net) on Friday, February 06, 2009 at
13:37:06
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Comment

Message: Mr. Gaynor, I read your note. You are mistaken, and you appear biased
too. The Israelis did not "slaughter" any Palestinian children. Instead the
Israelis, after years of patience, came to the conclusion that it must protect

its citizens from years of daily aerial rocket bombardment from the
Palestinians in Gaza. Regrettably, the Palestinians doing the bombing choose to
hide among and launch rockets from among the peaceful people there hoping for

casualties when Israel retaliates so pictures of such can be paraded on
international news outlets which are eager for such. I wish the Palestinians
loved their children more than they love hating Israel. Save your comments for

some anti-semetic, anti-Israel forum - this isn't it. Steven C. Sosensky.

RAPOPORT RAYSKI Annie (arayski@free.fr) on Saturday, February 07, 2009

Message: Thank you so much for this wonderful work !!!
Let us not forget...

My new book, "My Germany," has a lot about pre-WW II Vilno in it as well as
a translation of my late mother's memoir essay about the liquidation of the
Vilno Ghetto. She published it in a Yiddish newspaper in France in 1945
and it has never been published since or appeared in English.

"My Germany" is available on-line from the usual book sellers; it was
published by the University of Wisconsin Press.

Lev Raphael

http://www.levraphael.com
author of MY GERMANY
due April 2009 in the U.S. &
September 2009 in Germany

Shalom David and Allon,

Since you seem to be related I am pasting here some of the notes which
I received from you.
allon wrote;
I have our ancestry for both Aharon Lipetz (Dov's father) and Zipora
Dolnitzki (Dov's mother) as far as the late 1700's and I will happily
provide you with further information as much as you are interested.

All the best,
Allon

David Lipetz (dlipetz@hotmail.com) on Thursday, December 04, 2008 at 22:46:27
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am a descendant of, and named after, David Lipa Lipetz from Kovno.
My father is Jacques Lipetz. His father is Abrasha Lipetz - one of David's
three sons who left Lithuania before the war. The text I found on this site
regarding my family's history is fascinating. Abrasha died in 1985 I've been
trying to fill in the blanks. I now know that my uncle Leon Lipetz (who died a
few years ago) was named after his uncle Leon who was murdered in the
holocaust.

Aidan Gaynor (agaynor@iol.ie) on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 18:15:05
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: I have always had an interest in the history of European Jewry. I have
visited Auschwitz,the remains of the Warsaw ghetto, Jewish cemeteries in
Bratislava,Riga,Budapest and Lvov. As an Irish catholic I empathised with the
suffering of the Jews,the Irish famine in the 1840's was our Holocaust.I'm
moved by the family photographs,especially those of the children. What troubles
me is how can the Israeli state slaughter 500 Palestinian children in Jan 2009
and not feel the parallels with the 1940's. There seems to be an idea that 100
Palestinians must die for every Israeli citizen killed,reminiscent of Nazi
collective punishments.I am hugely disappointed in Israel and can only surmise
that we are all capable of cruelty in what we see as a "just cause"!

Brian Klitzner (brianklitzner@tiscali.co.uk)

Message: I found my grandmother's name, Reiza Dorfan, on your 1897 census list
for Vashki. It states she was aged 10 & it also includes her siblings &
parents. She married my late grandfather, Avram(Avraham) Klitzner & both my
late father & his sister were born in Lithuania before they all emigrated to
South Africa. My father, Hymie, was supposedly born in 1922 (but I'm not 100%
sure if that is accurate). Sonia, his sister, was younger. I was under the
impression that the Klitzner family were also form this area. I do know of
Klitsner relatives in the United States/Israel who we've made contact with &
are related to, that were from Pazevezys (Ponevez) which is not too far away in
distance. I'll try find out more info if possible. Perhaps you are also able to
assist or have any suggestions in this regard. Wishing you all the best, Brian
Klitzner (now live in London, UK

Former Chief Rabbi Lau named as chair of Yad Vashem council
By The Associated Press

Lau was born on June 1, 1937, in the Polish town of Piotrko�Lw Trybunalski. His father, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Lau, was the last Chief Rabbi of the town and died in the Treblinka death camp.

Lau was freed from the Buchenwald concentration camp in 1945. His entire family was murdered, with the exception of his older brother, Naphtali Lau-Lavie, his half brother, Yehoshua Lau-Hager, and his uncle already living in Mandate Palestine.

Israel's Cabinet has named the former Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau as the new chairman of the council of the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.

Lau, 71, is a Holocaust survivor who went on to become a respected and influential rabbi. He succeeds Yosef (Tommy) Lapid, a fellow Holocaust survivor and former minister of justice who died in June this year, as chairman of the council, an honorary body of 120 people, which meets once a year.

"The issue of the Holocaust is close to Rabbi Lau's heart, and he sees in Holocaust Remembrance both Jewish and universal values," Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev said in a statement released by the Centre.

"My life experiences echo in the walls of Yad Vashem, and are found in the documents and exhibits therein," said Lau.

Born in 1937 in Piotrkow, Poland, and scion of a well-known European rabbinic family, Lau survived the Holocaust, in which his parents and his entire family, with the exception of a brother and half brother, were murdered. At age eight, he was liberated from Buchenwald concentration camp by the U.S. army, the youngest surviving prisoner.

After the war, he emigrated to Palestine on a ship of orphaned refugee children.
Yisrael Meir Lau (8 years old) in the arms of Elazar Schiff,

Buchenwald's survivors at their arrival at Haifa on 15 July 1945.
His autobiography, "Do not raise your hand against the boy," published to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Buchenwald, became a best seller in Israel.

Lau served as chief rabbi of Israel from 1993 to 2003, and in 2005 was elected chief rabbi of Tel Aviv. He is also the recipient of the Israel Prize, the country's highest civilian honor.

...we share an avid interest in learning more about our ancestors in tsarist Russia. As the family tree grows, we may become especially interested in the life that one of these ancestors led. That happened to me when I wanted to find out more about my father's life in a shtetl. He had told me only a little about it, but about twenty years after he died, I developed a desire to find out what it really meant to live in a shtetl. Fortunately, I found Anna Spector Dien, a St. Louis woman who grew up in the Ukrainian small town of Korsun from 1905 to 1919.

Anna and I talked for two and a half years about her childhood. I decided that her remarkable store of information about shtetl life needed to be preserved. From the interviews with Anna, I wrote the book Anna's Shtetl, a first-hand account of life in a Ukrainian shtetl in the early 1900s. It's the true story of her childhood, beginning in peacetime in Korsun, and extending through the eventful times of World War I, the Bolshevik Revolution, and the Russian Civil War that followed. The town of Korsun was also hit by three pogroms.

I thought you might be interested in Anna's story. Maybe you will have the feeling that I had, namely that I did not understand what life in a shtetl was really like until I had heard Anna's story.Anna Spector Dien was a remarkable observer, and some of her observations about shtetl life do not appear anywhere else.

Thank you for your consideration.

Lawrence A. Coben
cobenl@wustl.edu

Here is what reviewers say about Anna's Shtetl.
" This biography is especially rare?. [Written] with remarkable clarity and detail .... a page-turner that keeps the reader's attention to the very end. In addition to the interviews with Anna, this book is well documented, with extensive outside sources. Highly recommended..."
(Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter. Vol. XVII, No. 3. Feb-Mar. 2008, p. 2.)

"A picture of life in the Russian shtetl is painted with a very talented brush in the book, Anna's Shtetl?. Although this book is non-fiction, it almost reads like a novel." (2007 St. Louis Jewish Book Festival Review).
----------------------------------
You can find Anna's Shtetl at more than 250 libraries.

If you wish to buy your own copy, you can order it at all online booksellers, and also at your favorite bookstore. The retail price is $ 43.50 per copy. Some used copies online sell for less. If you would like to buy a new copy from me,my author's discount allows me to sell it at a price of $33.00 per copy,which includes the U.S. postage.

Here is the book's identifying information:
Coben, Lawrence A. Anna's Shtetl. University of Alabama Press, 2007. 243 p. $43.50
(ISBN- 978-0817315276).

P.S. One other thing-- I'm thinking of starting an online group (a listserve, like Ukraine SIG digest) for people interested in life in the shtetl. Based on the comments I get from readers of Anna's Shtetl, many people who would like to know more about shtetl life have questions, but have no good source for answers. If you think such a group would be useful, I'd appreciate hearing from you.

Message: hi saw the name Chodosh settled in Carteret Nj My name is Edward
Schwartz, my father was Louis Schwartz my grandfather was Isador Schwartz of
Carteret. A Dr. Chodosh was my pediatrician when I was a child in the 50's. He
had an office in Woodbridge Nj He recently died. There was another chodosh in
the oil business in Carteret. thanks ,Ed garcoininc@aol.com

Marilyn Robinson (marilyn4622r@msn.com) on Friday, December 19, 2008
Message: Yesterday, I figured out that my grandfather, SAM YUDIEN, and his
brothers,ABRAHAM YUDIN, ISRAEL YUDIN, MORRIS YUDIEN,and Sister JENNIE YUDIN
(different spellings for their last names) emigrated to the US from
SHARKOVSHCHINA (town), DISNA (district), VILNA (province), RUSSIA (empire).
They were given new surnames here in the US (Yudien, Yudin).
I am looking for records or information that would possibly help me figure out
what their original last names were.
Does anyone know where I should look next??
Birth Dates:
Sam Yudien ( Mar. 10 or 14), 1886, 1887, or 1891
Abraham Yudin: Jan 15, 1893
Israel Yudin: Mar. 14, 1888
Morris Yudin: unknown
Jennie Yudin: unknown

-----------------------
Yudin Rubin
Rubin Yudin was born in 1910. He was an employee. Prior to WWII he
lived in Sharkovshchina, Poland. During the war he was in
Sharkovshchina, Poland. Rubin perished in the Shoah. This information
is based on a List of persecuted
------------------------------------
Yudin Mendel
Mendel Yudin was born in 1905 to R. He was an accountant and married
to Besia. Prior to WWII he lived in Sharkovshchina, Poland. During the
war he was in Sharkovshchina, Poland. Mendel perished in the Shoah.
This information is based on a List of persecuted.
Yudin Yankel
Yankel Yudin was born in 1934 to Mendel and Besia. He was a child.
Prior to WWII he lived in Sharkovshchina, Poland. During the war he
was in Sharkovshchina, Poland. Yankel perished in the Shoah. This
information is based on a List of persecuted

Yudin Rubin
Rubin Yudin was born in 1938 to Mendel and Besia. He was a child.
Prior to WWII he lived in Sharkovshchina, Poland. During the war he
was in Sharkovshchina, Poland. Rubin perished in the Shoah. This
information is based on a List of persecuted. More
Yudin Besia
Besia Yudina was born in 1908 to R. She was a housewife and married
to Mendel. Prior to WWII she lived in Sharkovshchina, Poland. During
the war she was in Sharkovshchina, Poland. Besia perished in the
Shoah. This information is based on a List of persecuted. More
Details...

Yudin Basia
Basia Yudina was born in 1915. She was a housewife. Prior to WWII
she lived in Sharkovshchina, Poland. During the war she was in
Sharkovshchina, Poland. Basia perished in the Shoah. This information
is based on a List of persecuted. More Details...

Yudina Khana
Khana Yudina was born in 1880. She was a housewife. Prior to WWII
she lived in Sharkovshchina, Poland. During the war she was in
Sharkovshchina, Poland. Khana perished in the Shoah. This information
is based on a List of persecuted. More Details...

Ytkin Ela
Ela Ytkin nee Yodin was born in Russia (to Yroham and Roza. Prior to
WWII she lived in Disna, Poland with husband Sana and 4 kids. Ela
perished in 1942 . This information is based on a Page of Testimony )
submitted on 05-May-1999 by her son, a Shoah survivor
Raphael Ytkin of Kfar Saba ( there is a phone number)

brother of Raphael Ytkin of Kfar Saba who perished; Shmuel Ytkin was
born in Russia in 1914 to Sana and Ela nee Yudin. He was a tailor and
single. Prior to WWII he lived in Dzisna, Poland. Shmuel perished.
Yudin Gdaliyahu
Gdaliyahu Yudin. Prior to WWII he lived in Glubokie, Poland.
Gdaliyahu perished in the Shoah. This information is based on a Page
of Testimony (PDF) (displayed on left) submitted on 15-Jan-2007 by his
researcher

Kantor Reiza
Reiza Kantor nee Yudin was born in Luzki in 1870 to Moisei and
Bronislava. She was a housewife and married to Abram. Prior to WWII
she lived in Taganrog, Russia (USSR). During the war she was in
Taganrog, Russia (USSR). Reiza perished in 1942 in Taganrog, Russia
(USSR) at the age of 72. This information is based on a Page of
Testimony (displayed on left) submitted on 01-Jan-1995 by her
granddaughter

hi saw the name Chodosh settled in Carteret Nj My name is Edward
Schwartz, my father was Louis Schwartz my grandfather was Isador Schwartz of
Carteret. A Dr. Chodosh was my pediatrician when I was a child in the 50's. He
had an office in Woodbridge Nj He recently died. There was another chodosh in
the oil business in Carteret. thanks ,Ed garcoininc@aol.com

Lily (tigerlily51@gmail.com) on Thursday, December 25, 2008 at 13:51:20
Message: I am looking for a town named vevirzhe - could it be Birzai ? I would
really appreciate your assistance

Support the work of the Belarus SIG

Dear All,

As many of you may have noted on the Internet: yesterday marked the
sixty-fifth anniversary of the liquidation of the Minsk Ghetto.
Fittingly Professor Barbara Epstein's magisterial work The Minsk
Ghetto 1941-1943 has just been published by the University of
California Press and is available through Amazon amongst other
outlets. It is compelling, authoritative and thought provoking
offering fresh insights into the ghetto and Jewish resistance in
Belarus. You will find it worthwhile for your own reading and I
suggest that you urge your local library to make it available.

--
Best regards,

Frank

Franklin J. Swartz
P.O. Box 100
Minsk
220074
Republic of Belarus
fjs@voluntas.org

R. Abraham BERGER of Haradok (born about 1843) was a descendant of Reb
Itzaleh, son of R. Chaim Volozhiner, according to an acrostic on his
tombstone. Abraham parents were Yitzkhak Levi SOLOVEICHIK and Esther.
He was not a kohen so his descent from Reb Itzaleh would have been on
his maternal side.

Could Abraham's mother, Esther, have been the daughter of R. Shmuel
LANDAU and Reb Itzaleh's daughter? One of Abraham's sons, my
grandfather, was named Shmuel as am I.

Charles Nydorf
New York

I have translated and own the copyright of Yizkor Book of Ivenets, Kamin and
Surroundings, now called These We Remember. It includes all photos, memorial
pages and necrology. For any genners who are involved in teaching Holocaust
studies it is an excellent source of primary source memoirs. It is
available for purchase from:

Shoah Literature Press

Box 133

Emerson NJ 07630

You can send a check to the above address for $45.00 plus $8 for shipping
and handling.

Chag sameach,

Florette Lynn

New Jersey

MODERATOR'S NOTE: The text of the Ivenets Yizkor Book is available on
the JewishGen website:
http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ivenets/ivenets.html

Also, view JewishGen's Yizkor Book Project at:
http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/

[litvaksig] Amazing discoveries using Birzai Internal passport archive
by Igal Sokolov
I'd like to share the most exciting story that ever happened to me since I
started my family research. My Tabakin family starts from Birzai Lithuania
The census from 1898 stated 11 children of Movsha and Sheina Tabakin.
Birzai Volost
Panevezys
Kaunas
TABAKIN Movsha son of Abel Head of Household

Registered in Birzai, resides in the village of Spalvishki since 1896

January
1898

57 41

Families Living Out of Towns; 4th Stan
KRA/I-26/1/2
Birzai Volost
Panevezys
Kaunas
TABAKIN Sheyna

Wife of

Movsha

January
1898

57 40

Families Living Out of Towns; 4th Stan
KRA/I-26/1/2
TABAKIN Shmerel son of Movsha Son
12



TABAKIN Iosel

son of

Movsha
Son
10



TABAKIN Mortkhel

son of

Movsha
Son
6



TABAKIN Sora Movsha Daughter
19



TABAKIN Chana Movsha Daughter
15



TABAKIN Shleva Movsha Daughter
14



TABAKIN Rocha Movsha Daughter
13



TABAKIN Tauba Movsha Daughter
7



TABAKIN Feyga Movsha Daughter
5



TABAKIN Ester Movsha Daughter
3



TABAKIN Ida Movsha Daughter
6 months
I always knew that most of the family left Birzai to Riga and Moscow around
1914 and my mom has a good contact with all the descendants besides two
male names mentioned in the census doc. But these two names never were
even heard by any of the Tabakin descendants. I was sure that they died
young.

To my surprise when I opened the list of Birzai internal passports I found
these two names there, getting their passports in 1920. That gave me an
idea to look for the Tabakin family name-bearers. The rest were female
or didn't have kids so I was sure that there are no Tabakin in our family
ly branch. I sent my question to a popular Russian language on-line social
network. And... in about 6 hours got a reply from a granddaughter of one of
the men listed in Census. We couldn't believe that we found each other and
checked all the facts many times. Everything fitted like a perfect puzzle.

Most amazing fact that she grew up in Birzai since her family never left
the place. She knew nothing about the rest of the family since her
grandfather was murdered by Nazis in Aug 1941. She and I are still speechless
from what happened to us. It's a happy family reunion after 95 years of
separation.

I want to express enormous gratitude to the organizers of the Internal
Passports project and their translators. I'd like to encourage everybody
to try it. My story shows that miracles happen.

Thank you
Igal Sokolov
Researching:
Tabakin (Birzai)
Polyak (Odessa, Kherson)
Kurzon (Courland, Lvovo, Skadovsk, Kherson)
Yaroshevsky (Kherson)
Sokolov (Krasnopolye, Belarus)
Leybishkis (Bratslav, Ukraine)
Remez (Gornostaypol)
Goldenberg (Belilovka)

--
Other relatives
Birzai Volost
Panevezys
Kaunas
TABAKIN Wulf Abel Head of Household



Registered in Birzai, resides in the village of Lepolaty since 1873

January
1898

57 47
Birzai Volost
Panevezys
Kaunas
TABAKIN Abel Wulf Son
20

January
1898

57 46

Families Living Out of Towns; 4th Stan
KRA/I-26/1/2
TABAKIN Mortkhel Wulf Son
10



TABAKIN Chana Wulf Daughter
26



TABAKIN Sora Wulf Daughter
15

TABAKIN Borukh Abel Head of Household



Registered in Birzai, resides in the village of Tubaki since 1865

January
1898

55 11

Families Living Out of Towns; 4th Stan
KRA/I-26/1/2
TABAKIN Elka Borukh Daughter
12



TABAKIN Tsile Borukh Daughter
10



TABAKIN Itsyk Borukh Son
3



TABAKIN Abel Borukh Son
1 1/2

1834 census;
Birzai
Panevezys
Kaunas
TABAKIN Gesel Shmuel Head of Household

April
1834

407

Revision List Index
LVIA/515/25/427
Searching for Surname Tabakin
Number of hits: 25
Run on Saturday 18 October 2008 at 23:17:47
Name Father, Grandfather Mother, Grandfather Mother Maiden Surname Date of Birth
DD/MM/YY Hebrew Date Town Ujezd Guberniya Comments Place Recorded Year Record # Microfilm / Item Image Archive / Fond
DAVIDOV, Sheine Tomka, Efroim Shlove, Moisei TABAKIN 7/5/1911 22 Iyar Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Bausk Birzai 1911 F10 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
DAVIDOV, Feiga Tomka, Efroim Shlova, Moiska TABAKIN 20/1/1913 25 Shevat Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Bausk Birzai 1913 F2 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
DAVIDOV, Abel Ruvin Tomka, Efroim Slova, Moiska TABAKIN 24/4/1914 11 Iyar Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Bausk Birzai 1914 M10 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
SHNAIDER, Iudis Khaim Itsyk, Ruvel Khana, Moiska TABAKIN 7/1/1912 1 Shevat Geidine village Panevezys Kaunas Born in the village Geidine Birzai 1912 F1 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
SHNAIDER, Aria Khaim Itsyk, Ruvel Khana, Movsha TABAKIN 2/4/1914 19 Nisan Gailekrug village Panevezys Kaunas Born in the village Gailekrug Birzai 1914 M8 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
TABAKIN, Shmuel Khaim Leib, Berel Brokhe Dveire 15/8/1891 23 Av Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Father from Anyksciai Birzai 1891 M52 2199343 / 1 LVIA/728/1/985
TABAKIN, Iosel Movsha, Iosel Gruna Glike 13/3/1866 8 Nisan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1866 M7 2205126 / 3 LVIA/1226/1/380
TABAKIN, Freide Rivke Shlioma, Iosel Rakhel Iudes 20/8/1880 25 Elul Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1880 F9 2205137 / 2 LVIA/1226/1/1027
TABAKIN, Leib Movshe Girsh, Abel Leia 24/4/1878 13 Iyar Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1878 M16 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Shore Rivka Iosel, Shloma Rokhel 19/9/1881 8 Tishri Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1881 F20 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
Name Father, Grandfather Mother, Grandfather Mother Maiden Surname Date of Birth
DD/MM/YY Hebrew Date Town Ujezd Guberniya Comments Place Recorded Year Record # Microfilm / Item Image Archive / Fond
TABAKIN, Tevie Ruvel Ber, Shmuel Khaim Khase 21/2/1882 14 Adar Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1882 M4 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Mortkhe Shmerel Volf, Abel Rokhel 2/7/1887 22 Tammuz Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1887 M38 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Sholem Ber Nakhmen Izrail, Movsha Frume Gene 24/5/1893 21 Sivan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1893 M31 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Golde Malke Iosel, Shloma Rokhel 27/5/1893 24 Sivan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1893 F24 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Itsyk Borukh Zelik, Abel Rokhel 7/9/1893 9 Tishri Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Kursenai Birzai 1893 M56 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Taube Feige Leib, Berel Brokhe 15/9/1893 17 Tishri Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Anyksciai Birzai 1893 F41 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Rakhmiel Iudel Iosel, Shloma Rokhel Iudis 4/6/1895 24 Sivan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1895 M28 2268931 / 1 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Khatskel Gdalie Leib, Berel Brokhe 17/12/1895 12 Tevet Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1895 M61 2268931 / 1 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Itsik Izrael Nakhmen, Movsha Frume Gene 11/8/1896 14 Elul Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1896 M40 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
TABAKIN, Abram Girsh Leib, Berel Brokhe Dveire 21/5/1898 12 Sivan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1898 M22 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
Name Father, Grandfather Mother, Grandfather Mother Maiden Surname Date of Birth
DD/MM/YY Hebrew Date Town Ujezd Guberniya Comments Place Recorded Year Record # Microfilm / Item Image Archive / Fond
TABAKIN, Rokhel Iudis Shmuel Mendel, Iosel Ite Raikhe 17/3/1900 29 Adar II Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1900 F10 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
TABAKIN, Ele Risa Mendel Shmuel, Iosel Ite Raikha 6/12/1901 9 Tevet Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1901 F43 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
TABAKIN, Shimen Aria Iosel, Moiska Sheine Kreinde, Movsha KHAIT 16/3/1912 11 Nisan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1912 M12 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
TABAKIN, Iokhel Abel Iosel, Moiska Sheina Kreinda, Movsha KHAIT 19/3/1913 23 Adar II Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1913 M8 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
VOLOVICH, Rakhil Izrail, Iankel Shora Riva, Iosel TABAKIN 27/5/1914 15 Sivan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Pogary (Pagirys, Kedainiai district) Birzai 1914 F12 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959

Searching for Surname Tabakin
Number of hits: 25
Run on Saturday 18 October 2008 at 23:17:47
Name Father, Grandfather Mother, Grandfather Mother Maiden Surname Date of Birth
DD/MM/YY Hebrew Date Town Ujezd Guberniya Comments Place Recorded Year Record # Microfilm / Item Image Archive / Fond
DAVIDOV, Sheine Tomka, Efroim Shlove, Moisei TABAKIN 7/5/1911 22 Iyar Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Bausk Birzai 1911 F10 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
DAVIDOV, Feiga Tomka, Efroim Shlova, Moiska TABAKIN 20/1/1913 25 Shevat Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Bausk Birzai 1913 F2 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
DAVIDOV, Abel Ruvin Tomka, Efroim Slova, Moiska TABAKIN 24/4/1914 11 Iyar Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Bausk Birzai 1914 M10 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
SHNAIDER, Iudis Khaim Itsyk, Ruvel Khana, Moiska TABAKIN 7/1/1912 1 Shevat Geidine village Panevezys Kaunas Born in the village Geidine Birzai 1912 F1 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
SHNAIDER, Aria Khaim Itsyk, Ruvel Khana, Movsha TABAKIN 2/4/1914 19 Nisan Gailekrug village Panevezys Kaunas Born in the village Gailekrug Birzai 1914 M8 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
TABAKIN, Shmuel Khaim Leib, Berel Brokhe Dveire 15/8/1891 23 Av Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Father from Anyksciai Birzai 1891 M52 2199343 / 1 LVIA/728/1/985
TABAKIN, Iosel Movsha, Iosel Gruna Glike 13/3/1866 8 Nisan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1866 M7 2205126 / 3 LVIA/1226/1/380
TABAKIN, Freide Rivke Shlioma, Iosel Rakhel Iudes 20/8/1880 25 Elul Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1880 F9 2205137 / 2 LVIA/1226/1/1027
TABAKIN, Leib Movshe Girsh, Abel Leia 24/4/1878 13 Iyar Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1878 M16 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Shore Rivka Iosel, Shloma Rokhel 19/9/1881 8 Tishri Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1881 F20 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
Name Father, Grandfather Mother, Grandfather Mother Maiden Surname Date of Birth
DD/MM/YY Hebrew Date Town Ujezd Guberniya Comments Place Recorded Year Record # Microfilm / Item Image Archive / Fond
TABAKIN, Tevie Ruvel Ber, Shmuel Khaim Khase 21/2/1882 14 Adar Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1882 M4 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Mortkhe Shmerel Volf, Abel Rokhel 2/7/1887 22 Tammuz Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1887 M38 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Sholem Ber Nakhmen Izrail, Movsha Frume Gene 24/5/1893 21 Sivan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1893 M31 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Golde Malke Iosel, Shloma Rokhel 27/5/1893 24 Sivan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1893 F24 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Itsyk Borukh Zelik, Abel Rokhel 7/9/1893 9 Tishri Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Kursenai Birzai 1893 M56 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Taube Feige Leib, Berel Brokhe 15/9/1893 17 Tishri Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Anyksciai Birzai 1893 F41 2270865 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Rakhmiel Iudel Iosel, Shloma Rokhel Iudis 4/6/1895 24 Sivan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1895 M28 2268931 / 1 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Khatskel Gdalie Leib, Berel Brokhe 17/12/1895 12 Tevet Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1895 M61 2268931 / 1 LVIA/1226/1/1314
TABAKIN, Itsik Izrael Nakhmen, Movsha Frume Gene 11/8/1896 14 Elul Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1896 M40 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
TABAKIN, Abram Girsh Leib, Berel Brokhe Dveire 21/5/1898 12 Sivan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1898 M22 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
Name Father, Grandfather Mother, Grandfather Mother Maiden Surname Date of Birth
DD/MM/YY Hebrew Date Town Ujezd Guberniya Comments Place Recorded Year Record # Microfilm / Item Image Archive / Fond
TABAKIN, Rokhel Iudis Shmuel Mendel, Iosel Ite Raikhe 17/3/1900 29 Adar II Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1900 F10 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
TABAKIN, Ele Risa Mendel Shmuel, Iosel Ite Raikha 6/12/1901 9 Tevet Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1901 F43 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
TABAKIN, Shimen Aria Iosel, Moiska Sheine Kreinde, Movsha KHAIT 16/3/1912 11 Nisan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1912 M12 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
TABAKIN, Iokhel Abel Iosel, Moiska Sheina Kreinda, Movsha KHAIT 19/3/1913 23 Adar II Birzai Panevezys Kaunas
Birzai 1913 M8 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959
VOLOVICH, Rakhil Izrail, Iankel Shora Riva, Iosel TABAKIN 27/5/1914 15 Sivan Birzai Panevezys Kaunas Family came from Pogary (Pagirys, Kedainiai district) Birzai 1914 F12 2290696 / 4 LVIA/1226/1/1959

There are two more books about Vilna now available. The first is "The Story
of Wilno". The second is in Polish and contains a large number of
photographs. The title is "WILNO I ZIEMIA WILENSKA". A machine translation
of the title, courtesy of Google means "Vilna and the Land of Vilna".
Presumably this means the city of Vilna as well as the Vilna region.
Articles of particular interest to Jewish readers can be found on pages
262 - 271 [Jewish culture], p. 308 - 311 [Shuls], and p. 315 - 318
[Karaites]. There may be more interesting content , but I have not gone
through the entire book.

Both books are in DjVu format and require a plugin. A DjVu plugin can be
found at the Celartem website at
http://www.celartem.com/en/download/djvu.asp

These books may be accessed at the following URLs:

"The Story of Wilno" http://www.sendspace.com/file/d4ljsr

"Vilna and the Land of Vilna" http://www.sendspace.com/file/r2pct2

Joel Ratner

LitvakSIG (litvaksig@lyris.jewishgen.org)

In 1950 Mordechai Leib immigrated to the United States and took the name
Martin Small. It was a few weeks later that he met Doris, also a Holocaust
survivor, whom he married in 1951. They settled in Manhattan and after a
successful career in business, at age sixty-five Martin retired and
moved permanently to the family's summer home in Huntington, New York were he
became a self-taught artist. His Holocaust pieces are deeply moving and the images of folk-life are wonderfully charming recollections of his youth in Molchad. In April 2003 Martin and Doris moved permanently to Broomfield, Colorado, to be close to their family.

Martin was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in March 2008 and his dying wish to see his life story in print became a reality in May 2008 when his book Remember Us: From My Shtetl Through the Holocaust was released. His next dream was to help purchase of a Torah scroll for Congregation Bonai Shalom in Boulder. On July 31, 2008, Martin in his weakened condition proudly carried the Torah into the sanctuary and read a portion of that week's chapter fulfilling his dream.

After a heroic battle with his illness Martin passed away in his sleep at his home in Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday, November 29, 2008 (Hebrew date 2nd Kislev 5769). He dedicated his life to share his Holocaust experiences with groups of all ages. An accomplished educator, artist, poet, lecturer, and author, whose sweetness and compassion touched the hearts of everyone he had contact with; Martin will be sorely missed by all.

Please visit 'A Tribute to Martin Small' at www.martinsmallholocaustsurvivor.com
and be kind enough to leave a message in the Visitors Book.

Pedro A. Rubio, MD, PhD
The Woodlands, Texas

Message: Photo # 70 on the Minsk page is actually the very handsome synagogue
in Lida.

I was scanning the page looking for synagogues in the Moorish revival style.
Like the Great synagogue of Minsk

group of fellow JewishGenners are seeking other researchers of the
communities between Pinsk and Kobrin and their surrounding rural areas; all
in the Czarist-era Kobrin Uyezd; including Ivanovo/Yaneve, Yakovlevo/Gutava,
Drohichin, Antopol, Horodetz, Motol/Motele, and Chomsk. We intend to work
together to discover what records are available for these communities in
order to pursue research. Please contact Debbie Kroopkin at
deborah_j_kroopkin@comcast.net with your towns of interest.

Debbie Kroopkin,
Niles/Illinois

Holocaust survivor to meet her Polish savior after 60 years

By Haaretz Service

A Holocaust survivor from northern Israel will be reunited for the
first time in 60 years on Wednesday with the Polish woman who shelter
her during the Holocaust and saved her from the extermination of the
Nazis.

Between 1942 and 1944, Wiktoria Sozanska (nee Jaworska) risked her own
life, along with her widowed mother and five siblings, to secretly
house Rozia Rothshild (nee Seifert) and her family in Poland.

Sixty years later, the two will greet each other for the first time at
the JFK Airport, in a meeting arranged by the Jewish Foundation for
the Righteous. A Polish interpreter will be on hand to facilitate the
reunion.

"I cannot fully express how grateful I am to Wiktoria and her mother
Anna. They opened their home and their hearts to me, risking their own
lives in order to save me," said Rothshild.

"Their bravery is what has allowed me to live and build a wonderful
family of my own, with three children and four grandchildren," she
said. "I am so thankful to them and the Jewish Foundation for the
Righteous for making this extraordinary reunion possible."

Rozia Seifert was one of 5,000 Jews herded away from Turka, Poland and
shuttered by the Nazis into the Samburg Ghetto.

Many of the healthy adults were able to hide away in a bunker in the
woods before being exiled to the ghetto, but the children and the sick
were taken away, forced to sell all their belongings.

Wiktoria Jaworska, then a young woman, came with her mother to look at
the furniture the Seifart family had put up for sale.

When she learned that the girl she saw in front of her would be taken
away to the ghetto, she told the family: "We will take care of you.
You will come with us."

In the middle of the night, Sozanka's brother Mikolaj Jaworska came to
the Seifart home in a hay cart and snuck Rozia, her brother Lucien,
her father Mendel and disabled aunt Fanya away, past the eyes of the
Germans on patrol. The Jaworskas hid the Seifarts in an underground
bunker for two years, every day bringing them food and disposing of
their waste.

The Germans raided Turka in the summer of 1944, when the Soviet army
began to approach. Sozanka and her mother moved the Seifarts into the
woods, where they lived for two weeks until the area was liberated.

After the war, Rozia Seifert met her Israeli husband and moved and
immigrated with him, changing her name to Shoshana - the Hebrew
version of her name. Wiktoria Sozanka, now in her 80s, lives in
Wroclaw, Poland.

?In the many years we have worked with survivors and their rescuers, I
remain awestruck by the heroism of the thousands of rescuers who
risked their lives to save others. By holding true to their values,
these individuals saved Jews from certain death,? said JFR Executive
Vice President Stanlee Stahl. ?We owe a great debt of gratitude to
these men and women, and through our work, hope to improve their lives
and preserve their stories."

The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous was created in 1986 to provide
financial assistance to non-Jews who risked their lives and often the
lives of their families to rescue Jews during the Holocaust. Today the
JFR supports more than 1,200 aged rescuers in 26 countries. The
Foundation preserves the legacy of the rescuers through its
internationally lauded Holocaust education program for middle and high
school teachers and Holocaust center personnel.

Several months ago, it was announced that members of the Belarus SIG with an
interest in Nesvizh (Nyasvizh) had launched a new project involving the
translation of 19th Century records for Jewish families from this town in
present-day Belarus. In addition to being the home of hundreds of Jewish families,
the town has ties to many surrounding towns, such as Horodia, Kleck,
Baranovichi, Mir, Kapyl, and Lyakhovichi.

This project requires about $1800 to complete. The Belarus SIG has helped
cover the outlay for expenses while the group has been raising the money. To
date, we are within a couple of hundred dollars of our goal. In the meantime,
the initial work has been completed and the results forwarded to me as project
coordinator for review. More than 2700 entries have been translated. The
project cannot be completed until we finish raising the initial goal.

If you have a specific interest in Nesvizh, or a general interest in Minsk
Guberniya, and have not yet contributed to this project, please consider doing
so. Especially if we can see end-of-November financial results, we can
declare the initial project complete. Any funds raised beyond the goal for the
initial record set will be applied towards the incremental collections in
ensuing years beyond the one targeted by this project.

The results will eventually be distributed to the All Belarus Database and
made available irrespective of who contributed.

The project can be seen on on JewishGen-erosity by following the link to
Belarus SIG. It is entitled "Nesvizh Jewish Records" and you may read a more
complete description.

I will be happy to answer questions you may have about this project.

Steve Stein
Highland Park, NJ USA

Reconnecting families separated by the Shoah (Holocaust)
using Yad Vashem's collection of Pages of Testimony

http://www.shoahconnect.org/
Yad Vashem has collected millions of Pages of Testimony documenting individual victims of the Shoah. These Pages of Testimony were often submitted by family members of the victims, and can, therefore, be a basis for the reunion of families separated by the Shoah. There have been dramatic instances of siblings reconnecting in this way. However, despite the Pages generally containing contact information for the submitters, it is often difficult for relatives of the victims to contact the submitters, because of the time elapsed since submission. ShoahConnect aims to help solve this problem, by enabling email addresses to be associated with Pages of Testimony and matching users associated with the same Pages. ShoahConnect is completely free to use and protects your privacy. Reunite families separated by the Shoah (Holocaust)

Using ShoahConnect is easy. While viewing a Page of Testimony on Yad Vashem's website, you will simply click a button to associate your email address with that Page.
What button? The button you will click will be a letter C (like this: ShoahConnect button), and will appear in a toolbar in your web browser. The toolbar is provided by Google, and you must install it (once only) to use ShoahConnect. The toolbar facilitates communication between Yad Vashem's website and ShoahConnect. For installation, your web browser must be either Internet Explorer 6+ (Windows) or Firefox 1.5+ (Windows XP/2000 SP3+ or Mac OS X 10.2+ or Linux).
If you are using a private computer (e.g., at home), follow this link to install/upgrade the Google Toolbar (if needed) and add ShoahConnect's button to the Toolbar. [Problem?]
If you are using a public computer (e.g., at a library), check whether the Google Toolbar and ShoahConnect button are already installed. If not, please ask someone responsible for the computer to help you (contact us with questions about public installations).
After installation, go to Yad Vashem's website, view a Page of Testimony, then press the ShoahConnect button button to associate your email address with it. ShoahConnect will then ask for your email address and how you want to be notified of "matches" with other users. If you are the submitter (or immediate family member of the submitter), ShoahConnect will allow relatives to contact you without your email address being revealed, unless you choose to respond. If you are a relative of the victim and want to contact the submitter, ShoahConnect will notify you when the submitter's email address has been added, and allow you to contact the submitter through ShoahConnect. Relatives can also choose to contact and be contacted by other relatives, with similar privacy protection.

To learn how to use ShoahConnect, click here.
ShoahConnect is only fully available in English. If you want to help translate ShoahConnect into another language, please contact us.

LET NO HOLOCAUST VICTIM BE FORGOTTEN
http://www.shoahconnect.org/begin.php

Nancy Efron Schimmel (Norfe55@cs.com) on Saturday, September 24, 2005 at
18:24:44
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Question

Home Page: http://

Message: I am trying to find out more info on my grandmothers side of the
family. She was Rebecca Zaveloff (or Zaveloffsky when in Russia) from Kossowa,
Belarus. She came to New York around 1910 via Philadelphia (I think because
there is no such name on the Ellis Island lists). She came with her father
Meier. She worked and brought her mother, Chana Sora and sister Jennie. She
then brought her brothers Abraham, Israel, Samuel and Willy. One brother, Aaron
did not come right away because he was in a Yeshiva. She married my
grandfather, Benzion Efron and had 3 children, Helen, Martin and Seymour. I
grew up in Princeton, NJ where they bought a farm around 1950. Do any of these
names sound familiar to anyone. My great uncle Abraham Zaveloff went back to
Kossowa but didn't find anyone that he knew. Everyone that is old enough to
remember has passed away now and I feel the need to know more and have no one
to ask. Wouldn't you know that when I get the itch the jewishgen website i!
s down due to hurricane Rita. Any help would be appreciated. You can write to
me at Norfe55@cs.com Thanks!! Nancy
------------------------------------------------
Judith Chodosh (Chodosz) Goldman(Rebbetzin) (rav1@isp.com)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: Dear Friends,
My family came from Rechke, a small hamlet near Kurenits. My father was a"h
Chaim Meir Chodosz and my mother Libe Shifrah Alperovicz Chodosz. My father
became a Partisan under Mironovich's brigade and saved many lives. He led many
missions. My father owned a water mill in Malishke. My paternal grandmother a"h
was Libe Gordin Chodosz and my grandfather Dr. Chevel Chodosz. My great
grandfather Mordechai Chodosz was a Dr. who also had semicha. He founded
Borisov hospital. Mordechai had three brothers and a sister, Velvel,Yitzchok,
and sister Chana. My maternal grandfather was Rabbi Yehuda Chaim Alperovicz and
my grandmother was Pessia Chana Ginzburg Alperovicz. They had six daughters and
a son. Tzirke,Zlate,Ite, Sarah, Frade and Libe (my mother)and their son Yoseph.
They married into the following families Kashdan,Rubin,Kabilnik,etc.
Is there anyone out there who knew my family. The Chodosz family was very well
known in the region. A relative in the Chodosz family was one of the rabbis
in the Vilna shul. Please respond to this e-mail. A lot of the names you have
listed in your site are familiar. My parents knew a Chana Svirski, Rubin and
Esther Livitan, my grandmother was a Gordin etc.
Wishing you a wonderful New Year, a year of Peace, Good Health, Joy and Nachas
and Prosperity. Our steps are resounding. Sincerely, Judy Goldman

In researching the Ancestry.com passport records, I found the following quite interesting one for a Rokishoker as follows:

Abel ADELSOHN, born September 1, 1842. Left Hamburg on the Germania on May 1 1886. He lived in Garden City, Kansas. He was naturalized before the District Court in Kansas on July 24, 1891. He was a merchant. He also lived in Denver, CO.If you look at the Rokiskis vital records, you won't find Abel's birth record as it occurred earlier than any existing records. However, you will find an Abel ben Motel Adelson who had a daughter Feyge Dine on April 11, 1874. Other Rokiskis records connect Abel with his father and siblings.

As you can see, there is quite a bit of info on this passport including a physical description which I didn't include. It is well worth looking through these records in case your relatives can be found there.

Ann
annrab@.....net

Message: My grandfather Aaron Chipkin had a Brother who emigrated to USA at the
beginning of 20th century from Minsk.
He lived in Brooklyn in 11-13 Rock Street. He had a daughter Zipa (Tsipa, Chipa)
born 1915/1916 .
I search for their descendant.

-----------------------------------------------------------
from 1920 census;
Name: Aron Chipkin
Home in 1920: Brooklyn Assembly District 14, Kings, New York
Age: 33 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1887
Birthplace: Russia
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: Russia
Mother's Birth Place: Russia
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Year of Immigration: 1904
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 903
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Aron Chipkin 33
Mollie Chipkin 26
Alxaham Chipkin 4
Semon Chipkin 2

----------------------------------------------
Name: Meyer Chipkin
Home in 1920: Brooklyn Assembly District 6, Kings, New York
Age: 42 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Birthplace: Russia
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Mashe
Father's Birth Place: Russia
Mother's Birth Place: Russia
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Year of Immigration: 1903
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 870
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Meyer Chipkin 42
Mashe Chipkin 41
Samuel Chipkin 19
Evelyne Chipkin 17
Solomon Chipkin 15
Bella Chipkin 6
Charles Chipkin 4
Bessie Chipkin 2 3/12

----------------------
Name: David Chipkin
Home in 1920: Brooklyn Assembly District 18, Kings, New York
Age: 39 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1881
Birthplace: Russia
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Katie
Father's Birth Place: Russia
Mother's Birth Place: Russia
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Year of Immigration: 1904
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 452
Household Members: Name Age
David Chipkin 39
Katie Chipkin 33
Rachael Chipkin 12
Lois Chipkin 10
Irvin Chipkin 7
-------------------
Name: Hymen Chipkin
[Hymn Chipkin??]
Home in 1920: Brooklyn Assembly District 19, Kings, New York
Age: 25 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1895
Birthplace: Russia
[Rus;Ludwig]
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Gettie
Father's Birth Place: Russia
Mother's Birth Place: Russia
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Year of Immigration: 1911
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 498
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Hymen Chipkin 25
Gettie Chipkin 23
Beatrice Chipkin 2 0.5/12

Searching for information about Rabbi Menakhem-Mendl KUPERSTOCK, who
moved from Warsaw to Berlin and stayed there throughout the war.

He is spoken about a great deal in this article (it is my only
source right now):
"The Protected Rabbi" -
http://www.aish.com/holocaust/people/The_Protected_Rabbi.asp

There are rumors that he is a relative of my great grandmother, Lena
(Faja) KUPERSTOCK (b.1888), daughter of Mendel KUPERSTOCK of Warsaw.

I tried contacting the author of the above article with no success.

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Mitch Brodsky

Subject: Birzai, Lithauania Internal Passport Records
From: HOMARGOL@aol.com
Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:05:56 EDT
X-Message-Number: 1

I have just distributed, to qualified donors, another 456 Internal Passport
records for Birzai. There are additional records to be translated but the
necessary funds are lacking. If you have any connection to Birzai, a minimum
contribution of $100 would be appreciated so the remaining Birza Internal
Passport records can be translated. You would not only receive these records but
also the previously translated records and the records translated in the future
as well.

The information included in these records is simply amazing and can lead to
further discoveries. One example is a record for Itsik Eliya TABACHNICK. He
lived in Tel Aviv and had British Citizenship. The names of his father and
mother are included. His marriage certificate issued in Birzai 14 January, 1932
is in the file. His wife's maiden name, REBYTE, her father's name and her
mother's maiden name are also included. After the wedding, Itsik and his new
wife went to Tel Aviv to live. Her father's Russian passport is also in the file
and that probably contains additional information.

Another important example is Yudel PASVALETSK - Born 23 September, 1874. On
27 May, 1938 he committed Suicide. He left a wife and two daughters. The
Lithuanian archives contain hundreds of thousands of police and court records.
However, they are not indexed and are filed only by date. In order for the
archivist to find a police or court record, you must know the location, the
event, and the exact date. With the information from this Internal Passport
record, the police report can probably be found as well as an autopsy report
on the suicide. An article about the event probably still exists in an old
issue of the Birzai newspaper. There may even be a court record if his
assets were disposed of.

For a full explanation of Internal Passports, and to view the various types
of documents contained in the files, go to
http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Lithuania/InternalPassports.htm

To contribute to this project, please go to:
http://www.jewishgen.org/JewishGen-erosity/v_projectslist.asp?project_cat=17
Be sure and mention that your donation is for Internal
Passports - Birzai. You can use your credit card as the site is secure.

Howard Margol
Coordinator - Internal Passport Project

Kiselov's List, The film on Dolhinov during the holocaust
A message from Leon Rubin:
The producer of the documentary full length film on Dolhinov,
"Kiselov's List," wrote me that his film has won the first prize in
International film festivals in Russia including the first prize and
Grand-Pris of the 12th International film festivallast Friday. A lot
was written about the film in the Russian press.

He is participating in the International Film Festival of 24 countries
in Ashkelon (The 2008 5th JEWISH EYE festival , OCTOBER 22-30/ 2008,
80 FILMS FROM 24 COUNTRIES IN A BIG JEWISH CULTURE CELEBRATION will
last nine days, during which 80 Jewish films from 24 different
countries will be screened in the frame of a prize-bearing
competition. The films are divided into three categories: full-length
feature films; full-length documentaries; and short dramas and
documentaries) He is arriving in Israel on the 22nd of October and
will bring me copies of the film for distribution. So please inform
the people on your email list that anyone who is interested in buying
a copy of the film should send a payment of $100 either by cheque
(plus postage fee of $5) or through Western Union to my home address:

Leon Rubin,
2 Hartsit Str.
Ramat Efal,
Ramat Gan 52960 Israel

Email address is: rubinlj@netvision.net.il Upon receipt of payment a
copy of the film will

From Barry Rubin: I will just add that this is a superb film, very
well made and very emotionally affecting. Anyone who has connections
to television stations that might buy the film for broadcast can
contact Leon.

Professor Barry Rubin

Director, Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center
http://www.gloriacenter.org
Editor, Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal
http://www.meriajournal.com
Watch on the Middle East http://www.watchonthemiddleeast.com
Editor Turkish Studies,
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~db=all~content=t713636933%22

THE 5th JEWISH EYE FESTIVAL
The festival will take place at the cinematheque of the International
Conference Center of the Ashkelon Academic College, which has allowed
us to use its luxurious halls and state-of-the-art cinema equipment.

The 2008 festival will last nine days, during which 80 Jewish films
from 24 different countries will be screened in the frame of a
prize-bearing competition. The films are divided into three
categories: full-length feature films; full-length documentaries; and
short dramas and documentaries.

Exhibitions: This year we will hold two exhibitions: one of photos of
Jewish community life in pre-World War II Vilnius (courtesy of the
Lithuanian Embassy in Israel), and one of oil paintings on Holocaust
themes by Australian painter Ruth Rich, that will arrive at the
festival along with the artist. These paintings are part of the film
"Bloodlines" by Australian director Cynthia Connop, that will also be
screened in the festival.

As we do every year, this year too we will note some major milestones
in the history of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. This
festive evening will include the screening of a film on a specific
theme and a reception at which a guest connected to that theme will
deliver a speech. Among the themes:

Israel celebrates its 60th anniversary- Salute to the Israeli and
Jewish Cinema.
A SPECIAL EVENING WITH YAD VASHEM to mark 70 years since Kristallnacht
and 100 years since the publication of "The Protocols of the Elders of
Zion";
A retrospective of movies by Lithuanian filmmaker Saulius Ber?inis,
who in the recent decades has been documenting the glorious past of
the Jewish community of Lithuania, which was almost entirely
annihilated in the Holocaust;
An evening to mark UNESCO's declaration of Vilnius as 2009 cultural
capital of Europe "From Ashkelon to Yerushalayim deLita". The evening
will include a performance by the colorful song and dance group
Anachnu Kan("We are here"), comprised of Israeli descendants of
Lithuanian Jews.
An evening dedicated to the Moroccan Jewish community, including the
premiere screening of a film (Morocco-Canada).
A special premiere of the Australian documentary "Bloodlines," one of
whose protagonists is Bettina Goering, grandniece of Hermann Goering,
who will be among the guests of the festival.

THE 5th JEWISH EYE FESTIVAL
The festival will take place at the cinematheque of the International
Conference Center of the Ashkelon Academic College, which has allowed
us to use its luxurious halls and state-of-the-art cinema equipment.

The 2008 festival will last nine days, during which 80 Jewish films
from 24 different countries will be screened in the frame of a
prize-bearing competition. The films are divided into three
categories: full-length feature films; full-length documentaries; and
short dramas and documentaries.

Exhibitions: This year we will hold two exhibitions: one of photos of
Jewish community life in pre-World War II Vilnius (courtesy of the
Lithuanian Embassy in Israel), and one of oil paintings on Holocaust
themes by Australian painter Ruth Rich, that will arrive at the
festival along with the artist. These paintings are part of the film
"Bloodlines" by Australian director Cynthia Connop, that will also be
screened in the festival.

As we do every year, this year too we will note some major milestones
in the history of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. This
festive evening will include the screening of a film on a specific
theme and a reception at which a guest connected to that theme will
deliver a speech. Among the themes:

Israel celebrates its 60th anniversary- Salute to the Israeli and
Jewish Cinema.
A SPECIAL EVENING WITH YAD VASHEM to mark 70 years since Kristallnacht
and 100 years since the publication of "The Protocols of the Elders of
Zion";
A retrospective of movies by Lithuanian filmmaker Saulius Beržinis,
who in the recent decades has been documenting the glorious past of
the Jewish community of Lithuania, which was almost entirely
annihilated in the Holocaust;
An evening to mark UNESCO's declaration of Vilnius as 2009 cultural
capital of Europe "From Ashkelon to Yerushalayim deLita". The evening
will include a performance by the colorful song and dance group
Anachnu Kan("We are here"), comprised of Israeli descendants of
Lithuanian Jews.
An evening dedicated to the Moroccan Jewish community, including the
premiere screening of a film (Morocco-Canada).
A special premiere of the Australian documentary "Bloodlines," one of
whose protagonists is Bettina Goering, grandniece of Hermann Goering,
who will be among the guests of the festival.

SAM A. (TECHODIA@GMAIL.COM) on Sunday, October 12, 2008

Home Page: WWW.NOTTHEMUSICSTORE.COM

Message: My maternal grandparents (Bezdansky) came from Vilna as did first
cousins of my mother's APT & Magun--any information about that that I could
forward to my mother and aunts (and grandmother who is still B'h alive) would be
most appreciated, thank you and Shana Tova
-------------------------
From Yad Vashem:
Aleksandrovich Masha
Masha Aleksandrovich nee Bezdanski was born in Bistriwicz to Sara.
She was a housewife and married to Moshe. Prior to WWII she lived in
Wilno, Poland. During the war she was in Wilno, Poland. Masha perished
in the end of 1941 in Wilno, Poland at the age of 53. This information
is based on a 1999 Page of Testimony by her daughter Fruma Zipelovitz
(nee Aleksandrovich) of Beer Sheva Gamal Street number 5, phone number
on the report

Aleksandrovich Moshe
Moshe Aleksandrovich was born in Grodno. He was a binder and married
to Masha Bezdanski . Prior to WWII he lived in Wilna, Poland. During
the war he was in Wilna, Poland. Moshe perished in 1941 in Wilna,
Poland at the age of 55. This information is based on a Page of
Testimony (displayed on left) submitted on 22-Apr-1999 by his daughter
Fruma Zipelovitz (nee Aleksandrovich) of Beer Sheva Gamal Street
number 5, phone number on the report

Harry jacobs (yenkin2001@yahoo.com) on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 15:04:52

Looking for information as I am trying to flesh out my family tree and finally
made a connection back to Latvia. It looks like they were on the Dvinsk list
of 1875. I am decendent of Scholom Jacobs who was married to an Esta Golda.

Janekl Kwasnik Unkown DOB father of
Scholom Kwasnik 1841 approx DOB I now that Scholom immigrated around 1906
with his five of his children. Scholom son Harry Benjamin was my Grand father.
He died in early 1960's.

Arbram Kwasnik 1846 approx DOB
Isorel Kwasnik 1830 approx DOB
Wulff Kwasnik 1850 approx DOB

Sorry don't have much else to go on as we are just starting out. It took a
while to find the original Name Kwasnik, Which was changed to Jacobs when they
immigrated.

Thank you
harry jacobs

DIANA GOLDBERG RAICHEL (dianaggoldberg@yahoo.com.mx) on Friday, August 29, 2008
at 16:56:51
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: MY FAMILY IS FROM KASIANY (Kazany), I SPEAK SPANISH AND HEBREW, NOW I HAVE A
GRANDAUGHTER IN ISRAEL.
MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER: BEILE RAICHEL Z"L RESTS IN ISRAEL. WHEN SHE WAS A LIVE, SHE WOULD SAY: "MOST OF
MY FAMILY DIED IN THE HOLOCAUST", BUT IT SEEM THAT THEY ARE STILL ALIVE, BECAUSE WE
ARE THEIR NEXT GENERATIONS.
IF ANYBODY WANT TO BE IN TOUCH WITH US PLEASE CONTACT MY E MAIL ADDRESS.
dianaggoldberg@yahoo.com.mx

-----------------------
Reikhel Barke

Barke Reikhel was born in Koziany to Zeev and Beila ( she survived, hiding in the woods). He was married to Reizl and had 3 children. Prior to WWII he lived in Koziany, Poland. During the war he was in Pieczurki, Poland. He perished in 1943 in Polygon, Murder Site at the age of 40. This information is based on a Page of Testimony (displayed on left) submitted on 15-Apr-1999 by his brother Avraham Raichel of HaShachar Street #35, Kfar Saba, who came to Israel in 1935.
Gdud Malka

Malka Gdud nee Reikhel was born in Koziany to Beila and Zeev. Prior to WWII she lived in Koziany, Poland. During the war she was in Stojaciszki, Poland. Malka perished in 1943 in Poligon, Murder Site at the age of 44. This information is based on a Page of Testimony (displayed on left) submitted on 15-Apr-1999 by her brother Avraham Raichel of Kfar Saba.

Reikhel Reizl

Reizl Reikhel. During the war she was in Siarkowszczyzna, Poland. Reizl perished in 1943 in Polygon, Murder Site. This information is based on a Page of Testimony (displayed on left) submitted on 15-Apr-1999 by her brother-in-law Avraham Raichel of Kfar Saba
Raykhel Leyba

Leyba Raykhel was born in 1876 to Avsey. He was a shoemaker and married to Liza. Prior to WWII he lived in Koziany, Poland. During the war he was in Koziany, Poland. Leyba perished in 1943 in the Shoah. This information is based on a List of Persecuted

same as;
Reichel Leb

Leib Reichel was born in Koziany in 1876 to Yehoshua and Sara. He was a merchant and married to Lea. Prior to WWII he lived in Koziany, Poland. During the war he was in Koziany, Poland. Leb perished in Glebokie, Poland. This information is based on a Page of Testimony (displayed on left) submitted on 23-May-1957 by his nephew LIFSHIN( the son of his sister)

Szneier

Szneier Reichel was born in Koziany in 1912 to Yehuda Leib and Lea. He was a merchant and married to Rakhel. Prior to WWII he lived in Koziany, Poland. During the war he was in Koziany, Poland. Szneier perished in Glebokie, Poland. This information is based on a Page of Testimony (displayed on left) submitted on 23-May-1957 by B Lifshin
Reichel Jechezkiel

Jechezkiel Reichel was born in Koziany in 1918 to Yehuda Leib and Lea. He was single. Prior to WWII he lived in Koziany, Poland. During the war he was in Koziany, Poland. Jechezkiel perished in Glebokie, Poland. This information is based on a Page of Testimony (displayed on left) submitted on 23-May-1957 by his relative B Lifshin
Lipszin Khaim

Khaim Lipszin was born in Koziany in 1919 to Yaakov and Rakhel nee Raichel. He was a merchant and single. Prior to WWII he lived in Koziany, Poland. During the war he was in Koziany, Poland. Khaim perished in Glebokie, Poland. This information is based on a Page of Testimony (displayed on left) submitted on 23-May-1957 by his brother B Lifshin
Raykhel Samula

Samula Raykhel was born in 1872 to Nokhom. He was a tailor and married to Basya. Prior to WWII he lived in Koziany, Poland. During the war he was in Koziany, Poland. Samula perished in 1943 in the Shoah. This information is based on a List of Persecuted
Raykhel Vulf

Vulf Raykhel was born in 1867 to Gertzok. He was a shoemaker. Prior to WWII he lived in Koziany, Poland. During the war he was in Koziany, Poland. Vulf perished in 1943 in the Shoah. This information is based on a List of Persecuted

Raykhel Zalman

Zalman Raykhel was born in 1896 to Mendel. He was a shoemaker and married to Sonya. Prior to WWII he lived in Koziany, Poland. During the war he was in Koziany, Poland. Zalman perished in 1942 in the Shoah. This information is based on a List of Persecuted

Peter Hochstein (PeterHochstein@mac.com) on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at
16:24:25
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Question

Message: Better late than never. At the age of almost 69, I'm trying to trace
records of my paternal grandparents and my father from Minsk. Any help would be
appreciated. None of the dates and names on the Ellis Island website seem to

work. My grandfather was Nathan Hochstein (Hebrew name possibly Naftali) and
his wife was Dora Hochstein, maiden name Berger. They immigrated to America
(New York, to the best of my knowledge) in 1905. My father was about 4 months

old at the time, I was told.
My birth certificate, lists my father's birthplace as "Minsk, Russia." His
name was Murray Hochstein. I remember hearing that he had changed his name from
Morris. I also remember a cousin of his saying that when he was a kid, my

father was called "Misha." All are now deceased. I do not believe we are
related at least not closely, to the Radiskovitz Hochsteins.(Reasons too long
to go into here.) Any suggestions? Connections?

I'm trying to find the birthplace of my grandmother, grandfather and
mother.
I have Town: Wyskomierz, Kubernia, Poland the name of my grandmother is Julia
Krakowski (maiden), Kierzkowski (marriage) and maybe a second marriage name
Walkiewicz. Grandfater: Steven Kierzkowski. Any help would be appreciated.
Is there such a town in Poland?
Eleanor Spalmacin (eleanorspal@aol.com)
Krakowski, Wojciech came from; Wysokie, Russia age; 21 born; 1891 year of arrival; 1912

--
Wysokie Mazowieckie?
Kaminski, Jan Wyskow, Russia 33 1876 1909 view view view view view
2 Kaniecki, Jan Wyskow, Russia 40 1869 1909 view view view view view
3 Kasalova, Marie Wyskov, Austria 20 1893 1913 view view view view view
4 Kiriluk, Wasiliz Wyskoss, Russia 29 1879 1908 view view view view view
5 Kiris, Naftula Wyskow, Poland 41 1880 1921 view view view view view
6 Klemenko, Semen Wyskoss, Russia 29 1879 1908 view view view view view
7 Klinkowska, Juliana Wyskowa, Austria 23 1886 1909 view view view view view
8 Kopyty, Zysli Wysko, Poland 25 1895 1920 view view view view view
9 Kutnik, Frain Wyskoss, Russia 28 1880 1908 view view view view view
10 Kutnik, Pesko Wyskoss, Russia 43 1865 1908 view view view view view
1 Kaczmerezuk, Wladyslaw Wiskow 24 1883 1907 view view view view view
2 Kaczynski, Josef Wiskow, Russia 17 1892 1909 view view view view view
3 Kahn, Chiena Wiskovo, Russia 28 1882 1910 view view view view view
4 Kahn, Herschel Wiskovo, Russia 5 1905 1910 view view view view view
5 Kahn, Rachel Wiskovo, Russia 4 1906 1910 view view view view view
6 Kameski, Jan Wiskowo 16 1890 1906 view view view view view
7 Kaniewska, Alexandra Wiskowo, Russia 18 1889 1907 view view view view view
8 Kanski, Waclaw Wiskow, Russia 23 1890 1913 view view view view view
9 Karoz, Aniela Wiskowice 7 1897 1904 view view view view view
10 Karoz, Marya Wiskowice 58 1846 1904 view view view view view
11 Kartofel, Gere Muier Wiskowo 18 1884 1902 view view view view view
12 Kartoffel, Chaie Wiskowa, Russia 22 1885 1907 view view view view view
13 Kartoffel, Doow Wiskow, Russia 16 1890 1906 view view view view view
14 Kasbucski, Marian Wiskownia 25 1882 1907 view view view view view
15 Kasbucski, Michal Wiskownia 18 1889 1907 view view view view view
16 Kascienska, Rezi Wiskowitz 24 1880 1904 view view view view view
17 Kerschinowitz, Schloime Wiskow, Russia 28 1881 1909 view view view view view
18 Kesak, Jakob Wiskovice, 27 1878 1905 view view view view view
19 Kiebala, Anton Wiskowitz, Austria 18 1895 1913 view view view view view
20 Klein, Lara Wiskola 38 1864 1902 view view view view view
21 Klinczar, Leib Wiskowo 17 1882 1899 view view view view view
22 Knczynsky, Antoni Wiskow 18 1889 1907 view view view view view
23 Knopfer, Naftali Wisko, Austria 18 1892 1910 view view view view view
24 Kobrin, Sergey Wiskoje, Russia 20 1892 1912 view view view view view
25 Kolodzi, Jendrzej Wisko 27 1871 1898 view view view view view
26 Kolzmann, Schmul Wiskow 30 1874 1904 view view view view view
27 Kornet, Rifke Wiskow, Russia 26 1885 1911 view view view view view
28 Kornet, Riwke Wiskow, Russia 26 1885 1911 view view view view view
29 Kosakow, Savely Wiskow, Russia 35 1874 1909 view view view view view
30 Kosizka, Alexander Wiskowje, Prussia 11 1901 1912 view view view view view
31 Kosizka, Josef Wiskowje, Prussia 3 1909 1912 view view view view view
32 Kosizka, Rosalia Wiskowje, Prussia 30 1882 1912 view view view view view
33 Kosizka, Stanislaw Wiskowje, Prussia 8 1904 1912 view view view view view
34 Kosizka, Wadislaw Wiskowje, Prussia 6 1906 1912 view view view view view
35 Koslowitz, Frankel Wiskow, Russia 32 1879 1911 view view view view view
36 Kossower, Abram Wiskow, Russia 38 1871 1909 view view view view view
37 Kotecki, Josef Wiskowiske, Rusland 23 1890 1913 view view view view view
38 Kotlowicz, Jankel Wiskow 27 1878 1905 view view view view view
39 Kowalenk, Palacheia Wiskowa (Schern), Russia 19 1890 1909 view view view view view
40 Kowalow, Isak Wiskow, Scherm, Russia 17 1892 1909 view view view view view
41 Kowalski, Peter Wiskow, Russia 33 1880 1913 view view view view view
42 Kowalski, Wojciech Wiskow, Russia 36 1873 1909 view view view view view
43 Kozakow, Fiodor Wiskow, Russia 18 1894 1912 view view view view view
44 Kozakow, Stepan Wiskow, Russia 20 1892 1912 view view view view view
45 Kozan, Franz Wiskow 26 1881 1907 view view view view view
46 Kozeniow, Jewdokia Wiskow, Russia 35 1877 1912 view view view view view
47 Krainski, Ivan Wisko 24 1882 1906 view view view view view
48 Krawetz, Matwey Wiskoje, Russia 28 1884 1912 view view view view view
49 Krochmal, Jan Wiskow, Russia 21 1891 1912 view view view view view
50 Kroedas, Alexsi Wiskonicz, Russia 32 1879 1911 view view view view view
51 Krupa, Rozalia Wisko, Austria 18 1892 1910 view view view view view
52 Kudla, Franciska Wisko, Austria 18 1889 1907 view view view view view
53 Kulamerik, Antoni Wiskow, Russia 22 1886 1908 view view view view view
54 Kulessa, Maria Wiskowa, Russia 17 1896 1913 view view view view view
55 Kuleszow, Petro Wiskow, Scherm, Russia 20 1889 1909 view view view view view
56 Kumor, Marya Wiskowa, Austria 17 1895 1912 view view view view view
57 Kuper, Jankel Wiskow, Russia 23 1886 1909 view view view view view
58 Kwiaskowski, Boleslaw Wiskow, Russia 19 1895 1914 view view view view view

'The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe,' Gershon David Hundert, editor in chief
A comprehensive and illustrative look at shtetl life.
By Kenneth Turan
July 27, 2008
Los Angeles Times
The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe

Gershon David Hundert, editor in chief

Yale University Press: Two volumes, 2,400 pp., $400

Say "the six million" and some will know what you mean, that you're referring to the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust. But knowledge of who those people were and what the outline of their world might have been has been much harder to come by.

More than that, our lack of knowledge puts us in danger of having that massive, undifferentiated number stand in for a sophisticated, nuanced reality. Was that world-that-is-no-more really "Fiddler on the Roof" all the time, or was something much more complex going on? Getting an essential and authoritative sense of that obliterated past -- "far more varied -- and conflicted -- than a sentimental vision of the shtetl would imply" is how one scholar put it -- has been beyond the capacity of nonspecialists for more than six decades. One book has just changed that. Forever.

Beautifully published by Yale University Press, "The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe" actually comes in two volumes totaling 2,400 triple-columned pages. Some 450 scholars from three continents contributed articles on more than 1,800 subjects, starting with Shim'on Abeles, a boy of 17th century Prague whose father was accused of murdering him to keep him from converting, and ending with Zalmen Zylbercweig, a 20th century Yiddish theater historian.

"No publication has ever attempted to systematically represent the entire historical legacy of this culture until now," says Carl Rheins, the executive director of YIVO, the New York-based center for scholarship about Eastern European Jews under whose auspices the encyclopedia was put together, and it's hard to argue with him.

The result of that attempt is a fiendishly comprehensive look at a civilization so unexpectedly multifaceted that it's best viewed as a Yiddish-speaking Atlantis, a lost world buried forever by the volcano of Nazi mass murder.

Yes, there are 220 rabbis and other religious leaders with their own entries, as well as dozens of different Hasidic dynasties. And 24 pages are devoted to Yiddish literature, including 128 mini-biographies of writers not quite worthy of full encyclopedia entries.

But though that kind of high-culture thoroughness might be expected, we also meet flyweight Stanislaw Rotholc (1912-1996), the first Jewish boxer to become a Polish national champion, and Zishe Breitbart (1883-1925), a Yiddish-speaking circus strongman who, "flanked by the Zionist flag," regularly "bent rods into horseshoes, bit through chains, and pounded nails into boards with his fist" not to mention balanced a platform of motorcycles on his stomach. You could look it up.

Also profiled are photographer Evgenii Khaldei, who took the memorable World War II photo of the Soviet flag flying over the captured Reichstag in Berlin, and the odd-couple comedy team of Dzigan and Shumacher, who performed even while imprisoned during the war. And the entry for entertainers reveals such notables as a wrestler known as "the Son of Rubber" and Moyshe Shtern, "a Jewish fakir whose performances as 'Takhra Bey' featured the artist piercing his face and body with needles."

The notion with all of this, editor in chief Gershon David Hundert explains in the preface, is to present that lost world "in a dispassionate manner, as accurately and fully and precisely as possible -- not to celebrate or eulogize but to recover and represent . . . without bias and without nostalgia but as comprehensively and as objectively as possible."

To accomplish this, the encyclopedia has first of all contacted the top scholars in the field. For instance, we have the pleasure of reading Ruth Wisse on poet and short-story writer Y.L. Peretz, Dan Miron on S.Y. Abramovitsh ("the founder of modern artistic prose in Hebrew and Yiddish") and Arthur Green on controversial Hasidic rebbe Nahman of Bratslav. The editors have also ventured outside the academy when necessary, with Village Voice film critic J. Hoberman writing on cinema and "Born to Kvetch" author Michael Wex on humor, and, more than that, they insisted that the writing be not stiflingly academic but readable.

More than accessible, the "YIVO Encyclopedia" is so compulsively browsable that you can disappear within its pages for hours without a trace, the equivalent of diving into the coolest, deepest of pools. These volumes should come with a warning label, cautioning the time-challenged that they are entering at their own risk.

Keeping the pages lively are more than a thousand illustrations, including cartoons about cheating wives and photographs of chess players and criminals, of Hasidic rabbis on a spa visit and of a group of fusgeyers, Romanian Jews who walked to port cities to sail to America because they couldn't afford rail fare.

Even more involving are the charts and tables that, in terms of comprehensiveness and willingness to map the unexpected, are remarkable.

Here, for instance, you will find a map of major pogrom sites and another pinpointing the location of centers for Misnagdim, sworn enemies of the Hasidic movement, where my surprise at seeing my father's obscure home town, Volkovishk, was matched only by my astonishment at finding, a few pages later, an entry for a Hungarian mathematician named Pál Turán. Who knew?

The tables and charts are just as informative and surprising. There is an elaborate table illustrating the relationships among dozens of different Zionist parties, and there's a two-page annotated list of 19 principal trials against Jews for "ritual murder" dating from 1494 to 1911. Even longer is the four-plus page section devoted to listing journals dealing with everything from literature to science to Zionism.

If the "YIVO Encyclopedia" gives one overall impression of the world of Eastern European Jews, it's of a society in continual ferment on every imaginable front. There were conflicts among religious rabbis -- a 17th century sage known as Taz had disputes so intense they continued for decades after his death -- and battles so rancorous between conventional rabbis and the emerging Hasidic movement that Jews informed on other Jews to the government and even refused to marry people with the opposing viewpoint.

In time, however, the biggest disputes were between the forces of religion and the yearning on the part of succeeding generations to be part of the nonobservant secular world.

One of the refreshing things about this enormous endeavor is that though the shadow of the Holocaust looms, the encyclopedia refuses to dwell on it, insisting, in Hundert's words, that its main focus "is on the life of Jews and not their murder or their murderers."

"The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe" accomplishes exactly what it set out to do, providing the most complete picture of this world we are ever likely to get. Anyone with an interest in culture, language, religion and politics will be fascinated by what's between its covers; if your family comes from that part of the world, this is as close as you will ever come to truly possessing your past

Leonid Lovinsky (lovin_1@mail.ru) on Monday, September 08, 2008 at 01:15:07
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: My grandfather Aaron Chipkin had a Brother who emigrated to USA at the
beginning of 20th century from Minsk.
He lived in Brooklyn in 11-13 Rock Street. He had a daughter Zipa (Tsipa, Chipa)
born 1915/1916 .
I search for their descendant.

-----------------------------------------------------------
from 1920 census;
Name: Aron Chipkin
Home in 1920: Brooklyn Assembly District 14, Kings, New York
Age: 33 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1887
Birthplace: Russia
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: Russia
Mother's Birth Place: Russia
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Year of Immigration: 1904
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 903
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Aron Chipkin 33
Mollie Chipkin 26
Alxaham Chipkin 4
Semon Chipkin 2

----------------------------------------------
Name: Meyer Chipkin
Home in 1920: Brooklyn Assembly District 6, Kings, New York
Age: 42 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Birthplace: Russia
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Mashe
Father's Birth Place: Russia
Mother's Birth Place: Russia
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Year of Immigration: 1903
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 870
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Meyer Chipkin 42
Mashe Chipkin 41
Samuel Chipkin 19
Evelyne Chipkin 17
Solomon Chipkin 15
Bella Chipkin 6
Charles Chipkin 4
Bessie Chipkin 2 3/12

----------------------
Name: David Chipkin
Home in 1920: Brooklyn Assembly District 18, Kings, New York
Age: 39 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1881
Birthplace: Russia
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Katie
Father's Birth Place: Russia
Mother's Birth Place: Russia
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Year of Immigration: 1904
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 452
Household Members: Name Age
David Chipkin 39
Katie Chipkin 33
Rachael Chipkin 12
Lois Chipkin 10
Irvin Chipkin 7
-------------------
Name: Hymen Chipkin
[Hymn Chipkin??]
Home in 1920: Brooklyn Assembly District 19, Kings, New York
Age: 25 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1895
Birthplace: Russia
[Rus;Ludwig]
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Gettie
Father's Birth Place: Russia
Mother's Birth Place: Russia
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Year of Immigration: 1911
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 498
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Hymen Chipkin 25
Gettie Chipkin 23
Beatrice Chipkin 2 0.5/12

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