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Eliyahu's
Branches:
The Descendants of the Vilna Gaon and His Family.
by Chaim Freedman
After decades of research, a noted Israeli genealogist has produced a book about the Vilna Gaon that contains a rare portrait of the illustrious 18th-century Eastern European sage, a discussion of his substantial influence on the Jewish world and a thoroughly-documented family tree listing more than 20,000 descendants of the rabbi and his siblings. A small portion of the tree--the first four generations--is available on the Web.
For Chaim Freedman, who has lived in Israel since 1977, the compilation of Eliyahu's Branches: The Descendants of the Vilna Gaon and His Family was more than just a scholarly obsession that took hold of him as a child in his native Australia. Freedman is an eighth-generation descendant of the Vilna Gaon who was spurred into researching his own roots after growing up hearing countless tales about his many cousins in Russia and their celebrated common ancestor who died in 1797.For the rest go to;
http://www.avotaynu.com/gaonbook.html
Eliyahu's Branches: The Descendants of the Vilna Gaon and His Family
by Chaim Freedman
Shlomo Zalmen of Vilna born c.1695, Vilna, Lithuania, married Treina of Seltz, born c.1700, Seltz, Byelorussia, daughter of Meir of Seltz. Shlomo died Kislev 5519, which corresponds to late 1758, Vilna, Lithuania.
Treina: Daughter of Rabbi Meir son of Rabbi Benyamin Wolf of Seltz, near Grodno, Byelorussia.
^02^1.1.
Eliyahu Gaon of Vilna born 1720, Seltz, Byelorussia, married (1) Khana of Keidan, born c.1724, Keidan, Lithuania, daughter of Yehudah Leib of Keidan, died 1782, Vilna, Lithuania, married (2) after 1782, Gittel Luntz, born Kelm, Lithuania, daughter of Meir Luntz. Eliyahu died 19 Tishrei 5558 (9 October 1797), Vilna, Lithuania. For details of the biography of the Gaon of Vilna see the "Introduction" chapter of this book.
Khana: Renowned for her devotion to her husband and family. Khana carried the burden of looking after all the family's needs, thus relieving her husband, the Gaon, of the need to take valuable time off from his studies to attend to material matters.
Gittel: The Gaon's second wife was a widow with children from her first husband, Nakhum. She bore no children to the Gaon, as explained in the Introduction to this book.
^03^1.1.1.
daughter of the Gaon daughter of Eliyahu Gaon of Vilna and Khana of Keidan, born c.1741, Vilna, Lithuania, died 1756, Vilna, Lithuania. Her name was not recorded. She appears to have been the Gaon's eldest child since her engagement was recorded in 1756. The existence of this daughter is recorded in the register of the charitable fund set up by the Gaon's ancestor Rabbi Moshe Rivkas.
^03^1.1.2.
Khiena of Pinsk daughter of Eliyahu Gaon of Vilna and Khana of Keidan, born 1748, Vilna, Lithuania, married (1) Zalmen Zelig Chinitz, born 1735, Vilna, Lithuania,son of Aharon Zev Abarbanel and Tova ?, died 1803, Pinsk, Byelorussia,married (2) Moshe of Pinsk, son of Yehuda Leib of Pinsk and Nekhama ?, died 1836, Pinsk, Byelorussia. Khiena died 1806, Pinsk, Byelorussia.
Zalmen Zelig: According to the Chinitz manuscript, Khiena's husband Moshe assumed the name Zalmen Zelig. However interpretation of the manuscript leads to the conclusion that they were separate persons, probably Khiena's two husbands.
Moshe: Published several of the Gaon's commentaries, principally Shnot Eliyahu, Lemberg, 1799.
^04^1.1.2.1.
Shmuel Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married (1) Naomi Hakohen, born Pinsk, Byelorussia, daughter of Yaakov Hakohen, married (2) Khaike Malke ?, born Bialystok, Poland.
^04^1.1.2.2.
Tsvi Hersh Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk. Died of spinal meningitis at the age of three.
^04^1.1.2.3.
Masha Chinitz daughter of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married Aharon ?, son of Leib Pinkhas ?.
^04^1.1.2.4.
Yitskhak Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, born c.1765, Pinsk, Byelorussia, married Peshe Rabinov, daughter of Yosef Khaim Rabinov.
^04^1.1.2.5.
Aharon Tsvi Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, born c.1770, Pinsk, Byelorussia, married Rukhl ?, daughter of Khaim ?.
^04^1.1.2.6.
Moshe Khaim Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married Itke ?, daughter of Zalmen ?.
^04^1.1.2.7.
Gittel Chinitz daughter of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married David Levin, son of Shakhne Levin.
^04^1.1.2.8.
Golda Chinitz daughter of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married Zev Rothstein, son of Leibl Rothstein.
^04^1.1.2.9.
Shraga Feivel Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, died Pinsk, Byelorussia. Drowned at the age of twelve.
^04^1.1.2.10.
Nakhum Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married Itke ?, daughter of Meir ?.
^04^1.1.2.11.
Shlomo David Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married Nekhame Geldenberg, born Pinsk, Byelorussia, daughter of Reuven Geldenberg.
^04^1.1.2.12.
Avraham of Pinsk son of Moshe of Pinsk and Khiena of Pinsk, married Feigl Feigelbaum, born Pinsk, Byelorussia, daughter of Avraham Feigelbaum. The Neches and Zabinovsky families are descended from this branch.
^04^1.1.2.13.
Son/daughter ? son of Moshe of Pinsk and Khiena of Pinsk, born c.1790. Theoretical connection with the family of Yekhezkel (Haskell) Landau which held an oral tradition of descent from the Gaon's daughter "Khana" (sic), that is Khiena. See explanation of sources in the chapter "Unconfirmed Connections" of this book.
^04^1.1.2.14.
Yedidiah Penchuk born c.1780, Pinsk, Byelorussia, died c.1850. Adopted the surname Penchuk when he settled in Kobrin. The Penchuk, Palefsky, Bayuk, Pomerantz, Chwat and Mintz families are descended from this branch.
For the rest go to;
http://www.avotaynu.com/gaontree.html
The Descendants of the Vilna Gaon and His Family.
by Chaim Freedman
After decades of research, a noted Israeli genealogist has produced a book about the Vilna Gaon that contains a rare portrait of the illustrious 18th-century Eastern European sage, a discussion of his substantial influence on the Jewish world and a thoroughly-documented family tree listing more than 20,000 descendants of the rabbi and his siblings. A small portion of the tree--the first four generations--is available on the Web.
For Chaim Freedman, who has lived in Israel since 1977, the compilation of Eliyahu's Branches: The Descendants of the Vilna Gaon and His Family was more than just a scholarly obsession that took hold of him as a child in his native Australia. Freedman is an eighth-generation descendant of the Vilna Gaon who was spurred into researching his own roots after growing up hearing countless tales about his many cousins in Russia and their celebrated common ancestor who died in 1797.For the rest go to;
http://www.avotaynu.com/gaonbook.html
Eliyahu's Branches: The Descendants of the Vilna Gaon and His Family
by Chaim Freedman
Shlomo Zalmen of Vilna born c.1695, Vilna, Lithuania, married Treina of Seltz, born c.1700, Seltz, Byelorussia, daughter of Meir of Seltz. Shlomo died Kislev 5519, which corresponds to late 1758, Vilna, Lithuania.
Treina: Daughter of Rabbi Meir son of Rabbi Benyamin Wolf of Seltz, near Grodno, Byelorussia.
^02^1.1.
Eliyahu Gaon of Vilna born 1720, Seltz, Byelorussia, married (1) Khana of Keidan, born c.1724, Keidan, Lithuania, daughter of Yehudah Leib of Keidan, died 1782, Vilna, Lithuania, married (2) after 1782, Gittel Luntz, born Kelm, Lithuania, daughter of Meir Luntz. Eliyahu died 19 Tishrei 5558 (9 October 1797), Vilna, Lithuania. For details of the biography of the Gaon of Vilna see the "Introduction" chapter of this book.
Khana: Renowned for her devotion to her husband and family. Khana carried the burden of looking after all the family's needs, thus relieving her husband, the Gaon, of the need to take valuable time off from his studies to attend to material matters.
Gittel: The Gaon's second wife was a widow with children from her first husband, Nakhum. She bore no children to the Gaon, as explained in the Introduction to this book.
^03^1.1.1.
daughter of the Gaon daughter of Eliyahu Gaon of Vilna and Khana of Keidan, born c.1741, Vilna, Lithuania, died 1756, Vilna, Lithuania. Her name was not recorded. She appears to have been the Gaon's eldest child since her engagement was recorded in 1756. The existence of this daughter is recorded in the register of the charitable fund set up by the Gaon's ancestor Rabbi Moshe Rivkas.
^03^1.1.2.
Khiena of Pinsk daughter of Eliyahu Gaon of Vilna and Khana of Keidan, born 1748, Vilna, Lithuania, married (1) Zalmen Zelig Chinitz, born 1735, Vilna, Lithuania,son of Aharon Zev Abarbanel and Tova ?, died 1803, Pinsk, Byelorussia,married (2) Moshe of Pinsk, son of Yehuda Leib of Pinsk and Nekhama ?, died 1836, Pinsk, Byelorussia. Khiena died 1806, Pinsk, Byelorussia.
Zalmen Zelig: According to the Chinitz manuscript, Khiena's husband Moshe assumed the name Zalmen Zelig. However interpretation of the manuscript leads to the conclusion that they were separate persons, probably Khiena's two husbands.
Moshe: Published several of the Gaon's commentaries, principally Shnot Eliyahu, Lemberg, 1799.
^04^1.1.2.1.
Shmuel Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married (1) Naomi Hakohen, born Pinsk, Byelorussia, daughter of Yaakov Hakohen, married (2) Khaike Malke ?, born Bialystok, Poland.
^04^1.1.2.2.
Tsvi Hersh Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk. Died of spinal meningitis at the age of three.
^04^1.1.2.3.
Masha Chinitz daughter of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married Aharon ?, son of Leib Pinkhas ?.
^04^1.1.2.4.
Yitskhak Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, born c.1765, Pinsk, Byelorussia, married Peshe Rabinov, daughter of Yosef Khaim Rabinov.
^04^1.1.2.5.
Aharon Tsvi Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, born c.1770, Pinsk, Byelorussia, married Rukhl ?, daughter of Khaim ?.
^04^1.1.2.6.
Moshe Khaim Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married Itke ?, daughter of Zalmen ?.
^04^1.1.2.7.
Gittel Chinitz daughter of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married David Levin, son of Shakhne Levin.
^04^1.1.2.8.
Golda Chinitz daughter of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married Zev Rothstein, son of Leibl Rothstein.
^04^1.1.2.9.
Shraga Feivel Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, died Pinsk, Byelorussia. Drowned at the age of twelve.
^04^1.1.2.10.
Nakhum Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married Itke ?, daughter of Meir ?.
^04^1.1.2.11.
Shlomo David Chinitz son of Zalmen Zelig Chinitz and Khiena of Pinsk, married Nekhame Geldenberg, born Pinsk, Byelorussia, daughter of Reuven Geldenberg.
^04^1.1.2.12.
Avraham of Pinsk son of Moshe of Pinsk and Khiena of Pinsk, married Feigl Feigelbaum, born Pinsk, Byelorussia, daughter of Avraham Feigelbaum. The Neches and Zabinovsky families are descended from this branch.
^04^1.1.2.13.
Son/daughter ? son of Moshe of Pinsk and Khiena of Pinsk, born c.1790. Theoretical connection with the family of Yekhezkel (Haskell) Landau which held an oral tradition of descent from the Gaon's daughter "Khana" (sic), that is Khiena. See explanation of sources in the chapter "Unconfirmed Connections" of this book.
^04^1.1.2.14.
Yedidiah Penchuk born c.1780, Pinsk, Byelorussia, died c.1850. Adopted the surname Penchuk when he settled in Kobrin. The Penchuk, Palefsky, Bayuk, Pomerantz, Chwat and Mintz families are descended from this branch.
For the rest go to;
http://www.avotaynu.com/gaontree.html