Part of our RYDZ family >from Zareby Koscielne, Poland arrived in the US as
follows:

Father: Szlama, b 1880, arrived NY before 1920
Mother: Fejga, b 1876-77, arrived NY August 1920 with her children:
Szejna Rywka, b 1904
Basia, b 1909
Icek, b 1910

Szlama & Fejga are my father's uncle & aunt, the three children his cousins.
Anyone in JewishGen or JRI-Poland descended >from this RYDZ family? (Please
reply privately.)

Now, the success story that led me to this family and the discovery that they
came to America:

Some years ago, when I was starting the "quest", I asked my father (now 86)
if he knew anything about his aunts, uncles or cousins. He reminded me that
he was the youngest of 7 children, the first 4 of whom had been born in the
"old country", and that his father had died when he was quite young. He
apologized for the fact that he did not know even IF he had any aunts or
uncles.

Last week, I asked him if he remembered my "aunts & uncles" question of
several years ago, and what his answer was. He said, "Yes, I remember."

I handed him a list, the result of the tale described below. "These are your
uncles Leybko, Wolf, Mordko and Szlama. These are your aunts Tauba and
Fejga. These are your cousins Szejna, Basia and Icek. AND, Dad, they came
to America by 1920."

How did I find out all this? In September(?) I attended a JewishGen workshop
at the Skirball Center, and was advised to check the JRI-Poland database. I
hadn't done so for quite some time. For the town of Zareby Koscielne, I was
referred to the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw as a source of records
not filmed by the Mormon Church. I saw that JHI-Warsaw possibly held 90 such
vital records of personal interest, in the family names of Rozen, Rydz and
Wierzba. I wrote them a letter (and enclosed a check to their "Javne Fund",
which is for archival preservation.)

Last week I received a very nice letter >from director Yale Reisner, and two
thick envelopes of photocopies. Not only did they send me the photocopies,
but they provided brief translations (names, dates, etc.).

So far, I have identified more than 15 of the records as definite "hits",
including the above aunts, uncles and cousins. Wow, it was like hitting the
lottery! I saw an identical notation on the simultaneous 1920 registrations
of the births of the three cousins: "Late registration due to father's
departure for America."

Today I found Passenger Arrival soundex cards for aunt Fejga and the three
Rydz children. The film is ordered, and I'm on a new quest-- To find the
descendants of that family, and get them together with my father, their first
cousin.

So, THANK YOU to: JewishGen, JRI-Poland, JHI-Warsaw, and the wonderful,
dedicated people that make it all happen!

Howard Rosen
Los Angeles