Many of you may remember "Letters >from Gelvan" which I shared with you a
few years back. Also, at the request of Judi Langer Caplan it was
posted on the Litvak Sig Online Journal. To refresh the subject - about
22 letters written in Yiddish >from my Grandfather David Peretz to his
son, my father Morris Adelman, were rescued and translated in 1973. My
father who could not or would not ever share the contents asked to be
buried with those letters. The letters were written between 1909 and
1925 >from Gelvonai, Lithuania to my father in Cleveland, Ohio. In
disregarding his wish our family learned an amazing history of the time
and learned that David Peretz was murdered in Gelvan in 1925.
Fast Forward - This past September I made the acquaintance of a
young non Jewish woman named Valeria. Providence brought her into my
life when my son hired her to be a household cleaner/helper. I learn
that she was born in Lithuania - her mother still lives in Kaunas and
her Aunt lives in Gelvan! -- She told me she was going to visit her
mother and aunt and she offered to bring me back some pictures of
Gelvan. She was gone for 2 weeks and on her return had pictures for me.
A few were of a Jewish cemetery in Gelvan and there were 3 shots of
headstones. I looked at the latter briefly and placed all the pictures
in my desk drawer. A month later packing for a trip to Phoenix to visit
my two cousins whose mother being my father's sister was also >from
Gelvan - I remembered the pictures and took them out of the drawer and
briefly perused them once again. I noticed that the picture of one of
the tombstones was slightly legible. I stared at the picture and three
letters jumped into my eyes -- daled, vav, daled - David! -- I labored
over the next word and my primitive Hebrew made out the word "Peretz" -
and the largest letters indicated the last name ANDIMAN. I was in total
shock. Altho, we were Adelman - my grandfather used Adiman - Andiman -
Eidiman - we were never sure. --- In 80 years no one in our family had
ever known about the existence of this cemetery or our grandfathers
resting place. We all assumed it could not have survived. -- This
astounding development I call DIVINE INTERVENTION. After much
consultation we believe the stone reads:
Pay Nun - Here lies
The holy
Our beloved rabbi
David Peretz
Son of Yosef Moshe
Andiman
October 22 -- 5685May he live forever / May he be bound up in the bond
of eternal life
This was revealed to me on October 24, 2005 -- Eighty years later!
Geraldine Adelman Powers
Cleveland (Beachwood) Ohio
