Hello All

I need help in trying to solve a mystery/story that has been passed
down in the family. The story is that supposedly my great-grandmother
Anna(mendelson)Rakoff had at least 6-8 Kids. One was a set of twins
that unfortunately were killed while riding ther bikes by an
automobile. Thats the story thats been passed down. According to her
marriage to my great-grandfather David Rakoff in 1921 she was single
and so was he. Could she have omitted the fact that she was married
before and how would I be able to find out any such possible notion of
that theory.

How do i find out if she was married before my great-grandfather. Also
how do i find out what befell these kids she supposedly had. I am only
aware of her having two kids. My grandma who passed in february and she
was born in Brooklyn in 1922, and my great-uncle Murray also passed who
was born in 1923.

My great-grandmother listed her age as 25 on the marriage certificate,
but she was really 30-31 years of age. She came to Brooklyn, New york

from Mogilev, Russia in 1911. That gives her plenty of time to get

married have a couple of kids. Now the story is that all the kids died
due to illnesses or tragedy. According to the 1920 census she is living
with her brother Samuel Mendelson at 860 Myrtle Avenue and is listed as
single.

Is it possible for her to have been married have a few kids which died
and then been widowed all in the span of about 8 Years. How do i find
out if any of this could have happened.

I am seeking any and all suggestions in this matter. I have my
great-grandparents naturalization papers which are >from the late 1950's
and it only lists the two kids. I had asked my grandmother a few times
before she died about these kids, but she said she really does not know
because her mother refused to talk about it.

She had told me that either her aunt or cousin had told her that there
were other kids that had all died very young and that was all she ever
knew. Her parents never talked about anything like that.

Can anyone out there help me prove or disprove the story.

Sarah Greenberg(USA-CT)
sacredsisters3@...

Hello All

I need help in trying to solve a mystery/story that has been passed
down in the family. The story is that supposedly my great-grandmother
Anna(mendelson)Rakoff had at least 6-8 Kids. One was a set of twins
that unfortunately were killed while riding ther bikes by an
automobile. Thats the story thats been passed down. According to her
marriage to my great-grandfather David Rakoff in 1921 she was single
and so was he. Could she have omitted the fact that she was married
before and how would I be able to find out any such possible notion of
that theory.

How do i find out if she was married before my great-grandfather. Also
how do i find out what befell these kids she supposedly had. I am only
aware of her having two kids. My grandma who passed in february and she
was born in Brooklyn in 1922, and my great-uncle Murray also passed who
was born in 1923.

My great-grandmother listed her age as 25 on the marriage certificate,
but she was really 30-31 years of age. She came to Brooklyn, New york

from Mogilev, Russia in 1911. That gives her plenty of time to get

married have a couple of kids. Now the story is that all the kids died
due to illnesses or tragedy. According to the 1920 census she is living
with her brother Samuel Mendelson at 860 Myrtle Avenue and is listed as
single.

Is it possible for her to have been married have a few kids which died
and then been widowed all in the span of about 8 Years. How do i find
out if any of this could have happened.

I am seeking any and all suggestions in this matter. I have my
great-grandparents naturalization papers which are >from the late 1950's
and it only lists the two kids. I had asked my grandmother a few times
before she died about these kids, but she said she really does not know
because her mother refused to talk about it.

She had told me that either her aunt or cousin had told her that there
were other kids that had all died very young and that was all she ever
knew. Her parents never talked about anything like that.

Can anyone out there help me prove or disprove the story.

Sarah Greenberg(USA-CT)
sacredsisters3@...

I received a letter >from Bialystok Archives which, >from someone's
translation, told me that a copy of my Mother's birth certificate/record was enclosed.
Unfortunately there was nothing more in the envelope than that letter. I just
received a reply to an email I sent to the Archives to let them know of the
missing enclosure. I am unable to read Polish and am wondering if anyone would
be willing to read and translate their latest reply to me? If you are
willing, please contact me privately and I will forward the email response to you for
translation.
Thank you and please respond privately,
Barbara Meyers
babycat3@...
NJ, USA
Researching KAFLOWIT(C)Z, ALK

I received a letter >from Bialystok Archives which, >from someone's
translation, told me that a copy of my Mother's birth certificate/record was enclosed.
Unfortunately there was nothing more in the envelope than that letter. I just
received a reply to an email I sent to the Archives to let them know of the
missing enclosure. I am unable to read Polish and am wondering if anyone would
be willing to read and translate their latest reply to me? If you are
willing, please contact me privately and I will forward the email response to you for
translation.
Thank you and please respond privately,
Barbara Meyers
babycat3@...
NJ, USA
Researching KAFLOWIT(C)Z, ALK

Dear All,
Last decade the Database of JewishGen was enriched a number of lists of Duma Voters.
Sometimes even the statistics on the Jewish voters is done there. But it is very
important, that researchers knew, that the matter concerns only about lists on
city house (curia), and were as well as houses of landowners, peasants and workers.

Dr. Albert Kaganovitch,
Jerusalem

In researching my greatgrandfather Woolf STEINBERG..(Zev HACOHEN) born
russia 1964,i notice in the 1901 census that the house in brady
street,whitchapel,london, was also shared by a Abraham LANDBAUM and a Simon
TONANSKY accordingly cousins of the STEINBERG family,do either of these
names ring a bell to anyone reading these forums,all hints answered,thank
you ,David MORRIS.

Dear All,
Last decade the Database of JewishGen was enriched a number of lists of Duma Voters.
Sometimes even the statistics on the Jewish voters is done there. But it is very
important, that researchers knew, that the matter concerns only about lists on
city house (curia), and were as well as houses of landowners, peasants and workers.

Dr. Albert Kaganovitch,
Jerusalem

In researching my greatgrandfather Woolf STEINBERG..(Zev HACOHEN) born
russia 1964,i notice in the 1901 census that the house in brady
street,whitchapel,london, was also shared by a Abraham LANDBAUM and a Simon
TONANSKY accordingly cousins of the STEINBERG family,do either of these
names ring a bell to anyone reading these forums,all hints answered,thank
you ,David MORRIS.

Dear Cousins,

In a letter written >from a relative in England circa 1900 the writer
says, in reference to a woman having left her husband: "Now she went
to his lodge & he sends her every week 5 shillings." Were there
Jewish "lodges" in London around that time? I would guess it wasn't a
chevra, because the man wasn't religious. I doubt he was a Mason,
because he was somewhat disreputable.

The woman in question was named "Bable." I wonder if this was a
version of the nickname "Bubele" or something else.

Best, Steve Orlen
Tucson, AZ

BELKIN (Boguslav, Odessa), BOIM (Zasliai), MELNICK, LIBERMAN ha
COHEN, WEISBERG (Dvorets, Pinsk, Pochopovo, Montreal), ORLIN
(Boguslaviskis, Vilnius, Vieves, Zasliai), MEREMINSKY, EPSTEIN
haLevi, HABERMAN, WOLFOWITZ, ZELIVANSKY, YENOWITZ (Slonim, Derechin,
Polonka, Palestine), WOLINSKY/VOLINSKIY (Boguslav, Zvenigorodka,
Stepantsy, Mironovka, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa, Alexandria, Palestine,
---list truncated at the allowed 6 lines - Mod.---

Dear Cousins,

In a letter written >from a relative in England circa 1900 the writer
says, in reference to a woman having left her husband: "Now she went
to his lodge & he sends her every week 5 shillings." Were there
Jewish "lodges" in London around that time? I would guess it wasn't a
chevra, because the man wasn't religious. I doubt he was a Mason,
because he was somewhat disreputable.

The woman in question was named "Bable." I wonder if this was a
version of the nickname "Bubele" or something else.

Best, Steve Orlen
Tucson, AZ

BELKIN (Boguslav, Odessa), BOIM (Zasliai), MELNICK, LIBERMAN ha
COHEN, WEISBERG (Dvorets, Pinsk, Pochopovo, Montreal), ORLIN
(Boguslaviskis, Vilnius, Vieves, Zasliai), MEREMINSKY, EPSTEIN
haLevi, HABERMAN, WOLFOWITZ, ZELIVANSKY, YENOWITZ (Slonim, Derechin,
Polonka, Palestine), WOLINSKY/VOLINSKIY (Boguslav, Zvenigorodka,
Stepantsy, Mironovka, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa, Alexandria, Palestine,
---list truncated at the allowed 6 lines - Mod.---

Getting census data for 1890 bedevils anyone who is doing research on
that decade. The national census records were lost in a fire and are
only fragmentary. One way to fill in the gap is to use the Manhattan
city directory. Forerunner to the telephone directory, it lists the name
and occupation of every person at a particular address, and it was
published yearly or ever other year. You would be able to see any
address changes or changes in marital status. I don't recall that it
lists children's names, but it might. It's usually alphabetical by name.
The directories are readily available in NYC area libraries and through
the LDS' Family History Centers on microfilm.

Sabra Waldfogel
Minnesota

My greatgrandfather, Yacov Gedalia SCHECHTER and his father (David?) lived
in the 19th cent. in Skalat and Starokonstantine in Galicia. He emmigrated
to Palestine during the second half of the 19th cent. while some of his
siblings moved to Vienna.

Among the family names that appear in the extended family are HUREWITZ
(Natan Neta) and BRICKENSTEIN (with whom I have had some contact but would
like to expand them).

I would be interested in making contact with anyone who has in his tree the
above names and towns.

I've posted the names on the various places in the jewish gen framework.

Yoni Ben-Ari, Efrat

Getting census data for 1890 bedevils anyone who is doing research on
that decade. The national census records were lost in a fire and are
only fragmentary. One way to fill in the gap is to use the Manhattan
city directory. Forerunner to the telephone directory, it lists the name
and occupation of every person at a particular address, and it was
published yearly or ever other year. You would be able to see any
address changes or changes in marital status. I don't recall that it
lists children's names, but it might. It's usually alphabetical by name.
The directories are readily available in NYC area libraries and through
the LDS' Family History Centers on microfilm.

Sabra Waldfogel
Minnesota

My greatgrandfather, Yacov Gedalia SCHECHTER and his father (David?) lived
in the 19th cent. in Skalat and Starokonstantine in Galicia. He emmigrated
to Palestine during the second half of the 19th cent. while some of his
siblings moved to Vienna.

Among the family names that appear in the extended family are HUREWITZ
(Natan Neta) and BRICKENSTEIN (with whom I have had some contact but would
like to expand them).

I would be interested in making contact with anyone who has in his tree the
above names and towns.

I've posted the names on the various places in the jewish gen framework.

Yoni Ben-Ari, Efrat

I just e-mailed all Bukowsko researchers, but those of you who may be
researching this area of Poland may find this information of value.

A cyber-friend of mine, Debbie Greenlee, located some Jewish entries within
the Church Census (Spis)Records of the parish church of Bukowsko last
summer. She was able to extract some info., but this summer she returned w/
photos of all pages >from one of the volumes and they all came out clearly.

Although Debbie G. is searching her Polish roots, she has been absolutely
wonderful in trying to pass on information, when she finds it.

Tonight, I downloaded a chart she produced, which includes an explanation of
these records. You "may" find one of your relatives listed. The details on
the Jewish entries are sparse, but you might see a family you recognize.
There was no need for detail >from the priest's perspective, as he would not
be visiting Jewish households.

Debbie's explanation is quite detailed and she probably has answered most
questions. It took her 10 years to gain the priest's confidence, and this
material would have never been found without her tenaciousness.

Go to: http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Bukowsko/Spis.htm

Debbie Raff
California

I just e-mailed all Bukowsko researchers, but those of you who may be
researching this area of Poland may find this information of value.

A cyber-friend of mine, Debbie Greenlee, located some Jewish entries within
the Church Census (Spis)Records of the parish church of Bukowsko last
summer. She was able to extract some info., but this summer she returned w/
photos of all pages >from one of the volumes and they all came out clearly.

Although Debbie G. is searching her Polish roots, she has been absolutely
wonderful in trying to pass on information, when she finds it.

Tonight, I downloaded a chart she produced, which includes an explanation of
these records. You "may" find one of your relatives listed. The details on
the Jewish entries are sparse, but you might see a family you recognize.
There was no need for detail >from the priest's perspective, as he would not
be visiting Jewish households.

Debbie's explanation is quite detailed and she probably has answered most
questions. It took her 10 years to gain the priest's confidence, and this
material would have never been found without her tenaciousness.

Go to: http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Bukowsko/Spis.htm

Debbie Raff
California

Mimi Katz (7 Aug, 2006) asks about archival records for old synagogues in
Chicago. For a thorough bibliography of sources on old Chicago synagogues
and the early Chicago Jewish community, beyond Irvin Cutler's The Jews of
Chicago, 1996, see also the detailed doctoral dissertation:

Tobias Brinkmann, "Von den Gemeinde zur 'Community' Judische Einwanderer in
Chicago 1840-1900", 2002?

Paul King
Jerusalem

SHIRE: Chicago, Buffalo, Syracuse
KOHN: Chicago (but out of Saaz, Bohemia)

Mimi Katz (7 Aug, 2006) asks about archival records for old synagogues in
Chicago. For a thorough bibliography of sources on old Chicago synagogues
and the early Chicago Jewish community, beyond Irvin Cutler's The Jews of
Chicago, 1996, see also the detailed doctoral dissertation:

Tobias Brinkmann, "Von den Gemeinde zur 'Community' Judische Einwanderer in
Chicago 1840-1900", 2002?

Paul King
Jerusalem

SHIRE: Chicago, Buffalo, Syracuse
KOHN: Chicago (but out of Saaz, Bohemia)

In a message dated 09/08/2006 03:00:15 GMT Standard Time,
tulse04-news@... writes:
"david nathan" <d.nathan1@...> wrote:

You have the name of that synagogue correct - Sandys Row. It is a very
old-established synagogue which was, a believe, previously a Huguenot chapel
and is now a mosque. Strange how buildings once given a religious use seem
to be able to maintain that use, albeit for a different religion.

It was the Spitalfields Great Synagogue (Machzike Hadass), on the corner of
Fournier Street and Brick Lane) which began life as a Huguenot Church,
erected in 1743, became a Wesleyan Chapel in 1819, then a mission house for
converting Jews, then in 1898 a synagogue, and is today a mosque. Similarly the
Mile End and Bow District Synagogue is now a Hindu Temple. Brief details are in
Gerry Black's Jewish London, an Illustrated History, 2003.

Harold Pollins
Oxford

In a message dated 09/08/2006 03:00:15 GMT Standard Time,
tulse04-news@... writes:
"david nathan" <d.nathan1@...> wrote:

You have the name of that synagogue correct - Sandys Row. It is a very
old-established synagogue which was, a believe, previously a Huguenot chapel
and is now a mosque. Strange how buildings once given a religious use seem
to be able to maintain that use, albeit for a different religion.

It was the Spitalfields Great Synagogue (Machzike Hadass), on the corner of
Fournier Street and Brick Lane) which began life as a Huguenot Church,
erected in 1743, became a Wesleyan Chapel in 1819, then a mission house for
converting Jews, then in 1898 a synagogue, and is today a mosque. Similarly the
Mile End and Bow District Synagogue is now a Hindu Temple. Brief details are in
Gerry Black's Jewish London, an Illustrated History, 2003.

Harold Pollins
Oxford