It is the third night of Chanukah and I have been reading information
about Yednitz and Bessarabia..My father's parents left Yednitz in the
latter part of the 1890's and settled in Brooklyn, New York..They raised
7 sons - my Dad was 2nd >from the oldest - along came grandchildren,
etc...We live the Good Life because Grandma & Grandpa got on a boat and
left the antesemitism behind..I bless them all the time.
"Am Yisroel Chai!"

Elaine Friedman Nugent
http://community.webtv.net/FriedmanSevenBrothers/GrandpaJoseph

I am wondering if a physical description of Rabbi Samuel Mohilewer would be
available somewhere. I really am interested in his original hair color and
complexion. This might be the only way I can verify what my grandfather
told his family about being his grandson. No other evidence seems to exist
by my humble methods

Bonnie


Bonnie Mogelever Pollack
Western Maryland
USA

Searching for Mohilewer (David Gorok)~ Winner/Nevitsky/Brown (Vilna) ~
Pollack/Mendelson (Rega via Iraq/Turkey)

MODERATOR NOTE: Please respond privately unless the information is of
general interest.

It is the third night of Chanukah and I have been reading information
about Yednitz and Bessarabia..My father's parents left Yednitz in the
latter part of the 1890's and settled in Brooklyn, New York..They raised
7 sons - my Dad was 2nd >from the oldest - along came grandchildren,
etc...We live the Good Life because Grandma & Grandpa got on a boat and
left the antesemitism behind..I bless them all the time.
"Am Yisroel Chai!"

Elaine Friedman Nugent
http://community.webtv.net/FriedmanSevenBrothers/GrandpaJoseph

I am wondering if a physical description of Rabbi Samuel Mohilewer would be
available somewhere. I really am interested in his original hair color and
complexion. This might be the only way I can verify what my grandfather
told his family about being his grandson. No other evidence seems to exist
by my humble methods

Bonnie


Bonnie Mogelever Pollack
Western Maryland
USA

Searching for Mohilewer (David Gorok)~ Winner/Nevitsky/Brown (Vilna) ~
Pollack/Mendelson (Rega via Iraq/Turkey)

MODERATOR NOTE: Please respond privately unless the information is of
general interest.

I am eager for suggestions >from litvak sig members
as to how to find outhomeland information about my
father's paternal family. Mygreat-grandmother,
Ester Rachel STEINBERG married Moses Goldstein of
Marijampole. She certainly lived in Marijampole
at the time of thebirth of her first child. However,
I have nothing to link her to the SZTENBERGS >from
Marijampole whose death certificates were listed in
the JRI and which I have previously obtained.

I have been able to confirm that her brother married
into a family who came >from Lidwanova, so perhaps, I
thought, the STEINBERGS came >from Lidwanova (LIUDVINAVAS)
(very close to Marijampole), but I find no STEINBERG
records or researchers for that shtetl. I also know that
her father was Samuel Moshe STEINBERG (or perhaps Moshe
Shmuel, though hewas known as Samuel in the US), and her
mother, Freda HEIGER. Both came to the US in 1874.

I know much about this family >from 1880 forwards, but
absolutely nothing >from before. Have you any suggestions
as to how I could move forwards (or rather, backwards!)
with this family?

Many thanks,

Annemarie JUTEL
Dunedin, NZ

Researching: DROZDOWITZ/DROZDOWICZ/DROZDOW/DROSDOWITZ
of Plonsk,Zakroczym, Chicago, Ogden (UT), Indianapolis
and New York. GOLDSTEIN Marijampol, HIRSCHLER Manheim and
Hessheim, MANHEIM Ottensoos, KAHN Hannover, LOEB Strasbourg
and STEINBERG Louisville, Indianapolis, Scottsburg, IN.

I am eager for suggestions >from litvak sig members
as to how to find outhomeland information about my
father's paternal family. Mygreat-grandmother,
Ester Rachel STEINBERG married Moses Goldstein of
Marijampole. She certainly lived in Marijampole
at the time of thebirth of her first child. However,
I have nothing to link her to the SZTENBERGS >from
Marijampole whose death certificates were listed in
the JRI and which I have previously obtained.

I have been able to confirm that her brother married
into a family who came >from Lidwanova, so perhaps, I
thought, the STEINBERGS came >from Lidwanova (LIUDVINAVAS)
(very close to Marijampole), but I find no STEINBERG
records or researchers for that shtetl. I also know that
her father was Samuel Moshe STEINBERG (or perhaps Moshe
Shmuel, though hewas known as Samuel in the US), and her
mother, Freda HEIGER. Both came to the US in 1874.

I know much about this family >from 1880 forwards, but
absolutely nothing >from before. Have you any suggestions
as to how I could move forwards (or rather, backwards!)
with this family?

Many thanks,

Annemarie JUTEL
Dunedin, NZ

Researching: DROZDOWITZ/DROZDOWICZ/DROZDOW/DROSDOWITZ
of Plonsk,Zakroczym, Chicago, Ogden (UT), Indianapolis
and New York. GOLDSTEIN Marijampol, HIRSCHLER Manheim and
Hessheim, MANHEIM Ottensoos, KAHN Hannover, LOEB Strasbourg
and STEINBERG Louisville, Indianapolis, Scottsburg, IN.

Please change your bookmarks for:

HNOH Welcome-Jewish Orphanages in the United States to

http://www.hnoh.com

Anyone linking to my site, I would appreciate if you
would make the change as soon as possible. The old
address, http://shell4.bayarea.net/~elias/hnoh/
can only be accessed until January.

Thank you and Happy Holidays!

Marge Spears-Soloff
MSpearssol@...
Orlando, FL
HNOHalumni@...
HNOH Welcome - Jewish Orphanages in the United States
http://www.hnoh.com

Please change your bookmarks for:

HNOH Welcome-Jewish Orphanages in the United States to

http://www.hnoh.com

Anyone linking to my site, I would appreciate if you
would make the change as soon as possible. The old
address, http://shell4.bayarea.net/~elias/hnoh/
can only be accessed until January.

Thank you and Happy Holidays!

Marge Spears-Soloff
MSpearssol@...
Orlando, FL
HNOHalumni@...
HNOH Welcome - Jewish Orphanages in the United States
http://www.hnoh.com

I am looking for any information on the family of Morris
/ Maurice (Mowsz Szowzin) Shawzin particularly those who
lived in the Bialystock area. Morris married my great aunt
Bella Finkelstein >from Rajgrod and subsequently emigrated

from Bialystok to S Rhodesia and then to South

Africa.

Other siblings also went to South Africa usually spelling
their names as SHAWSIN.

Morris born in Porzowo pow. Wolkowysk 1862, died in
Sheffield England 1914 (I presume when visiting my
grandparents there). Bella is buried in Maitland
(Gate 8), Cape Town.

Morris's sister Pesha m. Sholom Sapirstein.

Victor Stone, London


MODERATOR'S NOTE: Please respond privately.

I am looking for any information on the family of Morris
/ Maurice (Mowsz Szowzin) Shawzin particularly those who
lived in the Bialystock area. Morris married my great aunt
Bella Finkelstein >from Rajgrod and subsequently emigrated

from Bialystok to S Rhodesia and then to South

Africa.

Other siblings also went to South Africa usually spelling
their names as SHAWSIN.

Morris born in Porzowo pow. Wolkowysk 1862, died in
Sheffield England 1914 (I presume when visiting my
grandparents there). Bella is buried in Maitland
(Gate 8), Cape Town.

Morris's sister Pesha m. Sholom Sapirstein.

Victor Stone, London


MODERATOR'S NOTE: Please respond privately.

I just learned that my hometown Zawade, about 14km.

from Bialystok had 19 Jewish families as of 1939.

I haven't heard any surnames >from there other than
my own family name of Rutkiewicz or Rudkevitch and
would be interested to hear of any mention of other
families. I have a hand-drawn map of the town with the
Jewish houses and businesses indicated and the first
names and occupations of these families. One name
related to me was Josef Velvel the grocer who married
a cousin of Berko, my father.

Are there any others >from Zawada researching their
relatives? Any clues would be appreciated.
Avigdor Ben-Dov (Rutkiewicz)
SUSMAN, NURZEC, SOLARSH, RUTKIEWICZ

This responds to Barbara Meyers inquiry about Bielsk
Podlaski vital records. Bielsk is located 52 km south
of Bialystok. It is currently part of Podlaskie Province
(created in 1999) Poland but was part of Grodno Gubernia
in the Russian Empire prior to 1918. I have been
researching Bielsk for over 25 years and stayed there
for five nights in March 2003.

Most Bielsk vital records for the Jewish Community
disappeared after World War One. Residents used
affidavits of relatives or community leaders to verify
birth during the period between the wars. Perhaps these
records will turn up some day in an archival facility.

The only vital records now available (to my knowledge)
are 1835 birth, marriage and death records located on
JRI-Poland databases as well as the Mormon library.
These records contain about 20 entries; unfortunately
most members of the community did not adopt surnames
until 1844. Other sources that may be helpful
include the following:

1) City of Bialystok vital records (spouses sometimes
came >from Bialystok and/or weddings were held here)
-- these are available on JRI-Poland, at the Mormon
library and at the Bialystok Archives;

2) Bielsk Podalski yiskor book (published in 1975 in
Israel);

3) Grodno Gubernia voting records (1907-1912) -- some
available on jewishgen;

4) Vsia Russia business directories -- especially the
1911-1912 edition which has more Jewish businesses than
the earlier ones;

5) Polish business directories >from the late 1920s;

6) Polish phone directories >from 1936-37;

7) Thank you cards >from Bielsk children to Herbert
Hoover in early 1920s (before he became President);

8) Journals >from the Bielsker society in New York City;

9) My transcription of approximately 15 remaining Bielsk
Podlaski Jewish gravestones (most were removed for road
building);

10) Bielsk Podlaski web site
(www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Bielsk_Podlaski)
put together by Bielsk descendant and webmaster
Andrew Blumberg. This web site includes direct
access to items #4 - 9 listed above.

11) Ellis Island arrivals;

12) Bielsk notary records (in Bialystok Archives); and

13) Census records in the Belarus Archives. I have
successfully obtained information >from the 1855 Census
of Jews located in the Belarus Archives. The 1897
Russian Empire-wide census is also available. It
would be useful for the group to obtain USA copies
of these census records.

In summary, without the availability of vital records,
researchers studying Bielsk Podlaski need to work
harder to find family tree data. My best find (in
a basement) was an 1874 secular high school diploma
and report card for my great-grandfather, Phineas
Chrabolowski, who changed his name to Gordon (after
a wealthy Bialystok Jew) when he came to the
USA in 1889.

Best regards,

Mark Gordon
Maplewood, NJ

I just learned that my hometown Zawade, about 14km.

from Bialystok had 19 Jewish families as of 1939.

I haven't heard any surnames >from there other than
my own family name of Rutkiewicz or Rudkevitch and
would be interested to hear of any mention of other
families. I have a hand-drawn map of the town with the
Jewish houses and businesses indicated and the first
names and occupations of these families. One name
related to me was Josef Velvel the grocer who married
a cousin of Berko, my father.

Are there any others >from Zawada researching their
relatives? Any clues would be appreciated.
Avigdor Ben-Dov (Rutkiewicz)
SUSMAN, NURZEC, SOLARSH, RUTKIEWICZ

This responds to Barbara Meyers inquiry about Bielsk
Podlaski vital records. Bielsk is located 52 km south
of Bialystok. It is currently part of Podlaskie Province
(created in 1999) Poland but was part of Grodno Gubernia
in the Russian Empire prior to 1918. I have been
researching Bielsk for over 25 years and stayed there
for five nights in March 2003.

Most Bielsk vital records for the Jewish Community
disappeared after World War One. Residents used
affidavits of relatives or community leaders to verify
birth during the period between the wars. Perhaps these
records will turn up some day in an archival facility.

The only vital records now available (to my knowledge)
are 1835 birth, marriage and death records located on
JRI-Poland databases as well as the Mormon library.
These records contain about 20 entries; unfortunately
most members of the community did not adopt surnames
until 1844. Other sources that may be helpful
include the following:

1) City of Bialystok vital records (spouses sometimes
came >from Bialystok and/or weddings were held here)
-- these are available on JRI-Poland, at the Mormon
library and at the Bialystok Archives;

2) Bielsk Podalski yiskor book (published in 1975 in
Israel);

3) Grodno Gubernia voting records (1907-1912) -- some
available on jewishgen;

4) Vsia Russia business directories -- especially the
1911-1912 edition which has more Jewish businesses than
the earlier ones;

5) Polish business directories >from the late 1920s;

6) Polish phone directories >from 1936-37;

7) Thank you cards >from Bielsk children to Herbert
Hoover in early 1920s (before he became President);

8) Journals >from the Bielsker society in New York City;

9) My transcription of approximately 15 remaining Bielsk
Podlaski Jewish gravestones (most were removed for road
building);

10) Bielsk Podlaski web site
(www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Bielsk_Podlaski)
put together by Bielsk descendant and webmaster
Andrew Blumberg. This web site includes direct
access to items #4 - 9 listed above.

11) Ellis Island arrivals;

12) Bielsk notary records (in Bialystok Archives); and

13) Census records in the Belarus Archives. I have
successfully obtained information >from the 1855 Census
of Jews located in the Belarus Archives. The 1897
Russian Empire-wide census is also available. It
would be useful for the group to obtain USA copies
of these census records.

In summary, without the availability of vital records,
researchers studying Bielsk Podlaski need to work
harder to find family tree data. My best find (in
a basement) was an 1874 secular high school diploma
and report card for my great-grandfather, Phineas
Chrabolowski, who changed his name to Gordon (after
a wealthy Bialystok Jew) when he came to the
USA in 1889.

Best regards,

Mark Gordon
Maplewood, NJ

The most complete inventory of Eastern European Jewish
records is at Routesto Routes Foundation
http://www.rtrfoundation.org. Click the link in the
upper left "Archive Database." Be sure to use the correct
name of the town which is Bielsk Podlaski. It shows there
are virtually no Jewish vital records for the town but
there are other types of records.

Gary Mokotoff

The most complete inventory of Eastern European Jewish
records is at Routesto Routes Foundation
http://www.rtrfoundation.org. Click the link in the
upper left "Archive Database." Be sure to use the correct
name of the town which is Bielsk Podlaski. It shows there
are virtually no Jewish vital records for the town but
there are other types of records.

Gary Mokotoff

Dear Genners

Can someone please translate the following German. My thanks in advance:

Sehr geehrte Frau Goldberg, leider können wir Ihnen nicht helfen.
Ohne die Angabe von Ereignisdaten und -orten können Geburts-,
Heirats-oder Sterbeurkunden leider nicht ermittelt werden.
Mit freundlichen Grüssen

Brigitte Buchholz

Rica B Goldberg
Manchester England

Still researching:-

KAMINSKY (KAMENSHCHIK) >from Yanova (Jonava)and Zeimiai nr Kovno, Lithuania
2) Norron Eliazar, Harris, Joseph & Sarah DIAMOND >from Kovno Gubernia, Lithuania
3)  Newman, Emmanuel, Rachel & Esther LEVY and their parents Chana &
Yehuda LEWIN >from KROSNIEWICE in Poland  4)  Isaac & Rebecca COHEN  >from Poland
5) Chaim & Rebecca ESTRY (nee GROSSMAN)  a glazier >from Poland 6)  GOLDBERG
(possibly SCHELSINGER OR SCHELINGER or SCHLUZITEL) >from Vabalninkas,
Lithuania 7)  George (Gershon) BERLINSKY F>from Charlottenburg in Berlin

Has anyone heard of a city/town in Russia of this name. I am following
a lead >from Ellis Island of arrivals around 1912-1914. The family name
is SCHERMAN. Thanks for any assistance.

Ellen Lee
--
Ellen Lee
ellie2@...

The given name Feis is one of the most common Ashkenazic given names in
records of Great Synagogue London for the period 1791-1885 that are
currently being indexed. There are hundreds of records quoting Feis as a
given name in the Great and also in the Hambro and New Synagogue records.

Harold Lewin - Jerusalem

The given name Feis is one of the most common Ashkenazic given names in
records of Great Synagogue London for the period 1791-1885 that are
currently being indexed. There are hundreds of records quoting Feis as a
given name in the Great and also in the Hambro and New Synagogue records.

Harold Lewin - Jerusalem