Can anyone tell me the origin and dispersion of the surname GERASSI?
thanks,
Menna Kearns Toledano

Dear Menna et al.

Jewish people >from Salonica, Greece, who bears that name, are >from Sicily,

from the town Geraci. Other Jewish people who are Gerssi, can be from

Xeres / Jeres, Andalusia, Spain.

There are tombstones >from 1550 in Salonica, and a synagogue, of those who
came >from Sicily. Sicily belonged to Spain, so it considers also as the
expulsion >from Spain, though it took place a year later, 1493.

In a book by Rossanes, The history of Israel and Turgama (the book is in
Hebrew), page 312, families: Gerassi; Siris; Siriano; Ziriano, >from Xeres /
Cheres in south Andalusia. That town appears also in the map of Jewish
settlements in the Hebrew encyclopaedia.

There is another idea, Gheresh, Jordan, but this is false idea.

Regards >from Jerusalem. Udi Cain

Asia might mean Isaiah. In the 1871 Population Census of Oxford the name
of a son of a Jewish family was given as Esia. Later it was given as
Isaiah.

Harold Pollins
Oxford UK

<snip>

My Grandpa wrote that his father, Max GARBER, had several brothers and
sisters. He listed their names just like this:
Motel
Hilel
Anshel
Chaim
Asia
Motel
Faiga
Chana
Ribbeca

Ribbeca is easy to figure out as Rebecca. And Chana as Ana. I've seen
several postings in the discussion group archives for the names Hilel,
Anshel, Chaim, Faiga and Motel. But what about Asia? What could my
Grandpa be referring to? I don't even know whether this would be a man
or a woman? Any thoughts on this?
<snip> >>

Hello All,

I just received the ships manifest for my Gmother (Hinde Rebe). It
states place of birth as Rokischke Lithuania. I immediately went to
StetlSeekers and found many matches. I don't know which one it is. On
her Petition for Naturalization, it lists her birthplace as Kovno,
Lith. Can anyone give me some insight on how the town (Rokischke) may
be spelled ?

Also, She came to the U.S. as a widow with a daughter (Rochel Rebe, my
mothers 1/2 sister). both came under the last name Rebe. It states that
she came to meet her father Rubin Rebe in Chelsea, MA. I have her
father listed as Yosef BERS (and her maiden name as the same). I am
assuming that it was a mis type, and she was really coming to meet her
father-in-law.

One final question. She listed her nearest relative as Ite Rabinowitch

from Rokischke. Is Ite a female or a male name?

Sorry for the long story, any comments/suggestions would be most
welcomed.

Eric Freiman-Polli
Boston, MA
jfreiman@ma.ultranet.com

Searching: FREIMAN,KRONZ (Vladimir Volynskiy, Ukraine);
GITERMAN,FLEISHMAN,CHITE (Tuchin, Ukraine); GOLDBERG,COHEN
(Vladivostok, Russia); BERS,KARK,Rebe (Rokischke,Lithuania)

I have my great grandfather's and his brother's death
certificates. On one the mother's name is Yochwit DICKLER, on
the other Esther (name unreadable). Is it possible for
Yochwit and Esther to be the same person. Since there is a 27
year diffence between the brothers' birth, I've been assuming
two wives, but wonder if there was really only one after all.

With twenty-seven years difference in the ages, while not impossible for
them to have had the same mother, it is it is at least 99% likely that
these were two different wives. In any case, there's no connection between
the names "Yochwit" and Esther. "Yochwit" is presumably a corruption of
the Hebrew biblical name Yocheved (mother of Moses, see Ex. 6:20) who has
no connection with the much later biblical Esther (if historical, they
would have lived about 1,000 years apart!).

Judith Romney Wegner

Can anyone tell me the origin and dispersion of the surname GERASSI?
thanks,
Menna Kearns Toledano

Dear Menna et al.

Jewish people >from Salonica, Greece, who bears that name, are >from Sicily,

from the town Geraci. Other Jewish people who are Gerssi, can be from

Xeres / Jeres, Andalusia, Spain.

There are tombstones >from 1550 in Salonica, and a synagogue, of those who
came >from Sicily. Sicily belonged to Spain, so it considers also as the
expulsion >from Spain, though it took place a year later, 1493.

In a book by Rossanes, The history of Israel and Turgama (the book is in
Hebrew), page 312, families: Gerassi; Siris; Siriano; Ziriano, >from Xeres /
Cheres in south Andalusia. That town appears also in the map of Jewish
settlements in the Hebrew encyclopaedia.

There is another idea, Gheresh, Jordan, but this is false idea.

Regards >from Jerusalem. Udi Cain

Asia might mean Isaiah. In the 1871 Population Census of Oxford the name
of a son of a Jewish family was given as Esia. Later it was given as
Isaiah.

Harold Pollins
Oxford UK

<snip>

My Grandpa wrote that his father, Max GARBER, had several brothers and
sisters. He listed their names just like this:
Motel
Hilel
Anshel
Chaim
Asia
Motel
Faiga
Chana
Ribbeca

Ribbeca is easy to figure out as Rebecca. And Chana as Ana. I've seen
several postings in the discussion group archives for the names Hilel,
Anshel, Chaim, Faiga and Motel. But what about Asia? What could my
Grandpa be referring to? I don't even know whether this would be a man
or a woman? Any thoughts on this?
<snip> >>

Hello All,

I just received the ships manifest for my Gmother (Hinde Rebe). It
states place of birth as Rokischke Lithuania. I immediately went to
StetlSeekers and found many matches. I don't know which one it is. On
her Petition for Naturalization, it lists her birthplace as Kovno,
Lith. Can anyone give me some insight on how the town (Rokischke) may
be spelled ?

Also, She came to the U.S. as a widow with a daughter (Rochel Rebe, my
mothers 1/2 sister). both came under the last name Rebe. It states that
she came to meet her father Rubin Rebe in Chelsea, MA. I have her
father listed as Yosef BERS (and her maiden name as the same). I am
assuming that it was a mis type, and she was really coming to meet her
father-in-law.

One final question. She listed her nearest relative as Ite Rabinowitch

from Rokischke. Is Ite a female or a male name?

Sorry for the long story, any comments/suggestions would be most
welcomed.

Eric Freiman-Polli
Boston, MA
jfreiman@ma.ultranet.com

Searching: FREIMAN,KRONZ (Vladimir Volynskiy, Ukraine);
GITERMAN,FLEISHMAN,CHITE (Tuchin, Ukraine); GOLDBERG,COHEN
(Vladivostok, Russia); BERS,KARK,Rebe (Rokischke,Lithuania)

I have my great grandfather's and his brother's death
certificates. On one the mother's name is Yochwit DICKLER, on
the other Esther (name unreadable). Is it possible for
Yochwit and Esther to be the same person. Since there is a 27
year diffence between the brothers' birth, I've been assuming
two wives, but wonder if there was really only one after all.

With twenty-seven years difference in the ages, while not impossible for
them to have had the same mother, it is it is at least 99% likely that
these were two different wives. In any case, there's no connection between
the names "Yochwit" and Esther. "Yochwit" is presumably a corruption of
the Hebrew biblical name Yocheved (mother of Moses, see Ex. 6:20) who has
no connection with the much later biblical Esther (if historical, they
would have lived about 1,000 years apart!).

Judith Romney Wegner

Need help researching Abraham Rose (prob. born 1830s in Medebach) and Lea
Blank (prob.1835-40 in Witten) and would like to hear about any siblings.
Also would like to know where is Medebach where is Witten.
Thanks
Marhta Lucas (Sydney)

Trying to find parents of Michaels Heine born 1821. He was nephew of German
poet Heinrich and was sent to New Orleans as agent for Heine Freres a
banking firm. Married in New Orleans (probably no longer Jewish) and had
daughter Alice (1858-1925).who was second wife to Prince Albert 1 of
Monaco. Can anyone help me ?
Thanks
Martha Lucas . Sydney Austr.

Dear Friends,

My e-mail to Alex GAVRILOVICH bounced. Can anyone provide updated
information on how I may reach him? Yes, I tried the Canadian telephone
directory on-line, but failed to locate Alex. His old e-mail address
is: <mbrainin@sprint.ca>

Please reply privately. Thanks in advance.

Carole Glick Feinberg
Atlanta, GA, USA
<feincgs@mindspring.com>

From: Roberta Sheps <roberta_l_sheps@tesco.net>

I now have this question: given that my great-grandfather's last name
was "Cohen", how likely is it that his first name would have been
"Levi"? It seems pretty contradictory to me. Is there any customary or
Halakhic reason why a Cohen would not have been called "Levi"?

... Snipped ...

From: Judith Romney Wegner <jrw@Brown.edu>

There's no logical reason why a Kohen should not have the given name
Levi. Apart >from anything else, the original Kohanim, according to the
Torah,

... Snipped ...

I agree with Judith Romney Wegner in principle, that there's no
logical reason why a Kohen should not have the given name Levi.

I decided to do a little bit of home statistical analysis on the most
recent Jerusalem area (02) telephone directory.In Israel, most of
the adult population list themselves in the directories.

The family names Cohen, spelt in the most standard way (kaf,hey,nun)
takes up approx. 32 columns with approx. 120-130 entries per column.
Of course not everyone with the family name COHEN is in fact a
Cohen (of Cohanic descent).

There seems to be approx. 15-20 distinct entries of many
first names that are not so common, there are whole columns
with the most common names, eg Moshe, Yitzchak, Meir, including
two thirds of a column with "Yisrael Cohen" entries.

I do not see a single "Levi Cohen" listed. May be it is just a fluke,
but maybe there is an underlining reason that we are unaware of
why a Cohen family will not have the given name Levi?

It seems that approx. half of the directory entries are female
entries, and so we have no idea what the husband's first name
is. Therefore one cannot imply that there does not exist a
"Levi Cohen", but it seems that this is not a very popular
combination.

David Ziants
Ma'aleh Adumim, Israel

MODERATOR NOTE: Please keep your responses to genealogically relevant
topics. Discussion concerning names that have no connection to genealogy
should be continued privately.

Need help researching Abraham Rose (prob. born 1830s in Medebach) and Lea
Blank (prob.1835-40 in Witten) and would like to hear about any siblings.
Also would like to know where is Medebach where is Witten.
Thanks
Marhta Lucas (Sydney)

Trying to find parents of Michaels Heine born 1821. He was nephew of German
poet Heinrich and was sent to New Orleans as agent for Heine Freres a
banking firm. Married in New Orleans (probably no longer Jewish) and had
daughter Alice (1858-1925).who was second wife to Prince Albert 1 of
Monaco. Can anyone help me ?
Thanks
Martha Lucas . Sydney Austr.

Dear Friends,

My e-mail to Alex GAVRILOVICH bounced. Can anyone provide updated
information on how I may reach him? Yes, I tried the Canadian telephone
directory on-line, but failed to locate Alex. His old e-mail address
is: <mbrainin@sprint.ca>

Please reply privately. Thanks in advance.

Carole Glick Feinberg
Atlanta, GA, USA
<feincgs@mindspring.com>

From: Roberta Sheps <roberta_l_sheps@tesco.net>

I now have this question: given that my great-grandfather's last name
was "Cohen", how likely is it that his first name would have been
"Levi"? It seems pretty contradictory to me. Is there any customary or
Halakhic reason why a Cohen would not have been called "Levi"?

... Snipped ...

From: Judith Romney Wegner <jrw@Brown.edu>

There's no logical reason why a Kohen should not have the given name
Levi. Apart >from anything else, the original Kohanim, according to the
Torah,

... Snipped ...

I agree with Judith Romney Wegner in principle, that there's no
logical reason why a Kohen should not have the given name Levi.

I decided to do a little bit of home statistical analysis on the most
recent Jerusalem area (02) telephone directory.In Israel, most of
the adult population list themselves in the directories.

The family names Cohen, spelt in the most standard way (kaf,hey,nun)
takes up approx. 32 columns with approx. 120-130 entries per column.
Of course not everyone with the family name COHEN is in fact a
Cohen (of Cohanic descent).

There seems to be approx. 15-20 distinct entries of many
first names that are not so common, there are whole columns
with the most common names, eg Moshe, Yitzchak, Meir, including
two thirds of a column with "Yisrael Cohen" entries.

I do not see a single "Levi Cohen" listed. May be it is just a fluke,
but maybe there is an underlining reason that we are unaware of
why a Cohen family will not have the given name Levi?

It seems that approx. half of the directory entries are female
entries, and so we have no idea what the husband's first name
is. Therefore one cannot imply that there does not exist a
"Levi Cohen", but it seems that this is not a very popular
combination.

David Ziants
Ma'aleh Adumim, Israel

MODERATOR NOTE: Please keep your responses to genealogically relevant
topics. Discussion concerning names that have no connection to genealogy
should be continued privately.

--- Arlene Beare <arl@dircon.co.uk> wrote:

I heartily agree with Martha.I have used Eudora for years and it is
excellent.

Another possibility is to use a web-based e-mailer like yahoo mail. I have
used Yahoo now for nearly a year and have no complaints. Hotmail is another,
similar service.

=====
Claire Petersky (cpetersky@yahoo.com)

--- Arlene Beare <arl@dircon.co.uk> wrote:

I heartily agree with Martha.I have used Eudora for years and it is
excellent.

Another possibility is to use a web-based e-mailer like yahoo mail. I have
used Yahoo now for nearly a year and have no complaints. Hotmail is another,
similar service.

=====
Claire Petersky (cpetersky@yahoo.com)

Hi All,

I just saw this post, and have seen these names discussed or posted about
several times over a course of several months.

After looking at the names one more time, a lightbulb went off in my
head: my maternal grandmother's First name, in Poland, was Mascha (in
Polish it was Masja (or Mazja). Any possibility her first name comes

from the Isserles which you have mentioned?

Lilli Sprintz

Shalom,

About two months ago I sent in requests for records >from the Warsaw
Archive (just before all the warnings and problems were advertised). I
am happy to report that I just received one of the requested copies
(granted I ordered three but after all the publicity I feared I would
hear nothing).

I want to publicly thank all those involved in the project for their
dedication and hard work. "Kol HaKavod" and keep up the good work. By
the way the copy was of the Marriage Registration of my great-great
grandmother (Frimed Menaches to Yitzhak Aaron Silverman)! something I
never expected to attain.

Thanks again,
Haim Sidor
Rechasim, Israel