My father’s family lived in Belarus, near Gomel, but they considered themselves Litvaks. For one or two generations before my father, who was born in 1910, the family name was Litvinov. It became Litw

#lithuania #names

My mother’s name was Chiena. She came from Russia/Belarus. The name seems to be a Russification of Chana, or a combination of Chaya Chiena. It doesn’t seem to be a nickname; it was the passport name,

#names

Yes, this happened in my family. The original name was Lipshitz, and the new name was Litvinov. Ironically I married a Lipshitz (from another area in Belarus). I didn’t know until well after we were m

#general #lithuania

My father and his family lived in a small village in Belarus, Zhelizniki. They had to leave ~1915, when the Germans came and kicked them out, taking over their home and burning others. My father's fam

#belarus

My father and his family lived in a small village in Belarus, Zhelizniki. They had to leave ~1915, when the Germans came and kicked them out, taking over their home and burning others. My father's fam

#belarus

My family >from the Gomel area was named Litvin (Litvinov), becoming Litwin in Canada. I was told it meant "man" >from Lithuania. The "ov" ending indicated "son of man >from Lithania." Carol Litwin Li

#belarus

My family >from the Gomel area was named Litvin (Litvinov), becoming Litwin in Canada. I was told it meant "man" >from Lithuania. The "ov" ending indicated "son of man >from Lithania." Carol Litwin Li

#belarus

I did get an answer >from Franklin Swartz within the last three weeks -- May 9, to be exact -- in which he apologized for a minor delay by explaining "We are in the midst of a series of Soviet style h

#belarus

I did get an answer >from Franklin Swartz within the last three weeks -- May 9, to be exact -- in which he apologized for a minor delay by explaining "We are in the midst of a series of Soviet style h

#belarus

For a while, there was a Shchedrin subgroup, and they sent me a pile of materials. Some of it was xeroxed >from the Jewish Encyclopedia, under Shchedrin. Some was >from a small book published by a fam

#belarus

For a while, there was a Shchedrin subgroup, and they sent me a pile of materials. Some of it was xeroxed >from the Jewish Encyclopedia, under Shchedrin. Some was >from a small book published by a fam

#belarus

Sorry, I don't have the information at home. I believe you can get it by going to the Jewish Encyclopedia, under Shchedrin. The story with Shchedrin, as I remember it, is that a Chasidic Rabbi convinc

#belarus

Sorry, I don't have the information at home. I believe you can get it by going to the Jewish Encyclopedia, under Shchedrin. The story with Shchedrin, as I remember it, is that a Chasidic Rabbi convinc

#belarus

Barbara, I see that you are a LIPSON, probasbly a Lipshitz, >from Belarus. My husband is a Lipson, formerly Lipshitz, >from Belarus also; his family were founders of Shchedrin in Belarus. It was one o

#belarus

Barbara, I see that you are a LIPSON, probasbly a Lipshitz, >from Belarus. My husband is a Lipson, formerly Lipshitz, >from Belarus also; his family were founders of Shchedrin in Belarus. It was one o

#belarus

My aunt Nechama, who came to Canada in 1924, was named Anne in English. My mother, who also had a name with a hard-to-pronounce "ch," also took the name Anne in English. Both families deliberately cho

#general

My aunt Nechama, who came to Canada in 1924, was named Anne in English. My mother, who also had a name with a hard-to-pronounce "ch," also took the name Anne in English. Both families deliberately cho

#general

I was interested in the response about the records for Gomel, stating that these are now in Minsk. Does this apply to records for towns/cities surrounding Gomel? Vyetka, for instance? And small villag

#belarus

I was interested in the response about the records for Gomel, stating that these are now in Minsk. Does this apply to records for towns/cities surrounding Gomel? Vyetka, for instance? And small villag

#belarus

Lots of messages are noted the lack of attention to Pinsk. I'd add that Gomel and surrounding towns and villages also had a substantial Jewish population. Yet I see very little discussion of that area

#belarus