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The
FREIDINS of
ZELVA
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A New Century for the Freidins in America
My accounting may be a bit imprecise, but it is 'close enough for folk music,' as they say. It is a safe bet that it is -- more-or-less -- a hundred years, since the first of our Freidin forbears arrived at the shores of the United States. From a personal, family historical point of view, this is perhaps more significant that the end of the millennium, which was more of a 'numerical' event.
The enabling acts that precipitated this very personal occurrence can probably be traced to the consequences of the Russian defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905, compounded by the failed Russian Revolution of that same year. Anti-Semitic outbursts, such as the Kishinev Pogrom of 1903 added additional impetus to outward Jewish emigration. I am not completely clear on precisely who came first: It was either Charles Fried or his sister, Ida Freidin Dinnes. We do know that 'Tchalyeh' was in the Czar's Army, and he had been caught sleeping at his post, while on guard duty. Fearing for his life, his family squirreled him out of the country as soon as possible.
My great-uncle Isidore Freed, was not long in following, as his mother saw fit to send him off, rather than face the military conscription that 'Tchalyeh' did not avoid. His brother, Morris Freed was not long in following him, while at about the same time, Isidor Rubin would be coming to the Pittsburgh area, fleeing from Vasilishki (called Vasilishok by the Jews).
This, pretty much, represents the 'beachhead' for the Freidins in the United States. The ones who followed were bootstrapped by these pioneers.
As I have said many times before, this story is hardly unique to our family. It is a reflection of perhaps hundreds of thousands of similar stories, as Jews left their wretched existence in the Eastern European Pale of Settlement, and in the half century from 1870-1920, flooded the New World, principally the United States, with about 3.5 million souls.
The youngest among us are undoubtedly third and fourth generation native born Americans. Beginning with my own great-grandmother, Genendel, we have had six generations of our family who have lived on American soil. I remember making an observation, at the time we buried my mother, Sarah Freed Berger v"g, that the Zelver Benevolent Society Cemetery Plot, in Elmont, NY, is now our ancestral burial plot in the NY metro area. This is part of the tragic reality in acknowledging the physical destruction of the Jewish cemetery, in Zelva, by the murderous Nazis during the Holocaust period. That eradicated the resting places of a community that has existed for over six centuries.
The connection to Eastern European life will inevitably fade among the younger people and their progeny. To be honest, it is not clear that there is anything worth remembering about an existence that was marginal at best, and wretched most of the time. But it is important that they remember from whence we came, what values we have cherished over centuries, what we survived, and how perilously close we might have come to suffering the unspeakable fate of so many of our kin. It could have been us, but luckily for us -- it wasn't.
! cIy kzn
Marlee Rebecca Cherkas, born June 21, 2006 to Rod & Corey Cherkas, in San Mateo, CA. Congratulations to the parents, and grandparents Phil & Elaine Shapiro.
Amit, a baby daughter, born October 23, 2006 to Aviv & Ronit (Ritz) Bueno in NY, where Aviv is pursuing graduate studies. Mazal Tov to the new grandparents, Yossi & Dina Bueno (their first grandchild), and the "old" grandparents, Odded & Jochi Ritz
Celia (Zippora), a daughter, born to Chaim & Anna-Aliza Rosenbaum, in Seattle, on January 16, 2007, 6lb 6oz, 19". Named (according to Sephardic tradition) after Grandmother Rebbetzin Cecelia Benzaquen. Proud grandparents in Monsey, NY are Mendl & Renee Rosenbaum, and we congratulate Faygl Garber York on, once again, becoming a great-grandmother!
Maxwell Abraham, a son, born to Rob & Cara Friedman on February 11,2007, slightly early at 4 lbs 6oz. Congratulations to the parents, and grandparents, Mike & Laura Friedman. Grandpa Mike reports: Now he is eating like an athlete and growing steadily. I saw him for the first time this past Sunday and if I say so myself, he is quite handsome and obviously very bright.
Maxwell Abraham Friedman
Yuval, a daughter, born in Israel to Gil'ad &Racheli Brat. Congratulations to the grandparents Irit & Chaim Brat.
A first grandson to Yoram & Orna Sabarov born to their daughter Maya & Avi, named Noam (note: Yoram is the twin brother to Uri Sabarov).
In December 2006, a little girl was born to Dr. Dror Gilony, named Shani, little sister to Ido. Mazal Tov to the grandparents Ami & Ora Gilony.
Carol Lowenbraun on November 13, 2006 after a valiant struggle against cancer. Survived by her husband Nathan (Nat) two daughters, and son Dr. Norman (Loreen), a granddaughter, Rachel, as well as her older sister, Zina (Zelda) Lifshin, and younger brother Michael. Carol was the youngest daughter of Ephraim (Foyka) & Alta Gelman, who with their two young daughters, were the only Jewish family from Zelva to survive the war intact. Escaping from the roundup that initially brought them to the Volkovysk bunkers, they spent most of the war years with Bulak's Pobeda Partisan Battalion in the Naliboki Forest. They knew, and lived with Gertude (Gutka) Boyarski, as well as the two Salutsky brothers, Moshe & Katriel.
**
Brian David Smith, on February 10, 2007 in Boynton Beach FL, age 56. Son of the late Mollie Smith Kippe. He left no issue. Her is survived by his aunt, Sylvia (Selma) Goldstein, of Brooklyn, NY.
**
The following obituary appeared in the Champaign (Illinois) News-Gazette of 13Feb07:
URBANA – Abetta L. Helman, 65, of Urbana passed away at 2:04 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, 2007, at her winter home in Surprise, Ariz.
Mrs. Helman was born on Nov. 22, 1941, in Bismarck, N.D., the daughter of Gordon and Sarah Savran. She married Sandy I. Helman, in Minneapolis, on Nov. 1, 1964; he survives.
She is also survived by her son, David N. Helman of Coralville, Iowa; her daughter, Deborah L. Helman of Madison, Wis.; her brother, William Savran of Minneapolis; her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Myra and Samuel Schwartz of Chevy Chase, Md.; and many loving nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father and mother and her beloved brother, Arthur Savran.
Mrs. Helman filled the lives of her family and friends with love, laughter and joy. She embraced her role as both a mother and a wife and devoted her life to creating a special and loving family. She deeply loved family and friends and brought them all together. She taught them about kindness, compassion and generosity. She loved life and took special interest in attending events at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, loved walking with friends and family at Meadowbrook Park, and she loved her golden retrievers dearly. She was also active in the Jewish community at Sinai Temple. Mrs. Helman was a very special woman and she will be dearly missed by her family and friends.
**
| Sarah Kasen on the
morning of Monday, March 26, 2007 at the age of 98. Predeceased by her husband Henry,
and sons Zachary and Martin,
she is survived by her daughter Andrea Grunberger
of Wayne, NJ, and son Charles Kasen,
of Plymouth, MN, along with numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren,
nephews, nieces and a substantial extended family. Sarah
was the last surviving sibling of the children of Charles
& Shoshka Fried, and up to her passing, the oldest living
member of the Freidin family in the
greater Metro NYC area. I believe that she was the first of our family to have
been born in the United States.
|
Sarah Kasen at Her 98th Birthday To the left is the late Zachary Kasen's widow, Gwen, and to the right is daughter, Andrea Grunberger |
***
News from All Over
|
Here is a chatty note from Belle
Millo in Canada:
I haven't updated you on our family news in such a long time - so here goes: Our son, Ari, graduated from University last June, and was awarded a gold medal (That makes three in our family!). He has now returned to live in Israel and to pursue graduate studies. Noam will be receiving his MD on May 10. He was accepted into Diagnostic Radiology at the Univeristy of Alberta, which is a very prestigious program. He was the recipient of the gold medal for mathematics and computer science for his undergraduate science degree. Aliza is away at York University. A graduate of the University of Manitoba, she is now in the Jewish Educator's Program there. Tali is now in grade seven in the Advanced Placement Program. We are looking forward to celebrating her bat mitzvah in Israel this December where my mother-in-law and my husband's extended family live. Take care and a belated Shana Tova to you and your family. And indeed, Tali's bat mitzvah took place on December 23rd at Beit Daniel Synagogue, Belle reports that it was really a lovely, warm and welcoming place, and rather unique in Israel. Although they align themselves with the Reform movement, "I found it almost identical to our Conservative synagogue here, as far as practice, prayers, etc." Here is a picture of Mom and the bat mitzvah girl:
Tali & Belle Millo Belle recollects for us that March 17th would have been the 100th birthday of her father, the late Shmuel Jarnievsky.... *** Lee Feldscher writes of his ongoing foray, to extend the Shapiro Family genealogy: As some of you may have heard I recently met some of our English cousins. I was in London for a visit and got together with many of the English branch of the family and even got to visit the cemetery where Rivka Shapiro Primack is buried (she is one of Maishe Leijzor & Minucha's daughters). I thought I would write about the trip since many of you have asked about it. My first encounter with the family was when I visited with Hilary & Albert Perry and Hilary's daughter, Samantha, and her husband Paul Jacobs and their 3 children Jordan (12), Aron (8) and Ella (6) for Shabbat dinner. Hilary is the great-granddaughter of Rivka. They made a lovely meal and it felt nice to be so warmly welcomed even though they had never met me before. I'm not sure who was more excited about meeting each other - me or them. The children were especially excited about getting to meet an American cousin. I showed them the tree and told them stories about each of the different branches of the family.
|
Steve
Lance, co-author of The Little Blue Book of Advertising was
the keynote speaker for Print Oasis 2007 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas,
Monday, February 12th. For further information, see: http://thelittlebluebookofadvertising.com/ *** .I continue to plow my way through the 1965 edition of the Yizkor Book for Tomaszow-Lubelski, in Poland. As I write, I am about a third of the way through. My current estimate is to complete the work later this year, with distribution probably in early 2008. ** My son, Dr. Daniel Berger appears to have found a seemingly stable opportunity with the Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden, NJ. In the interest of not disturbing the schooling of his weejuns, he and his family will continue to ride with us until the end of the Spring 2007 school semester. Some serious house-hunting is underway in the suburbs of America's murder capital, with some thoughts to the Pennsylvania side of the border.... Having decided to buy a condo in Mahwah, we expect daughter Rachel and her beau, Matt Maslow to be vacating our basement shortly. There is actually a small chance we might yet become empty-nesters, although son Robert is making noises about coming back home, should he land a teaching position in the area... ** Age takes its toll on the health of those of us who are starting to, or who already are, long in the tooth. Aunt Harriet Freed joins Moshe Freidin in the list of those having had their gall bladders removed. Uncle Joshua Freed faces thyroid surgery later this month, while his older brother, my Uncle Harold Freed continues to struggle with macular degeneration, trying to hold onto the remaining sight in his one remaining 'good' eye.... We continue to extend our sincerest wishes for a Refuah Shlema to Odded Ritz and Ronen Neutra, struggling with illness.....
We also send our best wishes to Mike Friedman, who reports having undergone surgery for prostate cancer. He tells us that, "the postoperative pathology could not have been better. I am still recuperating but I am feeling fine and getting back to normal..." Mike has communicated how important it was to have had this disease detected and treated in its early stages. He wishes to communicate to everyone how important it is to undergo periodic screening tests. He attributes the longevity. of the various elders in his family, to the pre-emptive nature of these detections, coupled with cures that work so much better at those early stages. **
True to form, we did a 'winter visit' to our son David
and his family during February. While we missed
Jordan's fifth birthday, we were able to be present at Zachary's
seventh, followed the next day by Grandpa Jack's
birthday. As luck would have it, we got to see Uncle Bernard
Spanger, on a business trip to San Francisco, and Uncle Dr. Manfred
Spanger, flying through to Seattle. Grandpa Gerry
Spanger used the opportunity to fly through as well.
Weather was rather variable during this trip, but nevertheless, we got
in a visit to a famous goat farm in Pescadero, where I was offered a
newborn baby kid at no cost. My heartless wife refused on behalf of the
family. David was kind
enough to take us on a short car tour to visit the Sequoia National
Forest and Yosemite National Park. Seeing the General Sherman is an
experience. It is difficult to get one's mind around the fact that this
living entity is between 2200-2400 years old. This means it came into
life some time between the destruction of The First Temple and the death
of Alexander the Great.....
My daughter, Rachel Berger, and her beau, Matt Maslow, have decided to expand their menagerie. Not content with their Siamese seal point cats, Boris & Natasha, they have opted to acquire a dog, in the person of a Cockalier (a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel). Maggie-Moo Maslow is about four months old, and is a very sedate, if not slightly bashful young lady. She is extraordinarily good-natured, and very loving. Accordingly, we expect that she will fit into our extended family quite well.... For the mathematically inclined, March 14 is National Pi Day (It's 3/14 -- get it?). In honor of this obscure occasion, grandson Zachary Berger memorized and correctly recited Pi to 98 decimal places at a 'Pi Contest' in his local school, winning first prize. Despite the interesting tour-de-force that this represents for a seven-year-old, my grandmother's voice echoes in the back of my mind: fun doss makht men nit kein lebn.... |
Senior Corner
It appears that, even though we announced the birth of Gutka Boyarski's great-grandson properly, we neglected to publish the four generation picture we received. Here it is:
Grandpa Joel , Great-Grandma Gutka, holding baby Alex, and Father, Jason Boyarski
A Happy, Sweet, and Kosher Passover !
The
Freidins of Zelva
Family NewsletterEditor-Publisher................................................. Jack S. Berger Webmacherkeh.................................................... Sharon Javer Web Host Emeritus.............................................. Randi Ostro Publisher Emeritus..........................................Samuel K. Rubin
The Family Newsletter of the Freidins of Zelva is published periodically to foster communications between the descendants of TANHUM YITZHAK FREIDIN ritual slaughterer of the town of Zelva in the Grodno Province of Belarus. For further information, the Editor-Publisher may be reached as follows:
Jack S. Berger
12 Janice Court
Mahwah, NJ 07430-1515 USA
Telephone: 201-529-3391E-mail: JSBerger@Sigmaxi.net
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