A Wedding in
David-Horodok (circa 1905 or 1906)
by Steve Gershman
The information about this photograph was handed down to me verbally by my aunt, Mildred Eisenshtadt
Schumann. Although she has been gone for twenty years, I never forgot the
stories she told me about David-Horodok. I hope I never will. This photograph
represents the family of Moishe Lifshitz, my great-grandfather, (center with
arms folded), who was marrying off his granddaughter, who was orphaned. The
bride is sitting in the same row as my great-grandfather, far right, seated, dressed
in black and the groom (partially bald) is standing directly behind her. I do
not know their first names, but their married name was Blazofsky (pronounced
BLA-jof-sky). I had the opportunity of meeting their son, Asher Blazofsky in
Israel in 1976, the year before he died. As he was born in 1907, I am
estimating that this photograph was taken in either 1905 or 1906. When asked
why the bride was dressed in black instead of white, my aunt told me that was
the custom (although I find it hard to believe).
My
great-grandfather Moishe Lifshitz, a widower who was known for his piety, owned
the post office in David-Horodok. The famous Stoliner Rebbe would stay at his
home when traveling from shtetl to shtetl. My aunt was always proud of the fact
that she came from yechis (loosely defined as class, prestige). Yechis
had nothing to do with material wealth.
My
grandmother, Jennie (Gunia) Lifshitz Eisenshtadt is sitting to the right of her
father Moishe. Her sister, Chaya Rochel (last name unknown) is sitting to his
left. She is holding a child on her lap. Standing directly in back of Chaya
Rochel and to her left are her brothers, Gershon and Shimon Leib Lifshitz (both
with beards). My Aunt Mildred used to recount that both were handsome men who
died young.
My
grandfather, Israel Eisenshtadt, was not present at the wedding, as he was away
on business. However, life was very difficult and my grandfather barely made a
living.
My grandmother gave birth to eight (8) children:
1.
Chaya Elke,
the oldest, is standing in the last row, the third woman from the left. She later
married Shimon Dobrushin. He was a successful businessman who owned a store of
material goods. She gave birth to four children: Manya, Mayer, Chana, and
Feivel. My aunt, uncle and family never emigrated to the U.S. as they were
prosperous in David-Horodok, and did not need to escape the poverty that was so
pervasive. All but Mayer and Chana perished in the Holocaust. Chana emigrated
to Israel as a pioneer in 1935. Chana related an interesting story to me when
we met for the first time in Israel in 1976. She had been recently married when
she developed kidney trouble, necessitating the removal of one kidney. Her
husband Mayer Milner, had suggested she return to David-Horodok to recuperate.
This was just prior to the outbreak of the war. Had she returned, she would
have perished with the rest of her family in the Holocaust. She lived in Kiryat
Chaim, outside Haifa, and passed away in December, 1999. Chana was the last
surviving member of my mother’s family born in Horodok. Mayer served in the
Russian Army and became disabled while fighting. He emigrated to Israel
following the war and died in 1975. I never had the chance to meet him.
2.
Paiya
(pronounced Pie-a) (standing, last row, fifth woman from the left) is the
shortest woman in the row. She married Jacob Holtzman and died in 1970.
Although she lived many years in the U.S., it was difficult for her to master
English. She spoke to me only in Yiddish. Aunt Paiya was truly old school, but
a lovable human being.
3.
Phillip
(Feivel) (standing by himself in the upper far right corner, to the left of the
groom Blazofsky). As was common for the times, he was the first member of his
family to emigrate to the U.S. to escape serving in the Czarist Russian army.
He arrived in Boston in 1910 and then came to Detroit. Uncle Phillip married
Anna Schecter (also from Horodok), and became a successful businessman as the
owner of the Phillips Shoes Store chain. He died in 1972.
4.
Baby boy
Eisenshtadt, who died at the age of six months.
5.
Izel, who was
killed fighting in World War I.
6.
Bessie (Bayla)
(standing, second row, far left, wearing a white dress). My Uncle Phillip
brought her over in 1912. I still have her original passport. She married Jacob
Horowitz and died in 1974.
7.
Mildred
(Maryasia). Aunt Mildred does not appear in the picture. I am uncertain if she
was born yet. She married Harry Schumann and died in 1978. How I remember all
those stories. All her stories started with “Ich gedank” (I remember).
8.
Minnie
(Michla). My mother and the youngest in the family. She married my father,
Morris Gershman, a Holocaust survivor, and died in 1972. My father died in
1996. My mother had not yet been born when the family photograph was taken.
My grandparents, Aunts Paiya and Mildred, and my mother came to Detroit
in 1922. Aunt Mildred remembered that as the boat was leaving David-Horodok, my
great-grandfather was standing on the shore and crying. When asked if he wanted
to come to the U.S., he replied that his burial place was reserved for him in
Horodok.
The
only other person I can identify from the photograph is Sonia Sokolowsky (first
row, sitting, far right, in a white dress.) She moved to Avignon, France, prior
to the war. As France was under Nazi occupation, Sonia, her husband and
children were forced to hide. Miraculously, they all survived the war.
The rest of the family members either died or were killed in the
Holocaust. May their souls rest in peace and may their memories serve as a
blessing.
I hope that you, the reader, appreciate the rich Jewish history that
existed in Eastern Europe years before the Holocaust as much as I do. It is
important that we pass on this history from generation to generation.
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