Archive for May 2017
Fishel Dromi (Popwski): About the Community
Until 1926 the Jewish community office in Siedlce was called “Das Dazaar Stiebel” – community management Pavilion. The name matched the community’s situation at the time. The external appearance of the place and status of the “Dozorim “(elected community representatives) was like a “stiebl” (a small Hasidim synagogue). It was a long and narrow room. At one end, near the door, sat Rabbi Isaac Tannenbaum. The Rebbe registered […]
David Giora: My studies in the Hedder and at school
The first Hedder of Rav Asher When did I start going to the Hedder? It must have been between the age of three and four. What parents did not want their child to know how to pray or at least know the blessing of Shema? So, like any Jewish boy I also began to study in the famous Hedder of […]
Moses Mandelmann: Education System in Siedlce
During October 1915, only two months after the Germans occupied Siedlce, the elementary school was opened in the city. It was founded by Fanny Radak, which has moved, after a while, to work in the Yiddish school in Riga with her husband, after which they have moved to the Soviet Union. Fanny Radak came to Siedlce as a refugee, who fled with her parents from […]
Letter from Baruch Mordechai Kramarz to his son David (Cnaani)
Translated from Hebrew by Mr. Yuval Romano. Link to the letter (PDF) BS”D, Sunday “…. honor your father and mother, seven…….” Menahem Av. To my younger son, David Menachem:Your first letter and also the second one, in partnership with your brother Jacob, we got it right and your picture while working in the chicken coop. […]
Farewell letters to Yosheph Passowski
Translated from Hebrew by Mr. Yuval Romano The letters were sent to us by the grandson of Michael Ben Yosef (Passovsky), Tzlil Landesman.These letters were sent to Yosef Passovsky by representatives of the Jewish community in Siedlce in Adar 1935, upon their departure from him on the occasion of his immigration to Israel.
Letters from Home: Feinholtz Family
Translated from Hebrew by Mr. Yuval Romano During the period of his stay in Ben Shemen, Shamai Feinholz corresponded with his family members who remained in Siedlce until shortly after the outbreak of the war. Below are the surviving letters and their translation to English. My dear brother Shamai, You wrote to us that the […]
Postcard from Judenrat in Siedlce 6-11-1941
Translated from Hebrew by Mr. Yuval Romano The postcard was sent to Switzerland for Relico (Relief Committee for the War-Stricken Jewish Population) – the Committee for Assistance to the Jewish Population Affected by the War, which was established in Geneva in September 1939 under the auspices of the World Jewish Congress. The postcard confirms receipt […]
Letter from Weintraub to Fishel 1933
A letter sent from Siedlce in 1933 by Y”N Weintraub to Mr. Fishel, asking for donations for the “Tarbut” school that was built in the city.
Last sign of Life from Stawkowski Family
Translated from Hebrew by Mr. Yuval Romano This is the last sign of life arriving to Israel from Sima (Simca) Stawkowski’s parents through the Red Cross. Sima, who immigrated to Israel in 1936, is the sole remnant of her family. Her parents, Jacob and Esther Stawkowski and her four sisters, Haya, Ita, Tova and Paula, all perished. Mr. Yoav Shaham, who donated the letter and Simca Stawkowski’s son states: According to the “letter” they were all together in Siedlce Ghetto. But, we don’t know how they found their deaths. Did they […]
Batia and Avraham Shafat: Visiting Poland
Translated from Hebrew by Mr. Yuval Romano. Summary A visit to Poland raises many thoughts. The visit to Poland took place as part of the Congress of the Association of Jewish Lawyers, entitled “Remember Warsaw”. The personal reason is searching for Batia’s roots in Siedlce, visiting her family’s ashes in Treblinka and visiting Gabi’s family’s ashes in […]