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Fourth Part: Grayeve Jews in America

As chairman of the United Grayever Relief Committee, I take this opportunity to thank and congratulate the active members of the committee and our landslayt [people from the same hometown] who have helped us in the work of stretching out a brotherly hand to our Holocaust survivors, who lived through Hitler's deluge, which inundated all of Europe and annihilated six million Jews, among them our flesh and blood, our parents, brothers, sisters, and their families.

The political conflict now raging all over the world between two opposing camps and ideologies could not spare our landslayt in America. The distrust, the suspicion, which each side has of the other has spread into the realm of the work of aiding the needy survivors and has made it more difficult to organize a more active relief committee. So I would like to note, with exceptional satisfaction, that I have been able for my entire tenure as chairman to maintain the requisite balance, and through the committee to establish harmony between both sides.

It is a pleasure for me to point out that since the committee renewed its activity at the end of the last world war, not once has there occurred, for whatever reason, a clash, or even a difference of political opinion, over the collection of money or the distribution of aid. The

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committee functioned as one friendly family and this was reflected not only in its relief work, but also in the personal relationships among its members. In the work of the committee, the ongoing dispute was forgotten.

I have the feeling, that my non-partisan approach, especially towards relief work, significantly affected the harmonious cooperation. Like other landslayt, I was impelled to engage in this work with total commitment by the tragedy that I personally experienced. The loss of my parents and my entire family that had remained in Grayeve and Varshe [Warsaw] turned me into a fierce advocate, devoted to helping those few Grayevers who through fortunate circumstances remained alive.

The active members of the committee worked with devotion and self-sacrifice. They were not deterred, either by the work, or by the indifference which they sometimes encountered while collecting money or clothing, or selling tickets to events.

I want to mention here at least some of the active members and officers of our committee:

Our honorary president, Hyman Blum, whose profession makes it impossible for him to attend every meeting is in constant contact with our secretary and helps us enormously in carrying out our work.

With great sorrow we note the loss of our vice-president, Ab. Mlavski, who has left us so prematurely.

Our friend and active member A. Klayman does everything possible in every area of activity.

Our treasurer, Friend [term of address in Jewish communal organizations] Mendel Kohn, deserves a lot of praise for his good work, and especially in raising money for landslayt.

Friend Mrs. Fannie Mishkof, our recording secretary, keeps the minutes at our meetings and whom it is a pleasure to hear speak.

Other members of our executive committee perform their duties with complete devotion.

I want to express special recognition for our tireless financial secretary, Irving Sapirstein, a truly devoted social activist who, for all the years that he

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stood at the helm of our relief work, has never flagged in his enthusiasm and in his practical, methodical work. It is difficult for me to imagine the relief committee without his active participation.

Finally, I want to thank those who have worked to produce this great work, which we are publishing for our landslayt – the Grayever Yizkor Book – the monument to our martyrs and to our town Grayeve as we remember it, where our cradles stood, as it was before the two wars, but where our relatives and friends were murdered in such a horrific manner. In the work for the Yizkor book, our friend G. Gorin was chairman and H. Blum and Sh. I. Fishbein were on the editorial committee.

I hope that our future relief work will not have to be limited to helping the needy, but will also aid in building, and in constructive endeavors that will entirely eliminate poverty and homelessness, that our landslayt, along with all the Jewish survivors, will be able to settle in new homes, where they will stand on their own feet, and will no longer require aid.

Isador Shiller, Chairman,
United Grayeve Relief Committee

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The Editorial Board of the Yizkor Book

Sol Fishbein		Hyman Blum		Dr. G. Gorin, Chairman

Anyone who ever went to kheyder [Jewish religious school] is familiar with the Bible story in which our father Jacob's sons sold their brother Joseph into slavery in Egypt. It later turned out, that with this act, they saved themselves and their aged father from dying of hunger, after they had long given up hope of hearing of Joseph ever again.

A similar historical occurrence happened before our eyes with the great Jewish emigration from Eastern Europe to the new world, to America. The new Jewish settlement in America was destined to play a decisive role in the future fact of Jewish people overseas. From the beginning of the 20^th century, when the economic and political condition of the Jews of Eastern Europe began to deteriorate at an ever accelerating pace, and later, when the climax came in the First World War, and the terrible aftermath, it fell to the American Jews to play the role of the long ago Joseph, to relieve the hunger of those Jews who had been unwilling or unable to leave the lands where most sources of livelihood were closed to them. And so it also was with the Grayever landsleit [people from the same hometown] here in America.

This writer arrived in America in 1906, during the first years of a significant Jewish emigration from Grayeve. There were then just a few

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Grayevers who had been here for a longer time, and even fewer of these had managed to better their economic circumstances. Almost all Grayevers here worked in the needle trades or as peddlers. They had strong ties to their home town, from which they had only recently arrived and from which they had not yet entirely uprooted themselves.

It should be noted that even before the development of relief activity here in America, this writer, himself a greenhorn, after receiving news of a fire in Grayeve in 1909, called a meeting of landsleit through a notice in the Yiddish newspapers. Sixty-six dollars were collected at the meeting to aid the victims of the fire. I am including a photograph of the letter of thanks from the then rabbi of Grayeve, the deceased Rov A. Milikovski. Today this would not be considered a significant amount of money, but when one takes into consideration the small number of landsleit and their economic situation, it could be considered a great success.

But the real activity by the Grayever landsleit on behalf of their home town first began with the beginning of the First World War. As soon as the war broke out, even before the establishment of communication with the cities and towns that were occupied by the Germans, a relief committee was immediately established for the landsleit of hundred of cities and towns. The newspapers were full of notices of mass meetings of landsleit associations, and our landsleit were no exception.

Since the Grayever and Shtutziner [Szczuczyn] landsleit already had a shared synagogue and ladies' auxiliary, it was natural that the relief effort, which had its offices in that synagogue, should also be a joint committee. Apart from the synagogue and ladies' auxiliary, the longstanding Shtutzin Young Men's Benevolent Association and the Grayeve Young Men's Benevolent Association also joined the relief committee.

But shortly after the founding of the committee,

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God's Help 21 Elul 1909 Grajewo Aharon Milejkowski Rabbi Grajewo Author of “Questions and Answers Ohalei Aharon” [Aaron's Tents]   Hyman Bloom New York   The committee for the benefit of the victims of the Grajewo fire is honored to notify his honor that we have received through Mr. Chaim Yosef Bialaszewski of New York the sum of sixty-six rubles that was collected there for the benefit of the victims here. In expressing our thanks and our greetings for the New Year, for a Good Writing and signing for the doers and the deeds, we hereby sign with feelings of respect and gratitude.     Eli Aharon Milejkowski / The rabbi here [Five other signatures-illegible]

Just at that time, there arrived the first appeal from Grayeve, sent on November 17, 1915. The letter was sent to Herr Khaym Katsprovski, who was a devoted community activist in Grayeve and who had just recently

Grajewo November 17, 1915 Most honoured and best friend! As the hardship and misery in our half ruined town are grievous and we do not have the ability to support the many poor, over 200 families, which are placed in dire straits we find ourselves forced to ask our friends and the charitable organizations for help. Since we don't know, however, to whom to address in America in this matter we ask you, dear friend, to become a constant collaborator of our society and raise compassion and pity from good and merciful people or charities, so they will help us with goods or money to lessen the dreadful suffering of the poor and not let them die of hunger. For your worries we give you our greatest thanks and send greetings to you in the name of the whole town, wishing you luck. (Signatures of the Rabbi and other people) M. Piurko I. Rozenbaum Rabbiner M. Amiel I. Rozenbaum Rabbiner, Moshe Avigdor Amiel P.S. Your family is well and sends their love.

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Date 1920[?] Regional Committee For Support Of the War Victims Grajewo Central Committee To Our Dear and Honorable Friend Of perfect qualities and virtues, distinguished of Rebecca Mr. Chaim Kacparowski With splendid honor! We write to you about the institution Hachnasat Orchim – “Guest Hospitality,” which we miss. Because the German occupation destroyed the building to its foundation, leaving no remnant other than the empty place, and since our town stands on the border, there are always people coming and going and during this harsh winter its absence is felt strongly and we are distressed to see the poor who have no place to lay down their heads. Indeed just now we have gotten from the Polish government lumber to build a new “Guest Hospitality,” the expense for the lumber at this expensive time will probably be about 15,000 Polish marks. Therefore, knowing Sir, how dedicated he is to the town, as is he far away in place, and very close at heart, we dare to request that he may call on the natives of our town in his area that they may come to our aid as quickly as possible because we are about to begin the construction immediately, God willing, and we think that in addition to guests there will be space for Moshav Rabanim – A meeting place for rabbis [?]. We hope that the natives of our town who all through the war did not divert their attention from our poor town and did much, much through their committee, we think they will not divert their attention in the future and will do everything within their ability. With respect and many thanks for the past and the future, we sign with a blessing, [Signature] Head Rabbi Grajewo

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were: Avraham Gilari, N. Kaplan, Sore Goldshteyn, Hyman Goldshteyn, S. Brikman, Dovid Litof, Phillip Morrison, Benny Bagish.

To my regret, I cannot provide the exact sum of money that was raised. The books remained with the treasurer, who died several years after the committee dissolved and the books were no longer kept. But I believe that I won't be far off the mark, if I say we raised about $8,000 during the five to six years that the committee was active.

In order to provide an idea of what it meant to raise such a sum, it is important to note that the largest sum received from a single person was $50 (from Mr. Charles Witkop-Witkovski) and three or four $25 contributions. The rest came as one, two, three and five dollar contributions. The dollar was then worth more; it was hard to earn a dollar. But for that reason, it was worth a lot when it arrived overseas.

It should also be noted that this writer conducted a correspondence with landsleit in 90 cities in 19 states for whom he helped to locate relatives, and who also sent contributions. The work of connecting relatives was difficult and many-faceted. From the beginning of the war until America also entered the bloody whirlpool, a portion of Grayever landsleit were scattered in various parts of the enormous Russian Empire and in Germany. Through various means we found out their addresses and connected them with their landsleit here in America. But that became very difficult after America entered the war. We did everything we could to maintain contacts until all the connecting threads were broken.

After the war ended, our relief work consisted mostly in helping Grayever institutions. We were in contact with the Grayever Rabbi Amiel and with a committee that at various times consisted of Eliezer Zilbershteyn, Avrom-Mordkhe Piurko, I. Papovski, Mordkhe Abramski, Mordkhe Rinkovski, and from time to time, we would receive long letters from Moyshe-

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Dovid Zaydberg, who would send us news from “behind the scenes” about relief work in Grayeve itself. Elsewhere in this book we reproduce a portion of the large number of letters which we received from Grayeve during that period.

In 1920, the Grayeve Rabbi Amiel visited London on behalf of Mizrakhi [religious Zionist organization] of which he was a prominent leader. We invited him to come to America on behalf of relief work. He accepted the invitation, but immediately after that, he was appointed rabbi in Antwerp and he had to give up the planned trip. Several years later, he went to Tel Aviv, where he was appointed Chief Rabbi, a position which he held until the last days of his life. (Incidentally, at the same time that Rabbi Amiel was the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, the head of the Rabbinical court there was also a former Grayever rabbi, Rov Eliahu Aron Milikovski).

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This period of relief work ended in 1921, when the situation in Grayeve more or less normalized. Relatives in America supported their needy relations in the old home, and interest lessened. Thus ended the first chapter of relief work in Grayeve, with the hope that it would not be necessary to renew such work. Who then could see the dark clouds that had already gathered, and predict that only a short time later the same activists would have to get back to work and continue their efforts for Grayeve. And who then could imagine the bloody deluge that inundated the world and extinguished the lives of all the Jewish men, women and children in Grayeve, in all of Poland, as in all the Eastern European countries?

I leave it to my friend, the tireless secretary of the Relief Committee, Irving Sapirstein, to write about the second period of relief work.

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The Grayever Branch 35 of the Workmen's Circle was not originally founded as a branch of the Workmen's Circle. Rather, it was first founded as a landsmanshaft [organization of landsleit, i.e. people from the same hometown] organization, in 1907, by Grayever immigrants. By the time it joined the Workmen's Circle, it had already existed for 10 years as the Grayever Young Men's Benevolent Association – with over 1000 members, a fully paid-for cemetery and a significant amount of money in its treasury.

But let us begin at the beginning. It seems like only yesterday, that three greenhorn boys – Sam Krinski, Philip Buzman, and this writer – met up in Hester Park. The three of us, who had been in this country just a few months, felt the loneliness of 17-18 year old boys who had been cast out of their homes into a new world, in a city that sparkled and simmered and bustled, that had no time for anyone. We yearned for a homey environment, for friends with whom to enjoy an evening, after a hard day's work.

The landsmanshaftn associations were then in their first bloom. The “society” was for the newcomer greenhorns, both a club and a home. On the evenings that meetings were held, they would share their impressions of the new country and their sweet or bitter memories of the old home. There, people would help a greenhorn find a room or a job. At each meeting, new faces would appear, just off the boat. The slightly less green ones – those who had been here several months – would embrace the newcomers, receive greetings from the old home and demonstrate how seasoned they were by tossing off the entire dozen words of English that they had managed to learn, in a garbled and confused form.

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The first attempt to establish a Grayever landsmanshaft was made in 1903, when the Grayever Young Men's Association was founded. Although it had attained a membership of about 200, the association expired at the young age of about two years old, for reasons which still remain unknown to me. When we, 17-18 year old boys who had been in the country just a few months, appealed to the Grayever landsleit to join a new association, we were met with mockery and disdain from the “Americanized” landsleit who had already been here two or three years and had worked their way up, having bought a pair of yellow shoes, or moved far uptown, as far as 4^th or 5^th street, or even as far as Harlem. These “Americans” looked down on us greenhorns, who had gotten off the ship only yesterday.

On Friday, April 5, 1907, we held our founding meeting, at which the following were present: Hyman (Khaym Yosef) Blum, Bernard Goldshteyn and Harry Baykovksi, who were elected as the temporary committee; Shmuel Krinski; Rafoyl Kats; Yesokhar Vadovski; Sam Baykovski; Morris Lavender; Philip Buzman; Yosef Rozen; Meyer Berenzon; Nathan Lavender; Yosef Hadasa; Khaym Zimberg; Louis Bialystotski; Benny Bogush; and Meyer Vaks.

The founding meeting was continued on Friday, April 26, when the following were accepted as members and founders: Philip Morrison; Shimen Kolko; Morris Zimberg; Henekh Mishkovski; Sam Kremer; Yoyne Kohn; Harry Amsterdam; Benny Panish; Benny Vodovski; and Jake Baykovski.

Since the majority of the founders were fresh from the revolutionary movement in Russia, and many had recently been “boarders” in the prisons of Tsar Nicholas, it was only natural that one of the goals of the society was to support the revolutionary movement in the old home. We

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all, at that time, were living more in our old home than in our newly adopted country, America. And since we were then all quite young and unmarried, we decided not to accept as members anyone over 35. We considered a 35 year old man to be an old geezer. And it was also natural that we didn't want to admit any married men. We made an exception only for Jake Baykovski, at whose house we held the first meeting. At that time, he was already married, but we did him the favor of not forcing him to divorce his wife.

Obviously, the ban against married men could not be sustained for long.

1) Friday, April 5, 1907 Met Friday, April 5 with Kh. [Khaym] Blum as chairman. Heard a report from the provisional committee about the constitution project. Adopted the following provisions: Name: Grayeve Young Men's Benevolent Association Goals:         Sick benefits         Support for the unemployed (through loans)         Support for revolutionary efforts (Direct aid to strikers) Decided not to open the fund until October 1. Made a voluntary collection for interim expenses, which brought in $2.65. Elected a provisional committee for the first month, with the following members: Khaym Yosef Blum Harry Baykovski Benny Goldshteyn “The first minutes of the Grayever Young Men's Benevolent Association.”

The founders themselves, one after the other, followed the example of their fathers and grandfathers. But the mere fact that at its founding the society was limited to the young, alienated large numbers of landsleit, who by then had been in the country several years and had during that time become settled young householders. They joined the more established societies of neighboring towns, such as Shtutzin [Szczuczyn], Byalistok [Białystok] and Lomzhe [Łomża]

At the time the Grayever society was founded, these other societies already had significant sums of money in their treasuries, paid out sick benefits, and had their own cemeteries. At their meetings, they conducted a ceremony, which was at that time very much the fashion in the landsmanshaft societies – using a password, knocking on the door a specified number of times, kneeling ceremoniously to the president and vice-president, and other such conduct – practices that seem laughable to us today, but which were then among the strongest foundation stones on which the societies rested.

Soon after the founding of the Grayever society, came the difficult economic crisis of 1907-1909. The government did nothing at all to alleviate the situation. The only relief came from the breadlines, free kitchens, etc. Thus, we read in the minutes of the meeting of August 17, 1907, that when the question was raised regarding support for needy members, it turned out that the majority of the members were in need, and that with the grand sum of $79.49 in its treasury, the society could not afford to pay out any money for that purpose.

In September, 1908, the society was forced to strike 27 of its 60 members from its rolls. A portion of these paid the dues that they owed and were re-admitted; the others were out for good. And this was at a time when dues were $1.25 for three months.

Because of its founding at such an inauspicious time, the society was unable to find a firm footing for a long time. During the 42 years of its existence – 32 of them as a branch of the Workmen's Circle – it generally

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made little progress, and never attained a membership numbering in the hundreds. The largest number of members at any given time was, I believe, 150. It is a fact however, that the Grayever Branch 35 of the Workmen's Circle consists of over 80% landsleit, whereas many landsmanshaft societies are that only in name; their members are landsleit of other towns.

There are, regrettably, no great achievements, no important events to note in the life of the society. If I were to portray it with an image from Grayeve, I would say it was like the Kasherovke Brook, that placid stream where we would bathe as children, after we had painfully made our way over 2 viorstn [viorst is approximately 0.6 mile/1 kilometer] on the Raigroder [Rajgród] Road, where many times we were struck by blows or stones by the local Christian boys. Just as quietly, flowed most of the years in existence of the society. And perhaps precisely because of that quiet, that placidity, a number of the more active members ceased to be active, and turned their energy to other areas, where they found a wider scope for their abilities.

There are, however, a few moments in the life of the society, on which we should dwell, and these are as follow.

The yearly balls held by the society were a gathering place for all Grayever landsleit, not just those from New York, but also from nearby cities and towns. Landsleit, young and old, would prepare for the celebration. They knew that on that evening, they would meet all their friends with whom they had spent their childhood years, and whom fate had tossed to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. The newly arrived would come and meet the “American” landsleit who had come several years earlier, and would convey greetings from the old home. Around each of them, there would form a circle that would eagerly swallow every word, every greeting from their hometown. Young people, dressed to the nines, would dance to the music of a large orchestra, and more than one married couple has the Grayever ball to thank for bringing them together.

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Most memorable was the ball of 1910, in Hennington Hall, where images of Grayeve were projected by stereoscope on canvas. It appeared as if three Grayevers had swooped down into the hall, which held about 2000 people. Many people were turned away at the door, and those who had the good fortune to come inside didn't have room to move, let alone dance.

In time, the social life of the New York Jews changed. In the greenhorn years, everyone chose his friends solely from among landsleit. Later, the situation changed. New friends were made through family and business connections, with neighbors, coworkers in the shops, participation in social activities, etc. And because the landsman had ceased to play a role in the life of the Jewish immigrant, the balls of the landsmanshaft society ceased to play their former role. Fewer and fewer attended, until the event was given up entirely.

Around 1916, the Grayever Young Men's Association already had a significant membership of around a hundred, and a fully paid for cemetery with a fence, that had cost several thousand dollars. Several members realized it was not advisable for a small society to remain autonomous, but that it must lean on a stronger, more powerful body that could help it weather a storm, should one come along. There were cases of similar organizations that fell apart when their membership got older and began to suffer more illness, more people died, and there was no new blood.

Those who supported joining the Workmen's Circle demonstrated that although the bills would be higher, the members would have a stronger foundation. They would have behind them tens of thousands of Workmen's Circle members; they wouldn't need to be afraid that when they got older the society would not be in a position to meets its obligations. They

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pointed to the institutions of the Workmen's Circle, such as a medical department and sanitariums, and to the organization's cultural activities as well.

It took a long time for the idea to take hold among a large number of members, until finally, in 1917, the society joined the great Workmen's Circle family. Although the expectation by a number of members that entry into that organization would help the society grow was not realized, and the society did not quickly expand its membership, it nevertheless became more solid and secure. Only a few members refused to join the Workmen's Circle and remained local members. Almost all the rest became members of our branch.

A fine chapter in the history of the Grayeve branch of the Workmen's Circle was written in the realm of aid to the war victims in our old home. It is true that the branch was not able to contribute a large sum from its treasury for that purpose, but through its initiative there was founded the Grayever Relief Committee, which, during the First World War and immediately after, collected and sent thousands of dollars to Grayeve. The reader will find a separate article on the committee's relief work elsewhere in this book.

In the period 1926-28, the Grayever Workmen's Circle branch, like many other branches, underwent a split based on political differences between right and left. After a series of heated meetings, it divided into two. Thirty-some members formed a separate branch of the Workmen's Circle – Branch #187- and ninety-some members remained in Branch #35.

Some time after the split, the branch established a very active women's club, at the initiative of the then financial secretary, Sam Krinski. The club carried out very fine social programs, and actively participated in relief work for Grayeve during the Second World War. The club has not been active in recent years.

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The Grayever Branch 56 of the Jewish People's Fraternal Order is one of the largest and most active branches in the Order. The branch was founded by a small group of Grayever landsleit [people from the same hometown] and now has more than 500 members. This is due to the unification of the landsleit from Grayevers with those from Ostrova [Ostrów Mazowiecka] and Zaromb [Zaręby Kościelne] – all of these towns being in the Lomzhe [Łomża] area.

Branch 56 distinguishes itself first of all by its fraternal activity, providing its members with health insurance, medical assistance, and other fraternal benefits. In addition, the organization carries out systematic programs in the social and cultural fields for its members, their families, and friends. The activities of the branch are in the spirit and best tradition of progressive Grayever youth in America.

The meetings of our branch, which take place every two weeks, are distinguished by their cultural and artistic programs. Lectures are presented by prominent speakers about social and cultural matters. There are also evenings of entertainment and artistic events, with the participation of various artists. At every meeting, various political and literary books are displayed for sale to members, and every possible effort is made to assist in the dissemination of Yiddish books.

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Branch 56 actively participated in all relief efforts to alleviate the poverty of the Grayeve Jews overseas. It contributed both through the Grayever Relief Committee, and through the Jewish People's Fraternal Order, and other relief organizations.

Our branch is especially remarkable for its yearly collections of money conducted by the Jewish People's Fraternal Order for the rehabilitation of Jews in Europe and Israel, as well as for the support of Jewish orphans' homes in Poland, France and Belgium. In the course of four postwar years, Branch 56 collected over $10,000 for these campaigns.

During the war against Hitler Germany, Branch 56 participated in various aid efforts for our own military forces and for those involved in the war effort. Our branch sold to its members and friends war bonds in the amount of over $150,000. We also, with our own efforts and funds, sent a gift for the heroic Soviet fighters – an X-Ray Mobile Unit, which was donated to the Leningrad Hospital.

The aforementioned actions of Branch 56 demonstrate that, in addition to the fraternal aid and insurance which members receive, they also appreciate the importance of the organization's social and cultural work.

The achievements of Grayeve Branch 56 of the Order are the result of tireless effort by the active participants and the devoted leadership. To create such an organization, with over 500 members, and carry out its diverse activities, requires not just intelligence and responsibility, but sacrificial work and effort by the leadership. We must express recognition for the builders and leaders of Branch 56, most of all Friends [term of address in Jewish communal organizations]: I. Magidson, Binder, and others with whom this writer has had the honor and pleasure as well as responsibility of working with in this prolific fraternal, social and cultural people's organization.

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On the Jewish East Side, at 242 Henry Street, near Montgomery Street, stands an unassuming building, which nevertheless stands out from its neighbors, which are tenement houses of various sizes. This synagogue building bears the inscription, “Congregation Anshe Shtutzin [Szczuczyn] and Anshe Grayeve – built in 1910.” The building shows the signs of age and neglect, but there still remain traces of youth and beauty. One can see that not just money went into building it, but also much love and devotion.

The neighborhood is today still mainly Jewish, but practically none of those who built the shul still live there. Some have settled in Brooklyn, some in the Bronx, or in other new Jewish neighborhoods. But the majority of the first builders have already gone to their eternal rest.

Today Henry Street is old and neglected, but 40 years ago, it was one of the most aristocratic Jewish streets. A large number of Jewish doctors of the older immigrant generation, who now have their offices on Park Avenue or Central Park West, then had their offices on Henry Street, where they began their medical practices, and from which they moved after their patients had done so.

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The first Grayever congregation in New York was founded around 1890 and had its shul on Ludlow Street, occupying part of a floor of a building of sweatshops. The founder of the shul was Shloyme Litenberg, one

The Shtutziner and Grayever Shul, 242 Henry Street, New York

of the first Grayeve immigrants, who was quickly successful and became a prominent cloak manufacturer. He had what one could call a “Grayever shop.” As soon as a greenhorn tailor or aspiring tailor arrived in America from Grayeve, he was immediately brought to Litenberg's shop, where his greenness wore off, and he could decide what to do next. So, the Grayever congregation was formed in Litenberg's shop and Litenberg was for a long time its president. Also active were: Harris Rotboym and Aron Levental, who later also became very active in the Grayeve Relief Committee during the First World War (the first as treasurer, the second as vice-treasurer); Meyer Volf; Meytshe Denenmark; Gershon Zumerfeld; Max Zilbershteyn; Willy Grinshteyn; Leyzer-Hersh Berman; Leyzer and Yehude Mendelssohn; Elye Tobias; and others – there were about 40 members.

At the same time, the Shtutziner landsleit [people from the same hometown] also had a congregation, larger than the Grayever, with a membership of about 60. They had a shul on Forsythe Street, larger than the Grayever shul. In 1906, the two shuls merged. The Grayevers gave up their shul and united with the Shtutziners.

At first, it seemed that the marriage wasn't going to work. There was friction from the beginning. The Shtutziners felt that they were in charge. Their congregation was larger and richer. They had kept their home, their shul, and their prosperous members had the best permanent seats, got the most prestigious Torah portions to read at services, and held the most prominent offices, while the Grayevers, as “guests,” had to make do with seats behind the bime [elevated platform in the synagogue at which the reading of the Torah takes place], with the less prestigious Torah portions, and with fewer and less important offices.

They reached the point of separating. The Grayevers wanted to break away, but the Shtutziners refused to return the money and property that the Grayevers had brought to the partnership. Both sides brought the case before a rabbinical court, consisting of three rabbis, who ruled in favor of the Shtutziners, but who appealed to both sides to make peace and coexist. The appeal was effective. Immediately after, elections were held for officers and both sides obtained appropriate representation in the administration.

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The peace was so well-cemented that a few years later, in 1910, they began to build the above-mentioned synagogue on Henry Street. When they began construction, the congregation had only $1800. At its completion, it cost over $36,000. The chief thanks are due to Mr. Nathan Hamer. Himself a successful builder, he gave all of his time, and found various ways and means to assure that the shul was finished.

The shul is not large, but is certainly one of the most beautiful on the East Side. In the first years of its existence, it was not only a sacred place in which to pray, but also a center for celebrations and other events. During the First World War, it was also a center for relief work.

The first president of the new shul was Moyshe Kronenberg, who held that office for two years; Max Zilbershteyn was vice-president. After that, Mr. Harris Rotboym became president. For about 20 years in a row, the president was Yankl Burshteyn (son-in-law of Borekh-Mordkhe the bath attendant). He made it his job – and made it possible – to pay off the mortgage on the shul.

Almost all of the shul activists were workers – hard-working people who made it their goal in life to maintain a Grayever religious center in New York. Among them were: Isaac Kohn, Moyshe Goldshteyn, Avrom-Itsik Hamer, Yisroel Kleynman, Aron-Yankl Vaynberg, Itshke Rozen, Gershon Kohn, Max Zeligzon, Avrom Abot, Shmuel Brikman, Itsik Alpert, Mikhl Edelson, Alter Faynzilber, the brothers Green (one of whom, Yankl, was also president), Mates Gerson and his children, Moyshe Zilbershteyn, Max Rotbil and his son Benny.

For many years the shul also had an active Ladies Auxiliary, which helped very much with the relief work. Its main activists were Sore Goldshteyn (Sore Monzhes) and Fannie Zilberman.

The current officers of the shul are Moyshe Kohn, president; Sam Birnboym, vice-president; Annie Fayn, secretary; Max Rozentsvayg, treasurer; Yankl Burshteyn, administrator of the burial society. The new officers have recently bought a new cemetery for $3000 and paid over $6000 to renovate the shul.

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When I arrived in Chicago in September, 1913, I found there an association of Grayever landsleit [people from the same hometown], to which a number of Shtutzin [Szczuczyn] landsleit also belonged. I immediately became a member.

At the beginning of the First World War, we began discussing raising funds to assist the victims of the war. A dispute broke out between the Grayever and the Shtutziner members over the question of where to send the money that was raised. Among the Grayevers there were two active members – Dovid Levin, a brother of Bertshe, the melamed [elementary school teacher], who today lives in Los Angeles; and Frank Sevitsh, the son of the Simner [Simnas, Lithuana] melamed, who lives today in New York. The dispute got to the point that the Shtutziner landsleit left the association and founded a separate organization. After they left, the Grayever association died out.

In 1920, a new Grayever landsmanshaft [organization of landsleit; Jewish benefit society] was formed, which lasted no more than a year and a half. At the end of 1925, several Grayever landsleit met at the funeral of a young man from Grayeve, Yudl Dirmish the son of our landsfrau, [woman from one's hometown], Khaye-Perl Dirmish, the daughter of Zelig Smal the tailor and a sister of the Blankshteyns, a prominent family in Chicago. This encounter contributed much to the founding of the Grayever landsmanshaft organization in Chicago, which exists to the present day.

[Page 275]

“The Grayever Friendship Society” was founded on January 17, 1926 at a meeting at the Workmen's Circle Lyceum, which a large number of landsleit attended: Morris Burgler was elected president and A. Blushteyn, secretary. The following were among the first founders and executive board members: Dovid Sigel, Dzh.Sklarof, Benny Kravets, Max Sigel, Herald Grinfeld, Nathan Grosberg and their wives; Esther Sigel; the Blankshteyn family; the Silvershteyn family; the Staynbergs; the Gotlib family; the Nathan family; the Stayn family; the Fishbeyns; Jake Skaler, may he rest in peace; and Beyle-Brayne, may she rest in peace.

January 21, 1950 marked the 24^th anniversary of the founding of the Grayever Society in Chicago. During that time, our landsmanshaft participated in various relief efforts on behalf of the needy in our hometown, as well as the needy Grayever landsleit in Chicago. During World War II, when it was impossible to send aid to Grayeve and also after the war, when we learned of our tragedy, we did all we could to help the Jewish institutions that devoted themselves to rescuing the surviving remnants of the Jewish people.

We must, however, express our disappointment that we were unable to organize all of the Grayeve landsleit in Chicago and to interest them in our activity. We have still not given up hope that we may yet accomplish this.

We send greetings to our Grayever landsleit in New York and all the leaders and members of the Relief Committee, on the publication of the Grayever Yizkor book, an eternal flame in holy memory of the holy martyrs, our own loved ones from the old home. We wish you, esteemed landsleit, much happiness. Continue with your humanitarian activities, may you become even stronger, so that you may carry out your noble work of helping to assure the lives of our surviving landsleit and of the Jewish people in the land of Israel. Am Yisroel Khay [Am Yisrael Chai]--May the Jewish people live and outlive all their enemies!

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