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ViewMate Posting VM 111267

Submitted by Dana Clare Levy

Information Picture Question
Category: Translation - Tombstone
Approval Date: 6/25/2025 2:01 PM
Family Surname: Zlatkin
Country: USA
Town: Springfield, Mass 		Click the picture to enlarge

 This summer I am hoping to go to the Jewish Heritage Center in Boston to do some genealogical research about my Zlatkin family who lived in Springfield. My goal is to find the town they came from, and any other information they have. A translation of the full inscription can potentially help me identify Philip's (Rabbi and Cantor at Congregation Kesser Israel in Springfield) parents and his Hebrew name, which in turn can help me find him in immigration records and Russian/Eastern European records.

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On  Response 
6/25/2025 3:21 PM Do you have any other images of this stone? The bright center is easy to read, but the dark text on either side is a bit more challenging.

-----------------------------------------------
Here lies

our dear father

an unblemished man, pure and honest,

a 'Shaliach Tzibur" and a "Shochet uBodek", __________

Reb [or rabbi?] Pesach [?] son of Reb Yaakov Dov [?]

Zlatkin

He passed away 28 Av 5691

May his soul be bound up in the bond of life.
==============================================
A Shaliach Tzibur is one who leads the prayers. It is not necessarily a vocally trained cantor (who is more likely to be called a Chazan). A Shochet u'Bodek is a ritual slaughterer.

As you can see, I cannot make out the text that follows the abbreviations for these two designations. I don't want to guess; it may be one or two words, or it may be one or two abbreviations, or a combination of those. Knowing what it says might provide some clarity as to whether or not he was an ordained rabbi. (One does not -- or did not, back in those days -- necessarily have to be an ordained rabbi in order to lead a congregation; one just needed to have the necessary knowledge).

His name is preceded by the letter Resh. This is usually simply an abbreviation for the honorary title of 'Reb'. It CAN stand for 'Rav', which means rabbi, but the abbreviation would more usually be Hay-Resh, representing haRav, the rabbi. As I say, the unknown text that precedes this might shed some light.

Based upon his English name of Philip, I am reading his Hebrew name as Pesach. This is the Hebrew name of the holiday of Passover, and is also used as a man's name. Again, a clearer photo of the edges would help me be certain.

His father had a double name that appears to have been Yaakov Dov. Yaakov is Hebrew for Jacob. Dov -- if I am reading it correctly -- is Hebrew for bear. Some men with Dov as part of their religious name have a secular name that sounds similar to bear, such as Bernard, Barry, etc. (or even the Yiddish names Ber or Berel).

If you have any other photos, please let me know.
6/27/2025 7:32 AM top tow letters are an acronym for Here rests or Here is buried
Our dear father
A sincere, unblemished man (quote from Book of the Prophet Iyuv-Job,1:8), pure (Shmos Exodus 28:20), and of integrity (again from Book of the Prophet Iyuv-Job,1:8),
A "messenger of the Congregation" (Chazan), Shochet Ubodek (Ritual Kosher Slaughterer of Chickens/cows) innovative? (Last word on 4th row is hard to discern),
Reb Pesach son of Reb Yaakov Dov
Zlatkin
Passed away on the 28th of (Jewish month of) Av, in the 5691(year since the world was created)
The five bottom letters are an acronym for a verse "May his soul be bound in the bundle of life," A direct quote from the Book of the Prophet Samuel / Shmuel A, 25: 29, that is traditionally engraved on Jewish tombstones.

Observations:
Throughout Jewish history the Rabbinic term for the one who leads the prayers in the synagogue was and still is today "Shaliach Tzibur"- Messenger of the Congregation"
Because it was understood that many Jews were not so literate in Hebrew and therefore the he would repeat the prayers in a loud clear manner having them in mind so they too can fulfill their obligations.
This was a separate function from the Rabbi.
Like shtetloch back in Pre-war Europe, Orthodox congregations found in more economically feasible to have one qualified man who was both Shochet and Chazan.
The Talmud in Masechta Taanis 16 A, proscribes the qualifications of a Shaliach Tzibur to be a man of integrity, clean of sin, and knowledgeable of Torah in addition to having a nice voice.
Obviously to be a Shochet a man needed to be trained and tested and accepted and approved by the local Rabbi's. Only a Shochet with impeccable integrity would be trusted not only by the Rabbi but by the whole community.
He was clearly a man of high moral character, notice that the word Zoch or pure/Clear was used. This is a word in the Torah in that verse (Shmos Exodus 28:20) describing the pure olive oil used in the Temple.

If you research his paternal lineage being that his father's name was Yaakov Dov, besides looking for the obvious Jakob, also look for Ber. The biblical name Dov (Proverbs 17:12) in Hebrew means Bear. Over the last hundreds of years in Europe, the popular Yiddish sobriquet for the name Dov was and is Ber or Behr. So you might find a Ber Zlatkin listed

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