[Page 191]

The history of the Svir landslayt in America has now spanned almost 60 years. At the end of the 19^th century, young Svir people already came to America. One of them was Melekh Levin, Yerakhmiyel and Gitl Levin's son. He arrived in America in 1899. His wife, Slaveh, Mirl Ayzikovitch's sister, was one of the first from Svir. Slowly, Svir began to move and a significant number of landslayt from our small town were in the U.S. by 1905. After the failure of the well-known Russian revolution, many from Svir fled to America who had been revolutionaries, who feared their being arrested and chased to imprisonment in Siberia. Among them were the dental technician Yankev Droyn and his bride, the Svir midwife, Lenye.

The Svir landslayt have spread far and wide throughout America, and even reached to Los Angeles and San Francisco in California. A large number settled in New York, and they were actually the first initiators in founding a committee of the Svir landslayt.

In truth, the Svir landdslayt had already begun to organize right after WWI. As it is told, for instance, Melekh Levin, right after WWI, visited his landslayt in Boston and there collected $800 to give help to the suffering and poor Jewish population in Svir. In that year, the Svir landslayt sent via a special messenger, $3500 to Svir.

This was, however, only a small beginning. In truth, the help from America was much larger, because each Svirer in America helped his own family in Svir to a great extent, and with money and with packages. This was the best indication, that the Svir landslayt had not forgotten their old home.

And so tens of years passed until WWII broke out and decimated almost all of Europe.

This influenced the Svir landslayt in America to organize officially as a social and aid organization.

The founder and initiator of the organization was Abraham Chayet, himself a son of parents of modest means, who suffered greatly in his life, and who felt a need to help the Jews of the old home.

In his letter to the friends in the State of Israel, he describes how even as a young boy of eight, he helped his parents to earn a little money. Even as a young child, he was active in collecting for food and benevolent matters, and so it was no wonder that with the onset of Hitler's storm, he immediately knocked on doors and asked for help for the needy in the distant old home.

This was following the holidays in 1939, a Sunday, when Abraham Chayet went to Heves Sudarski and explained his plan, that it was necessary to found a Svir aid society.

Sudarski did not need much convincing and the two of them quickly went to Yerukhmiyel, Borukh Ruven's son. There they accidentally met Shepsl the butcher's son and two of Yerakhmiyel's sons and their wives. All were in agreement, and they immediately decided to call a meeting at Abraham Chayet's and there to lay the foundation of the Svir Society.

[Page 193]

Aaron Khoury, President of the Svir Social and Aid Society in America

On November 26th, 1939, at 73 Ludlow Street in New York, there was a large meeting, with the chairman Morris Fisher. Philip Raz gave a report about the situation of the Svir Jews. Following the meeting, an administration was elected to whom the various responsibilities were delegated, as follows:

President: Morris Fisher
V.P.: Eva Raz
Treasurer: Harry Levin
Fin. Sec.:” Nathan Greenberg
Protocol Sec. Max Bogdanov

The Svir landslayt were enthusiastic and were not stingy with either money or effort, so that the action should succeed. As Abraham Chayet describes in his letter, he came to take a check from Yankev Hirsh, Yerakhmiyel's son, and Yankev Hirsh explained to him, that this was the greatest day of his life when he can participate in such a holy cause, to send help to Svir Jews.

During the years, the presidents of the Society changed, but the work was always continued with love and concern.

[Page 194]

Melekh Levin and his wife

[Page 195]

Blume Chayet, of blessed memory, and Aaron Chayet

Aaron Khoury infused new life into the Society. He himself donated large amounts of money and influenced others to do the same.

As we said, Aaron Khoury took over the position in Decembr, 1943. When he received the terrible news about the barbaric deeds of the Hitlerists, he immediatelyu sent out a call, saying that the tragedy is huge and the aid work must begin immediately and on a grand scale. And his appeal really helped. In one evening there was collected $2000. He was the first one to give $100 and the others did not hold back. It is interesting that for a Khanuka evening, the charge was $200 for the honor of making blessings and to light the Khanuka candles. Aaron Khoury related in a letter about the colossal work of the administration:

“We did not miss anyone from Svir, no matter where he was. We wrote, we called, we visited and traveled. A separate chore was to find who of the Svir remained, where they were and what we could do for them. We contacted the United Jewish Appeal and HIAS.

[Page 196]

Yakov Drutz of blessed memory, died in Los Angeles

“All of this colossal work was done by Libby Gold and me. It gave us great satisfaction to do this work”.

In addition to the aid the American friends gave the needy from Svir in America and Europe, they joined the Svir Society in Israel, and sent aid and money and even packages. Thanks to this, the Svir Benevolent Society was founded in Israel, and this will also help in printing this book about Svir. Svirer in America are also active in various other institutions and organization and help out with collecting funds for undertakings of the Israeli government and the Zionist movement.

The Svirer in the entire world will read about this with great joy and pride, and will send their friends in America a hearty thank-you.

[Page 198]

Surname Name Name of father Activity & Years Remarks ISAKSOHN Louis member 1940 president 1941-44 member 1945-1958 father-in-law Shebsl [Shabtay] was a butcher ISAKSOHN Sarah Shebsl [Shabtay] member 1940, 1945-1958 father was a butcher ITZKOWITZ Morris member 1939 ITZKOWITZ Rose Slave member 1940 father was a tailor BOGDANOV Max Matityahu secretary 1939-1940 member 1941 vice-president 1945-1958 GOLD Liebe financial secretary 1942-1956 mother's name Sara Riva GREENBERG Isaac z”l Eliyahu member 1939 until his death father was a carpenter GREENBERG Nathan financial secretary member 1939-1941 grandfather Eliyahu was a carpenter DEUTCH Dara member 1940-1944 mother's namr Hinde Chaia CHAYAT Abraham Yosef member 1939, treasurer 1940 vice-president 1941 member 1942-1956 financial secretary 1957 CHAYAT Bluma z”l member 1945 until her death wife of Abraham Chayat CHAYAT Harry z”l Yosef member 1939-1940 vice-president 1942-1944 member 1945 until his death TINKOFF Ray (Rivka) Shebsl [Shabtay] father was a butcher LEVINE Harry z”l Yerachmiel treasurer 1939 Hebrew name Yosef Hirshel LEVINE Judith z”l member 1945 until her death LEVINE Max Yerachmiel treasurer 1945-1958 LEVINE Eddy z”l Yerachmiel member 1939 until his death Hebrew name Refael MILLER Alex member 1939-1944 SOLOW Joseph z”l secretary1942 until his death SWIRSKI Philip member 1939 SIDARSKI Harry member 1939-1958 mother's name Chava Yente Malka SIDARSKI Sarah member 1945-1958

[Page 199]

Surname Name Name of father Activity & Years Remarks PATOSHNIK Avraham Moshe Itze member 1939 secretary 1941 FISCHER Herman Avraham Zelig member 1939 FISCHER Morris Shebsl [Shabtay] president 1939-1940 father was a butcher member 1941-1958 FISCHER Sadie z”l Chaim Yudel member 1941-1958 mother's name Sara Tzirl KORY Aharon Baruch treasurer 1941-1944 president 1945-1958 former name KURITZKI KORY Ida member 1945-1958 RAZ Eva Shebsl [Shabtay] vice-president 1939 member 1940-1958 father was a butcher SCHNEIDER Abe member 1940-1944

Surname First name ISAKSOHN Louie ISAKSOHN Sarah ITZKOWITZ Morris ABRAHAMS Yakov ABRAHAMS BUCK Hyman BOGDANOV Max BRESLAV M. BROMBERG Gussie BRESLAV Al. GLASSER N. GABSTEIN Y. GABSTEIN Anna GOLD Liebe GOLD B.Z. GORDON Sarah GREENBERG Harry GREENBERG M. GREENBERG Isac z”l GREENBERG I.K. GREENBERG Nathan GRASS Abraham DEUTCH Dora DEUTCH Sofie HEILPERN Julius HARRISON Max HARRISON Lilian HOFFMAN Al. HOFFMAN Sam HOFFMAN Simon HOROWITZ Mars. WEINER Harry WEINSTEIN Esther WEINSTEIN Sam WEINSTEIN H. WEINSTEIN Rose WELLER Lea CHAYAT Blume z”l

[Page 200]

Surname First name CHAYAT Avraham CHAYAT Harry z”l TISCHMANN Fany TYNKOFF Rivka COHEN Heyman LERNER Yosef LEVINE Edward z”l LEVINE Julia LEVINE Harry z”l LEVINE Max LEVINE R. LEVINE Anna LIEBER Eva MELZER Bella METZ Max METZ Esther MILLER Alex MILLER Fany MILLER Ida MILLER Sam SWIRSKI Sam SYKEN Eve SWIRSKI Philip SIDARSKI Abe SIDARSKI P. SIDARSKI Harry SIDARSKI Sarah SIDARSKI Morris SOLOW Yosef z”l SWYER Nathan SENDERS P. EPSTEIN Yeta FINN Dr. Mania FISCHER Herman FISCHER Y. FISCHER Yakov FISCHER Julius FISCHER Sadie z”l FISCHER Morris FISCHER Sol FRIEDMAN B. FALK M. FRIEDMAN Sam FISCHER Dr. Michael FALSTEIN Ch. FALSTEIN Y. FALSTEIN Julius FINE S. PATOSH Isidore PATOSHNIK Abraham PATOMKIN A. KANTEROWITZ Harry KANTEROWITZ Refael KOPELOWITZ Louis KORY Aharon KORY Ida RABINOWITZ R. ROGOZIN Fany ROSEE Eva ROSEE Philip SHEYKON Y. SHULMAN Bella SHULMAN Bessie SHULMAN Y. STERN Bella SCHNEIDER Abe SCHWARTZ Sol SCHWARTZ Sadie SCHWARTZ Walter SHERMAN W. SCHWARTZ Shmuel Yakov

Surname First name Father's name YOEL (FISCHER) Gutl Zalman Baruch YOEL Zalman Baruch Welwel MINDEL Abe Yosef MECHNOWITZ Baruch Avraham Yitzhak MELZER Yitzhak Chaim MELZER (FISCHER) Tzirl z”l Zalman Baruch MARKS (MELZER) Chaia Yitzhak FISCHER Yitzhak Zalman Baruch FISCHER Bashel FISCHER Henie Yitzhak FISCHER Zalman Baruch Yitzhak REZNIK Avraham Leib STERN (MELZER) Reiche Yitzhak

Surname First name Father's name ALPEROWITZ Berl Chaim RABINOWITZ-ALPEROWITZ Yehudit Bendet ZLATAYAVKA Shabad Sheine Baruch Berl

Surname First name Father's name ZLATAYAWSKI Zalman Baruch Berl KORITZKI Hirshel Baruch KOPELOWITZ Yakov Moshe

[Page 202]

Surname First name Father's name CHAYAT David Reuven CHAYAT-JAFFE Reizl Reuven DREWIATZKI Chaia Tzipa Moshe DREWIATZKI Mordchai Moshe JAFFE Aizik David-Ber SWIRSKI-DREWIATZKI Pessie Elyakum

Surname First name Father's name BUSHKANETZ Shmuel Yakov GERSHOWITZ-SWIRSKI Ita Israel DIMENSTEIN-YOEL Fruma Avraham-Hirsh CHADASH called Der Kriwitzer CHADASH Chana Meir YANKELEVITZ Hirshel Bendet MOLLER Fruma Eliyahu MECHNOWITZ Feige Shimon Eliyahu MECHNOWITZ Zelde Shimon Eliyahu MILLNER Yakov Ben-Zion PATOSHNIK Leib Israel PEKING Esther Israel SOLOMYAK Yerachmiel Bere Yankel SOLOMYAK Batia Yerachmiel SWIRSKI SWIRSKI SWIRSKI KAPLAN Avraham Hirsh SCHREIDER Nachum Avraham

[Page 203]

Surname First name Father's name BUSHKANETZ-ZLATAYAWKA Sprintze Yakov BUSHKANETZ Moshe Yakov BUSHKANETZ Rachel Yakov GORDON Rivka GORDON Sara Israel GORDON Idel Israel SWIRSKI-BUSHKANETZ Esther Eliyahu-Nathan SWIRSKI Reizl Meir Zelig

Surname First name Father's name AIZIKOWITZ-SWIRSKI Fradl Mechl BARCHANOWITZ Liebe Chaim KATZ Yitzhkak Shlomo KATZ Yosef Shlomo KATZ Lea Shlomo KATZ Chaia Shlomo SWIRSKI Manie Aharon

Surname First name Father's name WEILER Rachel Shimon Leizer WEILER Berl Shimon Leizer WEILER Baruch Shimon Leizer WEILER Lollie Shimon Leizer KAPLAN Fere Hirshl DIMENSTEIN Rivka Avraham Hirsh

[Page 204]

Surname First name Father's name ABEL Meitzik Tuvia SWIRSKI Lieber Elyakim SWIRSKI Sara Peretz SOLOMIAK Avraham Yitzhak Yerachmiel SOLOMIAK Niriam Mordechai KAMIN Yosef Meir Itzik KAMIN Shmerl Meir Itzik KAMIN Yehoshua Meir Itzik KAMIN Sara Meir Itzik RAZOLER Shimon Shalom (called Shalom from Spiale)

Seder Pesah [Passover meal] at the Fine family, daughter of Feive Swirski, Berlin 1929

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