ViewMate - Image Archive, Image 114602 - Translation - Tombstone - USA - New York


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Information

Picture

Question

Category: Translation - Tombstone
Approval Date: 5/31/2026 4:47 PM
Family Surname: Siegelaub and Weissler
Country: USA
Town: New York

Click the picture to enlarge

This headstone is for Solomon Siegelaub and his wife Molly. Molly was born Malka Weissler in Kolomyya. I would like to know what the Hebrew inscriptions are for both of them - it has been suggested to me that his gives his name as Shlomo Zissa son of Chaim Leib, and hers says Malka daughter of Itamar. His data works for me, Itamar is not a name I know of; from other records I know her father's name as Somer/Sumer. Any help very much appreciated. (This is not my photo - it was from an online source.)

Response

5/31/2026 5:43 PM

Solomon:

Here lies

SHLOMO ZEESA

son of Reb

Chaim Yehuda

he passed away 24 Tevet 5692

May his soul be bound up in the bond of life.
-----------------------------------------------
Sholom is Hebrew for Solomon. Zeesa is a Yiddish name that means 'the sweet one'.

'Reb' is an honorific; it does not mean rabbi.

Chaim [CHAH-yim] is Hebrew for life. Some men with Chaim as part of their religious name have a secular name of Hyman or similar.

Yehuda [yeh-HOO-dah] is Hebrew for Judah. As the symbol of the tribe of Judah is a lion, some men with Yehuda as part of their religious name have a secular name of Leo, Leon, or similar. Leib is the Yiddish word for lion. (It may be that Chaim Yehuda was his official name, given to him at his brit, and Yehuda morphed into the Yiddish nickname Leib.)
======================================================
Molly:

Here lies MALKA

daughter of Reb Itamar

She passed away 21 Shvat 5696

May her soul be bound up in the bond of life.
----------------------------------------------------
Malka is Hebrew for queen.

Itamar is a Biblical name. To answer your question: There are various ways to pronounce certain Hebrew letters and vowels. The two major pronunciation categories are: traditional Ashkenazic, which was/is mainly used by Jews whose origins are in most of Europe; Sephardic, which was/is mainly used by Jews hailing from Spain, Portugal, North African countries, and the Mideast. (Please note that what I wrote is very general.) Sephardic Hebrew is the language of Israel. The name of Molly's father is spelled with the Hebrew letters alef-yud-taf-mem-resh. In Israeli/modern Hebrew, this name is pronounced EE-TAH-MAHR, which is the reading that you were given. However, in traditional Ashkenazic pronunciation, it is pronounced EE-SAW-MORE. One nickname for this name could easily be Somer or even Sumer. So, I would say that Molly's information also matches your data.

5/31/2026 5:50 PM

Here lies Shlomo Zisa
son of Chaim Yehuda
died 24 Tevet 5692
May his soul be bound up in the bond of life.
For the connection of Leib to Yehuda See:
https://www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/givennames/slide17.html

Here lies Malka
daughter of Itmar
died 21 Shevat 5696
May her soul be bound up....
See https://hebrewnamer.com/names/ithamar/

ViewMate Posting VM 114602

Submitted by Liza Weissler

Learn more about our organizational leadership, mission, and values. There are numerous opportunities to get involved yourself!

Search millions of records from around the globe, including more than 4 million records related to the Holocaust, and more than 4.2 million burial records. Records are continually added each month - check back often for new information!

Discover your ancestral town, explore geographic/regional based sections of the JewishGen site (Research Divisions), and explore what daily life was like for your ancestors - and what we can learn from them today.

Enhance your research with online classes and dozens of helpful articles. University students can apply for the Bennett & Robin Greenspan L'dor V'dor Legacy Program, and those "out of school" can help preserve Jewish Heritage in Poland with unique study & volunteer experiences.

Connect with tens of thousands of other JewishGen members via the Family Finder, Discussion Group, Facebook Group, and ViewMate. It's a great way to share success, ask questions, and stay informed of the happenings throughout the Jewish genealogical community.

The JewishGen site is offered as a free public resource. However, it costs a lot of money to maintain and expand our services. If you are in a position to do so, please consider a contribution today - your support will make a difference!

ViewMate Posting VM 114602

Submitted by Liza Weissler