ViewMate - Image Archive, Image 115182 - Translation - Hebrew - USA - New York - Gittelman


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Information

Picture

Question

Category: Translation - Hebrew
Approval Date: 8/23/2026 5:32 PM
Family Surname: Gittelman
Country: USA
Town: New York
Date of Image: 15 Apr 1951

Click the picture to enlarge

This comes from an invoice from Wenig Monument Works in NYC for my grandfather's headstone. His Yiddish name was Herschel. I think the first word on the second line is Tsvi, his Hebrew name, which means the third and fourth words might be his father's name.

A translation would be much appreciated. :-)

Response

8/23/2026 8:03 PM

Here lies

TZVI son of Reb Eliezer the Levite

He passed away 9 Adar 5706

May his soul be bound up in the bond of life.
--------------------------------------------
'Reb' is an honorific; it does not mean rabbi.

Eliezer [eh-lee-EH-zer] is a Biblical name that means "G-d gives me help."

Your grandfather and great-grandfather were Levites, descended from Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. Levites had specific functions in the Temples, and still receive special recognition -- and have special obligations – today. Levite is a designation passed from father to son.

The date of death is a bit vague. Assuming that the Hebrew year is correct (5706), this was a leap year. In a leap year, the standard 12th month, Adar, is replaced by two months, Adar I and Adar II.

As the text above neglected to specify in which Adar the death occurred, there are two possibilities for the secular date of death: February 9th/10th, 1946, or March 11th/12th, 1946.

8/24/2026 5:53 PM

While checking out the Hebrew date when giving my initial response, I had some questions (see above).

The poster has supplied me with the secular date of death: February 25th, 1950.

This date converts to the 8th of Adar, 5710 (if the death occurred before sunset) and to the 9th of Adar, 5710, if the death occurred after sunset.

It is clear that the year that I read as 5706 is actually 5710! The last character, which definitely looks like the letter Vav (which represents 6) is actually meant to be a Yud (which represents 10).

This does clear up the Adar I vs Adar II dilemma, as the year 5610 was not a leap year, and therefore had only one Adar.

Looking at the entire text, it is obvious that the writer was a bit careless in how he wrote Vavs and Yuds, as can be seen in the names Tzvi and Eliezer, and in the word Halevi.

The time of death can be narrowed down to between sunset and midnight of February 25th.

ViewMate Posting VM 115182

Submitted by SarahRose Werner

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 115182

Submitted by SarahRose Werner