ViewMate - Image Archive, Image 115555 - Translation - Hebrew


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Information

Picture

Question

Category: Translation - Hebrew
Approval Date: 10/11/2026 2:02 PM
Family Surname: waterman

Click the picture to enlarge

I would love to know any and all names in Hebrew in this ketuba. I assume it is a wedding in the US or Western Europe because the witness names at the bottom are not in Hebrew script, but I cant make out the blurry official stamp which might be a clue.
The witness with surname Waterman might be a relative of my mother, but I have never heard of his first name.
Thanks to anyone who takes the trouble to look at this blurry image.

Response

10/11/2026 6:26 PM

The wedding took place on the fifth day of the Jewish week (sunset Wednesday - sunset Thursday) on the 14th of Sivan in the year 5615 (May 30th/31st, 1855) in "Richmond, North America". (Richmond is written in English near the middle of the third line).

The groom was Yechiel [yeh-CHEE-ayl, with the ch as in Chanukah or Bach], son of Meir [MAY-eer] Rosenbaum.

The bride was Bella, daughter of Yosef Meyers.

Most of the Ketubot that I have seen have ALL of the signatures in Hebrew. The fact that here there are signatures in English script is not because of the location, but most likely because these people did not know how to write their names in Hebrew.

The first name of the officiant (who may not have been a rabbi, but may have been the cantor of the synagogue [one does not need to be a rabbi to perform a Jewish wedding ceremony, but one must be very versed in all aspects of performing a Jewish wedding]) was Mordechai.

I cannot tell if the signature of the groom has his first name as Meir, or as Mark (which may have been his secular name.)

10/14/2026 1:27 PM

So the signature of the 2nd witness is Simon WATERMAN.

On the seal, the word at the right beginning with C is COngregation. So perhaps it was a seal of a synagogue in Richmond where the wedding was performed.

ViewMate Posting VM 115555

Submitted by Margaret Power

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 115555

Submitted by Margaret Power