KEIDAN E-LIST ARCHIVES, 1997 - Vol. 4

(July-August)

Date: Wed, 2 Jul 1997 01:09:14 -0400
From: eliallon2@juno.com (Eliyahu Allon)
Subject: Introductory Note


To All:

My name is Eliyahu Allon.  I am the great-great grandson of Rabbi Meir
Michel Rabinowitz, author of the book HaMeir L'Olam.  Rabbi Rabinowitz
was born in Keidan in about 1830, and was the son of Rabbi Sholom
Rabinowitz.  Meir Michel was a student of Rabbi Yisroel Salanter, and
served as rabbi of Shat for 20 years (about 1863-1883).  My family also
lived in Vilna, and lived in Lithuania for over 300 years, and has as its
ancestors the brother of the Vilna Goan, Avraham, and Rabbi Moshe Rivkes
(known as the Be'er HaGolah).

I am interested in hearing from anyone with information about my family
and their connections to Keidan or Shat.  In addition, I would just like
to learn more about Jewish life in these towns (I have read through the
Keidan web site).  

Does anyone have records that would tie my family to Keidan, or that
lists Rabbi Sholom Rabinowitz as a rabbi in Keidan?  Does anyone know (or
think) that they are related to anyone of the people listed in the 1st
paragraph?  I have a family tree with over 300 names (obviously, most are
not from Keidan) that I would be glad to share with any long lost family
members.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.


Eliyahu Allon
eliallon2@juno.com
(I can also be reached at eliallon@juno.com)

------------------------------

From: "Felicio Carlos Lemos dos Santos" 

Eliyahu:
My name is Felicio, The father of my grandfather was Simon Karnowsky, he
came to Brazil and he, his wife (Anna) and his daughter, Catharina, my
Grandmother did not like to talk about his past. I lost everythink about my
family, untyl the correct form of write the surname, but the surname and
the variations is from Keidan and regions, Poland, Ukrania.
I f you can help me, I will be grateful.
Felicio

------------------------------

From: "A.W.Cassel"  7/3/97 23:26

Eliyahu Allon:

First of all, welcome to the list. I hope you'll share with us as much
as you know of your family's history, and any stories you've inherited
about Keidan.

In response to your note tonight I've looked over some of the
encyclopedic material I have on Keidan, and found a paragraph about your
ancestor Meir Michal Rabinovitz in the Berl Kagan work, "Yidishe shtet,
shtetlekh un dorfishe yishuvim in lite" ("Jewish cities, towns and
village settlements in Lithuania"). For those who don't know, this is an
extensive work, published (posthumously I believe) in 1991, and it's got
lots more in it than I've been able to glean with my still-rough
Yiddish. (Part of the problem is Kagan's extensive use of Hebrew
abbreviations, which I still can't decipher). At any rate, the paragraph
I found says that Reb Meir Michal Rabinovitz was born in 1830 in Keidan,
that he served as head of the rabinnical court in Shat for 20 years, and
then for 20 years was a rabbi and judge in Vilna. He died in 1902. 

If you're in Israel, you should be able to look up Kagan's book, as well
as the Hebrew encyclopedias on Lithuania towns, "Yahudot Lita".
Rabinowitz' name also appears in the English version of that,
"Lithuanian Jewish Communities" by Nancy and Stuart Schoenburg.

Have you also looked at the 1977 Keidan Yizkor book, which should be
available in Israel as well? As I've mentioned before, I think that's a
great source of information, but as I'm unable to read the Hebrew, I
can't do much to share it. If any fluent Hebrew speakers out there would
volunteer to do some translating, however ... 

In addition, I wanted to tell you and everyone else on the list that I
received today a new database of names from old Lithuanian charity lists
and other sources, sent out by the "Litvak Special interest Group". As
soon as I can extract the Keidan names from the computer disk, I'll
figure out a way to post them so they can be generally searched. I think
there are several hundred at least. 

Regards,

Andrew
------------------------------


From: Dennis Camberg 7/6/97 21:33

Dennis Camberg:

A very warm welcome to the list. If you haven't connected with your
fellow Keidaner descendents in South Africa to date, I hope this list
will help make that possible. As you may know, one of the best-known
Keidaners still living -- the Yiddish poet and essayist Dovid Wolpe --
is in Johannesburg, and is preparing to to publish an autobiography
soon. 

Scanning the material I have closest at hand, I have a picture of a
tombstone still standing in the Keidan Jewish cemetery, with the
following information:

Chana Miriam KAMBER b'r Yitzhak
21 Kislev, 5690/1930

And in the recently-received database from the Litvak Special Interest
Group, there's this record from Keidan:

Kamber  Lev     Hamaggid        1872

(That indicates the name of Lev Kamber appeared in a list published in
the Hebrew newspaper HaMaggid in 1872.)

If other material surfaces with the Kamber name on it, I will pass it
along. Meanwhile, you might want to make contact with Harvey Kaplan, a
Keidan list member in Glasgow, who knows quite a bit about emigration
from Keidan to Scotland ...

Regards,

Andrew Cassel

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 8 Jul 1997 15:58:57 -0400 (EDT)
From: Harveylk@aol.com
Subject: Re: keidan Digest - V01 #16


Hello fellow Keidan groupies (can't think what to call us)!

I was interested to hear of the Camberg family from Keidan, as I have come
across a number of them on Scottish lists.  There was a Camberg family in
Edinburgh, and I have a number of references.  Some of them were jewellers at
the turn of the century.

Also interested to read Andrew's mention of the Keidan cemetery, and wonder
whether there is a list of stones still standing?

Best wishes,

Harvey Kaplan

Glasgow , Scotland

PS visit me on ;

  http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/robertleiser/hlk1.htm  

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 08 Jul 1997 21:12:30 -0400
From: "A.W.Cassel" 
Subject: Scotland, tombstones


Harvey Kaplan (and everyone):

Thanks for your reply to Dennis Camberg's note. I enjoyed my quick visit
to your "Scotroots" page; I'm sure it'll prove valuable.

You ask about the list of standing cemetery stones. As I may have
already mentioned on this list, a recent traveler to Keidan photographed
more than 100 of the stones in the old Jewish cemetery and sent me both
prints and electronic images. I was able to decipher some 37 of the
images, and I have a list of those names and the dates of death. I'm
hoping soon to put the images together as a web page, so everyone can
view them. 

After I do, I'm going to try to take up a collection to reimburse the
photographer (who wants to remain anonymous for her own reasons). I'll
let you know the exact amount soon. She plans to go back and try to
record more of the stones, by the way, so there's a growing chance we'll
have an extensive library of images from the cemetery available for
future research. This is a very good thing, because there is some
concern about the future safety and maintenance of the Keidan Jewish
cemetery.

Regards,

Andy

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 08 Jul 1997 21:16:30 -0400
From: "A.W.Cassel" 
Subject: The Family Rom:

Fellow Keidaners:

I recently was contacted by Wolf Bergoltz, currently of Buffalo but who
grew up in Moscow. He traces his family to Keidan, and he has a
fascinating story which and I urged him to share. Tonight I received an
email note from him, which I am attaching below. 

Regards, 

Andy
--------------9C241424A0166C1D1BC7FD40

Dear Andrew,

I am trying to make the story of Romm family from Keidani short, and not =
to miss important details.

My great-grandfather Eliash Romm (1864-1941) the son of Mendel Romm (? - =
?) for a period of time worked in Moscow as a salesman (possibly he was o=
ne of the owners) of "Mendel and Rais".  When he lived in Keidani he marr=
ied Chana (daughter of Benedict) Bandalin. They had three sons: Menachem-=
Emmanuel (my grandfather, born 1900), Lev (born 1903) and Folya (1902). W=
hole family moved approximately in 1907 to Kiev, where my grandfather was=
 admitted to Gymnazia (seconary school). His younger brother Lev was also=
 admitted to Gymnazia in 1910. There is no information about the life of =
Folya; somebody told me that he committed suicide when he was young. =


About possible connections with other Roms from Keidani: My grandfather h=
ad uncle Joshua Rom. My family keeps the silver siddur frame that Joshua =
Rom brought from Palestine and presented to my grandfather for his Bar-Mi=
tzva in 1913. I found the same name in "HaMelitz" list of donors for Pale=
stine, that A.Cassel kindly sent to me. I guess it is the same person. =


Also, in 1945, somebody by the name Ralph R. Rom (related to Joshua Rom),=
 from the USA, tried to get in contact with my grandfather . For the reas=
ons that I will tell later, my grandfather rejected any connections, but =
we still have this address and the name. My current goal is to find someb=
ody related to Ralph R. Rom, and I found some traces. =


Also, it is possible that Samuel Romm (the president of the Keidaner Asso=
ciation of New York in the 1930's) is related to my family, since his fat=
her's name was Mendel. =


Most of the Bandalin family lived in Russia, Moscow and Kuibishev. I foun=
d a lot of Bandalins in the USA, but I have less information about this p=
art of family to search for any connections. In my family tree I also hav=
e the name Fink, related to Bandalins. I am going to place all names on I=
nternet and try to find anybody related to these families. =


After graduation from the gymnasia, my grandfather was admitted to Kiev P=
olytechnical (Technological) Institute, and after graduation started work=
ing in research. He received  postgraduate scientific degrees during the =
1920's, and until his death in 1951 he was a professor in Moscow Institut=
e of Energy. For many years he was head of a laboratory in the Heat Energ=
y Production Institute. One of his inventions was the production of "pure=
 water"  and this invention had multiple applications in different areas,=
 including atomic energy production. During WWII he was included in the S=
oviet atomic bomb project (the equivalent of the American Manhattan Proje=
ct). His work was considered of the highest secrecy, and that is why in 1=
945 he had to reject any connections with relatives abroad. Even my mothe=
r (his daughter) was not told the details about the relatives. After the =
successful completion of the atomic project in 1946, he, with the members=
 of this team,  received several high national awards, I have all his ori=
ginal diplomas here in the USA.
Although highly recognized and known in the scientific community, at the =
end of  the 1940's he fell victim to the anti-semitic campaign of the Sov=
iet authorities. At this time his research was very productive, but he wa=
s fired from all his jobs. He had heart attack and died when he was only =
50 years old.

His brother Lev worked all his life as an engineer, and was chief enginee=
r in the defense industry.  He died in 1974 in Kiev.

My great-grandparents Eliash and Chana Romm lived in Kiev until 1941, and=
 in October 1941 they were killed at Babi Yar. Several times after the be=
ginning of WWII, their sons asked them to leave Kiev, but they decided to=
 stay because they remembered how the Germans saved Jews from pogroms dur=
ing WWI. When my grandfather and his brother came to Kiev after war, thei=
r property was taken by the neighbors; whose attitude was expressed with =
the question: "Why have you returned? We thought that the Germans killed =
all Jews". =


Currently my mother (daughter of Emmanuil Romm), along with Flora and Nel=
ya (daughters of Lev Romm) live in the USA. They have children and grandc=
hildren. Some of the family on the Bandalin side live in Russia.
 =

I am going to make family tree, and if anybody is interested or sees any =
connection, I will provide all possible information.

I will greatly appreciate any information about the following:

Ralph R. Rom (1899 - 8/16/1958), lived and died in New York City.
Mita Rom (1906 - 11/6/71) lived last years in Long Island NY.
Joshua Rom (1872 - 10/10/51) lived and died in New York.
Lola Rom, Gena Rom, Maxim Rom, Dora Rom.
Samuel Romm (1880 - 1/4/1949 ) lived and died in New York City
Rebecca Romm (1875 - 7/9/1940 )lived and died in New York City

and any information about their living relatives.

I have a lot of special thanks for Andrew Cassel and his great efforts to=
 revitalize the history of Keidani. I will be happy to help with translat=
ions from Russian if anybody needs it. Recently a new edition of the Russ=
ian Jewish Encyclopedia appeared, and I was happy to see my grandfathers'=
 name there along with a few other people from Keidani. Unfortunately it =
is not a CD edition and I was able to read only the few first letter. It =
takes too much time.

Thank you for reading this message.

Wolf Bergoltz
236 Montrose Ave.,#2
Buffalo, NY 14223
(716) 838-0527
vbergolt@HS3.buffalo.edu
               =
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Jul 1997 13:53:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: Garth Saloner 
Subject: Introduction


My grandfather, Barnett (Bertzik) Saloner (born around 1882), emigrated from
Keidan to Johannesburg, South Africa around 1903.  Thanks to Liz Salen for
tracking us down, to Bernard Seeff for figuring out the connection to my
cousin Selwyn Krost, and to Zvi Griliches for thinking of the connection to
me.  

Barnett married Ethel Golda Adler (from Rassein) on 10th Nov. 1912.  They
had three children: Rose (who married Issy Krost, brother of Yankel
mentioned previously in these chronicles), Abe, and Max, my father.  Only
Max is still living.  Max was the secretary of the Keidan Helping Hand and
Benevolent Society of Johannesburg from around 1936-1938 before Abe took
over from him.

I moved to the US about 20 years ago and live in Palo Alto. My parents live
in San Diego, but are visiting with us for a few days if anyone has any
questions about Keidan landsleit in Johannesburg, they would be happy to try
to help out.

Garth Saloner
Graduate School of Business
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305
(415)723-1940


------------------------------

Date: Wed, 09 Jul 1997 20:45:05 -0400
From: "A.W.Cassel" 
Subject: Re: Introduction


Welcome, Garth Saloner. I'm delighted to see more representation from
the Keidan-South Africa connection. 

I'm particularly interested in anything you might glean from your father
about the Keidaner landsmanshaft in Johannesburg. I don't think there is
anyone around today who was active in the U.S. landsmanshaft, so it
would be quite fascinating to hear his reminiscences of the S.A. group's
activities and its relationship to the Keidan community in the 1930s.
I've looked at selections from the Johannesburg society's 1950
commemorative book, some of whose Yiddish and English contents I've
posted on the Keidan web site. Is it possible your father would have
additional material -- letters, memoirs etc. -- that could help document
that part of the Keidan story? Any and all contributions would be
greatly welcomed.

Thanks again for joining the list.

Andy Cassel

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Jul 97 13:10:08 EDT
From: Bruce Salen 
Subject: Signing on.

I just subscribed to the Keidan list.

I like in Brooklyn -- where else?

My paternal grandfather, who died a few months before I was born, was born in
Keidan, and came here, as a small boy, with his parents.  He had an older (by
about 20 years) brother, Jacob, and two older sisters, named Fanny and Ida.

According to a story told to me by my aunt, her Uncle Jack had gotten married,
and immediately left Keidan with his new bride, when Keidan received its draft
quoata for the czar's army.  Uncle Jacob and his wife (whose name I never
learned) settled in Paterson, NJ, and raised a family of seven children (four
sons, three daughters).

My grandfather's parents are buried in Washington Cemetery, in Brooklyn. There
are at least two sections in this cemetery of graves of Jews from Keidan; both
sections were (are still?) bought by a Keidaner congregation called BNEI ISRAEL
ANSHE KAIDAN.

Looking forward to hearing from some of you.

Bruce.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 15:07:46 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ulenspigel@aol.com
Subject: Re: Signing on.


Dear Friend;
If you give us last names we may find a family link.
I grew up in Brooklyn. I was born in 1929.
My Mother's family were "Beckers" or (depending on the time of the records)
 "Bakers". They came from Kedainiai or Kaunas in 1895.
My Mother's maiden name was "Burstein".
There have been Cleveland, NY. and San Francisco Bursteins, some of them
Rabbis and doctors.
Perhaps we're cousins.
Bob Wilson


------------------------------

From: Garth Saloner  7/11/97 13:22
Subject: Family in Keidan

Andy:

We're very grateful for all the work you have done and are doing.

I am trying to learn what my grandfather's name was in Keidan before he
emigrated to South Africa and changed it to Saloner.  We know his brother
who lived in Minneapolis went by the name Schloner.  And Liz Salen whose
forebears were Salensky thinks we are related too (although exactly how we
are still trying to figure out).  My dad also says some of the older
Keidaners referred to my Zaida as the "alte Shaleiner".

So we are looking for Schloner, Shaleiner, or Salensky.  Do you have any
information on any of these names?  They all have in common the "s" or "sh",
and l, and n.  Do you know if any of them are represented in the few
remaining gravestones in Keidan?  Thanks for any help you can give.

Is there any information that we may have that would be useful to you?  

Best wishes,

Garth Saloner
Graduate School of Business
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305
(415)723-1940
------------------------------


From: eliallon2@juno.com (Eliyahu Allon)  7/13/97 16:20

I received your mail on Thursday.  I am going to start a translation of
the piece on Torah leaders from Keidan, and post it to the list.  My only
concern is the reference to many other towns (I presume in Lithuania),
whose names I may misspell terribly in translation.  Afterward, I will
take a stab at the piece from "Yahadus Lita" (although some of the words
from the spine side of the book did not copy well & are hard to read).  

>From the same book (Yahadus Lita), is there an article on Shat?  If so,
could you copy it for me? Thanks. 


Eliyahu Allon
eliallon2@juno.com

On Wed, 9 Jul 1997 17:26:48 -0400 "A. Cassel"
 writes:
>Eliyahu:
>
>I dropped several pages in the mail to you yesterday. If that proves
>interesting and you're willing to do some more, let me know ... 
>
>Regards
>
>A.
>
------------------------------

From: DBH12345@aol.com                                                          7/20/97 19:35
Subject: Litvak SIG

Dear Fellow Keidan Reearchers,

I would like to invite any of you who are interested to become familiar with
the new LitvakSIG, which has replaced the old Lithuanian Special Interest
Group.  Our purposes include coordinating communication between all
Lithuanian researchers, and particularly in improving access to data in the
Lithuanian State Historical Archives.  All of our goals and purposes can be
read in our InfoFile which you would receive on subscription.  

Anyone can participate in our LitvakSIG discussion group, and activity has
been very great over the past few weeks.  We have discovered that many
researchers have been gathering data on their own, and through private
researchers, but have had no means of sharing this with others.  

It is important to us to coordinate our efforts with existing SIGS and Shtetl
and town groups, to avoid duplication of efforts, and to guide us in best
using our resources.  If you decide to participate, please follow the
subscription instructions below, and contact me for a new member's
questionnaire.

Sincerely,

David Hoffman
dbh12345@aol.com
Co-Coordinator, LitvakSIG


Here is what you do:

1.  Send an e-mail message to:  listserv@mail.jewishgen.org  
a. To subscribe (receives individual messages,) send this message:

        subscribe LitvakSIG Firstname Lastname
        Example:   subscribe LitvakSIG Shmuel Litvak

b. To  receive digests, (Digests are many messages sent together in one
larger message,) send this  message:  set LitvakSIG digest  -  ("Set" alters
your subscription options.)

2.  Send postings to:  LitvakSIG@mail.jewishgen.org 

3. For Other SIG business, contact your co-coordinators:

    Davida Noyek Handler     
    2065 Cottage Glen South East
    Cedar Rapids, IA 52403, USA
    Telephone: (319) 365-7370

    David Hoffman 
    21815 Ambar Drive
    Woodland Hills, CA 91364, USA
    Telephone:  (818) 712-9031
------------------------------


From: Roberta Jainchill                                                            7/31/97 8:01
Subject:  BLOCK, new name on my list

I have just learned my g-grandmother's maiden name: BLOCK.  She lived in
Keidan and never came to the west.  Is anyone else searching this family
name?

Rachel BLOCK married Mendel LAGER and they had 7 children, 5 went to the
US, 1 to 'Palestine' and one stayed behind.

Any help is appreciated.  We have traced the LAGER side to before 1800. 

Thanks. 

Roberta Jainchill
roberta@dorsai.org

From:   "A.W.Cassel"   8/6/97 23:29

Fellow Keidaners:

David Kagan, who visited Keidan with his father last month, sent me a
recent copy of the Vilnius Jewish community's Yiddish newspaper
"Yerushalayim d'Lita". It contains an article which I've translated as
follows:


Ondenk (Remembrance)

In the Jewish Community, in the Jewish Museum we receive questions from
abroad about the condition of various Jewish cemeteries and the sites of
mass-murders of Jews. In that regard, we at "Jerusalem of Lithuania" are
publishing a regular column containing information and photographs about
these sites. We will also print information about the work which is
ongoing in this department since the decision of the Lithuanian Seim
[parliament] to restore the graves of the victims of the Shoah and the
Jewish cemeteries in Lithuania.
 In charge of the column is J. Levinson, chairman of the committee at
the Jewish Community which leads efforts in these matters. 

[photograph]

The Jewish Cemetery in Keidan

This is probably the best cared-for cemetery in Lithuania. It was put
into order, fenced in, the grounds cleaned out, a hundred graves and
remaining gravestones put into order. A memorial marker was put up,
noting that this is the old Keidan Jewish cemetery. Above: a photograph
of the cemetery (1993.)

[photograph]

The Jewish cemetery of Vilkomir.

Here is a contrasting picture. As the photograph shows, the entire large
grounds contain only one tombstone, which was put up near the memorial
stone. In the years of the Soviet power, the tombstones were taken out
and used as building material. The grounds of the cemetery have been
cleaned out and enclosed (for the most part) with an attractive "living"
fence of trees. In the center, a six-pointed star - a magen david - of
small trees.



I also recently received a schedule for the Sept. commemoration of the
Vilna Gaon's 200th yortzayt. The Vilnius conference includes a one-day
excursion to Keidan, but doens't go into detail about what's
planned for there. Wish I could go ...


Andy


--------------------------------------


From: ELGOLD1@aol.com  8/7/97 18:37
Subject:  Keidan

Dear Mr. Cassel:

I have enjoyed your website on Keidan. I just returend home from Lithuania
where I was doing research on the Merkel family of Raseiniai. One of the
records I discovered noted that my relative, Jankel b. Moshe Merkel, came
from Keidan. He was probably born about 1815. I was wondering if you have run
across any mention of the name Merkel in your research of Keidan.
Many thanks, Eric Goldstein (ELGOLD1@aol.com)
P.S. I send regards from Regina Kopilevich, who mentioned you in connection
with Keidan.

--------------------------------------


From Harfein@aol.com   8/7/97 22:52
Subject:  Romm family

[Hi Andy--I am re-sending this post, as I realize I sent it to an e-mail
address for you that is out of date, so I don't know whether it has reached
you.] 


Dear Andy:

   I was reading The Boston Globe yesterday and came across mention of a
Joseph J. Romm who works for the Department of Energy. Could you please pass
the information along to the man in Buffalo who was inquiring about the Romm
family--I don't remember his name and don't have the posting any more.

    The article is in the Monday, August 4 Globe, starting on page C-1, and
it's called "Lighten up, cool down, cities told". It's about cooling off
urban centers by using lighter colors for paving etc., rather than black,
which absorbs heat. One of the advocates of this process is Joseph J. Romm,
who is "the acting assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable
energy." I'll bet he is part of the same extended Romm family,  as he too is
a scientist,  like the grandfather of the man who wrote to you.

   Now I have a question for you, about genealogy but not about Keidan. I
have a new research project; I'm working on an article about Elsie Chomsky,
my former Hebrew teacher at Gratz College in Phila. in the early
nineteen-fifties. It turns out she was born in Bobruisk, near Minsk, in what
is now Belorus, and her family emigrated to the US in about 1906, when she
was a small child.

   What are the chances of being able to find out her date of birth? Do you
know anyone who's worked with Bobruisk records? How might I proceed? Thanks
for any suggestions. 

   The work you're doing with the Keidan list is really terrific! It's great
to read of all the connections being made. I have been lax about looking into
my own family but I really want to get to it this fall.

    Best, Harriet

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 7 Aug 1997 13:04:46 -0400 (EDT)
From: DBH12345@aol.com
Subject: Re: [Fwd: Lithuania materials]


In a message dated 97-08-06 23:35:57 EDT, you write:

> 
>  Fellow Keidaners:
>  
>  David Kagan, who visited Keidan with his father last month, sent me a
>  recent copy of the Vilnius Jewish community's Yiddish newspaper
>  "Yerushalayim d'Lita". It contains an article which I've translated as
>  follows:
>  
Dear Andy and Keidan mailing list (or which I am a part).

The new LitvakSIG, of which most of you are probably members, is very
concerned with it's relationship with other SIGS and other groups, in order
to avoid duplication of efforts and scarce resources, and to provide a
broader "platform" for data and information which would be of interest to the
many others interested in Lithuanian history and geneaolgy who are not
members of the more Shetl focused groups such as Keidan.

We want to avail ourselves of your advice, and explore joint projects.  For
instance we have just initiated several intense record retrieval projects in
Lithuania, and established cordial and cooperative relationships with a
number of key people, and these will be of some immediate, and much more long
term interest. As we are hosted by Jewishgen too, all of the material which
we gather will be shared with everyone, and our database(s) will be
completely compatible with other Jewishgen databases accessible by their
search programs.

Could you please post interesting material such as the David Kagan report to
the LitvakSIG, since it is of interest and value to everyone in Lithuania.
 Andy, you could send it as a contribution made by the Keidan group, with an
invitation to potential Keidaners to join you list. . or allow me to do so
since I receive it as a member of the Keidan group, with proper attribution
to the sources.  This would be of mutual benefit.

We also have a group hard at work on a Journal or Newsletter for the
LitvakSIG, a hardcopy editon to reach non-computer users and to be archived
in libraries, etc.  You may be interested in contributing material to this
too, since the resources of the Keidan group may be too limited to support
this kind of effort.

These are just a couple of ideas.  We welcome your input into the LitvakSIG,
whether it is as a Lithuanian Shetl (linked to Shetlinks of course), or as
individual members.

Sincerely,

David Hoffman
dbh12345@aol.com
Co-Coordinator, LitvakSIG


--------------------------------------


From:  msklarew@erols.com                                                           8/10/97 15:04

Dear Bruce Salen,

The names you mention are the same as in my family--Fanny, Ida, Jacob. Of 
course, these are names we often find among Jewish people from Lithuania. 
Could you tell me a bit more about them and any others.  My grandparents 
were Meyer Aaron Wolpe and Sarah Rebecca Wolpe from Kovno Gubirnyia and 
quite likely from Keidan. Sarah Rebecca Wolpe was first cousin to Meyer 
Aaron Wolpe's father, Eliezer Semach Wolpe. Among my grandparents 
siblings, there was a Fannie Wolpe Wilner, Ida Wolpe Weltman. Another 
branch of the family includes a Jacob Wolpe, son of Eliahu and Dvorah 
Wolpe (Volpe in Lithuania). Does any of this sound at all familiar?  Our 
Jacob was born in Datnuva, Lithuania (part of Kovno Gubirnyia).

We're working on a Wolpe family gathering for April 5-6, 1998 and will 
put up a Wolpe Web Page in the next few weeks with more information about 
all of this, should this information be of interest to you.

Best,

Myra Sklarew
msklarew@erols.com

--------------------------------------



From: "A.W.Cassel"                                                            8/14/97 22:55
Subject: Keidaners in Brazil

I received this just today. Any connections?

Regards to all, 

Andy
--------------------------------------




From: 

Mr Andrew Cassel,

I am very pleased with your homepage about KEIDANIA.  I was looking for
some datas about the country and the city where my father was born with
intention to visit it, when I found your page. How pleased was to know
so much about my recent past! I am very grateful with your iniciative.
It was more than informations about Keidania, it was a journay inside
myself. 

My intention was to go there with my wife and my uncle (twin, brother of
my father, who is death since 88). My father and uncle came to Brazil in
April 1927 with their parents, brothers and sister, also with friends
from Lituania to Jewish colonies in South of Brazil.

Now my problem is to find the way how to visit and to meet some people
in Keidania who could help us in have a good  time there. I am very
impressed with the history of the end of the city: the fascist
destruction. My happyness in looking for Keidania was finished when I
read “The Destruction of Keidania” and the Poems, since then I changed 
my mind in going there. 

We bought tickets to Europe. We were expecting to go from Hamburg ( I
have relatives there) straght away to Keidania for two days, but now I
am not sure about that. What you thing about my preocupations? Do you
thing is dangerous? Have some Jewish organization or families there?
Could we find some friendly people there? I’m worried about my uncle who
is 80 year’s old and even has good memories from his childhood in
Keidania, the bridge, the river where they played when was freezed, and
so on. He would like to go but I’m affraid.

We are going to Europe next Saturday on August, 16th . I didn’t write
you before because of my English, I didn’t have enough encorage. But the
pression of  the time forced me to write you anyway. I’m sorry of it. 

The surname of my family in Keidania was Levitanas, they translated to
Levitan when they arrieved here in Brazil. Do you have some informations
or knowledges about the Levitanas? My grandfather (Leiba) and
grandmother (Ida) were cousins and their surname were both Levitanas. My
uncles were Abramas, Ilelis, Gregorio, Elija, my father Salamonas, and
my antie Cila.

All of them ,except my uncle Elija ( now Ely) are dead. They were
married and have families with sons and daughters, grandchildrens and
great grandchildrens. I could send you the genealogical’s tree and some
photos of Keidania later on, when we come back, after our trip.

We are looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible. 

Yours sincerely,

Claudio Levitan
--------------------------------------



From: /G=Lewis/I=W/S=Goldfarb@travelers.com                                                           8/15/97 14:28
Subject: A RECENT VISITOR

Dear Fellow Keidaners,

My name is Lew Goldfarb, and I have been searching the GOLDFARB's and LEVINE's
from Keidan.  Up until Vol #25 ( I have been a subscriber since May of 1997), I

have been content to just read the digests.  However, Claudio Levitan's letter
was the stimulus that I needed to respond.  I, along with two other Litvaks
(one being my sister) from Connecticut in the United States, took part in the
post-seminar tours to Eastern Europe.

The tour of Lithuania was a once in a lifetime trip.  Of all the post tours,
Lithuania had the largest group. All of us came back with more knowledge of our

ancestry, then before we went.  However, I and several others had very mixed
emotions.  Ninety five percent of all the Jews in Lithuania were murdered
during the Holocaust (mostly by the Lithuanians).

I went with the expectations of finding some Jews still living in Keidan.  Not
so!  My sister and I had Judel Romner (?) as our guide (He had two pictures of
Andy Cassel next to tombstones of his ancestors in the cemetery just outside
the town).  Judel is an attorney now living in Vilnius.  He is the sole
survivor of his family (his parents and eight children) that were killed during

the Holocaust.  There are no Jews living in Keidan, Dotnuva, or Josvainiai.
They were all brought to a place just outside of Dotnuva, shot, and buried in a

large pit.  All of this took place on August 28, 1941 (a date that I will
always remember because it is on the day I was born in 1944).  So, Claudio, if
you want to see the place where your father and Uncle played along the frozen
river and the bridge, they are still there.  However, not much more will give you any peace.

Sincerely,
Lew Goldfarb
--------------------------------------


From: "A.W.Cassel"                                                           8/15/97 21:21
Subject:   Re: A RECENT VISITOR

To Lew Goldfarb:

Welcome, and thanks for your note. I'd love to hear more about the JGen
trip to Lithuania. Did you get to spend much time in Keidan? 

One correction: Yudel Ronder is a resident of Kaunas (Kovno) -- or was
when I visited two years ago. 

Please feel free to share your impressions of Keidan with us, as well as
any family stories about the place.

Regards,

Andy Cassel
--------------------------------------



From: "A.W.Cassel"                                                            8/16/97 13:00
Subject: Keidan cemetery photos

All:

As I promised earlier, I have put up on the Keidan web site a number of
photos taken at the old Keidan Jewish cemetery. The 30 or so stones are
those whose inscriptions I was able to read from photos received earlier
this summer. There's also an index page, with links to the photos, which
you can view at:

http://www.philly.infi.net/~awcassel/Keidan/tombstones/tombstones.html

If anyone has other pictures of stones from the cemetery that they'd
like to add to this site, please let me know.

Regards,

Andy
--------------------------------------



From: DBH12345@aol.com                                                           8/16/97 17:01
Subject: Re: Keidan cemetery photos

These photographs are fantastic. It is almost like being there.  Thank you.

David Hoffman
dbh12345@aol.com

From: Joel and Joan Schrier                                                            8/16/97 18:25
Subject: Re: Keidan cemetery photos/ CHARNAS

In perusing the cemetery photo list, I came across the name of Chaim B'r
Yehuda CHARNES who may be related. 
We have a family member whose maiden name was Baila CHARNAS (married to
Laib SILBERMAN) who was born in 1859, died in 1932 (Cleveland) and came
to the U.S. in 1912. Her parents were Charles (Chaim?) and Florence
(Feige). Do not know if they came to U.S. The 1930 date of death is
probably inconsistent with the father but could be consistent with a
sibling. Interested in contacting anyone else connected to this family.
--------------------------------------




From: Bruce                                                           8/18/97 16:10

Hi Myra.

Nice to hear from you.

Unfortunately, I know nothing at all about my grandfather's older brother and
two older sisters other than their names, and the names of their children,
which my aunt once told me back in the late 60's or early 70's.

My grandfather -- and his brother and two sisters -- all died before I was
born.  And I grew up in a family in which no one ever spoke *of* or *to*
anyone else -- which probably explains why I never learned anything about my
grandfather's brother and sisters other than their names, and the names of
their children.

In the 33-year period from October 1963 to September 1996, I made four attempts
to contact relatives from that branch of the family -- including two sons, a
daughter, and a grandson of my great-uncle Jacob, and a daughter-in-law and a
grandson of my great-aunt Fanny -- but none of them ever showed the slightest
interest in staying in contact, or in providing me with any information of any
kind.

Sorry that I can't offer you any more substantial or positive information.

Bruce.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 23 Aug 1997 21:12:00 -0400 (EDT)
From: Pahimam@aol.com
Subject: Genealogy


My roots are from Krakanowa (sp?).  I don't know how far Keidan is from
Krakanowa but if  anyone is aware of this town I would appreciate any
information.  My mother's maiden name was Goldsin....her brother in Israel
spelled it Goldzin....have found a number of Goldsens in the national white
pages but none with the other spelling.  
Thanks for any information anyone may have regarding my search.
Jim Harvi c/o Pahimam

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 24 Aug 1997 15:42:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: ELGOLD1@aol.com
Subject: MERKEL family


In tracking the roots of my MERKEL (later MARKEL) family of Raseiniai, I
discovered that many members of the family came from Keidan. Later, a fellow
researcher told me that a WULF MERKEL was a rabbi signing marriage records in
Keidan in 1874. Has anyone run across this surname or any information about
this rabbi? Any information would be appreciated.
Eric Goldstein
ELGOLD1@aol.com

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 24 Aug 1997 16:47:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: DAKagan@aol.com
Subject: Re: MERKEL family


I can't help you with Merkel family information, but, by some accounts in my
family, my grandmother came from Raseinai around 1904 or so.  Have you come
across any Schreibers from Raseinai?

              David Kagan

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 16:40:44 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ulenspigel@aol.com
Subject: Re:   Genealogy


Dear Jim;
Reference: "Where Once We Walked" Gary Mokotoff & Sallyann Amdur Sack.
Avotaynu PO Box 900 Teaneck NJ 17666.
Krekenava was 69 km ESE of Siauliai which in turn was 120 km NNW of Kaunas.
Kedainiai was 50 km N of Kaunas.
Regards,
Bob Wilson
Seeking Beckers Bakers and Bursteins 

------------------------------