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    Date:
    9 October 2018

    Comments

  • My name is Maurice R Steif. My mother, Bette Waksman was born in Belchatow and then went to Lodz as a child. Her mother, my grandmother was Mindlah Feld, and her parents were Kalman Feld and Malcha nee Konsens. My grand uncle Mendl Feld, (olav ha shalom, hakol) was one of the unfortunate 10 hung  by the nazis. Jack Altman (olav ha shalom) was my mom's first cousin. 

    We are also related to the Lefkowicz, Laib, Pigula, and Bornzstein families.

    Thanks to the existence of this site and my research into my yichess, my mother and Jack Altman spoke for the first time since the befreiung in 2012.

    Thanks so much to everyone's hard work in the creation of this site and also JewishGen, which helped me find helpful but poignant information on my maternal and paternal ancestors prior to the shoah.

    l'olam lo teesgach

    Thanks
    Maurice R Steif
    Roseland, NJ
    (862) 763-0235
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    Date:
    7 May 2010

    Comments

    Dear Ms. Liebowitz,

    I am writing on behalf of my family who came from Belchatow.  I don’t know if you received my earlier email when I was having difficulty finding information about my family but I am happy to say that I have just about solved the problem.   My mother was raised by her grandparents, Max and Sadie Eisner (Mendel and Sura Gitla Ajzner) and was there when the Belchatower Society had their meetings.  My great grandfather was part of the founding members (in its description it mentions it being his idea).  My great grandmother was a Joskowicz and had a father that came to this country, New Orleans, helped build a synagogue there, made a fortune in tobacco and then returned to Belchatow. When he died her mother married became Zwilich (Cwilich or Cywilich).   Happily I am able to trace my family routes 4 generations in Belchatow.  

    My mother and I would like to know if there are still active meetings of Belchatowers, she would love to attend, as would I.  We are planning a trip next April to Belchatow.

    I look forward to hearing from you.


    Sincerely,
    Deborah A. Press [debapress@aol.com]

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  •  

    Date:

    25 March 2010

    Comments

    Thank you for a great website. I have recently become interested in Belchatow Poland as I believe my grandfather was born there in May of 1879. His name was Jakub Foltyn and he was a twin. (His twin died young.) He had other siblings as well. If anyone knows of this family please email me at craig@talentemail.com.

    Craig Iacarella

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    Date:

    21 October 2008

    Comments

    Hi Roni

    I took a good look at your Belchatow website, and I have to tell you, this is the best I've seen. Amazingly full of life.  :)

    How is it that Belchatow is so well documented? Also Chestochowa. Are there books of residents for other towns too, like Piotrkow Trybunalski?

    Keep up the good work.  :)

    Happy Erev Simchat Torah

    Sipora Hipszer Meschino

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    Date:
    1 August 2008

    Comments

    " YASHER-KOACH  RONI "

                      FOR EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING FOR THE MEMORY
                      OF OUR " BELCHATOW ".

    .                            WE LOVE YOU, RUTH AND JACK ALTMAN.

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    Date:
    15 July 2008

    Comments

    HELLO AND SHALOM
     
    I'M DAVID MAAS [SZTAJER], THE SON OF HAIM SHAJA SZTAYER Z"L, WHO WAS THE SON OF JACOB SZTAYER.
    MY FATHER AND HIS BROTHER ABRAHAM WERE THE ONLY SURVIVORS OF THEIR DIRECT FAMILY. THEY LIVED IN THE BELCHATOV AND LODZ AREA BEFORE THE SHOA . I HAVE FOUND THE SZTYER NAME IN THE 1929 BUSINESS LIST AND ALSO IN KEHILOT ELECTION LIST. I KNOW THAT THE FAMILY WERE IN TEXTILE BUSINESS, DEALING WITH GOODS DYEING.
     
    I'LL BE GRATEFUL TO ANYONE WHO CAN COME UP WITH ANY KIND OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE FAMILY.
     
    AS TO YOU RONI, YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. KEEP ON GOING.
     
    BEST REGARDS
    DAVID
    E-MAIL AD: MAASDAVID@YAHOO.COM
     

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    Date:
    12 March 2007

    Comments

    What a great tribute to your family. I am not from Belchatow, but grew up surrounded by many Belchatowers in the Bronx, including Brenda and Bill Berkowitz and many others. They would be proud to know you are keeping their legacies alive.

    Gail Samowitz in Seattle (daughter of Abe and Sally Samowitz)

     

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    Date:
    3 May, 2006

    Comments

    Update on Harry Haft…………his story covers life in Belchatow:
    http://www.syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu/spring-2006/harry-haft.html

    Alan Haft (son)  [See Guest Book entry from 09 February 2005 below.]
     

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    Date:
    9 March, 2006
     
  • Comments

    Hi my name is Kay Fridman, my maiden name is Brajtberg. My father and his two brothers settled here in Australia. They are the Brajtberg family from Belchatow, Hershel, Motek and Meyer. They are the only survivors of the family from Miriam and Gershon Brajtberg. My grandmother's maiden name was Mahobanski and we have not found any one from her family, but I saw on the photo of the Holon cemetery there was a Fela Mahobanski and sister. If any one could give me any information I would be grateful. My email is kfridman@bigpond.net.au. My father Motek is 83 and my uncle Meyer is 80. My uncle Herschel passed away in 2005. Looking forward to hearing from some one.
    regards Kay
     

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    Date:
    24 February, 2005

    Comments

    I have just come across this page. I was born in Belchatow, I live here, and I have to admit that a lot of inhabitants of this town have no idea that so many things happened here. Just think, every day I go to work, I pass the place where the Synagogue was, the school I work in is situated in Fabryczna Street, so it's the district where the ghetto used to be... Thank you for this site, it made me think a lot... lucid2@op.pl

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    Date:
    10 February, 2005

    Comments

    My comment is that i'm 12 and i've just heard of alschwitz in my history class. i think its terrible that they could do that...a human being could terr apart all their lives. just like that. thanks if you have any comments back to me e-mail me at butterfly_9_3@yahoo.com

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    Date:
    09 February, 2005

    Comments

    HARRY HAFT now lives in Pembroke Pines, FL. His tel # is 954 431 5607. Harry's story of survival and his boxing career (he fought Rocky Marciano in 1948) will soon be published by Syracuse University Press.

     

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    Date:
    29 January, 2005

    Comments

    According to my wife's great grandfather's nationalisation papers from 1906, he immigrated to England from Belchatow . His name was Solomon Jacobson and his parents name were Chemie and Rochma who lived in a farmhouse near the cemetery. My father in law believed they changed their name from Jakobowicz. I would be grateful if anyone could share any information. brian@pearce5860.freeserve.co.uk

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    Date:
    06 December, 2004

    Comments

    My mother was Pola Freitag, daughter of David and Pessia Freitag from Belchatow. She had two brothers, Peretz (who was an active member of the Bund), and Hertzig, and two sisters, Mania and Rivjeh. Pola left Poland for New York around 1928 with her new husband, Alex Weiss, and as far as I know, was the only survivor of her immediate family. If anyone has any information about them or the extended family (I think Peretz Freitag, who owned a textile factory might have been her father's brother), please email me at smsilver@bezeqint.net. Reading the material on this site and seeing the pictures has been extremely moving and of course, informative. Thank you for the excellent work.

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    Date:
    24 November, 2004

    Comments

    My mother, Pola Freitag (maiden name) was from Belchatow, daughter of David and Pessia Freitag, sister of Peretz, Hertzig, Rivka and Rachel. She left Poland for New York before the war started, but the rest of her family perished. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has any information about this family. My email address is: smsilver@bezeqint.net.

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    Date:
    03 October, 2004

    Comments

    SHALOM FROM JACK AND RUTH ALTMAN,(RACHELKA KRYZMAN) JACK (AZRIEL, A SON OF SZAJA ALTMAN, GARBERS PABJANICKA 26).WE LIVE IN DALLAS TEXAS,6906 NORWAY PL. DALLAS TX.75230. TEL.214 368-1144, FAX 214 3639848 EMAIL BELCHATOW@AOL.COM. WE WISH YOU ALL AND FAMILY A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR, WITH ALL THE BEST. LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU.

     SHALOM JACK AND RACHELKA.

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    Date:
            
    03 July 2004

    Comments

    I AM A BELCHATOWER, LIVING NOW IN DALLAS TEXAS
    6906 NORWAY PL. DALLAS 752300 214 368-1144.FAX 214 3639848
    PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME, MY WIFE IS ALSO A BELCHATOWER
    CHIL LUZER KRYZMAN DAUGHTER.(PULDUPICKS ZALMAN FAMILY).

    JACK ALTMAN  Belchatow@aol.com

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    Date:
            
    14 April 2004

    Comments

    I began researching my family history and was excited and touched by the information about Belchatow. A sincere thank you for all your work and information.

    Ira (Bornstein) Pulwer  ipulwer@comcast.net

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    Date:
            
    23 March 2004

    Comments

    I can't identify anybody in the picture, but I'm Argentinian and my surname is Gliksman so there´re Gliksman survivors in Argentina, and my grandfather´s father was from Belchatow.

    Have you identified anyone named Gliksman?

    Lucia Gliksman  hechizada13@hotmail.com

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    Date:
            
    14 November 2003

    Comments

    There was a family Rozenblum that is not mentioned in the list of Jewish population in Belchatow. They were related to me by daughter Bela who married my brother Jakub Calecki in the year 1936 and had a son Mordechai [Miecio}. All killed by the Nazis.

    Perla Calecka   perla_calecka@yahoo.com

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    Date:
            
    1 June 2003

    Comments

    Shalom, my name is Sara. I am the daughter of Mendel Kaufman, I want to thank you for the beautiful site you made for my father home town. We were very exiting to see it. My father and his wife live in Kibbuts Yifat in Israel.

    Shalom, Sara Eliau   sara_eli@walla.co.il

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    Date:
            
    27 May 2003

    Comments

    gostei de ver um documentario muito bom da cidade do meu pai, KOPEL URBACH,ja falecido.

    [translation: I like reading the beautiful documentary about the city of my late father, KOPEL URBACH.]

    Leonardo Urbach  groberbest@hotmail.com

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    Date:
            
    25 May 2003

    Comments

    Hi there.. found this site very interesting. My mother's mother married a man called Nathan Szylit who was from Poland.. but I thought he was from a town called Krapkow (excuse the incorrect spelling) which was on the Polish/Czech border. having seen this site I think she may've been wrong. I believe Nathan, my grandad, had a brother, who ended up in Belgium after the war.. but we have no record of anything else. I believe most of his family died in Auschwitz. He married a woman called Sadie in Liverpool and settled in London. that's all I know. If anyone has any info and can help me trace my grandad, I and my mum ofcourse!, would be very grateful. thanks, in advance.

    gary phillips  gary.phillips@creation.com

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    Date:
             10 December 2002 

    Comments

    I will be presenting a school performance on the survivers of Belchatow, I was wondering if you could send me some information on the actual camp clothes thank you.

    Giles Whittle  Gilestron@hotmail.com

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    Date:
    09 December 2002 

    Comments

    I saw the list with the children who were taken to Chelmno and I find a mistake.
    Szulem Pukacz , a cousin of my mother (Ita Zylberglat), came to Argentina in April 1939 with his sisters Esther (now she lives in New York) and Feige Pukacz. 
    I talk with him and he was born in 1931 and he has not relatives with the same name. 
    Here in Buenos Aires lives an other brother Jacob Meyer Pukacz who came a few years earlier with his father Abraham Pukacz. 
    Finally I apologize for my English and my best wishes for you and the Research Group.

    Roberto Reindel  rreindel@hotmail.com 
    Buenos Aires Argentina

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    Date:
    04 Oct 2002

    Comments

    Hi, I'm from Brazil, and I'm very glad to find such a site about the little town that my grandfather was born. Congratulations for the initiative!

    P.S.: I would like to send more pictures, so how can I do that?  Paulo Naparstek  pn2@ieg.com.br

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    Date:
    06 May 2002

    Comments

    witam ja mieszkam teraz w belchatowie pozdrawiam wszystkich ktorzy milo wspominaja to miasto.

    [translation: Welcome, I am living now in Belchatow. I salute all of you who remember this place.]

    maribon  rifam@interia.pl

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    Date:
    01 Dec 2001

    Comments

    In the photo of the 1935 Soccer Team is my father, Chuna Kryzman, now Harold Krisman, standing in the third row, third from the right.

    Esther Krisman Warschaw mewarschaw@earthlink.net

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    Date:
    28 Nov 2001

    Comments

    Hello, My name is Itamar Pitowsky, I'm the son of Moshe (Moszek) and grandson of Michael Vigdor from Belchatow. My father came to Israel (then Palestine) in 1933 after spending 10 years in France. I was very excited to find this website and people who are probably from my family. My e-mail address is itamarp@nms.huji.ac.il. Keep the good work.

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    Date:
    22 Oct 2001

    Comments

    Dear Belchatower family, 

    I think that on the picture of the football team in the early 30, in the middle of the picture on the second level, stay my father MENDEL GELBHART. Can anyone give me more details on this picture? 

    And I think also that i n the picture of 1937, on the right with the hat stay my uncle CHAJA GELBHART. I need first to verify if at this date he was yet in Poland.

    Paul Gelbhart. PARIS 
    email: pgelbhart@free.fr 

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    Date:
    29 April 2001

    Comments

    Since the end of World War two it has always been on my mind how best to preserve the memories of our loved ones who perished in such a gruesome way at the hands of the Nazis.

    As President of the Independent Belchatower Benevolent Association, Inc., together with my wife as Secretary for the past 16 years we always try to encourage our members not to forget. Every year at the Haskurah gathering for our kedoishem at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Long Island, New York, all my speeches are devoted toward this end. We now have a welcome addition in the Internet.

    We thank you Roni for your efforts to make our Shtetl and our Jewish people go down in history.

    Hiller Bell (Belchatowski)
    hilphyl@yahoo.com
     

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    Date:
           
    27 April 2001

    Comments

    You have done a fabulous job of keeping your shtetl -- and those who did, and did not survive -- in the minds and hearts of all who visit this site. Mazel tov!

    Linda Greenman greenman50@aol.com

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    Date:
    20 Mar 2001

    Comments

    Dearest Roni,

    What a wonderful site you have created for Belchatow! Great design, great content and great functionality. And to think that we 'met' on-line just as you were starting out your work for JRI-Poland and JewishGen. What a tremendous accomplishment! Do you give lessons?

    Warmest wishes, Marla ----------- Marla Waltman Daschko Shtetl CO-OP Coordinator for Piotrkow Trybunalski Jewish Records Indexing - Poland  waltman@fox.nstn.ca 

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    Date:
    22 Feb 2001

    Comments

    Dear Roni,

    I'd like to add my congratulations to you for a great and informative site. I know how long and hard you've labored to collect the information and to get the site up and running. It is well worth it. I hope it continues to grow with many contributions from others. Mike Meshenberg

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    Date:
    12 Feb 2001

    Comments

    Thank you for the great job. Yehiel Volchik, [new email for Al Volchik: alchilik@optonline.net]

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    Date:
    08 Feb 2001

    Comments

    Hats off to Roni! A treat for all Bilskys! Thanks

    Linda Hennessee ( nee Opper)

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    Date:
    07 Feb 2001

    Comments

    Dear Roni and Jerry. Congratulation on a wonderful job. Helen Fajwelman Peck

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    Date:
    05 Feb 2001

    Comments

    Dear Roni and Jerry, Congratulations on creating a very informative, interesting and beautifully executed web site. You can be very proud of your achievement! May it continue to grow and be a wonderful memorial to the Jewish community of Belchatow. Best wishes, Shirley Rotbein Flaum  seflaum@aol.com 

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    Date:
    05 Feb 2001

    Comments

    Dear Roni:

    What a great site! Your ancestors would be proud of your achievements as are all of us in the Jewish Genealogy community.

    When will the Paterson site be ready?

    With great respect and warm wishes, Mark

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    Date:
    04 Feb 2001

    Comments

    Dear Roni. The site is wonderful, and so are you.  Sara

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    Date:
    02 Feb 2001

    Comments

    Great Job!   Now get some sleep!

    Das

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