Schloime Zitomersky’s Plea to Save the
Borshchagovka Pogrom Survivors
Letter Dated February 23, 1920
Sent to his Brothers, Fawel and Yussel, in New York
Yiddish translation courtesy of
Nathen Gabriel and Israel Olin; and Esther Chanie Dushinsky
(Some parts of the letter were illegible)
[Note: The original Yiddish letter sent by Schloime Zitomersky is included in Fawel Zitomersky's passport application file, held at the National Archives and Records.]
The letter:
Page 1:
2nd day, Parashat Tetzaveh, 5680 [Monday, the 23rd of February, 1920]
Very dear and beloved brothers Feivel, Yosef Zhitomirsky
I am holding your dear letter of Tuesday, Erev Chanuka [December 16, 1919].
There is a lot that is difficult to write, and perhaps one should not, but this [?]
I will write to you: our father, our sister Chayke, brother-in-law Yudil, sister
Malka, and brother Ayzik were murdered. Our father with Ayzik were killed on
Monday, Parashat Re'eh, Erev Rosh Chodesh Elul [the 25th of August, 1919];
our sister Chayke and brother-in-law Yudil and sister Malka were killed 17
days later, Thursday, Parashat Ki Tavo [September 11, 1919]. Chayke and
Yudil are resting without a Kadish. I have nothing for which to hire[?] a
Kadish. Our mother died on Chamisha Asar B’shevat, 5678 [January 28,
1918]. Basya and Devora’n are with their grooms in Pogrebisht and go
around collecting in the homes for bread. Devora’s groom is Aharon son of
Avraham Shu”b. His father was also killed and Chana Malka his mother was
burnt. Basya's groom is Pinchas the butcher's young boy his father was also
murdered.
Mordechai, Raiza, and their child are in Belaya Tserkov and whatever they
aren’t given, they don’t have. I am in Ruzhin and begging here for bread.
Written upside down at the top of Page 1:
My bride Chayke Drobkis is in Skvira.
Page 2:
From Aharon already 2 years and nothing. So what do you say, brothers, of
our predicament? To sum up in short, if you have any brotherly feeling, if you
have God in your heart, take us to you as soon as possible before we are
murdered here. Pull us over to you. Here we will either starve or be killed.
Uncle Mitzke from the Zabare[?] was also murdered. Uncle Aharon with his
wife are living, but they murdered two of his children. The father-in-law
Moische Zelig was murdered. The father-in-law Baruch Aharon with his wife,
his daughters Nechama, Basya are living. Shmu'el, with his wife Tzippora and
the children are living. Miriam with the children are living. Devora got
married in Ruzhin and lives richly. [...] is one family which are all alive and
are [...] Aharon the Rabbi from Pogrebisht was murdered. I believe I wrote all
the details. Be well, [...] your families, dear brothers, have pity on us, do not
leave us here, save us, bring us to you.
Your brother Schloime.
My address:
M. [Mestechko] Ruzhin
(Kiev Gub.)
c/o Moshko Zaslavskiy
Brothers! Save us!
Written upside down at the top of Page 2:
Zaida is alive. Bubba died Erev Yom Kippur, 5678 [September 25, 1917].
Uncle Mottel died.
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Individuals mentioned in Schloime’s letter:
Schloime Zitomersky, born ca. 1894 in Borshchagovka. Fate unknown.
Feivel, Yosef Zhitomirsky:
Fawel Zitomersky, Schloime’s oldest brother, born ca. 1878 in Borshchagovka, died in New York in 1955.
Joseph (Yussel) Zitomersky, born ca. 1881 in Borshchagovka, died in New York in 1961.
our father: Yitzhak-Nisan Zitomersky, born ca. 1858 in Volodarka, murdered in the 1919 Borshchagovka pogroms.
our sister Chayke: Schloime’s sister, Chayke Zitomersky, born ca. 1890 in Borshchagovka, murdered in the 1919 Borshchagovka pogroms.
brother-in-law Yudil: Yudil, husband of Chayke Zitomersky, murdered in the 1919 Borshchagovka pogroms.
sister Malka: Schloime’s sister, Malka Zitomersky, born ca. 1901 in Borshchagovka, murdered in the 1919 Borshchagovka pogroms.
brother Ayzik: Schloime’s brother, Ayzik Zitomersky, born ca. 1905 in Borshchagovka, murdered in the 1919 Borshchagovka pogroms.
Basya: Schloime’s sister, Basya (Zitomersky) Matos, born ca. 1900 in Borshchagovka, died in Brooklyn, New York in 1970.
Basya’s groom is Pinchas the butcher's young boy: Morris Matos (Moishe Leib Matusenko), husband of Basya (Zitomersky) Matos. Born 1895 in Borshchagovka, died in Brooklyn, New York in 1963.
Pinchas the butcher: Pinchas Matusenko, father of Morris Matos. Born ca. 1853 in Borshchagovka, murdered in the 1919 Borshchagovka pogroms.
Devora: Schloime’s sister, Devora (Zitomersky) Shub, born ca. 1897 in Borshchagovka. Devora (Dora) Shub and her husband, Aharon (Arel) Shub were living in Russia in the 1960s.
Devora’s groom: Aharon (Arel) Shub, husband of Devora (Zitomersky) Shub.
Avraham Shub: Father of Aharon Shub, murdered in the 1919 Borshchagovka pogroms. Shub means shochet ubodek - a ritual slaughterer.
Chana Malka his mother was burnt: Chana Malka Shub, mother of Aharon Shub, murdered in the 1919 Borshchagovka pogroms.
Mordechai, Raiza, and their child are in Belaya Tserkov:
Schloime’s brother, Max Zitomersky, born ca. 1885 in Borshchagovka, died in New York in 1965.
Raiza (Rose) Rybak/Rebak, wife of Max Zitomersky, born ca 1891, died in New York in 1967.
Marion (Manya) Zitomersky Wolf, daughter of Max and Rose Zitomersky, born in 1914 in Volodarka, died in 1983.
My bride Chayke Drobkis is in Skvira: Chayke Drobkis, wife of Schloime Zitomersky, born ca. 1889 in Borshchagovka. Fate unknown.
From Aharon already 2 years and nothing: Schloime’s brother Aron Zitomersky, born ca. 1892 in Borshchagovka. Married Khana‑Leya Tonkonogiy in Kishinev in 1915. Fate unknown.
Uncle Mitzke from the Zabare/Zakora/Zakova[?] was also murdered: Surname unknown. Murdered in the 1919 Borshchagovka pogroms. Zabare may be a reference to the small village of Zbarzhivka, across the Ros River from Borshchagovka.
Uncle Aharon with his wife are living, but they murdered two of his children:
Aron (Arul) Zitomersky, brother of Yitzhak-Nisan Zitomersky, born ca. 1877 in Borshchagovka, died in New York in 1958.
Brucha Kuperwarg/Bertha Cooper, wife of Aron (Arul) Zitomersky, born in Borshchagovka ca. 1884, died in New Jersey in 1942.
The father-in-law Moische Zelig was murdered: Moische Zelig Berlind, murdered in the 1919 Borshchagovka pogroms.
The father-in-law Baruch Aharon with his wife, his daughters Nechama, Basya are living:
Baruch Aharon Shapiro, father-in-law of Fawel Zitomersky, born ca. 1861 in Skvira, died in New York in 1940.
Milke/Malka/Mollie Weisberg, wife of Baruch Aharon Shapiro, born ca. 1861, died in New York in 1950.
Nechama Shapiro, daughter of Baruch Aharon and Milke Shapiro, born in 1898, died in 1987. Married Samuel Spector.
Basya Shapiro, daughter of Baruch Aharon and Milke Shapiro, born in 1896. Married Usher Zaslowsky/Harry Zaslow.
Shmu'el with his wife Tzippora and the children are living:
Schmuel (Samuel) Shapiro, son of Baruch Aharon and Milke Shapiro, born ca. 1890 in Pogrebishche, died in Chicago, Illinois in 1961.
Tsipora (Celia) Roshinsky/Ruzinsky, wife of Schmuel (Samuel) Shapir, born ca. 1888 in Khodorkov, died in 1961.
Herschel Shapiro (Harry Spear), son of Schmuel (Samuel) and Tsipora Shapiro, born ca. 1910 in Khodorkov, died in 1996.
Feiwel Shapiro (Philip Spear), son of Schmuel (Samuel) and Tsipora Shapiro, born ca. 1915 in Khodorkov, died in Chicago, Illinois in 1973.
Nechoma (Anne) Shapiro, daughter of Schmuel (Samuel) and Tsipora Shapiro, born in 1920 in Zgurita, Romania, died in Chicago, Illinois in 2011.
Miriam with the children are living:
Miriam Shapiro, daughter of Baruch Aharon and Milke Shapiro, born ca. 1887, died in New York in 1941. Married Joseph Altman.
Children of Joseph and Miriam Altman: David (b. 1907), Goldie (b. 1911), Ester (b. 1913).
Devora got married in Ruzhin: Devora (Dora) Shapiro, daughter of Baruch Aharon and Milke Shapiro, born ca 1892, died in New York in 1943. Married Max Zaslow.
Aharon the Rabbi from Pogrebisht was murdered: Surname unknown. Murdered in the 1919 Borshchagovka pogroms.
Moshko Zaslavskiy: Moshko Zaslowsky, father-in-law of Dveira Shapiro Zaslow (daughter of Baruch Aron Shapiro).
Zaida is alive: Schloime’s grandfather.
Bubba died Erev Yom Kippur, 5678 (September 25, 1917): Schloime’s grandmother.
Uncle Mottel died: Surname unknown.
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The original letter page 1:
The original letter page 2:
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Created by Benjamin D. Zitomer
Copyright © 2024 Benjamin D. Zitomer
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Exodus from Borshchagovka: Fawel Zitomersky’s Rescue Of More Than Fifty Survivors of the Pogroms
Fawel Zitomersky’s Passport Application File
Photo of the Borshchagovka survivors in Romania, with Fawel Zitomersky and Benjamin Decoveny
Return to Borshchahivka KehilaLinks Home Page
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