The Progressive Horodenker Society

by Mark Heckman (1998)

History and Current Status

According to The Jewish Communal Register of New York City, 1917-1918, The "Progressive Horodenker Young Mens and Young Ladies Benevolent Association" was founded in 1914 and offered sick, cemetery, and charitable benefits. Membership was 115. Meetings were held the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month at 77 Delancey St. The president in 1918 was Samuel Hirschner, 500 W. 177th St. The secretary was Max Becker, 185½ E. 7th St.

Glen Koch, President of the Progressive Horodenker Society, reports that "The Progressive Horodenker Society was established by my paternal grandfather and uncles, among other people from Horodenker. The corresponding secretary is Claire Teiger, at 452 West 261 Street, Bronx, New York 10471. The cemetery chairman is Mr. Harold Fiedler."

Cemetery Plots

The Progressive Horodenker Society has a number of burial plots at different cemeteries, including those listed below. See the Jewish Genealogical Society of New York web page on "New York Area Jewish Cemeteries" for the location of these cemeteries.

• Montefiore Cemetery, 121-83 Springfield Blvd., Springfield Gardens, NY 11412-0098; (718) 528-1700. Plots are in blocks 13 and 15.<map>.
• Washington Cemetery, Monmouth Junction, NJ (732) 297-2336. The PHS purchased plots at this cemetery, but, according to a letter received by Norman Berman from the cemetery, the plots have never been used.

Records at YIVO

 YIVO has in its archive a collection of materials from the Progressive Horodenker Benevolent Society. According to the Guide to the YIVO Archives, compiled and edited by Fruma Mohrer and Marek Web (1998), the Society records are in Record Group 820, and include the following materials:

• Minutes, 1914-1953 (primarily in Yiddish)
• Anniversary Journals. (We have a list of members taken from a 1949 anniversary journal.)
• Newsletters, 1941-1964, 1966 (in English)
• Miscellaneous meeting announcements, correspondence, etc.