A Cantor of Jalovka -
Cantor Jacob Friedland(er) Yalovsky
by his Great-granddaughter Hallie Metzger
Jacob Friedland(er) b. ? in ?, d. 1908 or 1909 in Mishnitz, Poland, was one of seven sons, all cantors, born to Hirsch Friedland(er) of Besaglo, Lithuania and Celia Crost, possibly of Ukranian descent. As a ruse to avoid the Russian draft, Jacob and several of his brothers were informally adopted by families who had no children or who had only daughters, hence the surname Yalovsky. Possibly, the family whose name he took got him his first cantorial posting in Yalowka where he also functioned as shochet.
He was educated in a German music conservatory where he studied classical composition and violin. By the time of his death, he had compiled 4 volumes of original settings of Hebrew prayers. On his death, my grandfather David Freedland donated all the volumes to the synagogue where Jacob had served as cantor. It would truly be a miracle if those volumes survived WWII.
Jacob married Chaiah Pearl Sachs, sister of Koppel Sachs, son of David Laller and Rebecca Sachs of Lal, Russia. Chaiah and Koppel’s parents died young so the children were raised by their maternal grandfather Movshe Sachs, last know to have resided in Kelme, Lithuania.
Jacob’s first position as cantor was in Yalowka, possibly 1880 to the mid-1890s when he relocated to Mishnitz. He came to the US possibly 1886 and briefly toured the East Coast synagogues but decided not to emigrate.
Die Alte Kashe (The Old Question)
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