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| 1. 08.03.2006 Bruce Cohen | Grandfather, Yitzchok Rubinstein, born in 1893 and emigrated to the U.S. in 1923, was a teacher in Mazheik and active in Zionism. |
| 2. 27.12.2007 Michael Ruskin | Michael Ruskin, the son of David and Dora Ruskin (Ruksen) who lived in Mazeikiai before WW II. Dora Rusken's maiden name was Kekst and was one of 9 children, most of whom died in Mazheik.during Nazi occupation. Michael's Grandfather, Rabbi Kekst was, from what is known, a well respected Rabbi in the town. A more detailed account, inluding photographs and documents, will appear under the rubric Family Reserarch. |
| Name | date and e-mail address | Full Contents of Message |
| 1. Bruce Cohen | 8th March, 2006 |
My grandfather, Yitzchok
Rubinstein, was born in 1893, emigrated to the US from Akmene, Lithuania in 1923, and settled in Baltimore,
Maryland. He
died in 1942 when my mother was only 13 years old, so I never had the privilege
of knowing him or learning much about his life. All I did know about his life in Europe was that he learned in the yeshiva in Telz, got
Smicha (I think at the yeshiva in Zagare), and was a teacher at the children's
yeshiva in Mazeikiai. About two years ago, I found an entire file on Mazeikiai in the "Lithuanian Communities in the Interwar Period" (Record Group 2) files at the YIVO Institute in New York. Included in this file was the "Pinkas Haprati-kalim - Moed Hakehela BeMazeiki". The entire handwritten book, notes on town council meetings from what I could tell, was written entirely in Yiddish and signed at the bottom of each entry by the "mazkir" for the day. I can't describe the feeling I had when I turned a page in this book and immediately recognized my grandfather's handwriting (from old letters my mother had kept). There, at the bottom of the page, was my grandfather's signature. What struck me the most was that while all the other notetakers wrote in Yiddish, my grandfather took notes in Hebrew and this being 1921, I was facinated that he took notes b'ivrit while the conversation going on around him was in Yiddish. When I looked through the rest of the YIVO file, I found letters also signed by my grandfather, this time as the "Yoshev Rosh" of the "Histadrut Hatzionit BeMazeik". Then, I came across more letters, also signed by him as the "Menahel" of the "Bais Hasefer Haamami Haivri BeMazeik." I made copies of some of these letters and would be proud to share them with you if you are interested. I wanted to inform you of this file at YIVO, if you weren't already aware of it. There were many other community related documents in this file that you might also be interested in. Among old photos my mother has, are some of my grandfather (and some with my grandmother, Sarah Leah Bein) with fellow teachers from the Bais Hasefer. I am attaching a scan of one photo which must have been a class picture from the school from 1921. My grandfather is on the far right of the four teachers seated in the center. I don't know who anyone else in the photo is, but some of the teachers are in other photos we have. I also have a photo of what must have been a class picture from the "Sefer Ivri Akmene." There is no date on this picture and there are no adults in it. I can send you this picture as well if you want it. As far as I know, both of my grandparents were born in Akmene. I know they were married there in 1922 and lived there after as well. I know Akmene is "right next door" to Mazeikiai, so maybe he traveled to teach. I'm not sure, but from "family legend" I think my grandfather may have been instrumental in starting the school in Mazeikiai. If you are interested in any of the documents I have, please let me know. If you have or come across any information relating to my family, I would be very interested in it. Please contact me via email at bmc1024@nyc.rr.com. Thank you and kudos on a very informative website. go to top of page |
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