Meet the Residents of Stavisht

The Linderman family to the right; unidentified family on the left. Read more about this photo on the Gallery page.

As you explore the names, narratives, and photos of the people of Stavisht, please remember that this site has been put together with the personal collections and research of only a few individuals. Your contributions to this site, whether it be family stories, recipes, documents, or photographs, will help continue to grow the site and keep it interesting and vibrant to descendants of Stavisht families. If you have an item to share, corrections, or other names to include in the database, please contact the webmaster.

Below you will find links to the Resident Database, the Stavisht Yizkor Book, and the photo Gallery page. The Stavisht Resident Database created by Karen I. Sanders in 2012 was updated in 2016. It lists more than 2500 names, including family relationships, and provides information on the resources used.

The Stavisht Yizkor Book and the family memories posted on the Stories page bring to life many of the shtetl's residents. Work your way through links to both written and oral family stories and the chapters of the Yizkor Book to read about Rabbi Yitzhak Avraham Gaisinsky, the cantor who coughed whenever he sang, and the memories of Yosl Golub who outlines the families, shops, and synagogues of Stavisht circa 1919-1920.

And, be sure to view the photos of beloved Stavishters on the Gallery page.

And, So Much More

Many documents of the area, including and surrounding Stavisht, have come to light since the database creation and its 2016 update. Some have been added to the collections on JewishGen and will come up in a search by town or name. One that has not been added is the names of inhabitants of Stavisht (and Zhashkov) in 1913 by trade. Additionally, many documents held in Russian or Ukrainian archives are now viewable online. The documents have not yet been obtained, translated, or indexed by JewishGen, although some are in process. This takes designated funding along with someone to manage the process. If you are interested in donating, translating, or managing a JewishGen effort on behalf of Stavisht, please contact the webmaster. These efforts not only help family researchers learn more about their families, but also help us better understand what life was like for our Stavisht ancestors.

Avraham Harzfeld (nee Postrelko)

Born in Stavisht, Avraham Harzfeld was an active Zionist while in Russia and was arrested and sentenced to Siberia. After escaping and making his way to Eretz Israel, he became a recognized labor and agricultural leader before embarking on a political career. He was a central figure in the establishment of early Israeli settlements (kibbutzim) and later became a member of the Knesset. There are many resources available to learn more about his life and activities.

Meet the Residents of Stavisht

PEOPLE

YIZKOR BOOK

GALLERY

And, So Much More

Avraham Harzfeld (nee Postrelko)