Abraham S Goldberg

    1. My GOLDBERG great grandfather, Ephraim, and at least two brothers, Yechezkel and DovBer ("Berrel"), left Swislocz to emigrate to Liverpool, England, around 120 years ago.  Their father was Arye  Leib.  I have always wondered whether there were other siblings who emigrated elsewhere.  Also, of course, if any of the family remained in Swislocz. Does anyone know of any GOLDBERG families in Swislocz prior to WWII?

    2. Ruchama, a daughter of Rabbi Mordechai Gimpel Jaffe, married a Yosef GOLDBERG late in the 19th century and they settled in Swislocz,  where Yosef was a prominent businessman and influential in the local  Jewish community.  Yosef's father was Ephraim and he lived in  Deretchin.  Ephraim died in August 1890 whilst making a visit to  Swislocz and was buried there.  Is anyone aware of this family and what happened to them?

    3. I have a strong research interest in the pattern of emigration from Swislocz to Liverpool, England.  I would appreciate any information on this, particularly names of families and the dates  they emigrated from Swislocz to Liverpool.  Does anyone out there have family who made this move?

    4. I would like to toss out a few family names from Swislocz of the 19th century in the hope that someone might recognise them and be able to inform me further.  The spellings are more phonetic than accurate, so please make the necessary allowances!  The families are: Dvoretzki, Fagin, Mass, Slapak, Slott, Sorkin, and Swift (Schwiff?).

    5. I would appreciate any information on Rabbis of Swislocz, throughout the community's existence, their families and what happened to them.  I am particularly interested in tracing the descendants of the legendary Rabbi Meir Yona, who was Rabbi there around 100 years ago.

    6. Has anyone heard of a Moshe Arye ben Yisroel LIFSHITZ who was, apparently, a prominent member of the community some 100 years ago.

    7. Is anyone aware how many Jewish cemeteries there were in Swislocz, during the course of the community's history, and their current location and condition?

    8. Has anyone had experiences on tracing vital (viz Birth, Marriage and Death) records, Census records, etc, for Swislocz Jews?

    9. I was always told that the Jews who left Swislocz during the "Pogrom season" of the final Quarter of the 19th century, mainly settled in Liverpool, New York or Tel Aviv.  Apparently, those of later generation(s), who managed to get out prior to or during World War II, also went to Canada and South America.  Does anyone have information on these migrations and, also, on any locations that  have/had major Swisloczer concentrations?

10. Further to the last question, does anyone know whether there were any specific ex-Swislocz organisations, such as Landsmanschaften, Synagogue, Communal Club, etc in any of these places. 

11. Does the SIG have, or know of, suitable direct contacts in the various places that have/had major Swisloczer concentrations?  I believe that, to be effective, the SIG needs someone in each of these places to act as a focus for informational enquiries and family  research guidance as to local information and records etc.  Please try to nominate suitable "local representatives" of your family or acquaintance.

12. I have a "feeling" that some of my Swislocz family may have ended up somewhere in South America.  I have nothing to substantiate this nor am I thinking of any specific city.  Any suggestions how I might proceed (with a name as common as Goldberg!) to investigate this possibility?

13. On a purely religious note.  Does anyone have any publication or recollections etc of religious (liturgical, etc) customs ("minhagim") unique and specific to Swislocz and/or its environs?

14. I would like to see a full bibliographic listing of all works (religious, secular, professional, etc) published by Swisloczers and their descendants.  Can anyone help?

15. Does anyone have good maps, guide books, information on tourist guides,  and current local data (in English?!) for Swislocz and its environs?  Who has visited the town in post-WW2 times and have they "written up" their trip(s).  I suggest the SIG build up an archival collection of such records.  perhaps we can draft some guidelines as to style, format, etc and try to produce a uniform collection, perhaps for SIG or, even, general publication?