Continuation of the Appendix


The Jewish Cemetery in Yurburg

By Joel Alpert and Fania Hilelson Jivotovsky

 

"Show me your cemeteries, and I will tell you what kind of people you have." Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)
For most of us any cemetery is a somber and a sad place to visit. It is the "city of the silent," where we seek out that very special stone that carries the name of the person we still love, and recapture our treasured moments and images with that person. We shed a tear and place a flower or a marble on the carved granite, and whisper a prayer before we leave.

In front of the stone of a loved one, we face our own mortality. There and then, we are better able to sort out what is really important in the big scheme of things, before we too depart one day.

Other cemeteries might be less personal to us, yet they remain fascinating places with a unique tranquility and history, where a name carved in stone becomes eternal and carries the spirit of somebody's life and a memento of achievements of the common everyday person who lived and worked, and contributed to the creation of a better place for those that followed.

But not all cemeteries are sources of community pride and not all societies promote an attitude of reverence and respect, and encourage preservation of these unique resources for future generations to appreciate and learn from. If a society fails to deal with this issue not only will genealogical and historical past be distorted, but also this society will potentially lose its civility. Along the way the ability to record the true course of its human history will also be lost.

On our trip to Yurburg in May of 2001, we found the "Old Jewish Cemetery of Yurburg", which remains a forgotten but unique memorial to a centuries old Jewish community that perished in the hands of the Nazis and their willing Lithuanian collaborators.

The cemetery sits on a hill about a kilometer to the east of the town, overlooking the Nieman River in a beautiful and idyllic setting of the Lithuanian countryside. Amazingly, this cemetery, unlike the other sites we have visited, remains in relatively good condition, with the grass not too high, and the view of the headstones and graves still unobstructed by the bushes and trees overgrowing the monuments that remain. Some headstones still stand proudly upright, while others, worn out by relentless passage of time or vandalism, are lying on the ground.

The Nazis overran the Jewish community of Yurburg on the very first day of the German invasion of Lithuania, on June 22, 1941. This is the only institution of the Jewish community of Yurburg remaining today, six decades after the murder of all the Jewish residents.

 

The Yurburg Cemetery in May 2001 [Photo by Dr. Leon Menzer]

 

It is now well known that that the old Jewish cemetery of Yurburg became one of the massacre sites of the Jews of Yurburg. Today, in this cemetery, we can find a memorial engraved in stone and long rows of gravel marking the site where Jews were forced to dig their own graves into which they fell after they were brutally massacred.

But things are slowly beginning to change. In 1990, the current Yurburg community, now all non-Jews undertook to clean up the cemetery. Dobba Most Rosenberg, a 72 year old former Yurburger, who still lives in Lithuania, accompanied us on the trip to Yurburg in May 2001; she told us of an effort to engrave a new stone in memory of the Yurburg Jews who perished in the war. A proper inscription on the monument will place Jews at the beginning of the citation, because most of the victims of the massacres were Jews. The old memorial inscription bearly mentions that the Jews were the majority of the victims. Gladly, we gave money to the Jewish community in Vilna to help them accomplish this task.

 

 

 

In 1995, Donald Levinsohn of Maple Shade New Jersey commissioned a Lithuanian to photograph the headstones of the Old Jewish Cemetery of Yurburg. Donald then sent the photos to Joel Alpert who translated the legible inscriptions. Of the 325 photos, Joel could read the first names and the family names of about half of them, and first names on most of the remainder (see the "List of headstones" below, revised by Max Michelson of Natick, Massachusetts).

One late night as Joel was translating these head stones, he realized in amazement that he had found his own great-grandmother's head stone. "Leah (Naividel) Krelitz, daughter of Hillel" was what he read. Joel relates that the date of her death, as indicated on the head stone was 1904 and confirms the family story. "My grandmother, Celia Krelitz, was faced with a painful and most difficult decision of her life - to stay with her mother who had fallen ill, or leave before borders would close tightly. Celia Krelitz chose the ultimate sacrifice that would have repercussions for generations to come - with a pained heart she left her mother she knew she would never see again. Thanks to her sacrifice, a generation of her descendants could live in safe haven. Celia accompanied her sister Rachel and her cousin Hillel Eliashevitz (Harry Ellis), whom she would marry a few short years later, and went to America in 1903." Leah did have a son Meyer Krelitz, and two daughters, Elka Krelitz Zarnitsky and Masha Krelitz Abramsohn, who remained behind with her in Yurburg.

In May 2001, Joel Alpert, Brenda Freshman, and Itzhak Zarnitsky, all descendants of Leah Krelitz had made a trip to Lithuania and visited her grave in the Old Jewish Cemetery of Yurburg. It was most likely the first time in 60 years since the Shoah that anyone in the family had visited the gravesite.

On that trip in 2001, we visited numerous other Jewish cemeteries. In Rassein, we could only find a plaque on a low stone wall overlooking an empty field that indicated the site of the old Jewish cemetery. In Kibart we found the Jewish cemetery surrounded by a fence with many standing headstones, all overgrown with trees, weeds and thick bushes growing right out of the graves. But the mausoleum marking the grave of our cousin's Josef Rosin's grandfather could still be easily identified, in spite of continuous vandalism endured over the years.

In Sudarg, just a few kilometers to the west of Yurburg, behind a farmer's house, we found a fenced off field behind a farm house with a sign telling that this was the site of the Old Sudarg Jewish cemetery. With only a handful of headstones visible, finding an old stone of an ancestor in an old forgotten graveyard of Lithuania was tantamount to a sheer miracle. Said Fania: "two standing headstones of my great grandparents had an emotional impact on me that is difficult to convey. Splendidly preserved and imprinted for eternity in a dusty stone of Sudarg, these were my roots, the ones I came to reclaim. To learn about the past was an enriching experience for me and it became a journey of self awareness and understanding."

 

What many of us have learned is that, it is important to preserve and visit these forgotten places of our past. Our ancestors, they too made this world a better one for us to live. Some of them paved the way for others to find better lives, and sacrificed their own along the way.

By visiting these forgotten Jewish cemeteries of our ancestors in blood-soaked Lithuania and paying tribute to our past, we accept all of life – with the joys and the sorrows, the love and the loss, as we remember….

March, 2003, Montreal and Boston

 


The Yurburg Cemetery

 

 

 

Headstones of Yakov Naividel and Rafael Feinberg

Photos Courtesy Kestas Dijokas / Boris Feldblyum Collection © 1995 Email: boris@bfcollection.net

 

 

New Memorial Plaques that now Memorialize the Jewish Victims

Not in original Yizkor book - Courtesy of Dr. Leon Menzer - June 2003

Close up of New Memorial Plaques that Memorialize the Jewish Victims

Not in original Yizkor book - Courtesy of Dr. Leon Menzer - June 2003

These plaques read in Lithuanian on the left and in Yiddish on the right:

"Here, on the third of July 1941, the Nazis and their local collaborators murdered more than 300 Jews and several tens of Lithuanians and Russians. In 1941 the entire Yurburg Jewish community was liquidated - more than 2000 people."

LIST OF PHOTOS OF HEADSTONES

Commissioned by Donald Levinsohn and taken in the summer of 1995. Translations by Joel Alpert with corrections by Max Michelson. Material owned by Donald Levinsohn and Joel Alpert, may be used for genealogical purposes only.

PHOTO

LAST

FIRST

FATHER'S

FATHER'S

Death

Death

Birth

Additional

NUMBER

NAME

NAME

NAME

LAST

Year

Mon/Day

Date

Comments

135

Abramson

Zalman

Chaim Yehuda

Abramson

1860

117

Abramson

Rachel

Shmuel

1902

290

Abramson

M

169

Achdan?

Bay Yitzhak

Chaim

Achdan?

43

Alperovitz

Aharon

Hashitz Yitzhak Dvd

Alperovitz

1915

177

Anazavitz?

Sarah Leah

Yosef

230

Anshel

Eliahu

Shraga

Anshel

1910

57

Apriaski

Yitzhak

Ychzka

Apriaski

1897

109

Aranom

Sarah Hinda

Mier

12

Arnstein

Eliahu

Yehuda

Arnstein

1921

Torah Reader

241

Azafavitz

Yisrael

Tzvi Hersh

Azafavitz

1890?

227

Azaftitz

Eliezer Kitka

Tzvi Hersh

Azafavitz

1864

64

B?edlar

A. M.

1940

1850

10

Barski

Moshe

Sharmyahu

Barski

1895

251

Barski

Yacov Meir

Barski

19

Beckman

Mattyahu

Moshe

Beckman

1932

148

Beralmitz

Hosah Sarah Frieda

Same as 157

147

Beralovar

Hanah

Manat

1913

229

Berkover

Shalmad Tzvi

Yehuda

Berkover

1928

75

Berman

Chaia

Yitzhak

Berman

1925

142

Berman

Chaisa Hanah

8/18

314

Bernstain

Jetta

Gittelmann

1929

36

Bernstein

Yenta Kreena

Netelman

1929

315

Bernstein

Wolf

1937?

1/8

Roman Letters, Stone broken

14

Bloma

Mrt?

Meir

Alperovitz

1930

34

Boraski

Rueven

Yehuda Lev

1882

35

Chabdon

Shalom

Yisrael

1889

5

Chosid

Shnaier Zalman

Aharon

Chosid

1922

Son-in-law of Israel Levinsohn #1

232

Dramveen?

Pnina Malka

Dovid

Perlman

1919

58

Epshtein

Yakov

Moshe

Epshtein

1901

190

Ess

Yosef

Avraham

Ess

1906?

Same as 188

61

Ess

Dov

Nachman Mordechai

Ess

1939

154

Ess

Rachel Elka

Aharon

Ess

1868

179

Feenah

Devorah

Dovar

6

Feinberg

Shlama Lev

Nachum Yacov

Feinberg

1912

4/4

6

Feinberg

Yosef Dov

Nachum Yacov

Feinberg

1912

8/15

305

F(e)inberg

Nachum Yacov

Moshe Menachum

Feinberg

1917

10/1

303

Feinberg

Chaie Taube

Jacobsohn

1923

7/2

1850

Roman Letters

21

Feinberg

Hanah Malka

Yeheskal Mordechai

Karmi?

1933

1886

140

Feinberg

Rena Malka

1933

1886

84

Feinberg

Sarah

Yacov Asher

1921

Grandmother of Helen Kizell Beiles

52

Feinberg

Yoel

Shlama

1887

174

Feinberg

Rafael

Naftali Hertz

1885

Large Horizonal

72

Fidler

Dovid Leb

Tzvi

Fidler

1927

302

Fidler

Dawid

1927

Same as #72, Likely backside, Roman letters

60

Freeman

Gita

Kappel

Freeman

1936

222

Galvshar

Yehuda

Akehlim

Galvshar

Left

26

Hacohen?

Yehuda Lev

Eliahu

Hacohen

1923

25

Hacohen?

Lev

Yisrael

Hacohen?

1915

267

Hertz

Asher

73

Heselovitz

Yehuda Leb

Yehoshua

Heselovitz

1932

85

Heselovitz

Avraham

Baruch

Heselovitz

1912

Common Stone*

76

Heselovitz

Shana

Yitzhak

1915

8/23

316

Ivenski

Ita Raina

Roman Letters

326

Ivensky

Chloine? Zelik

Roman Letters

309

Jablonski

Melik?

1936

318

Jablonsky

Shlma

Tzvi

1911

139

Joelsohn

Sophie

Dovid Abraham

Zundelevitz

1913

Age 29

321

Joffe

I. L.

1917

1876

Roman Letters

328

Juselit?

1923

16

Kagan

Rachael Batia

Nachum Yakov

1931

134

Karabelnik

Yonah

Yisrael Natan

1935

137

Katz

Shayna

Yacov

1865

224

Kavakalaska

Yosef Yakov

Ykutial

Kavakalaska

1906

68

Kobelkowski

Hanah Frieda

Nachum Mordechai

1913

103

Kobelkowski

Chaia Bachia

Dovid

1906

13

Kolisar

Pinchas

Eliezer

Kolisar

1927

28

Kopelov

Guttman Lev

Zvi

Kopelov

1917

Same broken

93

Kopelovitz

Nemal? Shoham

Nachman Lieb

1921?

Same broken

94

Kopelovitz

Nemal? Shoham

Nachman Lieb

1921?

8/5

327

Kopelow

Scheitel

David

Feinberg

1926

265

Krelitz

Leah

Hillel

Naividel

1904

1/21

Joel Alpert's GGM

30

Kushlevitz

Hana

Yitzhak

Hacohen?

1921

71

Kushner

Eliezer

Avraham

Kushner

1923

310

Landan

161

Lashitz

Mina

Numyhi?

1864

253

Latushitz

Mordechai

Shlyma

Latushitz

1909

277

Lau?

Rachel Leah

1921

252

Lavzinov

Natan

Lavzinov

1866

96

Lazar

Eliezer? Yakov

1930

225

Lesvin

Yacov Dovid

1906

156

Levin

Chasha

Eliezer

Levin

1934

80

Levin

Pesha

Moshe

1915

152

Levin?

Yisrael Dovid

Moshe

Levin?

1

Levinson

Israel

Moshe Halevi

Levinson

1887

4/9

Jack Cossid's GGGFather

2

Levinson

Yitzhak

Moshe Halevi

Levinson

1867

Rabbi

4

Levinson

Raiza

Yisrael

Levinson

1913

6/12

159

Levinson

Devorah

Eliakum

1864?

3

Levinson

Sarah

Dober Hacohen

1865

Father: Rabbi

171

Levishitz?

Solzdison

Alez?

1904

226

Levitan

Chaim Tzvi

Avraham

Levitan

1872

160

Levitan

Sarah Feiga

160

Levitan

Zalman

145

Leyuveen?

Yisrael Dovid

1934

304

Liubin?

Jakir

1933

Roman Letters

268

Lveafshitz ?

Asher

Avraham Yitzhak

Lveafshitz ?

100

Mashkerstmal?

Avraham

Eliahu

1907?

259

Menev?

Menachem

Yosef

Zar? Tanase?

32

Mentzer

Avraham

Yakor

Mentzer

1929

317

Michalauskienes

Rive

1936

1876

48

Milbar?

Lisa?

Yitzhak

1882

44

Mivalosky

Devora Rivka

Eliezer

Mivalosky

1936

208

Modar?

Hillel

Benjamin

Blass

1910

17

Most

Israel

Markivi?

Most

1919

213

Naividel

Shmuel

Yacov

Naividel

1910

2/11

d.2Adar

69

Natmechuas?

Ruven

1931

23

Palavin

Meir Sharna

Yakov

Palavin

1917

207

Poladavitz

Yakov

Yitzhak

Poladavitz

1864

54

Pollak

Hinda Tzerla

27

Pulerevitz

Rivka

Yakov

Pulerevitz

1915

Sister

27

Pulerevitz

Chai Reesa

Yakov

Pulerevitz

1913

Sister

97

Pulerevitz

Yosef

Aharon

1888?

88

Pulerevitz?

Hersh

Yisrael

1880

92

Rabinovitz

Hinda Rachel

Chaim

Rabinovitz

1910

35

Rabinovitz

Miriam

Yoel HaCohen

Rabinovitz

38

Rabinovitz

Yehuda

1913

38

Rabinovitz

Chai Sarah

Zadok

Wife of Yehuda

324

Rabinovitz

Maks?

250

Razkeal?

108

Reezkin?

Roovar

Yitzhak

1890?

29

Rickler

Rachael

Lewinson

1934

9/11

24

Rickler

Chiena Rachael

Nata? Halevi

1935

201

Ricklish

Cheana

Hillel

Yabo

1865

90

Rozen

Sarah Beylah

Hillel

Rozen

1924

319

Rochco

Henna Riva

Shmuel

Bentzion

1919

323

Rochco

Moshe Menachem

Shraga

1915?

301

Sach

Salomon

Shmuel?

Sach

1806?

Roman Letters

307

Schmulovitz

Scheine Malke

1934

4/20

Roman Letters

329

Simonov

Olga

Yoel

1907

320

Singerman

Sore Pesche

Yehuda

1915

89

Shachnovitz

Yitzhak

Aharon

1912

70

Shapira

Shraga

Nachman HaCohen

Shapira

1917

20

Shapira

Miriam Rivka

Yosef

Shapira

1916

79

Shapira

Eliezer

Yehuda Hacohen

1914

170

Sheftakboim

Miriam

Dovid

1852

124

Shmalovitz

Shayna Tochel?

Yacov

209

Shov-zatzal?

Masha Leah

Wife-Yitzhak Shov-zatzal

45

Shraga

Mordechai

Yosef Yitzhak

116

Shraga?

Chaia

1884

308

Sundelowitz

Dora

Yitzhak Leb

1903

8/25

Roman Letters

311

Sundelowitz

244

Tavbtall ?

Yisrael

Chaim

Tavbtall ?

312

Urbach

Schmuel

1901

9

Tompavski

Rivka

Mordechai Tov

1880

306

Urmizn?

ME

1938

4/9

Roman Letters

247

Vabil

Yakov Dovid

Eliezer

Vabil

1899

243

Vaboaroski

Lev

Yon Raud ?

Vaboaroski

1902

158

Vachan

Yacov Yaka

Moshe

Vachan

1925

95

Valdislevski

Tooba

Eliezer

1939?

62

Veelenzek

Blooma

Moshe

1913

15

Verbelovski

Gershon

Yehuda

Verbelovski

1921

7

Verbelovski

Haim

Avraham Akiva

Verbelovski

1912

14

Verbelovski

Sarah

Dov Baer

1936

313

Verblauskas

Chaimas

1912

149

Weizman

Blooma

Tzvi

1935

8

Yablonsky

Miriam Devora

Moshe Yonah

1936

18

Yaffach

Yitzhak Lev

Chaim Zeev

Yaffach

1917

146

Yankelovitz

Benzion

Noah

Yankelovitz

1909

101

Yazakovitz?

Dov Baer

Tzvi

1911

162

Yerkmeaheum

Chana Hinda

Laksndavestin

1889

276

Zadokoski

Yakov Dovid

Yazalit ?

163

Zalabartski

Yisrael Yosef

Tzvi HaLevi

1883

Very Long Inscr.

322

Zak

Mashelmeres

Aezak

151

Zapolsky

Shayna Beylah

Menachem Mendel

1940?

Olga Zapolsky Gans's Aunt

228

Zaratzeer

Avraham Yitzhak

Leib

Zaratzeer

1865

65

Zeedar

Chaia Inta

Shmuel? Dovid

1930

59

Zelik

Shlama

Pinchas

153

Zochder?

Yehuda Leib

Crenta?

1865

37

Zoldarolavitz

Shamri Tovia

Zalkind Zeev

1925

22

Zundelevitz

Hitzla

Dov

Bernstein

1922

140

Zundelevitz

Gisha Misha?

1931

237

Avitar

Molchar

Alder?

1863

283

Avalanska

1932

231

Miriam

Azafavitz

1872?

212

Aharon

Tzvi

Bal Lavar

275

Miriam Shma??

Beloski

1900

245

Sarah

Benhol

1890

296

Sarah ?

Halenel ?

Bosazar ?

262

Devorah

Moshe

Dachdelach

41

Basha

Dan

1915

285

Yitzhak

Dovar

Daztan

1909

274

Esther

Eliahu

Feller

256

Mada Asha ?

Avraham

Giva?

1936

126

Chai Micla

Abraham Aba

Hacohen

1885

55

Michal

Zeev

HaLevi

Old Man 7 Days

63

Etel

Nachman

HaLevi

143

Chaia Bee?

Yitzhak

Halonpton

221

Shalom Levi Chiad

Tovia

Herdnariu?

186

Dov Baer

Aharon

Kalitz

1922

1854

208

Avraham

Karza?

1910

185

Tzvi

Simcha

Kochman?

Died Suddenly

182

Moshe

Simcha

Komstone?

257

Esther Rivka

Yitzhak

Konamski

289

Menachem

Yacov Haled?

Levamal

1884

132

Eta Malka

Natan Nata

Levi

173

Sfula

Mulish

Female

272

Polarvitz

114

Tzfee

Rosenfeld

1885?

201

Shayna

Shapira

Behind 201

180

Esther

Yisrael? Yitzhak

Sharasharski

255

Micha

Machor

Tinchov

Daughter

176

Yomhada?

Eliezer

Tomazvitz

216

Amra?

Avraham

Varabalovski

40

Eta

Yakov

1876

279

Avitar

Zel??

214

Tova Dafra

Moshe

Zinchok?

235

Genia

Yehuda

1910?

198

1904?

78

Eliezer

Moshe

1902?

123

1882?

120

Sarah

Yitzhak

1880?

111

Chaia Yichbad?

Avarahm

1879?

81

Eliahu

1845?

77

Dovid Avraham

1841?

Woman

33

Chaia

Mordechai

1936

Twin

297

Rivka

Dovid

1932

Wife-Chanuch Karabelnik

85

Shayna Leah

Nachman

1925

Common Stone*

165

Chasia

Yakov

1924

242

Shimshon Dovid

Pinchas

1919

128

1914

Broken Stone

167

Peshia

Avraham

1911

Wife of Dovid Levinsohn

299

1910

11

Gala Raisa

Zvi Zarin

1909

119

Eisar

Chaim

1904

248

1902

150

Frieda

Dovar

1900

220

Yitzak Halevi

1900

Repeat?

91

Hanah

Aharon?

1895

294

1893

175

Devorah

1891

86

Devorah

Moshe

1887

Common Stone+

121

Beylah

Yehuda?

1887

107

Shmari

Fuardavi?

1886

138

Fiega

Benny

1885

211

Pinchas

1885

51

Tzvi

1883

118

1883

199

Moshe HaCohen

1882

Daughter

104

Yisrael

1881

Woman

129

Devorah

Yitzhak

1879

293

Tzvi

1879

87

Rivka Rosa

Avraham

1869

106

Malka

1869

136

Batia?

Moshe

1865

266

1865

144

Rachel Rivka

Yehoshua

1864

291

Yehuda Shalom

Avraham

1864

223

Frieda

Nachum

1861

239

Pesha

1861

246

1861

249

1861

83

Yehezkel

1848

Heb:yod ayn taf resh lfk yurburg

31

Devora

Aharon Yosef

39

Hanah

Shlama

42

Rachel

46

BatSheva

47

Devorah

Yisrael

49

50

Shlama

Woman

53

Yitzhak

Hamoleg

56

Nachman

66

Sarah Rivka

Simcha

67

74

Sarah

Naftali Hertz

82

Sarah Rachel

Simcha

86

Meir

Old Man +

98

Toomba?

Hershal?

99

Woman

102

105

Ephriam

Shlayma

110

Sarah

Yechiel

112

Avraham

113

115

Blooma

Yitzhak

122

125

Eli

127

Yitzhak

Adriel?

130

Leah

131

Reesha

Meir

Woman

133

Avaraham

141

144

Motala

155

Hanah

Mohard?

157

Same as 148

164

Berteleba

168

Havatula Mulka

Yitzhak

172

178

Yosef

181

Same as 179

183

184

187

188

189

191

Same as 189

192

193

194

195

Esther

Moshe

196

197

Yehoshua

Avraham

Left

197

Right

200

202

203

204

205

206

210

215

217

218

219

222

Alimard??

Right Daughter

233

Same as 231

234

Asher Dovid

236

Mordechai

Daughter

238

Same as 237

240

254

Tamar Tzadok

Afraim

258

Yisrael

Left

258

Right

260

Shmuel Nachum

261

Dovid

263

264

269

270

Yosel

Moshe

271

Avraham

Son

273

Miriam Rivka

Yakov

278

Dinah

Yitzhak HaCohen

Left

278

Right

280

Rachel

Yitzhak

281

Elka

282

284

286

287

Menachem

 


Model of the Yurburg Shul in El Paso

By Joel Alpert

 

View Right Side of the Model of the Old Wooden Synagogue of Yurburg

 

There existed in El Paso a Holocaust museum of 3000 square feet built through the energies of Henry Kellen, a Holocaust survivor from Lithuania. This building burned down due to an electrical fire on Oct. 1, 2001. Undetered, Henry decided to convert the disaster into an opportunity to build an even larger Holocaust Museum and is now (2003) in the process of erecting a 30,000 square foot structure, with the generous financial help of the Mexican Jewish community and on land donated by the Mesa Group of El Paso. It will be located near the downtown close to the entrance to the I-10 freeway. The architect will be a young Mexican Jew.

As part of this new museum, Henry Kellen has asked that Hank Scherr build a model replica of the Yurburg Shul (Old Wooden Synagogue) for placement into the museum. Henry had visited that shul in 1935 and fondly recalls it and wanted it memorialized through this model.

Shown above and below are views of that model already built by Hank Scherr.

 

Front and Back View of the Model of the Wooden Synagogue of Yurburg

Left Side View of the Model of the Old Wooden Synagogue of Yurburg

Another View of the Model of the Old Wooden Synagogue of Yurburg

 


Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004

Subject: Miniature old wooden Synagogue of Yurburg built by Hank Sher

 

Dear Joel,

My name is Henry Kellen, originally from Klaipeda. We spoke several times on the phone.

Sorry to inform you that our good friend Hank Sherr passed away last Friday (Feb. 7, 2004), and was buried on Sunday in the Jewish cemetery in El Paso.

In his obituary it was mentioned that Hank built a miniature replica of the old wooden Synagogue of Yurburg. His model will be displayed in our future Holocaust museum.

We hope by the year 2005, we will have a new building which will be our Holocaust museum. Due to the fact that El Paso's economy is very slow, we are struggling to raise the necessary money to build a museum.

Any help from you and your Jewish community will be highly appreciated.

Best Regards,

Henry Kellen

 


Obituary for Henry Scherr - February 7, 2004

Henry Scherr lived 75 great years, married 53 years to his loving wife Etta Mae, proud father of his 3 children, Janet Lerman, Dr. Jay Scherr, and Jim Scherr, known as "Papa Hank" to his 6 grandchildren: Rhaelynne Scherr, Maxey Marie Scherr, Jason Scherr, Whitney Scherr, Jamie Scherr, Milton Lerman, Michelle Lerman and Jasmine Scherr; and 2 great grandchildren, Kaira Frank and Tryston Obevoen. Lovingly and loyally devoted to his family, friends and community, Hank made El Paso home to everyone he met, in every walk of life, from China, Korea, Japan, and Europe to Canutillo and Borderland. Hank was born 6/3/28 in Philadelphia as youngest child of Joseph and Sally Scherr and attended University of Pennsylvania studying Mortuary Science. He served the U.S. Army in the Korean War. Hank worked in farming and in sales. He established Artistic Coat Company, manufacturing and selling ladies coats. Hank's hobby became his legacy, building for the Holocaust Museum the replica of the Yurburg Lithuania Synagogue destroyed in World War II, and beautiful sailing ships, airplanes and doll houses. Hank lived a life filled with happiness, beauty, strength and hope. Hank thanks his family, friends, and community. His honorary pallbearers are Karl M. Friedman, Allan Jay Friedman, Andre Lerman, Irwin Grodin, Don Garcy, Dr. Larry Gladstone, Sam Legate, Dr. Ben Taber, Dr. Cyril Sliom, Dr. Sol Heller, Don Shapiro and David Bingham. Graveside services will be February 8, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. at Temple Mt. Sinai Cemetery, 3911 Gateway West. Donations may be made to VNA Hospice or the Charity of your choice. Directed by San Jose Funeral Home. 532-1856.


Map and Property Records of 1907

From the Kaunas Regional Archives

Fond I-51, Inventory 5, File #63

List of Real Estate Owners of Yurburg

From Town of Jurbarkas, Uyezd of Raseiniai, Gubernia of Kaunas

1. See plot number identification on map following the list for the corresponding record numbers.

2. Note that the spellings of the names may differ from accepted English spellings due to different transliteration convention.

 

Surname

Given Name Plot #

ABELSON

Abel

250

ABRAMSON

Itsyk

99

ABRAMSON

Izrael

101

ABRAMSON

no name

102

ABRAMSON

no name

194

ABRAMSON

Zusel

174

ADLER

Ette

356

ALEKSANDROVICH

Iosel

240

ALPEROVICH

David

82

ANTSEL

Ilia

248

ARSHTEYN

Ilia

345

ARSHTEYN

Yankel

245

AYZENSHTADT

Chaim

187

BEKER

Leyzer

159

BEKKER

Orel

24

BERENSHTEYN

Berel

165

BERENSHTEYN

Ekhil

207

BERENSHTEYN

no name

162

BERMAN

Abel

147

BERMAN

Berel

180

BERMAN

Itsyk

185

BERMAN

Movsha

116

BEYMAN

Kreyna

83

BEYMAN

Rocha

65

BLUMENTAL

Shmuel

164

BORKOVER

Ionel

16

BORKOVER

Slon (??)

177

BRESKY

no name

160

BRESKY

Roza

263

BRESKY

Shmaya

152

CHERTOK

Chaya Mera

25

DANILEVICH

Chaim

87

DAVIDOVICH

Piner (?)

171

DAVIDZON

Shaim

127

DEVAL

Orel

360

DVINAYTSKY

Abram

90

DVINAYTSKY

David

251

ELIASHEVICH

Leyzer

89

EPSHTEYN

Freyda

117

EPSHTEYN

Sura

182

ERSH / ERIN (?)

Girsh

79

ESS

Etla (?)

92

ESS

Irsh

80

ESS

Movsha

148

ESS

Tevel

62

ESS

Yankel

93

FEYNBERG

David

67

FEYNBERG

Gabriel

68

FEYNBERG

Leyzer

121

FEYNBERG

Leyzer

136

FEYNBERG

Mordkhel

257

FEYNBERG

Sora

122

FEYNBERG

Zelik

123

FIN

Girsh

253

FINBERG

Nokhim

367

FLEKS

Anna

233

FRIDLAND

Kalman

276

FRIDLER

David

338

FRIDMAN

Leyba

354

GACRALSKY

Honel

280

GAMLER

Leyb

184

GERMAN

Oisel

74

GERSHELEVICH

Girsh

95

GESELEVICH

Abram

110

GESELKEVICH

Leyb

66

GESELZON

Kushel

124

GESHENFELD

Mikhel

384

GEYNSHEYNFELD

Mikhel

361

GEYSHENFELD

Mikhel

178

GLAZER

Benjamin

355

GLAZER

Girsh

189

GLAZER

Girsh

234

GOLDSHTEYN

Iokhel

88

GOLDSHTEYN

Joseph

199

GOLDSHTEYN

Mendel

145

GRIMFERD

no name

100

GRINBERG

Mordkhel

254

GUTOVSKY

Chaya

77

IOZEFER

Shlema

351

IOZELIT

Abram

31

IOZELIT

Robert

115

IOZELIT

Robert

125

IOZELIT

Robert

128

IOZELIT

Tsodyk

139

IOZELIT

Tsodyk

141

Jewish School

186

Jewish Synagogue

109

Jewish Synagogue

119

Jewish Synagogue

120

KABLUKOVSKY

Abram

130

KABLUKOVSKY

no name

370

KABLUKOVSKY

Rochel

173

KABLUKOVSKY

Zelik

91

KABLUKOVSKY

Zelik

94

KANTER

Bentsel

190

KAPLAN

Abel

85

KAPLAN

Abel

138

KAPLAN

Abel

140

KAPLAN

Nosel

20

KAPLAN

Orel

224

KAPRIAS

Sora

28

KIZEL

Movsha

111

KIZEL

Movsha

151

KIZEL

Movsha

157

KOMEL

Mordkhel

249

KOMEL

Mordkhel

260

KRECHMEN

no name

149

KRELITZ

Meyer

161

KRELITZ

Meyer

163

KRUPINSKY

Iudel

113

KURLIANDSKY

Mikhel

398

KUSHELEVICH

Berel

129

KUSHELEVICH

Leyzer

369

KUSHEVSKY

Abram

175

KUSHNER

Eliash

6

LATYSHEVICH

Mordkhel

382

LEVIN

Beyla

373

LEVIN

Notel

78

LEVINSON

Chana

352

LEVINSON

Leyb

132

LEVINSON

Leyba

153

LEVINSON

Reyza

188

LEVITAN

Mordkhel

58

LEVITAN

Sora

232

LIBOVSKY

Abel

181

LIBOVSKY

Leyzer

375

LIBOVSKY

Leyzer

385

LIUBOVSKY

Sholem

349

MARKEL

Shmuel

179

MASHLEVICH

Wulf

103

MASTER

Chaim

104

MAZUR

Iosel

48

MAZUR

Iosel

53

MAZUR

Orel

98

MEYBIZNER

Itsyk

54

MEYEROVICH

Iosel

183

MEYEROVICH

Leyb

158

MEYEROVICH

Leyzer

244

MEYEROVICH

Rykler (?)

126

MEYEROVICH

Shmuel

137

MIASNIK

Girsh

96

MIKHALOVSKY

Chaim

357

MIKHELSON

Eliash

8

MIKHELSON

Shulem

97

MINTSER

Abram

377

MINTSER

Shaya

60

MOSKOVICH

Mordkhel

73

NAYVIDEL

Feyga

134

NAYVIDEL

Feyga

150

NAYVIDEL

Feyga

156

NAYVIDEL

Meyer

191

NAYVIDEL

Sholem

348

ONSHVONGER

Izrael

131

PANE

Chaim

135

PATVENTS

Mikhel

332

PER

Itsyk

176

PITSILEVICH / GITSELEVICH (?)

Iosel

241

POLIAK

Sheyer

72

POLOVICH

David

258

POLOVIN

David

81

POZHARINSKY

Itsyk

372

PRES

Itsyk

344

PUKARD

Mortkhel

61

PUKHER

Zelman

166

PULIAREVICH

Chaim

169

PULIAREVICH

Notel

170

PULIAREVICH

Yankel

167

RABINOVICH

Isaac

29

RABINOVICH

Iudel

252

RABINOVICH

Max

371

RACHEL

Chaya

155

ROKTSOV

Abram

108

ROKTSOV

Movsha

107

ROVAL

Orel

365

ROZEN

Itsyk

144

ROZENFELD

Orel

86

ROZENSHTOK

Gersh

168

SHAKHNOVICH

Iudel

112

SHMEREL

Zundel

118

SHNEYDER

Shlioma

146

SHRAYDER

Eder

267

SHTOK

Leyb

143

SHUVAL

Aron

358

SOBOLEVSKY

Osip

172

SOLTS

Boris

237

SOMASHEVICH

Isaac

242

TEPLIR / TEPMER (?)

Albert

262

TEPLIR / TEPMER (?)

Albert

264

TEPLIR / TEPMER (?)

Rudel

281

VERBALOVSKY

Iler

383

VERBALOVSKY

Sora

161

VILENCHIK

Rakhmiel

364

VOLK

Chaim

255

WULF

Meyer

159

YABLONSKY

David

266

YANKELEVICH

Chaim

105

ZARNTSKY

Leyba

154

ZENDELEVICH

Chana

19

ZENDELEVICH

Uga (?)

261

ZHEBROVSKY

A.

18

ZONDELEVICH

Wolf

193

ZUNDEL

Leyb

106

Left side of 1907 Plot Map of Yurburg

Right side of 1907 Plot Map of Yurburg


Return to the Yurburg Kehilalinks Page


Last updated on April 16, 2020 by
Joel Alpert