Landsmanshaftn

A Landsmanshaft [Yiddish: לאַנדסמאַנשאפט, plural: Landsmanshaftn לאַנדסמאַנשאפטען] is an immigrant benevolent organization, formed by ex-residents of the same locality or town (לאַנדסמאַן landsman, plural: לאַנדסלײַט landsleit). These aid organizations were established to deal with social, economic, and cultural problems, and provided a social framework for mutual assistance.

These organizations aided immigrants' transition from Europe to America by providing social structure and support to immigrants who arrived in the United States without the family networks and practical skills that had sustained them in Europe. In the early years, they provided help learning English, finding a place to live and work, locating family and friends, and an introduction to participating in a democracy, through procedures such as voting on officers, holding debates on community issues, and paying dues to support the society.  In the later years, these functions faded into the background, but the organizations continued as a way of maintaining ties to life in Europe as well as providing a form of life insurance, disability and unemployment insurance, and subsidized burial. Members would pay dues on a monthly basis, and if they lost their jobs, grew too sick to work, or passed away, the society would pay the family a benefit to keep them afloat during that time. When the funds were not needed to support members, Landsmanshaftn would invest the money in funds that frequently supported the Jewish community in others ways (such as Israel Bonds).^] Most of these organizations were based in New York City, where conditions were conducive to sustaining these types of organizations, though they sometimes relocated as the membership migrated to the suburbs.

Jews joined Landsmanshaftn and Anshei synagogues also because these societies provided burial benefits at one or more cemetery plots. This was an alternative to purchasing expensive individual plots. Each Landsmanshaft would have a Chevra Kedisha (burial society) whose responsibility was to purchase and maintain these grave sites.

References:  

• Glenda Rubin, Landsmanschaft Immigrant Benevolent Organizations   

• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Baranów Landsmanshaft Cemetery Plots in the New York Area:

• Chevrah Bikur Cholem Bnai Israel Anshe Baronów – New Montefiore Cemetery - Section 6, Block 7

• Chevra Bikur Cholem Bnai Israel Anshe Baronów  – Mt. Zion Cemetery - Path 16 Left, Gate 8

• Chevra Bikur Cholim Bnei Israel Anshe Barinoff – Beth David (Elmont) Cemetery - Section H, Block 4

• Erste Baranower Kranken Unterstützung Verein – Mt. Zion Cemetry - Path 16 Left, Gate 18

• Erste Baranower Kranken Unterstützung Verein –  Mt. Hebron Cemetery - Block 29, Path 5

• First Baranower Ladies Sick Benevolent Society, Inc. – Mt. Hebron Cemetery - Block 5, Path 25; Block 35, Path 12

Landsmanshaftn and town and country-related organizations incorporated in New York County the period from 1848-1920.

• Chevra Gemilath Chasodim Anshei Baranów – Year Inc : 1900 – Document # 259
• Congregation Bikor Cholem B'nai Israel Anschei Baranoff  – Year Inc : 1911 – Document # 4073
• Chevrah Bikur Cholum Bnai Israel Anschei Baranoff – Year Inc : 1918 – Document # 374

Congregations (Synagogues) and Landsmanshaftn listed in The American Jewish Year Book  

Manhattan & Bronx (NYC)

September 9, 1907 to September 25, 1908

• Bikur Cholim Bene Israel Anshe Baranów; Gemilath Chasodim Anshe Baranów
• Bene Israel / Adath Bene Israel; Beth Hamidrash Bene Israel; Bikur Cholim Bene Israel Anshe Baranow
• Bikur Cholim Bene Israel Anshe Baranów
• Gemilath Chasodim Anshe Baranów
• Morsher and Baranowetcher Benevolent Association
• Baranów Kranken Unterstützungs Verein, Erster