This photo was titled "The Elders of Kolk" when it was published on page 22 of The Forward on February 17, 1935. The full caption read: "The Elders of Kolk, a little Jewish town in Volhynia, posing for a photograph for the benefit of their Landsleit in the U.S. Standing in the rear is an American resident who visited his native town after an absence of years."
A photo taken in front of Kolki's "Talmud Torah" (Local Yeshiva).
The photograph was taken during a visit of a distinguished
American visitor, originating from Kolki. This visitor wears
glasses, a light color coat and a stiff Borselling hat. Fifty
distinguished Kolkers are shown in the photo, the young Rabbi
inclusive (Reb Yakil Save, was probably gone then). It wasn’t easy
convincing the Rabbi to "join the party", and he wouldn’t allow
his picture to be taken. He only allowed his photo to be taken
after the visitor told the Rabbi that he couldn’t collect money
for the Talmud Torah amongst U.S. Jewry, unless he brings back a
documented picture thereof.
Sitting, from right to left (first row):
Israel Sima, BenTzion Stavker, Leibl Perluk (he has a large family
in Canada), Chaim Lerner, Yankl Zilberberg, Cov Buslik (lived and
died in Israel), Alter Bar, Shloime Katzan, Avrum-Leib Zilberberg,
Pinye Reznick (Borris Brick’s GP), Manye (Der Chazan) Lerner.
Standing, second row above seated persons (right to left):
Yiddle (Der Stoler) Koifman (2 children in Israel, his son who was
a Doctor, already passed away), Shloime-Berl Starsiler (not a
surname but a nickname due to his original village: Starsil),
Avrum-yosl Michls (not a surname, Der Melamed). Manes (Der Shister
& Der Melamed Shlayen, Israel Gornshtein (Yeshiva Bucher),
Gerson-Yosef Mazur, his father: Shloime Mazur, Elyukim Mazur,
Israel Kupiler (name of a village) Fel, Yosl Shmoish (he had
Chatin hair).
Standing, third-upper row (right to left):
Sanye Egber (Der Stoler, has a son, Moshe Egber, who came to live
in Canada after WWII), 3 children (the lowest standing being the
sone of Gershon-Yosef Mazur), Berl Klitzman, Moshe Katz (has a
son, Monyek Katz, in the USA, while his brother, Chaim Katz,
passed away 1 to 2 years ago, their father, bought a larger house
in Lutzk and was killed by the Nazis), Berl Shneider, David Mazur
(Elyukim’s brother), Yiddl Gorbatch, Motl Apteiker (Der Blecher),
Chaim-Yosl Levin, Pinchas Stupak.
Updated February 22, 2024 Copyright © Andrew Blumberg |
This site is hosted at no cost by JewishGen, Inc., the Home of Jewish Genealogy. If you have been aided in your research by this site and wish to further our mission of preserving our history for future generations, your JewishGen-erosity is greatly appreciated.