Naumiestis, Lithuania

Report by Marjorie Rosenblum Kantor (of loving memory) at Rosenblum-White Family Reunion Dinner on July 31, 1983.

 

Let us start with our roots, at least as much as we know today. The known beginning of the Rosenblum-White family is in the shtetl of Neishtat, found on maps under the Russian name of Nowe Miasto or the Lithuanian name of Zemaicu Naumiestis in the State of Lithuania, USSR. And what is a shtetl it is certainly not a city, nor is it a village, rather a small town. Perlmutter, in his Yiddish book Mein Stertzev, facetiously made this list of the elements of a shtetl: (1) a post office with a telegraph, (2) a river, (3) a cemetery, (4) a rabbi, (5) a prayer house, (6) two prayer rooms for chasidim, one for the Gerer and one for the aleksanderer chasidim, (7) a Talmud Torah academy, (8) a cloister with a priest, (9) a village moron, (10) several prosperous persons. and (11) many paupers

In reality, our small town was probably a jumble of small wooden houses clustered about a market place--crowded as a slum--streets of dirt or cobblestones tortuously narrow and crooked running into alleys and back yards. The market place, the center of town, had its shops, booths, tables, stands and butcher blocks. Daily, except in the cold of winter, peasants and peasant women would come from miles around bringing their wagonloads of livestock, fish, grains, hides and produce. They bought, in exchange, the city products, which the Jews imported, such as dry goods, shoes, and household items. The Jews also lived by handicrafts, liquor distilling and some textile manufacturing.

Mostly, they were poor--or very poor, like their fathers and grandfathers. However, I doubt that they realized how poor they were, for this wasn't really important. What mattered was learning. And that learning stressed the knowledge of the Bible and the Talmud. Orthodox Judaism was not only a matter of faith, it was a way of life. The Bible was a daily newspaper.

Our known ancestors in this shtetl go back to the early 1830s, when Hershel and Mary Fega were born to the Rosenblum ~f about the same time Abraham and Flora were born to the Whites (or Vights or Fites) . Undoubtedly there were many other children of whom we have as yet no record. In time, probably in the mid 1850s, Hershel Rosenblum and Flora White were married, as were Abraham White and Mary Fega Rosenblum, the progenitors of the Rosenblum and Whites here tonight. To the Rosenblum were born five known boys and one daughter. To the Whites, were born four daughters and one son.

Now let us go back in time. How did these families originally come here? I do not know as yet how or why our ancestors settled here, but I can give you a little general background. There were probably two migrations of the Jews to Lithuania. The earlier one through southern Russia from the east, the later one from the west, mainly Germany and Bohemia. I feel that our ancestors undoubtedly came from this later migration. The Jews came to Lithuania because there was a considerable degree of tolerance and even goodwill from the rulers, largely owing to the comparatively late date at which Christianity was introduced into the country. The Jews were granted permission to dwell in the neighborhood of the synagogue and they were given the right to trade. By about 1500 the Jews living in the large cities numbered about 10,000. They received a charter in 1529 guaranteeing freedom of movement and employment. They soon monopolized foreign trade and tax farming. In 1795 Lithuania lost its independence and became a part of Russia.

The life of the Russian Jew soon sadly deteriorated. The reign of Nicholas 1, from 1825 to 1855 proved to be a nightmare. Above all else, even the pogroms, there was conscription of Jewish children that tore them away from their families at ages as young as twelve for periods up to 25 years. Not many of these children survived. In 1855 began the reign of the next tsar, Alexander II. He was called the "kindliest prince who ever ruled Russia". This was true-but only by comparison. He reduced the period of military service to 5 years, opened the doors of the universities to some Jews, and allowed Jewish businessmen to travel in many parts from which they had been barred.

When an anarchist's bomb killed Tsar Alexander II in 1881, this somewhat benign reign ended. There were soon enacted harsh anti-Jewish measures. Widespread pogroms were encouraged and harsh conscription was revived. Thus began the wave of emigration from the "Pale". And it is at this point that we rejoin our family in Neishtat.

Legend has it that the fourth son of the Rosenblum, Jacob, then about 18 or 19, joined this wave of emigration and left for England. On the boat he met and became a very good friend of Nathan Siegel. In England they were employed by the American Tobacco Co., and were soon sent to the United States. Here they first settled in West Virginia rolling cigarettes and cigars to repay their passage. One story has it that when this was accomplished and they had a few dollars in their pockets, they bought tickets on the railroad as far as their money would take them--and that was Kansas City. Fact or fiction, I do not know, but it is plausible.

And now for the facts. In 1885, the city directory of Kansas City shows a Rosenblum & Siegel, furnishing goods, at 1727 Grand, the present site of the Kansas City Star. Also listed at the same address were brother Morris and young brother Aaron, only 15. The next year Morris brought his wife Seva Rosa and young son over, as Jacob brought Anna Glickman to marry. Legend has it that Anna came here with her younger sister Fanny, later to marry Michael Rosenbloom, no relation to our family. In 1887, the brothers brought over sister Goldie to marry their good friend Nathan Siegel. By this time, the family felt the need of a Rabbi, so they sent for their cousin, Isaac White, both Rabbi and Schochet. Now, I would like to quote from his son, Hy White.

"When father arrived at the port of entry, he was of course interviewed by an official.

'What is your name?' the official asked. 'Vight' father replied.

"Did you say Fight," he asked.

"Yes," father replied.

"Do you know what the word fight means to Americans?" he queried.

'No," father promptly replied. "What does it mean?" "To us," he replied, "it means to strike at one, to hit him."

"Oh" father exclaimed.

"Well," the official said, "Why not change it to some-thing that will not bring you trouble?"

"Like what?" queried the Talmud Chochem.

'Like White," he suggested.

"All right," my father responded.

And so, Vight (Fight) became White."

This may be legend. It may be the truth. I am inclined to believe it is the truth. Anyway, we do know that the name was not White in Europe.

Soon followed sister, Ida White, to be married to Meyer Eichenberg. A few years later came younger sister Bessie to marry Robert Ginsberg, and sister Dora to marry Henry Blumgarten. In the meanwhile the Rosenblum brought over their niece, Etta, to marry Henry Harris. By the late 1890s there was a large contingent of the Rosenblums and Whites living in Kansas City. The Morris Rosenblums had five children, one of whom was Ira; Jacob had four children, Oscar, Lena, Flora and Harry. The Nathan Siegels had four children, Benjamin, Harry, Ike and daughter Rose. To the Aaron Rosenblums had been born Anna, Abe and Joseph. The Michael Rosenblooms had two sons, Joe and Oscar. The Isaac Whites had five living children, among them, Phil, who was to become a famous Yiddish actor on Broadway. You had not yet appeared on the scene, Mary (White). To Ida and Meyer Eichenberg had been born Mamie, Fanny and Morris. To the newlyweds, Bessie and Robert Ginsberg had come son Morris. Sister's Fanny, Minnie and Zelda were not to appear until the 20th century. Nephew Harry Rosenblum, father of Esther Talbot, did not arrive in the city until shortly before 1910, to live with Uncle Jacob. Nephew Gershon White, brought over by Aunt Ida and Aunt Bessie, arrived about 1902. This was a very closely-knit family, and a great part of their social life revolved around each other. I was rather amazed to find that both Marvin White, son of Hy and Anna, and Macy Rosenblum were named after my grandfather, Morris, who died in 1918.

In conclusion, I would like to mention that last fall we spent two weeks in the Soviet Union. To me, this became a very emotional experience, even more so than our visit to the state of Israel. Every night, I said a prayer of thanks to my grand-parents who had left there. For in spite of the poverty, pogroms and conscription, there was a certain security in the known. It took great courage for our ancestors to leave home and come to an alien world--as attested by the fact that six million did not.

 

Gershon B. White died on 4 Feb. 1967 at age 86. Address at time of death - 4618 Chestnut Kansas City Mo. He was born 20 August 1880 in Neishtat Lithuania. His parents were David Swolowski and Rose Fite. His wife was Sarah Bayless 9 Sept 1959. He is buried in the Mount Carmel Cemetery, Section 24 Lot 18.

From the records of Beth Shalom Synagogue in Kansas City Missouri.