VOLPA Community in New York City

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At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, many Jews left Volpa due to pogroms and deterioration of economic and social conditions. Many of them went to America, a large number settling on the Lower East Side in New York City. There, they built a Volpa community. This included a shul on Eldridge Street and landsmanshaftm with a plot in Mt. Zion and Beth David, and two plots in Wellwood.

BETH HAMIDRASH AHAWATH ACHIM ANSHE WOLPA WE-MOST

("Brother's Love School of Wolpa and Most") According to the records at Mt. Zion Cemetery, the 40" by 48" plot on Path B-11 (Gate 9) was purchased in 1894 by Beth Hamidrash Ahawath Achim Anshe Wolpa we-Most, 87 Eldridge St, NYC. The congregation was listed in the 1908 American Jewish Yearbook, but it is not found in the 1925 issue. The following information was cited for the congregation:

Members:      50
Income:          $400.
Services:         Sabbath and Holidays, in Hebrew The original officers were:
President:      Barnett Karp,            97 Monroe St.
Treasurer:      Jacob B. Robinson,  136 Attorney St.
Secretary:       Harris Barer,             141 Attorney St.

Landsmanshatm: CHEBRA AHAVAS ACHIM ANSHEI WOLP AND MOST

 

"Brotherhood of People from Volpa and Most"
(Most is a small village, about 20 km East to Volpa)

  According to the inscription on the gates at the plot at Mt. Zion, the society was formed in 1894, the same year as the congregation. The translation of the Hebrew inscription on the gatepost on the right side (See photo below) lists the following people as members of the Cemetery Committee:

Surname

 First Name
ROBINSON Yakov Benjamin
ARKIN Isaac
BEKENSTEIN Avraham
SHAFER Shlomo
REPLANSKY Yakov
POZNIAK Abraham
NOVER Leibe
KAPLAN Nachman
KAPLAN Gishe
ROBINSON Chana
SHAFER Zisl

  The translation of the inscription on the right cemetery gatepost contains the following information about officers and past officers. (See photo below Mt. Zion Gate 3)

Anshei Volp and Most Erec. June 21, 1925 

Office
 Surname First Name
Ex President        LEIZAROVICH Wolf
Vice President NACHLIN Yosef
President ZABELINSKY Avraham
Vice President KAPLAN Efriam
Treasurer FISHER Reuven
? LEVIN Meir
   

VOLPER YOUNG MEN'S BENEVOLENT SOCIETY

 

As needed, additional plots were purchased in Beth David and Wellwood cemeteries. In 1953, this society was still in existence and actively meeting on the first Sunday of each month in Room 503 of the Forward Building at 2 PM. Dues were $4.50 for 6 months. The officers were:
President
 Simon SHIFT
Vice President
 Jacob ITSKOWITZ
Cemetery Chairman
 Jacob RUBINSON
Treasurer
 Sam PETT
Secretary
 Aaron PETT
 
A 1953 Volper YMBS invoice from the collection of the YIVO

VOLPA LANDSMANSHAFT CEMETERY PROJECT

In 2001, Marlene Bishow, great granddaughter of Betsey (Bashe Hinda) Pett amd Morris (Moishe) Goldstein (originally YARMISH), located her great grandparents graves as part of her genealogical research. As is often the way in family history research, Marlene became involved in the whys of where her great grandparents were buried. She theorized that if she could locate other persons with the same surnames, she might be able to determine where her great grandparents immigrated from and thereby discover more about them. To achieve her goal, Marlene contacted the administration at Mt. Zion Cemetery and purchased a plot plan from them. She created a database of the names on the plan, including the date of death for each. As she suspected, there was at least one other person with the name PETT - her great grandmother's maiden name. The next step was to contact other researchers listed in the JewishGen database for Volpa. She also visited YIVO in New York. The data was shared with the other researchers and also forwarded to OWJBR. It was through these contacts that Marlene came to know Avi Ariav and thus their collaboration on this web site was fostered. Please click here if you want to contact Marlene Bishow concerning this project.

The Volper YMBS plots in the metropolitan New York area are:

Cemetery Name

Location

Plot Location

Cemetery Phone #

MT. ZION
 Maspeth

Path B-11 Left

718-355-2500

BETH DAVID
 Elmont

Section A, Block 4

516-328-1300

WELLWOOD
 Farmingdale

Block 51, Section 3 Blocke 55, Section 3

631- 249-2300

Click on the cemetery name to view to a list of the persons buried in the Volpa plot in that cemetery. <COMING SOON> Photographs of Mt. Zion grave markers

 
Click on the photo for a larger version
 

Gate at the entrance to the Volpa plot at Mt. Zion.

This close-up shows that the society, was founded in 1894 and gives a the detailed listing of the members of the plot committee.(See translation above).
 

Right gatepost at entrance to the Volper cemetery plot, Mt. Zion Cemetery.
Mount Zion Plot Map
 

  
 

 
Copyright (c) 2002, Marlene Bishow
Used by permission of Marlene Bishow, March 21, 2002
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