These are the parents, siblings and eventual husband of Yocheved “Yachet” Rozenzumen, my paternal great-grandmother and mother of my grandfather Sol Goldstein (although Yachet is the youngest, the system put her at the top of the list). From the research of Yosi Ben-Dov I now know that Yudko Rozenzumen’s father’s name was Berko; that takes us well into the 18th century.
Generally, a generation is thought of as being about 20-30 years. But because Yachet was born when her mother was around 40 and she herself gave birth to my grandfather Sol when she was about 40, these are longer generations. I know of people today who are in their early 70’s, 60’s and even late 50’s who are great-grandparents. But in our case, my great-grandmother Yachet was born 102 years before I was and was deceased long before my father was even born in 1919.
According to the birth records of his children, Berko was a “merchant” or “specukant.”
Metrical Records for the Family of Berko Rozenzumen and Hindy Herszenfeld
With one exception, these records were all sourced from the Polish State Archives via JewishGen.org’s JRI-Poland. “Akt” means “record number.” Where I was unable to find birth records, marriage and death records gave me the parents’ names and helped determine the individual’s age. Click image to enlarge; it will open in a new window and if you click it again, it will enlarge more. Translations follow below.
Some of these records were translated by my Polish friends Yoram and Lucyna Shenker, some by volunteers through JewishGen.org’s ViewMate translation service. Since the official record format does not vary, I asked ViewMate translators for just the demographic facts without all the narrative language, thus facilitating the timely translation of numerous records.
Akt 11 Berko Rozenzumen-Hindy Herszenfeld Marriage, 1827
From LDS; Translated by Yoram Shenker
It happened in the city of Terespol on the 31st of December, 1827 at 8:00. The Jew Abraham _____Faigenbaum, the rabbi of the city of __________ appeared with the Jew Berko Rozenzumen, a single man, living with his family in Mezrich, his father Judko Rozenzumen, a tavern owner, and his wife Beyla, living in Mezrich. Present there were Uszer, the owner of a small shop (market stall –selling salt?), father of Hindy Herzenfeld, and Rifka Herszenfeld, living in Terespol. Witnesses were _______ Levine, age 46 and Isaac Blumen____, age 34, living in Terespol. A religious marriage was contracted between Berko Rozenzumen and Hindy Herzenfeld. The banns were read on December 1, December 8 and December 15 of this year in Terespol and in Mezrich. Those present, the fathers of the newlyweds (Yudko Rozenzumen and Usher Herszenfeld) gave their permission.
Akt 46 Bluma Rozenzumen Birth, 1829 Jonathan Michael Wien, JRI-Poland Translator
Bluma, born on 13 Nov 1829 to Hinda Rozensumen, 21 years old, and her husband Berko R., merchant, 20 years old.
Akt 42 Aron Wolf Rozenzumen Birth, 1833
Polish State Archives, translated by Lucyna Shenker
In Terespol on July 2, 1833 at 10:00 a.m., the Jew Berko Rozenzumen, trader age 24 and living in Terespol, came with Meier Herszenfeld, laborer age 38 and Efraim Faynshtayn, carriage driver age 34 (all living in Terespol) and declared that on June 23 (“current month”) a baby boy was born in Terespol to his wife, Hinda Rozensumen, age 24. At his Brit Milah he was named Aron Wolf.
Witnessed by Meier Herszenfeld and Froim Faynshtayn
Akt 13 Yudko Rozenzumen Birth, 1836 From the Polish State Archives, translated by Jonathan Michael Wien via JewishGen ViewMate
FATHER: Berko Rozenzumen, merchant, 25 years old
MOTHER: Hinda, 20 years old, his wife (obviously the age is either written or translated incorrectly; such mistakes occur with great frequency).
Child: born on 27 January 1836.
I cannot say that the following two birth registrations for Icko Rozenzumen and Icko Hersz Rozenzumen are definitively our Berko and Hindy’s children: I cannot say whether they are the same person or not and the dates are uncertain. In both cases the father’s occupation is spekulant.
Akt 2 Icko Rozenzumen Birth, 1841
In Terespol on December 31, 1840 (?). On January 19, 1841, appeared the Jew Berko Rozenzumen, spekulant age 30, living in Terespol, with Berko Braverman, trader age 50, also living in Terespol and Wolf Hochbaum, and declared that in Terespol on January ___1841 at 9:00 a.m., his wife Hindy Rozenzumen, age 32, gave birth to a baby boy, who at his Brit Milah was named Icko Hersz. Witnessed by Berko Braverman and Wolf Hochbaum.
Translated by Lucyna Shenker
Akt 33 Icko Hersz Birth, 1842
Icko Hersz, born on 22 Dec 1842/3 Jan 1843 to Berko R., 30, speculator, and his wife Hinda, 32. Witnessed by Berko Rozensumen, Myer Rubinszteyn and Wolf Ber Nawenszteyn.
Polish State Archives
Translated by Jonathan Michael Wien via JewishGen ViewMate
(The double date reflects the change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar)
Akt 33 Meijer Rozenzumen Birth, 1845 Polish State Archives, translated by Jonathan Michael Wien via JewishGen ViewMate, January 31, 2018
Meijer, born on 6 [month=?] 1845 to Berko Rozenzumen, speculator, local, age 42, and his wife Hinda, 40
[Translator’s comment: I would look at the two surrounding entries to determine the date of birth more precisely]
Akt 14 Uszer Rozensumen Death, 1845
Uszer Rozenzumen died 8 June 1845, 1 month old, son of Berek and Hinda
Further translation by Valerie Baginski: Date of record: Terespol, 9 June 1845, 2 p.m. Deceased: yesterday at noon Uszer Rozensumen died, 1 month old, son of Berko and Hinda, the spouses Rozenzumen of Terespol.
Akt 4 Marya Perla Rozenzumen-Leybko Razow Marriage, 1864
Polish State Archives, translated by Ted Gostin through ViewMate
Recorded 8/20* January 1864 in Terespol. Marriage date – today (8/20 January 1864).
Groom – Leybko Razow, bachelor, age 26, residing in Brzesc Litewski (Brest Litovsk), occupation day laborer, son of Josel & Etta Razow who reside in Brzesc. Bride – Marya Perla Rozenzumen, maiden, age 17, daughter of Berko & Hinda Rozenzumen, working as a broker [probably refers to the father]. Banns published on January 3, 10 & 17. Presiding rabbi – Simche Waysman, rabbi at Terespol.
*The two dates reflect the Russian Empire’s transition from using the Julian calendar to using the Gregorian, a shift that most Western nations had made by then. Eleven days were “lost” in the process, making the first number Julian and the second number, Gregorian).
Akt 99 Yocheved Rozenzumen Birth,1849 From LDS records, translated by Lucyna Shenker)
It happened on December 28, 1849 at 8:00 a.m. in the city of Terespol. The Jew Berko Rozenzumen, age 45, a speculator born in Terespol (?),who had gone to school in Terespol, along with the witnesses the Jew Chaim Lebenhartz and Michael Worman, also a coachman, age 42 and both living in Terespol, announced that a baby girl was born on December 19, 1849 at 9:00 a.m., to his wife Hindy, age 40. The child was given the name Yocheved.
Witnesses who signed included Leizara Goldsztajn, age 33, spectora (unusual to have a female witness)
Akt 26 Hindy Herszenfeld Rozenzumen Death, 1875
Polish State Archives; translated from the Russian by my friend Catherine Vakhnina
In the town of Terespol, on February 27, 1875, at 11 am, Jews Leybko Finkelshtein, 64 years old, and Rubin Herszenson, 54 years old, both religious attendants residing in the town of Terespol, appeared in person and announced that a Jew, Hinda Rozensumen, 64 years old, daughter of Usher and Rivka, died yesterday at 11 pm leaving her widow husband Berko. The fact of Hinda Rozenzumen’s death is verified, and this act is read to witnesses, and signed.
Leybko Finkelshtein (signature); Rubin Herszenson (signature); Civilian registry office clerk: Signature
Akt #11 Berko Rozensumen Death, 1888 Polish State Archives; translated from the Russian by my friend Catherine Vakhnina
In the town of Terespol, on April 8, 1888, at 4 pm, the Jews Kopel Monchik, 68 years old, and Haim Yoel Rubinstein, 58 years old, both religious attendants residing in the town of Terespol, appeared in person and announced that a Jew of this town, Berko Rozensumen, widow, 79 years old, son of Yudko and Beyli(?) died on this day at 5 am. The fact of Berko Rozenzumen’s death is verified, and this act is read to witnesses, and signed.
Kopel Monchik (signature); Haim Yoel Rubinstein (signature); Civilian registry office clerk: Signature