Drogichin, Belarus (page 243)

[Page 243]

David Eisenstein
[photo:] R. David Eisenstein

        David Eisenstein, a son of R. Hershel and Reichel, was a close relative of R. Avraham Eisenstein (see p. 118), and was born in 1849 in Drohitchin. After he married Chaya Gittel Warshavsky he went into business. Unfortunately, he didn't make enough to support his family of 6 children.

        Incidentally a gentile landowner happened to come to buy something in the store of the aged Chatskel Valevelsky. When he left the store and got back into his carriage he dropped a purse and went on his way. The Jews who were standing there and who knew about David's situation called him to get the purse. David ran home and counted out 85 rubles. The landowner was truly an emissary from heaven. The next morning the landowner returned to town to look for his lost purse. When the Jews told him that a poor Jew who wanted to travel to the United States had found his purse, the landowner responded that David should use the money in good health, and David in fact used the money for his departure.

        David went to the United States and returned four times. His wife and all his children were already in Chicago, but he missed home, his House of Study and Jewish life in Drohitchin.

After the death of his wife in 1932, R. David went back to Drohitchin for the fourth time with the intention of selling his house in Drohitchin and traveling to Palestine. However, he remained in Drohitchin. One Friday night after making the kiddush David passed away at the age of 88. This happened on December 9. 1938.

Chaya Gittel Eisenstein, wife of David Eisenstein, was born in 1852 in Drohitchin. According to tradition, her father, R. Yisrael Baruch Warshavsky, was a grandson of the famous kabbalist, Rabbi Dovidel Yaffe. A modest woman, Chaya Gittel was very devoted to raising her children in the Jewish spirit.

In 1920 Chaya Gittel came to Chicago to be with her husband and children. She was accompanied by her daughter Reichel and her own children to her husband Yitzchak Eisenstein, who lived here. Chaya Gittel, who enjoyed the great respect of her children and fellow-emigres, died at the age of 77 on July 22, 1930.

The Eisensteins had six children: Eliyahu (who died in Chicago), Lipman, Yisrael Baruch, Leizer, Avraham and Reichel Eisenstein all [live] in Chicago. (See pp. 191 and 212).

[Photo:] Chaya Gittel Eisenstein
[Photo:] Daughter, mother and grandchild, Yitzchak

Toiba Kaplan-Kohn	Gittel Warshavsky
Died at approximately 40 years,	Died at approximately 80 years,
on April 23,1919	on January 30, 1916.
(See p. 93)	(See p. 88)

Yeshayahu son of Yisrael Baruch Warshavsky

        Husband of Gittel, died on 19 Tevet 1905 [this is an error and probably corresponds to the Hebrew year 5665 which fell on 12/27/1904]. See pp. 117, 193 and 247, Toiba's husband Yeshayahu-Yossel and children: Yitzchak and Eliyahu Kohn, Rachel Ehrman and families are in New York.

Freidel Eisenstein

        Freidel Eisenstein, a daughter of Chaim-Leib and Esther Kravetz, was born in Pruzhany in 1884, and received a nationalist-religious education. On August 10, 1907 she married Yisrael Baruch Eisenstein. Freidel was beautiful, intelligent, knew Hebrew and Russian, and helped Yisrael Baruch teach his class.

        In December of 1912, Yisrael Baruch went off to the United States, and Friedel

[Page 244]

[photo:] Friedel Eisenstein

looked forward to the day when she could be reunited with her husband. Unfortunately, her hopes were not be realized as she was caught in World War I (1914). She lived under difficult circumstances, and by the time help was on its way Freidel became ill with typhus and died in the flower of her youth at the age of 34 on May 28, 1919, leaving behind two small children (Chaim and Leizer). Following her death Yisrael Baruch moved to the United States with the children.

        Freidel's father, Chaim Leib, a son of R. Yitzchak Kravetz of Drohitchin, had died in 1893. Her mother, Esther, a daughter of R. Eliezer Shmuel Yablonsky of Pruzhany, remarried. Her new husband was R. Feivel Greenberg of Narevki (near Grodno), who had a daughter, Rosa. The distinguished Rabbi Yisrael Rosenberg (long-time president of the Rabbinical Association in the United States) was a son-in-law of R. Feivel. After the death of R. Feivel, Rabbi Rosenberg supported Esther.

        Freidel's mother Esther died on 23 Adar II, 1939 [this is an error, because 1939 was not a leap year with two Adar months]. Rosa and her husband and child perished. May G-d avenge their blood! Chaya-Lieba, wife of Yisrael-Baruch Warshavsky, and Freidel's only sister, [lives] today with her family in New York. See pp. 93, 191, 193.

Chaim Leib Eisenstein
[photo untitled in Yiddish]

Chaim Leib, the eldest son of Yisrael Baruch and Freidel Eisenstein, was born in January 1910 in Drohitchin. At the age of 9 his mother passed away. In 1920 he arrived in Chicago and studied at the Beit Midrash Le-Torah and also studied journalism and wrote a book. Chaim was very talented and a devoted student. At the time he was serving in the United States army he was about to obtain rabbinical ordination. However, he suffered a grave illness in the army and has not regained his health. We hope that G-d has mercy on him.

Eliezer Shmuel Eisenstein
[photo without caption]

        Eliezer Shmuel Eisenstein, the second son of Yisrael Baruch and Freidel Eisenstein, was born on June 12, 1912 in Drohitchin. His mother passed away in 1920 when he was 7. He studied at the Beit Midrash Le-Torah from 1923 to 1930, and completed Marshall High School (1930) and Crane College (1932). He was drafted into the US army in October 1942 (until November 1945) and served with his regiment in Hawaii and Australia. In April 1944 he was in the 24^th infantry division and participated in the assault on Dutch New Guinea. He was an insurance broker and was married to Gail. His children are Randy and Noreen.

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