The organization entitled “Moshaw Zkenim” was created in 1927. The founders were Ajzyk Ber Wulfson, Hersz Lipscyc, Moritz Rajner, Grunem Saper, Yehoshua Pachter, Chaim Josef Zajonc, Moritz Majtlis, Ignacy Landau, Henryk Saper, and attorney Anthony Kon. The first assignment of the founders was the need to legalize the organization and receive a governmental charter. The latter was obtained in 1927, but the financial means were limited in spite of the contributions made by the founders. There was not enough money to build an old age home. Chaim Josef Zajonc took the first concrete step when he donated to the organization a 1000 square meter plot of land. Then he, Grunem Saper, chairman of the organization, and Yehoshua Pachter began to collect donations for the building of a home.


[Page 258]


For the next five years these three people collected donations from the people of Sosnowiec. Finally they reached the sum of 90,000 guilders that was needed for building the home.

170 contributors made the dream come through. The ground-breaking ceremony took place on 23^rd of Elul, 5687 (September 20^th, 1927). The home opened in 5693 (1933), during the holiday of Pessah. The opening ceremony was very impressive, and many delegations representing many social organizations in Zaglembie and Upper Silesia took part in it. Communal representatives, governmental officials, members of the Rabbinate and the kehila also took part in the ceremony. The old age home is a beautiful and impressive building with a large well-planted garden where the elderly people can breath the fresh air.

The home also has a large synagogue with some Torahs and a library with books available to the elderly people. The dining hall is very impressive, especially the windows with the flowerbeds. There are presently 40 elderly people at the home. The demand for more admissions is great but the home cannot accept more people. The management has therefore undertaken plans to expand the facility and decided to add a small wing. The ceremony for laying of the foundation stone took place in 1939, 33 days in the Omer, 5693. The wing will have 6 rooms.

Some of the rooms at old age home carry the names of the contributors; Hersz Lipszyc, Moritz Rajner, Edward Nachner and wife.

The management has also decided to name a room at the home for the cofounder and long time chairman of the organization, Grunem Saper. He devoted himself to the organization.

A group of founders and management committee members of the old age home

Standing from right; Moritz Majtlis (vice-chairman), Grunem Saper (chairman), Moritz Rajcher, Chaim Josef Zajonc (vice-chairman), Moritz Rajner, Jakub Balzam, Yehoshua Pachter (manager), Josef Majtlis and Henryk Saper.

[Page 259]


The organization now has 180 members. The management in 1938 consisted of Grunem Saper (chairman), Chaim Josef Zajonc (vice-chairman), Moritz Majtlis, Yehoshua Pachter, Ignacy Majtlis, attorney Anthony Kon, Dr. Julian Hercman, eng. Szymon Sztarke-Nachner and Henryk Saper. Stand-by members were: Jakub Balzam, Jadzie Klepfisz, Ignacy Rajner and Pawel Skszynia. The review commission consisted of Mendel Lubelski, Henryk Zinger and Markus Birman. Stand-by members were Alexander Gutman and eng. P. Liberman.

The festive opening of the old age home in 1933 (during Pessah, 5693)

  Sosnowiec, Poland     Yizkor Book Project     JewishGen Home Page

Copyright © 1999-2024 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 26 Mar 2006 by OR