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| Lower: from right to left: Louis Philips, Pres. Ethel Philips, corresp.secretary Herman Grand, Treas. |
Upper: from right to left: Sidney B. Guyer, Vice Pres. Sidney Guyer, Exec, Sec'y. Max Rissman, Vice Pres. Barney Zatkoff, Fin. Secretary |
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[Page 118 English]
by Louis Philips (Pochekha)
The Gombiner Society in Detroit was founded in 1936 and is one of the outstanding societies in Jewish communal life of that city.
Although Gombiner Landsleit had been living in Detroit for a long time before the society was organized, a small group was active and in touch with various institutions of Gombin in Poland. Among them were the late Shmuel Gayer, his son Sidney Gayer who in the thirties collected funds and kept up a correspondence with the landsleit in Gombin. Also active were Louis Philips Potshecha, Jack Gayer, Julius Green (now living in California), Max Rifman and Mordecai Schwartzberg.
The activities were not planned systematically and because of this situation, it was decided to invite other landsleit to participate. This is how the society came into being.
Louis Philips (Pochekha) succeeded in bringing in the family Silberstein and greatly influenced Mrs. Miriam Silberstein, wife of the famous Solomon Silberstein and proprietor of the department store, to take an active part in the establishment of the society. At the first meeting, 17 members were present: Shmuel Gayer, Sidney Gayer, Mordecai Schwatzberg, Jack Gayer, Mrs. Miriam Silberstein, Mrs. Rose Saf, Louis Philips, Julius Green, Jack Frankel, Mr&Mrs Max Risman, Mr&Mrs Harry Frankel, Yitche Stone, Morris Wispe and Mrs. Morris Wispe. At this meeting it was decided to call the organization; “The Gombiner Society of Detroit” and a committee was elected consisting of the following: Louis Philips, President; Julius Green, Vice–President; Mrs. Miriam Silberstein, treasurer; Jack Gayer, Financial secretary and Sidney Gayer, Secretary.
During the years 1937–38, the sum of $1000 was sent to Gombin from Detroit. Considering the circumstances under which money was raised, it was a great achievement and the following institutions in Gombin received financial support from the Gombiner Society of Detroit: Linas Hatzedek, Beth Lechem, Gmilat Chasodim fund, Talmud Torah, Bikur Holim, the library and others. In addition, $400 was sent in 1938 to the “Building Fund” in New York. Sam Reifel was instrumental in setting up the fund for all monies collected.
Women members were especially active in arranging various affairs such as Purim and Chanukah celebration and others. Just to mention a few of the active women members as follows: Mrs. Anna
[Page 120]
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Philips, Mrs. Pearl Gayer, Mrs. Ray Zatkoff, Mrs. Chana Gayer, Mrs. Shulamith Reich, Mrs. Tillie Mossman, capable financial secretary and her husband Shiye Mossman who was the entertainer at all the affairs. An exceptional member was Sarah Frankel, mother of Tillie Mossman and wife of Harry Frankel. Another very active member was the well–known patron Samuel Frankel of the Frankel family.
We also enjoyed our own entertainer, an accomplished pianist and accordionist, Mrs. Rose Green, wife of Julius Green.
Also active was Mrs. Freida Grand, daughter of Jack Gayer and wife of Herman Grand.
A festive banquet was arranged on December 8th, 1940 for the first anniversary of the society. It was a great financial and moral success. Almost all the Gombiner landsleit participated.
We pursued every avenue of sending help to our brethren in Gombin at the time of the Nazi occupation because we had no means of contacting them. Unfortunately, we were unable to get in touch with our brothers and sisters. As a result,
[Page 121]
the society became inactive. However, we had our representatives in a number of organizations such as the American Jewish Congress and the Joint Drive.
Before the U.S. entered World War II, we sent money to a Yeshiva in Poland but the money never reached them. The Yeshiva boys were sent to Shanghai and we lost contact.
At the suggestion of President Louis Philips, we adopted a proposal in November 14, 1943 to raise $25,000 to help rebuilt Gombin at the end of the war. Detroit undertook to raise the sum of $5000.
Sam Reifel was impressed with the proposal. It was then decided to call a conference in Detroit and to invite delegates from New York, Chicago and other cities.
The following participated: Sam Reifel and his brother Hyman Reifel of New York; Mr & Mrs J. Teifeld and Mrs. Kain of Chicago; and the following from Detroit: Julius Green, Sidney Gayer, Jack Gayer, Izzy Ball, Max Risman, Shmuel Gayer and Louis Philips. It was adopted unanimously to raise $25,000.
In 1946, we started a drive to send packages for the Gombiner Jews. At the same time, we carried out a drive to obtain affidavits to bring the survivors from the Nazi Holocaust to the U.S.
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[Page 122]
With the consent of the New Yorker Farein and the Ladies Auxiliary of Chicago, we decided in 1951 to establish a Gombiner House in Israel to commemorate our martyrs and our Shtetl. We also established a Loan Fund for needy Gombiners in Israel.
The Gombiner committee in Detroit consists of the following: Luis Philips, President: Max Risman, Vice–President; Sidney Gayer, Vice–President; Herman Grand, Treasurer; Freida Grand, Secretary–treasurer; Sidney Gayer, Secretary; Ethel Philips, recording correspondence secretary.
To record, the following people were in various posts during the last 32 years: President – Louis Philips Pochekha; Vice–President Sidney Gayer–Chaye; Jack Gayer, Max Risman, Harry Frankel and Sidney Gayer.
Financial Secretary: Rose Green, Shmuel Gayer–Chaye, Melvin Wrubel, henry Reich and Freida Grand;
Treasurer: Mrs. Miriam Silberstein, Tillie Mossman, Louis Philips, Jack Silberstein and Herman Grand.
Various other posts: Ben Silberstein, Morris Bernstein, Barney Zatkoff and Samuel Wrubel.
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