[Page 898]

A larger community of Tarnow Jews resides in the United States. By the second half of the 19^th century, Galician Jews had begun migrating to America. However, evidence suggests that Tarnow Jews arrived even earlier, as indicated by an article written by Hillel Rogoff, editor of the New York Forverts, published in December 1953, where an interesting story is told about a Tarnow Jew, Durst, who participated in the battle against the southern states in 1861. We bring this article in its entirety, leaving the author's original signature.

[Page 899]

The Committee of “Tarnow Hometown Members in America” in 1953 First row seated from right to left: S. Zilberman, L. Ander, A. Venger, R. Hamer, S. Gelernter, H. Jacobs, Y. Adler Second row standing from right to left: Y. Pasternack, A. Korn, Mrs. Korn, B. Woolf, Mrs. Woolf, S. Lauber

[Page 900]

“Another interesting type of Jew, who manifests a rare friendship to unions and to strikers, is the Jewish immigrant William Durst from the city of Tarnow, in Galicia.

He arrived in Philadelphia during the first days of 1861, on the eve of the Civil War. A few month later this Jewish immigrant volunteered for the navy of the Republic against the rebellion of the South. It was the fate of this Jew from Tarnow to serve aboard the historic warship Monitor, which later engaged in battle against the Confederate warship CSS Virginia (also known as the Merrimack) off the coast of Virginia. In the American historical literature in Yiddish there is a description of these two warships and of their battles, in the volumes of history of the United States by Hillel Rogoff; and a description of the role of William Durst in those battles is found in the history “The Jews of Philadelphia” by Henry Samuel Morais. The figure of the Galicianer William Durst is of a noteworthy hero. He came to be beloved by the battle commanders on the ship “Monitor” and the admiral of the United States Navy later dedicated his book “The History of the Ship” in which it is also told how William Durst was rescued when the ship was sunk in the sea, and how he immediately went into service on another ship, which took part in the battles near Charleston, South Carolina.

He remained on the warship until the end of the Civil War. Then he returned home to Philadelphia. With his great prestige. two years later, he took a stand to aid a strike of Philadelphia sailors on private commercial ships despite the strike being unpopular in the city. On Sundays he would go to churches with the sailors where they would interrupt the service to explain to worshippers that the system of sailors' work resembled traded slaves. And when a police judge asked him what concern he had about this strike, he responded: “The same concern that I had in placing myself in service to the Republic at the time of the Civil War”…

Regarding the relationships, organizational activity, and connections among Tarnow Jews in the United States, this is offered by this report submitted from New York by the landsmanshaft there:

With the onset of the mass immigration to America in the '90's of the previous century, landsmanschaft en and ‘societies’ began to be organized.

[Page 901]

The Committee of “Tarnow Hometown Members in America” in 1953 From right to left: S. Berger, B. Woolf, P. Rot, Dr. Shmuel Margoshes, Herb Aaron Tzimetboim, S. Gelernter, R. Hammer, Heiman Jacobs, Y. Adler, Cantor Shmuel Pastalov, Abraham Venger

[Page 902]

Individuals felt lonesome in the new world. Especially in the big city New York, where the majority of Jewish immigrants settled, the landsmanschaft organizations helped the new Jewish immigrants a good deal. In the landsmanschaft society each individual felt at home. Here one talked about the old country and through a landsmanschaft one could sometimes also find work with a more established landsman.

In those days the first Tarnow society was founded, which now is already 65 years old, and which has the name:

“Independent Tarnower Kranken Unterstitzung Verein”

(“Independent Tarnow Infirm Support Society”)

The Tarnow society was run like the majority of fraternal organizations in America, and cared for their members with graveyards in their own cemeteries which they had acquired.

Twenty years later a new organization was created with a new demographic.

The new immigration stream brought young people who didn't want to be in an organization with the older landsleit, and established a new Tarnow organization of young immigrants from Tarnow named: First Tarnower Young Men's Benevolent Society.

These “young men” are today already also not so young. A short while ago they celebrated their 45-year jubilee with a banquet.

Many Jews who arrived in New York after the First World War affiliated themselves with this organization.

The “Tarnow Young Men's Society” did a good deal of work for its hometown Tarnow.

By the year 1918 the Tarnow landsmanschaft en had sent delegations to Tarnow to help the Jews who had suffered as a result of the World War.

The new Tarnow Jewish immigrants warmed up to the Tarnow Young Men's Society. Through the organization they had more news from their hometown Tarnow and had contact with their relatives and friends in their city of birth.

This organization performed aid work and in an unassuming manner maintained a connection with their hometown, until the arrival of the terrible year 1939, when the global slaughter erupted and the Hitler murderers captured Poland.

In 1945 a group of “Young Men's,” including Wolf, Wagner, and Jacobs organized a special committee which concerned itself solely with aid work. That is how the new organization, named the Relief Committee for Tarnów and Vicinity, was created and continued its valuable work until 1951.

[Page 903]

The Committee of the “Tarnow Landsleit in America” First row seated from right to left: L. Krantz, R. Hammer, P. Rott, Herb Aharon Tzimatboim, H. Jacobs, P. Shprey Second row standing from right to left: M. Liss, L. Ander, S. Zilberman, Y. Adler, S. Gelernter, H. Shprey Third row from right to left: B. Hirsch, B. Woolf, A. Venger, A. Korn, S. Lauber

[Page 904]

Tarnow Jews in New York After the Yizkor Commemoration in 1954

[Page 905]

The committee consisted of the following members:

H. Kleinhandler (a”h) – President; R. Hammer – Vice President; L. Krantz – Second Vice President; Y. Woolf – Finance Secretary; H. Jacobs – Foreign Correspondent; H. Shprey – Protocol Secretary; A. Vengerer – Cashier; D. Rott – Publicity. Many Tarnow landsleit were drawn into the work who were not enrolled in the “Young Men's” organization.

The Relief Committee began operating with increased activity. The members of the committee, such as: Kleinhandler (a”h), Venger, Hammer and others, sought out Tarnow landsleit as they knocked on doors, and solicited money to rescue the survivors of our flesh and blood.

Among the members who worked tirelessly on this committee two members especially remembered members were – Chaim Jacobs and Joseph Woolf. Jacobs took upon himself the holy mission of searching for all surviving Tarnow Jews. He researched the lists which the various national organizations in America maintained, and he also perused the lists of names which were printed in the Jewish newspapers. And whenever he found the name of a Tarnow Jew, he immediately connected in writing with his kin – here in America – and in this way reunited many survivors with their families and loved ones in this country. He wrote letters to the survivors, comforted them, and sent many of them affidavits and brought them to America.

Chaim Jacobs (Korn), who has long lived in America, is a loyal and dedicated worker, who spares no time or effort in helping Tarnow landsleit. It is thanks to him that the new Tarnow landsmanschaft in New York established such robust activity. Along with several other Tarnow Jews who were members of the committee, he successfully recruited a large number of new colleagues. Their goal was to strengthen the connection among Tarnow Jews in America and establish the Tarnow landsmanschaft on a foundation that would enable it to advance competent social, cultural, and organizational activity.

Additionally, Joseph Woolf sent out hundreds of letters to the Tarnow refugees who found themselves in various countries as well as in Israel.

He connected to many Tarnow landsleit in America. With them he completed affidavits for their relatives and many Tarnow landsleit now find themselves in America thanks to his effort and dedicated work.

The first aid that the Relief Committee sent over to Tarnow

[Page 906]

was in 1946. It was a donation of one thousand dollars from Dr. Tannenbaum. The Relief Committee received the confirmation of receipt from the committee in Tarnow at that time, undersigned by Chaim Schiffer and Usher Bleiweiss.

According to the letter which we received from the Tarnow Jewish Committee, at that time there were 306 Jewish souls in Tarnow. The Jewish Committee decided to give each Jew 900 zlotys. For the remaining money a monument was built for the murdered Jews. The gravestones at the cemetery were also repaired.

At that time in Tarnow there were also 60 children who survived. A school was opened for the children. There they were taught to read and write Yiddish and they were given meals gratis.

The Relief Committee also sent 412 food packages to Tarnow not all of which, unfortunately, were received.

The Relief Committee also sent 8 bales of clothing to Tarnow to be distributed among the surviving Jews.

A short time later Mr. Herbert B. Zussman, President of the Galicianer Federation, traveled to Poland. The Relief Committee sent one thousand five hundred (1500) dollars with him for our landsleit in Tarnow. For this money which we sent them, the Jews in Tarnow opened a cooperative factory. At that time Jacob Pat, Secretary of the Jewish Labor Committee, was also on a visit to Poland. He visited Tarnow and when he returned to America, at a meeting of the Relief Committee, he recounted the bitter conditions of the Jewish survivors in Tarnow.

The work of our Relief Committee could be done thanks to several generous people who selflessly devoted themselves to helping our survivor brothers and sisters. Here we will only mention Mrs. Rosen and Mrs. Achtel. At that time Mrs. Rosen traveled to Europe with her husband and they distributed thousands of dollars out of their own pocket.

Between 1946 and 1947 the Relief Committee sent over packages of food and clothing to Tarnow Jews wherever they were to be found. The help reached our Tarnow Jews even in China. Thanks to our community member M. Osterweil [Osterveyl], our abandoned orphans and children were provided with vitamins. Mr. Osterweil gave the Relief Committee ten thousand (10,000) dollars' worth of vitamins. These vitamins were sent to the orphanages and to the elderly who were located in Krakow, Wroclaw, and in the DP camps in Germany, as well as in Israel.

Through 1947 the Relief Committee dispersed close to 40,000

[Page 907]

dollars. However all of this was a drop in the bucket relative to the needs of the surviving Tarnower Jews. Additionally, it required a great deal of effort to provide the needed materials. Also, unfortunately, a number of Tarnow landsleit in New York stopped giving money once they discovered that no one in their families had survived.

The Relief Committee therefore decided to organize a concert with the proceeds going to the Relief Committee.

The concert was arranged under the direction of L. Krantz, who in 1948 became President of the Relief Committee, since Mr. H. Kleinhandler a”h was already sick at that time. Mr. Krantz drew in several new people, such as Y. Trorik a”h, M. Glasser, M. Liss, Mrs. Reich and others. Thanks to the dedicated work of L. Krantz and his committee, the concert was a great success and it brought in 3,000 dollars.

The Relief Committee also wanted to hold a remembrance for our kiddushim, and from 1945 on we have organized an annual memorial gathering.

Many Tarnow landsleit from New York and the nearby states used to come to these memorial gatherings.

The memorial gatherings take place annually during the month of June. Distinguished individuals are present as keynote speakers: Jacob Pat, Menashe Unger, Herbert B. Sussman, President of the Galicianer Federation in America, and most recently, in 1954, Dr. Y. Margoshes.

At the memorial gatherings we appeal to the landsleit for contributions for the Relief Committee and significant sums of money are raised. At the memorial gatherings we also produce a picture exhibit by our landsman Yitzhak Pasternak, who survived the Hitler murderers and he painted the great Jewish tragedy in Tarnow in pictures and carved in wood. His exhibit at every memorial gathering always leaves a deep impression on our attendees.

Since 1947 at the haskora h for our kiddushim at the memorial gathering, Herb Aaron Tzimetboim, rabbi of Congregation Beth Pinchus, who is the son of the renowned gaon and Tzadik Herb Pinchus Tzimetboim hy”d from Tarnow. Herb Tzimetboim who hid his torah in the great cathedral in Tarnow, is also very active in the Relief Committee.

In this way we carried out our aid work until the year 1951. We raised some 30,000 dollars. The work was done by ordinary folks, people who work hard for their livelihood and dedicated every moment of their free time to help our dear brothers who suffered so much from the Hitler murderers.

[Page 908]

However, more than the financial help, we gave our refugees a bit of warmth which they so fiercely needed. We did the best we could and that which our hearts dictated.

We suffered a heavy loss with the death of two of our loyal and dedicated co-workers. In 1950 Yosef Traurig z”l passed away, himself born in Mszana Dolna in the Sandzer district, who, despite his serious heart disease, participated actively in our relief work since the founding of the society in 1944. We could always count on him and with all his energy and warmth took on the assignments of the committee and never declined the most difficult work. May his memory be for a blessing!

Yosef Traurig z”l

In March of 1951 Hanina Kleinhandler, son of Natan and Chana Kleinhandler, a distinguished orthodox family in Tarnow, passed away. By trade a haberdasher Hanina migrated to America in 1912 and immediately was connected to the leadership of Tarnow landsleit and thanks to his honest character and self-sacrificing work on behalf of Tarnow Jews he became the chairman of the Tarnow Landsmanschaft which he led up until his death. Hanina Kleinhandler was a model of a true, dedicated organizational activist. May his memory be for a blessing!

[Page 909]

Hanina Kleinhandler z”l

Finally we would like to thank all the leaders of our organization, and it is not necessary to enumerate all the names.

May our Tarnow refugees, those who are in America and wherever they may be, continue to live in peace and freedom and may they know no more sorrow. And to our landsleit in Israel we will say: “shalom”! May we together live to see a strong and fruitful land of Israel and a world of peace and righteousness.

In 1951 the Relief Society was re-organized under the name “Tarnow Landsleit in America.” At that time a new chapter of our aid work began.

A great number of Jews from Tarnow arrived in America and many of them joined as members of this organization. Voted in as chairman of this new committee was Reuben Hammer and as secretary, Haim Jacobs (who in Tarnow was known as Haim Yitzhak Korn). The committee also has the following members:

Honorary President: Herb A. Tzimetboim; Finance Secretary, Haim Jacobs; Protocol Secretary: Y. Pasternack; Cashier: S. Gelernter. Committee: Mr. Venger; Mr. Adler; Mr. Morse; L. Ander; Mr. Morris A. Korn; Mr. S. Zilberman; Mr. Morris B. Woolf; Mr. Lauber; Mr. Herman Hoyzman “Karp” and Teddy Schnur.

[Page 910]

The committee took on the task of continuing the aid work, understandably within the framework of our limited resources and also to create and make viable an organizational meeting of our landsleit, by organizing from time to time gatherings and various undertakings of which Member Adler is especially knowledgeable.

Hundreds of letters arrive from our landsleit regarding help in various forms. We are truly pleased that from time to time we can offer people our help. Landsleit from various countries also direct inquiries to us about locating their relatives. In most instances they are positively taken care of by our Member Jacobs. The committee for clothing and providing medicine, which does truly important and necessary work, consists of the following members:

Mr. and Mrs. Adler-Brooklyn; Mr. and Mrs. Ander; Mr. and Mrs. A. Wanger; Mr. S. Zilberman; Mr. and Miss A. Korn and Mr. Pasternak.

In closing it's fitting to mention our president, Member Reuben Hammer, with his active and dedicated work for the benefit of our relief organization. Gratitude for his positive attitude towards all the undertakings, which is the source of our existence, which enables us to continue our work.

The most sizeable immigration of Tarnow Jews to Canada commenced in the year 1948. At that time a greater number of landsleit from the German camps arrived in Montreal and Toronto, and among them –Aaron Shporn, one of the most distinguished Bundist leaders in prewar Tarnow. Remaining true to the Tarnow tradition of organizational activity, the newly-arrived founded Tarnow landsmanschaft en in both cities, which included all of our landsleit from earlier generations and the recently-arrived. The following report recounts the founding and activity of our landsmanschaft in Canada:

In 1948 a small group of Tarnow Jews who had rescued themselves from the German camps arrived in Montreal. After we had settled in a bit and began accustoming ourselves to Canadian Jewish organizational life, the idea occurred to us to found a landsmanschaft organization in Canada. The sources of the idea were: A. Shporn; Shlomo Shildkroit; Terek Goldman; A. Klein, and L. Bienenstock.

[Page 911]

The Committee of the Tarnow Landsmanschaft in Montreal

Montreal was the first city where our landsmanschaft began carrying on activities. Those who came to the founding gathering understood the need to help those who were newly-arrived in a foreign country, to uphold the tradition of the bygone Jewish Tarnow and not to forget the final path of our suffering people.

The first accomplishment of the aforementioned activists was the haskora according to the accepted date of 26^th of Sivan. According to the official registration that is when 42 Tarnower in Montreal located one another and they all participated in the memorial evening, where member A. Shporn spoke about the extermination of Tarnow Jewry. After the Yizkor portion a temporary committee was elected which was given the assignment of connecting to the Tarnower in Israel and other countries, and also to organize a general meeting.

In November 1949 the general gathering of the Tarnow landsmanschaft in Montreal took place, where a committee of the following members was elected: A. Shporn – Chairman; M. Berman – Vice Chairman; A. Klein – Secretary; Mrs. H. Goldman – Cashier; S. Schildkroit; R. Rogal; A Roteh; A. Lodmer; and M. Hollander.

[Page 912]

The Tarnow Society in Montreal also takes an active role in various Jewish societal campaigns and organizations, such as: The Jewish Labor Committee, the Histadrut Campaign, and philanthropic organizations. We are also making our contribution to establish a hospital in the Negev.

In 1950 Member Shporn traveled to Toronto in order to establish a Tarnow landsmanschaft there. At the founding gathering a warm welcome was offered upon hearing the lecture by A. Shporn. Afterward an organizing committee was elected of members Abraham Singer and Hirschorn. After a year's work our society became very active. When a letter arrived from Israel, signed by our eminent landsman Dr. Shpan, with the news about the preparations for publishing a Yizkor book about Jewish Tarnow, we decided to offer substantial help for such an important matter. And actually thanks to the Tarnow landsmanschaft in Montreal, with the help from our Jews in New York, a fund was established to buy a ton of paper and to send it to Israel. Particularly highlighted here must be the exceptional work of A. Shporn who personally took care of the all the arrangements for the transport of the paper for the book.

Tarnow Landsleit in Toronto at a Gathering in 1950

[Page 913]

The inaugural gathering of the Tarnow landsmanschaft in Toronto took place on Sunday the 19th of November 1950 with the participation of member Aaron Shporn who came from Montreal specifically for this purpose. The gathering took place in the apartment of the Singer brothers and the following people participated: Aaron Shporn, Meilech Himmelfarb, Hitsche Kurz, Max Greber, Abraham Singer, Yosef Singer, Gitl Singer, Blima Korn, Gitl Feuer, Dvoyreh Hirschenhorn, Shmuel Hirschenhorn, Shmuel Alban, Leon Freilich, Chaim Shpitzer. On 12.24.1950 the elected organization commission consisting of members Abraham Singer, Max Greber and Shmuel Hirschenhorn called for a general gathering where our assignments were specified and where a permanent Board of Directors was elected in the following leadership: Shmuel Tzetel – chairman, Regina Waltshak – Vice Chairman, Shmuel Hirschenhorn – Secretary, Abraham Singer – Correspondence Secretary, Chaim Shpitzer – Cashier. The Board of Directors decided on the following assignments for itself: a) to carry out yahrzeit commemorations for our kiddushim. b) to help our needy Tarnowers wherever they are. c) to help our brothers in Israel and in other countries.

The Committee of the Tarnow Landsmanschaft in Toronto First row from right to left: Baruch Rosenblatt, Shmuel Tzetel, Meilech Himmelfarb Second Row from right to left: Blima Korn, Abraham Singer, Chaitshe Kurz

[Page 914]

Before the time of our existence we certainly helped our people in Israel and also contributed a good deal to the publication of the book “Auschwitz” by our landsman Yosef Rogel. If in this report we can't recount much more of what we had planned, it is because we had many local difficulties.

The current management consists of the following members: Chairman – Shmuel Tzetl; Vice Chairs – Baruch Rosenblat, Abraham Singer. Secretary – Chaitshe Kurtz; Cashiers – Meilech Himmelfarb, Blima Korn.

The First Committee of the Tarnow Landsmanschaft in Toronto From left to right: Shmuel Hirschenhorn, Abraham Singer, Shmuel Tzetl, Regina Waltshak, Chaim Spitzer

The largest community of Tarnow Jews resides in Paris. Our landsleit in France are primarily engaged in tailoring, fur production, hat-making, knitwear, confectionery, trade, and medicine. Also living in Paris is the popular cultural activist from the Tarnow working class from the pre-war period– Hersh Fenster (from Baranow), today a Yiddish writer, author of the book “Our Tormented Artists.”

Our Tarnowers are among the oldest Jewish immigrants in Paris: Wexler, Cohen, Israel Biederman, and Butterfass. Tarnow Jews in Paris are also active in various societal and cultural institutions, and in economic terms they are all an avowed productive element. The first efforts to establish a Tarnow landsmanschaft in Paris did not elicit the desired results. Shlomo Klopholz, one of the most active leaders among the Tarnowers in France, writes the following in his report:

“The first attempt at creating a Tarnow society in Paris was made in February 1947, when the first refugees appeared in the French capital. As soon as we became aware of the conditions of our landsleit in the German camps, we

[Page 915]

Tarnow Jews in Paris at the Yizkor Gathering in 1948

[Page 916]

sought remedies as how to most quickly and effectively bring them help. Unfortunately this first initiative failed, because at the first gathering there came the initiator and one additional person.”

However, therefore the second gathering was more successful because 20 landsleit participated. Our first task was to help the newly-arrived in Paris. And again the same–the weak interest on the part of the Tarnowers also undid this initiative.

It was only in 1948, when the Tarnow activist Dr. A. Chomet and the bookseller A. Seiden arrived in Paris, that things began to change in

The Unveiling of the Monument to the Memory of our Tarnow Kiddushim in the Cemetery in Paris. From left: The Chairman of the Tarnow Landsmanschaft in Paris –Yitzhak-Katz Glickman, on his right is the Vice Chairman Shlomo Klopholz.

[Page 917]

our little Tarnow world in France. They succeeded in convincing several local leaders to take greater responsibility, recognize the rich Tarnow traditions, and become actively involved in organizational efforts. That is actually how approximately one hundred people came to the third gathering called by the new leadership. In short order a Board of Directors was elected consisting of the following persons: Zachvald, Kleinberger z”l, Adolph Seiden, Zilberman, Dr. Chomet, Dr. Mandel, Dr. Schwarts, Mrs. Wurzel, Isaac, Glassman, S. Weinstock, Klopholz, Schop, Mizenmacher. The gathering, and thereafter the Board of Directors, decided to establish an Aid Fund, to promote cultural work, carry on work for Israel etc.

The Parisian Jewish press provided positive reports about the Tarnow landsmanschaft . In the Labor Zionist “Undzer Vort” (“Our Word”) (7.1.48) we read the following report:

“On this day a general gathering of the Tarnow landsmanschaft took place with the participation of more than 100 landsleit. After the lecture by member Dr. Chomet on the subject of the “Goals and Tasks of the Landsmanschaft” a lively discussion ensued, in which the following members participated: Seiden, Schop, Unger, Fenster, etc. The landsmanschaft committee's effort to publish a Yizkor book about the Tarnow kidushim was taken up with understandable interest.

According to the proposal by member Dr. Mandel the gathering approved a resolution which applauds the establishment of the Jewish state and sends fraternal blessings to the fighting Jewish army in the brave yishuv in Israel.

On that occasion, 30 thousand francs were collected for the Haganah.

Sunday the 3^rd of July 8:30 in the evening on the 6^th anniversary of the slaughter in the Tarnow ghetto, in the auditorium Lancry 10 a memorial ceremony for the Tarnow kiddushim will take place. It is the obligation of all Tarnow Jews who live in Paris to come honor the memory of the kiddushim.

At the time of my writing this report, our landsmanschaft has already existed for 5 years and during this time the society has made a great effort to implement the activities which it had enumerated. Each year there is a general gathering, memorial gatherings, and celebrations of national holidays. The demand for help for those in need often exceeds the abilities of the organization, but we do all that's possible to respond to the requests.

We are seriously considering acquiring a place for two of our own burial sites with monuments because in Paris a cemetery doesn't belong to a community and the problem of a place of rest after death is a very

[Page 918]

photo captions: Tarnow Jews in Paris at the Yizkor Ceremony at the Memorial Monument serious matter.

No activity of the organizational institution in Paris is more active than the concern for a cemetery for its members – they should live until 120 years…

Several words about the monument: it was erected as a tombstone for the deceased members, as well as a memorial monument for our kiddushim, whose names are inscribed there (those which were given to the committee), as well as the names of the organizational leaders in Tarnow, those who died kiddush hashem.

In 1954 a new committee was chosen at the annual general gathering consisting of the following: Balsam, Isaac, Glickman, Glassman, Seller, Shlomo Klopholz, Mrs. Kleinberger, Zilberman, Green, Zatler, Laufer, Gerstner and Kornheiser.

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