[Page 426]
Abraham Reichenthal of blessed memory
by Abish Reichenthal
Translated by
Zygmunt Frankel
Wellington, New Zealand
{The photo on top of the page is Abraham Reichenthal. Tr}
He was born in 1874 in the shtetl of Lizhensk. In his early years he realized
that in such a small place there is no room for the working person. He went to
America where many of his relatives and acquaintances already lived. He later
became ill and returned home to his parents. He then met Yenta Shachtel, his
future wife. Yenta's parents frowned upon the relationship. It was undignified
that their daughter should marry a butcher, so they sent her away to her sister
in America. Abraham felt the pain of love and followed her. In spite of the
difficulties they faced they wed and brought 8 children into the world.
When WWI broke out Abraham was called up to the Austrian army. Coming back from
the war Abraham occupied himself with building a new life. From Sunday till
Friday he was occupied with his daily work. However on the Sabbath he shone
with spirit. Although he belonged to the middle class he always censured the
'providers' of the town who he believed discriminated against the working
people. He always stood at the side of the weak ones. His attitudes were
developed from his life experiences. His two trips to America taught him in the
great school of life, he knew about hard work and had experienced great
adventures during the four years of the First World War. In his hours of rest
he told tales of his experiences with multi-colored humor.
He nurtured and encouraged his children, who showed great talent for learning.
His oldest son, who had a desire to study, he sent to University. The middle
class people elected him to the Kahal and City Council. In WWII fate brought
him to Lemberg (Lwow). There he survived until Hitler's occupation. From then
onwards all traces of him were lost. Like all Jews he perished with his
children Leibish, Shloime and daughter Hayele.
[Page 428]
Jacob Reichenthal of blessed memory
by his relatives Harry, Sarah and Benjamin
translated by
Zygmunt Frankel
Wellington, New Zealand
{The photo on top of the page is of Jacob Reichenthal, his wife and son.}
Jacob Reichenthal was born in Lizhensk in 1869. He had roots in Lizhensk going
back several generations. He was a modest man with an easy and good humor. As a
young and energetic man he immigrated twice to America. Then he came back to
Lizhensk again and married his wife Tsharne who gave birth to his five sons. He
was a man of understanding, moderate in his way of life, read the Yiddish press,
which at that time was considered 'enlightened[1]. The tradesmen and working people elected
him as their representative in the Jewish community (Kahal) and as a City
Councilor. He worked in those institutions conscientiously. During WWII[2]
American Jews sent food and clothing for the poor population and a kitchen for
the school children was established. Jacob and Isaiah Reichenthal took upon
themselves the task of ensuring that no injustice was done to the poor children.
Shortly after the first war he felt the anti-Semitism in Poland and Jew hatred
and immigrated to America and brought his family over. After a short time he
bought land in Raanana Israel and sent his oldest son Joseph to work the land
until he had the opportunity of settling in Eretz Israel. In the year 1933 Jacob
went to Israel where he built himself a small house and grew fruit on his
plantation. In 1936 he was ready to go to America to fetch his wife, however he
never got to bring her to Israel. That same year he fell sick and died.
Table of Contents
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The reference to WWII is as per the original. However it appears from
context that the author may have been intending to refer to WWI: SJK Back
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