Newly discovered picture of Jewish Gravestone

Mr. Eric Friedman has kindly sent me this picture - from around 1900 showing one of his family's graves in the Vilkaviskis Jewish Cemetery.

It shows the traditional "chalet" style graves that were very common at this time.

This is perhaps the best picture I have seen and thank you Eric for allowing me the share
this.

Ralph

Merry Christmas to all my friends in Lithuania

To Algis, Antanas and all the good folks in Lithuania that have helped me I wish you a very Merry
Christmas and a prosperous New Year

Ralph
Kfar Ruppin
Israel

Market Day - a movie !

This is a movie about the Market Day - taken in Suwalki in 1937 - OK its not Vilkaviskis
but it should give some idea of a market day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCLY2rhRfHM

Regards

Ralph

More on Pig Bristles !

Dear Amy and Tony,

Regards from Josef Rosin ! he says it was quiet clear that although Jews were forbidden to eat pork they were allowed to work and trade with the bristles.

With kindest regards

Ralph

Jewish Graveyard Rabbit

A blog on international Jewish cemeteries, preservation and restoration projects, reading Hebrew tombstones and more.


Charter Member of the Association of Graveyard Rabbits

http://jewishgraveyardrabbit.blogspot.com

Ralph

Bravol Cigarette Factory in Vilkaviskis !

In Vilkaviskis was at least 1 cigarette factory they produced various brands, "Konsul", "Senior", "Baltika" and for woman "Marytė". see the enclosed picture !

I will add the picture of the factory shortly.

Regards

Ralph

Pig Bristle Factories in Vilkaviskis

Just got this answer from Josef Rosin

"Dear Ralph,

you can't imagine any Lithuanian Jew touching pig bristles if according to any Rabi it was Taref. There were in Lithuania many Jews who dealt with the bristles or by trading with them or processing them. The Jewish workshops employed to my best knowledge mostly Jewish workers and the working conditions and the salary was very poor. I think that in Vilkavisk even a strike was initiated by the Bund- the anti-Zionist workers movement."

Pig Bristles ! in Vilkaviskis

There are a couple of letters about the Pig Bristle factories in Vilkaviskis

On Ralph and Wayne's website, it states there were 4 pig bristle factories in Vilkaviskis and the pig bristle industry began in Vilkavisikis. My ancestors owned one of those factories. Does anyone know when the pig bristle industry began in Vilkaviskis?

Can anyone explain how a town whose population was well over half Jewish in the latter part of the 19th century could have developed such a significant pig bristle industry? Would this have involved both Jewish and non-Jewish workers or non-Jewish only? Equally significant, what would have been the attitude of the rabbinical authorities?

Am working on it !!!!!!!
Ralph

A great site for Vilkaviskis pictures

If you have never been to Vilkaviskis and want to get a feel of the town go to
http://www.miestai.net/forumas/showthread.php?t=2549
Its a Lithuanian site with so many pictures of the town.

Regards

Ralph

Pilvaskai Market Day ,an old photograph

This picture was kindly sent by Chris Marks -
will be adding it soon to my site

Ralph

Candles are burning in the Jewish Cemetery in Vilkaviskis

I have just heard from Algis that he lit a candle in the Jewish Cemetery in Vilkaviskis for the memory of Shmarihyu Pustapetski

Thanks Algis

The passing of Shmarihyu Pustapetski

It is with great sadness that I have to tell of the passing of Shmarihyu Pustapetski.
Shmarihyu passed away at the age of 94. He was born in Vilkaviskis, a member of the Batar
youth movement, a Captain in the Lithuanian Army and was deported to Siberia in 1940.

He was a greater lover of Lithuania !

I will sadly miss this wonderful person.

You can read more of his life at:
http://www.jewishvilkaviskis.org/Pustapetski.html
http://www.jewishvilkaviskis.org/Shmarihu.html
and
http://www.jewishvilkaviskis.org/Shmarihu%20Norek.html

May his soul rest in peace.

Ralph Salinger

New Pages !

Am updating my Jewish Vilkaviskis site http://www.jewishvilkaviskis.org

Have now added 3 new pages that you can see at http://www.jewishvilkaviskis.org/New%20.html

Will look forward to your comments.

Ralph

Getting Started

Dear All 120 folks that have roots in Vilkaviskis !

Thought this would be a good way to make communication a little easier and allow
people to communicate with each other !

With kindest regards

Ralph