65 Comments

1. 

   Hindee Alpert Rosner on November 1, 2017 at 7:01 pm

   Hello Family! My daughter Ruthee is researching a project for her 8th grade history project. It’s about Ellis Island and the Lower Eastside. I suggested that she research her great great great grandfather Rav Chaim Alter Friedman. I am Zane and Malkie (Schreiber) Alpert’s daughter. I am named after my grandmother-Hinda Greenfield Schreiber-Sura and Benjamin Greenfield’s eldest daughter, Chaim and Malka’s daughter. Please send me any information you have. Pictures and all. It will be so helpful for this project and so wonderful for the family!!! My email is gingeefam@yahoo.com

2. 

   Gary Friedman on November 2, 2017 at 3:33 pm

   Does anyone have a translation of the Rabbi’s headstone and the other two in the pictures? My family and I have determined the one on the left is Mollie’s and the one on the right is Chaim’s. No one in my family can figure out the small one between them. We’ve even sent the image out to a friend in Israel but haven’t heard back yet.

3. 

   Trisha Sindler on November 14, 2017 at 9:26 pm

   Gary, my understanding is that the small headstone in the middle is a Torah from the Rabbi’s shul that was burnt in a fire.

   Hindee, Jonathan Leibowitz has tons of great info and pictures.

4. 

   Gary Friedman on November 16, 2017 at 1:37 am

   Thanks for the response Trisha.
   When I posted my last message, all the other posted messages disappeared. I now show the message “53 Response so Far”, but am only displaying 3. If anyone knows how to get them back, please post.

   Regarding the headstones, our Israeli contact got back to us yesterday and gave us this translation:

   Here is buried our father our Shepperd a loyal friend to our mother and none for his rightness and admire the Rabbi Haim Eltar.
   (there’s an Acrostic with Haim Eltar’s name in Hebrew).
   Life of Torah
   Songs you read
   You had great sons
   You rushed to leave our house
   We saw the death in our window
   Your wonderful bright face we will not see again
   How’s going to heal us
   Our cry and shouting will be of you. May your soul be in the life of the livings.

   The one on the left:
   Here is buried the wife of the Rabbi Malca Friedman she found here her forever rest. She is merciful there is not a lot like her

   The one in the middle:
   In the memory of the fire that burned Torah books and holy books peace covenant sons of Isaac in 14 of Shvat month 1922.

5. 

   Hindee on November 26, 2017 at 12:09 am

   Trisha, How do I reach Jonathan Leibowitz?
   Hindee Rosner
   gingeefam@yahoo.com

6. 

   Trisha on March 25, 2018 at 2:43 am

   Hindee, I am sorry. I just saw this. Do you still need his email? If so, I will see if I can find it.

7. 

   harold liebowitz on April 27, 2019 at 10:30 pm

   does anyone have a photo of the shul where r. chaim alter was the rabbi

8. 

   Jeff Goldner on June 2, 2019 at 4:06 pm

   Shalom Harold

   In 2016, my wife and I set out to find the old places where ancestors lived on the Lower East Side. Using the information from http://www.museumoffamilyhistory.com/erc-syn-manhattan.htm, we could find R. Friedman’s synagogue in 1920-21 listed as:

   6 Avenue D
   –B’rith Sholom B’nai Isaac (Brith Sholom-Benei Jitzchok)
   1920-21: Chaim A. Friedman, Rabbi
   1924-25.
   –First Brith Solam
   1910-11.
   –Brith Sholem
   1915-16.
   –Beth Hamid Hag.
   1915-16: Morris Wechsler, Rabbi; Joseph Marsschak, Sexton
   The cemetery block where R. Friedman is buried was owned by this organization. Sadly, that building and entire block was replaced by New York City Housing Authority Wald – 12 Avenue D Community Center. I also had various addresses from census records, and most of those buildings were replaced by the 40s or later, including some new construction in the area.

   This photo at http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/s/eb9399 was taken looking down Avenue D from 3rd Street. Ave D ends at the intersection of Houston, where 2nd Street also terminates. The temple you can see on the corner of Houston and Columbia is visible in the photo was likely Talmud Torah, now part of the Hamilton Fish Park Library. #6 would have been very close to the corner on the left side of D past the El Tasco Cigars sign probably around the Electrical Motors sign – which you can see if you zoom in.

   We also visited E 6th St. There is a community center which was once a synagogue – we were able to enter the building. Some of it is in good shape. I have pictures or you can find it online as well. Probably not related to the rabbi but in the same neighborhood where they lived.
   638 East 6th Street
   –Ahavath Jeshurun Shaare Torah
   –Shearith B’nai Israel
   –Congregation Ahawath Jeschurun
   1933-34.
   The Lost Synagogues of New York City is a good resource as well. They lead tours several days a week in various boroughs. http://www.avotaynu.com/books/LostSynagoguesManhattan.htm.

9. 

   Jeff Goldner on June 7, 2019 at 12:16 pm

   Good news – here is a picture of the synagogue from about 1940: http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/s/q1a042

10. 

    Elaine Goldberg on October 3, 2021 at 3:34 pm

    I just had my DNA analyzed by 23 & me finally at age 85. As I assumed I am 100% Ashkenazi Jew. I was recently contacted by my 2nd cousin Steven Yovits. Chaim Alter Friedman is his great grandfather and is also mine. I remember the Schreiber and Greenfield families but would like to be in touch with any of their relatives. My parents were Sarah and Murray Shaw. My mother Sarah was Sam and Nettie Leibowitz’s eldest child. I look forward to hearing from you. Hugs, Elaine Shaw Goldberg

11. 

    Elaine Goldberg on October 4, 2021 at 1:47 am

    Jonathan, do you have the name of Chaim Alter’s father? I am Elaine Goldberg,
    Sarah and Murray Shaw’s daughter. Are you Edward and Ellen’s son?
    Hugs, Elaine

12. 

    Betty Jacobson on December 10, 2021 at 1:17 pm

    Hello, I am the great grand daughter of Chaim Alter. My mother Mildred Bass Roffwarg is his grand daughter. My mom is living with me and just had her 99th birthday. Her sister Adeline ( my aunt) is living in assisted living on the South Shore of L.I. I remember Aunt Nettie my grandmother Rose’s sister. So nice to read all of this.

    Betty Jacobson

13. 

    Rivka Nelson on June 11, 2024 at 11:06 am

    Hi – I don’t know if this is still active. My name is Rivka Nelson and I am the great granddaughter of Chaim Alter Friedman. My mother was Miriam Greenfield (Szatmary), daughter of Sarah (Friedman) Greenfield and Ben Greenfield. I was wondering if anyone knows what town in Hungary Chaim Alter Friedman came from? Thanks!

14. 

    seth goldberg on July 6, 2024 at 10:59 pm

    Hi Rivka-

    My name is Seth Goldberg. My Mother, Elaine was Sarah Shaw’s oldest daughter. My grandma Sarah was Nettie’s oldest daughter. I’d also love more info on my great great grandfather.

15. 

    Jonah Rothlein on July 10, 2024 at 4:29 am

    Hello Everyone, I am the 3x great-grandson of Chaim Alter Friedman, also Betty Jacobson’s grandson. It’s great to read all the fascinating messages.