Untangling Roots from Belarus to London: A Family Saga with More Twists Than a Challah Braid
Let me tell you, tracing Jewish genealogy is like trying to assemble a kugel from a recipe written in Yiddish… by your bubbe… who measured ingredients in “a bissel of this” and “a zetz of that.” Our family’s story? A glorious tangle of contradictions, whispered secrets, and enough name changes to make the HMRC weep into its challah. Buckle up—this is Fiddler on the Roof meets Sherlock Holmes, with a side of schmaltz.
The Core Family: From Vishnevo with Chutzpah
Alec Berman (b. 1886, Vishnevo, Belarus): Born Alexander Berkman to Schaya Leib “Call Me Yishayahu Leib HaLevi For Pesach” Berkman and Chaya Laya Berkman. The man had more aliases than a deli has pickles.
Goodie Berman (b. ~1882): Later rebranded as “Lily” (because “Goodie” sounded too much like a kreplach filling). Married Joseph Foreman in 1906 and casually dropped Simon Berman as her father like naming your goldfish “Moby Dick.”
Simon & Kitty Berman: The ultimate power couple. Simon, né Sokolovitz (from Ivenets, Belarus), pulled a classic Jewish move: married Kitty, stole her last name, and became a tailor. Their kids? All born in London, because oy, the schlep from Belarus was enough.
Key Mysteries: So Thick You Could Spread ’Em on a Bagel
- Who’s Your Tatte, Goodie?
- The Claim: Goodie’s 1906 marriage certificate swears Simon Berman is her dad.
- The Plot Twist: Simon and Kitty’s kids were born after 1887. Goodie arrived in 1882. Either Simon fathered her at 15 (a wunderkind!), or this is the first recorded case of a Jewish time traveller.
- Theory: Maybe Simon was her uncle, cousin, or just a nice man she guilted into kvelling at her wedding.
- Alec’s Siblings vs. Simon’s Kids: A Soap Opera
- Alec’s siblings (per his 1927 naturalization): Beny (in NYC), Aron Aba (a rabbi in Poland), Samuel Gershon (another rabbi, because one wasn’t enough).
- Simon’s kids: Esther, etc., born 1887–1898. No overlap. It’s like Succession, but with more tefillin.
- The “Lewis” Mystery: Alec claimed he worked with brother Lewis in London. Simon’s family tree? No Lewis. Was Lewis Beny? Pesach? A dybbuk?
- The Lost Brothers: A Tragicomedy
- Pesach: Family lore says he fled to the U.S. as “Beny.” Because why have one name when you can have three?
- The Rabbi Who Returned: One brother (Aron? Samuel?) went back to Poland in 1936 despite Alec’s warnings. Spoiler: It did not end well.
- Auntie “Goody”: Tsipka, Sipora, or Just Meshuggeneh?
- Freda (Alec’s daughter) called her “Aunty Goody.” Leah (Alec’s wife) called her Tsipka—Yiddish for “little bird” or “that relative who always complains about the kugel.” Marriage records say “Lily.” Real name? Who knows.
Timeline of Chaos
- 1880s–1900s: Simon arrives in London, marries Kitty, becomes a tailor. Classic Jewish immigrant hustle mazel tov!
- 1905: Alec lands in London, works with “Lewis” at South Street—same address as Simon’s family. Coincidence? Or did they share a cholent pot?
- 1906: Goodie/Lily marries Joseph Foreman. Simon shows up as “father” on the certificate. (Cue dramatic violin.)
- 1942: Vishnevo’s Jews are murdered by Nazis. Our family’s Polish rabbis? Likely among them. Ha’makom yenachem…
The Vishnevo Connection: More VIPs Than a Bar Mitzvah Open Bar
Vishnevo (now Belarus) wasn’t just shtetl—it was a factory for Jewish greatness. Alumni include:
- Shimon Peres (Israeli PM)
- Nahum Goldman (Zionist legend)
Our burning question: Did the Bermans/Berkmans shtup their kids with these dynasties? Or just argue over who makes better gefilte fish?
Stubborn Inconsistencies: Because Why Make It Easy?
- Simon ≠ Schaya Leib: Alec’s dad was Schaya Leib. Simon’s… someone else. Are they related? Who’s to say?
- Name Roulette: Sokolovitz → Sakolove → Berkman → Berman. Next gen: “Bernstein.” It’s like a game of dreidel with surnames.
- The Missing Marriage: No record of Simon & Kitty’s wedding. Did they kessel in Belarus or City Hall? The world may never know.
Next Steps: Breaking the Wall (Like Moses, But with Ancestry.co.uk)
- South Street, London: Find Simon’s tailoring shop. Was it a front for schmatta smuggling? (Asking for a cousin.)
- Ellis Island Records: Track Beny Berman. Did he open a deli? A synagogue? A shvitz?
- Polish Holocaust Archives: Look for Aron/Samuel. Spoiler alert: Bring tissues.
- DNA Testing: Because nothing says “family” like spitting in a tube and praying your 3rd cousin isn’t a gonif.
📣 Call to the Family: We Need You!
If your bubbe ever muttered about:
- Vishnevo’s kreplach recipe
- A great-uncle who traded tallis for tea in London
- The shanda of Simon’s missing marriage license
Reach out. Let’s solve this mishegas together.
P.S. To the cousin holding Auntie Goody’s photo or Jack Goldman’s number: We’ll trade a kugel recipe for intel. 🕵️♂️
“Genealogy is like a seder: four questions, zero answers, and someone always spills the wine.”