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Ephraim Friedman was most likely born circa 1929 or near the tiny town of Kopaigorod (or Kopaihorod) (which is located about 7 hours by car south west of Kiev). His parents were Mendel and Maryem Friedman (Fridman). He was married to Hinda Podgaitz probably around 1850. He had 3 sons and 5 daughters. I will offer what little information I have about him.
According to Jacob Rubin: “He finished studies as a rabbi but never practiced; was a merchant, dealer in Wysotski Tea. Continually collected money for the poor. It is alleged that he was teased by youngsters for leaving his fly open.”
From Mama’s Diaries (Written by Anya Friedman Spector in 1963)
“My grandfather Ephraim was a Rabbi but he had many disagreements with the leading Jews in town. He decided not to be the Rabbi in town, instead he was a sales representative of Wissotzky Tea, which sent out orders all over the small towns. My grandmother had a small store of groceries, thread, needles etc and in this way we lived together, the four of us, my grandparents and their four daughters….the house consisted of 3 rooms….
….as I have mentioned before, my grandfather Ephraim was a very religious man, he could have been the Rabbi of the town, but chose to sell tea to all the towns around, and I mentioned my grandmother’s small store consisting of almost nothing at all. As I think back now, I cannot figure out how did we all exist and manage in my grandfather’s three rooms; ten people, grandfather, grandmother, their four daughters, my father, my mother, my little brother and I. The table was narrow and stood in the hallway. We could not sit and eat all together. My grandfather seemed always to collect money for a poor family who did not have enough money for the Sabbath, or a poor bride, or a sick man or woman. But one time my grandfather felt that he committed a sin, it is not known exactly what it was, perhaps he forgot to wash his hands before praying or something like it. To punish himself he refused himself he pleasure of sexual intercourse with my grandmother, and although he loved her very much, he never touched her again. He was only thirty five years old and grandmother, thirty.”
Notes from Sam Friedman/dsf – “Ephraim a pious jew, very religious, a son-in-law of a rabbi, married off old maids – found husbands – used to get a handkerchief – gathering pennies for the poor – Moshe spoke of him with respect and awe, Sam wrote to his (Moshe’s?) children because their father was “tops with him”
Ephraim – unique personality – his son Moshe provided for him, Haike married a Lifshitz – whose father bothered Ephraim, telling him stories, Ephraim took it from him as long as he could, everyone looked up to Ephraim, Yankel was Shmuel Lifshitz’s father, Yankel wanted to talk to Ephraim – Ephraim couldn’t take it, so in a nice way he said to leave him alone and Yankel died – and people said they know the secret of why Yankel died….
…An old maid wanted a husband and Ephraim could produce one so she said to Ephraim, I met a man who is a doll! what should I do, Ephraim said what is his name, I’ll find out, he wrote to the rabbi of that town, but she had no patience and he had no heart to tell her its not good, she kept pestering him, so he said he has a wife and five children and she said if you are going to be that careful I’ll never get married!”
