HISTORY
Historical events, institutions & places
In this section of the website I am taking a deeper dive into the involvement of our families in historical events, institutions and places. More will be added in the future. If you have ideas of things we should research, or spend more time on, please contact me.
Enslavement
In my genealogical research, I uncovered to my dismay, the fact that my ancestors were indeed slave holders; something I had never imagined. Some of my cousins and I have begun investigations into this part of our history which is so important to pass on to future generations.
Friedman Bag Company
The Friedman brothers started the Friedman Bag Company in Los Angeles in the 1920’s. In this way, our families’ history integrates with that of early history of Los Angeles.
THE GALVESTON PLAN
The Galveston Plan operated between 1907 and 1914 to assist Jews emigrating from Russia and Eastern Europe, steering them to the west rather than Ellis Island or other eastern ports.
HERMOSILLO
After about seven years in San Francisco, Sam and Sol Friedman moved to Hermosillo around 1920 and established a soap factory and other businesses along with the Barskys (friends from the Kopaigorod area) and other family members including the Kibricks. The rest of the Friedman clan came to Hermosillo over land (not train), after arriving in Vera Cruz in southern Mexico (a journey of approx. 1400 miles).
S.S. CHEMNITZ
The SS Chemnitz (which carried Sol and Sam Friedman to Galveston in 1914) was a steamship of Norddeutscher Lloyd, a German shipping company that operated from 1857 until 1970. The Chemnitz was built in 1898 by the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen, Germany, and was launched in January of that year. It was named after the city of Chemnitz in Saxony, Germany.
ZOHAREI CHAMA (THE SUNDIAL BUILDING)
The creative energy behind this sundial building in Jerusalem, was American immigrant Rabbi Shmuel Levi. He raised the funds in the United States, traveling back and forth between Chicago and Jerusalem several times, and had the guest house and synagogue constructed in 1908-1917. Over the years it grew from three to five stories. Shmuel Levi commissioned the rabbi Moshe Shapiro, of Mea She’arim to construct the huge sundial.
