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Buchsbaum History Goes Back To 1300s
By BETTY PROVIZER STARKMAN
Buchsbaum is a surname of
Ashkenazic origin. Buxbaum is a
variation. This old Levite family was
expelled from Nuremberg during the
Black Death persecutions of 1349.
In the 15th Century they lived in
Frankfort, Germany.
The brothers Hertz and Beer,
sons of Meier and Gutlin, resided at
the house that bore the sign of the
buchsbaum (box tree). From this
house sign they adopted their
surname. The family grew and
thrived.
Many additions and alterations
were made to their home. In the
year 1560 the original Buchsbaum
structure contained seven separate
dwellings. Two of the additions were
called Apfelbaum (apple tree) and
Sefer Safari
Fair Are Linked
Sefer Safari, a community-wide
reading program for families, and
this year for independent readers as
well, will be launched on June 11 at
the United Hebrew Schools at 1:30
p.m
The community will have the
opportunity to participate in the
Kosher Food Expo and the Sefer
Safari kickoff, both of which will
feature activities for the whole
family.
The book fair, a Jewish
Community Center program, will
provide children's books, cook
books and a variety of adult
paperbacks for purchase. Featured
programs during the afternoon will
be kosher food samples, cold-
cooking projects for kids and a
Sefer Safari book mark contest.
There will be pony rides and a
variety of entertainment.
For information, contact Jewish
Experiences For Families, 661-0600.
Organizations that have kosher
cookbooks to sell at the Kosher
Food Expo/Sefer Safari Kickoff
should contact Harlene Appelman,
661-0600.
Next Issue
Yavneh, Detroit's Project
Renewal sister city, is the focus
of the next L'Chayim. Learn
more about the history of this
unique place, with its rich mix of
culture and innovative school
system plus see how Detroit
volunteers and donations are
helping to upgrade an
economically depressed
neighborhood. A truly special
L'Chayim, coming June 30.
Birnbaum (pear tree). Some family
members residing at the Birnbaum
began to use the name of their
house as a surname.
Dr. Wolf Amschel Buchsbaum
was the great-great-grandson of
Beer Buchsbaum. In honor of his
Later still, some Galician Jews
who used boxwood in their
occupation of woodworking and
carving also used Buchsbaum as a
family name.
Landau was used as a Jewish
surname as early as 1480. It was
probably adopted by former
residents of the German town of
Some family members
Landau. Many of them moved to
residing at the Birnbaum
Prague and western Poland after
began to use the name of their expulsion in 1545.
their house as a
Jewish people lived in Landau
in the 13th Century. In 1329 there
surname.
was a Judengasse (Jews Street). In
the 15th Century, the main source
profession of medical doctor, he
changed his name to Doktor/Doctor. of income for Jews was
manufacturing playing cards and
The dynasty of scientists and
moneylending. The rabbis of this
physicians that followed him also
period were Rabbi Solomon Spiro
used the name Doktor.
and Rabbi Moses Ben Isaac ha-Levi
In 1840, two brothers, of the
Doctor family changed their name to Minz. Nineteenth Century Landau
had a large synagogue and many
Dondorf. Later other members of
Jewish community institutions. On
this clan adopted the surname of
Oct. 22, 1940, the Jewish residents
Rofe, the Hebrew for doctor. All of
the above, however, were part of the were deported to Gurs Camp in the
original Buchsbaum family and were south of France. In 1946, 20 Jewish
survivors returned to establish a
related to other Frankfort families
new community.
through marriage: Haas, Kann,
The Encyclopedia Judaica lists
Stern, Beer and Rothschild. The
many famous rabbis, scholars,
Jewish Community of Frankfort by
scientists and Zionist leaders with
Alexander Dietz contains family
the Landau name. The archives of
trees and histories for all of these
The Leo Baeck Institute in New York
families.
has a Landau family tree beginning
in 1545 and a Landauer tree
beginning in 1690. It is believed that
Landauer stems from the same
source as Landau.
Salz is an Ashkenazic surname
meaning "salt" in Yiddish/German.
Other variations are Saizer, Salzman
and Salten. Salt was often a
precious commodity in Europe and
its sale was controlled by the
government. Those given a permit
or franchise for its sale were
Landau was used as a
Jewish surname as early
as 1480. It was probably
adopted by former
residents of the German
town of Landau. Many of
them moved to Prague
and western Poland after
their expulsion in 1545.
considered important people. They,
thus chose their family name from
their occupation.
Betty Provizer Starkman is the
past president and founder of the
genealogical branch of the Jewish
Historical Society of Michigan.
Answers To Shavuot Questions
1 Shavuot, Chag Habikkurim,
Chag Hakatzir and Zman
Matan Torateinu
2. Shavuot (weeks). We count
seven complete weeks from the
second day of Pesach. On the
50th day we celebrate Shavuot.
Chag Habikkurim (The Holiday
of the First Fruits). The first
fruits of the seven species
(wheat, barley, grapes, figs,
pomegranates, olives and
dates) was brought to the Holy
Temple. Chag Hakatzir (the
Holiday of Reaping). Wheat
was harvested and two show-
breads were brought to the
holy Temple. Zman Matan
Torateinu (the time of the
Giving of the Torah). We
received the Torah on this
holiday.
3. The sixth and seventh of Sivan
(outside of Israel)
4. 2448
5. Har Sinai (Mt. Sinai)
9. The written Torah — the Five
Books of Moses
10. The oral Torah — The Mishna
and Gemara
11. Tikun Leil Shavuot refers to the
custom to remain awake the
entire first night of Shavuot and
learn Torah. Tikun Leil Shavuot
can also refer to the text read
by many on the first night of
Shavuot. This text includes
parts of the written and oral
Torah, the Zohar and a
summary of the 613 mitzvot.
12. Megillat Ruth
13. It is a story set during the
harvest time and Shavuot is
"the holiday of the harvest." It
is a story of an individual
woman's acceptance of the
Torah and Shavuot is the time
when we all accepted the
Torah. Ruth is the great-
grandmother of King David.
his mother for three months.
He was therefore put in the
reeds of the river on Shavuot.
We decorate with greens to
commemorate this.
16. dairy foods
17. The Torah is compared to milk
and honey. When the Jews
received the Torah and the
laws of keeping kosher, they
were not equipped to perform
the necessary procedures for
kosher meat. They ate dairy
foods. The numerical value of
the Hebrew word chalav (milk)
equals 40 and corresponds to
the 40 days Moses spent on
Mt. Sinai.
These Shavuot questions were
prepared by Flo Ziffer, a teacher at
Akiva Hebrew Day School.
14. King David was born and died
on Shavuot.
6. 613
7. 248
8. 365
15. The plants are reminiscent of
Har Sinai where the Torah was
given. Moses was born on the
seventh of Adar and hidden by
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
L-7