DECEMBER 12 • 2024 | 19

organizations are being lost or 
discarded as times passes. While 
there are photos and documents 
about landsmanschaften at several 
Jewish and secular institutions in 
Metro Detroit, there is no central 
database or collection. 
Stoler is the catalyst for a group of 
Detroiters interested in preserving 
their history — inspired by the 
Jewish Genealogical Society of 
Philadelphia, which compiled 
a comprehensive record of its 
landscmanschaften. The ad hoc 
Detroit committee includes staff 
and volunteers from the Jewish 
Genealogical Society of Michigan, 
the Jewish Historical Society of 
Michigan and the Michigan Center 
for Jewish Archives (incorporating 
the Temple Beth El Archives and 
the Leonard N. Simons Jewish 
Community Archives of the 
Jewish Federation of Detroit), the 
Zekelman Holocaust Center and 
representatives of several local 

landsmanschaften. 
“We are trying to find and 
preserve our history. If we don’t 
do it, it will never be done,” Stoler 
said. The group is reaching out 
to anyone who has documents, 
photos, letters or other items that 
mention or document Detroit’s 
landsmanschaften. They are asked 
to contact Rick Stoler at vassardr@
outlook.com. Such items could 
include letters from landsmen in 
Detroit to relatives or friends in 
their European hometowns, photos 
of Detroit landsmanschaften events 
and records of group meetings.
Translation services are available 
for written materials that are not 
in English. The group’s first step is 
to compile an online database of 
what is available from community 
members. Eventually, a central 
location may be sought for these 
records, which could be helpful for 
family genealogists, students and 
historians. 

Berditchev-Kishenev 
Berditchever 
Berezner 
Bereznitzer 
Bialystoker 
Bobroiskar 
Brisker and Brisker-
Mlawer 
Chenstochover 
Rajoner 
Chernigover and 
Loyover 
Chodorkover 
Chabna 
David Horodoker 
Detroit Ladies 
Society
Eishishker and 
Umgegend 
Federation of 
Lithuanian Jews of 
Detroit
First Galician Society 
of Detroit
Gombiner 

Hebrew Fraternal 
Club
Israel Club
Kesheniver 
Bessarabier 
Kiev and Wilner 
Kissiliner 
Kobliner Family
Korostishever 
Kovler and Volyner 
Lachowitcher 
Landsmanschaft 
Council of Detroit
Lubliner Hilfsverein
Lutzker Voliner 
Meseritcher 
Minkowitz Podolier 
Mlawer Umgegend 
Mogilover 
Mozirer 
Odessa 
Ostrovtzer/
Ostrowitzer
Pinsker 
Pogrebishtcher 

Primrose 
Progressive Ladies 
Radomer 
Rovner 
Ruzhiner 
Simcha Sarner 
Sinai Farein
Sokolivker 
Stashover 
Sosnovitzer 
Bendiner 
Stepan 
Stoliner 
Suwalker 
Tel Aviv Organization
Turover 
Vienietzer 
Vladimeretzer 
Warsaw Club of 
Detroit
Yiddish Folks 
Society
Zamosc Tomashover 
Zhitomir

Do You Recognize Any of These Names 
of Detroit Landsmanschaften?

COURTESY OF ZEKELMAN HOLOOCAUST CENTER

TOM BROKAW 

“THIS STORY TOUCHED THE WORLD.
WE NEED IT, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW.”

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