Switezianka
11 Dec 2008
Genealogy / My grandpa was from Poland - Gresom Jopfa [44]
I can see you've got no idea about Polish and Jewish history. Instead of freaking out, better 'listen to ' Wroclaw, Grzegorz and Krakowianka.
I'll add some facts you should know.
Before II WW, Polish was a multicultural country. There was a lot of Jews in Poland. By the end of 19th century, among the Jews, many new SECULAR cultural movements started. Some Jews - and mainly the members of intelligentsia, doctors, lawyers etc. - gave up their religion and became atheist. Also, Zionism (that movement that led to creating the state of Israel), was a secular movement, supported mainly by atheistic or non-Orthodox Jews. In 1930s there was quite a few of educated, atheistic Jews in Poland (I even know one old Jewish retired doctor, who was born into such kind of a family). Most of them lead lifestyle that was more similar to the one of Polish intelligentsia than to the one of Orthodox Jews. And they identified themselves both as Jews AND Poles. Many great Polish intellectuals and artists of that period were Jews (e.g. Julian Tuwim, Bolesław Leśmian, Artur Rubinstein, Bruno Schultz). So, an atheist Jew was nothing unusual in 1930s Poland. What's more, many of them went to America to make business (if you want to learn something more about the social realia of these times, I'd recommend you to read some I.B. Singer).
What's more: your grandfather has got typically Jewish big nose. He's got a Jewish first name. The surname, no matter if Jopfa or Joffa, sounds rather Jewish than Polish. The proper Polish spelling of Gersom is GERSZOM, so if you're looking for it in Polish records, try it.
Grzegorz is the only equivalent of Gregory. There are diminutive forms: Grześ, Grzesiek, Grzesio, but you will not find nicknames in documents.
To sum up: most probably your grandfather was either a member of Polish Jewish intelligentsia or a Polish Jewish businessman.
The Jewish transcription of that name might be: יאפא גרשם . I'm not certain about יאפא, but I'm sure about גרשם (Gershom).
I'm doing everything wrong? Great....
I was hoping to hear from some more people about their ideas too. I'm thanking you for your help though. I don't understand what you mean -a Jewish name in a Catholic country? How can you have a Jewish name? Judaism is a religion. He was from Poland, not Israel. I didn't know that about Jewishgen though and I am looking at it.
I was hoping to hear from some more people about their ideas too. I'm thanking you for your help though. I don't understand what you mean -a Jewish name in a Catholic country? How can you have a Jewish name? Judaism is a religion. He was from Poland, not Israel. I didn't know that about Jewishgen though and I am looking at it.
I can see you've got no idea about Polish and Jewish history. Instead of freaking out, better 'listen to ' Wroclaw, Grzegorz and Krakowianka.
I'll add some facts you should know.
Before II WW, Polish was a multicultural country. There was a lot of Jews in Poland. By the end of 19th century, among the Jews, many new SECULAR cultural movements started. Some Jews - and mainly the members of intelligentsia, doctors, lawyers etc. - gave up their religion and became atheist. Also, Zionism (that movement that led to creating the state of Israel), was a secular movement, supported mainly by atheistic or non-Orthodox Jews. In 1930s there was quite a few of educated, atheistic Jews in Poland (I even know one old Jewish retired doctor, who was born into such kind of a family). Most of them lead lifestyle that was more similar to the one of Polish intelligentsia than to the one of Orthodox Jews. And they identified themselves both as Jews AND Poles. Many great Polish intellectuals and artists of that period were Jews (e.g. Julian Tuwim, Bolesław Leśmian, Artur Rubinstein, Bruno Schultz). So, an atheist Jew was nothing unusual in 1930s Poland. What's more, many of them went to America to make business (if you want to learn something more about the social realia of these times, I'd recommend you to read some I.B. Singer).
What's more: your grandfather has got typically Jewish big nose. He's got a Jewish first name. The surname, no matter if Jopfa or Joffa, sounds rather Jewish than Polish. The proper Polish spelling of Gersom is GERSZOM, so if you're looking for it in Polish records, try it.
Grzegorz is the only equivalent of Gregory. There are diminutive forms: Grześ, Grzesiek, Grzesio, but you will not find nicknames in documents.
To sum up: most probably your grandfather was either a member of Polish Jewish intelligentsia or a Polish Jewish businessman.
The Jewish transcription of that name might be: יאפא גרשם . I'm not certain about יאפא, but I'm sure about גרשם (Gershom).