Long ago, sometimes during 1800th, when none of us were yet in existence, there lived a young Jewish family by the name Zamsky. They were blessed with a daughter, whom they named Rakhel (Raya) At home she was affectionately called Ráshe.
Ráshe's Father was a religious Jew who was of a cheerful disposition and possessed a good sense of humor. The Grandfather on the child's maternal side was a fanatical religious zealot. Their families lived on opposite sides of the river somewhere in Tsarist Russia, which today are either Polish lands or the regions of Belorussia.
Ráshe's Father was a religious Jew who was of a cheerful disposition and possessed a good sense of humor. The Grandfather on the child's maternal side was a fanatical religious zealot. Their families lived on opposite sides of the river somewhere in Tsarist Russia, which today are either Polish lands or the regions of Belorussia.
One day, during a Jewish holidays, when the community fathers pronounced a "brocha" or prayer over the challah bread, Ráshe Father spoke that "brocha" in a joyful way with a joke in his voice and a sparkle in his eyes. The Grandfather did not like the easy loose way of his son-in-law's behavior during the holy ritual. His soul boiled with the righteous indignation. He crossed the river and entered the house of his son-in-law. With one hand he took his daughter by the arm and with his other hand he raised the cradle with his granddaughter, then he carried them both away from the sinful heretic.
The young Jew waited for his wife and his baby daughter to come back, but he waited in vain. They did not return home. Anger and indignation revived his manly spirits. With all his courage stirred up, in the late hours if the night, Rachè's Father crossed the river.
He approached the sleeping house of his righteous Father-in-law under the cover of the darkness. Climbed up, and entered through the straw roof. As quiet as a black shadow he removed the cradle with his innocently sleeping baby daughter off the hook in the ceiling, and took her away from home of a religious fanatic. The Father has claimed his baby-Rachè, brought her to his home and again waited for the return of his young wife. But his wife did not return to him. Nor has she ever come to see her sweetheart little daughter.
After the allotted time has passed according to Jewish law and traditions, our unhappy Father was granted a divorce from an untrue-runaway wife. He married a second time with another good Jewish woman. His second Wife bore him many (6 or 9?) sons.
Our Rachè grew up in her Father's new family, surrounded by the love of her young brothers.
After the allotted time has passed according to Jewish law and traditions, our unhappy Father was granted a divorce from an untrue-runaway wife. He married a second time with another good Jewish woman. His second Wife bore him many (6 or 9?) sons.
Our Rachè grew up in her Father's new family, surrounded by the love of her young brothers.
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When Rachè turned about 16, her Father had a talk with her, as it happens to every adolescent. He said that she was now an adult and it was her time to become a bride. He worked hard in search of a worthy husband for his Rachè, so she would live in comfort and know no hunger. That well-suited fiancé has been found. And he was coming tonight to meet his bride. A wedding will be celebrated tomorrow, as was done in the old Jewish tradition.
The young girl's heart fluttered overwhelmed in an excitement and the incredible fear of the unknown. Rachel hid herself in the old barn. With her burning face pressed against the cracked wooden barn wall, she was intently watching the road through the holes in the wall. Suddenly, Ráshe saw the figures of two men appear in the distance. They walked towards her Father's house. The closer the two men approached, the stronger and stronger her heart tore out of her chest. |
The two young men, two brothers ** were walking down towards her. One of them was short and broad; the second man was thin and tall with a red beard. The Bride called out to God in prayer: "Oh, dear God! Let it please be the one with the red beard!"
When the Father presented the red-bearded young Mark Chernyak to his only beloved daughter Rachel Zamskaya, and their eyes met they fell in an everlasting love at the first sight.
Meyer-Geller (Golden Mark in Yiddish) so was Mark Chernyak called in those day for his red beard in a small shtetl Buda Koshelevo. He was a soul of the community. Everyone loved him for his kind character, and worldly wisdom. The Chernyak family was well liked and respected in the town.
Since then, it has become a tradition in their family tree. In all the homes of Chernyaks' children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren the first treasure and heritage is LOVE.
**He brought his brother with him for the moral support, because he was too nervous.**
When the Father presented the red-bearded young Mark Chernyak to his only beloved daughter Rachel Zamskaya, and their eyes met they fell in an everlasting love at the first sight.
Meyer-Geller (Golden Mark in Yiddish) so was Mark Chernyak called in those day for his red beard in a small shtetl Buda Koshelevo. He was a soul of the community. Everyone loved him for his kind character, and worldly wisdom. The Chernyak family was well liked and respected in the town.
Since then, it has become a tradition in their family tree. In all the homes of Chernyaks' children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren the first treasure and heritage is LOVE.
**He brought his brother with him for the moral support, because he was too nervous.**
From the memoirs of Isaac Zalmover (the grandson of Mark Chernyak & Rakhel Zamskaya, son of Ester Chernyak Zalmover)
"My grandfather on my mother's side was a butcher. His name was Meyer. He had two sons and six daughters. Eldest son was married, he had five daughters. He was a peddler. All grandfather's daughters were married. They had large families with many children, except one, who was childless. Maternal grandmother was called Raya. They, my grandmother and my grandfather lived in poverty. During their old age, they lived by the support of their children. Grandmother died first, she was about 60 years old. The Grandfather lived the last years of his life alternating among his children. He died in his 60th."]
From the remembrance of the grandchildren
When grandmother Ráshe died, Mayer (Geller) Chernyak started to visit his children alternating from morning till night. In the morning he would visit one of his daughters and have breakfast there. he would always say: "Oi, my life is not the same without me coppelle..."("my little darling head" in Yiddish). And then he would check on his son and have some lunch there, always complaining how hard his life was without Me-Coppelle wife. And this way he has lived till he died. Both Mark and Raya died before WWII.
We, the descendants of CHERNYAK and ZAMSKY are looking for a precious photograph of Mayer and Rashe Chernyak. Their granddaughter Rakhil Zalmover Rabinovich remembered that someone somewhere had a photo of the Chernyak couple where they are sitting at a table, the table has a lit kerosene lamp on it.
"My grandfather on my mother's side was a butcher. His name was Meyer. He had two sons and six daughters. Eldest son was married, he had five daughters. He was a peddler. All grandfather's daughters were married. They had large families with many children, except one, who was childless. Maternal grandmother was called Raya. They, my grandmother and my grandfather lived in poverty. During their old age, they lived by the support of their children. Grandmother died first, she was about 60 years old. The Grandfather lived the last years of his life alternating among his children. He died in his 60th."]
From the remembrance of the grandchildren
When grandmother Ráshe died, Mayer (Geller) Chernyak started to visit his children alternating from morning till night. In the morning he would visit one of his daughters and have breakfast there. he would always say: "Oi, my life is not the same without me coppelle..."("my little darling head" in Yiddish). And then he would check on his son and have some lunch there, always complaining how hard his life was without Me-Coppelle wife. And this way he has lived till he died. Both Mark and Raya died before WWII.
We, the descendants of CHERNYAK and ZAMSKY are looking for a precious photograph of Mayer and Rashe Chernyak. Their granddaughter Rakhil Zalmover Rabinovich remembered that someone somewhere had a photo of the Chernyak couple where they are sitting at a table, the table has a lit kerosene lamp on it.
