My Uncle Bernie and part of the article about his bar mitzvah.
Besides articles about my Great Grandfather Louis Goldman/Baruch Lev Litwack, there were also announcements of family events in the Bialystoker Stimme magazines under the title “Simcha by Landslight,” or “Joyous Events by our community members.” I found three events in Yiddish about my extended family members, which my friend, Blumah, translated for me as well.
The first was about my Uncle Bernie, or Bernard, about his bar mitzvah:
“A nice bar mitzvah party took place on Shabbat. The 11 of June by Mr. Bernard. A nice, accomplished young man, the son Mr. and Mrs. H Rosenberg and the grandson of our dear friends and active community members Louis and Ray Goldman from the Bronx.
A nice private group of close family celebrated by the simcha. They wished much nachas to the parents from this bar mitzvah boy.
As is well known, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Goldman, the grandfather and grandmother, are actively in the Bialystoker Center and the Ladies Auxiliary.
Mr. Goldman is now the president of the Bialystoke charity organization that was the Bialystoke Free loan society: Bialystoke Somech Noflim, (It was started in 1886 in the USA.) This is he oldest charity association that the Bialystoke started.
We wish the zayde and bubie, and the parents to live to have much nachas and much joy from Bernard and the other children.”
I loved that even in an announcement of my uncle’s bar mitzvah, it was important to the writer to list my great grandfather and great grandmother’s accomplishments in the Bialystoke societies. I am thinking it is to give them even more ‘kovod,’ honor. Or perhaps it is to encourage others to volunteer?
In later years, when the Bialystoker Stimme had more English, there is another Bar Mitzvah announcement for my father. But it is much shorter and written in English.
One of my father’s cousin’s is also mentioned in “Joyous Occasions.” My Dad’s first cousin David M. made the Yiddish paper, in a shorter and less flowery article.
“The Goldman’s talented grandson, David M., graduates with honors. The 16 year old grandson of our active members, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Goldman, of the Bronx. He just graduated from Townsend Harris High School. He was immediately accepted in City College. We wish the parents Mr. and Mrs. Eli Marks and the grandparents of David much nachas from their very capable David.”
The final “Joyous Occasion” in Yiddish was my great Uncle Sam’s wedding announcement, for his first marriage. I never knew the woman mentioned in this announcement. But I do know that they had one daughter. I honestly only remember meeting her when I was a young child. I think the family lost touch with her.
“Sunday Dec. 11, our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Goldman brought their youngest child to the Huppah: Samuel with the beautiful, intelligent Miss Otta Schmuckler. The wedding was private, and the supper was afterwards celebrated in Central Plaza, where many friends from both sides were part of the joyous occasion.
We wish Mr. and Mrs. Louis Goldman and the young couple much nachas.”
The only thing I can say about this announcement is that I always thought his first wife’s name was Yetta. And that might have been the name she used in English.
Every one of these little Yiddish articles is like a jewel for me. I find out tiny bits about my family’s life in the 1920 – 1940s. I see pieces of my Dad’s childhood. He probably was at all these simchas: his brother’s bar mitzvah, his cousin’s graduation party, his uncle’s wedding. We do have a few photos from this time. But I have never seen the photos of my uncle and my Dad’s cousin that shown in these articles.
The Bialystoker Stimme continues to be a treasure for me and I hope for my family.
https://zicharonot.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/louis-of-the-blessed-heart/
zicharonot 
How wonderful to find these articles! True treasures.
Yes! It’s been exciting.