Number 82: Lena (also called “Shayna”) Hirschfield married Benno Werbeloff (Verbelov) circa 1890. They had nine children. Agewise: Leo, Sophie, Zamul (Samuel), Mendel, Joan, Solly, Ida and Zara.  Sadly a twin brother to Joan died at birth.

Lena ran a strictly kosher home. They had an oven especially designed for “cholend”. While the Werbeloff’s had three house servants, Lena was the hard working “baleboste” –  starching their white lace curtains and preparing magnificent tables with wonderful spreads for Yomtayvim. Many family Barmitzvahs and Weddings were held in the Werbeloff House. Lena played the piano beautifully, was adept in the German language and, at wonderful evenings for the children, recited long poems such as “Schiller’s Werke”  by heart. 

Lena’s father Isaac Hirschfield would often visit the Werbeloffs after Shul, where the children would run up to him and take the ubiquitous apples and sweets from his pockets.

Lena’s two brothers and three sisters all went to Chicago – Ben, Jacob, Johanna, Rose (married Bernstein) and another sister who married an Edelstein. Their son Erwin Edelstein left money in his will to his Aunt Lena’s children in 1962 / 63: $1957. 73 each and to Sophie’s children $489. 43 each (1/4 of 1/6 of 1/5 of 1/2)!     Erwin’s father was a cousin of Wolf  – the father of Charles, Abraham, Sascha and Minna.

“We used to receive parcels of “Butten” in a big tin maybe twice a year from Latvia”, Uncle Bennie explained: “Lena sent them. Dried flat fish!  My dad used to put brandy in a saucer, light it, pour it over the Butten and then we ate it”.

Mendel, who never married was very religious. He stayed in Sasmarka to look after his mother who didn’t want to leave into the unknown. Tragically Lena, Mendel, Zara, her husband and children were put in a row in Sasmarka, approximately July / August 1941 and shot.   Aunty Gladys, married to Zamul, received a letter that she thought was good news but rather it told the family in South Africa the dreadful news.

Lynette, daughter of Bennie and Irma Edelstein, is named after Lena z”l.

**  Most of the above is taken from discussions with Ida and Solly in early 1985