Zelem family - Southeast poland

My grandad was John Hlywa, married to Mariam (MARY) Baronowski. We have an entire cemetery full of East Coast Hlywa's (Connecticut river valley) There is a lot of dispute amoung the grandkids as to exactly where we're all from... We were always told "We're from Ukraine & Lithuania...they used to call it White Russia" Obviously Belarus but also have Aunts from Poland... I have many photos from that graveyard, might prove to be some use.

Hi Genek .
My name is also Genek Zelem and my Late Father came from Bodaki. his name was Stefan. My mother Jozefa maiden name was Sabat and she came from the Przemysl region.They met while in forced labour in Austria in 1942.I know I have relatives on my fathers side in UK, USA, Canada and Poland. On my mothers side in Poland and Ukraine. Would be interested in hearing from anybody that is related to me ,I live in Leeds UK. Grandfather Zelem is buried in Bodaki and Grandmother Zelem is buried near Wroclaw. Grandfather and Grandmother Sabat are buried in the Ukraine.

genekpolak Hi.

Good to hear of you, but you just missed a hell of a opertunity, I just got back from Poland and Bodaki. I was told that there was another family of Zelems who were from Bodaki or Bartne but not related could have been your dads family.

My surname is not Zelem that was my mothers maiden name. Grandad and Grandma Zelem are both buried in the same grave in a cemetry near Wroclaw, visited the site also two weeks ago. There are other aunts and uncles buried in the wroclaw area.Lots of cusins and extended family around there too.

Strange how the names reacur within a family, Had a cusin Stefan he died in america some five years ago. Had two uncles in Canada Michael and Paulo they are now dead also. There is some family in America also but don't know much about them as yet.

There is lots more to find out, and will return to Poland again in the spring.

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Hello again Genekpolak.............just a quick update ifyou'r still around. I had a word with my mother last week and I mentioned your family to her, and behold it is very possible that your family, although not related have been visitors at our home near Manchester.
Apparently after your family had visited Bodaki you came to visit bringing my mother a jar of honey from her brother Piotr's bees.
If you have a sister called Soscia then you'r the one.

Hi Wozzy
Yes it was my Family which visited yours in Manchester.
My late Father told me your family were cousins from the Bodaki area in Poland.
The Zelem farmhouse is still there,I think still in the family, because it was a historic listed building.
Please keep in touch
Genek

Hi Wozzy
Just to inform you that Unharmonic Natasha is my elder daughter.
Genek Zelem

genekpolak,

If you sign up/register to the forum, you will be able to send a PM.

Just trying to help.

genekpolak, there is also a zelem family around oldham district in manchester. Do you have any family links with them?

Hi Wozzy
Changed my username to Bodakiman.
Yes Soscia was related,but my Aunty
My late Father's sister who lived in Bodaki ( Married surname Novak )
My Father had 1 brother and 3 sisters saddly all have passed away. My 1st cousins now live in Poland, US and Canada.
My family do not have any links with the Oldham Zelems. I did not know of their exsistance.
Kindest Regards
Genek

I'm rather envious of you guys that manage to find other 'relations' of the same name simply by mentioing it here.

I've got surnames i'm looking for, that i've posted in every hole, nook, and cranny. But thus far, havent recieved any feedback.

Anyway, good luck to you all.

I'll just keep searching, hoping, and being proactive.

About the possible Hebrew origin of "Zelem". The word means "image" in Hebrew, and it's also used to mean a graven image (idol or icon). In Yiddish, which uses many hebrew words, "zelem" means a crucifix. So maybe one of your ancestors was called "zelem" by Jewish neighbors referring to the cross he might have worn. You never know.

One of the other messages on this forum mentions a "Sabat" family. That very likely has a Jewish source. There were sabbath observing Russians (non-jewish) who were known as sobotniki. Maybe they weren't really russian but Rusyn.

About the possible Hebrew origin of "Zelem". The word means "image" in Hebrew, and it's also used to mean a graven image (idol or icon). In Yiddish, which uses many hebrew words, "zelem" means a crucifix. So maybe one of your ancestors was called "zelem" by Jewish neighbors referring to the cross he might have worn. You never know.

Thats realy interesting, thanks a lot Kaliszer great post.

I had a thread on the subject but it seems to have been wiped out.(those damn americans will shoot at anything when there bored).

Admin...... What did hapen to that thread ?

Anyone from Kalisz or Warta? I'd love to see old pictures of these towns where my grandfather came from.

Here is Jewish synagogue and cemetery in Kalisz. (mostly from WWI period, begin of the XX century)
http://www.stary.kalisz.pl/foto_arch_boznica.php

Other photos from Kalisz
http://www.stary.kalisz.pl/go_fotografie.php

Thank you. I saw those pictures too. I visited kalisz and the synagogue wasn't there anymore (Germans destroyed it.). But I did see the school building where my grandfather studied, which is now a municipal tax office. It's a beautiful little city. My great-grandfather was bit of an artist and he used to make pictures out of cork of buildings in Kalisz (from memory). This one was apparently the firehouse on the Nowy Rynek. I'm also attaching a photo from the stary-kalisz site. Ok, he added a few more trees and birds, but i think it's the same building. It's not there anymore either (destroyed in WWI I think).

kaliszfirehouse.jpg

Photo of old kalisz firehouse

My paternal SCHWALBE/PATT ancestors were from Kalisz and Warta.
I am interested in learning if any records survive from the Jewish Cemetery
which still exists near the Jewish Museum, and if and where I can access them.
Any direction will be greatly appreciated.
Ena Jacobs
enabob@cox.net

helewa,

Its a coincidence that your father changed his name to Helewa. There is already a large Helewa family that came from the Middle East in the past century. So there are now, at least, two unrelated Helewa families. But I did find some records you might want, you can contact me at fox_brevyo@trashmail.net or send me a message.