Gathering of Gombiner Jews in New York
Creator(s)
- Gombin Jewish Historical and Genealogical Society
- Sam Rafel (Camera Operator)
Biographical History
Sam Rafel, the son of a tailor, left Gombin, Poland in 1913 at the age of 17 and immigrated to New York. He planned for his move to be temporary, but what little savings he had managed to accrue was lost when the bank he used went bankrupt. He eventually became active in efforts to aid both Gombin Jews in the US and those who remained in Poland. He went back to Gombin first in 1930, then with his wife in 1937, when he shot this film. On both occasions he took with him sizeable amounts of money that he had raised for the Gombin Jewish community. Later, Mr. Rafel screened this film on many occasions in the United States and Israel, hoping to expose the poverty in which the Gombiner Jews lived as well as the anti-Semitism of the Polish government. He led the effort to provide relief in Gombin and, after the Holocaust, helped to resettle survivors and establish a Gombiner House in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Scope and Content
Gathering of Gombiner Jews in New York. VAR shots, boat trip outing. Group of Jews on "Hendrick Hudson" boat cruising the Hudson River from New York City to Albany, NY on the Hudson River Day Line. Women and men with small luggage, at harbor. In park in Albany, waving, poking fun at the camera, jumping rope, dancing. 01:06:23 Boy. Women pose for a group shot. Four women walk towards the camera. 01:07:38 Pan, Albany on the waterfront. INT, women, men, and children gathered around long table, holding cake with streamers. EXT, at leisure in garden. 01:09:43 INT, Gombiner Jews in business dress, artificial spotlight in the room, camera pans around, closer shots of men in suits, podium with gavel, women, Israeli flag. Man (Sam Rafel?) in office. 01:12:28 In color - pan of Gombiner Jews gathered in room for the meeting, unfurling U.S. flag, posing for group shot, "Federation" poster on the wall. Many hold documents/papers in the air. Brief shot of woman (Sam Rafel's wife?) sitting on a couch drinking tea. Descendents of Ruth Solomon have identified her, as well as her mother auntie Ball, at approximately 1:20, 3:20, 8:07.
Note(s)
The "Hendrick Hudson" was in operation until 1948; therefore, this footage takes place before 1948.
Nathan Zolna Solomon, a Jew from Gombin living in Newark, NJ, purchased the 16mm camera for Sam Rafel for his planned visit too Gombin, Poland in 1937. Sam agreed to film Gombin, where he was born, and to document members of the Soloman family still living there. Nathan's daughter appears in this Gombiner outing (boat trip) at minute 1:20, 3:20, 8:07 with two other Solomon family relatives.
The following comment as well as the other commentary which was noted as a "bio note" while undated and unattributed were used to update the catalog record and reflect the presence of Ruth Solomon and her relatives. Message: the Rafel film of a boat trip with Gombiner families in NJ includes my mother at the age of about 15 years old She was Ruth Solomon, daughter of Nathan Solomon. He was born in Gombin to Wolf Or Hershel Zolna. Then ran awY to US to avoid army in Poland in about 1917 and changed his name. He was sponsored by uncle in Chicago with last name Solomon. So he took on that last name Solomon, moving to Newark, NJ. He was about 17 years old.
Subjects
- EATING
- OFFICES
- SUMMER
- POSTWAR
- JEWS
- RIVERS
- PARKS
- WOMEN
- SHIPS
- FLAGS (AMERICAN)
Places
- New York, NY, United States
Genre
- Film
- Amateur.