Zarchi -Zarchin Connection
Below, you will find an email sent to me by Inbal Zarchin. She lives in Israel. Her grandfather, Joseph Zarchin, graciously translated a document hand-written by Joseph's grandfather.
S. B. Levine wrote me back to say, "This ZARCHI document I know for many years. It is printed (in Hebrew) in Oholei Lubavitch (No 3, page32). There is a ZVI-HIRSH ZARCHI here in Lubavitch. His father's name was ONES ZARCHIN."
Dear Amy
My grandfather finished the translation. It is an old document written by
Joseph's Grandpa in 1935 tyelling the following:
This is the history of the head of the family ZARCHI (without N), they who were
born in sorrounding of MOHILEV on the river DNIEPER town LJUBAVICH, district
ORSHA.
The head of the family: ZVI-HIRSH-ZARCHI born in the year 1760. He lived in
Lubavitch and he was one of the students of the rabbi "Baal Hatanie".
And here are his children's stories: The eldest son was ISRAEL ZARCHI, born in
1790 and also his youngest son ELIA both were tied closely with the rabi "Baal
Hatanie" (Luba Vicher) and at the last years of their life were very close to
Rabbi Zemach-/Zedek (son of ALTEN REBE).
And here is the lifestory of sond Reb Israel Zarchi: eldest son Zalman Leib and
the second son JOSEF and the youngest were Ischak/Jona and Zwi/Hirsh. All were
born in the years 1820-1840.
In those days the kingdom of Russia started building the main road (in their
name chosse) from KIEV to PETERSBURG of the length of 1300 viersrt (miles). Then
in those days ISRAEL/Iser ZARCHI started to take on himself as a contrator to
the government the construction of the road in the part of VITEBSK upto PSKOV.
Consequently he moved from Ljubavitch to the site of the construction not far
from PSKOV. When this work was finished became a road contractor reparing the
highway. His other son, JOSEPH (after whom my grandfather was named) took on
himself the management (subcontracting) from the landlord of the farm of the
famous poet PUSHKIN. He had there the vodka house forthe perasants. His house
was open for all, and any hungry jew could get there his meal. His house served
also as a synagogue on Shabat and jomtov. There was also a mikveh, with hot
water. He was very close to the elders of CHABAD. He didn't run after money or
property. His way was to be very friendly to passers by, particularly to
students of the Torah. His place was a distance of 250 versts/miles from his
birth place Ljubavitch. In those days people were going to Petersburg, and in
those days there was no railway. And people were travelling in coaches, driven
by horses and they had to stop at Joseph's house to rest from the long and
tiresome journey. This particularly on erev Shabat. then on such an occasion
hundred people came for Shabath from the surrounding to hear the guest-rabbi.
This is everything my grandfather gave me.
Inbal
Last Update: 5/6/98
Web Author: A.S. Waldinger
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