The American David-Horodoker Organization has roots in a landsmanshaft organized in Detroit in the 1910s. A landsmanshaft is a mutual aid society of Jewish immigrants from the same European town or region. These societies aided immigrants’ transitions by providing social structure and support to those who arrived without the family networks and practical skills that had sustained them in Europe. Sick benefits, interest-free loans, burial plots, and aid for overseas relatives were provided to the members. Our landsmanshaft provided a connection to David-Horodok while also facilitating integration into American society.
Photo: The 1948 David-Horodoker Women’s Organization Installation. Standing left to right: Faye Weinstein, Shandel Lawton, Anna Helman, Moshka (Miriam) Stein. Seated left to right: Edith Friedman, Bernice Stollman, Bessie Chase.
The members of our landsmanshaft were male, as was typical, with a female auxiliary. David-Horodoker women, however, had no interest being “auxiliaries” and formed their own organization, the David-Horodok Independent Ladies Society. The articles of association, dated October 18, 1920, listed the members as: Dora Fishman, Dora Lutsky, Celia Shklaver, Esther Hackman, Jennie Feinstein, Liba Rushkin, Anna Lipshitz Lilly Ginsburg, Ida Feldman, Ida Lipshitz, Bessie Lansky, Vita Yudovitch, Eva Fishman, Bessie Margolis, Rose Korman, Esther Ginsburg, Esther Karball, Minnie Green, Anna Isenshtadt, Dora Aisenberg, Lina Ziatz, Celia Portnoy, Esther Pelavin, and Ida Shreiman. While the men’s organization faded with time, the independent ladies created a momentum that has lasted to this day.
The women formed their organization in part to socialize in their native Yiddish with friends, family, and neighbors from the old country and in part to raise funds and send packages to those they left behind. All through the 1920’s and 1930’s the organization flourished, until by 1937 the founders passed the organization to their daughters and became the David-Horodok Juniors. Money was raised for charity, primarily through the annual dinners/luncheons and tribute books, which have continued, even though the organization has changed from the Juniors to the Young Women’s Organization, to the David-Horodok Women’s Organization to the David-Horodoker Organization of today. In 1923, there were more than 80 landsmanshaften in Detroit. Today, there are only a handful. We have a long and proud history and we continue to thrive as an organization.
As descendants of the Jewish community of David-Horodok, we believe that it is our privilege and obligation to memorialize our ancestors, to contribute to the preservation of our heritage, and to make this information accessible for future generations. We also believe that it is important to continue the tradition of communal giving or tzedakah begun by our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. ALYN Children’s Hospital in Jerusalem, JARC, Jewish Senior Life, Magen David Adom, Project Kesher, and Survivor Mitzvah Project are just a few of the organizations that we support.
In the late 1930s, the David-Horodok Juniors began publishing annual tribute books to help raise funds for charitable giving. This special tradition continues to this day and is the David-Horodoker Organization’s main fundraising activity from which we, as a community, give tzedakah. The annual tribute book contains updates on the organization’s events and special projects, explains our community’s history, lists the tzedakah that was given that year, and includes a membership directory. Within its pages, members can celebrate their children and grandchildren, advertise their business, congratulate loved ones on recent special events, and honor the memories of their family members.
The David-Horodoker Organization has had a strong connection to the Organization of the Descendants of David-Horodok and the Surrounding Areas in Israel for many years. The two organizations created a charitable fund in the name of the martyrs of David-Horodok in 1949 for giving out loans to help refugees from David-Horodok in Russia. American Horodokers raised funds and collected material for the Yizkor book. More recently, we have traveled with the Israelis to David-Horodok, collaborated with them on memorial projects, invited them to our virtual gatherings, and shared memories and information. Our goal is to work even more closely with the Israeli organization in the future.
We are grateful to our co-presidents Roz Komisar Blanck and Amy Friedman Brody for ensuring that the David-Horodoker Organization remains vibrant and meaningful. The Organization continues to thrive because of their volunteer efforts as well as that of many other people, making our community of descendants from David-Horodok and surrounding areas larger and closer – with the ability to make added personal connections, enriching our lives today and in the years to come. We are over 600 member households strong! Please join us!
The David-Horodoker Organization was formed by our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents when they immigrated to Detroit from David-Horodok. We seek to maintain this bond, to create new connections, to honor the memories of our ancestors, and to continue our founders’ commitment to help those in need locally and abroad.
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP:
_____$ Amount of your choice
_____$18 CHAI
_____$36 DOUBLE CHAI
_____$54 TRIPLE CHAI
_____$ Additional contribution for tzedakah
The David-Horodoker Organization is an IRS-approved 501(c) (3) organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
Make your check payable to:
The David-Horodoker Organization
Jennifer Mindell
c/o Lewin
3775 Orchard Lake Road #103
Orchard Lake, MI 48324
Or pay online at: https://www.paypal.me/davidhorodoker
You can also donate to the David-Horodoker Organization by check or online. As of January 1, 2025, we will be changing our online payment platform.
For more information:
Contact Roz Komisar Blanck at rkblanck@gmail.com
To celebrate a new baby with a Horoduckling bib:
Contact Amy Friedman Brody at amysbrody@gmail.com
To plant a tree in the Jewish National Fund’s David-Horodoker Grove:
Contact Cheri Eisenberg at cbeisenberg@bellsouth.net
To send a tribute:
Contact Gale Nosanchuk at ghnosan@gmail.com
The David-Horodoker Organization’s logo was created by American Horodoker and artist Eileen Helman Aboulafia.
