The Pertzelai Family originated in a small town in the Ukraine by the name of Volochisk. The town, in the Volhynia Gubernia, was located on the border with Austria/Poland and was seen as a gateway to Western Europe. A railroad linking east and west, made its last stop here. Volochiskians were best known for importing eggs and dairy products over the border.
In the early part of the 20th Century, a young man of twenty-one was about to be inducted into the Czar's army. He knew that Jewish conscriptees rarely returned alive. In order to save his mother, a widow, a fine of 300 ruples should he not appear for conscription, this young man, with the help of friends, decided to escape. He knew that he would have to leave his entire family and the only country he ever knew, never to be able to return again. He confided in only a few people outside his family... those that were to help him and a group of young girls in the Pertzelai Family... one of whom he was particularly smitten with.
So begins the tale of my grandfather, Samuel Trugman. He successfully escaped and made his way to America in 1910 where he was joined a year later by his seventeen year old girlfriend Menya, daughter of Mechel Pertzelai. They married, started a family and together helped bring her entire family to America.
Hershur and Mindya Pertzelai had eight children. Three made their way to America, two remained behind in Russia, and the whereabouts of the other three are unknown. Mechel's family was not the first to arrive on our shores. Kalman, who was five years older than Mechel, who braved the unknown years earlier. In 1907 Pesche and Arke came across followed in 1909 by Kalman, his wife Edis, and Fanny and Jenny. Kalman and Edis had ten children altogether... seven came here, two remined in Russia and one son, Joseph, made his way to Argentinan where the Jose Porcelain line of the family continued.
According to Carl Burtoff, there was a nasty pogram in Proscurov (a nearby town) in February 1919. This was the final impetus for nmost of the remaining family's immigration. By the 1932-33 famine (due to Stalin's collective efforts) only a very few were left. In 1941, just befoe the onslaught of the Nazis into Volochisk, the remaining townspeople were evacutated during the night.... those that were not evacuated and were Jewish, did not survive.
If you would like to read about the city of Volochisk, please click here. The story was written by my Grandfather Samuel Trugman for a contest in the NY Jewish Newstpater called "The Tag" ... or "The Day". He has also written about his escape from the Czar's army and his coming to America and you can read that by clicking here.