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Letter from Mordechai Topel
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Letter from Mordechai Topel file
- Level
- File
- ID
- Fonds 148; Series 1; File 176
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Letter from Mordechai Topel file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 176
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 27 Oct. 1946
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- Mordechai Topel (b.1920-d.2010) was born in Ostrowiec, Poland, to Moishe Jacob and Dina Topel. His father owned a shirt factory. When Mordechai was only three years old, Dina Topel passed away, and his father married a woman named Perle. He had two sisters, Ratze and Raizel, and was the nephew of David Topel.
- After surviving the Auschwitz, Majdenek, Blizyn, Oranienburg, and Flossenbürg camps, Mordechai was liberated by American soldiers while on a death march to Dachau. He lived temporarily with the 90th Infantry Division of the United States Army. He also spent time in the Winzer and Kloster Indersdorf displaced persons camps. In October 1945, he arrived in Thaxted, England, where he met and married his wife, Ester (née Koslowska). While in England, Mordechai pursued studies in engineering.
- Mordechai and Ester moved around, living in Israel, Chile, and New York before settling in New Jersey. While in New York, Mordechai served on the Yizkor Book Committee. He received rabbinic ordination and became an important member of Congregation B’nai Yeshurun in Teaneck, New Jersey. He passed away on 3 March 2010.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a letter from Mordechai Topel in Thaxted, England, to an unknown recipient, likely the United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee, dated 27 October 1946. Mordechai writes that he is writing another letter despite not having received an answer to his previous letters. He thanks the recipient for sending him the address of his cousin Leon, to whom he has written. He responds to the suggestion of forming an Ostrovtzer committee in England, noting challenges due to the small number of Ostrovtzers in the country. He also shares details about his life. File also contans a typed translation.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions