Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center
The Soroca and Bessarabian Society was a landsmanshaft (mutual aid society) for Jewish immigrants in Pittsburgh from towns throughout present-day Moldova. It began between 1935 and 1937, according to conflicting reports. It obtained a state charter in 1945.
Unlike other landsmanshaftn created before changes to immigration laws in the 1920s, the Soroca and Bessarabian Society appears to have had a major aid program but instead focused on social events and raising funds to support landsleit (countrymen) still living in Europe throughout the Nazi era and later supporting various organizations in Israel. The group initial met at various locations before migrating the Squirrel Hill and East End. The club appears to have been active as late as 1956, when newspaper notices discontinue.
People known to have been associated with the society include Jake Beck, B. Bercovich, Mrs. P. H. Brontz, Mrs. R. Brown, Pauline Colker, William Colker, Mrs. Finesman, Hyman Fox, Rebecca Fox, Tillie Fox, Pau Gefsky, Ben Goldberg, David Gondelman, Dora Green, Mr. and Mrs. John Green, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Greenberg, Morris Grossman, Mr. Grossan, Mrs. Haber, Morris Izenson, Sadie Kushner, Jacob Landay, Abe Lesnik, Alec Lesnik, Morris Merenstein, Charles Mesamed, Leo Porter, P. Resnick, Morris Rudoy, Blima Shusset, Tuba Shusset, Meyer Sikov, Sophie Soltzberg/Salsburg, R. Steinfield, R. Steirenberg, M. Tennenbaum, Sam Verman, B. Weisman, and Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Zaslov/Zaslav.
Bibliography
- Hyman Fox Papers [2002.0262]
Exhibit history
- Author: Eric Lidji
- Original: April 17, 2026
- Current: April 17, 2026