1. Juda Lobl (Leopold)1 KOHN-ZERKOWITZ

1. Juda Lobl (Leopold)1 KOHN-ZERKOWITZ was born Abt. 1695 in Zerkow, Jarotshin District,
Posen, and died Bet. 1763 - 1765 in Mahr. Weisskirchen, Moravia.
Notes for Juda Lobl (Leopold) KOHN-ZERKOWITZ:
Juda Lobl Kohn-Zerkowitz was born in the town of Zerkow in the Jarocin (Jarotshin) district of Posen
(Poznan). This region was annexed by Prussia in the years 1772-1795, but is now a part of Poland.
Zerkow was once a Jewish center with a well-known synagogue and one of the largest and oldest Jewish
cemeteries in Poland, with stones reportedly dating back to the 14th century. The graveyard, known as
"Nowe Miasto nad Wartaw" and situated on a hill above Zerkow, was entirely destroyed in 1940, as was the
Zerkow synagogue. Today, there is no hint in Zerkow that there ever existed a vibrant Jewish community.
Juda Lobl was "kohane", meaning he was a descendant of Aaron, the first high priest and the older brother
of the patriarch Moses from Biblical times. Kohanes were entitled to recite the priestly blessing, also
known as the "Kohanite blessing" or "Aaron's blessing". In the book "Jewish Budapest" (1999), pp.
142-143, the following passage is found: "Passed down from father to son and preserved also in certain
surnames (Cohen, Kahana, Kohn...), the tradition of Kohanite lineage is still strong, and indicated also on
tombstones; in deeply religious circles, this tradition is mostly maintained by the Priestly Blessing and
certain prohibitions."
Juda Lobl Kohn-Zerkowitz had the Hebrew name of "Jehuda Leib", but he was often referred to as simply
"Lobl" or "Leopold". At times, he may have also been called "Gerson Lobl".
As an adult, Juda Lobl moved away from his native town of Zerkow and went south to Moravia. He resided
in the Jewish quarter of Mahr. Weisskirchen, Moravia [now Hranice, Czech Republic] and had occupancy
rights to household #113.
According to the biography of a prominent descendant [inventor Oscar Zerk (1878-1968) of Kenosha,
Wisconsin], an early Zerkowitz ancestor was knighted in 1555 by Emperor Charles V of Germany.
Research is ongoing to confirm this.
Child of Juda Lobl (Leopold) KOHN-ZERKOWITZ is:
+ 2 i. Feitel (Feisch) (Franz)2 KOHN-ZERKOWITZ, born 1726 in Zerkow, Jarotschin District,
Posen; died 15 Nov 1809 in Mahr. Weisskirchen, Moravia.

http://alfredhanscom.tripod.com/zerkowitz.pdf