Joseph Kaufman

Alternate birth date Nov 5 1892

1947 Czestochowa Yizkor Book:

Josef Kaufman (Photo) Son of Reb Berish the religious judge, of blessed memory, and Malka (neé Brakhner). Born in Czentochow on the 24th of December 1892. Like every Jewish child at that time, he received a national-religious upbringing in his parents' house and went along the road from kheder to private religious scholars. However, he did not study for a long time because of his preference for practical work and, while still a young man, he began to learn the printing trade.

The hope for greater satisfaction and the atmosphere that then held sway in Jewish middleclass circles in Poland woke in him the thought of leaving Czenstochow for the wider world. As a result of this, he came to America in 1909.

However, the threads that bound him to his old home were not torn by the distance that separated him from there. He began to seek an approach to his landsleit [townspeople] who had arrived here earlier with the aim of founding a Czenstochower landsmanschaftn in New York and thus again establish a connection with his birthplace. He began on the first step of his communal activity on American soil.

In 1910 he became a member of branch 261 of the Arbeter Ring and remains there today.

At a later time, he had the opportunity to show his connection to his birthplace and his dedication as a communal worker.

This was in 1914 when the Czenstochower Aid Society was founded in New York.

Our contemporaries say that Josef Kaufman took the most difficult work as secretary upon himself and put his private and communal business aside in order to come to a Czenstochower meeting in time. His printing shop at 154 Delancey Street in New York was the place to which Czenstochowers “made a pilgrimage.” This was the place of connection to the old home.

In 1917 he became a member of the Young Men and for a time in 1918 he occupied the office of Vice President. Today he is Chairman of the Cemetery Committee and one of the most active members.

However, at the same time as his the work in Young Men, he is also very active with the Czenstochowers in New York and from 1936 until today, he has occupied the office of Financial Secretary.

It is enough to remember that on the 18th of September 1938 United Czenstochower Relief organized a banquet for him and his wife to acknowledge all of his work on behalf of Czenstochow and Czenstochowers in America, at which the thanks of other Czenstochower organizations in New York was expressed.

Today his printing shop, at 416 Fourth Avenue is a small Czenstochow in New York. All deliberations occur there and Josef Kaufman serves and welcomes everyone with comradely love and neighborly devotion.

He was particularly active as a member of the Czenstochower Yidn book committee. His professional advice and instruction were valuable and helpful.

He stands with other members in the front row of United Czenstochower Relief.