The Third Brother - Noech Bezbrozh
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The story of Noech Bezbrozh could not have been more different from his two brothers Meyer and Moishe. Meyer and Moishe both stayed in Russia as did most of their children and grandchildren. Of those who stayed, many were killed in pogroms and the holocaust. Those who survived were forced to flee from the Nazis. In contrast, Noech, his wife Rivka and their seven sons all came to the United States. All of their sons married, and six of the seven sons have descendants living today. It is striking to see the contrast in the mortality of those who left Russia and those who stayed. Noech whose entire family left Russia, had 83 living descendants as of 2019. Moishe, most of whose nine children stayed in Russia, had 27 living descendants as of 2008, and 20 of those 27 are descended from the two children of Moishe who came to the U.S
Noech Bezbrozh
Rivka Zeldich
Noech Bezbrozh was born in Lysyanka about 1863 and died in Los Angeles, California in 1951. He was, like his brothers, a fruit merchant. Noech would go to the owners of fruit orchard and offer to pay for the entire harvest. He would live on the land to guard the orchard, and when the fruit ripened, he would, probably with the help of his sons, harvest the fruit and sell it at market. Noech was a religious man and his grandson Ralph Bernstein recalled that his grandfather would frequently try to get him to wrap tefillin with him. After coming to the United States, Noech changed his name to Nathan, although Betty Goodman remembers always calling him "Feter Noech" (Uncle Noech).
In about 1885, Noech married Rivka Zeldich (b: 1863 in Lysyanka about 1863). Noech and Rivka had seven sons, all born in Lysyanka. Noech, his wife and all his children came to the United States between 1912 and 1923. They all changed their name to Bernstein upon arriving in the U.S. Almost all of them eventually came to California where many of them were involved in the produce business. A funny coincidence is that of all the brothers who had children, each had one boy and one girl. Shulamit Witenoff reported, "My father told me that his mother Rivka was a daughter of a Rabbi. If you look at the names that she gave her sons, it's like following the genealogy of the Bible." Noech and Rivka's first four sons were named Moshe (Moses), Abraham, Isaac and Joseph. Rivka passed away in New York in 1935.
Noech and Rivka had seven children:
Moshe Bezbrozh (1887-1933) married Bessie Seltzberg from the nearby town of Medwin. They had two children, Leah, born in Medwin and Herman, later called Robert, who was born in New York. In the U.S., Moshe changed his name to Morris Bernstein. His descendants have the last names Schor, Siegel and Young.
Yosef Bezbrozh (1888-1963) married Ruchel Zatalovskia (1900-1969) and they had two children, Velvel, born in Roumania, and Ida, born in New York. In the U.S., Yosef changed his name to Joe Bernstein. Ruchel changed her name to Rachel and Velvel changed his name to William. (Note: There are two Velvel's who changed their name to William. One is Yosef's son. The other is Yosef's brother below.) His descendants have the last names Schwarcz, Rosenberg, Abram, Zimmerman, Moldavon, Janow and Bernstein
Isaac Bezbrozh (1891-1962) married Dora (or Donya) Teplitsky (1896-1959) and they had two children, Itzie (later Irving) born in Zvenigorodka and Edith (later Shulamit) born in New York. In the U.S., Isaac changed his last name to Bernstein. His descendants have the last names Adir, Berns, Brackin, Furman, Maharshak, Schreck, Witenoff and Zachar.
Abram Bezbrozh (1892-1979) married Dora Kagan (1898-1960). Dora was also a cousin, but on Rivka's side of the family. Abram and Dora had two children, both born in the United States: Moishe (later known as Murray) and Rae. Abram changed his name to Abe Bernstein. Abe, like Sam Bernstein, was one of the pivotal figures in enabling the Bezbrozhs to come to America. He was one of the first to come, in 1910, and spent years saving up money to help his six brothers and his parents to come to the U.S. Abe and Dora's descendants have the last names Doberne, Schor, Dunn and Nozet.
Pincas (or Pinnie) Bezbrozh (1898-1944) married his first cousin Feige Bezbrozh (1898-1985) and they had two children, both born in the United States: Ralph and Beatrice. Pincas and Feige changed their names to Philip and Fannie Bernstein. Their descendants have the last names Bernstein, Hooson and Menkes.
Welvel Bezbrozh (1901-1931) married Clara Appelfeld in 1930, after he had arrived in the U.S. He changed his name to William Bernstein. Lee Bernstein (daughter of William’s brother Morris) said that her Uncle William was "handsome like a movie star" and that he loved to play the balalaika and sing Russian songs. Sadly, William died of appendicitis in 1931 at the age of 30.
Jankel Bezbrozh (1904-1989) married Riva Balshin (1908-1979) after coming to the United States and they had two children, Morris and Violet. Jankel changed his name to Jack Bernstein. His descendants have the last names Bernstein and Jaffe.