Embedded Files
Well family
Well family
The family of Benzion Well, from left clockwise: Shmuel Feldman, who lived in Dubova at least as an adult; his daughter Rivka (b. 1882 in Dubova, d. 1961 in Haifa); her husband Rabbi Dovid Well (b. 1881 in Obodovka, near Dubova, d. 1956 in Los Angeles); the Wells’ daughter (given name unknown, died as a small child); their son Benzion (b. 1910 in Dubova, d. 1996 in Miami). The photograph is from about 1914.
Because of the pogroms in Dubova, the Wells emigrated to Canada, Dovid in 1927, and Rivka and their children (sons Benzion and Chaim, daughters Shaindel and Sheva) in 1928. They had hidden in a barn and were one of very few families to survive the final pogrom that pushed them to eventually leave Europe.
They moved from Canada to the USA after a few years and eventually ended up in California. After her husband’s death there, Rivka moved to Haifa, which is where she died.
A testimonial letter for Rabbi Dovid Well has been preserved.
Benzion also became a rabbi and had three sons and a daughter. All the sons became qualified as rabbis. At the time of his death, Benzion had 17 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, according to his obituary notice printed in the Chicago Tribune on September 21, 1996.
Gravestone of Rabbi Dovid (David) Well
(Home of Peace Memorial Park, East Los Angeles, California)
Gravestone of Rivka (Rebecca) Feldman Well
(Orthodox Cemetery, Haifa, Israel)
A page from the passport of Benzion Well as he left for Canada in 1927, followed by the passport photo, with the name “B. Vel” (in Russian) towards the bottom.
Notably, the passport is in Ukrainian, Russian, and French. Issued in Uman on December 10, 1927, it was valid for travel outside the USSR except to Bulgaria and Romania.
Benzion is indicated as born on September 15, 1910 in Dubova and having below average height, grey eyes, an ordinary nose, and dark brown hair.
Above: A passenger’s registration card found inside the passport, dated December 5, 1927, indicates that Benzion Well, aged 17, was on his way to Saskatoon, Canada.
By early January, 1928, Benzion had made his way from Russia to London via Latvia, having been “disinfected and placed in the state emigrants’ house in Rīga. 5 Jan. 1928.” The above transit card confirms that he was going to Canada. The second stamp from the bottom indicates that he left Latvia on January 12, sailing from Liepāja, an ice-free port on the Baltic Sea.
Arrival in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada on January 30, 1928.
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