Landsmanschaft

Landsmanschaftn are mutual aid societies formed by Jewish immigrants from the same town or region to support each other in their new homeland. During and following WWII, aid organizations in the United States provided funds for food, housing, medical care and other supports to Jews in members' ancestral towns. The societies typically offered low-cost loans, held social events, purchased burial plots, and raised funds to assist their towns in Eastern Europe. While most no longer exist, records of landsmanschaftn may be an important genealogical resource.

The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York holds the records of over 1,500 landsmanschaftn that were founded from 1859 to 1984, including three Starokostyantyniv societies:

Constantiner Preiaslover Benevolent Association

Old Konstantiner Landslayt established about 1906

Old Constantin Joint Relief Committee established 1912, raised more than $15,000 for food and to assist the town's hospital from 1942 to 1946, the majority of the organization's budget during those years. The record of this society includes many lists of member names including the officers in 1946: Chas. Fidelman, L. Zazeela, Morris Leiber, Samuel Shienfeld, Saul Weinstein and Harry Weidershein, and a listing of these affiliated organizations:

First Old Konstantiner Benevolent Society, Anshay Old Constantine, Old Constantiner Branch 333 Workmen’s Circle, and the Old Constantiner Relief societies of Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Detroit

Search the YIVO database at https: www.yivo.org - Contact reference@yivo.org to request copies of landsmanschaftn records, including from Starokostyantyniv