RABBI E. L. GASTWIRTH, B.A.,M.LITT.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND

NOV. 30 '98

PAUL GASTWIRTH
LAS VEGAS

DEAR PAUL,

THANK YOU FOR THE WEBSITE BOOKLET YOU SENT TO ME DATED 18-19 NOV. '98. I AM MOST IMPRESSED BY YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND EFFICIENCY. I HAVE JUST SPOKEN TO MY DAUGHTER RUTH IN ISRAEL WHO TELLS ME SHE HAS BEEN BUSY ALL MORNING EXCHANGING EMAIL WITH YOU! I MUST ADMIT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US AN ENHANCED SENSE OF PRIDE IN THE GASTWIRTH FAMILY NAME. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A CLOSE FAMILY, BUT THE NAME GASTWIRTH HAS NOW ASSUMED AN ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.
WE ARE STILL LIVING ON THE SPIRITUAL HERITAGE OF OUR FATHERS AND MOTHERS AND GRANDPARENTS FOR WHO THEIR JUDAISM WAS THEIR LIFEBLOOD. WE HAVE NOW TO PROVIDE THE SPIRITUAL SUSTENANCE FOR OUR CHILDREN  AND GRANDCHILDREN SO THAT THEY, IN TURN MAY PRODUCE STURDY BRANCHES AND BEAUTIFUL FRUIT OF ANOTHER GENERATION OF GASTWIRTHS. ONE CANNOT LIVE ON THE CAPITAL OF THE PAST FOREVER.
MAY I SUGGEST A MOTTO FOR THE GASTWIRTHS?
"HAPPY IS THE TREE FROM WHOSE BRANCHES FALL THE SEEDS THAT GROW INTO EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL TREES." IF YOU THINK IT APPROPRIATE, YOU COULD INCLUDE IT IN YOUR WEBSITE.
HOW DOES ONE ACHIEVE THIS DESIRABLE END? HERE IS A SUGGESTION:
1. LET EVERY GIRL AND WOMAN OF THE GASTWIRTH FAMILY LIGHT HER CANDLES ON THE EVE OF SHABBAT AND YOM TOV (THIS MUST BE DONE BEFORE SUNSET) WITH A SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE GASTWIRTH FAMILY AND FOR ALL OF ISRAEL.
2. LET EVERY BOY & MAN WEAR A SPECIAL "KIPPAH' MARKED WITH A "G" (OR A 'GIMMEL') FOR GASTWIRTH AND WEAR IT WITH PRIDE AS A FAMILY BADGE.
YOU CAN SEND COMMUNICATIONS VIA THE FAX NO. OF MY DAUGHTER RACHEL CLIFTON (+44-161-792-6960) OR TO THEIR INTERNET ADDRESS 106175,2463@COMPUSERVE.COM.
I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA OF A CONVENTION OF A CONVENTION ALTHOUGH THE IDEA IS PERHAPS SOMEWHAT PREMATURE (WE ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE HERE!). YOUR OFFER OF HOSPITALITY IS VERY GRACIOUS AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL COME TO FRUITION.
THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE PROBLEM OF SHABBAT AND KASHRUT - WE ARE ALL ORTHODOX - THAT IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD NEED TO SORT OUT. OTHERIWISE IT IS DISTINCTLY POSSIBLE, AND WOULD OFFER AN EXCITING PROSPECT.
I AM STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT FROM MY UNCLE MENDELL HOLLANDER - MY FATHER'S BROTHER - THE NAMES OF HIS UNCLES, WHICH WOULD FINALLY SETTLE THE RELATIONSHIP TO THE KALMAN USHER BRANCH. WE HAVE TRIED ONCE, WITHOUT SUCCESS, BUT WE SHALL TRY AGAIN.
I AM INCLUDING SOME PHOTOS WITH THIS LETTER.
WITH WARMEST FRATERNAL GREETING,
YOUR COUSIN,
EPHRAIM

SHIRLEY RADDING
SANTA CLARA, CA
EMAIL: SRADDING@ATT.NET

NOVEMBER 17, 1998

PAUL,

THE FOLLOWING PAGE IS AN ENLARGEMENT OF A 1777 MAP OF THE AREA INCLUDING POLAND, AUSTRIA, HUNGARY, GALICIA AND PART OF RUSSIA. I BELIEVE ALL EXCEPT RUSSIA AT THE TIME WERE PART OF THE AUSTRIO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE. ANYWAY, I CIRCLED MIELEC WHICH IS WHERE CRAIG SAID HIS FAMILY CAME FROM, DZIKOV IS THE TOWN THAT THE RABBI SPOKE OF, AND OUR TOWN, PZECLAW (I THINK) IS CLOSE BY IN THE THIRD CIRCLE. ANYWAY, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ONLY 6 MILES FROM MIELEC ACCORDING TO MARIAN RUBIN WHOSE FAMILY COMES FROM THE SAME GENERAL AREA AND SHE HAS BEEN HELPING PINPOINT THE AREA OF OUR FAMILY.
IT DOES SEEM TO ME THAT SO MANY GASTWIRTHS COMING FROM SUCH A SHORT AREA WOULD BE RELATED IN SOME WAY. I'LL KEEP DIGGING. NEXT, I SUPPOSE, HAD BETTER BE THE CENSUS RECORDS AND AND THE PASSENGER LISTS. I AM GOING TO ASSUME THEY CAME IN BY WAY OF NEW YORK, BUT IT WOULD NARROW THE SEARCH A LITTLE IF WE KNEW APPROXIMATELY WHAT MONTH AND YEAR AND EVEN FROM WHICH PORT IN EUROPE, BUT FAILING THAT KNOWLEDGE, IT WILL JUST TAKE A LOT LONGER TO FIND. SOMETIMES, IMMIGRATION RECORDS WILL GIVE PARENTS NAMES TOO. SO WOULD CENSUS DATA. WHEN DID THE FAMILY MIGRATE TO CHICAGO? RIGHT AWAY?

SHIRLEY