Lili Gurvits and Max Kantrowitz

Lili and Max at the time of their marriage around 1915. Isn’t Lilli cute? She reminds me of cutie from Slonim who works at the Park Bar/Restaurant in Niasvizh. They were both supporters of the Bund/Mensheviks and the American Socialist Party. My Uncle Irving told me they used to get down on their knees every night before bed and pray for the victory of Norman Thomas, the Socialist Party USA candidate for President.

Lili came over for a visit to Amerike about 1912, met my grandfather in New York City and decided to stay.  That she had the money to visit Amerike indicates that her family was well-off.  I heard that they were furriers and lived in the only stone house in the ghetto or in Nyesviz at that time.

Max’ family was also most likely well-off as The Kantrowitz families of Nyesviz had multiple storefronts on the Bazaarnaya Marq, including a bookshop.  Last year in Nyesviz, I visited just such a bookshop on the Marq.