founders were Nissan Katz, Israel Fiebert, Levy Haber, David Moishe Krieg, Hersh Zeiger, Jonah Stein, Leon Meierson and Moishe Brenner.
The last two also house painters, in later years were among the founders of several, institutions in the Galician quarters of New York. Moishe Brenner was for more than five decades the guiding spirit of the Boiberker Sick and Benevolent Society. The first president was Israel Fiebert and the secretary was Levy Haber. The present officers are, Alex Schwartz, ex-president; Morris Paget, president; Hersh Schnitzer, vice president; Hersh Zeiger, treasurer; Joe Konenthal, financial secretary; and Morris Zipper, Chairman Welfare Committee.
In 1891 there came from Boiberke Chaim Aaron Hafner, an intellectual, who was known in Boiberke as well as in the entire area as the best wedding jester, (Badchen). After a sojourn in New York of a year or two, he could not adjust himself to the enviroment [sic] and returned to Boiberke. Since his economic condition did not improve, again he was compelled to immigrate to the United States where besides being the jester at weddings of his fellow Boiberker, he gave private lessons in the Bible to the growing youngsters of his friends. He also began to write in Yiddish as well as in Hebrew periodicals. When the Yiddish weekly Dos Yiddishe Wochen Blatt, which was published by the Galician landsleit in New York, made changes in its management, Hafner became its editor. I recall one evening when I visited him in his tiny office on Rivington Street on the lower East Side in New York. I found him writing the editorial for the weekly by candlelight, as there was no money to pay the gas bills.
In 1895 our oldest brother, Yitzchok Leib, arrived in New York. He was followed at interwales [sic] of about two years, first by brother Samuel, then brother Leizer, then brother Abraham and finally I too came to the United States. It was the same with many families from Boiberke and elsewhere.
Just as the 19th century was drawing to a close, another fellow Boiberke, Shmuel Schleider, an intellectual who at the time Dr. Herzl summoned the first World Zionist Congress in 1897, was one of the founders and first president of Zionist society Ahavath Zion in Boiberke, left the town for the New World. He came with the intention of saving up some money and to return to Boiberke. After a sojourn of less than two years he left the United States, but before leaving he used to visit the missionery [sic] houses on the lower East Side. There he, who knew the Bible and the entire history of ancient Jerusalem, would dispute with the missionaries, who were no match for him; more than once he would be thrown out bodily from the missionary houses.
In 1899, another interesting individual from Boiberke arrived in New York. His name was Efrayim Messer. In Boiberke he was know as Froyim Boziak (this was his nick-name). Messer was known as the best carpenter in town, the furniture which Efroyim made was known not only in Boiberke but in the entire area. Newlyweds prided themselves that their furniture was made by Moishe Hersh Perlmutter, where Efroyim Messer worked. He had a great interest in the youngsters of his town. On Purim in 1896, he made a huge grager (noise-maker) and strolled through the street of Boiberke, followed by us youngsters. When we reached the Beth Hamidrash, each time the reader of the Magillah would mention the name Haman, Efroyim would let loose his noise-maker (grager) and we kids had a great time. In fact even the elders in the Beth Hamidrash enjoyed as well.
The following Purim he made himself a pair of stilts and since he was a tall man we kids would cry out in amazement feeling sure that when stood up in his stilts he would touch the heavens. Efroyim Messer did it all to bring joy to the children of the town of his birth.
One of the most interesting of the Boibeker landsleit whom I met in the summer of 1903, was Moishe Gottlieb, who was the actual leader of the Jews in our town. He had to flee from Austria to escape arrest. When I met him on Rivington Street, on the lower 