The Gajdosz Coat of Arms and Explanation

We chose our name deliberately, I realize. "Gajdosz" being a form of "Gaydosh" or "bagpipe", and bagpipes (at least at the end) look very similar to shofarot, we deliberately chose it and kept the "sz" once we escaped to Slovakian Hungary from Polish Russia. Also, Great-Granddad would brag about us being "Russian", and his mother was from an Uszinsky family as well.

"Gajdos Name Meaning Hungarian: nickname for a ribald person, from gajdolni ‘to sing in a raucous or drunken way’ (from Slavic gajda ‘bagpipe’). In some cases it may be an occupational name for a player of pipes or bagpipes.Polish and Slovak (Gajdoš): from a derivative of Gajda." Ancestry.com, "Gajdos"). Ours was never accented and we Americanized it to "Gaydosh" sometimes. We also never accented the "s", and Hungarian "sz" is just "s". On the other hand, "š" or "s" is "sh". In Polish, "sz" is "sh". 

We were very aware of our Poliyshn Yidn roots, and Dad doesn't like that. In fact, he nastily told Great-Granddad (as he told us that he told Great-Granddad), "The only reason that you say that we're Russian is because you work for the Russian Church." It was actually a Slovakian-American Catholic church, and the Rusnaks were Levi'im Anusim as well. So, Dad darned well (in his mind, damned well) knows that we're Jews—and I think that's also part of why we're estranged again—not just because I confronted him on Pop-Pop Czarnecki's obituary, but also because he was waiting to cut me off once I found out the truth and asked him about it. So, as soon as I confronted him about the obituary, he found his loophole and got as nasty and abusive with me as possible.
I had also, by the way, spoken out about the obituary and said how they conveniently skipped over Pop-Pop's Jewish heritage—and maybe that's part of why Great-Granddad Gaydos didn't like Pop-Pop (long story), as I found out—he could probably tell that Pop-Pop was a self loather.We were very aware of our Poliyshn Yidn roots, and Dad doesn't like that. In fact, he nastily told Great-Granddad (as he told us that he told Great-Granddad), "The only reason that you say that we're Russian is because you work for the Russian Church." It was actually a Slovakian-American Catholic church, and the Rusnaks were Levi'im Anusim as well. So, Dad darned well (in his mind, damned well) knows that we're Jews—and I think that's also part of why we're estranged again—not just because I confronted him on Pop-Pop Czarnecki's obituary, but also because he was waiting to cut me off once I found out the truth and asked him about it. So, as soon as I confronted him about the obituary, he found his loophole and got as nasty and abusive with me as possible.I had also, by the way, spoken out about the obituary and said how they conveniently skipped over Pop-Pop's Jewish heritage—and maybe that's part of why Great-Granddad Gaydos didn't like Pop-Pop (long story), as I found out—he could probably tell that Pop-Pop was a self loather.By the way, the long story, as Aunt Mary recalled it to me: Great-Granddad Gaydos came over for dinner and ate quietly. When he ate, he looked up and declared, "Okay; I'm ready to go now." He clearly had no time for Jack Czarnecki.

Update: Then there's that other thing about shepherds playing bagpipes and the kohenim being ro'im l'Yisra'el.

What I Want For My 22nd Birthday: DNA Tests From Male Relatives To Check For Kohein, Etc. Markers

I'm pushing the envelope & asking as male members as possible for DNA tests on my birthday. I want to know

at least whether I'm a kohenet (female descendant of Aharon ben-'Amram v'Yokheved, v'HaKohein). Any

male descendants, please get your DNA checked for Jewish-- especially kohein-- markers for our common

lineages if you can. 

On a side note, Kevin-- even though we don't share the Levshiks in common as far as we know--, you won't

be able to find the Levshik connection in the mtDNA; since Jewish women don't have Jewish DNA

(Remember that DNA of any ethnic sort gets passed down only in the Y-DNA). Thank G-d, we were able to

use that your Levit relative used the common device (the Levi surname variant) to establish that she was a bat-

Levi.