Part 14 Of My Stage32 Submission

With this part, I want to be very careful--after all, September 11th is not something to exploit or merely connect to other events. Nonetheless, think about--if you will--September 11, 2001 and September 24, 2008--as if our economy needed any more pain (after all, human lives were already impacted and the financial center of global trade attacked on September 11th)! Then think about October 24, 1929 and December 7, 1941. In a--if you will--weird or strange way--which is hard to explain--, we have lived the reserve parallel of what my great-grandparents and grandparents lived.

In other words, we were attacked before our economy crashed--actually, twice (once in 1993 with the World Trade Center bombed, the second time with people murdered due to murderers who crashed planes with people in the World Trade Center--and I will not call the murderers "suicide bombers" or " jihadis" due to that there are real suicide victims and people fighting for real holy causes in violent ways).

My great-grandparents, on the other hand, saw their economy crash before they were attacked--and if one counts the J.P. Morgan bombing, they went through an attack-Depression-attack pattern. We went through an attack-attack-"Recession"--actually, "Depression"--pattern. Also oddly enough, the First Great Depression happened on Great-Granddad's 25th birthday--after which he had to go to a mental hospital (He had met Great-Grandma either before he left Sugar Notch for Wood River, Illinois or after he came back from Wood River--since they both worked in a silk mill at least in the 20s, whereas he may have been coal mining around the time that and after he went to Wood River.). September 11th, on the other hand, happened on a steprelative's 77th birthday--and he was suffering an unrelated mental problem--though the steprelative has nothing to do with this story but that he shares a creepy parallel with a man who saw a tragic event happen on his birthday. On another unrelated note, "December 7th" and "September 11th" kind of rhyme.

Meanwhile and anyway, my great-grandparents lived through the Depression--and Pop-Pop (as you may already know if you have been paying attention, Jack) and his brothers Francis "Red" Anthony and James "Jim" Julian Czarnecki were all born into the Depression. I sadly have nothing to tell about what they remember about the First Great Depression and Pearl Harbor--I am estranged from Pop-Pop and Granduncle Red died before I was born. As for Granduncle Jim, he was only two and probably could not tell me much--if anything--about the Depression--that is, he was only two when the Depression happened, and not even conceived when Pearl Harbor happened.

What I do know is that Great-Granddad was too old and too mentally unable to serve in World War Two, his brothers Edward "Ed" Leo, Joseph--aka, the wicked "Suzy"--, and Bernie all served. I have already discussed Great-Granduncle Bernie, and spare me if I'm repeating details--I'm discussing Great-Granduncle Bernie again.

Pfc. Bernard "Bernie" S. Czarnecki was born on March 15 (though his dad claimed that he was born on May 15), 1920 at the 203-207 Freed Street compound--although the Census indicates that 203 was being rented at the time, and he therefore was born at 205 or 207 Freed Street. Pfc. Bernie Czarnecki enlisted in the military on December 12, 1940 and was recorded as enlisting again on February 17, 1941. Pfc. Czarnecki served in the Army's 111th Infantry Division Medical Corp., in which he was attacked while he was in the battlefield. With a piece of shrapnel in his head and a botched operation to remove the shrapnel, he was discharged exactly five years after he enlisted. After dischargement, he lived the rest of his life in the Lebanon, Pennsylvania Veterans' Affairs Home and Hospital.

As stated, his widowed sister--Alexandria Alice Czarnecki Dombroski--took care of and set up a Social Security account for him. As also stated, Johnkie and Suzy cruelly took his--and their sister's--benefits when he died from his war wounds on July 16, 1963. Meanwhile, I once tried writing to the Department of Veterans' Affairs to get more information about him--and I was not next-of-kough for them to get any information. Pfc. Czarnecki also never even got a Purple Heart--much less someone to claim him as next of kin and preserve his memory in the past three generations.

Part 12 Of My Stage32 Submission

With college kicking my tuchus, I have not had time or energy to keep telling the family story. Incidentally, Rev. Klein was not at Shabbat tonight; so that helped. Meanwhile, I understand what my great-great-grandparents and great-granddad went through--just as they dreaded for anyone to find out that they were Jews and Crypto Non-Messianic Jews, I dreaded and (as I've done at most Shabbatot) kept my mouth shut lest anyone find out that I'm a Messianic Jew and act like Rev. Klein.

Nonetheless, their--that is, my great-great-great-grandparents' and great-granddad's deception--is not excused. Also, I will at least credit my great-great-great-grandparents for not becoming meshumad Catholics and for willing to die for their ethnoreligious background--they were Jews, Non-Messianic Jews, and sacrificers for their ethnicity and faith.

Meanwhile, I stated the following in regards to Great-Granduncle Bernie's story: "Nonetheless, it'll give you an idea for when I jump back to describe Great-Great-Grandma Czarnecki and her three like-mom-like-sons children: Great-Granddad, Great-Granduncle John "Johnkie" Felix Czarnecki, and Great-Granduncle Joseph "Suzy" Paschal Czarnecki. After all, particularly the latter two evily exploited Great-Granduncle Bernie and were especially like their mom in doing that--as devious and cunning as they could be."

For example, my great-great-grandparents lied to the naturalization authorities:

For one matter, Great-Granduncle Stanley was born on November 11, 1911; Great-Grandaunt Alexandria was born September 28, 1910; and other birthdates were fudged. 

As for Suzy, he was particularly devious--and Granduncle Tony described Suzy's wife as (if I recall correctly), "quiet but sneaky". For instance--as I expressed on Facebook:

"[I still think] about what Great-Granduncle Johnkie and Suzy did to Great-Granduncle Bernie: what they did to him is a shame, and no wonder Granduncle Tony recalled what he heard years later. Of course, given that Suzy used to spit on him and others while he'd talk to them, and Great-Grandma hocked a loogie on his sheets one time (which she bragged about to Mom, and I never connected that the neighbo

r was 205 Freed Street's Suzy Czarnecki until years later); how cruel and frustrating Great-Granduncle Suzy could be doesn't surprise me. After all, look how one of his disciples--Pop-Pop--turned out (Don't think that I'm reconciling with Pop-Pop any time soon, even though I reconciled with Dad.). Incidentally (as I learned later), Great-Grandma (having a Jewish mother, Anna Trudniak nee Monkova) did keep a Jewish custom--whenever some Jews say something that they don't like, find dirty, etc., they spit. Also, I wonder if Great-Grandma (though she was a Slovakian-speaking Anusit who knew Polish as well) knew any Yiddish curses--Great-Granduncle Suzy may have deserved a few.

"

As I stated, Great-Grandma did this[--that is, the tradition of spitting as described by Jewish Virtual Library, whose website I used on Facebook to explain what Great-Grandma did] to Great-Granduncle Suzy's sheets...and now that I think about it...what a nasty man (that is, Great-Granduncle Suzy for expressing his contempt for people by spitting deliberately while talking to them)."

Great-Granduncle Johnkie, meanwhile, owned a barber shop and lived in Dallas, Luzerne; so he couldn't do--although he tried to do what he could for--as much harm as Great-Granduncle Suzy did. In the next part, I'll explain how their mother was more like this, and how Great-Granddad became like his brothers and his mothers--in other words, I'll relevantly jump back.

Parts Eight To Eleven of My Stage32 Submission

Part Eight Of My Stage32 Submission

As I made clear to Reverend ("Rabbi") Jason Klein--and having written the open letter after having a conversation with him (since I felt that Reverend Klein is only of the many who needs to know where I stand, and I had disclosed my ethnic and religious identity to a few others besides him prior to writing the open letter)--, I do not want to put anyone or myself be put in the kind of position that the Czarneckis were put in.

As I wrote in Part Two,  I remembered when my dad used to call me "Nicole Charnetski", had already come across The Complete Jewish Bible by 2006, and was getting into the Jewish roots of my Christian faith. I had also typed in "jewsforjesus.com" or something like that for (what I thought was) a joke, and so began my journey into finding out that my great-granddad Anthony Czarnecki--if nobody else, or at least he (since I at the time, as far as I remember, wasn't really or at all thinking about if anyone else)--was Jewish.

What I found out was that the so-called Anthony John Czarnecki was born a Chernetski in Tsuman, Volyns'ka Oblast, Ukraine--what was then Cuman, Luck, Wolyn, Ukranian-Polish Russia. His mother, the so-called Alexandria Alice Andrulewicz, was on her way to visit her cousin Vil'gel'm Andrulevich in Buzhanka, Zvenigorodka, Kiev, Ukranian Russia. He was born on October 24, 1904 either en route to or from his cousin Vil'gel'm's home (Diasporan home, anyway--since, for all Jews and whether or not a Jew acknowledges that, Israel is the home of homes for Jews).

As for the Andrulewicz (Andrulevich) family, they lived in--among other places--Buzhanka and Bose, Sejny, Suwalki Gubernia, Polish Russia--now Buzhanka, Cherkas'ka Oblast, Ukraine and Bose, Sejny, Podlaskie, Poland. Cousin Vil'gelm was part of the Buzhanka group, and Alexandria--who claimed to be born Aleksjondria Alicja Andrulewiczowna--was part of the Bose group. Alexandria, like her husband--who claimed to be born Julian Jan "Feliks" Czarniecki--gave his parents, gave her parents the names "Antoni" and "Katarzyna".

As for the so-called Julian John "Felix" Czarnecki, he was born in Lipsk nad Biebrza--where JewishGen acknowledges that Jews lived and a Jewish community stood--to a Chernetski and a Danilowiczowna--the Chernetski being born of a Chernetski and Laczinska, the Danilowiczowna being supposedly born of an Aleksjondria Alicja Andrulewiczowna--since, to be fair, both Alexandria Alice Czarnecki Dombroski (Anthony Czarnecki's second-oldest sister) and Alexandria Alice Chernetski (a Chernetski cousin) both bore that name, and Ashkenazic Jews do have a custom of naming children for deceased relatives. By the way, Alexandria Alice Andrulewicz Czarnecki did list her estranged mother-in-law as her closest relative back in her native--rather, her Diasporan--country, and Numbers 36 does command us Jews to marry our cousins--so what does that tell you?

Were "Katarzyna" Chernetska not really Alexandria's closest relative back in Poland, she would not have been listed. Especially after getting kicked off of the Chernetski family farm in Lipsk for becoming Anusim because of and during the pogroms, Alexandria would not have dared to list a relative to whom she no blood connection and with whom she would have no correspondence when she immigrated to and lived in America.

Once Alexandria, Julian, and Anthony became Anusim--as Granduncle Tony wrote in an e-mail to me (although he denies our being Jewish because of being--and I know that he's--damned afraid of his older brother Jack):

"The move from Poland was permanent.  There was never any talk of returning.  Not even for a visit.  After moving to Sugar Notch the family flourished economically.  Julian & Alexandria eventually owned houses at 203, 205, and 207 Freed Street.  They lived in 207 and sold 205 to Son, Joseph and 203 to Son, Anthony(great grandpop).  All the boys worked at first in coal mine related jobs.

"I never seen nor did anyone mention anything special brought from Poland.  A friend from Sugar Notch, Mrs. Bertha Wawrzyn, visited Poland every few years to see her family and would visit the family while there.  All she ever brought back were photos that she took of the Polish Czarnecki's (see earlier comments).

"There was very little discussion of the Polish life and family.  Usually, when there was, it was a brief mention of the farm that was left behind.  There did not seem to be any regrets about leaving for a better life.  After all , they settled among Polish, Slavic, Hungarian, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian people just like themselves.  Similar language, similar customs, similar faces, houses, churches, etc.  But life was much better than on the farm.  They were quite happy in America and much better off.  The motherland, Poland, was far off and just a memory, not to be forgotten but no regrets for leaving either.

"Periodically a church pastor would run a heritage trip back to Poland for a group.  Very few of those who immigrated would return.  Occasionally someone "in the family" in America would join a relative for the return trip, Usually meeting the Polish or Slovak relatives for the first time and occasionally maintaining a letter writing relationship afterwards.  This DID NOT happen in our family.

"There was not very much correspondence with the Polish family.  Only an infrequent letter.  There were no exchanges other than through the Polish Church which would have clothing drives and send clothes to Poland in general, but not to specific family members.  Bertha's photos which came after the trips were the only contact until they asked for the deed to be changed in the mid 1960's.

"There was no special items from Poland that were kept by the family that I know of.  They came with little and acquired everything they had in America.  Over the years all traces of Poland disappeared.  They were now AMERICANS and wanted to be known as such.  The Polish heritage was maintained through Church and their friends in the community."

Shiva was sat, pictures (as Granduncle Tony explained) were passed around and thrown away, and we're still either Anusim or so-called meshuadim to this day--and I darned-well know that Reverend Klein considers me a meshumadah, although he's too polite to state what he thinks that way. Meanwhile, Reverend Klein did make clear that he does not consider Hebrew Christians, Jews For Jesus, etc. to be Jews--since, as he explained (and as I know), the denominations of Mainstream Judaism do not consider Messianic Jews to be Jews.

By the way, Reverend Klein did use "havoc" in reference to what he believes that Jews For Jesus does in regards to the Jewish community--at least the Non-Messianic Jewish community. This prompted me to write, "I do not believe that groups such as Jews For Jesus and Chosen People Ministries cause any havoc or tsores against the Jewish community. As I've written, " Jews for Jesus does not intend to "induce someone to convert to one's faith" or "recruit someone to join one's party, institution, or cause"-- that is not up to them." 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 explains the position of Messianic Jewish (Hebrew Christian, Jewish Christian) groups."

I also once wrote, "The Inquisitors, the pogromists, etc.--they proselytized." By the way, as I've implied, Great-Granddad Czarnecki and his parents could attest to that. Also by the way, I'm not being flip in not calling Reverend Klein "Rabbi"--Matthew 23:8-10 commands that I call nobody but Jesus "Rabbi".

Part Nine Of My Stage32 Submission

As I stated, I mean no disrespect when I call Reverend Klein "Reverend" as opposed to "Rabbi"--I'm simply following Matthew 23:8-10. Besides, on Halakhah.com (where you can take a peek at what the Chernetskis followed even to some extent while they were Anusim), a so-called rabbi is addressed as "The Very Rev. The Chief Rabbi Dr. J. H. Hertz". Another is addressed as " Rev. Dr. Israel W. Slotki", and another "Rev. Dr. Abraham Cohen".
By the same token, I take issue with Roman, Byzantine, and other Catholic--including English Catholic (Anglican, Episcopalian)--priests being called "Father". By the way, because of the Chernetskis--also the "Czarnieckis" and "Czarneckis"--among others, I was raised as an English Catholic. As I alluded to before, I didn't know that I am Jewish for a long time--and the Czarneckis intended to keep the situation that way. I was told that we are Polish-Lithuanian Catholics descended from Stefan (who Granduncle mistakenly called "Antoni") Czarniecki, and I assumed that Great-Grandma Czarnecki was the Lithuanian.
Never did that she was a Jewish-Slovakian American occur to me, and that Great-Great-Grandma Czarnecki opposed Great-Granddad's marriage to the then Mary Theresa Trudniak didn't occur to me, either. I was always told that Anthony Czarnecki came over here as a lone Polish immigrant, married Mary M. Trudnak, worked as a coal miner, served in the Korean War, got Black Lung because of his work in the coal mines, and died when Dad was 12--in 1972.
The family research brought that the Andrulewicz-Danilowicz-Chernetski family ever existed, had some who did off of the derech--because, to be fair and as I learned years later, Roman Catholicism and its offshoots (such as Byzantine and English Catholicism) are cults--, came to America, and lived as Anusim--in other words, as the old sayings go, I can't make those kind of situations up and truth is stranger than fiction.
By the way, as I write this, I--im yirtzeh HaShem (G-d wiling)--am going to bed at 12:00 AM--I might be coming down with something. Incidentally enough--incidental to that I'm coming down with something, anyway--, one of Great-Granddad's sisters--who I didn't even know existed, let alone was born over here--died of something at the age of 16.
Also by the way, none of Great-Granddad's sisters were named "Mary", "Maria", or even "Miriam"--with which Julian and Alexandria Czarnecki could have gotten away with naming one of their daughters but for (as Reverend Klein stated about me admitting that I'm Messianic) "out[ing] [them]sel[ves]" as Jews--because Miriam is obviously a very-Jewish name, and (as most people know) the original name of Mary the mother of Jesus, for whom my aunt Mary (named after her grandmothers) was not named, by the way.
By the way, Reverend Klein, two questions: when did admitting that I'm Messianic become like one coming out of the closet (ironically enough, since Reconstructionists treat homosexuals better than they treat Messianic Jews)? Also--if you're reading this, anyway--, do Hebrew Christians like myself look like we're not Jewish--regardless of what you imply and what the mainstream denominations of Judaism say? I don't know about what you know, Reverend Klein; but I know that even my Anusi ancestors kept their Jewish identity when they puported to believe in a Jewish man as the Messiah--how much more Jewish am I for actually believing in Jewish man as the Messiah, and not because proselytizers came after me and convinced me to at least pretend that I am a Christian?

Part Ten of My Stage32 Submission

In case you haven't been following, this is a nice summary of the parts which have followed the pictures so far. It was pre written and, as I stated, works. It also includes some newly-shared information and a way to contact me--a.k.a., yours truly (a.k.a., the transcriber of this family story):
To begin and in full disclosure, I am a Messianic Jew and a conservative Republican who promises not to proselytize. Nonetheless, I will share my faith and politics when asked or in an appropriate and impromptu way (By the way, please look up the Webster definition of "proselytize"--I want everyone to understand that I do not do or intend to do what the pogromists did to my dad's paternal granddad and his parents--among other relatives.).
I am a Patrilineal Jew, and do not subscribe to a Patrilineal-Only view--I believe that Patrilineal and Matrilineal Jews are Jews (which I've concluded partly because of my own research into the, for lack of better wordage, "Who Is a Jew?" question). Hence I, as far as I can tell, am atypical in that area alone--that is, in being a Patrilineally-Jewish and Messianic Jewish Republican. Also, I wanted to begin with a full disclosure, as I stated, and I have no intention of scaring or angering anybody whatsoever. I hope that--particularly if you're averse toward Patrilineal Jews, Messianic Jews, and/or Republicans--you can at least respectfully agree to disagree with me on what I identify as and what religious and political views I hold.
As I stated, "I want everyone to understand that I do not do or intend to do what the pogromists did to my dad's paternal granddad and his parents--among other relatives." As for Great-Granddad Czarnecki and his relatives, I'd like to  briefly share their story--which I discovered via family research, which I am still working to piece together, and about which I am trying to find more. If nothing else in my family history, the Czarnecki family story gives one a glimpse into who I am and why I'm in the United States as a Diasporan Jew (and given that I'm Messianic, I'm sadly going to have a hard time or will be unable to be making aliyah).
Great-Granddad was born a Chernetski in Tsuman, Volyns'ka, Ukraine (then Cuman, Kiwerce, Luck, Wolyn, Polish-Ukrainian Russia) either en route to or on the way back from Buzhanka, Cherkas'ka (then Buzhanka, Zvenigorodka, Kiev, Ukranian Russia). He was born on October 24, 1904 (and on his naturalization record and Social Security application, respectively, his birthdate was given as October 23, 1904 and October 24, 1903--these aren't isolated incidents of lying, by the way: the Chernetskis [Czarnieckis, Czarneckis] fudged dates, etc. to hide from the authorities in America and keep their Jewish identity secret).
His mother claimed to have been born Aleksjondria Alicja Andrulewiczowna--the Andrulewicz part being true. She was visiting cousin Vil'gel'm Andrulevich in Buzhanka when her son (who she eventually gave the name "Antoni Jan Czarniecki") was born. Incidentally, she conveniently gave her dad and dad in law the name "Antoni", and her mom and mom in law the name "Katarzyna"--the only truth in her parents' names was that one was born an Andrulewicz, and one a Morgiewiczowna ("Margiewicz"). She also claimed to be born--variously--in 1881, 1884, and 1885, and on June 26, 1882 (among in other years and on other dates).
As for her parents in law, the only truth in their names is that one was born a Chernetski ("Czarniecki") and one a Danilowiczowna ("Danilowicz"--don't ask me why; Polish names are weird, so "Danilowicz" with the "owna" cut off was actually legitimate). Her husband (and Great-Granddad's dad) claimed to have been born Julian Jan "Feliks" Czarniecki in "Lisko Orliscko" (which I found out was Lipsk nad Biebrza, not Lipsko) on December 24, 1876 and 1877, as well as in 1875 and 1879. By the way, "Julian Laczinsky" first came to America on May 16, 1903 and then November 9, 1904 as "Julian Zernetzky" (Isn't that nice? In all seriousness, I'm amazed that the authorities didn't catch him at some point--thus, I'm technically a descendant of an illegal immigrant and an illegally-naturalized immigrant [which is why, for a Republican, I'm unusual in supporting the DREAM Act].)
The Chernetskis--along with other meshumadim and others in the family--were summarily kicked off of the family farm in Lipsk or left it (The meshumadim were kicked off--and to be fair, I think that Roman Catholicism is meshumad [apostate]. Nonetheless, they were converting merely to save their lives from the Polish and Russian proselytizers--i.e., the pogromists.). They immigrated variously to Jersey City, New Jersey; Sugar Notch, Pennsylvania, and other parts of Luzerne County; and other places. Incidentally, the Chokolas (of Chokola's Beer fame and of whom Pete Chokola was born) were our cousins and lived in Wilkes-Barre (and Pete Chokola was a very-activist Democrat. So was my granddad, a now-former IRS Agent who was one of the three to serve tax papers to then-President Nixon. Incidentally, Pop-Pop did not believe that they were WMDS in Iraq--we can thank Julian Assange at least for proving Pop-Pop wrong.).
They lived as Ashkenazim Anusim (Ashkenazic-Jewish Crypto Jews) for the rest of their lives (and Pop-Pop was not happy when I found out that we're Jewish!), and Anusim still exist among us (with Pop-Pop being one of them. I'm an openly-Jewish Messianic Jewish Republican and Protestant--a complete 180 from Pop-Pop! Incidentally, Dad converted to Episcopalianism and Southern Baptism--because his current wife is a Southern Baptist--, and Mom is a Roman Catholic-turned-Episcopalian-turned-Presbyterian descendant of Roman Catholics and Methodists--perhaps even some Anusim and Jews who willingly became Catholic).
If you want more information, read my blog or e-mail me at nickidewbear@aol.com (You could e-mail me at nczarne1@umbc.edu, but I prefer my AOL address.). 

Part 11 Of My Stage32 Submission

This is another jump-ahead moment and pre-written part. Nonetheless, it'll give you an idea for when I jump back to describe Great-Great-Grandma Czarnecki and her three like-mom-like-sons children: Great-Granddad, Great-Granduncle John "Johnkie" Felix Czarnecki, and Great-Granduncle Joseph "Suzy" Paschal Czarnecki. After all, particularly the latter two evily exploited Great-Granduncle Bernie and were especially like their mom in doing that--as devious and cunning as they could be. To make a long story short, they got Great-Granduncle Bernie to sign off his Social Security account to them--so that his benefits would go to them instead of Great-Grandaunt Alexandria Alice Czarnecki Dombroski (by then, a widow with a son to still raise and now an infirmed brother for whom to care) when he died:
Born to Ashkenazim Anusim who converted during the pogroms in Poland Russia and were forced to immigrate to America due to their conversion, Bernard S. Czarnecki (nee [sic., should be "ne"] Chernetski or Czarniecki) served with the 111th Infantry Division Medical Corps of the United States Army in World War Two. Serving from December 1940-December 1945 in the U.S. Army, Pfc. Bernie Czarnecki was wounded in combat and died as a result of his war wounds in 1963 (the wounds for which he was discharged in 1945). Never formally recognized even with a Purple Heart, let alone a proper headstone at his gravesite, Pfc. Czarnecki died at the age of 43 as an unknown and dishonored Jewish-Catholic veteran of World War Two.

Part 11 Of My Stage32 Submission

This is another jump-ahead moment and pre-written part. Nonetheless, it'll give you an idea for when I jump back to describe Great-Great-Grandma Czarnecki and her three like-mom-like-sons children: Great-Granddad, Great-Granduncle John "Johnkie" Felix Czarnecki, and Great-Granduncle Joseph "Suzy" Paschal Czarnecki. After all, particularly the latter two evily exploited Great-Granduncle Bernie and were especially like their mom in doing that--as devious and cunning as they could be. To make a long story short, they got Great-Granduncle Bernie to sign off his Social Security account to them--so that his benefits would go to them instead of Great-Grandaunt Alexandria Alice Czarnecki Dombroski (by then, a widow with a son to still raise and now an infirmed brother for whom to care) when he died:

Born to Ashkenazim Anusim who converted during the pogroms in Poland Russia and were forced to immigrate to America due to their conversion, Bernard S. Czarnecki (nee [sic., should be "ne"] Chernetski or Czarniecki) served with the 111th Infantry Division Medical Corps of the United States Army in World War Two. Serving from December 1940-December 1945 in the U.S. Army, Pfc. Bernie Czarnecki was wounded in combat and died as a result of his war wounds in 1963 (the wounds for which he was discharged in 1945). Never formally recognized even with a Purple Heart, let alone a proper headstone at his gravesite, Pfc. Czarnecki died at the age of 43 as an unknown and dishonored Jewish-Catholic veteran of World War Two.

Part Ten of My Stage32 Submission

In case you haven't been following, this is a nice summary of the parts which have followed the pictures so far. It was pre written and, as I stated, works. It also includes some newly-shared information and a way to contact me--a.k.a., yours truly (a.k.a., the transcriber of this family story):

To begin and in full disclosure, I am a Messianic Jew and a conservative Republican who promises not to proselytize. Nonetheless, I will share my faith and politics when asked or in an appropriate and impromptu way (By the way, please look up the Webster definition of "proselytize"--I want everyone to understand that I do not do or intend to do what the pogromists did to my dad's paternal granddad and his parents--among other relatives.).

I am a Patrilineal Jew, and do not subscribe to a Patrilineal-Only view--I believe that Patrilineal and Matrilineal Jews are Jews (which I've concluded partly because of my own research into the, for lack of better wordage, "Who Is a Jew?" question). Hence I, as far as I can tell, am atypical in that area alone--that is, in being a Patrilineally-Jewish and Messianic Jewish Republican. Also, I wanted to begin with a full disclosure, as I stated, and I have no intention of scaring or angering anybody whatsoever. I hope that--particularly if you're averse toward Patrilineal Jews, Messianic Jews, and/or Republicans--you can at least respectfully agree to disagree with me on what I identify as and what religious and political views I hold.

As I stated, "I want everyone to understand that I do not do or intend to do what the pogromists did to my dad's paternal granddad and his parents--among other relatives." As for Great-Granddad Czarnecki and his relatives, I'd like to  briefly share their story--which I discovered via family research, which I am still working to piece together, and about which I am trying to find more. If nothing else in my family history, the Czarnecki family story gives one a glimpse into who I am and why I'm in the United States as a Diasporan Jew (and given that I'm Messianic, I'm sadly going to have a hard time or will be unable to be making aliyah).

Great-Granddad was born a Chernetski in Tsuman, Volyns'ka, Ukraine (then Cuman, Kiwerce, Luck, Wolyn, Polish-Ukrainian Russia) either en route to or on the way back from Buzhanka, Cherkas'ka (then Buzhanka, Zvenigorodka, Kiev, Ukranian Russia). He was born on October 24, 1904 (and on his naturalization record and Social Security application, respectively, his birthdate was given as October 23, 1904 and October 24, 1903--these aren't isolated incidents of lying, by the way: the Chernetskis [Czarnieckis, Czarneckis] fudged dates, etc. to hide from the authorities in America and keep their Jewish identity secret).

His mother claimed to have been born Aleksjondria Alicja Andrulewiczowna--the Andrulewicz part being true. She was visiting cousin Vil'gel'm Andrulevich in Buzhanka when her son (who she eventually gave the name "Antoni Jan Czarniecki") was born. Incidentally, she conveniently gave her dad and dad in law the name "Antoni", and her mom and mom in law the name "Katarzyna"--the only truth in her parents' names was that one was born an Andrulewicz, and one a Morgiewiczowna ("Margiewicz"). She also claimed to be born--variously--in 1881, 1884, and 1885, and on June 26, 1882 (among in other years and on other dates).

As for her parents in law, the only truth in their names is that one was born a Chernetski ("Czarniecki") and one a Danilowiczowna ("Danilowicz"--don't ask me why; Polish names are weird, so "Danilowicz" with the "owna" cut off was actually legitimate). Her husband (and Great-Granddad's dad) claimed to have been born Julian Jan "Feliks" Czarniecki in "Lisko Orliscko" (which I found out was Lipsk nad Biebrza, not Lipsko) on December 24, 1876 and 1877, as well as in 1875 and 1879. By the way, "Julian Laczinsky" first came to America on May 16, 1903 and then November 9, 1904 as "Julian Zernetzky" (Isn't that nice? In all seriousness, I'm amazed that the authorities didn't catch him at some point--thus, I'm technically a descendant of an illegal immigrant and an illegally-naturalized immigrant [which is why, for a Republican, I'm unusual in supporting the DREAM Act].)

The Chernetskis--along with other meshumadim and others in the family--were summarily kicked off of the family farm in Lipsk or left it (The meshumadim were kicked off--and to be fair, I think that Roman Catholicism is meshumad [apostate]. Nonetheless, they were converting merely to save their lives from the Polish and Russian proselytizers--i.e., the pogromists.). They immigrated variously to Jersey City, New Jersey; Sugar Notch, Pennsylvania, and other parts of Luzerne County; and other places. Incidentally, the Chokolas (of Chokola's Beer fame and of whom Pete Chokola was born) were our cousins and lived in Wilkes-Barre (and Pete Chokola was a very-activist Democrat. So was my granddad, a now-former IRS Agent who was one of the three to serve tax papers to then-President Nixon. Incidentally, Pop-Pop did not believe that they were WMDS in Iraq--we can thank Julian Assange at least for proving Pop-Pop wrong.).

They lived as Ashkenazim Anusim (Ashkenazic-Jewish Crypto Jews) for the rest of their lives (and Pop-Pop was not happy when I found out that we're Jewish!), and Anusim still exist among us (with Pop-Pop being one of them. I'm an openly-Jewish Messianic Jewish Republican and Protestant--a complete 180 from Pop-Pop! Incidentally, Dad converted to Episcopalianism and Southern Baptism--because his current wife is a Southern Baptist--, and Mom is a Roman Catholic-turned-Episcopalian-turned-Presbyterian descendant of Roman Catholics and Methodists--perhaps even some Anusim and Jews who willingly became Catholic).

If you want more information, read my blog or e-mail me at nickidewbear@aol.com (You could e-mail me at nczarne1@umbc.edu, but I prefer my AOL address.). 

Part Nine Of My Stage32 Submission

As I stated, I mean no disrespect when I call Reverend Klein "Reverend" as opposed to "Rabbi"--I'm simply following Matthew 23:8-10. Besides, on Halakhah.com (where you can take a peek at what the Chernetskis followed even to some extent while they were Anusim), a so-called rabbi is addressed as "The Very Rev. The Chief Rabbi Dr. J. H. Hertz". Another is addressed as " Rev. Dr. Israel W. Slotki", and another "Rev. Dr. Abraham Cohen".

By the same token, I take issue with Roman, Byzantine, and other Catholic--including English Catholic (Anglican, Episcopalian)--priests being called "Father". By the way, because of the Chernetskis--also the "Czarnieckis" and "Czarneckis"--among others, I was raised as an English Catholic. As I alluded to before, I didn't know that I am Jewish for a long time--and the Czarneckis intended to keep the situation that way. I was told that we are Polish-Lithuanian Catholics descended from Stefan (who Granduncle mistakenly called "Antoni") Czarniecki, and I assumed that Great-Grandma Czarnecki was the Lithuanian.

Never did that she was a Jewish-Slovakian American occur to me, and that Great-Great-Grandma Czarnecki opposed Great-Granddad's marriage to the then Mary Theresa Trudniak didn't occur to me, either. I was always told that Anthony Czarnecki came over here as a lone Polish immigrant, married Mary M. Trudnak, worked as a coal miner, served in the Korean War, got Black Lung because of his work in the coal mines, and died when Dad was 12--in 1972.

The family research brought that the Andrulewicz-Danilowicz-Chernetski family ever existed, had some who did off of the derech--because, to be fair and as I learned years later, Roman Catholicism and its offshoots (such as Byzantine and English Catholicism) are cults--, came to America, and lived as Anusim--in other words, as the old sayings go, I can't make those kind of situations up and truth is stranger than fiction.

By the way, as I write this, I--im yirtzeh HaShem (G-d wiling)--am going to bed at 12:00 AM--I might be coming down with something. Incidentally enough--incidental to that I'm coming down with something, anyway--, one of Great-Granddad's sisters--who I didn't even know existed, let alone was born over here--died of something at the age of 16.

Also by the way, none of Great-Granddad's sisters were named "Mary", "Maria", or even "Miriam"--with which Julian and Alexandria Czarnecki could have gotten away with naming one of their daughters but for (as Reverend Klein stated about me admitting that I'm Messianic) "out[ing] [them]sel[ves]" as Jews--because Miriam is obviously a very-Jewish name, and (as most people know) the original name of Mary the mother of Jesus, for whom my aunt Mary (named after her grandmothers) was not named, by the way.

By the way, Reverend Klein, two questions: when did admitting that I'm Messianic become like one coming out of the closet (ironically enough, since Reconstructionists treat homosexuals better than they treat Messianic Jews)? Also--if you're reading this, anyway--, do Hebrew Christians like myself look like we're not Jewish--regardless of what you imply and what the mainstream denominations of Judaism say? I don't know about what you know, Reverend Klein; but I know that even my Anusi ancestors kept their Jewish identity when they puported to believe in a Jewish man as the Messiah--how much more Jewish am I for actually believing in Jewish man as the Messiah, and not because proselytizers came after me and convinced me to at least pretend that I am a Christian?

 

Part Eight Of My Stage32 Submission

In an open letter to my Non-Messianic Jewish friends, I wrote, "I need to honestly disclose that I am a Patrilineal Jew and non-proselytizing Messianic Jew who considers Jews as primarily part of an ethnic group and secondarily part of religious groups (including Non-Messianic Jewish groups). On that note, I believe that Jews like myself--that is, Messianic Jews--remain Jews and believe that only G-d may lead a Jew to be a Messianic Jew. Messianic Jews such as myself, Jews for Jesus, and Chosen People Ministries are not individual Jews and Jewish groups who intend to forcibly attempt to convert fellow Jews to believe in a Mashiach, let alone in the Biblical and historical Jesus of Nazareth as Mashiach--the proselytizers are those such as the Pablo de Santa Marias, Nicolas Donins, and Pablo Christianis within the Messianic Jewish community."

As I made clear to Reverend ("Rabbi") Jason Klein--and having written the open letter after having a conversation with him (since I felt that Reverend Klein is only of the many who needs to know where I stand, and I had disclosed my ethnic and religious identity to a few others besides him prior to writing the open letter)--, I do not want to put anyone or myself be put in the kind of position that the Czarneckis were put in.

As I wrote in Part Two,  I remembered when my dad used to call me "Nicole Charnetski", had already come across The Complete Jewish Bible by 2006, and was getting into the Jewish roots of my Christian faith. I had also typed in "jewsforjesus.com" or something like that for (what I thought was) a joke, and so began my journey into finding out that my great-granddad Anthony Czarnecki--if nobody else, or at least he (since I at the time, as far as I remember, wasn't really or at all thinking about if anyone else)--was Jewish.

What I found out was that the so-called Anthony John Czarnecki was born a Chernetski in Tsuman, Volyns'ka Oblast, Ukraine--what was then Cuman, Luck, Wolyn, Ukranian-Polish Russia. His mother, the so-called Alexandria Alice Andrulewicz, was on her way to visit her cousin Vil'gel'm Andrulevich in Buzhanka, Zvenigorodka, Kiev, Ukranian Russia. He was born on October 24, 1904 either en route to or from his cousin Vil'gel'm's home (Diasporan home, anyway--since, for all Jews and whether or not a Jew acknowledges that, Israel is the home of homes for Jews).

As for the Andrulewicz (Andrulevich) family, they lived in--among other places--Buzhanka and Bose, Sejny, Suwalki Gubernia, Polish Russia--now Buzhanka, Cherkas'ka Oblast, Ukraine and Bose, Sejny, Podlaskie, Poland. Cousin Vil'gelm was part of the Buzhanka group, and Alexandria--who claimed to be born Aleksjondria Alicja Andrulewiczowna--was part of the Bose group. Alexandria, like her husband--who claimed to be born Julian Jan "Feliks" Czarniecki--gave his parents, gave her parents the names "Antoni" and "Katarzyna".

As for the so-called Julian John "Felix" Czarnecki, he was born in Lipsk nad Biebrza--where JewishGen acknowledges that Jews lived and a Jewish community stood--to a Chernetski and a Danilowiczowna--the Chernetski being born of a Chernetski and Laczinska, the Danilowiczowna being supposedly born of an Aleksjondria Alicja Andrulewiczowna--since, to be fair, both Alexandria Alice Czarnecki Dombroski (Anthony Czarnecki's second-oldest sister) and Alexandria Alice Chernetski (a Chernetski cousin) both bore that name, and Ashkenazic Jews do have a custom of naming children for deceased relatives. By the way, Alexandria Alice Andrulewicz Czarnecki did list her estranged mother-in-law as her closest relative back in her native--rather, her Diasporan--country, and Numbers 36 does command us Jews to marry our cousins--so what does that tell you?

Were "Katarzyna" Chernetska not really Alexandria's closest relative back in Poland, she would not have been listed. Especially after getting kicked off of the Chernetski family farm in Lipsk for becoming Anusim because of and during the pogroms, Alexandria would not have dared to list a relative to whom she no blood connection and with whom she would have no correspondence when she immigrated to and lived in America.

Once Alexandria, Julian, and Anthony became Anusim--as Granduncle Tony wrote in an e-mail to me (although he denies our being Jewish because of being--and I know that he's--damned afraid of his older brother Jack):

"The move from Poland was permanent.  There was never any talk of returning.  Not even for a visit.  After moving to Sugar Notch the family flourished economically.  Julian & Alexandria eventually owned houses at 203, 205, and 207 Freed Street.  They lived in 207 and sold 205 to Son, Joseph and 203 to Son, Anthony(great grandpop).  All the boys worked at first in coal mine related jobs.

"I never seen nor did anyone mention anything special brought from Poland.  A friend from Sugar Notch, Mrs. Bertha Wawrzyn, visited Poland every few years to see her family and would visit the family while there.  All she ever brought back were photos that she took of the Polish Czarnecki's (see earlier comments).

"There was very little discussion of the Polish life and family.  Usually, when there was, it was a brief mention of the farm that was left behind.  There did not seem to be any regrets about leaving for a better life.  After all , they settled among Polish, Slavic, Hungarian, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian people just like themselves.  Similar language, similar customs, similar faces, houses, churches, etc.  But life was much better than on the farm.  They were quite happy in America and much better off.  The motherland, Poland, was far off and just a memory, not to be forgotten but no regrets for leaving either.

"Periodically a church pastor would run a heritage trip back to Poland for a group.  Very few of those who immigrated would return.  Occasionally someone "in the family" in America would join a relative for the return trip, Usually meeting the Polish or Slovak relatives for the first time and occasionally maintaining a letter writing relationship afterwards.  This DID NOT happen in our family.

"There was not very much correspondence with the Polish family.  Only an infrequent letter.  There were no exchanges other than through the Polish Church which would have clothing drives and send clothes to Poland in general, but not to specific family members.  Bertha's photos which came after the trips were the only contact until they asked for the deed to be changed in the mid 1960's.

"There was no special items from Poland that were kept by the family that I know of.  They came with little and acquired everything they had in America.  Over the years all traces of Poland disappeared.  They were now AMERICANS and wanted to be known as such.  The Polish heritage was maintained through Church and their friends in the community."

Shiva was sat, pictures (as Granduncle Tony explained) were passed around and thrown away, and we're still either Anusim or so-called meshuadim to this day--and I darned-well know that Reverend Klein considers me a meshumadah, although he's too polite to state what he thinks that way. Meanwhile, Reverend Klein did make clear that he does not consider Hebrew Christians, Jews For Jesus, etc. to be Jews--since, as he explained (and as I know), the denominations of Mainstream Judaism do not consider Messianic Jews to be Jews.

By the way, Reverend Klein did use "havoc" in reference to what he believes that Jews For Jesus does in regards to the Jewish community--at least the Non-Messianic Jewish community. This prompted me to write, "I do not believe that groups such as Jews For Jesus and Chosen People Ministries cause any havoc or tsores against the Jewish community. As I've written, " Jews for Jesus does not intend to "induce someone to convert to one's faith" or "recruit someone to join one's party, institution, or cause"-- that is not up to them." 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 explains the position of Messianic Jewish (Hebrew Christian, Jewish Christian) groups."

I also once wrote, "The Inquisitors, the pogromists, etc.--they proselytized." By the way, as I've implied, Great-Granddad Czarnecki and his parents could attest to that. Also by the way, I'm not being flip in not calling Reverend Klein "Rabbi"--Matthew 23:8-10 commands that I call nobody but Jesus "Rabbi".