HIAS Follow-Ups

As mentioned earlier (here and here), the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), along with the Zuriff and Turk relatives, helped to bring my grandparents and great grandmother to America.  But even after April 1, 1947, when Sonia and Paul Diamond and Sheva Beitch arrived in New York, HIAS was still involved.

HIAS Letter Checking on Sheva Beitch; Summer 1947

HIAS Letter Checking on Sonia Diamond; Summer 1947

Two letters were sent from the New York HIAS office to the Baltimore office asking for a status for my grandmother and her mother.  Since HIAS supplied a corporate affidavit which committed them to ensuring that those they sponsored wouldn't become a public burden, they asked the Baltimore office to report their status and also asked for monthly reports on each.  Replies were sent at the beginning of July.

Sheva Beitch Status, July 1947

Sonia Diamond Status; July 1947

The letters revealed that neither my grandmother or great grandmother were working.  Both were being supported by my grandfather and "subsidies from relatives."  Both had filed first papers (for naturalization); my grandmother was attending "Americanization school," and my great grandmother was soon to start.  My grandmother had also spent a day at Sinai Hospital for treatment of an ulcerated stomach.

Months after their arrival, HIAS realized that there was still an outstanding balance on the transportation.  An invoice for $8 was sent.

Transportation Cost Balance Request; September 1947

Apparently they weren't paid quickly enough (or else with the multiple layers of requests, there may have been a miscommunication), so the overall cost was sent from HIAS New York to HIAS Baltimore to demonstrate why there was an outstanding balance.

Itemized Cost Statement; September 1947

Apparently the total cost to bring my grandparents to America was $390; for my great grandmother, the cost was $228.  The $8 cost was covered early the next year by Clara Zuriff.

Statement of Payment; February 1948

HIAS still kept track of my family after this.  Although the rate of document generation slowed from 1948 on, there was still documentation on them through the early 1950s.

Documentation from HIAS on Sheva Beitch; May 1951

On May 2, 1951 (only 19 days before Sheva Beitch's death), HIAS attested to Sheva's status in this country to the local Welfare board.  Possibly this was to help cover some of her medical bills, as it was to their Medical Service Department.

Interestingly, she is referred to here as Shary Beatz.  I have never seen her called either of these names in any of the documentation I have on her.

Thanks to the Zuriffs and Turks as well as to the people of HIAS for helping my grandparents come to America.

Want to get future blog posts emailed to you automatically?
Enter your email address: