DISTINGUISHED LIVING DESCENDANTS OF JEWISH CENTRAL POLAND
We are pleased to provide you with the only known listing of distinguished personalities who are living descendants of Jewish Central Poland families (as of December 2022). At this time, four in the list are subscribers to the ADJCP.
The criteria for making this list:
- demonstrating outstanding achievement in arts, science, and/or business
- recognized by peers as outstanding leaders in their chosen careers
- achieving pinnacle successes in their chosen careers—at times against all odds.
If you would like to nominate additional descendants, please submit their names and bios to: communicationandoutreach@jewishcentralpoland.org.
Ardyn Halter b. 1956 London, England.
Ardyn is he son of Roman Halter (z"l) of Chodecz. Best known for his painting, printmaking and stained-glass. Collections are in The British Museum, Tel Aviv Museum, Israel Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum , London, the British Library, New York Public Library. He authored 'The Water's Edge', 'Out of the Water' and 'A Portrait of Aqvatikim' and a February 2023 release of 'The Fire and the Bonfire'. This latest book is explained elsewhere (Chodecz page)
Shimon Avny (Sztejn) b. 1932 Paris, FRA
Abstract artist / photographer living in Israel. Separated from family in Paris 1942 as a young child; mother & brothers killed in Holocaust. Emigrated to Israel 1948. Avni sees art as "a moral enterprise, an existential solution, the possibility to carry on in light of the past, within the morality of painting." Shimon is a descendant of the ancestral families SZTAJN, BUKSTAJN (Kutno).
Garth Drabinsky b. 1949 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Musical theatre producer/entrepreneur for musicals Phantom of the Opera, Ragtime, Fosse, Showboat, & produced 9 Hollywood movies. Great grandson of Jacob Meyer Drabinski and Rivka Zurawska (Chodecz). Second cousin to an ADJCP Founder/Director, Ken Drabinsky.
Leon Zamosc b. 1948 Argentina B.A., M.A. Univ. of Haifa, Isr.; PhD Univ. of Manchester (Eng).
Professor Emeritus of Sociology University of California, San Diego, Leon has written extensively on Latin American social history, peasant movements, and indigenous politics. Now retired, he has been fulfilling a valuable role in the preservation of Jewish cultural heritage through his work as translator and editor of Yizkor books and Shoah memories, and as founder and chairman of the Association of Descendants of Jewish Central Poland. He is a descendant of Gombin.
Linda Stratmann b.1948 Leicester, England
British novelist & true crime historian/novelist. She has a Psychology degree from Newcastle University & has written 18 novels, 14 non-fiction books. Currently working on her 33rd book. Descended from NICINSKI family of Przedecz. 2nd cousin to ADJCP subscriber / Arts & Culture Coordinator, and Distinguished Descendant, Bryan Kesselman. https://www.lindastratmann.com
David Joseph Biale b. 1949
Emanuel Ringelblum Professor Emeritus of Jewish History Univ of California, Davis. An American historian and author of 11 books with Jewish themes including "Gershom Scholem" and "Cultures of the Jews" Editor of Insider/Outsider American Jews and Multiculturalism; Guggenheim fellowship in 1999. Grandparents were Abraham Jozef Bialoglowski (of Piotrkow Kujawski) and Brucha Biezinska (of Kowal).
David Mazower b.1959 London, England.
Broadcaster, author, bibliographer, editorial director of Yiddish Book Centre. Descendant of ancestral families ASCH, ASZ, TUCHINSKY (Kutno). ADJCP subscriber.
Roberta Paula Books b. 1943 Boston, MA USA,
AB & AM Bry;n Mawr College/MBA Harvard.
Roberta was the prime creative force behind over $4b in innovative mortgage securities. Managing Director of four major US finanicial institutions (1971-1999). Special Assistant- Comptroller of the Currency (1977-1979). President, Books Realty NY. since 1999. Descended from Buks, Hertzberg, Przdecki (Przedecz, Klodawa).
Bryan Kesselman b. 1952 London, England.
Composer, music director, opera singer, author. Descendant of ancestral families NICINSKI, KARP, ZIELINSKI, DANIELSKI, PRZEDECKI (Klodawa, Przedecz) and 2nd cousin of Distinguished Descendant Linda Stratmann. ADJCP subscriber / Arts & Culture Coordinator.
Sir Alan Fersht b.1943 Hackney, London.
Protein biochemist. One of the world's leading scientists & pioneers of protein engineering. Elected Fellow of the Royal Society & achieved 7 awards including Copley Medal (2020). Knighted in 2003. Descendant of ancestral families FERZT, FIRSHT (Klodawa). ADJCP Subscriber.
Ruth Miron-Shleider b. 1944 Israel
Concert pianist (Juillard), business/real estate entrepreneur. Descendant of ancestral families MIRON (Isaacher), MIKROWSKY/MICHROVSKY (Kutno)
Barry Padolsky b. 1939 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada B.Arch., M.Sc. (Social Science), OAA, FRAIC, RCA, CAHP , Order of Canada
Architect, urban designer & heritage consultant. Recognized with 43 national & civic design awards including 29 for heritage conservation. In 50 years of practice his Ottawa firm executed over 200 (architecrural, urban design & heritage conservation projects. He is widely known for advocacy on civic issues. Great grandson of Jacob Meyer Drabinski & Rivka Zurawska (Chodecz). First cousin of an ADJCP Founder/Director, Ken Drabinsky.