Archival Journeys
The Model family was a well-known family in Vitebsk with a complex and intricate history. In the archives of Minsk, St. Petersburg, and Moscow, I discovered numerous fascinating documents about this family.
In the early 19th century, a family of first-guild merchant David Model lived in Vitebsk. The Model family's impressive three-story stone house with commercial shops was located on Zaruchyevna Street in the second part of Vitebsk. At that time, there were probably fewer than ten such houses in all of Vitebsk.
From the very first documents, David emerges as an active and determined individual, acting not only in his own interests but also ready to stand firm for the covenant of Abraham and the people of Israel. This is how he is depicted in the earliest of the preserved and discovered archival documents.
In the summer of 1818, one of the Jews of Vitebsk converted to Christianity in a Catholic church and hid from his former community in the house of Vitebsk dean Polonsky. The Jewish name of this convert is unknown; after baptism, he was named Anthony Aza. One day, Anthony stepped outside the dean's house. Seeing him, David and his worker attacked him and began to inflict “inhumane beatings.” Anthony was rescued from David Model’s hands by landlord Leotovich, official Ksaversky, and regimental officer Mashevsky, who ran to the scene after hearing the commotion. Following this incident, Anthony sought protection from the Vitebsk governor and requested that the perpetrators be brought to justice according to the law. However, three days later, Anthony Aza and David Model “amicably resolved the matter.”
Another incident occurred in 1827. At that time, Russia was dealing with yet another case of "ritual murder of Christian children by Jews." To protect the Jewish community from persecution, David Model traveled to St. Petersburg to petition the government for the protection of Jews against blood libels. Model was so persistent in his appeals to the authorities in the capital that Tsar Nicholas I had to issue a special order to the Chief of Gendarmes, Benckendorff, to expel David Model from St. Petersburg.
Of David Model's descendants, only one son is known — Shaya Model, born around 1788 (he was 46 years old in 1834). In May 1829, Shaya Model was elected as the burgomaster of the city of Vitebsk. He held this position at least until 1834.
A dark story is associated with one of Shaya's sons, Itzka Model. Itzka had a nanny, Sorka (Sarah) Wolfovna. At some point, Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son (whose name is unknown). According to Sarah's testimony, the father of the child was Itzka Model. To establish paternity, Sarah turned to the beit din (Jewish court), but her request was denied on the grounds that she could not provide two witnesses to corroborate her claim.
In 1834, Sarah left Vitebsk for the Minsk province, intending to place her illegitimate son in the cantonist system, as indicated in the documents. After this, their trace is lost. In April 1835, Sarah Wolfovna was reported by the beit din to have been absent without explanation for six months.
A record of Itzka Model appears in the earliest surviving book of Jewish birth records from the city of Vitebsk, dated 1837. It states that on June 22 (1 Tammuz), a daughter named Kisya Khaya was born to Itzka Model and his wife Rochlya.
Another son of Shaya, Shlioma Arya (Shlomo Aron) Model, was born around 1820 and died sometime after 1874. A record preserved in the book of divorces among Vitebsk Jews notes his divorce on May 13, 1840, from his 20-year-old wife.
Later, Shlioma Arya was married to Sora (Sarah), born around 1823. Both of them were listed in the 1874 family register of the Vitebsk petty-bourgeois administration. There is no information about their children in the family register or any other archival documents.
