Origin of the name Gershanik

Gershonok or Gershanik is one of the family names derived from the clan name Gershon. Different spellings of the name most probably emerged in the beginning of the 19-th century when part of the Belorussian Jewish family Gershonok moved to settle in the eastern Ukraine. It is there, in colonies and settlements near Poltava and Elizavetgrad (Kirovograd), that the family name Gershanik appeared. In 1893 part of the family moved from Poltava to America while part stayed in Russia.

About the history of the family Gershanik and about other members of this old clan we may add the following:

The family name Gershon itself (and also all its derivatives) came from the name Gershon mentioned in the Torah. Gershon is the elder son of Levi and the grandson of Jacob.

Here is what the Brokgauz and Efron encyclopedia writes about this: "Gershon is one of the "seventy souls" who together with Jacob moved to Egypt (Gen., 46, 11). The number of his male descendants, Gershonids, during the time of wanderings of Israelis in the desert reached 7500 men, out of which 2630 performed various functions in keeping and constructing the Tabernacle (Num., 3, 24 and fol. ; 4, 40 and fol.; 7, 7). After the conquering of Canaan they were given 13 towns to own that were taken out of portions of Menashe (to the east of Jordan), Issachar, Asher and Naftali (Josh., 21,27, 33). In the time of David they played an important role as the Temple singers and musicians (Chron. I, 15, 7). During the reign of Hizkiyahu together with the rest of Levits they took active part in the purification of the cult of YKVK from pagan components and layers that accumulated during the former reigns (Chron. II, 29, 12).

Here are some famous members of this family: Gershon Isaac - a rabbi and corrector in Venice in 16 and 17 centuries, was born in Tzfat. Another Gershon was a teacher of Hebrew at English and French courts. Gershon, an Austrian Jew, received this place during the times of queen Victoria's children by recommendation of an English ambassador in Vienna. Later he taught Ludovic, son of Napoleon III. Another Gershon, descendant of the famous Saul Waal, was a hassidic rabbi and a distinguished talmudist and kabbalist. He was born in 1839 in Izbitz (Lublin gubernia) and died in Razdine where he served as a rabbi. Already at the age of 13 another member of the family Hanech Ben-Jacob wrote responsa (that remained unpublished). At the age of 29 he published "Sidеre Tahare", a mishna work "Kelim" supplied with materials collected from all the talmudic and mishnaic literature. He divided huge amounts of material into 30 chapters according to their number in the work "Kelim" and put it in the form of Mishna and Gmara - surrounded from both sides by commentaries added by "Massoret ha-Schass", "Ein Mischpat" and "Ner Mizwa", similarly to the edition of Talmud existing then. All the work, that should be recognized as rather valuable scientifically, consists of 272 pages; prominent rabbinic authorities supplied it with approbations. However the book brought much trouble for Gershon; Vilna rabbinate headed by Betzalel haCohen found in it an attempt to create a new Talmud and published two warnings against it. This destroyed the original Gershon's intent to publish such Talmud for every part of the Mishna section "Taharoth".

Another form of this family name is Gershuni. It may be not uninteresting to you to get to know about one of the most famous members of this family. Here is what the Brief Jewish Encyclopedia writes about him: "Gershuni Gregory son of Andrey, (Gersh Isaac; 1870, Tavrovo, Kovno gubernia - 1908 Geneve), Russian revolutioner, one of the creators and leaders of the socialists-revolutioners party (esers). He came to Peterburg and was a student of the Medical Institute. He started to help various underground groups. For example he organized a workshop to support mashines for illegal typographies, he created a passport office for preparing fake documents, he helped illegal border crossings. Gershuni is a passionate adherent of terror. He created fight organization of the socialists-revolutioners party. The minister of interior affairs V. Pleve said to S. Zubatov that the photo of Gershuni will stand on his desk until the latter is arrested. S. Zubatov held Gershuni's revolutioner-terrorist abilities in high esteem and called him "an artist in the business of terror". Convinced terrorist, clever, willful, Gershuni could get people to obey him unconditionally. In May 1903 he was arrested and put in a solitary cell in the Petropavlovsk fortress.

The army court in Peterburg in February 1904 sentenced Gershuni to death. It was substituted by life imprisonment. At first he was in Shlisselburg fortress, then in the Akatui working prison in eastern Siberia. In 1906 esers organized Gershuni escape from the prison. He was taken out in a cabbage barrel. Along all the road they organized points where Gershuni changed horses. From Vladivostok he left to Japan on a Japanese boat and from there he moved to the USA. There he appeared on mass gatherings of supporters of the Russian revolution and collected for the party 180.000 dollars. Already seriously sick, having got to know that E. Azef, who became the head of the fight organization after Gershuni's arrest, was accused of provocations he wanted to go to Russia to assassinate Nikolai II together with E. Azef to rehabilitate his successor. He was buried in Paris along with a famous Russian revolutioner P. Lavrov."