Family lore said that in 1881 two Polish brothers became estranged over a woman.
After five decades apart, they came face-to-face at long last. But then tragedy struck, and the family connection was lost.
Almost 100 years later, the brothers’ descendants found each other with help from Ancestry®. This is their remarkable story, as seen in an Ancestry TV commercial.
The Rift Over Rifka
Pinchas Leib and Rachmiel Meier Grinstadt grew up in Poland during a volatile time. Between the revolution and the dangers for Jewish families, life was challenging.
The brothers worked together as bookbinders in the family printing business, but when they vied for the affections of Rifka (Rebecca) in 1881, the family bonds frayed.
Rachmiel got the girl. And Pinchas moved on with his life, marrying a woman named Esther and starting a family.
But conditions in Warsaw made him look for a new place to call home.
Pinchas’ Journey to America…Twice
Records show that Pinchas boarded the S.S. Armenia from Hamburg in 1906.
Like many people immigrating to America at the time, Pinchas’ first stop was Ellis Island.
While his daughter entered the country without a glitch, Pinchas was held for special inquiry, as he was “pitted with small pox.”
A few days later, he was marked as “LPC Dr. Cert.” (for “likely public charge”) and sent back to Europe.
But Pinchas was persistent. Although it’s unclear how he saved enough money for the return voyage, his second attempt to immigrate succeeded. And he landed in Philadelphia via Liverpool in December 1906, traveling under the name “Pinkus Davidson.”
By 1910, he had changed his name to Paul Green and moved to New York City with Esther and their children.
Blocks Away, but Worlds Apart
His brother Rachmiel’s journey was unusual too. He sent Rebecca and his children ahead to set up a new home in America, following them in July 1909.
Records show he was also detained “LPC.” But he was luckier than his brother. He joined his family in New York.
Whether they were aware or not, census records show Pinchas’ and Rachmiel’s families settled less than half a mile from each other in the Lower East Side. Both men continued working as bookbinders, supporting their growing families.
For the next 20 years, the two families lived parallel lives in New York—lives that didn’t cross paths again until 1931.
A Reconciliation Ends in Tragedy
Most likely arranged by their sister Anna, the two brothers came together for their final meeting on May 31, 1931.
The men, older and wiser, probably realized time was running out to reconnect.
Yet the happy ending wasn’t destined to be.
On the way back from their meeting—just blocks from their sister’s home—Pinchas was struck by an automobile and sustained “a fracture of the skull and lacerations of the brain.”
He died a few days later on June 4, 1931.
“Are You a ‘Pinky’ or a ‘Rocky’?”
Almost one hundred years later, a family gathered from around the world for a Zoom call, bringing descendants from Pinchas (“Pinky”) and Rachmiel (“Rocky”) together—a meeting of “Pinkys” and “Rockys.”
Although a small group had reconnected in the 1980s, this marked the first time most in the extended family had ever seen one another. Stories were shared, connections made or rekindled, and a new tradition was born for the Grinstadt family.
Bringing Families Together
We all have stories of family losing track of each other over time.
But as Pinky’s and Rocky’s families learned, the bonds of family can be deeply meaningful regardless of how much time has passed.
What forgotten family connections might you uncover?
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