Transatlantic Philanthropy

Envelope, ~1930s. The Lost Shtetl Museum collection.

The photograph captures an intriguing artifact: an envelope sent all the way from Panevėžys to Philadelphia. This piece of history bears the mark of Rabbi J. Kaganeman of Panevėžys, addressed to the esteemed Mrs. Jennie H. Miller Faggen (1874-1968). While the letter itself remains a mystery, its 7000-kilometer journey hints at a story worth imagining.

Jennie Miller Faggen was a renowned philanthropist. The successful textile businesses of her husband, Harry, and of Abraham Pleet, who was from Šeduva, enabled the family to financially support dozens of spiritual development centers in Europe.

Before World War II, Jennie corresponded with yeshivas in Telšiai, Kelmė, Kaunas, Panevėžys, and other locations. For the New Year, she would always send numerous letters with financial support.

For instance, she allocated 8,000 dollars to the Panevėžys yeshiva (equivalent to 700,000 dollars today) for the construction of a new building. Unfortunately, due to the onset of the Holocaust, it was never built.

In 1944, the yeshiva bearing the name of Panevėžys was re-established in Israel, in the city of Bnei Brak. Today, there is a memorial plaque there honoring Jennie Miller Faggen, her benevolence, and her charitable works.