Page 28 - 2019 March Voices

BURIED TREASURE

PART 1
BENJAMIN F. MEDOFSKY

TOASTMASTER AND CIVIC LEADER

Harvey Schowe, DTM

Benjamin F. Medofsky, a member of Beyond remains unknown. One theory was that they
Basic and High Dawn Toastmasters Clubs, was a rode the train on the Trans-Siberian railroad
frequent visitor to various Toastmasters clubs in to Vladivostok in the Russian Far East. They

Portland from the 1950s until his death October then boarded a ship for Nagasaki, Japan. The
1967. District 7 Toastmasters Fall Humorous family departed Kobe, Japan on August 23, 1902
Speech Contest was named after him. Ben was on the SS Kaga Maru steerage passage. They

born in Odessa, Russia on April 21, 1891. His arrived in Seattle, Washington on September
father, Israel Yitzhak Medvedofsky (Rossman), 10, 1902. Israel Medofsky was installed as Rabbi
was a Jewish Rabbi. In Russia he helped build at the Congregation Nevaeh Zedek in Portland,
a Synagogue. Ben’s mother, Bryna Brana Oregon. They found an apartment at 649 Second
Rosamuny, was born in 1871 in Kiev, Russia. Street.

The family moved from Odessa to Kiev where At ten years of age Ben spoke only Yiddish
Ben’s brother was born on September 9, 1895. and Hebrew. He started in the first grade at
His sister Sarah was born on May 5, 1898. The Shattuck Elementary School now part of

Jewish Pogroms began in spring and summer of Portland State University. His family was
1881 and continued through June 1884 at Nizhniy poor and unable to provide additional formal
Novgorod. Afterwards the Russian government education. He delivered bread between 1:30 am
officials began issuing laws discriminating and 8:30 am then attended school. After school,
against Jews. These laws forced mass emigration he sold newspapers until 6:00 pm. Ben attended

of Jews that reached a peak in 1891 and 1892. Lincoln High School at night. Then he attended
The Zionist movement began during this Holmes and Portland Business Colleges in 1911.
time. Kiev was a center for Jewish education, Israel Medofsky was naturalized along with his

culture, and political activity. About 32,000 wife and children on May 21, 1910 in Multnomah
Jews lived in Kiev. Remembering the political County Circuit Court Judge Morrow’s court
oppression in Russia, Ben Medofsky was quoted room. After he answered citizenship questions,
as saying “Freedom of Speech means you can Judge Morrow issued Israel a naturalization
say anything you want without thinking about certificate, number 134260. At the age of 23 in

it.” Ben’s parents heard stories about freedom 1914, he purchased Supreme Bakery and renamed
in America. They decided to leave Russia. How it Star Bakery. Bakery goods were delivered with
the family reached Nagasaki, Japan after 1899 a horse and wagon. His brother Nathan worked

28 ONE COMMUNITY