  Roman and Rivke Wajsfeld
From adolescence he felt attracted to the socialist ideas of the time, and due to his strong will to improve the living and laboral conditions of the Jewish worker, he becomes an active member of the Bund (the Jewish Labor Movement), keeping faithful to his ideals and strong in his struggles. Rivke was raised in a religious Jewish family. She was the eldest of five daughters. They were poor but well fed, and lived with their irrevocably orthodox paternal grandmother. Each of the five daughters chose a different road in life, integrating their lives with the modern world. Rivke studied in a Polish public school. Like Roman she felt inclined towards following the socialist movement of the time, and from a very young age she joined the Bund too. She then fought vigorously for the recognition of the Yiddish language as the national language of the Jewish People, and the right to teach in Yiddish in the Jewish schools, with the support from the Polish government. Both of which were finally granted in the 1920's. In 1920 Roman left Poland, crossing illegally through the German border and then forging ahead to France. From the moment they met, walking through the struggle and idealism of the Bund, a natural attraction brought them together. The attraction eventually grew into love -- a love that lasted half a century.
Soon after, his parents, brothers, and sisters followed him. In 1922 Roman succeeded in bringing Rivke to France, and they began their new life together. During the next fourteen years, they lived, worked, and built a very special bond in which they had also moments of hardship, like the loss of two children, an accident that forced Rivke to be hospitalized for a complete year and months of exhausting rehabilitation for her to learn to walk again. By then they had brought two of Rivke's sisters to France, Mariem and Rojl, who were a great help and support in this very difficult time. In 1936, they receive through a friend documents to travel to Mexico.Taking in consideration the political situation in Europe and in spite of their secure economical living, they decided to emigrate and begin a new life in America. Roman then directed himself to the Mexican Embassy in Paris and spoke to the Mexican Ambassador. He asked for the most current information about the country -- its history, geography, and culture. He was handed the "Political Constitution of Mexico". With deep attention, he went over this grand document and convinced that Mexico had accomplished a lot of social and political progress, for which they were still fighting in France, they emigrate full of hope and enthusiasm. TIn August of 1936, Roman and Rivke arrived on the Potrero del Llano at the port of Veracruz. The only luggage they and their 5-year-old daughter carried with them was a few tools and their dreams for a new life based on the principles of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.
World War II, the overwhelming concern for their family and friends, and the tragic destiny of the Jewish People overshadowed their lives. They helped the persecuted Europeans constantly in every way they could. The first refugees that arrived in Mexico in 1941 found with them their first home in a new and safer country. On December 2nd of 1972, Roman died. On October 12th of 1982, Rivke followed him into eternity. They never abandoned their youthful ideals of a better world with liberty and equality for everyone. They stayed loyal to their Jewish identities and their Jewish cultural values and helped in constructing a solid Jewish educational system in Mexico as well as social and cultural institutions never jeopardizing their self-actualization as Mexican and productive members of society. |
Roman grew up in a modern traditionalist family. They were not rich but, but did not have any economical problems.
Family was composed by three boys and two girls. Roman was the eldest. He studied and accomplished an Accountant degree.
In 1920 Roman left Poland, crossing illegally through the German border crossing to France
a few months later.
During the Spanish Civil War their home became a gathering place for Republicans that fled Francisco Franco's persecution.
Writers, journalists, political icons, professionals, and artists were constantly at their home talking, debating, and reflecting
with a great ambience of cultural and human awareness.