Esther Vellya yelling at the chickens

Submitted by Alison Blackman Dunham

I remember one very quick story that my grandmother Tillie (Taube) Stempler Bader used to tell me about her life in the shtetl. She said that there was a mentally challenged woman named Esther Vellya (not sure if the last name is spelled correctly, but that is how it sounded). The community supported their own. She used to tell us that everyone worked. Esther had a "job" too (not a joke...everyone had to do something). Esther's job was to sit on top of the chicken coop roof and yell at the chickens if they strayed. She did it constantly and well. When we would get hysterical and cry or yell, she'd tell us we sounded like Esther Vellya. The implication was clear...!


This page is hosted at no cost to the public by JewishGen, Inc., a non-profit corporation. If you feel there is a benefit to you in accessing this site, your JewishGen-erosity is appreciated.

Jewish Gen Home Page

KehilaLinks Directory

Gesher Galicia

Last updated 11/06/13 by ELR
Copyright © 2013 SRRG