(contributed by Elizabeth Reinhart)
Sam Holland (aka Shmuel Chaim Holland) was born in Ludza on July 1, 1892, the fourth child and only son of Chaya Doba Lev and Zalman Holland. On his mother's side, he was a descendant of several of the leading families in the Ludza Jewish community, the Levs, the Zeligmans, and the Tzionis and cousin to the artists, Raphael and Moses Soyer. Sam's father died when he was six years old and his mother did not re-marry. He was very close to his maternal grandfather Jacob Lev (full name, Abraham Aharon Jacob Lev) who owned the flour mill in Ludza. Sam's early education was at a cheder in Ludza which he started at age 3. To further his education, he attended high school in another city as Ludza did not support a high school at that time. In 1909, he emigrated to Chicago, joining two of his elder sisters who had left Ludza to find work. He graduated from John Marshall Law School, practiced law in Chicago, was active in the Socialist party, and was very fond at recounting at length stories of life in Ludza. According to my grandfather Moses N. Levine, his friend Sam was never boring. He was married to Tillie Perlman and the father of one son and three daughters. He died on December 22, 1973 in Washington, D.C. Before his death, he orally recorded his memoirs.
Elizabeth Reinhart's grandfather Moses was very close to the Holland family growing up in Ludza and here in the United States. Her grandfather lived with the family in Chicago when he returned to the U.S. (Chaya Doba Holland and her remaining daughters left Ludza for Chicago later in 1910) before starting college. She transcribed Sam Holland's recorded memoirs, and we are pleased to present them here.
My Grandmother Tzerna Malka Zeligman Lev