Tombstone Tuesday: Rabbi Yoer Lerner, Montefiore Cemetery, NY

 Here lies

Rabbi Yoer

son of Rabbi Simkha

from the town of Lubin, Volin

Grandson of the author of Ohr Haganuz ["Hidden Light"]

died

28 Iyar 5695

May his soul be bound in the bonds of the living*

Rabbi Yoer Lerner was the religious leader of the community of Labun (Lubin in Yiddish), Volhynia Gubernia, Russian Empire. The First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association (the community association for Lubin immigrants in New York City) raised funds from their members to bring Rabbi Lerner, his wife Rivka and their youngest son to the United States. In a previous post, we read Julius Reitman's essay recollecting that effort.

Yoer, Rivka and 15 year old Syyza (who became Sam in the United States) arrived in New York from Liverpool on the S.S. Cedric on 11 March 1924.[1] They left behind Yoer and Rivka's daughter, Ester Balin. They reunited with their son, Max Lerner, who was living at 13 E. 101st Street in Manhattan.

Rebecca died in June 1929.[2] The 1930 census enumeration lists Yoer with Sam and a boarder living at 417 Grand Street.[3] Yoer is listed as a Hebrew school teacher and Sam, a cutter making ladies dresses.

Yoer died on 31 May 1935.[4] He was listed as married to Hinde. I have not located a marriage record for Yoer and Hinde.

Yoer was the child of Rabbi Simkha and Ite. Yoer's death certificate listed his age as 57 (i.e., born 15 January 1878). He was listed on his manifest as 61 in June 1924 (born ca. 1863). His naturalization petition indicates he was born 15 December 1863.[5] In the 1930 census he was listed as 65 (ca. 1865). So, the age on the death certificate seems to be an outlier and is likely incorrect.

Rabbi Lerner is buried in the First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association plot in Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, New York, block 89, gate 156N, line 12L, grave 6.
Notes: 

* Special thanks to Tracing the Tribe FaceBook page participants Elihu Romberg, Hannah Newman, Leah Cohen, Robin Meltzer, Israel Pickholtz, Barbara Fox Ehrenberg, and Esther Chanie Dushinsky. Their translations and interpretations have been illuminating. Much of what they have shared and we have discussed on FaceBook will be fleshed out further in a future post.

1. Manifest, S.S. Cedric, 11 March 1924, stamped p. 7, lines 2 and 3, Fre and Rebeka Lerner, ages 61 and 62; images, "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 January 2012).
Szyza Lerner was listed on a separate manifest page: stamped p. 5, line 5, Szyza Lerner, age 15; accessed 3 September 2014. 
2. New York County, New York, death certificate no. 17329 (27 June 1929), Rebecca Lerner; Municipal Archives, New York City. 
3. 1930 U.S. Census, New York County, New York, population schedule, Manhattan, enumeration district 31-1169, dwelling 14, family 148, Yor Lerner; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 January 2012).
4. New York County, New York, death certificate no, 12663 (31 May 1935). Yoer Lerner; Municipal Archives, New York City.
5. Yoer Lerner petition for naturalization (1929), naturalization file 61152, Southern District of New York; Record Group 21: Records of the District Court of the United States; National Archives - Northeast Region, New York City.