Joseph was born in the city of Jaroslaw Galicia region, Poland, on May 24, 1901. It was the eve of Shavuot(2) and upon returning from the evening service in the synagogue, his father Reuven was informed by the midwife of the arrival of his new son. His father Reuven was born in Odessa Russia and escaped to Poland in 1879 in order to avoid being drafted to the Czar army. His mother Drayzel (Deborah-Rosa) Bergtal was born in Jaroslaw. The father ran a tailoring shop for ladies garments located in one room of his house. This shop employed three tailors (Sarah the oldest daughter was working as a seamstress alongside her father). Reuven was running the business, cutting the fabric and supplied work to the tailors. His large family (there were 9 children out of whom 3 passed away at a young age) survived with great difficulty. Reuven was observing the Jewish tradition and acted as a gabbai (synagogue officer) in the local synagogue

Deborah Rosa (Drizel)	Reuven Zelinkowski

for workers. Although the Zelinkowski family were not religious there was religious influence all around. There were religious friends and neighbors and the non religious Jews resided within the religious congregation. At a certain time Joseph decided to grew peyos(3) (earlocks) like some of his friends. His older sisters did not like it but had nothing to say in the matter. One night Leah and Regina came to Joseph's bed while he was asleep and cut one of his peyos off. The next morning when Joseph discovered what had happened he had no choice but to cut off the other one as well.