The 'Turkel Tribe'

Updated May 14, 2006

Doron Abraham Tal (derived from Tirkel)
69a Ramim St.

Karmiel, 21862
+972 (4) 998-0274

Shalom, sholem, salaam, hello, merhaba, hallo, hej, hola, ciao, czolem, ave, namaste :-)

This noncommercial site is devoted to the reunion of the Turkel folks.

Whether you found us by accident or by design, whether you are Jewish, Christian, Muslim or none, you are always welcome!

So far, we got to know mainly Jewish Turkel families from Galicia (Austro-Hungary kingdom of the 17th-19th centuries). Nowadays this area is occupied by Ukraine. Between WW1 and WW2 it was governed by Poland. Even if you are not Jewish, but your name is Turkl (or quite similar, Turkle, Terkel, Turkel, Tyrkel etc.) you are welcome to join us.

Turkel (rather Türkel written with U umlaut) is a quite rare surname among Jewish people. It was originally written Turkl (sounds Terk'l, meaning a little Turk in Yidish). We haven't resolved the puzzle yet, why Jewish Turkel folks from Galicia are affiliated with a Turkish surname meaning, "the hand of the Turk", or "the land of the Turk." Ever since this name has been written depending on arbitrary decisions with variations like, Turkle, Tuerkel, Terkl, Terkel, Tirkel, Tierkel, Tyrkel, etc.

The earliest reference to a Jewish fellow named Turkel is Itzhak (Issac) Tirkel of Lwow (Poland), who was murdered in June 1596, while he was on his way from Yas (Romania) to Eretz Ha`Yishme-elim (i.e. the Land of the Muslims = Turkey).

According to a later legend, our family's surname was adopted (ca. 1740-80) by Perez (Peretz), son of Rabbi Salomon (Shlomo) ha-Sepharadi (of Spain) and a grandson to Rabbi Jacob Munian from Krakow, who became the Rabbi of New Rausnitz, Czech (ca. 1710-30). The reference to this story is presented elsewhere, in our 'Turkel Tribe' website (see below the link 'Turkel Tribe' - website on Geocities).

So far we have found a few quite large Turkel "dynesties" extending up to 11 generations and many more quite smaller branches. We could not match them all, even though we are quite confident that most of them are family related. They share almost the same heritage.

Our 'Turkel Tribe' website on Geocities (see a link below) includes information and stories about additional Turkel folks around the world, including "The Most Famous Turkels". There are pages dedicated to history, maps etc.

Additrionally there is a reference to non Jewish Turkels some of them (named Turkle) are believed to be "Black Irish" rather having Danish origins descendants of a common ancestor named Thurkeld.

The dynamic tree on our Geocities website, reflects the complete updated database.

On this website there are five static descendant trees the foudners of which are:
1. Mordechai Turkl (father of Israel-Mencahem),
2. Moshe Terkel,
3. Schmariah Turkel,
4. Schmiel Turkel and
5. Jacob Turkel.
They are from Tarnopol (Ternopil), Trembwola (Terebovliya), Podwoloczyska, Tysmienitsa (near Stryj), Stanislawow and Bolechow. Mordechai could be the father (or an uncle) of the other four founders (#2-5 above). We have no clue yet about Mordechai's siblings.

If you have additional information, wish to make any correction or comment, please e-mail.

Get information about the Turkel reunion via the link at the bottom: 'Turkel_Tribe' Communication Center (email group and more).

On behalf of the "Turkel-bees"

Thank you,

Doron

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Family Photos
Stasio and his nephew Alfred (15 KB) Samuel (Shmuel) Stasio Türkel (on the left) passed away 1974 in Tel Aviv, Israel. His nephew, Alfred Turkel (1911-1968) is a son of Israel Turkel and Schifra Kupferberg. These families apparently lived in or near Sambor in the Lemberg (Lwow) district. Alfred's son, Andrew Anatol Zygmunt (Tolek) Tirkel is a physicist, who lives nowadays in Melborn, Australia. Webmaster has recently renewed a lost contact with Andrew :-) Moses Turkel's Tomb (55 KB) Moshe [Moses] Turkel was born 30-Oct-1806 in Rousinov and died 28-Dec-1893 in Pronitz, Cz. He is a son of Peissach Philip and Paulina Turkel of New Rousnitz. He had a sister and a brother, Barbara and Abraham Turkel both were born after him. Gittle Turkel (Backenroth) and her children (38 KB) left-to-right: Erna (Esther Yehudit), Gittle (mom), David Hersch; 2nd row: Sally (Chaya Sarah), Israel Menachem and Henia Freida Mordechai Zeev Wolf Turkel 1845-1929 (5 KB) Mordechai Zeev Wolf was the first child of Israel Menachem Alter and Esther Judith Turkl of Trembowla. He had four daughters, Esther Yehudit Babcha (named after his mother who died young), Channa, Chaya and Tzirl-Tzila-Bilha. Some of his descendants live nowadays in Israel. Eliezer Lippa Turkel 1856-1939 (26 KB) Eliezer Lippa Turkel was the second child of Israel Menachem Alter and Esther Judith Turkl of Trembowla. He had seven children, Feiwel Leib Shragah, Wolf, Jechiel, Samuel (Shmuel), Abraham Jacob, Salomon (Shloime), and Arieh Leib. Most of his survived descendants live nowadays in Israel. Turkel branch of Nishnev (23 KB) The founder of this Turkel branch is Srool Baer Turkel, whose children were: Peretz, Uscher Zelig, Shlomo, Galana Gnendle, and a twin of sisters. There are a few descandents who live in the USA. Turkel branch of Podhajce, Galicia (19 KB) Son of the above Srool, Uscher Zelig Turkel, married Regina Klein of Podhajce. Thus part of this family followed the bride. Joseph & Henia Turkel and 5 kids, Tarnopol ~1924 (44 KB) Joseph (1874-1925) is a son of Perez, and a grandson of Moshe Terkel (ca~1820). He married Henia Helena Taffet (1882-Holocaust) and they had seven children, Moshe, Michael, Emanuel, Mina, Laura-Leah-Lola, Zeev Wolf (Vilek) and Hela. Their survived descandents live in Israel and the USA. Rabi Yekel Turkel 1899-Holocaust (8 KB) Rabbi Jekel Turkel (sound Yekli Tuerkl) was a prominent Rabbi, a descendant of famous Rabbis, Levi`im dynesty and grandson of Eliezer Lippe Turkel. On Mt. Scopus, Palestine / Eretz-Israel 1936 (19 KB) From left to right: Israel Menachem Tirkel (1909-1948), his wife Olga nee Ackeman (1915-1992), Adina Hud'l nee Turkl (1914-2001) and her husband Joseph Barlev [Lewkovski] (1912-1998). Both couples made Aliya to Eretz-Israel. Shlomo Turkl and a friend in Tarnopol (15 KB) While the younger generation made Aliya to Palestine/Eretz-Israel, the older generation stayed in Tarnopol. On the left, Adina's father, Shlomo (1887-1942 Holocaust) with a friend on a street of Tarnopol. Picture was taken about four years before Shlomo Turkl was murdered.

Family Tree Maker Reports and Trees
Outline Descendant Tree: Descendants of Mordechai Turkl Outline Descendant Tree: Descendants of Moshe Terkel Outline Descendant Tree: Descendants of Schmariah Turkel Outline Descendant Tree: Descendants of Schmiel Turkel Outline Descendant Tree: Descendants of Jacob Turkel

Related Links
'Turkel Tribe' website on Geocities The most famous Turkel folks Cousin's webpage, courtesy David B Turkel 'Turkel_Tribe' email group & communiaction center -> The Turkel Tribal Pages <- Turkel Reunion in the USA (a poll)

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The 'Turkel Tribe'

Family Photos

Family Tree Maker Reports and Trees

Related Links