Violet's Immigrant Family and Her Brooklyn Childhood thru College

This is the second in my "Virtual Sitting Shiva" series of Blog postings of memories of Violet (Stark) Glickstein, my dear wife of 57 years, who sadly passed away November 27, 2021. [The first posting in this series is Here]

The photo below shows Violet, as a child, with her younger brother Sam, and their mother, Clara Stark. (In the early 1950's, when his photo was taken, none of us knew Violet and I would marry, and Clara would become my Mother-in-Law!) 

A CHILD OF IMMIGRANTS

Violet was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She was proud of her Hungarian heritage and membership in the Jewish community. Both of her parents were born in Hungary. 

In 1938, recognizing the existential threat to the Jewish community posed by the growing Nazi menace, her parents-to-be separately immigrated to the United States. The following year, in September 1939, Hitler invaded Poland.  

The image below is of the Hungarian passport issued to Violet's father, Geza Stark, in 1938. 

The "Declaration of Intention" document pictured below was filed in New York in 1940. It gives Geza's birthplace as "Pazab", Hungary. [I could not find "Pazab" on a current map of Hungary. "Pazab" may be a typographical error, or an alternate spelling. Google found a town in north-eastern Hungary called "Paszab".]

Geza's date of birth is given as January 9, 1914. His height is 5 feet 4 inches, and he weighs in at 125 pounds. He came to the US on the vessel Washington on April 1, 1938. He pledges to "renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty". 

Geza's occupation is simply listed as "Tailor". That is a bit of an understatement because, in the 1960's, he went on to become a well-known custom tailor with a shop on Broadway in Manhattan, He Americanized his given name, "Geza", to "Gilbert".

His famous customers included a fellow-Hungarian, Edward Teller, the well-known theoretical physicist who is colloquially referred to as "the father of the hydrogen bomb". See Edward Teller - Wikipedia. When Teller came to New York to be measured and fitted for his custom-tailored suits, he enjoyed relaxing and conversing in his native language with a fellow Hungarian Jew.  

When Violet grew up and heard about her dad's friendship with the famous physicist, she asked if Gilbert had ever requested and received an autograph. "The only autograph I needed from him," answered Gilbert, "was on his check paying for the suits."

CLARA AND GILBERT MARRY

In 1940, Gilbert met and married a fellow Hungarian Jewish immigrant named Clara Schwartz, who had come to the US with her mother, Julia Schwartz. Although Clara and Gilbert arrived in the same year, 1938, they travelled on separate ships. They did not know each other until they met in New York. 

Clara and Gilbert's wedding photo, below, shows them with Clara's mother, Julia, and her second husband, Samuel Schwartz. (Julia's first husband, whose last name was Katz, was killed in Hungary before she and Clara immigrated to the US in 1938.) 

Violet was born on April 27, 1942, five months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Gilbert joined the US Army. He was sent to England, where he trained for the eventual allied invasion of Europe that started in June of 1944. He did not talk much about his wartime experiences, but we know he rose to the rank of Seargent. The photo below shows Gilbert in uniform with Clara and Violet. 

 

VIOLET'S EDUCATION IN BROOKLYN, NY

Violet's family were observant, Orthodox Jews. At an early age, her grandmother, Julia, taught her to recite the Hebrew prayers. They were serious about attended Saturday services nearly every week. Violet often recounted the fun she had as a young child at synagogue.

My family, also ostensibly Orthodox Jewish, had nearly zero literal religious belief and was almost totally non-observant. We considered Jewish religious services to be a boring waste of time. Sure, if the 13-year-old son of a relative or neighbor was being Bar Mitzvah, and we were invited, we would attend. But mainly as a matter of duty and obligation.

We considered ourselves to be loyal, red-blooded Americans. We had no desire to leave the US and move to the newly established Jewish State of Israel. Yet, we wanted Israel to be strong economically and militarily. We contributed to Jewish charities that helped Israel. We voted for candidates who favored continued American support for Israel. 

As you may know, in an Orthodox synagogue, men sit in the front, women in the rear, behind a partition called the "Mechitzah". (As it was explained to me, this seating arrangement is not degrading to the honor and dignity of women. It is necessary to allow men to give their full attention and concentration to their prayers, which is possible only if their eyes are shielded from seeing women's bodies.  Apparently, this is not a problem for women looking at men's bodies.) 

Observant Jews, like Violet's grandmother, actually enjoy the hours they devote to Saturday religious services. Violet repeatedly told me how much fun she had as a small child attending services most Saturday mornings with her grandmother. Young girls, and boys, would generally sit in the women's section with their mothers and grandmothers. We all know that there is a limit to a small child's "sitzfleisch" (Yiddish word meaning something like "sitting on your butt flesh".) Therefore, according to Violet's happy memories, she and other kids would get out of their seats and run from the woman's section out the back door, around to the front of the synagogue, and back in through the men's section! 

When an Orthodox Jewish boy reaches the age of 13, he is eligible to be Bar Mitzvah, the precept or commandment, and associated religious initiation ceremony, confirming he is ready to observe religious precepts and take part in public worship. Even though my family was not particularly religiously observant, I, as a male, was expected to learn to read Hebrew well enough to recite the major prayers and be Bar Mitzvah. Therefore, starting a few years before I turned 13, I attended Hebrew School for a couple hours on Sunday, and  for an hour on two weekdays. after elementary school let out.

Obedient to a fault, I did my part. I learned to recite the prayers and chant my Haftorah in Hebrew. (A Haftorah is a reading, from the book of Prophets, which is different every week.) On my appointed Bar Mitzvah Saturday, a couple dozen members of my proud family (mostly from Brooklyn but including at least two relatives from the Bronx) joined over 100 regular Sabbath attendees at the Hebrew Alliance Synagogue in Brighton Beach to witness my performance. 

Near the end of the service, in my squeaky, not-yet-fully-mature voice, I gave the expected "Today I am a man" speech to the crowd. 

Later that day, my parents hosted a grand reception and dinner party for invited family and friends at a nearby catering hall. There was lots of food, an open bar with (mostly) responsible drinking, and loud music and dancing. Midway through the event, I was asked to get up and repeat my speech. A family friend who had access to a movie camera captured highlights of the event on film and audiotape.  

VIOLET'S FACILITY WITH LANGUAGE

Violet has always been better than me at reading Hebrew. She also seems to have a knack for learning words and phrases from other languages that we've encountered on our travels, including Arabic, Greek, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and even Chinese. 

Like many immigrant families, Violet's parents, Clara and Gilbert, and her grandparents, Julia and Samuel, spoke their native language at home, to the near exclusion of English. 

One of Violet's favorite stories is how, when she started attending the neighborhood public elementary school, her mother was called in by her teacher. The teacher suggested that they speak English at home because "it will be good for both of you." I don't know how that type of frank (and in my opinion good) advice would go over in today's political climate, but they accepted and followed it. 

VIOLET'S HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE YEARS

Violet graduated from Lafayette High School in June 1959, intending to "major in science and math [at] Brooklyn College."

No surprise! In 1963, Violet graduated from Brooklyn College with a Bachelor's degree in Science. She was a member of the Chemistry Society, Lowell House, and the Yiddish Club.

So, please join me in thinking about your good and eventful times with Violet. Read subsequent postings on this Blog about events I remember. If you'd like, you could put on some slippers, sit on your couch, and join me and others in a "virtual" Shiva for Violet.

Love to all, and specially elevated kisses and hugs to Violet, from her husband,

Ira Glickstein

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NOTE:  This is the second of our "Virtual Sitting Shiva", the traditional Jewish custom of relatives and friends devoting seven days to specially remembering the deceased.

Violet and Ira Glickstein were married in 1964. See our 50th Anniversary memories in the following postings include highlights of our life together.

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1. Wedding and Farm Days 
2. Passing the Genes and Memes
3. Computers R Us (Ira and Vi's careers)
4. Retirement in The Villages, FL
5. Our 50th Anniversary Baltic Cruise (Air Travel and Shipboard activities)
6. Our 50th Anniversary Baltic Cruise (Land-Tours)

50th-0 CELEBRATING OUR 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY (tvpclub.blogspot.com)

Beyond Communism - the Emergence of a Newly Prosperous and Increasingly Capitalist CHINA!

OUR CHINA TRIP - An Overview

LEFT: At Shanghai China Disney World, my "Chairman Mao"  hat attracted a software engineer who works for Alibaba (Chinese version of Amazon) for an interesting discussion. MIDDLE: At Disney with three of my favorite  women, my Wife Vi, Daughter Lisa, and Granddaughter Michaela. RIGHT: Brooklyn T-Shirt atop the Great Wall of China

Vi and I visited China in September 2017, starting with a standard professionally-guided tour of Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai. We added a self-directed visit to Suzhou where our Granddaughter Michaela, a Hospitality major at Purdue University, was in the midst of a six month internship at a hotel. We also visited Shanghai Disney World, along with our daughter Lisa (Michaela's mother) who was on a separate tour of China, and Anna, a fellow intern with Michaela. We are indebted to each of them (Lisa, Michaela, and Anna) for guiding and helping two elder travelers during these off-tour activities. The Chinese people we met, including those being paid to serve us as well as total volunteers with little or no knowledge of English, were uniformly helpful and kind.

A visit of fewer than a dozen days to four popular business and tourist areas in China certainly does not make me any kind of expert on this topic. Therefore, please accept this posting as the questionable opinions of a rather casual observer. Like the "Pussy cat" in the well-known ditty*, I have well-worn interests and biases. *Pussy cat, pussy cat,, where have you been? I've been to London to visit the Queen. Pussy cat, pussy cat, what saw you there? I saw a little mouse under a chair. Yes, the cat missed all the finery and luxury of the Queen's palace in favor of that lowly mouse under the chair! Perhaps we all miss some majestic sights as we are drawn to the familiar?

Vi in Tiananmen Square where Chairman Mao's portrait hangs prominently. His visage appears on Chinese currency. 

We found China to be surprisingly modern and prosperous, with open, helpful, and accepting people who seemed genuinely happy to have us visit, anxious to try out their often limited (but sometimes quite good) English. They are in the midst of revolutionary changes in their economic and political systems. The situation may be very different in other areas of China, particularly some less developed "autonomous regions" such as those with substantial non-Han Chinese populations.

No More "True Believer" Marxists in the World?

Both Russia and China are far more "Capitalistic" than you might expect, and are rapidly moving in that positive direction.

Our experiences in "Communist" China confirmed our experiences from a brief visit to "Communist" St. Petersburg, Russia, a few years ago, . There are no longer any really "true believer" Marxists left in the World (except for a few Professors teaching at Universities in the US and other Western countries :^)

The core ideal at the heart of Marxist Socialism "From each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs" is certainly heart-warming, but does not stand up to any serous analysis. It flies in opposition to basic human  nature! Most of us will not voluntarily work to the maximum of our abilities unless we are rewarded for doing so, or punished if we fail to do so. Furthermore, most of  us will consume far more resources than we actually need unless we must personally bear the associated costs.

Thus, all attempts to implement Marxist ideals on a large scale, such as those of "Red" China and "Communist" Russia, as well as other extreme Socialist countries such as Venezuela, have resulted in either an Authoritarian police-state society, or, in the best case, Extreme Bureaucracy, general poverty, and pervasive scarcity. As Milton Friedman, one of my special heroes, quipped: "If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there'd be a shortage of sand."

The only realistic and humane alternative is a market-oriented competitive Capitalistic system, with visible rewards for those who work to the limits of their abilities. Of course, to be truly humane, the system must provide necessary welfare protections for those who absolutely cannot find gainful employment.

George Orwell's Animal Farm

In George Orwell's 1945 classic Animal Farm, the Pigs [Communists] lead a revolt of their fellow animals [Proletariat] against the Man [Capitalist] who owns the farm. Their motto, “All animals are equal" is soon transformed to "All animals are equal, but some animals [the Pigs-Communists] are more equal than others.”

At the end, when the Pig-Communists move into the farmhouse, adopt the manners and lifestyle of humans, and align themselves with human society external to the Farm,  “The creatures outside [the farmhouse] looked from pig [Communist] to man [Capitalist], and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”

Capitalistic China

Our first impressions of China were of Beijing airport, which, other than the crowds of Chinese people and signage, could have been any airport in the US or Europe. The taxi ride to our hotel plunged us into heavy traffic. Our driver (who spoke no English) showed his expertise in beeping and angling the taxi to prevent other cars from pulling in ahead of us. He had an uncanny ability to scoot from lane to lane and around other cars. He could have given cab-driver lessons in our native Brooklyn, NY!

Our Novotel Peace Hotel was modern and comfortable, with spectacular views from our 28th floor window, despite the somewhat smoggy air. The only negative surprise was the poorly-designed tub-shower that had a glass wall that blocked access to the water controls. You had to get fully into the tub to turn on the water. That meant you'd get splashed by the initially cold water. Furthermore, the tub, although not particularly deep, was way above the level of  the floor, a significant slipping hazard when getting out.

Our tour director, Lee, spoke excellent English, and shared well-received stories of his family life, including the hazards of the 1960's and 1970s "cultural revolution" and of his mother-in-law. In Xian we had a second leader, Peter, an expert who has worked on restoring the terracotta warriors. He too shared personal stories. He told us to look for him on a PBS documentary scheduled for release around the new year 2018.

Our bus comfortably accommodated the 26 members of our group. We soon became friendly with several of our tour-mates, including those from Bulgaria (now living in South Africa), Canada, England, and various  states in the US.

Flying and Touring Routine

The travel and tour was physically and mentally demanding, especially considering our ages, 75 and 78. We traveled by taxi from home to the Villages Transportation terminal at Spanish Springs, their Van to the Orlando FL airport, changing planes at Los Angeles CA, and again at Hong Kong for the flight to Beijing. That all took over 36 hours from home to hotel. We were exactly 12 hours off from our home time, so the "jetlag" was significant. The tour day usually started with a 7AM hotel  breakfast and an 8AM departure for sightseeing. There was a lot of walking, particularly the first few days at Tiananmen Square ("Temple of Peace"), the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall.

After the touring day, I usually ventured out alone, or at times with Vi, to walk the streets in the hotel vicinity, seeking a convenience store, supermarket, American fast-food, and so on. The streets were teeming with aggressive vendors and lined with small food shops, restaurants, and other stores. All, as far as I could tell, were strictly privately-owned and operated. I was impressed by large, multi-level and very modern shopping centers, featuring intentionally known brand names.

Scooters and bicycles, along with crowds of Chinese people, flowed along the sidewalks. I was continually surprised that no one ever seemed to get pushed or run over.

Crossing the street was an adventure! A plethora of people, cars, trucks, buses, scooters and bicycles seemingly regarded the traffic lanes and lights as mere decoration. I followed the advice of our tour leader and adopted a "sticky rice" strategy of embedding myself in a crowd of Chinese people and going with the flow.

After the organized tour, we had the opportunity to use taxis and public transportation, under the very able tutorship of Michaela and Anna. Both are excellent and inexpensive.

Bottled Water

Throughout our trip we were required  to use bottled water, and were told not to use tap water at the hotel for drinking or brushing our teeth. Drinking fountains were not generally available anywhere. The hotels provided two or four free small bottles that we usually put into the refrigerator. Additional water was an expense.

At airports, safe water was available for free, but it was either a choice between "hot" and "warm". I brought empty plastic water bottles through airport security and filled them with the "warm" water. Chilled water in bottles was available but cost around $2 each. I  noticed that some Chinese people had bottles with tea leaves in them, and they would use the "hot" water to make tea. The tea was weak and almost colorless since the tea leaves were used multiple times. At Disney they had safe water fountains, but that was an exception.

Internet Blocking in China

We had very good free Wi-Fi internet availability at Chinese airports (Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai) and at our fine hotels in those cities as well as in Suzhou. However, throughout our time in China, I could not gain access to my Google Groups or Google BlogSpot accounts. Facebook, however, continued to work OK. Our granddaughter (in the midst of her internship at a hotel in Suzhou) had suggested that I could use an app called "ExpressVPN", which, for a fee, would give us access to at least some of the blocked sites. However, the front desk agent who signed us in at our first hotel told me that ExpressVPN was not legal in China, and, since I had access to other internet features, I did not try to use ExpressVPN.

Cable TV Access in China

At each of the our hotels, we had access to many TV channels, in each case including several in English. All hotels had Bloomberg. Two had CNN, and some had the BBC, CNBC, and HBO, as well as an English-language Chinese station. However, I  never saw Fox News or Fox Business, nor did I see MSNBC. I don't know if this situation was due to blocking by the government or simply a matter of cost control by the hotels.

Some Highlights of Our China Tour

Please note that I generally do not take photos of the sights and scenery since better, professionally-taken photos are generally available online. Therefore, most of my photos feature images of family, friends, and me.

Beijing Area

Novotel Peace Hotel. The tour included: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Rickshaw Tour, Home Lunch, Foot Massage, Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Courtyard of private Chinese home where we enjoyed a wonderful meal with our tour group..

Note yellow bike on right is one of tens of thousands all over the city streets that can be unlocked by cellphone code and borrowed for a fee. 

Our Rickshaw Driver allowed me to sit in the driver's seat and pretend to pedal Vi around tte town.

Great Wall of China Panorama. TOP: Note Vi in blue sitting. BOTTOM: View looking upward as Wall rises steeply.

Xian ("She Ann") Area

Sheraton North City. The tour included: Elementary School Visit, Terracotta Warriors, Xian Old Market Area.

At an Elementary school in Xian. My student is Pang Zi Han, who wrote her name in Chinese and copied some English words for me. Vi sits with her student behind me. They asked for a volunteer to teach the class some English. I was the first. I drew the Earth, pointed out North, South, East and West, located China and USA, then I sketched a separate map of the United States noting New York where my wife and I were born and educated and worked, Florida where we retired, and California from where we flew to China.

Vi and I view the famous Terracotta Warriors. At the right is a "warrior" who looks a lot like me :^)

Shanghai Area

Hilton Jing'an. The tour included: Bund, Waterfront, Old Shanghai, Acrobats Variety Show.

Vi at Shanghai waterfront skyline. Vi on the Shanghai Bund takes the bull by the horn. 

Shanghai Disney World (on our own with Lisa, Michaela, and Anna).

Suzhou ("Sue Joe") Area

Jingi Lake Grand Hotel (where Michaela and Anna are interning).

Michaela and Anna arranged a walk and a golf-cart tour around the lush forested grounds and lake. Vi relaxed as Michaela and I used their impressive and humongous swimming pool and hot tubs.

Michaela and Anna took me, by taxi, to the old town area, intending to visit the museum. It turned out the museum happened to be closed, which was fortunate! We walked along narrow a narrow alley with shops on both sides, along their canals (reminiscent of Venice), took a woman-powered canal boat tour (and she sang!). We consumed a freshly-made waffle cones with ice cream and jelly balls.

In the lobby of the Suzhou Jingi Lake Grand Hotel where our Granddaughter Michaela, a Hospitality major at Purdue University, is interning. 

Suzhou. China - we went to museum by taxi but it was closed. turned out great because we walked down narrow lanes, dodging scooters and bikes. We walked along the canals and got to ride a canal boat

Suzhou China - fantastic pool and hot tub complex in hotel where Michaela is interning.

She is a competitive swimmer and treated Vi and me to dinner at her hotel using two awards

earned by winning swimming races against other hotel personnel.

Suzhou China - freshly made waffle cone after wonderful singing woman-powered canal boat

Journey with Michaela and Anna. ZOOM IN TO SEE WAFFLE COME!

Early Evening Suzhou Lake View - TOP: Note Ira and Michaela near right edge. BOTTOM: Chinese family enjoys life. 

Shanghai Pudong Airport Area

Ramada Plaza Pudong Airport Hotel. Our 5th-floor room overlooked the airport. We could see the terminal and the planes. We had dinner and breakfast at  the hotel.

We took the hotel courtesy van to the Shanghai Pudong Airport, changing planes at Hong Kong, changing again to San Francisco CA, changing again to Charlotte NC, and getting off the plane then on again to Orlando FL for the Villages Transportation van and taxi home. Again over 36 hours with a 12-hour time difference. We each had a bit of digestive upset and health issues, but they were mostly remedied by the medications Vi thoughtfully brought along.

Remembering Rena - Growing Up in Rural Upstate New York

Rena in Elementary School and at High School Graduation

As recounted here  our daughter Rena died on the morning of September 11, 2016, at the age of 49. As discussed here I am remembering Rena daily for a week in a virtual  "Sitting Shiva", the traditional Jewish custom of relatives and friends devoting seven days to specially remembering the deceased.  

This is the third posting in the series. Please join us in keeping Rena foremost in your thoughts this week, and, if you wish, posting your special memories in a Comment to this Blog. 

Welcome to rural upstate Newark Valley, NY in 1965, and a modest farmhouse, part of which dates back to the late 1800's. Looking west in this photo, our house and three barns behind it sat on 88 acres, including all the land you can see left of the dirt road named "West Newark Crossroads. To the far left, beyond the edge of the photo, is our eastern border, the West Branch of the Owego Creek. Vi and I moved here from Scotch Plains, NJ, with our infant daughter Lisa, when I took a job at IBM Federal Systems in Owego, NY, 12 miles south. The farm came with a dog, Trixie and an unnamed cat. Fortunately, our neighbors, many of them dairy farmers, took pity on we greenhorns, two Jewish college grads from Brooklyn, and helped us survive and  even thrive in this new environment for us..

RENA'S BIRTH

Way back in 1967, at the hospital where Rena was born, she was one of the very first where they permitted the father to be present. I was privileged to stand at the open door of the delivery room and marvel at the miracle of her birth as she took her first breaths and delighted us all with her hardy and healthy cries. And how competently my wonderful wife  performed her part in that event!

Excerpts from the detailed account Vi wrote the day after:

It’s a girl! 7 lbs 9 oz – 20 1/2”, born at 11:39 PM on May 23. This has been a fantastic and wonderful experience. … We had an hour ride from our house in Newark Valley to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA. Therefore, after having had such a fast labor with Lisa our first little girl, we had several false alarms. … I was just concerned we would wait too long to start to the hospital and arrive as three instead of 2 ½ people.

Well, Tuesday was quite a day. That morning, at 5 AM, the phone rang and Ira was called out in his capacity as volunteer fireman to a fire on Park Settlement Road in Owego. My poor husband was so tired – he also had a class at IBM from 7-8:30 AM and after work a Toastmasters International meeting until 8:30 PM.

At 7:30 PM, I felt that the contractions had suddenly changed in character and I had to start with the transition breathing [of the Lamaze method]. So I called my husband at the Deep Well Restaurant in Owego [before cellphones, so Vi had to call the restaurant and they had to find me in the meeting room] and asked him to come right after his Toastmasters meeting. And I started to time the contractions. They were coming every six minutes and lasting for 45 seconds. When Ira came home we got Lisa ready and took her over to our neighbors to spend the night. I called the Doctor and told him I felt this was it tonight. …

We arrived at the hospital at 10 PM. I was admitted at 10:15 PM and I even told the nurse I thought we would have to go home because it had stopped, but to take a look anyway. I had thought that with all of the contractions I had had for the past three days I would be 3-4 cm dilated. I was judging this from Lisa’s birth two years ago. Well, the intern examined me and he confirmed it. …

Dr. Corner arrived and the minute he heard me doing the panting he rushed those nurses in to prep me. … When Dr. Corner examined me at 10:50 PM he said I was 6-7 cm dilated. He was marvelous. I had told him about doing it the Lamaze way and he was very enthusiastic. He had done it before in Baltimore but hadn’t had the opportunity to do it up here yet. Ira stood at the doorway to the delivery room and watched Rena Susan born. Dr. Corner left the door open and Ira was able to see everything.

Dr. Corner had to break the bag of waters in the delivery room. And everything went very fast after that. Dr. Corner didn’t leave my side from the time he examined me at 10:50 PM. He coached me and continually kept me informed. I think the nurses were very good – they had instructions not to give me anything unless I wanted it and they didn’t harass me in any way.

But I surprised everyone including (especially!) me because I was in that hospital for only one hour and 24 minutes before she was born. …

I find the Lamaze method to be excellent. It gives you something to do which is physically and mentally helpful. Dr. Corner was extremely pleased with the results and I am ecstatic. My only complaint is that you feel so good afterwards, you can’t go to sleep.

RENA'S BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT

Remember the old “mimeograph”? Well, I composed Rena’s birth announcement as a mimeograph page that folded in fourths.

The first page was titled:

(LIVE) STOCKHOLDERS REPORT - (23 May 1967) - GLICKSTEIN FARMS UNLIMITED.

The mimeographed birth announcement for Rena folded into four pages.

The report included the following news:

The birth of a lamb at GLICKSTEIN FARMS is a common enough occurrence, but the birth of a baby deserves special notice:

MISS RENA SUSAN GLICKSTEIN - This young lady was born at 11:39 PM on May 23 at ROBERT PACKER HOSPITAL, Sayre, PA. …

Our Farm assets were listed on the second page:

Continuing assets: IRA, VI, & LISA (Proprietor, wife, and daughter) - TRIXIE & CAT (dog and cat)

Acquisitions: ANNE, BLANCHE, & CLARA (Ewes) – BULL & HEIFER (Black Angus bull and heifer)

Births: DELI (Ewe lamb to BLANCHE) – EVA& FRANCINE (to ANNE) – GLORIA & MARY (to CLARA)

A N D

RENA SUSAN (Daughter to VI & IRA, sister to LISA)

The aback page included a poem:

A POEM FOR RENA SUSAN – To enrich our souls and to nourish our lives / RENA SUSAN has come to a family which thrives. / As a gift of God to uplift our years / You have come to us to fulfill our prayers. / May you find great strength in mind, heart, and life / As a good Jewish girl and a good Jewish wife.

At an extremely young age, Rena and Lisa witnessed the eternal cycle of life  – and – death.

The birth of lambs – and – the passing of a ewe and how we bottle-fed her lambs in the house, creatively named “Lamb chops” and “Leg-ga” – and – the natural carnivorous food chain.

As noted above, both Vi and I spent our entire childhood, including high school, in urban Brooklyn. She graduated from Brooklyn College (Bachelors in Chemistry) and I from City College (Bachelors in Electrical Engineering). During our farm years, both sets of parents lived in Brooklyn.

On their first of many visits, Vi’s parents Clara and Gilbert Stark, were amazingly accepting of the rural life and livestock that Vi and I adopted. My parents, Ruth and Morris Glickstein, were also very supportive of our new lifestyle. 

By the time Rena was born, May 23, 1967, our farm boasted a growing number of livestock, including three Ewes, five Ewe lambs born on our farm, plus a young Black Angus Bull and a Heifer.

LEFT: Welcoming Vi's parents to our barnyard. You can see some of our sheep at the far left rear of the photo. The people, left to right are, Clara Stark, Vi's mother; Vi's dad Gilbert (holding Lisa); Vi (holding infant Rena); and the "gentleman farmer" himself, Ira. Our dog Trixie is in front of us. 

RIGHT: Welcoming Ira's parents. The people, left to right, are Lisa, (held by Ira's dad, Morris Glickstein); and  Rena (held by Ira's mom, Ruth). If you compare this photo with the one above, you can see the enclosed porch, one of the first of a number of projects my dad completed with my help..

FUN ON  THE FARM

A few years after Rena's birth, her younger sister, Sara, joined us to complete our family: Lisa, Rena, and Sara. (We figured out what was causing it and I got a vasectomy :^) The children had a great time, summer and winter.

TOP: Left to right, Rena, Sara, and Lisa enjoying the sand and water of our farm pond. With the help of the New York State Extension Service, we built a quarter-acre farm pond on the hill behind our house, with a small  beach area at the north end.

BOTTOM: Sara, Rena, and Lisa having lots of fun sledding in the snow. (Unlike Brooklyn, where the snow turns gray on the second or third day, upstate New York snow stays pure white for weeks or months.)

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YEARS

Left to right: Sara (held by Vi); Rena and Lisa (standing in front of Clara); Morris, Ruth, and Gilbert. (The birdhouse atop the pole was a gift constructed by Grandpa Morris)

Rena's elementary school years went by very fast and are like a blur in my mind. First at Newark Valley, then, when IBM sent me on a California assignment, several months in the San Fernando Valley area north of Los Angeles. Upon our return to New York, we sold our old farmhouse and the land near the house and barns (but kept 60 acres and the pond up the hill). We moved to a more modern home in nearby Apalachin, on only 5 acres.

RENA'S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION

The photo below, of Rena and her High School Prom date, Tom Myers, was emailed to David and Vi when I was informed Tom would be visiting Rena to say goodbye just a few weeks before she passed away. Some of the other photos and text in this posting was also provided and I believe Rena saw it and it gave her some comfort. 

All ready for High School Prom (Left to right: Ira, Rena, Tom Myers, and VI).

Rena graduated from the Owego Free Academy. Here are the memories of her high school years in contemporary accounts from some fellow graduates.

Ira Glickstein

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NOTE:  This is the third of our virtual  "Sitting Shiva", the traditional Jewish custom of relatives and friends devoting seven days to specially remembering the deceased.

September 11, 2016 - Rena passed away
1) September 12, 2016 - Rest In Peace Rena Moyers, Our Adult Child Who Passed Before We Did
2) September 13, 2016 - Mr.and Mrs. David and Rena Moyers - Their Wedding (and Drama Afterwards)
3) September 14, 2016 - Remembering Rena - Growing Up in Rural Upstate New York
4) September 15, 2016 - Remembering Rena - Education and Professional Life - Tale of Three Shirts
5) September 16, 2016 - Mourner's Kaddish for Rena Moyers
6) September 17, 2016 - Remembering Auntie Rena - Five Nieces and Nephews
7) September 18, 2016 - Remembering Rena - We Will Remember You FOREVER

50th-0 CELEBRATING OUR 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Vi and Ira Glickstein were married 50 years ago, in 1964.

The following postings include highlights of our life together and of our 50th anniversary family Baltic cruise.

CLICK THE HYPERTEXT BELOW TO JUMP TO YOUR TOPIC OF CHOICE

1. Wedding and Farm Days 
2. Passing the Genes and Memes
3. Computers R Us (Ira and Vi's careers)
4. Retirement in The Villages, FL
5. Our 50th Anniversary Baltic Cruise (Air Travel and Shipboard activities)
6. Our 50th Anniversary Baltic Cruise (Land-Tours)

50th-1 Wedding and Farm Days

50 YEARS OF MARRIAGE - FLAG DAY, JUNE 14th 1964 to 2014

TOP: We were young and foolish when we got married on June 14th 1964. 
BOTTOM: But look at what 50 years together has done! Lower middle photos are distorted using iPad "twisted" camera feature, but that is how we really feel! Ira (and Vi)

PILOT AND CO-PILOT FOR LIFE

Fifty years ago, a few days after our wedding, I rented a Cessna 152 and flew my new wife from Chatham Airport in NJ up to Niagara Falls, NY, stopping in Binghamton, NY for fuel. (Little did we know that less than two years later I would accept a job at IBM Owego, in the Binghamton area, and we would live and work there for nearly 40 years!)

TOP LEFT: Vi and Ira, Co-Pilot and Pilot for life, prepare to depart from Chatham Airport in Morristown, NJ. 
MIDDLE: We stopped in Binghamton, NY to refuel.
TOP RIGHT: Inflight on our  "Honeymoon Special" adventure! 
BOTTOM: We rented a car and spent the night at the aptly named "Honeymoon Motel"on the Canadian side. 

We flew home the following day but the weather got bad so we had to spend the night at a hotel in Binghamton, returning the rented airplane in NJ the following morning.

OUR "GREEN ACRES" FARM DAYS

Early in our marriage, I took a job at IBM Federal Systems, Owego, NY, not far from Binghamton!

We purchased an old farm house with three barns and 88 acres of land in Newark Valley, NY, about 12 miles north of Owego.

TOP LEFT: Vi's parents, Gilbert and Clara Stark, visit our farm where we raised sheep. We had a kerosene heater in the kitchen and propane heaters in two other rooms. Our bedroom lacked any heater at all. I can still imagine what they were thinking "What have you done to our daughter?"

BOTTOM LEFT: Ira's parents, Morris and Ruth Glickstein, visit our farm. With the help of the New York State Agricultural Extension Service, we built a 1/4 acre pond on our land above the house and barns. We sometimes camped there.

RIGHT: Vi and Lisa get close and personal with one of our Angus beef cattle.

Some more views of our "Green Acres" FARM DAYS (1965-1973). 

TOP: In addition to the very old house and barns, the purchase included Trixie, our loyal dog. We built a dirt road up to the pond we put on the land above the house and barns.

BOTTOM LEFT: Me with my Dad Morris on road overlooking house and barns. Dad enclosed the front porch and made major improvements inside the house.

BOTTOM RIGHT: I'm in the middle, shoveling the chicken manure left over from the hens raised for eggs by the previous owners. Steamy and pungent, but great fertilizer!

ALSO SEE:

1. Wedding and Farm Days 
2. Passing the Genes and Memes
3. Computers R Us (Ira and Vi's careers)
4. Retirement in The Villages, FL
5. Our 50th Anniversary Baltic Cruise (Air Travel and Shipboard activities)
6. Our 50th Anniversary Baltic Cruise (Land-Tours)