I have always said it is important to tell stories, family stories that is. It is the only way to preserve the family history. It is not often that family history is written down, so oral history becomes important.
For example it is disappointing that I never really questioned any of my grandparents on their immigration to the United States. I can only imagine the courage it took to leave the only home you ever knew in Europe and come thousands of miles to the U.S. What was so bad in the land of your birth that caused you to leave? And what was the promise of America?
The closest answer I got, and the closest family historical perspective I got was from my grandfather Jake, my Dad’s Dad. He said he left because of the pogroms and anti semitism he experienced. That and the fact that he was was going to be drafted into the Russian army. That did it for him. So he sailed to New York from Odessa sometime around the age of 18 or about 1907. That is about the most information I got from him about his immigration. He just never wanted to talk all that much about it. I wish I knew more.
I do know a little bit more about his and my grandmother’s life here but I got a lot of that from my father and I will try to incorporate here in “Visiting my Life”.
