Archive for FAMILY Memories

Roth-Maltz Family

December 4, 2009 at 3:27 pm · Filed under FAMILY Memories ·Tagged , ,

This past Saturday, Dec. 20th, I was riding home from the Colodner party given to honor the engagement of Ken and his future bride. Meeting all of my sister’s children , their spouses and offspring made me realize that we go back five  generations since my parents embarked on the ships that brought them into the USA.  This feeling was amplified when I gave Ellen the photo of my parents with Jack, Bill and Regina ( 3 yrs of age).  We figured that the photo was taken in 1916, previous to my birth, which was 1917.

Reflecting on these family meetings, I mentioned to Shirley that we always read about the Kennedy family meeting together during Summer breaks.  And I remarked that we also had our summer breaks, not as elaborate as theirs, but we too enjoyed the family togetherness at Kaufman’s Bungalow Colony.  This period of family meetings plus the annual Seders, created a wonderful bond within our family structure.

It occurred to me that I go back almost 5 generations.  My parents and Shirley’s emigrated to the U.S. during the 1890’s.  The U.S. was expanding westward and needed all types of laborers.  This allowed the disadvantaged in Europe to move to the U.S. to seek better opportunity and get free from restrictions that they endured in their countries of origin.  My parents came from Mielitz, So. Poland(Austrian Province} and Shirley’s parents came from No. Poland.

While we were growing up, our families lived close to one another.  So, we had close ties.  Cousins, uncles and aunts knew one another.  But as we grew older and married and moved further apart, we lost contact. Take my family.  Jack moved to New Jersey, Bill  to Long Island , Nat  to Lakewood , Blanche to California and England

We went from a horse and buggy age into the mobile age of auto and air travel. This caused a division of close family ties and the thoght of losing the closeness that I feel when I visit the Maltzes, worries me.  The Seders that started in 1937-by Pop and Mom, and carried on by Reggie and then Barbara, will fade away.  How can we extend this gathering  in the future?  I’m open to suggestions.

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Honeymoon, Jan. 1946

November 15, 2009 at 7:17 am · Filed under FAMILY Memories, New York Memories ·Tagged , ,

Our planned honeymoon was to go to Florida.  This was very special for us, as we were not world travelers as  current youngsters are.  For us, this was very special.  We had tried to register in the Roney Plaza but there were no rooms available  The best we could do is get a room at the Grand Hotel which was across the street.  We later learned that the hotel catered to the gamblers who frequented the race tracks.

Our location was good. It was on Collins Avenue,  the main shopping area and quite busy.  The best part of this location was the South Park  directly in front of our entrance and the beach where we enjoyed the sun and swimming in the wavy warm water.  For me it was a wonderful setting for photography.  I spent lots of time getting shots of SW on palm trees, posing her sexy figure and admiring her beauty.

But prior to our arrival in Florida, we experienced annoying problems.  We had been advised to send our luggage ahead by rail to our destination.  We did this two days prior to our date of boarding the train.  We got on board in the morning after our night spent in our hotel across the street.  We had no seat reservations,which we knew nothing about.  So, by the time we got there, I found a single seat at one end of the car and Shirley a seat at the other end.  The trains were really crowded.  Those were the days when train travel was more popular than air. So, we were separated for the entire trip.  You can imagine how miserable we felt.

When we arrived in Miami, after this long and miserable ride, we went looking for our luggage.  We had noticed that many of the travelers had taken their suitcases with them.  We were so smug, seeing them shlepping the luggage. When we arrived at the pickup area to get our pre-shipped luggage, we were advised that they had not arrived.  “here is our phone number, check for its arrival”.  We spent two miserable days in our winter clothes, until they arrived.

But nothing could destroy our joy, our togetherness.  We spent the time sightseeing and on boat trips and when the luggage arrived, we were able to enjoy the beach and even sneak some sunbathing on Roney’s beach chairs.

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Florida Honeymoon, Dec,Jan., 1945-6

October 28, 2009 at 7:55 am · Filed under FAMILY Memories, senior thoughts

It has been 6 weeks since my last post.  I really must apologize to all of my diligent readers, but I am frustrated by my inability to keep up with the quick changes in our current technology.  I have spent all of this time sorting photos of our honeymoon and pics of 46th Street, for the purpose of scanning and inserting them into a slide show.  I thought that I knew how to do it.  But suddenly I get  a notice of a disconnect between my scanner and the computer.

The more I try to keep up with the new technology, the more obsolete I feel. The changes in tech is so rapid, that by the time I learn to cope with something new, an upgrade  is brought out.  I have Windows 2000 in my computer.  4 changes were introduced by Microsoft.  Now we have the introduction of Windows 7.  It’s being promoted now and I believe that it has caused my computer to break down my connection for scanning photos into my computer.  Is this a planned action to force me to buy the new program? I’ve got enough trouble keeping up with cell-phone use and other  tech changes like texting.  This alone has changed the communication system.  Nobody writes anymore.  Scripting is unknown to our kids.  Vocabulary will change to text-words.  Letters from family and friends are a thing of the past.  Emails are quicker and now we have Facebook and Twitter and cloud programs.  Who can keep up with all of this?  Not me, at this age of my life.  I am really obsolete.

I intended to write about our honeymoon, but I  had to send this apology.  It is off my chest.  I will get into the good old days and write our life’s history soon. When I get connected, I will make slide shows of post-war photos.

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home at last. Nov. 1945

September 19, 2009 at 4:29 am · Filed under FAMILY Memories, New York Memories, senior thoughts ·Tagged ,

Trying to recall the past, which was 64 yrs. ago, is quite difficult.  Especially when one is 92 years old and having difficulty recalling names of acquaintances.  My three years  absence from 820-46th Street did not cause a change in the area.  The same sycamore trees were still lined up on both sides of the street and the same buildings with its small front gardens added a suburban touch.  After 3 years of  living in bombed- out areas, sleeping in pup-tents and often on grassy hills, my walk up to my home  seemed like heaven, so peaceful and neat.  Nothing had changed

The changes that occurred were human.  Those who remained at home, who worried about loved ones in service  also helped in the war effort, selling US bonds, factory labor in munitions and aircraft, and USO shows.

Changes occurred in the normal lives we live.  Such as the Roth family and descendants. When I returned I encountered the following  :  Our house was now occupied by only 3  members of the family.  Pop died in 1954 and the store was sold prior to his death.  Mom displayed a sign “  Clothing Alterations” Expert seamstress.  Mom needed income to pay for expenses, etc.  Living with her were Blanche and Bill.  Nat was married in 1945 to Harriet and living in their house on the same street.  Bill returned from  the Pacific a few months later and set up his food business, storing goods in the basement.  Reggie, living in an apartment 759-46th St.  gave birth to Barbara in 1943. And I was preparing for my wedding with Shirley.  On December 25, 1945 we were married.  We went to Florida for our honeymoon and I moved out of 820-46th Street.  Thus began a new chapter in my life.

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