My Cultural Roots

The Story of My Family

As I interviewed my Dad and Mom I learned that all of my great grandparents immigrated to the United States from Europe.  I did not get to meet any of them, however, the stories I heard have brought them to life.

Schulman and Mintzer Family

This is the history of my dad's (Harvey Lee Schulman) family roots consisting of the Minzter family and the Schulman family. Anna and Yale Schulman along with Max and Sally Minzter is where all the history began.    The Schulmans immigrated around 1915 to the United States from Europe,an area now known as Belarus and formerly known as White Russia.

My Grandfather Murray Schulman was born in New York City in 1916, and he was one of five children: Jacob, Sam, Murray, Phillip and Julius. His family came to America with almost no money. They lived in the Bronx, New York in a densely populated high-rise area. They settled in a neighborhood where there were a lot of Jewish people. Dad’s grandfather, Yale was a tailor, and his Grandmother Anna was a homemaker and raised her five children. Neither Yale nor Anna learned to drive. Their first language was Yiddush and they learned English in America. Yale was very religious and would walk to synagogue to pray everyday. He also loved fishing and would walk to the nearby pier, fish, and bring home his catch for dinner. My father shared that both of his grandmothers were great cooks. They would cook traditional Jewish foods like matzo ball soup, blintzes and kreplach. Of Yale and Anna's children, one became a lawyer, one an engineer, two business entrepreneurs, and the last was a government administrative worker. Only one of the children (Jacob) went to college, as the others needed to work. Four of the five uncles served in the military during WWII. My dad’s Father, Murray owned a furniture store in Miami for many years.

Murray Schulman

 

Grandma Jeanette (Horowitz, maiden name Mintzer) was born in Bucharest, Romania in 1919.  She immigrated to North America through Ellis Island, New York City in 1927 when she was only 8 years old speaking only Yiddish.



These two photos show Jeanette Mintzer and Murray Schulman (Bottom Center) at Mintzer residence for their wedding

 

 

Grandma Jeanette was also one of five children: Herman, Jeanette, Ethel, Helen and Joseph. Her family came to America looking for a better life from post-war Europe.  None of the children were college-educated.  Her two brothers were builders in South Florida and the Bahamas.  Two of the three aunts worked in retail clothing, and all of them were homemakers.  

 

 After their marriage, Murray and Jeanette had two children:  Eileen (my aunt) and Harvey (my dad).  Murray died when Harvey was in high school.  It was a very sad time for everyone.  Jeanette later met Irving Horowitz and they married.  So Irving was the grandpa that I knew and loved.

 



 

Grandpa Irv was a kind soul, he would always have foriegn coins from his travels for me or neat American Flag memorabilia. He loved telling me stories about how he was raised and taught the right things in school.  He would always have something new to tell me everytime I came to visit.  I would also leave the apartment with him reminding me of a life rule of some sort.  He passed away and I miss him very much.

 

Aunt Eileen married Gary Cohen and they had two children, Mikki and Michael (my cousins).  Eileen and Gary divorced, and many years later, Eileen  married Richard Tyson.  We visit the Tysons whenever we have a chance to get down to Miami, Florida.

 

Me With Uncle Gary At Michael Cohen's Wedding

 

 

This is a photo of my dad, Harvey, Grandma Jeanette,  Aunt Eileen Tyson and my mom, Marilyn with me in the corner.

 

Aunt Ellie, Uncle Dick, Marilyn and Harvey Schulman at The Horrowitz Residence (1984)

 



The Emoff Familly

My mother’s grandparents were Benjamin and Eva Pollack and Joseph and Margaret Emoff.

Marilyn’s grandparents also came from White Russia (now Belarus). She knows less about her grandparents than my father and did not get to know them personally. My mom expressed to me that she is so grateful that I have had an opportunity to have close relationships with all my grandparents. My mother’s parents, Al and Selma Emoff, were both born in the United States. My Grandmother Selma lived in Detroit, Michigan, and Grandfather Alexander (Al) lived in Cleveland, Ohio.

My Grandfather Al was also one of five children: Lester, Arthur, Alexander, Lillian and Florence. His father, Joseph Emoff, died when he was about 4 years old. Great-grandmother Margaret was a homemaker and raised her five children by herself.

My Grandmother Selma was one of three children: Elvin, Rayetta and Selma. Her family immigrated to the United States in the 1920’s. My great-grandparents, Eva and Benjamin did not stay married long after the birth of their children. Their divorce was considered very unusual as people, as a rule, stayed married during that time period. Benjamin was a jeweler. Eva’s family did not consider this to be a very worthy job, though Grandpa Ben made beautiful things and was a kind soul. My mom said that Selma talked so fondly of Eva (her mom).

                          

She said that Eva was very kind-hearted, cared much about her practice of Judaism, was able to make fine lace and other beautiful things, and she enjoyed cooking and baking.  Eva became ill when my Grandmother Selma was about 11 years old, and she was hospitalized until she died.  It was a very difficult time for my grandmother.  When she met my grandfather, the two of them fell deeply in love and created a wonderful sense of family together.  Grandfather Al worked in a shoe store when he was young, and he later served in the army during WWII.  After their marriage, he and Selma moved to Orlando, Florida, where they went into the furniture business.  Al opened the “Home Furniture Company.” 

My grandparents were important people in the formation of the Jewish Community in Orlando, and Al helped many people to decorate their homes.  In Orlando, they had four children: Jerome, Marilyn, David and Ronald.  Baby David died when he was only ten weeks old.  Even though Jerry and my mom were very young, David’s death affected them deeply.  Ron was born later.  My grandparents were not college educated because they needed to work.  Mom shared that she and her brothers all were able to graduate with college degrees and her parents were so very proud.  Family, education and our Jewish heritage were all valued in my grandparents’ home. 

 

My Parents and Me                    

Marilyn & Harvey Schulman

My father, Harvey Schulman met my mother, Marilyn Emoff, when they were freshmen in college at the University of Florida. They later married in 1976. I was born in August of 1983. In the Jewish religion, babies are named in honor of people who have died. I was named after my dad’s father, Murray Nathan Schulman, and after my mom’s baby brother, David Alan Emoff.

Let me show you some amazing pictures of my parents and grandparents enjoying me as a new born!

Harvey Schulman 

           Marilyn Schulman

 Selma Emoff

Jeanette Horrowitz

Uncle Jerry Smiling at me  (10 weeks old)

Me and Great Aunt Lillian with my mom (Marilyn in purple)

 

 

An Important Jewish Tradition at 13 is having your Barmitvah; I enjoyed mine! 

 

 

 Again, hearing the stories of my family has really brought them to life for me.  I appreciate the values that have been passed down to me:  family, kindness, education, religion, work ethic and love!