Almost all of the Bezbrozh descendants initially lived in New York where many of them went into the fish business. This is not surprising since it is the business that both Morris and Sam Bernstein, who had been in the U.S. for close to ten years, were in. The only Bezbrozhs descendants who did not settle first in New York were the children of Rivka and Usher Lyutrovnik who moved in the mid-1920s to California, and Max and Clara Bernstein (Meir and Klara Bezbrozh) who went to Philadelphia to live with Clara's brother Harry Polsky.
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The first job that Max had in Philadelphia was in a spool factory where he earned fifteen dollars a week. Max worked there for a few months, then went to work for the owner of a fruit stand. This, of course, was a business he was familiar with from Russia. Max worked there for two weeks and then got fired. He felt that he was the kind of person who "couldn't work for other people". Max wanted to get his own pushcart, but because he wasn't a citizen yet, he couldn't get a license. So, his brother-in-law Harry, being a citizen, got a license and purchased a pushcart for Max.
Max eventually moved to California and went into the fruit business there. By about 1924, all of the descendants of Rivka Bezbrozh and Usher Litrovnik who came to America had moved to California and had, not surprisingly, gone into the family business of being fruit merchants. Most of the descendants of Moishe and Noech Bernstein stayed in New York for several years, but eventually, almost everyone moved out to California. Also during this period, Stella Besberas finally arrived in the U.S. in 1926.
The 1925 New York State Census
My father told me that often in his childhood he lived in the same building as, or next door to, his relatives. For example, he said when he was young he lived in the same building as his cousin Murray Bernstein.
There’s something very exciting about hearing a family story and then seeing it confirmed by some other evidence. Just recently, I found Abe, Dora, Murray and Rae’s 1925 New York Census record, and I was delighted to see right next to their names were the names of my Grandma Fannie, Grandpa Phil, and my dad Ralph, all living together at 2505 University Avenue in the Bronx. Click to the right to see them in the 1925 census on lines 27 through 34. Note that Rae is called “Rose” in the census.
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Also in the 1925 New York Census are Joe, Ray, William and Ida Bernstein living at 102 Herzl Street in Brooklyn. Joe was one of the few members of the family not to go into the fish or produce business. It lists his occupation as a dress salesman. It also lists that his sister-in-law Sarah Warenbert was living with them. This must have been a relative of Joe’s wife Ray. Click to the right to see them in the census on lines 37 through 41.
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The New York census takers must not have been very good at their jobs, because of the eighteen people in the photo below, I could only find eleven of them in the census. But Noech and Rivka Bezbrozh and all their children were living in New York City in 1925, and we have this beautiful photo below to prove it. Unfortunately, Morris Bernstein and his wife Bessie and children Leah and Herman (later called Robert) are not in the photo. (Click on the photo to enlarge it.)
Top Row from Left: Fannie, Jankel, Ruchel, Isaac, Dora (Isaac's wife), William and Dora (Abe's wife)
Middle Row from Left: Phillip (holding Ralph), Joe (holdingIda), Rivka, Noech and Abe (holding Rae)
Bottom from Left: William (Joe & Ruchel's son), Irving (Isaac & Dora's son), Moshe, Abe & Dora's son.
(Photo taken in 1925)
The 1930 United States Census
The 1930 U.S. Census has records for almost every member of the Bernstein and Litronik who came to the U.S. At this time, Nathan and Rivka Bernstein and all their children and grandchildren were living in New York. Also, two descendants of Meyer Bezbrozh, Sam Bernstein and Stella Besberas were also living in New York.
Nathan, Rivka and Jack - 1925
The only child of Yankel to come to the U.S., Noech Bezbrozh (now called Nathan Bernstein), his wife Rivka and son Jack living at 534 Rockaway Parkway in Brooklyn. Nathan's occupation was "retired." Jack's occupation was "fish market."
Click to the left to view them on lines 8-10 of the census.
On September 12, 1931, Jack started his own family, marrying Riva Balshin in Toronto, Canada. I’m not sure how Jack and Riva met, but Jack went to Canada on January 4, 1931. He and Riva got married on September 12th, and then Riva came to the U.S. on November 20th. They had two children, Morris and Violet.
Click to the left to view Jack and Riva’s marriage license.
Click to the left to view Jack’s permit to enter Canada on January 4, 1931.
Click to the left to view Riva’s permit to enter the U.S. on November 20th, 1931. The document also tells us that Riva emigrated from Russia to Montreal aboard the S.S. Malita in February of 1927.
Jack and Riva - 1931
Nathan and Rivka’s son William Bernstein and his wife Clara were living at 270 Barret Street in Brooklyn. His occupation was "dry goods." Sadly, William would die the following year of appendicitis.
Click to the left to view William and Clara on lines 37 and 38 of the 1930 Census.
Isaac, Isidore and Dora - 1923
William - 1925
Isaac Bernstein, his wife Dora, his son Isadore (later called Irving) and daughter Edith (later called Shulamit) were living at 278 E. 10th Street in Manhattan. Isaac's occupation was a sewing machine operator making girls' coats. Also living with them was Dora’s mother Sophie Teplitsky.
Click here to view them on lines 29-33 of the census.
Morris and Bessie - 1920s
Morris and Bessie - 1920s
Morris and Bessie Bernstein, their daughter Leah and son Herman (later known as Robert) were living at 307 21st Avenue in Brooklyn. Morris' occupation was "Proprietor Fish Marker."
Click here to see them on lines 93-96 of the Census.
Herman getting a pony ride in about 1927
Philip Bernstein, his wife Fannie, son Ralph and daugher Beatrice were living at 88 21st Avenue in Brooklyn. Philip's occuption was fish peddler. Philip had a stand that was attached to a market where he sold fish.
Click to the left to view them on lines 38-41 of the census.
Fannie, Philip, Ralph, Bea - Abt 1933
Abe, Dora, Murray and Rae Bernstein were also living in Brooklyn in 1930, although we don't have a census record for them
Dora, Rae, Murray, Abe - Abt. 1934
Joe Bernstein, his wife Rae, son William and daughter Ida were living at 92 Lester Street in Brooklyn. Joe's occupation was a salesman of dry goods.
Click to the left to view them on lines 28-31 of the census.
Joe, Rae, William and Ida in about 1934
Two descendants of Meyer and Chana Bezbrozh were also living in New York. Sam Bernstein (formerly Shulem Bezbrozh, who was Meyer and Chana’s son, and Stella Besberas, who was Meyer and Chana’s granddaughter. (This made her Sam Bernstein’s niece.)
Sam Bernstein, his wife Sarah, their children Anita and Jack and Stella Besberas were all living together at 1328 Rosedale Ave. in the Bronx. Sam's occupation was "Proprietor, Fish Store." Stella's occupation was "Operator Dresses."
Click to the left to see them on lines 54-58 of the1930 Census.
Sam Bernstein - Abt 1950
Stella Besberas- 1939