I was born in Russia and I came to America, I think when Taft was president. I was a very young man, I think about 20 years old. I landed in Boston and then went to Gardner, MA. My sister and brother-in-law lived there and that is where I worked.
When I worked with my brother-in-law, I didn't have to speak English because I wasn't in contact with people. My brother-in-law bought a place in the next town, Winchendon, and put me as manager but I said, "I don't know English!" and he said, "You'll learn." People would come in with their work and I didn't understand them so they would go back out.
Then a teacher, a woman about 65 or 70 years old, came in with a suit. I said, "No speak, no speak!" and she said, "You'll speak with me," and proceeded to pin the suit and show me what she wanted. So I did the job and she then told all her friends and I had so much work then that I worked day and night. Little by little I learned more words.
My store was upstairs and I stayed there for a while. Then across the street was a big store empty so I hired that store and began to do a little business. I was there about a year. But I became lonely, and someone knew someone else who wanted to buy the store so I sold it and went to New York.
My parents had come over from Russia by that time. I then met a young girl and we married and had two children, a boy, Nat, and a girl, Norma. We then moved to Concord, MA. My older brother Max, who was a tailor, was in Concord and had a shop and he wanted me to come in with him. He had wanted me before I was married but there wasn't enough work.
When we first moved to Concord, we rented a house on Hubbard Street and then we bought a house on Main Street. There were only about three or four Jewish families in town then. I never felt people were not nice to me. They were very friendly people, not cheap people but educated people. They were wonderful people.
There used to be dances every Saturday night at City Hall. The clergymen from the churches used to come to me as customers especially the high priest. I talked my wife into going to the dance one night. I said "What can they do, they wouldn't kick us out!" As we came into the door, a man comes between us and leads us in. It was the priest and we were introduced all around and we danced and had the most wonderful time. We went to all the dances after that, even some in Acton.
During President Franklin Roosevelt's term almost everyone in Concord was Republican. When it was time to register to vote in the Town Hall, they would call out your name and party and because I didn't want to be different I would say Republican, but I would vote Democrat when the voting took place because that was private.
My wife never really enjoyed being in Concord. She had friends but she really wanted to be in a city. But I had to be where I could make a living, so we stayed in Concord until she was sick and we were told to move to Florida.
Another Jewish family was the Jacobs. They were a very nice family with three girls and two boys. One of the girls was married to a Christian fellow from Lincoln, and one of the boys was a doctor. Mrs. Jacobs loved to do farming. She had a big piece of land and she made a garden with everything you could think of. She would go into the streets and get the horse manure for her garden and she grew everything. Mr. Jacobs was the only tailor in town and my brother Max bought the business from him.
Nat and Leonard had a happy life in Concord. They were acquainted with nice boys and girls from nice families. But for me and my wife there was no synagogue until one was made in Maynard out of a two-story house. That was good for a while and we had services and parties there, but then more conservative people came in and everything changed.
Norma went into the Navy and Nat went into the service during World War II. Leonard got a scholarship to Harvard and after college went into the service.
We had never had a car and then just before World War II we bought a car. Norma and I learned how to drive but Norma was the official driver. Nat also soon learned to drive, and I became so busy with work that I got out of driving.
Then Norma went into the Navy and then there was gas rationing and we couldn't get gas and then Nat went into the Army and the car was an old car just about falling apart, so I decided to get rid of it. I put a sign on the car "$100". Many people looked at it but didn't want it, then a colored fellow, who was a mechanic, looked at it. He decided to buy it but he had to come with a friend so they could tow the car because it wouldn't start. Later I met the fellow and he said he got a good bargain. The car was a good car all the time.
When we had to leave Concord to go to Florida, we put the house up for sale. I was willing to take $9,000 but a real estate lady who I knew from before, said the price should be $19,000 or $20,000. Someone bought it and was happy there for a while and then the house changed many times to different people and that was changed. I remember the Dunns, one of our neighbors. They had a son about the age of Nat and they were great friends.
Nat was very active in school. He was on the newspaper and was in some plays. He still today keeps in contact with his classmates. We would have many of his friends, as couples, visit our house and mother would love to have them.
Well, my dear friends in Concord, I can tell you one thing. As long as I live I will never forget Concord because they were the nicest, educated type of people that you ever met, the most friendly people which I have ever had in my life. And, I thank you all for it and I hope God will repay you for being so friendly to people that you didn't know before, that's doctors, lawyers, indian chiefs. Happy New Year!