Jewish geography at IAJGS 2019, Cleveland: Bellmore, Vassar, Zaleszczyki and Belle Harbor

I had planned and actually drafted several posts about the conference this past week while in Cleveland but did not complete them in a timely manner. Thinking back, however, I want to share my most memorable moments - the ones best described as networking or Jewish geography.

Once one has been to numerous conferences perhaps the most anticipated activity is not usually the presentations but the chance to catch up with friends and make new ones.

Alec and I have known each other for a few years. He is in his 20s and lives in New York City. I am, let's just say, a bit older and live out West. We already knew from past contact that he and I grew up in pretty much the same town on Long Island: Bellmore and North Bellmore. We did go to different high schools (there are three in the area) but that may be one of our few differences. We went to the same college: Vassar. We both majored in Anthropology. 

In Cleveland, Alec and I sat for more than an hour chatting and discovered that in addition to all our previously known similarities we also share an ancestral town in Galicia: Zaleszczyki (now in Ukraine).

At this point all I can say is, "Stop it! Just Stop it!"

While this was amusing, it did not (as of yet) advance my genealogy research. However, my contact with Ruth did.

A few minutes after I arrived at the hotel on Saturday afternoon I sat in the lobby awaiting the arrival of my hotel roommate who was on her way from the airport. Ruth and I struck up a pleasant conversation.

The following morning we recognized each other while eating breakfast and continued our conversation.

"Where were you from in New York City?"

"Belle Harbor."

"That's the Rockaways. I had relatives in Belle Harbor, I think. I'm embarrassed to ask but I will anyway: did you know a family named Ett?"

Ruth broke into a huge smile. "I lived across the street from them. My older sister Doris was best friends with their daughter Pearl." Ruth, her late sister, and Pearl had kept in touch for many years.

The Rockaways are a collection of small houses built on a barrier island along the south shore of Long Island within the borough of Queens.

Ruth proceeded to tell me the kind of story about Pearl's older brothers, Seymour and Herb, that I never got from records. 

Seymour and Herb Ett were very handy. As adults they moved to Florida with their families and built houses. They became successful developers. Before that, though, they were teenage boys living by the water. They decided to build a boat. 

Ruth was about 15 years younger than Seymour and 12 years younger than Herb. She was fascinated by the endeavor. They worked in their basement and allowed Ruth to sit quietly and watch as the boat took shape. At some point during the winter the boys decided that they'd have to move their craft outside before it got too large for the basement doorway. It was winter, but Ruth, ever loyal, continued her vigil outside watching the boat take shape. 

Several months later the boat was ready and Seymour and Herb asked their little friend Ruth if she'd like to go with them on the maiden voyage. 

They launched in Jamaica Bay, a body of water between the barrier Island and Long Island. The engine worked fine until is was well into the bay. Then it burst into flames. 

"Ruth, do you know how to swim?" asked one of the Ett brothers. 

"Yes."

The three abandoned ship and tried to head toward the nearest land. Luckily a boat was nearby and its crew plucked the three from the water.

As Ruth put it, "Then, they had to face my mother!"

In the 1940 U.S. Census, Dave Ett, my maternal grandmother Tillie's first cousin, was a furrier who lived with his wife Bessie and children, Seymour, Herbert, and Pearl at 271 W. 135th Beach Street, in Belle Harbour. Ethel Leibross, wife of my maternal great uncle, was actually not related to the Ett's. Her husband Simon Liebross had died and the Ett's took her in. My impression from this and several other stories is that Bessie Ett was a saint!

This is the left side of the 1940 Census page enumerating the Etts.[1]

In April 1940, Ruth's Fenichel family lived at 247 W. 136th Beach Street.[2]

Both Seymour and Herb are gone now. I have been out of touch with Pearl for a year or so. Guess it's time for a telephone call!

Love these IAJGS conferences!

Notes:
1. 1940 U.S. Census, Queens Co., pop. sched., Belle Harbour, e.d. 41-1570, sheet 6A, household 130, David and Bessie Ett family; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 April 2012).
2. 1940 U.S. Census, Queens Co., pop. sched., Belle Harbour, e.d. 41-1570, sheet 4B, household 87, Louis and Fae Fenishel family; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 August 2019).