July 20, 2015

Cyril Sulski

Cyril Sulski was born and raised in South Africa, where his family was in agriculture but also kept a home in the city. He divided his childhood between school in town and weekends and holidays on the farm, an experience he treasured. His family was shaped in large part by the care of his brother, who had cerebral palsy, and when his brother could no longer attend school, the family sold up and moved back to the farm, from which Cyril attended school daily. He grew up in a strong traditional Jewish home, learning religious observance at home and attending Hebrew school, and later returned to take over the family business, which he closed down before moving to the United States. He came from the Glenhazel community in Johannesburg, which he described as one of the top Orthodox communities in the diaspora.

Cyril first came to Dallas in March 1979 to visit a cousin who had moved there, and he liked the city. Over the years he became a continuous visitor, especially after his sister Leslie and her husband, who had initially moved to St. Louis and disliked it, relocated permanently to Dallas in 1982. After marrying in 1991 and having two sons, Cyril and his wife received their immigration papers and moved to the United States in 2001. A major motivating factor was the Akiba school system, which was not dissimilar to the one his sons had attended in Johannesburg. His mother came with the family and lived in Dallas for nearly ten years. The family faced cultural adjustments, learning to feel their way and adapt rather than hold to fixed expectations.

In Dallas, Cyril first sought employment, then did business consulting before settling into trading the financial markets. He and his wife, both from strongly traditional homes, maintained nearly all of their South African Jewish traditions while making adjustments to fit into their new community. Having helped Rabbi Rodin start a congregation during an extended stay in Dallas in 1986, the family ultimately chose a congregation better suited to their sons attending the Akiba school. His sons went on to attend Drexel University in Philadelphia and the University of Texas at Austin. Cyril became a United States citizen, expressing a deep commitment to the country he loves. He is glad he came, chiefly because he wanted his children to have the freedom and ability to build a better life.

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