Lena Minsky
Lena Minsky was born in Chicago, Illinois, at 14th and Gibson, where her father ran a feed store selling hay and oats and delivering it to customers. Her parents came from Russia, and Lena was the youngest of six children, with four brothers and one older sister. The family lived above the feed store in a strongly Jewish neighborhood, just a few doors from the shul. They were very observant, keeping separate stoves for milk and meat, and her mother made everything by hand, including wine and cabbage slaw put up for the winter. Her charitable mother baked challah for the synagogue's Friday night kiddush and made things for the old age home.
Lena met her husband at her oldest brother's wedding in Minneapolis, his hometown. He had been studying dentistry but gave it up to support his family after his father died, working instead in the ice business, cutting and delivering blocks of ice. The couple lived in Minneapolis for nine years before moving to Dallas, drawn by his two brothers who had lived there many years. In Dallas, where the streets were still unpaved, they settled in a wooden cottage in South Dallas, and her husband built a successful wholesale business in men's, women's, and children's underclothes and leather jackets, serving customers in the Deep Ellum area.
Lena raised two children. Her son, a bright young man just a year out of high school and away at college in Houston, was killed in a car accident, and his funeral drew classmates, teachers, and his AZA comrades in a deeply moving tribute. Her daughter married a young pharmacist she met in Minneapolis and later settled in Dallas. After her husband died, eleven years before the interview, Lena poured herself into volunteer work, serving twenty years as board secretary for the Pioneer Women, becoming a life member, and helping at the Jewish community center. Cared for lovingly by her devoted daughter, she treasured family above all and hoped her descendants would be spared tragedy and give love to one another.
Full Transcript
Today is the second morning of Hanukkah and I'm sitting here with a very good friend of mine, Lena Minsky. Good morning, Lena. Good morning, honey. Lena, we're going to go a bit into your life and we'll start at the beginning. Okay. Where were you born, honey? In Chicago, Illinois. You're a Yankee then? Oh, yeah. You're born speaking? Right on the heart of the west side in Chicago, 14th and Gibson. My dad had a feed store. A feed store. Okay, where did your parents come from? Were they European? No, they were in... come from Russia. Uh-huh. Okay, so you... I couldn't say just where. You didn't know where from?
No. Okay. Your dad had a feed store. What did he sell in this feed store? Hay and Oats. Hay and Oats. In those days they didn't have a gas pump. They had Hay and Oats. Hay and Oats, and they used to deliver the Hay and Oats to customers. I see. And he was with a brother of mine, was in with him. Okay, now let's go back. When you were born into the family, how many children were you? There was four brothers and two of us sisters. Were you the oldest, the youngest, in the middle? No, I was the youngest. You were the baby. I can imagine how spoilt you got, eh, with poor?
Was your family, do you remember, were you a rich family, a poor family, a middle class family? No, just a middle class people. Middle class, okay. And the heart of the Chicago, was this the heart of the Jewish area that you lived in? Yeah, it was right in the heart of the Jewish area. Okay, did you live close to the shul? Yeah, we had it right on the same block as we lived. As where you lived? As you lived. We lived upstairs at the feed store. Okay, so the feed store was downstairs and you lived upstairs. Yeah, we lived upstairs, that's right. Were you a very religious family?
Very religious. My mother shoved them all the time. She never bought stuff in the grocery, made everything herself. We used to make wine and we kids used to shovel cabbage slaw, you know, for the winter in a big whiskey barrel. And we used to stand and had a cutter over it and we stand and cut the cabbage Oh my What was the kitchen like did you say Two stoves We had two stoves. One was for milk, fleischix, and one was a wood stove. Uh-huh. And the other was a gas stove. Which was the milchic and which was the... And one was milchic, yeah. Which was the milchic, the one?
The one, the gas stove, and the wood stove was for me, for fleischix. I heard of people having two dishwashers but never two stoves. That was a very orthodox family. So did you have a... Now did you have a rabbi come and teach you or did you go to a Jewish school or did you get any Jewish education? Well, from... No, I didn't get any Jewish. I just went to my mother and dad. Taught you? Yeah, that's all. But you remember going to shul? You went to the Orthodox shul? Yeah, we had it right a few doors away from us was the shul. My mother told them she used to bake challah for Friday night for kiddush for the shul.
Ah, she was the one who baked the challah for the kiddush? Yes, she makes a collie for their kiddush for Friday night. Isn't that nice? Did you used to take it to the shul for her? Did you used to deliver it? No, I didn't. No, they used to come and get it. And then she used to make stuff for the Golden Age. It wasn't called the Golden Age because I don't know what it was called. The old age home. Like they had here. And she used to make things for them. Oh, how wonderful. So you had- She was very charitable. That's nice to have a charitable.
Well, her daughter... My dad ever shown a long beard. I have pictures of him. What do you remember of your school days? Yes, I remember. I remember my teacher's name, Miss McCutcheon. Miss McCutcheon. And the principal was, we lived right across the street of the school, the Washburn School it was called. and they used to bring me in a horse and carriage. She was 80 years old. Oh my Our principal I remember And then once I had a piece to say and I was on the stage and I forgot some of the words and there was the teacher stood right in the wings and she kept on telling me and I kept on saying Oh, that's very good.
Oh, I'll never forget that. That's called a prompter, a prompter in the wings. The kids you went to school with, you said you lived in a pretty Jewish area. Were they mostly Jewish kids? Oh, all Jewish kids, all Jewish kids. So you never really had much anti-Semitism to speak of? No. It was a real Jewish area. They were a real Jewish neighbor. Uh-huh. What did you do when you got like older? What did you do? Did you belong to a Jewish youth group? Or what did the Jewish kids do? How did they get together? I didn't mix much. Would you go to parties or dances?
I didn't mix much. You didn't mix much? No. You were a quiet little girl? I was quiet. And then we had a wedding in Minneapolis. My oldest brother was the only one married from the four. The others were bachelors. And so they had a wedding there. He lived in Minneapolis, so they wanted me to come. I come there. That's where I met my husband at the wedding. And you know, they didn't know I was a stranger to them all. So my husband, Shalom's mother, went and she come to Chicago. She had her husband have a sister living there. And she come and made a special trip.
And she come in our neighborhood. And there was a woman standing a few doors away from us she lived. and she stopped and she was standing outside this woman and she stopped and she said what kind my name was Rabinowitz Fasmer she said what kind of a girl is a Rabinowitz girl she says my daughter should grow up to be a fine and young lady as she is well that started it oh how nice and that's all She didn't go any further. She went back home and she was satisfied. So, but if your husband lived in another city- In Minneapolis. How did you court one another?
How did you date? Oh, he come to see me. He came to see you? Oh, sure. How? My goodness. Oh, gosh. Come to see me and I was washing the stairs We lived upstairs and there were stairs from the hallway Yeah So I was the stairs for the cup But that didn matter to him So how long did you go together before you We didn't go too long that same year. We didn't go too long. And we were married and I lived in Minneapolis nine years. What did he do? When you first got married, what did your husband do? He was going to a dentistry.
he was taken up, going to college, but his father passed away and he was the oldest of the children so he had to give it up and help support the family. So what did he do? He got into the ice business. There they have this way, in winter time they have an ice house and in winter time they send out sleds on the lake there and the men chop squares of ice. To deliver for the iceboxes. They keep saloons at that time, they supply with ice and restaurants and homes. So he was kept pretty busy. Oh very good. Yeah, until then we lived there nine years.
And he's got two brothers here. They're here over 60 years in Dallas. So through them, we knew of Dallas. So we come here, the streets weren't paved, there was no brick homes, there was no apartments. We had a little wooden cottage in South Dallas. What business did he go into when you came here to Dallas? He went into the wholesale. Of what? Of men's, women's, and children's underclothes, leather jackets and stuff like that. They did a wonderful business. We had at Cross Street at the old Merchants' Marr building a store downtown and he had his customers all down from Deep Ellum. They had stores at that time where they sold that stuff and all they'd keep open is till a half a day in the morning.
And whoever wanted it, come and pick up their merchandise, and I'd deliver it to them. In the afternoon he delivered? In the afternoon he had all for himself. How many children did you have, Lena? I had two, honey. My oldest was a son, a handsome blond boy. He was just a year out of high school when he went to Houston to college. He never drove a car and never handed one. He got a ride with a friend, it was on Friday night. He got a ride to Dallas and he had a boyfriend come with him and they were sitting up in front near the driver.
So he was near the window and he says, oh, I'm cold. It was a cold night, February. He says, oh, I'm cold. He says to his boyfriend, they'll change seats. So he did and he sat near the driver. Along come a big truck on the highway and it blinded the driver. He lost control of his car. Now they went. So we got worried at one o'clock in the morning on a Friday night and got worried that he's in the hospital. What happened? And so my husband so passed out. He couldn't make it to go there. So he has a brother living not far from us and I called up his brother, Nathan, and he come and we drove to Houston by the time we got there.
Him and the driver were gone. And did you ever see a funeral on television of a president's funeral? Well that's what he had. He wasn't in the army and the navy or nothing, just a year out of high school. And he had his, I was living in South L at that time, so they had his coffin draped to the American flag that broke off two blocks near my home. And they left out the high school, mind you, just a year out of high school. And they dismissed the high school, whoever wanted to come to the funeral, and the teachers. That was to show what a wonderful boy he was.
Yes, oh he was a very good boy. And he was home, I kept him in the house. and he belonged to a Jewish organization, the AZA. So they went and they made with their guns an archway in the living room, and they carried his coffin right through the archway. And when they got to the cemetery they blew out a few bugle and they shot out shells They gave me the empty shells And you know as he was gone the girls come and said he was the handsomest blonde boy in Dallas. And what about your daughter? Tell me about your daughter. And then my daughter, she was raised here in Dallas.
Did you ever work from the time you got married? I used to help my mother. But when your husband had business, you never worked with him in the business? No, no. I was never with him. All I knew is what he'd tell me, what's going on. You were always the one who ran the house and looked after the children. Yeah, I used to help my mother and show them because, you know, we were a big family. Okay, so what about your daughter? What's her name? And well, my daughter, she was out of high school in June. She was out of high school. She was 17 years old.
Then we gave her a trip to Minneapolis, my husband's hometown. And when she met her husband there, she was only 18. She wasn't even 18 years old. So she met her husband there. And so one night she calls up and she says, mother I'm engaged. Her daddy was shut up and says you get yourself right home. And two days later she was home and she was 18. So two weeks later she had told her husband what you know of her brother. So he calls up and he says can I be a son to you and take your son's place. He was only 22 years old.
He was a registered pharmacist working in a drugstore already. And then she was, so we gave him. We said yes. So he come, she was 18 in September, in July she was 18 years old. And so in September he come to meet us. And he was, and then they were married. In December they were married. And did she live in Minneapolis? And she lived there for six years. And then they come. There was a drugstore to be sold out in South Dallas where we lived three months So we called them and told them to come and see what it is And he bought the drugstore which was on Highwood and Grand and that where he started And now he's got nothing but medicine, a pharmacist, near Baylor Hospital on Washington Street.
That's wonderful. Yeah. So both... The medical tower. Both of your families, your future and your daughter's future, were both in Minneapolis. Your Shadichim were both found and made in Minneapolis. That's right. Okay, when did your husband pass away? How long ago? Eleven years in April. It was the last day of Passover. No, he was all right. He had no sickness, but he felt he was losing weight. and he didn't know, he got scared. Was he retired or still working? No, no, he still was in business to the last minute. Right. And he was losing weight. He didn't know what was the matter, why. So he went and the doctor examined him and all, and he said, well, we better put you in the hospital.
So he had to close up his business. And then they kept him in the hospital. And he says, well, we'll have to operate and see what's wrong. and they found a bleeding ulcer. And they found a bleeding ulcer, and he was at the hospital. So then they sent him home with two nurses, a day nurse and a night nurse. He was only kept three days when he couldn't move. So one of the nurses says to me, you've got to call the doctor. There's something wrong here. So called a doctor, and he says get him right back to the hospital. So they send an ambulance and got him back there.
Yeah, and when I brought him home in the, what do you call it? An ambulance, yeah. So I told the driver, I says, don't put your sirens on. That's right. I don't want the whole neighborhood. I don't want nobody to get scared. Don't use your sirens. and we went up the expressway and everything and he didn't use the siren. And then he was brought back to the hospital and he went into a coma I was in the hospital for two months I was with him after the operation and they were shortened nurses I took care of him. I used to say, Dr. Bookins, give me a uniform and I'll be a nurse here.
That's right. So tell me, in your lifetime together and with your daughter, did you travel a lot? Did you go on vacations? Did you take trips? I did with my husband. And the children, they were married already. Uh-huh. She was married. Right. And we used to go, he used to close up his store. And in July or the first part of August, and we used to go to Hot Springs and take those mineral baths. And at first, we used to go by car. And then airplanes come in. So we used to fly. It took us no time. Well. In an hour, we were there. You're a swinger.
You're right. Oh yeah, we used to close up every summer for a week and we used to go wherever. I had a sister living, an older sister. We were only two girls living in California. We made a trip there. I think I got a picture. Well that's okay. We'll see it another time because we're going to be still recording. And then we both made the trip. I didn't care for airplanes. I don't care for airplanes either. You know what he used to do? He used to put the curtain of the window. So he wouldn't look out. He used to push it aside and cover it because he saw it shouldn't look out.
I don't like to look out either. And then we used to go to Hazanetsi. Where else did we make a long trip? To California and somewhere else. How many grandchildren do you have? Well, I had just the two. My grandson, he's a lawyer counselor, Michael Bloom, and that's my daughter's. And then my granddaughter, she's got a class here. You know, we had a tragic accident. Yes, I know. I know. What's your granddaughter's name? Sandy Glader. Ah, Sandy Glader. Okay, where did you... And then the older one was going to kindergarten here. That's how she started. So she was a school teacher in public school. So she went and she used to bring little Michael here and put him in He was two and a half years and he was just six years old last Thursday Thanksgiving Day.
And he goes to public school now. And so they asked her if she wouldn't take a class. They were needed a teacher. So she took a class of children and left the babysitter. And you know what the babysitter told me? She planted a tree in Israel in his memory. And my daughter and son-in-law planted a whole row of trees there. My goodness. In, in. Tell me something. How did you get involved in the senior program here at the center? I, I, I, Were you involved when your husband was alive or after he died? No, after. Okay, how did you, the Kemp de Katz ever involved there?
I was here, I did so much work in the old center, center, community center. I come here and I was in the committee class and I was in another group too. And then I used to help put lunches behind the counter. I did just everything here. That's wonderful. And you know when they, I paid my $50 dues, which was $35, and this year's $50. So I went and they asked me for my last year's membership card. Well, I looked in my purse, I didn't have it. I got home and I looked in my dresser. I found three, honey, $77, $78, and $79. So for sure you've been a member.
So I brought it here and she tore it up and gave me a new one. What does the Senior Center group mean to you? It meant a whole lot to me. It fills your days. How many times a week do you come here? I come here Monday Wednesday and Thursday And if they have anything special if I get a ride Oh yeah we were here to the social group I don't want to. Right. So I come on Sunday, but otherwise I don't. They show pictures or so. Right. I don't. You need a ride, that's why. Yeah, that's right. And so if anybody goes, I'd go with them.
But otherwise I come. You have a lot of very good friends here in the group. I hope so. I hope so. Well, see you. When they thank me for anything, I say, don't thank me. I don't like that, hear that thing. What are friends for, I say? They like to do something for one another. Absolutely. Ain't that right? Absolutely. So I say, so why give me a thanks for it? That's right. It's my nature to take those things. You do things because that's part of you. I love it. Now I worked for Israel and my heart and soul was in it. I worked for the Pioneer Women too.
I was 20 years board secretary for our Pioneer Women. Wow. And they honored me. They went and they sent a donation to Israel in my honor and they gave me a written out plaque. I'm going to bring it in and show it to you. framed in a frame and then they put gold medallion around my head and to one of the lunch of our lunches and they surprised me. Well listen you do think... Twenty years more sick and I used to be in the and help with lunches and oh I just did everything but my heart did and so was in it because it went for a good cause.
Of course. We've got to make $2,500 a year and we take care of the children. We send them to school We even sell to take care of a child It a month and so much a year and so much a year So they take it so that we've got to make a quota of $2,500. So you've been a Zionist all your life. What, honey? A Zionist. I'm a life member of our pioneer women. Okay, now, Lena, if someday your grandchildren came here or your great-grandchildren, because these recordings that I'm doing with all of you, we're going to put in the Archives Library with your pictures in a book.
And it'll say on top of it, Senior Taped Interviews, and your name will be there. And it'll say Lena Minsky. Minsky, and let's say your great-grandchild someday, when after you're gone and after I'm gone, they say, gee, I'd like to hear what my grandma's life was like, and they're going to take this tape out and they're going to listen to it. What would you like to tell them about life, about your life, and about how they should lead their lives? If they were listening to you 40 years from now, what advice would you give them? What would you tell them about life? well, just be devoted to your children.
It gives you great pleasure to hear good news from them. And they shouldn't know of any tragedies all their life. That's right. They should be spared from tragedy. Yeah. And give love to one another. Yeah. I think that's the most important thing. That's very important, honey. I'm only happy when even I see my daughters from nine to five. they're in the pharmacy. All that carries medicine. And I don't bother my children, my daughter in any way. They get me my groceries they take my wash she takes have a colored woman wash and she takes my order for groceries every week and she buys me my clothes She brings me for Mother Day I have four new outfits two dresses this color and a white long bone with a blue jacket to it and a print.
She really loves her mother and makes time for her mother. They want me just to take care. All I do is take care of my apartment. That's all. And brings in my cooking. You don't even cook? All I do is heat up. I haven't cooked in months. Isn't that what? See, can I become her daughter, too? I'll give her my order. And my grandson two years ago gave me one of those little ovens, you know. What do you call them? Yeah, I know what they are. Yeah, microwave. Microwave. And I keep it on my counter and you just heat up. And all I do is just heat my whatever I want.
So your daughter cooks and brings you all your food. It's chicken, it's this, it's that. Wonderful. And anything I want she brings me. Say, I'll give you my order. Desserts, she brings me my desserts and everything. Okay, Lena. So I have no problem, thank God, with that. You just have to look after yourself. Just take care of myself and my apartment. All right. Bisa hunderten zwanzig, Lena. How old are you? Thank you. How old are you? I don't tell tales out of school. All right. Okay, we won't ask then, but you should be gesund. And it's been a wonderful hour talking to you. And this is what she gave me, too.
Oh, beautiful watch. You got a very, well, the daughter, there's a Jewish saying. Honey, I don't bother her. Honey, there's a Jewish saying, The daughter is the way the mother is, and you're a beautiful person, and that's why I call you. Shana Blumke. Thank you very much for a wonderful hour. It's been a pleasure sitting with you. It was a pleasure. Okay, thanks, Linda. It was a pleasure, believe me.