By the late 1970s, thanks to excellent work of Marc and Ronnie, who were barely past twenty, business was booming at Edelstein & Sons. Also it was no longer only Edelsteins up on the roof. By 1978, Ronnie, Marc and I were each running a separate crew and business was so brisk that we couldn’t keep enough materials in stock.

As well as they worked in roofing, Marc and Ronnie quickly figured out that the real action was in real estate. I took them to visit our buildings in Washington Heights, and let them learn by watching me work with the contractors and tenants. Eventually, we sold the roofing company to my foreman, Sam Gelber, and the boys (and later Susan too) joined us in the real estate business.

Florence and I agreed that it was important to leave each child not just with an inheritance but with the ability to make a living. Otherwise, you just spend your wealth instead of producing more of it.