Back in the desperate days when I was wretched and cold and watching people die around me, I turned to God and asked him how he could allow it to go on. I confess I didn’t get an answer, and so I became a non-believer. Nevertheless, in America I have always belonged to and attended synagogue.
At the Hampton Synagogue, I have been inspired by the example of several other big givers, including Harvey Kaylie, long the Chairman of the Board of the Hampton Synagogue, and Jerry Levin, who served as president of UJA-Federation of New York. Both Harvey and Jerry are true menschen, who give generously of their fortunes and their time to help Israel and the Jewish people.
Around the time of our first Israel Bond purchase, in 1958 or ‘59, we went to hear David Ben-Gurion, then Israel’s prime minister and considered the father of his country, when he came to speak at a synagogue in Brooklyn. I couldn’t afford a chair for the prestigious event so I sat on the stairs. It was very moving to hear him speak, even though he was the leader of the Labor Party and I was a Beitari.
Another grandson, David, works closely with Florence on financial operations out of our Brooklyn office.
Now it is my grandson Daniel Edelstein, Marc’s son, who has the hands-on role overseeing the building managers. He goes to the buildings and talks to the supers. Daniel knows it is important to go there personally, because seeing is believing. Another grandson, David, works closely with Florence on financial operations out of our Brooklyn office.