Shirley Schnall Weinstein

From Cecelia Weinstein Rothmel:

My mother, Shirley Schnall Weinstein came to USA in the 1920’s.  Her sister Gert Schnall Shapiro sponsored her to come to America.  She lived in an apartment in West Philadelphia.  Not much was ever discussed about her early life in Poland.

My mother worked (I believe in a factory) and met many friends in her short time in America.  They all lived in the same area and attended the same synagogue.

In the 1930’s she met Max Weinstein and they were married on October 29, 1933.  She had 3 children: Cecelia Weinstein Rothmel, Moishe Weinstein and Bernie (Avi) Weinstein.  During the war Max, my father worked in the shipyard as a welder.  Many years later he went to school to become a master plumber and established his own business.  

After being married and having 2 children Shirley went to the Public School to learn how to write and read English and then became a Naturalized Citizen on January 13, 1943.  Bernie was born shortly When Betty Schnall Goldfarb came to America she stayed with my family until she married.  When Sam came to America he stayed with us as well, this was after Betty was married.  Sam also went to school to become a plumber and worked for my father in his business.  Sam, then met Dorothy Spector Schnall married her December 6, 1953.

In 1950, when we moved to our new home in Wynnefield (Phila., PA) my father was in business for himself.  My mother, among all her other chores, caring for her family, taking phone calls and messages for my father’s business began sewing.  Once a week she would go downtown to all the department stores, but she loved going into Woolworth’s (5 & 10) and buy all her buttons, thread, material and trimmings to make her drapes, curtains, aprons, house dresses, pajamas, shirts and quilt covers.  She was also able to mend and do all kinds of alterations on all our clothes.  She was truly a great homemaker handling a business and cooking, baking and caring for her family.  Shelley Rothmel Sassler (my daughter) and I still have all her sewing equipment which included zippers, buttons, thread and sewing needles that are still unopened.  

Baking cookies was a speciality that nobody else could ever duplicate.  Shirley was always remembered for her delicious, thin, delectable cookies that she kept in a Charlie Chip 5lb. can and always gave them to anyone who came over.

When I was 15 I began to take care of my father’s business until I married Garry Rothmel on January 17, 1954.  When we were first married I lived with my parents as Garry was in the Naval Airforce.  

Shelly, my daughter was born while I was still living with my parents on September 13, 1956.  When Shelley was 6 months old we moved to our first home in Overbrook Park (Phila., PA), which was right around the corner from Betty Goldfarb and family.  Garry and I used to take care of Rosalie and Irving while Betty worked with her husband (usually this was on Saturdays.  Our son Michael was born on April 3, 1959.  I remember always packing up the kids and going to stay at my parents’ house for the high holidays.

In 1969 we moved to Havertown, PA right around the corner from Dorothy and Sam Schnall and family.  Anna and Sol Schnall and family lived a few houses down from Sam and Dorothy.  Rosalie Goldfarb Lazarow and family also lives in Havertown about 8 blocks from us.

A few years after my father had died in 1978, my mother moved into a retirement home where she spent 15 years.  After about 13 years, when her health started to decline, I would visit her every day doing her shopping and caring for her needs.  She then had aides taking care of her so that she wouldn’t have to go into a nursing home.  Her aides took fantastic care of her and until this day, one of her aides, Doris is still friendly with me and we talk on the phone about all the good memories that she shared with my mother.

November 1, 1981 my daughter Shelley was married to Fred Sassler.  They have a daughter, Sarah, who is 17 years old and will be graduating high school and going off to college.  Michael married Randi Kubrick on April 4, 1987.  They had 2 children Temima and Hersh.  Temima married Gary Stevens on May 25, 2014 and they are expecting their first child in May.  Hersh graduated from Keane University (summa cum laude) in New Hampshire and looking forward to getting his masters and PhD.

Garry and I in January 2016 celebrated our 62nd wedding anniversary.  We are looking forward to our first great grandchild in May.  We enjoy thinking back to all these memories of all our families and hope to celebrate many more anniversaries to come.

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Memories from Avi (Bernie) Weinstein:

Our Mother Shirley Weinstein (nee Schnall)
She was the most kind loving and gracious of women. I remember one particular event which happened when I was still living at home on Arlington Street in Wynnefield. A man came to the door looking for a handout. With my worldly know how and experience I was sure the man was an imposter. Yet my Mother reached in her pocket and took out a quarter and gave it to the apparently grateful schnorrer. Afterwards, I confronted her saying it was obvious the man was not a pauper. Why did you so readily give him something? She turned to me and said “If a Jew puts out his hand you give him.” It was only after I became more religious and was studying the Laws of the Torah that I ran across the “Law” that if a Jew puts his hand out for Tzadaka you should give him something. She always said that when the boys (her brothers) were studying Torah (I think in the Kitchen), she would stand by the doorway and listen as they learned. I also remember she said that she used to feed the chickens with a big bucket that was almost as big as she was. She always had a desire to learn more whether English or other subjects, and she always made me do my homework before I went out to play.
Now when walking the streets of Jerusalem and especially near the Western Wall with my grandchildren they know that when they see a Jew holding out his or her hand they say “Saba please give us some money to give Tzadaka” On each occasion I see this as a tribute to our Mother.
Abraham Bernard (Bernie) Weinstein married Esther Sherman two weeks after Ira and Frany Schnall were married in the White Shul in New York June 15, 1975. Bernie began using the name Avi (Avraham) during his stay in Jerusalem in September 1971 and thereafter.
Esther and Avi have two children Levi Yisrael born August 21, 1976 and Micha-el Zvi named after Max (Micha-el ben Zvi Hirsh HaLevi) on October 30, 1978. We gave the boys Hebrew names as we knew we would someday soon move to Israel which we did in July 1986.
Micha-el married Rachel Walk and they have six children (and one due IY”H) before Pesach2016. Their names are: Hallel Shira, Kaveh, Yiska Sara, Rivka Tiferet, Riyah Leah, and Shmuel Yosef who they call Shai.
Levi married Yehudit Yeres and they have five children. Their names are: Yifah Chen, Ateret Tifarah, Elishama Neriah, Bat Zion Ayana, and Beri Yitzhak.