A Dozen Ancestors

 

    My parents met on a blind date. Dad was convinced he met his future wife and wrote a letter to his brother Bernie, telling him so. When he brought Minnie to Erie to meet his family he warned her that he came from a big family so she shouldn’t be intimidated. Minnie’s response was “Hold my beer.” I actually don’t remember ever seeing my mother drink a beer but her point was that her family was pretty large itself. 

     Minnie’s mother, Ruchel Boxinbaum nee Pasternak was the oldest of 12 siblings. Rachel, Rebecca, Jenny, Jacob, Sarah, Joe, Yetta, Carl, Samuel, Miriam, Bena, and Goldie were the pride and joy of Moshe and Bailah Pasternak. They were all born in Poland and most of them emigrated into Canada. Last Sunday, descendants of these 12 siblings held a Zoom Hanukah candle lighting. 20 people chimed in representing 8 of the 12 aforementioned Pasternaks. Participants were in Florida, Toronto, California, Colorado, Buffalo, and France.

     I have intimate knowledge of my father’s side of the family. We lived near his parents when I was a kid and every family member made the trip to Erie to visit them. I had plenty of opportunity to meet not only my first cousins but second cousins as well. My father told me stories all of the time about the relatives in the Pittsburgh area and helped me fill in the family tree at the beginning of my genealogical adventure. 

    My Pasternak family was a bit of a mystery to me. I don’t remember how many of the siblings I ever met but the only one I remember meeting more than once was Carl. I know that he was a carpenter and my father always respected his ability. Even my own grandmother, Rachel was a mystery to me. She had been institutionalized and I don’t ever remember visiting her until I was about 15 years old. Here are some pictures of some of the Pasternak siblings. 

Jennie Skulko, Minnie Levine, Carl Pasternak, Michael Klein

Rachel Pasternak
Sam and Blanche Pasternak with my Levine family
Joe Skulko, Carl Pasternak, Jenny Skulko, Millie Skulko, Sam Pasternak, Blanche Pasternak
Minnie Levine and Carl Pasternak
 

    It does turn out that the Pasternak family was quite large. Thanks to Ron Pasternak (Carl’s son and my mothers 1st cousin) my Pasternak branch goes back to Melach Pasternak who was born around 1840. Ron has put together a family tree with close to 800 people on it and he sends out updates regularly. The Zoom session we had on Sunday allowed me to put a face to many of the names on my tree and an opportunity to engage with them to add more to my family history. The pandemic has spawned family Zoom sessions for most people in the world as a way to see each other without the possibility of spreading the virus. I look forward to the next meeting with my Pasternak cousins to further enhance my familiarity with them.

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