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  THE BURAK-GNIAZDOWICZ WING 

Second Floor

 

The Chatzkel and Lena Burack Room



Chatzkel and Lena Burack
New Haven, Connecticut

"I have many recollections of my grandfather Chatzkel, but in the absence of a one on one conversation, I will try and relate a few. Chatzkel was Orthodox, going to shul twice a day at the Jewish Home for the Aged just around the corner from our house. He lived upstairs with Bertha and Phil Sheff and I lived downstairs. When I was about 6, he got an aged rabbi from the Home to come to my house to give me Hebrew lessons until I decided I wanted a Hebrew education with other students in a more conservative setting. He was a shoemaker and had a tiny store in the ethnic neighborhood of Legion Avenue in New Haven. When he retired, he continued to fix shoes in our basement. How I wish I had his tools now. He never let me discard old shoes, always fixing them up and shining them brightly to get a little more wear out of them.

 

Every year, he would purchase grapes, borrow a wine press and make a year's supply and I would help him in this chore. Every Friday night I would go upstairs and say Kiddush with him.

 

He was a very active man and even at his old age, he would shovel the snow, sweep the leaves and other outdoor chores, saving me the job of doing it. He loved to sing and joyously would sing the Kiddush and all the songs at the Passover Seders. His pleasures were drinking a few schnapps and smoking cigars. That made gift giving easy for his children. He also loved to dance and at weddings he would always be on the floor with all eyes watching him as he pranced about. He would entertain by doing the Russian Kazatzka. How I wish I had questioned him more about his life in the old country."  -- grandson Kenneth Burack
 

 

           The Max and Dora Burack Room

        The Samuel and Edith Burack Room

           The Bertha and Philip Sheff Room

           The Joseph and Tillie Burack Room

           The Meyer and Rose Burack Room

           The Philip and Lottie Burack Room

           A Day at the Zoo with the Buracks

 

                          
 























 



 

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