From my father's description of him, one could conclude that he was a character. Sam was a little fellow, barely 5'5", built solidly and used to hard physical labor. He had a tremendous impact on everyone in the family and his acquaintances. For the most part he was very congenial, with an infectious laugh that usually did not require too much coaxing to start it up. On the other hand, he could, as befitting the "ginger" that he was, lose his temper very quickly, especially with my great-grandmother, or be prone not to filter his thoughts and be very blunt with people to the point of insult. From the way my father describes him; I guess he was loved by everyone in the family without any reservation.
Having learned English as an adult Sam immediately set about to murder it as best he could. Speaking with a heavy Yiddish accent the Electoral College became the "Electrical" College, or a neighbor named Mr. Spadotta was known as Mr. Spaghetti. All in all, Sam was very proud of his American citizenship, discussed politics incessantly and was an avowed New Deal Democratic.
His pride in the United States was coupled with his Orthodox Jewish faith, although not too deeply observed, having been exposed to a more secular socialist leaning Jewish culture through the "Workmens' Circle" and by reading the "Daily Forward" the leading secular Yiddish newspaper in the United States during the great immigration of Eastern European Jews prior to World War I and subsequently served the needs of that generation until it more or less died out in the later part of the twentieth century. Sam took great interest in anything about Israel and was deeply moved at the stunning victory that Israel achieved during the Six Day War in 1967.
He left his native Russia in 1904 at the outbreak of Russian Japanese War, not having any desire to fight for a nation that kept its Jewish subjects in a state of second class citizenship.
