Memory Lane: Distinguished Jews of Boro Park

In the year 1917, the book Distinguished Jews of America—a collection of biographical sketches of Jews who have made their mark in business, the professions, politics, and science—was published. Not surprisingly—given that Boro Park was in those days a wealthy neighborhood—the book featured a number of Boro Park residents. We bring you a few of these profiles, a number of which indicate that their subjects kept their businesses closed on Shabbos. 

Newman Dube

Boro Park residents will remember Park Surgical, a landmark on the corner of New Utrecht Avenue and 50th Street, which was open for about a century until it closed a few years ago. It’s proprietor for many of those decades was Newman Dube, a great activist and philanthropist in Boro Park. He was featured in Distinguished Jews of America thusly: 

“The Borough Park colony became a centre of attraction not only because it is one of the nicest sections of Brooklyn, or because it is a settlement of wealthy Jews, but also because the Jews who live there have organized for different charitable purposes and it is their ambition in matters of Jewish charity the Borough Park colony should always be found in the front ranks. 

“And one of the leading spirits, one of the active communal workers in Borough Park, is Mr. Newman Dube, former president and current treasurer of Machizkei Talmud Torah. He is not only active in this institution, which has become part of his life, bit he is also a director of the Y.M.H.A., a member of the Congregation Beth El, and he participates in every good Jewish enterprise in Borough Park and in several Jewish charitable institutions in New York. He is also a charter member of Menorah Lodge, F & A. M. 

Today, Mr. Dube is in business with his brother, and they are the owners of a large factory making boys and men’s clothing, at No. 657 Broadway. On the 23rd of June, Dube married Jennie Sheinbaum, the daughter of Rev. Joseph Chaim Sheinbaum, who was the greatest lamdan of Brisk. 

Morris Bergman 

“The Romanian Jewish colony in New York has many very interesting and important personalities, one of them being Morris Bergman, the wholesale crockery dealer. Mr. Bergman was born March 8, 1876, in Jassy. His grandfather, who emigrated to Romania from Russia, was a famous scholar, and his father, Reb Wolf Bergman, was a wealthy merchant. In the year 1892, Mr. Bergman came to America, and as usually the case, he came poor but determined to succeed. 

“He worked in different places, he peddled, he dealt in cheap jewelry, he worked in a law office and tried various things in order to work his way up, until finally an opportunity presented itself for him to learn the crockery business and here he achieved success. Since 1902, he has been in business for himself and is one of the largest in the line He presently bought the six-story building at 80 Bowery, where his establishment is located. Mrs. Bergman is a communal worker and is very charitable. He is a director of Machzikei Talmud Torah and of the Home of the Daughters of Jacob, to which he subscribes “a day.” And is a very prominent member of Anshei Sfard of Borough Park where he is one of the most prominent residents. Mr. Bergman is very orthodox and a Sabbath observer.

Abraham & Louis Margolin

Our final subject (for today’s installment of these profiles) is focused on Louis Margolin who himself did not live in Boro Park, but his father Avrohom, who is mentioned in the profile, as well as his sister and brother-in-law, did reside here. 

“The shortest phrase which would sum up Mr. Louis N. Margolin of the firm of Mirken & Margolin, manufacturers of ladies’ hats at No. 636 Broadway, is ‘a young man of superfine character and attainments.’   

“Mr. Margolin is not only very intelligent and a very interesting conversationalist, but knows the meaning of the word ‘zedokah’ and is charitable to a degree. 

From the profile on his brother-in-law, Meyer Merkin (which we will hopefully bring you on another occasion) we learn that Margolin & Merkin was closed as Shabbos as well—a testament to spiritual fortitude and courage in Boro Park of yore.