{geni:about_me} Yisroel Ber (Bernard) Ginsburg was born in Yass, Romania, on March
14, 1874. His parents were Shmuel Zavel and Channa Ginsburg. He had an
older brother, Adolph. He was a tall man for his time, over 5'10", and
was very handsome. In his youth he learned to be a tailor and honed his
skills to become very good at what he did. Eventually, he also was in the
employ of the royal family. It is not known at present the reason, but
eventually Yisroel Bed made his way to Bucharest. There he met Vette
Alter, and by the third date, they had decided to get married. This was
in the mid 1890's. The first child, a son, was born to the young couple,
and Beryl named him Shmuel, after his own father. A daughter was born to
them, and they named her Channa, but the baby didn't survive through
childhood. The political winds started changing, anti-Semitism was on the
rise, and the U.S. of A spelled opportunity. He decided to follow his
brother to the New World. He stopped in Paris on the way, so that his
wife could see her brother one last time before they left the continent.
Yisroel Ber reached the shores of this country in 1902. He set out
across the United States, looking for the best place to settle. During
this time, his wife became pregnant twice, both boys. Attempting to set
up shop in Oregon, he was in the employ of the U.S. Calvary, sewing
uniforms for the enlisted men. Oregon proved to be too damp, so they
headed toward a fair seaside town to the south, named Los Angeles. He
bought a house at 2040 West 27th Street, in the semi-upscale neighborhood
of West Adams. Two more children were born to him in Los Angeles.
"Grandpa was the one to go out into the world and make a living.
Grandma was supposed to stay home, raise the kids and keep the house.
Grandpa was very taken with motion pictures and got as many jobs as he
could, making clothes for the movies. He liked rubbing shoulders with the
movie people. This was something that he did alone, without his wife or
kids. Grandpa was a very domineering man who felt that he needed to
establish himself as the head of the house. One time he brought home a
piece of meat. Grandma was not sure whether or not it was kosher. Grandpa
insisted that she cook it for him, so she did. Once he ate, she buried
every utensil that had touched the meat, in the backyard. She followed
his orders, but she had a mind of her own and she did what she thought
was right, even if he got angry.
"Grandpa's temper was well known in the family. When Sam left
home and married an older woman (Rose) Grandpa did not speak to them for
quite some time. Then when Sam divorced, Grandpa felt he brought shame
to the family and again did not speak to him. He had very strong ideas
on what his children should and should not do. My mom was not allowed to
move out of her parent's home until well after she was married. In fact
my Dad moved into the house when they first got married and then they
moved back when Grandpa died. Maybe that's why they were married in 1933
and had no kids until 1940. Grandpa also did not approve of Jay's
lifestyle. Jay went into the service and then moved to Yosemite. I am
not sure what the argument was, but I have letters my mother and Jay
wrote to each other and she had to receive them at work, because Jay
could not even write to her at home. Mom and Dad were married in Grandma
and Grandpa's living room and only her brothers and their spouses were
present, but Jay did not come because of the fight with Grandpa."-by his
granddaughter Shirley
Bernard Worked in his career anthill he died in 1934. Compared to
others in the family, he died young, before any of his grandchildren were
born. He is interred in the Beth Israel cemetery, in Los Angeles.