Embedded Files
Samuel arrived with his family at Ellis Island in New York when he was 12 years old before travelling to his new home in Roxbury, MA. Here, he graduated from The English High School of Boston as a track athlete and went on to attend business classes at Boston University. He then acquired a successful job as a credit manager at Northeastern Distributors which he did for the remainder of his life to support his wife and children.
The English High School of Boston is still around today in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood. It was one of the first public high schools in America as it was founded in 1821.
Immigration Document
Immigration Document
The document states that he immigrated to America in 1909, but he actually immigrated in 1920.
"A lot of government records are contradictory, demonstrating how records can get mixed when large numbers of people are involved."
~Paul Kalis (Samuel's son)
Many people were immigrating to America during the early 1900's to escape hardships in their country of origin. Because of the high immigration rates, official documents were often not completely accurate.
Family
Family
As shown on the government record, Samuel traveled to Boston with his entire family consisting of his father, Hyman, his mother, Naomi, and his younger sister, Sydney. Sydney earned a living as a saxophone and clarinet player and was the youngest musician ever to play at the Wang Theater in Boston.
Like many immigrants, his family only spoke Yiddish and had to learn English in order to assimilate into American culture.
"They did not consider themselves Russian-Americans, they just considered themselves Americans. Everybody just wanted to be American."
~Paul Kalis
In Roxbury, Samuel dated a woman named Ida Gaffinowitz who also lived on Ellington Street. Ida was an American-born Jew whose parents emigrated from the Ukraine during World War I to escape the pogrom attacks. Ida and Samuel married in their early 20's and raised two children: Paul and Elaine Kalis. The newly wed couple could not afford a home yet and lived in an apartment with Samuel's parents for the beginning of their marriage.
Family picture at Paul's college graduation
On the left is a photograph from Paul's wedding and Samuel can be seen on the far right. There are no pictures at Samuel and Ida's wedding because they could not afford a photographer.
Jewish Community in Boston
Jewish Community in Boston
In Roxbury, where Samuel lived for his childhood and adult life, there was a large community of Jews which enabled him to spend time with people who shared the same culture. They would have bridge and poker clubs in their homes so that people could enjoy time together without spending money (most immigrants were poor when they came to America). Jewish immigrants founded all types of synagogues in Boston, including Mishkan Tefila (shown below) in Roxbury which Samuel belonged to.
Beginning with the reading of the torah, education was extremely important to Jewish immigrants:
"Most immigrants in general are very hardworking and worked so their children could have better lives than their own."
~Paul Kalis
Note on anti-Semitism: Though Samuel faced a bit of anti-Semitism in Boston, it did not compare to his experiences in Lviv.
Mishkan Tefila, early 1900's
Mishkan Tefila, present time - the synagogue is still around today and is the oldest conservative synagogue in Massachusetts
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