Let’s start at the beginning…Joseph Morris Grossman, wife Anna (Weiselthier, 1897-1944), and their three children: Robert Simpson (Bob)(r.), Hyman (Hy)(l.) and Eleanor (Elly, 1926-1998).

The Grossmans lived in Brooklyn, New York, in a neighborhood called Bensonhurst, at 8793 Bay Parkway.

Let’s look at the house next door, where the Ditchiks lived (8787 Bay Parkway). A hundred fifty year old apartment house…we lived on the third floor. There was a wide staircase leading up to the first floor.

We used to stand on the corner and sell lemonade, or we would roller skate or sometimes chalk a hopscotch board on the sidewalk.

On this street I learned to ride a bicycle (thanks, Dad). On this street I later broke my two front teeth on a bike.

This is Morris Grossman, grandfather to Alan and Lori Grossman (Bob’s children), Laurence and Eric Grossman (Hy’s sons) and Sheila and Ann Ditchik (Eleanor’s daughters).

Arriving in NYC from Europe around World War I, he continued his profession as a furrier and was a much-loved grandpa.

This is Eleanor at age 16, graduated from school. Isn’t she pretty?

Eleanor was smart in school and she studied bookkeeping, a profession she worked at until she retired.

And on the other side of the world, in Jerusalem Israel, the Persian Kviti clan was expanding its ranks.

Left to right (top to bottom): Shabi and Amnon Oberlander (Mazal and Arie’s children), Clara Oberlander, Grampa Shaul Kviti, Misha Mishaeli, Nirit and Ron Mizrachi (Rosa and Shimon’s children), Eran Raz (Zehava and Boaz’s son), Mira Oberlander, Rakefet Goren (Zippora and Haim’s daughter). The rest still haven’t been born yet…

The Mishaeli children (father Izchak and mother Rachel): Zehava, Pnina (Nina), Miriam (Maria), Mazal, Mishael (Misha), Aviva (Zippora)

Little blond Misha with his Aunt Rosa (Shoshana)

This is Irving Ditchik (r.)(1917-1972) with his brother Joseph on the Lower East Side in Manhattan NY where they grew up. Joseph died young, never married, and was not known to us. Irving met Eleanor through mutual friends.

Eleanor was very close to her family. Her mom, Anna, passed away when Eleanor was young. Her father, Morris, later met and married Tillie, who grew up on the upper east side of NYC, and served as a stepmother for Eleanor and a grandmother to Sheila and me. She tried to instill us with culture, taking us often to Manhattan by subway to shop and see shows.

In the photo, Morris and Eleanor.

Eleanor and Irving, taken at their wedding in City Hall NYC 1950.

Misha was born in January 1951, after his parents had moved to Holon. He was a very rambunctious child, spoiled by his five elder sisters and his parents.

The photo was taken at Shavuot.

This is Ann (born June 1952) as a happy baby.

I think this is a photo of me which was submitted and chosen to become a Gerber baby. I don’t know why this was never achieved.

And this is me in my most favorite place — Pine Tree Bungalow Colony in Monticello, NY.

From birth until about age 11, we would spend entire summers at the bungalow colony with our parents’ friends: Hilda and Frank Reichel and their children Helen and Steven, Muriel and Phil Kalika and their children Jeffrey and Lori, Betty and Joe Darer and their children Ann and Stanley. Muriel and Betty were sisters and their third sister Minnie would also be there with her family, as well as Hilda’s sister Lynn’s family. Hilda and Lynn’s parents were the owners of the bungalow colony.

My best memories of childhood were made here, on the lawns, at the pool, at the casino (clubhouse), at the store, on the handball court.

One of very few photos of my father and me, taken at the bungalow colony. The dads used to drive up on weekends and return home to the city to work during the week.

Sheila and Ann across the street from their house on Bay Parkway. Those were the steps leading up to a large synagogue. Many of our family photos were taken on those steps.

(Don’t ask me where our shirts were…)

Once again, with our grandfather in front of the house he lived in.

On those steps again…Sheila in her school uniform, so I must have been in kindergarten.

Now we are both in school uniforms, so I assume I was in first grade…

Misha, just before being burned from a campfire at age 9.

Some photos from Misha’s bar mitzvah:

-With sister Aviva

-With Aviva’s daughter Rekefet and Zehava’s son Eran

-With his parents and his eldest sister Zehava and husband Boaz

For years after his bar mitzvah, Misha would pray in the mornings with his talit and tefillin.

A few years later, once again with cousins Rakefet and Eran.

Irving and Eleanor in their home in Canarsie (Brooklyn).

After years of renting an apartment in Bensonhurst, they purchased a two-family house in Canarsie, renting out the second floor apartment. For years I would have to shovel snow from the walkway and the staircase leading up to the second floor. I lived in this house from 7th grade until I left for Israel.

And this is Misha after his army service, living in Kibbutz Yiron and working in the orchard. This is where we met. How could I resist him?

Following the Yom Kippur War in Israel in 1973, I came to Israel to support Misha and would see him once a month or less, when he would get a 2-day leave from his post in the Sinai desert (Egypt). This photo was taken at his parent’s home in Holon.

On March 16, 1975 Misha and Ann were married in Tel Aviv at the “Calanit” wedding hall on Hamazger Street.

It was a large wedding arranged by Misha’s family.

Ann’s mother, sister and grandfather were in attendance.

The wedding album was photographed by Farag in their studio on Dizengoff Street. The wedding dress was purchased in Manhattan for $100! Misha wore a light blue suit and navy velvet bowtie.

The wedding was a large and joyous occasion with hundreds of people in attendance.

Not only was Misha the only boy in his family but because his survival after being so severely burned (70% of his body was covered with 3rd degree burns) was considered a miracle, it was truly a celebration for the Mishaeli family.

In 1978 Sheila and Frank Rosenthal were married in the US. Ann, Misha and Ayla flew to NY to participate in the wedding.

Top row: Bob and Lillian Grossman, Hy and Phyllis Grossman, Ann and Misha

Sitting: Tillie Grossman (Morris had passed away in 1977), Frank and Sheila, Eleanor (Irving had passed away in 1971), Ayla (the flower girl!)

A celebration of Rachel and Itzchak Mishaeli’s 50th wedding anniversary in Holon.

Top: Aharon Rubinstein, Misha Rubinstein, Zehava Raz, Haya Rubinstein, Mazal Rubinstein, Tzeela Rubinstein, Aviva (Zippora) Goren, Eran Raz, Ariel Vinder, Rakefet Goren, Shirly Mizrachi, Ann Mishaeli, Ron Mizrachi, Miriam Vinder, Aharon Vinder

Middle: Daphna Raz, Nina Shiri, Erez Rubinstein, Tomer Rubinstein, Rachel Mishaeli, Liat Vinder, Itzchak Mishaeli, Ayla Mishaeli, Misha Mishaeli

Bottom: Roie Shiri, Amit Shiri, Nurit (Tal) Goren, Cheli Vinder

Misha loved to travel all over the Israel he loved and would take any opportunity to see new places and experience new things.

As a father, Misha loved to spend weekends and holidays with his daughters, showing them the geographical side of Israel.

Following are some photos of Misha with Ayla, Rotem, Talya, and later with some grandchildren.

This is Misha with his seeing-eye dog, Emma, who was gotten from the Beit Oved facility, and Noah Bar-On, who was not only the manager of the facility but also became a friend.

Misha became blind at the age of 35.

With Ayla, at her wedding to Udi Jarlip (2000).

And with Rotem, at her wedding to Shiri Assis (2009).

Childhood friends Roni (Aharon) Oved and Yehuda Goelman, also Omri Goelman, Yehuda’s son, visiting Misha in Omer.

Also visiting in Omer: Roni, Yehuda and Zev Bernstein, another childhood friend.

A proud grandfather…

With Raz and Roy

With Neta