The Abraham & Sadie Antelis Family 1895 -1955

At the turn of the twentieth century, the Jacob Antelis family of Kamenets-Podolsk, Ukraine, Russia consisted of Jacob and Gertrude Antelis and their six children; Abraham David, Mordechai, Pinkas, Chana, Paul and Sere. They were subject to repeated pogroms and many forms of discrimination. The boys faced conscription of up to 25 years in the Czar's army.

Abraham David, age 13, was sent to study with a Rabbi in Brychan town in the Khotyn district. But David did not want to become a Rabbi and was very unhappy. He returned home as soon as he could.

In 1904, three of the four Antelis brothers left to come to the US. The ship manifest lists them as Abram Antelis, age 18, Mordka Antelis, age "17" and Pinkas Antelis, age 16. They used the names Abraham David Antelis (Dave), Max Antelis and Bernard (Ben) Antelis respectively. 

Around the same time, a number of their aunts, uncles and cousins also immigrated to the U.S. from the Ukraine. Paul Antelis settled in Brooklyn, became a pharmacist and opened the Antelis Pharmacy. He married Ethel Leiberman and they had Martin and Dorothy. Jacob and Anna, nee Futterman, Antelis immigrated and had four children; Louis, Nathan, Monya and Anna. There was also the family of William (Wolf) and Fanny Entliss of Philadelphia and their children; Louis, Morris, Jack, Florence and Gertrude.

By 1910, Dave, Max and Ben had an apartment in the Bronx and shared it with cousins Louis Antelis, age 21, and Louis Finkelstein, age 6. Dave and Max were earning their livings as wall paper and painting contractors. Louis worked as a furrier. His brother Nathan Antelis had joined the army and served until after WWI.

Sadie (Sonia) Kovarsky lived directly across the street from Dave, his brothers and cousins. Sadie's father had died back in Berdechev Russia when she was just two years old. Her mother then married Benie Basilewsky (Bazylewsky, Baselewsky) and immigrated, with Sadie, to the United States. But Sadie did not like her stepfather. When Sadie's mother Anna (Chana), nee Sud Baselewsky, passed away in 1910, Sadie went to live with her Aunt Beila (Becky, Beckie, Rebecca) and Uncle Henry (Noah, Noach) Daen (Dajen, Dain, Dane).

Sadie and Dave met and then were married on May 13, 1912. Both Dave's father (Jakob Enteliss) and Sadie's grandfather (Schmul Sud) made the long trip by boat from the Ukraine to New York in order to attend the wedding. The couple had six children, Nathan, Anne, Sylvia, Minnie, Jack and Samuel. Sadly, Nathan passed away when he was only 19 days old. But the rest of the children were healthy.

During the 1920's, Baila and Henry Daen relocated to Los Angeles California. Henry Daen established a Singer Sewing Machine business there. They kept in touch by letters and visits. The Daen's came for a visit to New York. At least two of Sadie's children, Anne and Sylvia, visited the Daens in Los Angeles. One of Baila Daen's letters in Yiddish was found and has been translated.

Dave's brothers and their descendents also married and had children. Max married Tillie King and they had Fredrick and Ruth. Fredrick married Hilda Speicher and they had Carolyn (Sue), Marilyn and Ronnie. Dave's brother Ben, our family photographer, married Dora Greenbaum and they had Elaine. After Dora's death, Ben married Sophie. Elaine married Benjamin Belzer and they had Dorianne. Elaine later married Jack Wolfenson.

With the first World War and the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, the Jakob Antelis family, back in the Ukraine, had all its businesses and property confiscated. They managed to get by until World War II when the Nazi's rounded up all the Jews and murdered them.

During the time of the Second World War, Sadie and Dave's children began marrying and having children of their own. Anne married Joseph R. Zachary and they had Barbara and Richard. Sylvia married Stanley Pillersdorf and they had Nan, Frances and Ned. Minnie married Walter Lennon and had Mary, Trudy and Susan. Minnie later married Harry Feurherm. Jack married Charlotte Labinger and had Howard, Marla and Stewart. Sam married Louise "Katie" Schoenholtz and they had Jeannie, Amy and Steven.

The aunts, uncles and cousins who immigrated also married and had children. Paul's son Martin married Barbara Safranko. and they had Ira, Paula, Honey Ruth and Bonnie. He also became a pharmacist and took over the Antelis Pharmacy. His sister Dorothy married Marty Gordon and they had they had Larry, Phillis and Suzie. Louis Antelis married Anna Feinsilver and they had Max and Lillian. Nathan Antelis married Sophie Fuchs and they had Eugene and Gertrude. Dr. Eugene Antelis married Marilyn Freedman and they had Michael and Susan Elise. Eugene later married Rose.

An extensive family tree with the descendents of everyone mentioned is available on Ancestry.com. Email Richard at rzach195 at yahoo dot com for an invitation. If you can share any additional photos, dates, or other information, it would be greatly appreciated.