The Schechters

Who They Were

Last update 31 August 2008

The Schechter Connection

Harry Schechter was my maternal grandfather, the first husband of Pauline (Pepi) Schorr. He was born somewhere in Russia to parents I have, thus-far, been unable to identify. As far as I can make-out, his parents had two children:

Descendents of Harry & Pauline Schechter

Alma (aka Yetti) Schechter (28 April 1905 to 21 January 1999)
Alma was married on 10 October 1926 to Zoli (Zoltan aka Sidney) Farkas . In the 1920 NYC census she is listed as Yetti, age 14, occupation wholesale shoe clerk. Disliking her given name she adopted the name Alma sometime before she married. Though he started modestly (taking snapshots of passer-bys outside of movie theaters) Zoli eventually established Farkas Studios and became one of New York's noted photographers. Alma and Zoli separated in the late 1940's and Zoli obtained a Mexican divorce (about 1952) and remarried.
After being separated from Zoli for some time Alma married George Jaffe (a widower); he was with Alma at a racetrack when he died in 1993. Alma died in a nursing home in Atlanta GA, and is buried in the Mount Ararat cemetary, Pinelawn, NY

See Descendents of Zoltan & Alma Farkas .

Ella Schechter (20 November 1906 to 20 July 1977)
Ella was married (Appx 1925) to Emil Nadasdi. The 1920 NYC census indicates she was 13 yrs old and attending school. Ella was married the same year she graduated from HS and was the first of the three sisters to marry. Prior to her marriage worked for 'Readers Digest' magazine. At the time he married Ella, Emil drove a (bakery) truck. Later had 'candy' stores, often with his father William, in NY and NJ. In her latter years she suffered from a paralyzing stroke and was confined to a sanetorium in New Jersey. Never-the-less she maintained good spirits and, taking up painting - in spite of her handicap - demonstrated
considerable flair. Ella is buried in New Montifiore cemetary, Pinelawn NY.

See Descendents of Emil & Ella Nadasdi)

Rose Schechter (27 April 1909 to 19 February 1959)
Her mother Pauline remarried and moved to Franklin NY when Rose was about 13/14 yrs old and she attended HS in/near Franklin NY. Rose was married to her first cousin Alex Richter on 3 March 1931 in New York City. Alex worked at a variety of jobs eventually becoming a waiter. He had a noteworthy voice and sometimes served as a synagogue cantor. During WW II Rose attended trade school and qualified as aircraft draughtsman, never worked at it (daughter Paula born mid-1943). Rose died of Leukemia
in a Manhattan hospital and is buried in the New Montifiore Cemetary, Pinelawn NY - alongside her husband Alex.

See Descendents of Rose & Alex Richter on Donald's page.

Descendents of Harry & Sarah Greenberg

Frieda Greenberg was born Appx 1904 in New York City. She married:

    • Appx 1930 - Alexander Roff (Appx 1899 to 1949)
    • Appx 1965 - Alex Richter (10 October 1895 to 27 August 1973)
    • Appx 1976 - Saul Ganellin (Appx 1906 to 1986)

Frieda died Appx 1998 in Detroit, MI and is buried in Florida next to Saul Ganellin. The children of Alexander & Freida Roff are:

Anne Greenberg was born Appx 1906; she married (Appx 1930) Joseph Nemerove (Appx 1903 to 1973). Anne died Appx 1986. The children of Joseph & Anne Nemerove are:

  • Elain - born Appx 1933.
  • Barbara - born Appx 1936.
  • Carol - born Appx 1939.

Betty Greenberg - born Appx 1908; she married (Appx 1932) Jacob Kahn (Appx 1905 to 1975). Betty died Appx 1988. The children of Jack & Betty Kahn are:

  • Joyce Kahn - born Appx 1934 in New York City; she married (Appx 1959 in New York City) Jerome Weiss (born Appx 1934, New York City). The children of Joyce & Jerry Weiss are:

    • David - born Appx 1960 in Palos Verdes, CA.
    • Hillary - born Appx 1962 in Palos Verdes, CA.
    • Jeffrey - born Appx 1965 in Palos Verdes, CA.
    • Matthew - born Appx 1967 in Palos Verdes, CA.

  • Robert Kahn - born Appx 1938. Robert married Carol ?; they have a son, Noah.

Sophie Greenberg was born Appx 1910; She married (Appx 1934) Henry Perkins (Appx 1907 to 1977). Sophie died Appx 1990. The children of Henry & Sophie Perkins are:

  • Pauline - born Appx 1937.
  • Stanley - born Appx 1940.

Jean Greenberg was born Appx 1912 to 1992); she married (Appx 1935) Henry Morse (Appx 1907 to 1977).

Descendents of Zoltan & Alma Farkas

Richard Farkas was born 3 April 1927 in New York City. Richard married (22 Jan 1950 in New York City), Carolyn Solomon (born 10 January 1925). He died 15 August 1997 in Miami, Florida. The children of Dick & Carolyn Farkas are:

Marvin Farkas was born 3 April 1927 in New York City;

  • on 9 September 1958 (in Hong Kong) he married Mary-Jo Kay (born Kay Chong Soy, August 1933 in Shanghai, China). They were divorced in Hong Kong in 1975, after seven and a half years of separation, but remain friends ...

  • on 12 June 1983 (in Hong Kong) he married Sarah Cheng (born Cheng Suk Ha, 10 May 1958 in Hong Kong). They were divorced in 1991 in Los Angeles.

  • on 24 June 1999 (in Shan Wei, Guangtung Province, China) he married Judy Chen (born Chen Zhu Xian, 1 February 1968 in Shan Wei). Judy, has been working for Farkas Studios as China Production Coordinator since 1993.

Marvin arrived in Hong Kong 20 April 1954 and has maintained residence there. He gave up a promising career as an actor to travel to adventure and excitement in the Far East. His first wife Mary-Jo Kay is of Korean descent, though she was born and brought up in Shanghai. She attended the Loretto convent school and ran away from the Communists - with teachers (priests and nuns) from her school - to Portugese Macao. There she studied at the Santa Rosa Lima convent and later went to Hong Kong to work. When Marvin met her she was working as a stewardess for BOAC.

As a news correspondent/cameraman Marvin covered wars in Vietnam and Cambodia; the Indo/Pakistani conflict; student uprisings in Japan and Korea; earthquakes in Bali; floods in Pakistan and was on hand for important political transitions across Asia. He was also head of Farkas Film Studios based in Hong Kong.

Marvin has, of late, been trying his hand as an author. All 103 adventure filled chapters of his memoirs, "An Eastern Saga" , appear on his blog (address: http://easternsaga.blogspot.com/) and he is currently looking for a publisher. He has also written a trilolgy on Two Gun Cohen (storied body-guard to Chiang-Kai-Chek) which has attracted some interest among agents of publishers.

After her divorce from Marvin, his ex, Mary-Jo married Robert Tallon, a banker with the Banc de Paris Bas; after assignments in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok he was reassigned to France. They lived in Paris for a few years but are now (November 2000) back in Hong Kong.

The children of Marvin & Mary-Jo Farkas are:

Descendents of Emil & Ella Nadasdi

Alfred Nadasdi was born Appx 1927, died 11 August 1935 in New York City (age 8); he is buried in the Beth David Cemetary, Elmont NY.

Arlene Nadasdi was born Appx 1928, died 14 November 1930 in New York City (age 2); she is buried in the Beth David Cemetary, Elmont NY.

Norman Nadasdi was born Appx 1937 in New Jersey; he married (Appx 1972) Suzan Aboff (born Appx 1937). The children of Norman & Suzan Nadasdi are:

Ruth Nadasdi was born 26 January 1939 in New Jersey; she married (Mar 1966) Donald Kisner (born 24 March 1938). The children of Don & Ruth Kisner are:

  • Robyn Kisner - born 14 October 1967 in Los Angeles CA; she married (31 May 1996 in Malibu CA) Richard (Rick) Ross (born Appx 1954). The children of Rick & Robyn Ross are:

    • Dylan Harry - born 22 July 1998 in Los Angeles CA.
    • Arielle Hannah - born 22 July 1998 in Los Angeles CA.

  • Jeremy Kisner - born 3 January 1970 in Los Angeles CA.

  • Aaron Kisner - born 13 April 1974 in Los Angeles CA.

PROFILES

Alma Farkas

(From a testimonial written by her son Marvin, and printed on invitations to the celebration of Alma's 90th birthday on Sunday, 16 April 1995 (at the home of granddaughter Cindy and husband Tommy Weitzmann)

The earliest memory I have of mother is a picture with her two sisters, Ella and Rose, mounted on a pony down among the tenements of the New York ghetto. The year was about 1909.
one of those 'penny a picture' snaps you could get in those days. She said it was a great time to be alive. Not just for the pony rides but because a penny went a long way back then! You could get big, juicy homemade sour pickles and knishes right off the pushcarts (and it was all kosher!) it had to be for the Klein family or was it the Schechter family. I can't remember what her name really was. Her mother had more husbands than Elizabeth Taylor!

She came from Austria-Hungary and eventually moved her

brood to the Hungarian section of the Bronx up near Fordham Road. Though the money was always a little scarce she managed to develop wholesome instincts in her daughters. Honesty, integrity and frugality. She made sure they had a wonderful childhood and many friends. They grew up in a milieu of stuffed cabbage and chicken paprikash ... and Hungarian immigrants. Then along came Zoltan. He charmed her with his good looks and macho atheletic image as star scorer for the All American Hungarian Soccer Team. He couldn't speak much English but he was a striking figure and mother had picked up some Magyarul in the neighborhood so it was no great obstacle. Probably because of that heritage, language was never a barrier to romance in this family.

Well, in 1926 mother and Zoli got married and to save herself the misery and pain of childbirth she decided to have twins the first time around and that was enough! Why spoil it? She had a
couple of good looking kids if I do say so myself! She dragged us around to model agencies and even arranged for us to be selected as '1928's Cutest Twins in Upper Harlem and the Bronx'. With her constant urging (or was it harassment?) and advice Zoli put aside his mantle of low self esteem and became a power to be reckoned with on the New York photography scene. Alma made sure her boys were included in the success story and they became leading child models. To crown their prosperity the Farkas family moved to the very posh Riverside Drive in Manhattan and as time went by the sons were sent off to private school.

After about 20 years of that good life Zoli took off to other climes but ere too much time had passed the good and benevolent George Jaffe appeared on the scene. Alma's marraige to George was idyllic. Made in heaven, as they say. They were well suited to each other and travelled the world and did everything together; including fulfillment of their mutual fondness for wagering on horses. The day that George died (much too soon) he was returning from the two dollar window with a stack of winning tickets in his pocket.

Mother's humanistic strain is legendary. She played a leading part in the work of the Milk and Egg League for many years and later became President of the City of Hope charity from which she retired not so long ago. She manages to break her hip periodically but that has never stopped her. Not one to languish in a wheelchair she is swiftly back on her feet and heading out to brave the elements and challange the future. An indomitable spirit with a warm and caring heart that extends beyond family and friends.

The little girl on the pony never could have known what life had in store for her. A loving daughter, a devoted sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother and a friend. She had it all. With family ties that transcend the life of an ordinary person. She is the cherished matriarch of the family. The ruler of a huge agglomeration of devoted and loving followers from many corners of the globe. Long may she reign.

Sidney (Zoltan) Farkas (4 May 1903 to 15 July 1984)

Zoltan (aka Sidney) Farkas had come to the US from Debrecen Hungary in 1921. He was the son of Jacob (Yonkel) Farkas and Aranka Goldstein. Jacob Farkas was a Caantor and the family lived on 114th Street near 5th Avenue - a very good neighborhood not far from where the schechter sisterslived.

(the following is from an exchange of e-mail messages between Marvin Farkas and his cousin Fred Scheinbein - regarding Farkas family genealogy)

Zoltan came to the US from Debrecen, Hungary in 1921 and married Alma about 1926. I don't know the date of their divorce (which he obtained in Mexico). He subsequently married Betty Anderson (a top model) in Cuba and when he retired went to live in Tallahassee where he died at the age of 82. Actually less than a week after retirement. They had a daughter Tina who is about 46 years old now and runs a very successful drama school called the Young Actors Studio in Tallahassee where she lives with her husband John and beautiful and talented daughter (about 17 years old and in college) named Worth (Betty's actual maiden name.)

Zoltan's grandfather Wolf Leib (Liba) Useravitz married Gitel Farkas. Their children were Jacob (Yonkel), Fayga, Joseph, Moshe, and David. All changed name to Farkas except David.

Yonkel Farkas married Aranka Goldstein. Their children were Regina (married Louis Grossman), Zoltan (married Alma Schechter), Elsie (married Irving Miller), William (married Lillian ?), Irene (married Frank Robb) and there were two unknown children.

Regarding the unknown children - I remember Zoli had a frail sister they called Ettie who passed away in NYC in the '30s; there was also a brother who was killed in the first world war.

Irving and Elsie (both deceased) had a daughter, Barbara close to my age (3 children) who is now living, I believe in Las Vegas. Irene and Frank (both deceased) had a daughter named Gladys (two children) that is living in NYC. William and Lillian passed away some time ago. They had a daughter, Rene and I believe a son (his name escapes me).

Regina and Louis had 3 children. A daughter and two sons. Herb is now living in Lake Worth, Florida with his wife of 49 years. The daughter I have no news about for many years and I can't remember her name. Sadly, their son Bill and wife and three children were murdered by a son they adopted. They resided in California.

Emil Nadasdi (14 July 1907 to 7 September 1988)

Emil was the son of William (Avigdor) Nadasdi (1882-1941) and Anna Jeremias (1879 - 1959). In 1923 the Nadasdis lived at 237 E 115th st NYC, not far from where the Schechter sisters, and the Farkas family, lived. Emil was one of three brothers. Brother Armand (1909 - 2001) married Belle Altervarg (1910-1996) - their son Kenneth was born in 1937 in New York and currently lives in New Jersey. Brother Edward (1911- 2001), aka Eddie, married Sylvia Feldman - there were no children.

I spoke to Armand in 1998 he related the following interesting, if incomplete, information:

  • William adopted the surname Nadasdi at about the time of his emigration to the US; Armand thought (but was not sure) that the family surname had been something like Nikelsberg.
  • Anna (Jeremias) Nadasdi was second cousin to Pepi Schorr (the name Jeremias is well-known in the vicinity of Tur-Terebes and Halmi which is very close to where our Richters and Schorrs lived).
I later learned that Anna's parents were Jeremiah Jeremias and Eva Schorr - if Anna and Pepi Schorr were second cousins then Anna's mother Eva must have been first cousin to Pepi's father Shimon Schorr.

(c) 1997 donb@012.net.il

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