Ellie Crystal's Ukrainian Ancestry



This was sent by my cousin Ruth Crystal.

The Crystals are from StaroKonstantinov, Ukraine and Ostropol, Ukraine which is a neighboring city.

Our grandfather Israel Crystal worked as a merchant seaman to save up money to bring his family over. When the family emigrated to the U.S., they took a train from Ostropol, Valinya (that is what they called the area in those days) to Hamburg.

Israel, Beila and children Nathan, Sam, Fanny Rose, and Morris came over on the SS Graf Waldersee from Hamburg Jan 22, 1909 arriving at Ellis Island Feb 5, 1909. The SS Graf Waldersee's ship manifest lists Scmuel (32), Beile (32), Naftoli (11), Schmiel (8 yo), Ruchel (5), Meyer (3 y.o.) as passengers.

In New York, Israel worked at the Charlotte Russe dessert factory, packing ice cream into containers. In the winter, he would shovel snow to make money. Beila was described as a patient, wonderful woman who had 11 children total but 2 died. The 9 living children were Nathan, Sam, Rose, Morris, Moe (Murray), Harry, Solomon, Izzy and Celia.

My father, Murray Crystal, was born an American citizen December 5, 1910 in NYC. He went to college to become a CPA then later went back to college to study Fashion & Design becoming a top men's fashion designer in NYC until he retired to Florida.

Israel is buried in the United Hebrew Cemetery, Staten Island. Beila is buried in the Mount Judah Cemetery, Ridgewood, NY. Rose Crystal died, at age 98, days before 9/11 and was buried in the United Hebrew Cemetery, Staten Island.

When I attended Rose's funeral her Crystal siblings and parents were all there in spirit, including my father. They pointed at the World Trade Center and told me about a great tragedy that would happen in the coming days with many deaths. A few days later 9/11 happened. I posted about it before 9/11 but didn't realize the details of events that would follow. No one could have prevented that tragedy as it was written.

9/11 Files on Crystalinks




Ukraine Ancestry and the Crystals

This is a clip from Billy Crystal's Lifetime Achievement Award at the 27th Critics Choice Awards Sunday March 13, 2022. I paused the video to start at the place where he talks about his Ukrainian grandmothers. Last week I posted about my Ukrainian bloodline. Billy Crystal's ancestors were Jews who emigrated from Austria, Russia, Ukraine and Lithuania as were mine. He grew up in Long Beach, NY not far from where I grew up in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn. When my father retired to Florida he met a long lost relative - who has since passed - and told him that we were related to Billy Crystal. My father never pursued it nor did I. Today I have to wonder. Billy turned 74 yesterday and I turned 79 on February 17. Are we related? In the bigger picture of things we all are. Enjoy Purim the holiday that commemorates freeing the Persian Jews. Persia takes us to Zoroaster as on and on we go in the journey of the bloodline that begins and ends with "Z".

March 16, 2022 - Purim




My Granddaughter Joie holds sunflowers in solidarity with Ukraine.






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