Jan Sadeler: Preparation for the Passover, 1585. Image by Wikimedia Commons
On the first evening of Passover, historian April Halberstadt invites us to pull up a chair as she recounts the fascinating and inspiring stories of three Jewish San Joseans: doctor/musician Ephraim Engleman, and market owners/activists Sarah and Louis Richards. An Opp Now exclusive.
Spring is the season of Lent and Passover; these two important holidays always go hand-in-hand. As a practicing Catholic who was born in a Jewish hospital, this season of reflection and renewal is special to me. My neighborhood of Naglee Park had several members of the Jewish community who have made important contributions to my understanding of the Valley. Two of them lived on 13th Street, just down my street. They all had personalities that were larger than life; they were role models for our community. They were people who reached out.
Ephraim Engleman
One of my favorites was Ephraim Engleman (1911–2015), who lived down the street at 78 South 13th Street. In 2012, he wrote a memoir, My Century, recalling his long life, which included life in the Naglee Park neighborhood. In 1925, Eph was thirteen, just graduating from grade school at Horace Mann in San Jose. He was already an accomplished violinist, trained by his mother, a Russian immigrant. His first solo performance was at the age of six.
Eph was a natural entertainer, always ready to make music. He enjoyed show business and being the center of attention; but his parents, particularly his mother, had specific plans for his future. Her son was going to be a doctor. He admits he was not a serious student; as he recalls, he and his violin muddled through. Eph received his B.S. from Stanford in 1933 and his M.D. from Columbia four years later.
He recalled that after graduation, he still did not know what he wanted to do. He still enjoyed music and performance. There was an emerging medical specialty that found him, the new field of rheumatoid arthritis. It was a challenging disease, one that needed attention. After serving in WWII, Dr. Engleman joined the Clinical faculty of UCSF. He spent the rest of his life, all 68 years, in the practice of rheumatology.
Show business eventually found Dr. Engleman. His medical expertise came to the attention of actress Rosalind Russell, curtailing her highly successful acting career due to this painful disease. Engleman became a Founding Director of the Rosalind Russell Medical Research Center for Arthritis at UCSF, but never gave up his violin.
Ephraim Engleman had health guidance for all of us. He advised to never retire, eat what you like, evade doctors, avoid falls, and pick your parents wisely. He also advised practicing the violin an hour every day. He died sitting at his desk at the age of 104, the owner of two Stradivarius violins. He gave a highly memorable theatrical performance for friends at the age of 102. Wearing a fright wig and made up as Mick Jagger, Eph sang and played the immortal ballad “I Can’t Get No…Satisfaction,” He was unforgettable.
Sarah and Louis Richards
Two other favorites of mine were Sarah and Louis Richards, providers of the finest meats and delicatessen specialties in San Jose. Sarah’s brother Jacob Lesser arrived in San Jose in 1900, establishing another market in his small Bay Area chain. It joined family markets in San Francisco and Berkeley and a cattle and poultry operation in East San Jose. The Saratoga Market was located on South 1st Street, known for its high-quality meats and imported specialties. This was the local market that could provide all of the menu for Passover.
Both Sarah Lesser and Louis Richards were from Russian Jewish families who immigrated to New York in 1880s. The two found each other in Omaha, Nebraska, and married in 1897. Sarah’s older brothers had moved to San Francisco and were in the grocery business. They welcomed the help from the Richards family. Sarah was very social and lively, and her reputation for preparing fine foods helped promote the family business.
The Richards family was living on South 11th Street in Naglee Park when Sarah spotted a large new house under construction just three blocks away. With an elevator, a maid’s suite, a large garden, and an enormous dining room, Sarah had found her dream home. She contacted the owner, banker Walter J. Curtner, and talked him into selling it to her. Curtner remained in his old house on South 16th St.
Sarah loved to entertain. According to family stories, Passover was an opportunity for Sarah to create lavish meals. Her large dining room featured a long, built-in buffet that stretched nearly the length of the room. It included a long mirror to display her culinary creations. The dining room also had a secret door in the paneling, which opened to display custom-designed racks for the table linens. Her children loved playing hide-and-seek in the cupboards.
At the time of their move to 13th Street, the Richards family included four active children ranging in age from ten to twenty-one. Sarah was very active in local PTA events, the San Jose Woman’s Club and the San Jose Day Nursery Board. She was active in her temple, the Bikur Cholim Society on Third Street, raising money for the many charitable efforts of B’nai B’rith. She is considered a founding member of the Hadassah group in Santa Clara Valley, taking a special interest in this important humanitarian group that provided nursing and education for Jewish refugees.
A century later, we are still fighting bigotry. But people like Eph Engleman and Sarah Richards used their talents to make life better for all of us. Easter dinner and Passover seder have much in common. Families gather to remember and celebrate, enjoying a good meal with special foods. Especially, it is a time to recall the words of Moses, “Be careful not to forget.”