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More
Photos of Benny Miller |
Branch #149
Zembrover Society Photo
Right: Testimonial Dinner in honor of Benny Miller tendered
by Zembrover Branch 149 W.C.
3 February 1935 |
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Branch #149
Zembrover Society Photo
Photo, far left: Benny is in the back row, on the extreme left.
Photo, above: Benny is in the middle row, on the extreme left. |
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Biography
1912
Brooklyn, New York
Benny Miller
by his grandson Ron Miller
Benny Miller (formerly
known as Mlecarz),
the second of eight children of Moshe Enoch and Chana Zissel nee Charfa,
arrived from Zambrow in 1910. He was a tailor in the cloak manufacturing
business. In 1911 he met and married my grandmother Mollie (known as Musha)
Rachelson.
He, his brother-in-law
Ben Cohen, and his friend Mr. Plofsky joined the Zembrover Branch #149 of
the Workmen’s Circle, which was also known as the Arbeiter Ring. By 1926 he had
become an officer in the Branch. He was instrumental in seeking out,
selecting, and negotiating the purchase of the Workmen’s Circle Camp
Kinder Ring in Hopewell Junction, New York, located about seventy miles
north of New York City. During the summers of 1927 through '31 his three
daughters worked at the camp as either counselors or canteen workers. The camp
is still active today. In fact, campers recently celebrated their
eightieth reunion.
Sometime during his
forties he became ill and couldn’t sew anymore. He frequently lost his
balance limiting his ability to travel to work. Throughout this period
though, he remained active in the Workmen’s Circle. In 1936, to show their
gratitude for all his dedicated service to the Workmen’s Circle, the
Branch purchased a bakery (the Four Star Bakery located on Nostrand Avenue and
President Street in Brooklyn, New York) and appointed Benny the manager.
Although all Benny could do by then was to sit at the cash register and be
the cashier, he was productive. His wife and two of his daughters helped
out as salesgirls. His youngest daughter stuffed jelly doughnuts before
going to high school every morning. Abe Leff in cooperation with the Cake
Bakers Union Local 51 and the Workmen’s Circle ran the operation. In 1942,
rationing of sugar caused by World War II put an external strain on the
bakery. It closed just before the war ended.
Benny passed away in
Oct 1946. He and Mollie are buried in the Workmen’s Circle Section at Mt
Hebron Cemetery in Flushing, New York.
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