Londinsky

From June 29 to July 3, 2017 a small but mighty group of Londinsky relatives descended on the Windy City (along with some 30,000 members of the Lions Club International group). However, we made our presence known and had a wonderful time meeting many new-to-us Chicago Cousins, spending time with each other and touring this amazing city. We schmoozed, had a Meet and Greet, heard stories by members of each of our seven branches, had a Shabbat service, and listened to guest speaker Dr. Joshua Shanes on the topic of immigration and we schmoozed some more.

We hope you'll plan to join us at the next reunion June, 2019. For information on this, please contact controljfg@aol.com or robftmyers@yahoo.com.

In June of 2015, 90 family members traveled to Washington, DC to learn about the history of our family and our nation. More than 45 family members toured the Holocaust Museum, others saw the Marine Corps Silent Drill team and the Drum and Bugle Corps perform, and many more visited the national monuments and museums and historic sites. At our banquet we heard from Henry Greenbaum, a Holocaust survivor and volunteer at the Holocaust Museum. We also heard wonderful stories from members of each of our seven branches.

Seated on floor (l-r)- Nora Heller, Samantha Jermak, Austin Jermak, Adam Kessler, Noam Sternfeld, Miriam Nadler, Kira Nadler, David Heller

Row 1 seated- Bob Braun, Sam Kupelnick, Elizabeth Chan, Renee Temin with Esther Bayla, Enrique Schestenger, Rebeca Londynski, Millie Madoff, Irv Davis, Fay Itzkowitz, Monie Itzkowitz, Amanda Goodsell (kneeling)

Row 2- Jamie Becker, Max Becker, Helene Braun, Svetlana Svirsky, Viviana Schestenger, Alla Londinski, Janice Pinkus, Ellen Nadler, Kaityn Thiede, Melanie Thiede, Ariel Becker, Raina Nadler, Carol Gorenberg, Claire Hyman, Annette Heller, Becki Heller, Dolores Wine, Max Pinkus, Meyer Heller, Harry Nadler

Row 3-Damian Londynski, Eleanor Kessler, Bruce Becker, Scott Sternfeld, Yury Katrunov, Ben Temin, Arkadiy Svirsky, Boris Nalibotski, Lori Kessler, Elicia Kessler, Steve Itzkowitz, Steve Kessler, Doug Barton, Wayne Kessler, Rob, Susan, Alex Lappin, Judy Becker Bryant, Kevin Levine, Kaylee Meadows, Megan Levine, Gabriel Hockey, Lorin Heller, Emma Hockey, Cara London, Dave Bryant, Julia Sirota, Etta Kessler, Michele Kessler, Mike Lappin, Linda Heller, John Hockey, Julie Hockey, Eugenia Rindner, Craig Becker, Jack Heller, Patrick Day, Gail Badner, David Grote, Jennifer Jermak, Woody Metcalf, Ben Nadler, Mort Hyman

In June of 2013, almost 80 Londinsky family members traveled to sunny South Florida for our 9th reunion. We met in Fort Lauderdale and in addition to spending time at the beach, family members visited many museums, including the Holocaust Museum in Miami. They rode the water taxi and toured the Everglades. However, the best times were spent meeting with other family members in the lobby of the hotel.
At our banquet Saturday evening, we sang along with the karaoke machine and danced the night away.

Seated on floor in front: Max Becker, Kira Nadler, Miriam Nadler, Noam Sternfeld, Hadassah Sternfeld, Bella Nadler, Jonah Nadler, David Sternfeld, Monica Gilbert

Row Two- Standing- Jack Heller, Rishy Savin, Becki Heller, Janice Pinkus, Kaylee Meadows(seated) , Melina Kupelnick(seated), Michael Braun, Fay Itzkowitz, Pam Kupelnick, Jamie Becker

Row Three- Linda Heller, Megan Levine, Helene Braun, Ellen Nadler, Tamar Sternfeld, Mort Hyman, Amy Meadows, Millie Madoff, Flo Mandel, Carol Gorenberg, Paula Dade, Liz Chan

Row Four Kevin Levine, Darren Levine, Ben Nadler, Scott Sternfeld, Luba Grechanik, Arkady Grechanik, Barbara Kober, Jonathan Kober, Eleanor Kessler, Claire Hyman, Judy Bryant, Carolyn Hyman, Sherry Becker, Monie Itzkowitz, Annie Heller, Mark Heller, Gerson Mandel, Warren Lappin, Eugenia Rindner, Alla Londinski, Boris Nalibotski, Rob

Rows Five/Six- Bob Braun, Sam Bryant, Alex Lappin, Ben Bryant, Mike Lappin, Bodhi Nadler, Harry Nadler, Sonny Madoff, Sam Kupelnick, Diane Kupelnick, Mark Kupelnick, David Grote, Dave Bryant, Gail Badner

Boston Reunion
On July 26, 2011, nearly 95 Londinsky family members gathered in Boston, MA for our 8th family reunion. We were joined by several new family members who had been discovered by our family genealogist, Rishy Savin. Alla Londinski, Elina and Boris Nalibotski were thrilled to find new family members and we were thrilled to meet them. Our family spent many hours in the Embassy Suites lobby catching up with each other as well as touring the exciting Boston area. We took walking tours of the historic areas, visited Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall, attended Red Sox games and enjoyed the Boston Children's Museum on one of the days when the temp was above 90 degrees! A great time was had by all.

On floor (l-r)- Gianna Pinkus,, Bella Nadler with Kira Nadler, Hadassah Sternfeld, Miriam Nadler, Jolee Pinkus, Jared Kessler, Jonah Nadler, David Sternfeld, Adam Londynski holding Audrey Londynski, Erica Itzkowitz, Steve Itzkowitz, Claire Hyman, Judy Bryant

Row 2 - l-r-Tara Levine, Kaylee Meadows, Annette Heller, Ben Bryant, Sam Bryant, Alex Lappin, Becki Heller, Shevah Pinkus, Ellen Nadler, Etta Kessler, Elina Nalibotski, Alla Londinski, Rebeca Londinski, Boris Nalibotski

Row 3 - l-r- Janice Pinkus, Raina Nadler, Amy Meadows, Elaine Fisher, Millie Madoff, Sam Becker, Eleanor Kessler, Christine Lewis, Diane Kupelnick, Fay Itzkowitz, Monie Itzkowitz, Enrique Schestenger,

Row 4 l-r- Max Pinkus, Tamar Sternfeld holding Noam, Michael Braun, Rob, Helene Braun, Mel Kupelnick, Allan Kupelnick, Harvey Kupelnick, Shirley Kupelnick, Michele Kessler, Ian Day, Damian Londynski, Karen Londynski, Holly London, Viviana Schestenger, Lori Kessler, Dave Bryant, Steve Kessler holding Adam,, Jack Heller

Row 5 l-r- Scott Sternfeld, Ben Nadler, Kevin Levine, Girard VonDillen, Carolyn Hyman, Stuart Lewis, Mike Lappin, Harry Nadler, Annie Heller, Mark Helller, Gail Badner, Sarah London

Row 6 l-r- Bodhi Nadler, Al Levine, Maria Moore, Tara Levine, Kevin Levine, Sam Kupelnick, Bob Braun, Mort Hyman, Patrick Day, Linda Heller, Craig Becker.

On June 25th, 2009, 56 Londinsky family members traveled to Atlanta, Georgia for our 7th reunion. We were at the Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center, just south of Atlanta. Family members had traveled there from as far away as Buenos Aires, Argentina and London, England, and from as close as Roswell and Marietta, Georgia. Although this reunion was smaller than many of ours in the past, we still had a great time and really got to know one another. We played Londinsky Jeopardy, celebrated Shabbat (and enjoyed the wonderful challahs made by Raina Nadler), toured the city of Atlanta including the Georgia Aquarium, and had our own American Idol karaoke entertainment at the final banquet. Our next reunion will be in Boston, MA during the summer of 2011.
Copies of the Londinsky family book are available on CD to anyone who requests a copy. Please contact Ellen Nadler at controljfg@aol.com.

Bottom row on floor - Left to right: Eli Lind, Gabriel Hockey, Emma Hockey, Miriam Nadler, Niece Levine, Hadassah Sternfeld, David Sternfeld, Ariel Becker, Max Becker,
Ben Bryant, Kevin Levine, Sam Bryant
Row 1: Raina Nadler holding Kira, Jonathan Kober, Barbara Kober, Mauricio Londynski, Enrique Schestenger, Rebeca Londynski, Dolores Schneider, Fay Itzkowitz, Monie Itzkowitz, Sam Becker, Eleanor Kessler, Neil Schneider
Row 2: Ben Nadler, Viviana Schestenger, Julie Hockey, Marilyn Morris, Renee Braun, Betty, Rob, Helene Braun, Jamie Becker, Judy Becker-Bryant, Annette Heller, Becki Heller, Carol Gorenberg, Myla Lind, Gary Lind, Coby Lind, Ellen Nadler, Barry Schneider
Row 3: Harry Nadler, John Hockey, Scott Sternfeld, Bob Braun, Michael Braun, Tara Levine, Darren Levine, Bruce Becker, Dave Bryant, Mark Heller, Jack Heller, Jeff Gross, Chad Schneide

The following was written by Ellen Nadler, (Chana branch) in response to the passing of Bill Becker in 2009. Any comments can be emailed to Ellen at controljfg@aol.com

You may have thought that Ronald Reagan was the Great Communicator, but you would be wrong, it was my Uncle Bill. When we were younger, we did not see him much, since after finishing college, he started a business in Chillicothe, Illinois, married Sherri and had three kids. Our family was always together for Passover- and for many other family events-either in Quincy, Peoria or St. Louis. However, both he and my Uncle Sam had developed what became known as the FAMILY LETTER. All five of the siblings exchanged letters, often weekly, with each other, with the help of carbon paper (if you’re old enough to remember what that was). It was too expensive to call and we all lived in different cities, with the exception of Aunt Mary and my mom, Esther. Years later, when Uncle Bill and family moved to Miami, we didn’t get to see them often. However, I know that he always wrote to my parents, so they stayed in touch. When the Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and weddings began, our contact became much more frequent.

It was the computer, however, that really developed Uncle Bill’s communication skills. When he saw that not only his nieces and nephews, but also great nieces and nephews were computer literate, the challenge was given to all of us. It was our job to write a family letter to each of our cousins, uncles and nieces and nephews. We were given a schedule, and if you were tardy, you got a reminder e-mail from Uncle Bill. Then if you were really tardy, the guilt began, “What would your mother/grandmother have thought?”

These letters kept us informed of each other’s doings, better than a once a year holiday letter ever could have. They kept a close family even closer. But the glue that did this was Uncle Bill.

The computer also opened the world to Uncle Bill in ways some of us would never have expected. First of all were the jokes……….lots and lots of jokes. When Uncle Bill was hospitalized several years ago and during his recovery, the jokes stopped. When they started up again, we knew he was doing better! We even got one just a few weeks before he died.

However, Uncle Bill used the computer for more than jokes. He became an on-line math tutor and helped many students master their math homework. He published the newsletter for his temple. I think that most of us would agree, though, that Uncle Bill’s greatest accomplishment in communication was what he did for the Londinsky family.

1930-2009 these were the years of Bill Becker’s life. When you see those dates, you might want to focus on the numbers, but what is even more important is to look at the dash between those years, what his dash was worth. When our mother, Esther (Bill’s Sister) died, he sat at her house gathering information from all of us about our family history. Later, he was able to transmit this information to our distant cousin Eleanor Kessler (in the UK) to complete the family history that she had compiled. Three years later, we held our first Londinsky family reunion. Bill Becker’s tireless efforts to contact everyone brought over 100 family members from all over the World to the Catskill Mountains. At that reunion, he presented us with a booklet containing the names and important information about more than 1000 family members. Over the last 12 years, that small booklet has grown to 89 pages with essays, pictures and updated information. This came about because of his tireless, unselfish efforts to contact people and encourage them to update information and to come to the reunions. Now we are not just cousins, many of us have become friends, from England, to Argentina, to Canada, to Israel and to Italy, we are one family.

So today we remember the great communicator and make him a promise. We will continue his work and we will write those family letters.