Anne Korolnek Wolff

This is one of the oldest photos I have in my family archives. It’s a wonderful portrait of my Uncle Dave and my Aunts Anne and Ruth taken, I believe, some time in the late 1920s. It’s one of the few photos I’ve ever seen of my grandfather’s siblings as children. I was so sad to hear that my Aunt Anne died earlier this week in Israel where she’s lived for many years. Anne was the last surviving child of my great-grandparents, Itshe Meyer and Alta Toba Korolnek, the patriarch and matriarch of my family. I'm fascinated by this photo. My Aunt Anne always seemed a little more serious than some of her brothers and sisters but she looks almost mischievous here, the leader of the younger Korolnek pack. Even though the photo is in black and white, I can see her beautiful red hair cascading over her face. She looks a bit like my daughter Leah here and is probably about the same age. 

Here’s another photo of the same trio, taken a few years later in the early 1930s. With them is my great-great-grandmother, Rivka Goldkind (Alta Toba’s mother), born in 1857. How amazing it is to see my Aunt Anne, who lived until 2010, gazing at her grandmother who would be 153 years old today. 

Itshe Meyer and Alta Toba came to Canada from Staszow, Poland, in 1910. They had four children in Poland but two of them, a boy and a girl, died after Itshe Meyer had left for the New World but before he could send for Alta Toba. I remember the sad story that Alta Toba told of how to inform her husband of their children’s deaths. She often wrote letters to her husband in Toronto, and in what seems like very strange advice today, Alta Toba’s rabbi told her to simply stop mentioning the two children who had died in her letters and that Itshe Meyer would get the message. Oy. But he did, and he sat shiva in Toronto for his departed offspring.

Soon afterwards, my great-grandmother sailed for Canada with the two children who had survived, my Uncle Herb (1904-1993) and my grandfather, Sam (1907-1995). Once established in Canada, their home at 35 Baldwin Street became a hub of Jewish life in Toronto for decades. Alta Toba was blessed with four more children, my Uncle Harry (1913-2000), my Aunt Anne (1915-2010), my Uncle Max (1917-2001), my Aunt Ruth (1919-1991), and my Uncle Dave (1923-1999).

This rare document shows when 16-year-old "Annie Korolnek" crossed from Canada to Detroit where she continued on to Chicago for a six-week visit with her cousin. The last visit had occurred in August 1926 when she was 10 years old.  

Here are Itshe Meyer and Alta Toba at a party for their 50th wedding anniversary with all seven of their children. When I was kid, we went to Toronto at least once a year and it seemed like there were several simchas that the family celebrated each year. The strongest images I have of my great aunts and uncles is of them smiling and dancing furiously at various weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. All seven of them had very successful long-lasting marriages—only one divorce in the lot, and that took place long before I was born. It never crossed by mind back then that this vibrant group would ever leave us. I thought they would be around forever, these red-headed laughing adults who paid such respect to their religious parents while also heading up their own large families.

Considering the pressure the Korolnek children must have been under to pick mates that met with my great-grandparents’ approval, it’s amazing that they all had true love matches. My Aunt Anne certainly did. She met handsome and debonair Jack Wolff when she was just 16 years old. They described their meeting as love at first sight. Too young to get married, they dated for four years and finally stood under the chuppah in January 1936. They had three children, Rhoda, Minda, and Howard, all of whom eventually emigrated to Israel, as did Anne and Jack in the 1970s. I remember visiting them at their home in Netanya when I was a teenager.

Anne and Jack celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary (!) in 2006 with three generations of their family present (including what seemed like hundreds of grandchildren and great-grandchildren and even one great-great-grandchild on the way). If their relationship isn’t the model for a successful, fulfilling marriage, I don’t know what is. My Uncle Jack died the following year, in 2007.

I’m sorry to say that I hadn’t seen my Aunt Anne in many years. How I wish I’d been able to go to Israel for a visit in recent times and sit down and talk with her. The last time I saw Anne was at my first wedding, in Paris, in 1993. I was very touched that Aunt Anne and Uncle Jack came all the way from Israel for the event, along with their two daughters, Rhoda and Minda, and their grandchildren, my cousins Nurit and Ephraim. It was great to have them there. My last face-to-face conversation with Aunt Anne probably occurred the day after our wedding in the kosher hotel they were staying at in Paris. Anne always seemed ageless to me. During her years in Chicago, her home was always the place where Itshe Meyer and Alta Toba would stay when they came to town and we all gathered there. Their daughter Rhoda died in the 1990s, way too young. I remember calling my mom from a pay phone at Farmers Market to tell her the news and she broke down in sobs. I can only imagine the pain Anne felt in losing her daughter.  Minda was the flower girl at my parents’ wedding in 1953. I saw her and her husband on a recent visit to L.A. Nurit and Ephraim are both younger than I am yet they have seven grown children who are all amazing and four grandchildren! My Aunt Anne was a great-great-grandmother four times over—does that ever happen these days?

Happily, her large family in Israel was able to celebrate Anne’s 95th birthday earlier this year. Here she is with just some of her great- and great-great-grandchildren. It feels like the end of an era. Each time someone in my family dies, it makes me wonder more about the afterlife. A big part of me believes that one day I’ll be in a circle again dancing with my laughing red-haired aunts and uncles.

Hamakom y'nachem etchem b'toch sh'ar availai tziyon ee Yerushalayim.

Comments

[Arlene]

Love this story and the pics. Leah really does resemble your aunt. Thats the first thing I thought of even before I continued to read. I also believe that one day you will all be dancing in a big circle.

[Heather]

Please accept my condolences on the loss of your aunt.

[Pam G]

Thanks for sharing this story and photos. The family resemblance is amazing! Sorry for your loss but three cheers for a long life well-lived.

[Elaine Soloway]

Beautiful story and photos. You're a great archivist of your family's history.

[Barbara]

I had no idea she'd passed away Danny. Baruch Dayan Ha'emes. It really is the end of an era. As usual, you've written a stunning tribute.

[Julie R.]

I'm sorry for your loss, Danny. The way you describe your Aunt Anne makes me feel like I knew her also.

[Pearl]

Another lovely tribute to a cherished family member, cherished family memories, and a rich family legacy. Even with some of your relatives gone, Danny, your written words truly make them -- and keep them -- alive!

[Tziona Wolff Zeffren]

We don't know each other but she was my Aunt Anne too. Her husband Jack and my dad, Noah, were brothers. I am going to Chicago tomorrow for the weekend and will share your beautiful tribute with my parents. Thank you.

[Emily Barton]

I am so sorry for your loss, but what a beautiful tribute. I am sure you will one day all be dancing together again (and maybe we will discover the "missing link" that proves we are related).

[Frances]

Not having much of an extended family, I enjoy reading about yours. The photos are great.

[beverley ogus]

wow, danny,
you truly are the archivist of our family.
this piece brings tears to my eyes. we all lovrd auntie annie.
i am home in toronto with a broken right elbow--hence the lack of upper case letters.
my mother is now the only person of that generation that remains. she will be 92 on halloween and is in good health,
you have all the amazing pictures. would you ever consider doing a book with commentary. i think many of us would consider funding the project, by the way--auntie ann had fabulous pictures i saw the last time i was in israel in 2009.
take care
lots of love
beverley

[Renee and Gerry Rosenberg]

My sister, Elizabeth, forwarded to us the very thoughtful and descriptive obituary of Cousin Anne Wolff. I especially enjoyed seeing the picture of the Bubbe Rivkah for whom I was named.
We both remember with great fondness the Bar Mitzvah week - end in the Catskills celebrating Aunt Alta Tobe and Uncle Itshe Meyer's 65th wedding anniversary and the Bar Mitzvah of their eldest great - grandson. Was that you or your brother?
Renee and Gerry Rosenberg

[Judy]

So sorry to hear of your loss. I love your old photos, especially seeing the beautiful photos of your mom. Amazing how your Aunt Annie and Leah resemble each other. I do hope you write a book, I'll be ready to buy it!

[Danny]

I would love to get all of our family photos together in book form--thanks for the idea, Beverley, I want to run with it! Thanks for your comments, everyone. Renee, that was my brother Bruce's Bar Mitzvah that was part of the Catskills 65th wedding anniversary celebration. I remember you there! And Auntie Anne--I can even remember that she was wearing a shiny blue/green dress at the big party. Where are those photos??

[Gordon]

Aw, Danny, that's a beautiful blog entry.
And, I'm sorry to read the news that your aunt has passed on. The pictures of her as a girl certainly do look a lot like your beautiful Leah. Happy memories of your aunt Anne...
Thanks,
Gordon

[anita]

Danny, I love reading about your family history; such an interesting family and so great that you know so much about everyone. It's important that the history of Eastern European Jewish immigrants be documented, seems like so much of it was passed down verbally and those who actually remember the history aren't going to be around forever (most of course aren't as young as you!). My condolences on the loss of your aunt.

[Jeannie Tanenbaum]

Dear Danny
I am not a relative butI remember your Aunt & Uncle when my husbband Harold Tanenbaum &I would come to Israel. We would visit them I found them to be such lovely warm & loving
people.I am so sorry for your loss. Charley Diamond always keeps me up to date on the family. My condolences.
Jeannie Tanenbaum