nothin History Heroes Honored | New Haven Independent

History Heroes Honored

Allen Samuel Photos

At 98 years old, Samuel Faiman might be ready to retire. Soon. He has a couple of real-estate deals he wants to complete first.

Faiman (pictured) did find time to take a break from his busy life Sunday to reflect on a life well lived on behalf of his community.

He did that in accepting one of two awards for community service bestowed by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven.

The society — which has accumulated troves of data and memorabilia tracking well more than a century of life of Jews in New Haven, including a series of nine books—also honored Rhoda Zahler Samuel at the event, which took place at the Jewish Community Center.

Like many Jews of his era, Faiman grew up in the old (subsequently urban renewalized) Oak Street neighborhood. In fact his family lived on Oak Street. He graduated from Commercial High, served in England in the Air Force (where he led Friday night religious services and built an ark lined with parachute silk), then launched a successful industrial and commercial real estate business back in New Haven. He’s still working in that business. Along the way, he developed a commercial investment division with the Great New Haven Association of Realtors. He also helped build the Jewish Historical Society and created an endowment for it.

Zahler Samuel (pictured), too, has spent decades in tireless civic work in both the Jewish and broader New Haven communities, with an eye toward preserving the past. In decades as a city government planner, she helped pioneer a new strategy of rehabilitating rather than demolishing older buildings, in neighborhoods like the Hill. She has helped to bring more than $100 million in grant money to the city for neighborhood renewal, housing, employment, transportation and early-childhood education projects. She has also been a driving force behind the Jewish Historical Society, recording some 50 oral histories and working with other ethnic history groups in town to create and operate the joint ethnic history archives center housed at Southern Connecticut State University. Retired form the city, she continues to work on projects like the creation of neighborhood history walking tours.

Her former city government colleague, now-Mayor Toni Harp, came early to Sunday’s brunch event and stayed until the end, praising Zahler Samuel’s service to New Haven in remarks to the gathering.

Entertainment was provided by another historical figure in town, pianist Gary Lynes, who co-authored the 1957 hit Love Me Forever” (which has been sung in 56 languages). Sunday he performed a duet with his friend and fellow HIllhouse alum Rachel McClellan.

(Click above to hear Edye Gorme sing it in English.)

Judith Schiff, New Haven’s official city historian, swore in the organization’s newly elected slate of officers. They include President Albert Harary; Vice-Presidents Sidney Levine, Judith Janette, and Zahler Samuel; Treasurer Edith Goodmaster; Assistant Treasurer Lee Liberman; Secretary Mitzi Bargar; and Assistant Secretary Carl Klorman.

Tags:

Sign up for our morning newsletter

Don't want to miss a single Independent article? Sign up for our daily email newsletter! Click here for more info.


Post a Comment

Commenting has closed for this entry

Comments

Avatar for paulapanzarella