Bubbie Evelyn and Zadie Hy dancing in the Islands

This is the beginning of My Spotlight for my Zadie (Grandfather) Chaim Ben Avigdor, Hyman Ziff, OBM, who passed away when I was 13. He taught me many things during the time I knew him. I also have realized he has not been very far since then….

I have built this business of One World Blue, LLC on his desk which he used as well for his business. It is made of Solid Oak 🙂 He was a contractor and builder. He was a great carpenter and a great man and he used his desk and business to Create a better world. Now I use his desk as my personal Space to also Create a better World, A One World Blue !!! 🙂

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During Christmas, even though we were Jewish, he would sing Christmas Carols on his Organ and also give gifts to his workers and even those who served his house from the city, i.e. the mail delivery, sanitation engineers, and any one else he was able to give to.

Bubbie Evelyn and Myself at my Bar Mitzvah

Zadie, Mom and Bubbie in Holiday House Pittsburgh PA

Passover Seder at Zadies House 1975

Singing with Bobie and Zadie

Zadie Hy was also President of our congregation for many years, Bnai Emunoh, which means Children of Faith. I have gone to shul (synagogue) there since I was young, with old timers of the shul who have since passed, such as Harry Storh and Milton Zelkowitz, as well as with my Bubbie (Grandma) and my Aunt Bebe as they played Bingo when I was young in the social hall. The members were even able to pay off the building of the synagogue and help with operations and endowment from the bingo and community volunteers who helped run it. The Power of Good Team Work!!!

My Zadie was also a proud Mason as well as a Shriner. He gave back his success to many people.

He was also a great musician as I have already partially noted and he had a band when he was younger called Hy Ziff and The Melody Boys.

I will be posting pictures of things which he either gave as gifts to me or my family, or made himself with his own hands in his workshop in his basement and backyard wood shed, as well as pictures of my Zadie and our Family.

Ziff Family History

The Ziff’s came from Kovno, Lithuania, just over the bridge from Vilna. My family tree has been researched extensively by our cousin Simon Ziff. Our family at some point also married into the Vilna Goan’s family. He was an important Rabbi that lived several centuries ago.

Part of the Ziff family moved to England and my family moved to the US. In England, our relatives co-founded Marks and Spencer Department Store. Co-Founded by Baron Israel Sieff (name was changed from Ziff to Sieff) and Simon Marks. Marks and Spencer originally started out with Penny Bazaars. Our family back in Kovno, I am told by my Aunt Natalie, were originally horse traders and also had a trading post. Business has been in our family 🙂 [On both of my sides].

So more to come soon, but I wanted to start this spotlight and I will add more photos and information with time.

Thank you for looking and reading into our family history. I believe that Ancestry is important and should be respected, honored and upheld.

Now Some History with Photos 🙂

Our Family Record Album

(Made by Zadie Hy)

Family Tanach (Bible)

Corsage my Zadie gave my Bubbie:

My Zadie’s Trumpet:

(Picture of my Zadie and siblings in background with Flag)

My Bubbie’s Father’s Machzor (For High Holiday Services) and also his Tefillin (Phylactries)

[Machzor is from Lublin, Poland 1878]

Family Kiddush Cups (For Sanctifying Shabbat Sabbath)

My Zadie’s Shalom Plaque

My Zadie’s Shalom Plaque which I found while learning in Israel in the Kabbalistic City of Tsfat in 1999. Brought there by Tuvia Bass who got it from his grandmother who passed away the year earlier. Turns out Tuvia’s grandmother was best friends with my Zadie’s sister who lived in the same city as Tuvia’s grandmother in Lakeland Florida. My Zadie made this plaque at least 25 years before I found it in Tsfat and had given it as a gift to his Sister and Friend in Lakeland Florida many years before only for me to find it in 1999 when I was learning in the place and time Tuvia had  also been! Turns out you see my Grandfather has never been far from me even though he passed away in 1986 when I was 13. 🙂

Some of Zadie’s work tools and personal items he used to Create a better world, now I use his desk as my personal Space to also Create a better World, A One World Blue !!! 🙂

My best,

Joel

AKA

Naphtali Ziff Pirchesky

[Naphtali Chaim ben Alta Chaya Mulka]

Founder and CEO of One World Blue, LLC