Edward Epstein was the  patriarch of one of Northern New Jersey’s more prominent Jewish families, an accomplished and respected businessman, and was often heard saying, (in his own words), “You never become poor by giving to charity.”

He and his wife, Eleanor, went out into their communities with enormous humor and wit, cobbling together a coalition of concerned citizens to help establish one of the Jewish world’s most active Jewish philanthropy groups, the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey (JFNNJ).

They were among the founders of the Jewish Community Center on the Palisades, today the Kaplan JCC.  They supported Israel with money and materiel from the days of its founding, instilling their Zionist idealism into the generations of Epsteins they created.

We’ve collected memories and eulogies of Eddie Epstein on this page and below.  Please read on.

 

Poppa Eddie’s Legacy:

A Strong and Growing Family

 

 

See the family tree, here.

 

Mark Epstein’s Eulogy for his father:

Our Dad was a first generation American born in Brooklyn in February 1925 to Russian immigrants Rose and Louis Epstein. Dad grew up during the Depression and entered WWll at the age of 18 in 1943. He served with valor in the European Theatre and was a platoon leader in the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal Citation for heroic service in November 1944. A few months later Dad was wounded in action and was later the recipient of the Purple Heart.
After the War Dad attended Brooklyn College and two years later was introduced to the love of his life, our Mom Eleanor. The couple was very active in support of the fledgling State of Israel, including not only fund raising but also Dad’s involvement in the procurement of weaponry and ammunition for the War of Independence.

Dad and Mom were married in January 1949 and welcomed their first son in 1950, to be followed by additional sons Larry in 1953, Andy in 1955, and Steven in 1963.

The growing business led to a move from Brooklyn to New Jersey in 1961 followed by increasing involvement in the local Jewish Community that continued for well over 50 years. Dad was President of Israel Bonds, also the founder of an industry division of Israel Bonds, and Dad and Mom were dedicated fundraisers, leaders and donors to the UJA Federation, were early founders of the JCC on the Palisades, and the Jewish Home.

Mom and Dad travelled the world frequently starting around 1960, including several dozen trips to Israel.

Within the last 15 years, a vocational school was dedicated by Dad and Mom in Tel Aviv in honor of his parents, and a Community Center was dedicated by Dad and Mom in Haifa in honor of the Epstein Family. These were prime examples of their continued demonstration of charitable giving and philanthropy. They set up generous charitable endowments to each grandchild upon graduation from university. This was part of an ingenious plan to teach their grandchildren the value of giving.

Their travels were certainly not limited to Israel. They travelled extensively to every continent and always purchased and brought back souvenirs and many works of art from every corner of the globe.

Dad was also an adventurer who rode bucking broncos, fished for big game fish and Arctic Char, and was a good golfer and a decent skier.

But it was his personality and business acumen that set him apart from many others. Dad was a founder of multi generational family businesses, Alden Leeds Inc. and Jet Line Products, and was always extremely well respected in the Industry.

An eternal optimist, Pop always looked at the bright side and would never worry about any negative outcome. One of his favorite expressions was “Don’t worry in advance!” He was always quick to tell a joke, completed with boisterous laughter and an infectious smile. He was a natural born leader and was quite effective and influential in the solving of any problem or issue. A very tall and handsome man, he lit up the room with his presence.

Dad’s love of his grandchildren was legendary. He was the loving grandfather of 6 grandsons, 6 granddaughters and 7 great grandchildren. The grand kids all loved spending time with him and Grannie not only on home in Englewood Cliffs and Boca Raton, but also on vacations to places such as Utah, Colorado, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Cabo.

Dad’s legacy is one that will be long remembered by his family and the community at large. His passion for charitable endeavors has been passed down to his children and grandchildren who themselves are leaders in the community and who continue to be involved to this day. We will think about you every day Dad, and never forget what a great person you were and what a positive influence you have been to all of us. We celebrate today a life very well lived and a legacy that will long endure.

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Steven Epstein’s Eulogy for his father:

I would not be standing here today if not for Eddie….especially since I came along 8 years after Andy. Oops.

I’m not here to mourn the passing of my dad, I’m here to celebrate his amazing long life, and the best way is to share some highlights and some of his incredible insights.

The complication here is trying to peel back the layers of the past 10 or so years, to get back to the guy that we remember. That we are ABLE TO in this age of continuous sensory overload is a testament to the rock solid foundation he laid and the lessons and values he ingrained in all of us.

Eddie was a guy who was 10 feet tall, whose opinions mattered, whose decisions were sound. He was practical, capable, strong, handsome, and energetic.

Eddie led and taught by example. It started with a foundation of hard work and responsibility. With a crew of 4 boys to provide the labor, we worked as a team tackling many projects which involved rolling up our sleeves and getting as dirty and tired as was required, and doing so without complaining. He taught us how to use tools, how to do a job right, and to take satisfaction in a job well done. And that was just at home. At work, we were expected to set the example, never ask anyone to do anything we wouldn’t do, and perform at the highest level. If we ever didn’t have anything better to do, the standing instruction was “pick up a broom and sweep”.

Growing up in Englewood Cliffs, when it snowed, we got out and shoveled. When the leaves fell, we raked. When it was time to open and close the pool, we all pitched in. Put solar panels on the roof? We did it. Change the car tires from summer to winter? We did it. Paint the crawlspace? We did it. Tear up the floor on Byron Avenue in Miami Beach? We did it with crowbars and sweat equity. Plumbing, painting, fixing, we did it all.

One of Eddie’s greatest (and legendary) engineering feats came in the mid 60’s when he went to build a swimming pool in Englewood Cliffs, and they hit a huge rock in what was going to be the shallow end. He didn’t have the money to blast, and the pool builder left on a Friday afternoon not sure if the job would continue. Eddie got the boys to gather wood and built a huge bonfire on the rock, which he kept burning over the weekend. On Sunday evening he took a garden hose to it, and the sudden temperature change fractured the rock into a thousand pieces. When the pool builder came back Monday morning, he couldn’t believe it. The rock was excavated and the pool completed.

One of his WORST engineering feats came on a trip to Israel about 8 years ago. The sole of his shoe detached from the upper part, and as he walked it made a slapping sound, and you could see his sock. As we left in the morning to tour, he gave the doorman at the Hotel in Jerusalem some shekels with the instruction to buy him a pack of chewing gum. Later that night, with my family as witness and to the amazement of my kids, he stuffed at least 2, maybe 3 pieces of gum into his mouth and chewed it into a ball, explaining through the mouthful what he was going to do, which was funny in itself. He then stuck the blob between the shoe and the upper and used a table leg to keep pressure on it overnight. We checked back with him in the morning and while it at first appeared to work, within a few steps it was something straight out of a 3 stooges movie with the shoe coming completely apart and long strands of sticky gum exposing themselves. It was a riot and we all got a tremendous laugh, including Eddie who had the ability to laugh at himself.

Earlier I mentioned Miami Beach, since we had a very strong connection as we drove, TWICE a year, BACK AND FORTH FROM NJ for family vacations in my grandmothers tiny garden apartment. We drove because he simply couldn’t afford to buy 6 plane tickets. I have fond and not so fond memories of driving down I95 playing “I See Something that Starts with an X”, Geography, 21 questions, etc..with Eddie driving and mom peeling oranges to feed to us. These were two day drives, back to back, about a week apart. “Are we there yet?” is probably an understatement, but somehow we got it done. This was a time when people interacted with people, not with electronics. I would not trade those experiences for anything.

There’s a great story, perhaps one of the best “Jewish” stories you’ll ever hear, and for those of you that have heard it, well here it comes again.
The setting is maybe mid 1970’s, Miami Beach, my parents out to dinner with the “older folks”, the generation who came to the United States by boat from Europe…it was Eddie’s mother Rose, both of moms parents, and some assorted aunts and uncles who were still alive. So my parents are like in their late 40’s out with a bunch of 75-80 year olds, and these were days when going out for a meal was a treat, not an everyday occurrence. Eddie and Eleanor notice Rose look both ways, and then non-chalantly take all of the sweet and low from the table and put it in her purse.
They say nothing and go on with the meal. Dessert and coffee come, and mom’s dad Herman is looking around. Mom asks “what are you looking for?” and he answers “Some Sweet and Low”. Rose says nothing, so Eddie says “Ma, I saw you take the Sweet and Low…give some to Herman” at which point she reluctantly reaches into her purse and pulls one out, and hands it to Herman. He says to her “I use two” and she snaps back “One is enough!”

My travels with Eddie: I was super fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel and adventure with Pop on a bunch of occasions…these were special trips, all permanently ingrained in my memory:
We went to Bormio, Italy skiing when I was an impressionable 14 year old. We took a magical train ride through the snow covered Alps to St. Moritz for the day. He was able to speak French from his days in the war, and I always admired that. We bought a bottle of Pear juice and kept it cold outside on the window sill of our hotel, and shared some every night. He bought me an exceptionally explicit Italian adult magazine and the rest, as they say, is history. Robin and I were just back in Bormio a few weeks ago and it was nice for me to kind of “close the loop”, imagining that trip some 40 years ago. Yes, I looked for another magazine but no, couldn’t find one, so Ben, for now you’re safe.

In 1987 Pop and I went to Antarctica, and what an amazing trip that was. You can’t imagine how much wildlife there is there…birds, penguins, seals, and whales, in every shape and size, surrounded by majestic icebergs. We were 2 weeks on a boat, and we agreed before the trip to get the cheapest available cabin (you can do that when you’re not traveling with women). The cabin we ended up with was in fact so cheap that we were below the water line. This actually worked out great for us as we traversed the very rough waters below South America, called “the convergence”. For 2 days and nights, the boat rocked back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, NON- stop. Being near the fulcrum of the boat our cabin did not rock back and forth that much, while the rich folks above us were literally getting tossed out of bed.
There was a world famous ornithologist (bird watcher) who had published field manuals and books, who was part of the trip staff, and one evening he was giving a lecture to all 90 or so of us. He posed a question: “Who knows what bird has the largest visible male appendage?” Someone in the front raised their hand and answered “the Ostrich” to which the ornithologist said “Correct”. That’s when Eddie raised his voice from the back and said “excuse me, but that’s INcorrect”. Everyone turned, and the bird watcher, somewhat taken aback, said “Eddie, what then is the bird with the largest visible male appendage? And without missing a beat, Eddie said “The wood PECKER”. Everyone cracked up.

We took several helicopter trips together, up to Northern Maine where we camped and fished, and another where we flew down the Shenandoah Valley to Florida, having adventures (and a few misadventures) all along. We always got along fabulously.

Eddie was an eternal optimist, and many of his euphemisms stick with us. It would mean something to me if you each considered one of the following and perhaps wove it into the fabric of your own lives, as to me that’s how a part of this great man can carry forward. These are the best of the best, in no particular order:

“Don’t worry in advance”

“Don’t overreact”

“Use the right tool for the job”

“Eat in moderation”

“Know your responsibilities”

“Keep your perspective”

“Don’t get mad at inanimate objects”

“If you want to know how somebody feels about you, think about how you feel about them”

“Nobody went poor giving to charity”

“Work hard/play hard”

And last but not least, “The final chapter has not been written”
Although I think for now, it has.

I could regale you with tales of Eddie for another hour but sometimes less is more. I’ll close by saying that now comes the hard part, which is living up to the standards and expectations that Eddie established and passing them onto my own children. If I can accomplish half of what he did I’ll consider it a success.

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Michael Epstein’s Eulogy for his Grandfather:

Eulogy for Poppa Eddie

It is my great honor to stand before you with two generations of the Epstein
family to give honor to our Grandfather, Eddie Epstein.

What an incredible life our Poppa Eddie lived.

Poppa was young when he went to war, but he was already a man. A
machine gunner for the United States, he bravely fought the Nazis. You
had to be burly to carry around a machine gun in World War II. You had to
be tough. Poppa Eddie was tough, all the days of his life. He washed his
hair with soap and why not? It worked. He had a stern disdain for
excess, for weakness, for excuses. He killed Nazis. After the war, he
worked in a hard place with strong chemicals, and he worked hard.

That hard work, that stern ethic, they built a business that serves as the
foundation for this strong, and thriving family. Hands out of your pockets.

Always work the hardest. No bs.

But boy, did Poppa have fun.

Poppa was part of the occupation army in Germany after the war. It was
before he had met Grandma Eleanor. Let’s just say, he was a handsome
man, and he enjoyed himself. You don’t often hear stories about people
enjoying themselves in Germany after the war. When Poppa recalled it, he
recalled it with joy. It’s the only part of the war that I could ever get him to
speak about. Otherwise, he’d just say, “I did what I had to do.”

You hear a lot of superlatives when speaking with people about our Poppa.
He was a great man, of the greatest generation, and he was deserving of
them all. He was our patriarch, always with a smile. Our foundation,
beloved by many, particularly the fairer sex. He was a builder, with a
toothy grin and a ready joke, but a proud determination, and with it, he built
a life, and a lifestyle, enjoyed by all of his descendents.

Poppa set our family’s life in motion, gave it clear direction, and he guided it
for the many years of his life. He guides it still.

His life has spanned the eras. From Jewish Brooklyn to the NJ diaspora.
From prewar NYC into the new millennium. From a family of 2 to a
veritable throng. There are 34 Epsteins in this room today who whose
name comes from our Poppa, with more on the way, forever.

Granny and Pop cherished their family, and held them fast. So fast, in fact,
that unless they’re away in college, all of them live within a 20 mile radius
of this shul. All of them.

Through hard work, Poppa gave his children and grandchildren a life of
comfort and safety, but always reserved a portion of his largess for charity.
He and Grandma Eleanor are well know, perhaps best known for
their wonderful charitable work. The JCC. Neve Yosef. Federation. Israel.

Their zionism motivated them since before ‘48.  Grandma Eleanor tells an
amazing story about the early days, before they were married, when she
and Eddie collected donations for Israel on the street in Brooklyn, and
Poppa Eddie got on the megaphone to admonish people to not just walk by
these poor people shaking their cans on the street. You should hear her tell
it.

Granny and Pop’s work for Israel will outlast us all. The many plaques,
engraved with their names, will rust and be forgotten in time, but the lives
they’ve touched will forever be the better for Granny and Pop’s generosity
and for their great force of heart. Poppa’s charity continues in the most
personal way.  He has donated his brain to the study of Alzheimer’s, for the
sake of future generations. We’re so proud of him.

Our Poppa was a goofball. He’d have long conversations through the
billboard at the drivethrough. He was frugal.

He devised a method to pack an astounding quantity of “custard” into a medium sized cup at the yogurt parlor in Boca, but
it was their fault, because they didn’t sell it by weight, right?

I can still see him, tapping his cup down, while the proprietor frowned at
him. He was famously frugal with toilet paper, too, but that’s another story.

Visiting our grandparents in Florida was always a joy. They’d take us to the
orchards to pick oranges. To amusements. All over Boca. Our lives were
enriched by their well developed taste in art, their interesting and engaging
friends, and by the hum of constant activity. Sunny days by the pool, playing
cards, visiting our favorite restaurants; we had such good times with
Granny and Pop.

Poppa’s ethic was never articulated to us. It was demonstrated, in
everything he did, in the way he did it. Life was fun, it was funny, it was
amusing, despite all of the bad in the world. You did what you had to do,
you did it well, and then you squeezed every bit of joy out of life, and
it was easy. The joy was there, you just had to see it acknowledge
it, be bold, and take it for a spin. We’ll always be inspired by Poppa to find the joy in
life, to sit back, and to smile loudly.

Before you stand the descendents of Eddie Epstein. We are proud. To be
of him, to be by him. To each carry a bit of his legacy, a hint of his smile, a
strain of his wit. Or, if we’re Extra lucky, a flicker of his reflection. And
lucky we are. Extra lucky. All of us. Whether you believe in blessings or
not, our lives have been one. We are the product of Poppa Eddie’s American
Dream. He embodied it, completely. We, the lucky, enjoy the many fruits
of his long and hard labor.

In his later days, and even from beneath the layers of dementia that
descended upon him, our Poppa would sit back with a smile, and watch his
family.  He would utter, usually to himself, endnotes.

“I did pretty good.”

“Everybody is alright.” “I did pretty good.”

He did.

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Eulogy from the NY Times:

EPSTEIN–Edward, of Englewood Cliffs, Fort Lee and Boca Raton at nearly 91 years of age on November 23, 2015. Beloved husband of Eleanor (Levinson). Patriarch of a large family of four sons, Mark and Jodi, Larry and Nancy, Andrew and Laurel, Steven and Robin. Grandfather to Josh and Lindsay, Michael and Kiera, Brett, Zachary and Alissa, Jessie and Scott Rudin, Amanda and Nick Godfrey, Danielle, Erika, Caroline, Jacob, Olivia and Ben. Decorated veteran of WWII, fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Deeply involved in the Jewish community. Eternal optimist with an infectious smile. World-wide traveler and adventurer. Adoring great-grandfather to Max, Jordan, Ava, Aviva, Leo, Judah and Oliver. Will be greatly missed by the entire loving family and friends within the community. Funeral services Wednesday November 25th at 10:00am at Temple Emanu-el, Closter, NJ.

 

And another from the NY Times:

 

 

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Following are some videos – watch at your own risk! (Not Always Safe for Work)

 

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