Eisenberg Family Papers

Arthur Eisenberg and his sister, Gertrude, were born in Dubno, Poland. The two were sent by their family to the United States, near New Orleans, around 1925. Gertrude met and married Irvine Kaplan in New Orleans and the two settled in Houma, Louisiana. Arthur met his future wife, Winnie Helman, in New Orleans and the two married in 1930. Winnie and her father had moved to New Orleans from Cleveland, Ohio, after the death of Winnie’s mother. Winnie was placed in a Jewish Day Camp in New Orleans and raised primarily by relatives in the area.

Winnie and Arthur moved to Houston in 1930 where they had a son, Al, in 1931, and a daughter, Roz, in 1935. Arthur made a living as a dry goods peddler, and Winnie held several jobs in Houston before opening her own dry goods store on Almeda. Arthur and Winnie belonged to Congregation Adath Yeshurun, which later merged with Congregation Beth El to become Congregation Beth Yeshurun. Al and Roz graduated from San Jacinto High School, with Al going on to graduate from Texas A&M and Roz from Texas State College for Women in Denton, Texas. After graduating from college, Al joined the Air Force. Roz settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico, teaching at its School for the Deaf.

Marcello Rosenblum was born in Poland and migrated with his family through Europe where some settled in Amsterdam. Marcello and his two brothers left Europe and found their way to Mexico City. While on a trip to Oklahoma, Marcello met Sylvia Futorensky (later shortened to Futor). The two married in Marshall, Texas, near where Sylvia grew up in Tyler, Texas. Marcello and Sylvia returned to Mexico City, but Sylvia wanted her children to be American citizens, so she returned to Texas to have their son and daughter (Marilynn). Marilynn was born in Longview, Texas, in 1937, and her brother was born in Marshall, Texas. The Rosenblum family moved to Houston in 1947. Marcello worked for Lacks Furniture and later for Finger’s Furniture, where he retired. Sylvia held numerous sales positions and was a prolific knitter. She and a partner opened Travel Unlimited in Rice Village. They sold the agency, and Sylvia and her two children established Apple Travel as a family business. Marilynn received a BS in Religions of the World and her brother graduated from Tulane and University of Texas School of Law.

Al Eisenberg married Marilynn Rosenblum in July 1956, at Temple Emanu El. The couple had three children, two sons and one daughter. After twenty-one years absence, the couple returned to Houston and settled in West University. Al worked for, and retired, from the Boeing Company where he was the Director of the Houston Office. Both were active with Congregation Emanu El. Marilynn was Sisterhood President at Emanu El and Al was President of Brotherhood.

Beth Yeshurun's roots go back more than a century to the founding of Adath Yeshurun in 1891. In 1946 Adath Yeshurun merged with Beth El, forming the current Beth Yeshurun. In 2002 Beth Yeshurun absorbed the membership of Shearith Israel in nearby Wharton, Texas.