Isaac Balsam
Encyclopedia
Isaac Balsam started the first Chalav Yisrael dairy farm
on the East Coast, and possibly in the United States. Balsam was born in Mielec
(Melitz), Poland
, and was a Melitzer Chassid. He emigrated to the United States in 1898, lived initially with his uncle, Meyer Emmer, and worked on Emmer's dairy farm for about five years. In 1903, Balsam established his own dairy farm in Ozone Park, Queens
. At its peak, the Balsam farm had 300 cows.
Balsam also ran a plant that processed milk from other farms. That milk was not Chalav Yisrael, because it had not been supervised from the time of the milking. However, the bottles were clearly labeled, so that it was easy to distinguish between the milk that was Chalav Yisrael and that which was not. The Balsam dairy farm remained in business until 1963. The area in which the farm was located is currently known as Balsam Village.
Balsam built a synagogue
on his farm, Congregation B’nei Jacob, for which he was the sole support, and gave generously to charitable causes.
Balsam married Sarah Eisig (1880–1945), his first cousin, in 1902. Among their children was Paul Balsam
(1905–1972), who served on the New York State Supreme Court from 1965-1972. Their other children were Maxwell (1903–1978), Morris (1907–1990), Rose (Isaacs) (1910–1999), Leon (1912–1995), and Nathan (1917–1996); in addition, one daughter died in infancy. They had twelve grandchildren, eleven of whom survived to adulthood. After his father's death, Balsam brought his mother to America, and she lived out her days on the Balsam farm. Balsam died in 1945, and his wife died seven months later; both were 65.
Maxwell, Morris, and Nathan helped run the farm over the years, especially after their father's death.
Balsam's great-great-great-grandsons Yehonatan and Malachi Yammer, born in Israel in 2009 and 2010, respectively, are great-grandsons of the physicist and historian of science Max Jammer (1915-2010).
Dairy farming
Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or an animal husbandry, enterprise, for long-term production of milk, usually from dairy cows but also from goats and sheep, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual retail sale.Most dairy farms...
on the East Coast, and possibly in the United States. Balsam was born in Mielec
Mielec
Mielec is a city in south-eastern Poland with a population of 60,979 inhabitants, as of June 2009. It is located in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship ; previously it was in Rzeszów Voivodeship...
(Melitz), Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and was a Melitzer Chassid. He emigrated to the United States in 1898, lived initially with his uncle, Meyer Emmer, and worked on Emmer's dairy farm for about five years. In 1903, Balsam established his own dairy farm in Ozone Park, Queens
Ozone Park, Queens
Ozone Park is a working class neighborhood located in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens bordering Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, Howard Beach, and City Line, Brooklyn....
. At its peak, the Balsam farm had 300 cows.
Balsam also ran a plant that processed milk from other farms. That milk was not Chalav Yisrael, because it had not been supervised from the time of the milking. However, the bottles were clearly labeled, so that it was easy to distinguish between the milk that was Chalav Yisrael and that which was not. The Balsam dairy farm remained in business until 1963. The area in which the farm was located is currently known as Balsam Village.
Balsam built a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
on his farm, Congregation B’nei Jacob, for which he was the sole support, and gave generously to charitable causes.
Family
Balsam was the fourth of ten children. His parents were Jacob Balsam (1850?-1923?) and Bliema Necha Emmer (1860?-1932?). Balsam's three older siblings were Jacob's children from his first wife, Sarah Emmer, older sister of Bliema Necha, who was married to Jacob until her death (around 1878).Balsam married Sarah Eisig (1880–1945), his first cousin, in 1902. Among their children was Paul Balsam
Paul Balsam
Paul Balsam was a justice on the New York State Supreme Court from January 1, 1965 until his death in 1972. He was born, and lived throughout his life, in Ozone Park, Queens...
(1905–1972), who served on the New York State Supreme Court from 1965-1972. Their other children were Maxwell (1903–1978), Morris (1907–1990), Rose (Isaacs) (1910–1999), Leon (1912–1995), and Nathan (1917–1996); in addition, one daughter died in infancy. They had twelve grandchildren, eleven of whom survived to adulthood. After his father's death, Balsam brought his mother to America, and she lived out her days on the Balsam farm. Balsam died in 1945, and his wife died seven months later; both were 65.
Maxwell, Morris, and Nathan helped run the farm over the years, especially after their father's death.
Balsam's great-great-great-grandsons Yehonatan and Malachi Yammer, born in Israel in 2009 and 2010, respectively, are great-grandsons of the physicist and historian of science Max Jammer (1915-2010).