Morris M. Epelbaum

September 13th, 2024

Good morning,

I have some thoughts about Morris Epelbaum that I wanted to share with his family and friends. There is a saying that we are born with a family and then there is the family we make along the way. Morris was certainly that to me, to my family, and to the family at large he met along the way.
As you know Morris came to us through the Jewish United Fund (JUF). He was hired to look after my grandfather. Because my father wanted to continue to employ and help Morris, he transitioned to working with us at deAurora. I have a gazillion stories about any number of topics that center around Morris. I have struggled to put them in any logical sense to articulate them to you, but like Morris they defy any logic. So, I have put my thoughts into categories of sorts.

Morris was…

a mensch
By definition, a mensch is someone who stands up when someone needs a seat or ensures that the proper amount of respect is shown to the less fortunate, no matter his circumstances. Who cannot think of a moment when Morris did something to stand up for someone else? Maybe he did it too loudly or fumbled the approach, but being a mensch was who he was.

a loving relative
Morris loved his family….even the ones who may not have been the most loving. The trips to Florida were highlighted with tales of his nieces and nephews and his admiration for his brothers. Any Simcha, he was in….he made sure he dressed appropriately. There was a clothing shop downstairs, called Arbertmans. They knew him well and always made sure to provide him with a new shirt and tie. One of his proudest moments in his 24 years with us was when his cousins the Borstein’s came to the showroom….His place of work…and bought something—such Naches. He could not have been prouder.

a character
Morris was, all at once, the Mayor of the Merchandise Mart and the most meschuganah man on the elevator. People on every floor knew Morris. Heck, Chris Kennedy, the president of the building knew him. Most people thought he worked for the building. When people became confused seeing him looking for shipping materials they got a different view of Morris. In the end, Morris would make them laugh and all was well.

able to create chaos out of calm and laughter out of chaos.

Having a conversation with Morris could often be as enlightening as it was frustrating. Early in Morris’s tenure at deAurora, he was cleaning some glass shelves in preparation for a big show. The shelves were filled with a variety of accessories. Of course, some inadvertent movement caused the whole thing to collapse and fall. Chaos. The owner of the accessory line rushed over exasperated that just before the show his display was ruined! Morris apologized profusely, my father just shook his head, then Morris calmly turned to the owner and said, ‘It wasn’t that nice anyway.” ( he meant the display). And He was right.

a Cuban
Cuba was in Morris’s heart. His family was Cuban, and his pride for his Cuban roots was always on his sleeve….his first language was Cuban Spanish. ( which made his use of Yiddish odd). There is doubt that Morris loved food. But Cuban delights were at the top of the food chain. He would talk about his home in Cuba, and that he is going to go back and make sure it’s still there. Bertha ( of blessed memory) would come and check on him periodically. She would often say to me….he needs a Cuban touch.

an American
If his heart was Cuban, the rest of him was American. Getting citizenship, believing in what the US could allow him to be…the opportunities for his nephews.

a lover
It’s easy to say that Morris was generous to a fault. He never met anyone he didn’t immediately trust, and for that matter give the shirt off his back to. He loved everyone through his generous heart. When his mom was infirm for so long, he brought the nurses and aides flowers every week ( until he believed they were stealing from his mom). But on the romantic side, Morris was in love with just one woman…Jane Seymour

a linguist
Morris had a hearing issue, and thereby a speech issue. That didn’t stop him from being one of the great linguists of his time. In Spanish, he was articulate with a flair…..in English, maybe not so articulate. If he didn’t know the right word to say or how to pronounce the word he could certainly make one up…..then there was Yiddish or sp-lang-dish. Morris’s understanding of Yiddish is in question, but it didn’t stop him from making up his own Yiddishkeit. Boyschic (boychik), schoma ( I think he meant Schmata for rag), and Drey Your Kuppy (draykop)…my favs.

a friend
If you knew him, he was your friend. And no favor was to big for him to acquiesce to. Alternatively, he was hard-pressed to accept your generosity. Not that he didn’t, but you could tell it hurt him.

a great storyteller
As mayor of the Mart, Morris was a master at making a simple task like taking the trash out, into a saga akin to Oliver Twist. Exaggeration was a standard story device, how much exaggeration was the test for the listener. The stories always had a basis in truth…..then they didn’t. We had a party to celebrate our opening of the new space. Morris was dressed in his new suit and was greeting people as they arrived. Within a few minutes, Morris ran to find me exclaiming, “its packed, we won’t have enough food!”

Morris could be loud and brash. He could ruffle your feathers. He could make the simplest task an arduous adventure. He would tell you he wasn’t hungry and gained ten pounds. He was a bull in a china shop. He was old when he was young. He was Jewish and proud of it. He was an uncle, a brother, and a son.

He was the best of humanity…and I was proud to know him.

One last thing, this Yiddish story translated by Hillel Hiake in 1894 sums up the reward that is greeting Morris – Morry – Morisays…. Bontshe Shvayg

His memory will always be for a blessing.

Thank you for letting me share this with you,

Mark

Mark Blumenthal
deAurora
222 Merchandise Mart Plaza
Suite 1499
Chicago, IL 60654
P. 312-644-4430 F. 312-644-9415
www.deaurora.com

~Mark Blumenthal
~friend, Chicago, IL

September 9th, 2024

Sentimos de todo corazón la pérdida de nuestro querido amigo. Morris que su alma descanse en Paz y D\OS les envíe a toda la familia las fuerzas Para soportar tan dura pena estamos con Uds familia Behar

~Maria snd Isaac Behar and Elisa and family
~Friends like a family, Miami Beach Florida33141

September 9th, 2024

Sam and I know Morrie for many years. The world lost one kind and polite man. He always was friendly and sweet. Person of very friendly and caring family.
We are very sorry for your loss.
May he rest in peace.
Sam and Rita Utschen

~Rita Utschen
~Friend to family, Skokie

September 9th, 2024

My wife Gita and I are close family friends with Morris sisters Ana and Sonia. We met Morris at all family events and used to talk. We will pray for Morris and also for the family during this difficult time. May he rest in peace.

~Gita and Narendra. Patel
~Family Friends, Glenview, IL

September 8th, 2024

I spent time with him when both of us were at Alden In Skokie, I condolences to the family and friends. May he rest in peace and may his memory be a blessing

~Ben Pearlman
~, Niles

September 8th, 2024

Morrie’s passing makes me feel that a “ light” in our lives has been extinguished.
Morrie was always a lively, kind and caring man with a lot of humor, strong interest in political and current affairs. He shared his feelings with us about the most important people in his life which was his extended family including his siblings, nephews and nieces and their extended families. He was especially kind to our mother when she was at Alden nursing home. He always looked out for her. He made little bracelets for our mother and also gave them to our children when they visited.
Morrie shared his hopes and dreams with us. These included returning to Florida to be with his extended family, leave the nursing home, and go to Israel and see Jerusalem. He revered and enjoyed the Chabad Rabbi’s visits on Friday afternoons to Alden. Morrie was proud to be a Jew and was appreciative that he could put on tefillin when the Rabbi visited on Fridays. He yearned to be in Jerusalem.
His last few years when his walking ability deteriorated and he experienced hip pain were very challenging. He coped with this as best as he could.
I will miss his phone calls when he greeted us wishing us a “ Happy New Year” or other kind greeting.
May he rest in peace. May his memory be a blessing forever. May Hashem comfort his family among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

~Naomi and Raymond Pollak