Nine Generations

The book A Thousand Years of Pinsk (1941) contains an interesting biographical sketch of Uncle Israel:

Born in 1884 in Pinsk. His father, Ephraim Kuperman came from Berlin (a Berlinchek). Ephraim was an exporter of articles to the large Russian trade centers, and quickly worked himself up. Because of the pogroms in Kiev, he lost his fortune and became a worker in the Basewitch family brewery in Pinsk. His wife, Rochel, who was a relative of Basewitch worked there as a cashier, bookkeeper.

Israel Cooper received a traditional Jewish education. He studied with the best rabbi teachers in Pinsk, showing a special ability in learning and understanding the Tanach, the five books of the bible.

The financial situation of his parents didn't permit him to remain a student for too long, and at the age of 13, they decided that he should study a trade. He himself chose to become a mechanic, which was a skill that he had an inclination for. In his free time he continued studying on his own, learned physics and the Hebrew language.

At the same time he felt himself drawn to political-social welfare activities, and joined the Poale Zionists - the Zionist labor movement. Later he is drawn to the SS movement, and becomes one the most active members of that group in Pinsk. The SS "Self-Protection" movement was started in Pinsk. Israel Cooper was a very valuable member of these revolutionary organizations, since he used his skill to supply weapons, that he worked on by himself in the factory.

In 1905 he emigrated to America. He worked for a while as a mechanic and was active in his trade union. He became a member of the Territorialist party which was an outgrowth of the SS movement.

In 1912 he moved to Chicago. In 1913 he married Elizabeth Pomerantz, the daughter of the well known Pinsk advocat (lawyer) Isaac Pomerantz. In Chicago Israel Cooper became active in the Yiddish school movement that was just getting started. He became a member of the "Moishe Hess Club" whose participants were the most important leaders of the Jewish National Radical intelligentsia.

In 1916 he returned to New York and opened a watch distribution business which he continues to this day. However, he continues his organizational activities in the ranks of Pinsker Branch 210 of the Workmen's Circle. He is highly respected there by the members for his sincere idealism. He participates in all the projects of the branch, but dedicates himself mostly to activities in support of the land of Israel.

He is one of the most active workers in initiating the work of publishing A Thousand Years of Pinsk.

His wife, Elizabeth Cooper, is also an active worker for social projects. She is involved with the Workmen's Circle Jewish Schools and with other important Jewish organizations.

The Coopers have three children, two daughters and a son. The older daughter, Anita, is a bacteriologist, the second daughter, Theresa, graduated from City College. She also attended the Workmen's Circle Jewish high school. Their son, Daniel, is pursuing his college education.¹⁷

Aunt Hannah maintained a notebook with some basic genealogical information on the family and also wrote a twenty-seven page memoir of the family, My Family: A Reminiscence.¹⁵

Paul Scherer writes: "During WWII Dad was assigned (he was classified 4F due to a congenital back defect - 3 incomplete vertebrae ) to do employee training at the Picatinny Arsenal. After the war we moved from Teaneck to Trenton where dad took a training job with the NJ Division of Employment Security (administering unemployment insurance). He retired around 1982 to do work with the American Jewish Congress on Holocaust education."⁸