Abraham (George) & Bessie Plotkin
In 1921, within a few months after the death of his wife, the former Rachel Levine, Russian immigrant tailor Jake Plotkin admitted the two youngest of their four children to the Home. Abraham, later known as George, was eight years old and his sister Bessie was three.
Jake Plotkin, 1878-1953. From Geni.com.
George Plotkin, mid-1920s, detail of larger Newman School photo below.
During his nine years in the Home, George demonstrated prowess in athletics. In 1926, he played third base for the YMHA “Hebrews.” In 1929, he took first place on behalf of Touro Synagogue in several track events in what was reportedly the first track and field competition among six City synagogues. The same year, George made news for scoring a touchdown on a 20-yard run, contributing to Newman School’s victory over Westwego High School.
George Plotkin (bottom row, far left) is shown with his basketball team, The Touro Synagogue Cagers, in 1928. Also pictured, bottom row, to right of George: Abe Lehat, Rogers Perlis, and H. Lubrow (possibly Harry Lubow). Top row, left to right: H. Gernsbacher, I.J. Ewing, Ralph Beerman, and Coach Kermit Heilbron. Courtesy of Norman Plotkin, George’s son.
While at Newman, George took part in Miss Pauline Mizzi’s “Goodfellows Club” for sixth graders which took educational field trips and philanthropic activities under the motto, “We learn; we serve; we play.” In 1928, George played “the Stranger” in the Children’s Theater Guild’s production of “Tom Sawyer,” joined by fellow Home kids Louis Peters and Edward Mayer who played Jim and Judge Thatcher, respectively.
Mid-1920s photo of George Plotkin (top row, first boy on left) with Isidore Newman School teacher Miss Pauline Mizzi (far left) and the other members of her “Manual Goodfellows Club” from the Class of 1932. Besides George, other Home students in the photo are Sol Mashinka (bottom row, second from left), I.J. Ewing (middle row, first boy next to the right of Miss Mizzi), and Rogers Perlis (middle row, second from right. Courtesy of Isidore Newman School.
After George was discharged from the Home in 1930, under the supervision of his older married sister Sara Plotkin Scharfield, he completed his high school education in 1933 at Alcee Fortier High School in New Orleans, before attending Tulane University for two years.
By 1940, George worked for his older brother Sam who owned a laundry on Magazine Street. They were living with their father and their sister Bessie. Close friend Rogers Perlis, who was already running his namesake men’s clothing store, boarded with the Plotkin family.
During World War II, George served in the Army in the European theater before his release in July 1946. After the war, George worked for Standard Makes Shoe Company in the French Quarter, a business he ultimately acquired. Along the way, he married Helene Tatar, an educator who later taught at Newman School for many years. The couple raised two sons.
George died in 1977 at age 63 and was buried in Gates of Prayer Cemetery on Joseph Street.
George Plotkin, freshman photo, Tulane Jambalaya 1934..
George Plotkin, U.S. Army, c. 1942. From Geni.com.
Bessie, who was later known as Elizabeth, lived in the Home for sixteen years. While there, she performed in Newman School’s 1932 nursery rhyme operetta, “The House That Jack Built,” and the Home’s 1933 anniversary celebration of “Alice in Wonderland.”
In 1937, she graduated from Sophie B. Wright High School before attending Newcomb College, where she served as advertising manager of Lagniappe, the school’s quarterly student publication.
By 1950, Elizabeth married Bernard Palley and moved to Queens, New York, where he worked as a car salesman and she was a stenographer in a book store. Together they raised two children.
Elizabeth died in 2011 at age 92 and was buried along side her husband in Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Glendale, New York.
Elizabeth Plotkin Palley. From Geni.com.