__.__GrandpaEurope @>+-+--
1912.__.__
The Cherkaskis, the Godicks and the Gershwins came over on the boat together, from Fastoff, Russia. They had been friends in Russia and they remained friends in New York. Morris Cherkaski played bass for the New York Philharmonic, and so did his son, Richard, who later became Richard Cherwin. He was only 14 when twelve musician from the Philharmonic were selected to tour Europe. They went to play for the leaders of twelve countries, and there were twelve musicians, so they each agreed to do whatever negotiating needed to be done for their stay in one of the countries. The musicians of the New York Philharmonic were mostly Europeans, it seems, so there was one who knew the language of each country they went to. Grandpa, Richard Cherwin, had been studying French at high school in New York, so he designated himself the fixer for France. Well, of course nobody understood his high school French, but Grandpa was too embarrassed to let on. Each of the other musicians had managed this task. So what Grandpa did, any time he needed to take care of something, he found someone who spoke Yiddish.
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