A Jewish family Karnofsky, who immigrated from Lithuania to the United States, took pity on an impoverished 7-year-old boy and brought him & his struggling mother to their home. There he stayed and spent the night in this Jewish family home, where he was treated with kindness and tenderness. His mother loved him, but struggled to make ends meets and when his mother was gone most of the time working, the Yiddish speaking Orthodox Jewish Family was there for him treating him as if he was one of their own.
When he went to bed, Mrs Karnovski sang him Russian lullabies, which he sang with her, later he learned to sing and play several Russian and Jewish songs. Time went by and the boy was becoming a good musician, as well as working odd jobs.
Mr. Karnofsky gave him money to buy his first musical instrument, as was the custom in Jewish families. Being proud and independent as he learned from his mother, when he finally could afford to do so, he repaid Mr. Karnofsky who never asked to be repaid, but recognized that the boy wanted to be independent
Later, when he became a professional musician and composer, he used these Jewish melodies in compositions. When he started to earn enough in combination with his mother's side jobs they eventually were able to move out from living under the wings of the loving family Karnofsky, but came back often to visit. He always wore the Star of David his whole life in recognition of their kindness and that he might not have become the musician he became had it not been for their support and kindness in his earlier years.
📘The little boy grew up and wrote a book about this Jewish family, who "adopted" him, took him in and treated him as one of their own, he proudly spoke Yiddish fluently.
In memory of this family and until the end of his life, he wore the Star of David and said that in this family he learned "to live a real life " This little boy's name was Louis Armstrong.
good Lord - the great Sachtmo
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What a wonderful world indeed😊
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Thats really heartwarming Alex.