Chani Feit interview of Bubby Esther Yellen Steinlauf (1 of 3)

4/5/06

Chani: When and where were you born?
Bubby Esther: Esther HInda Yellen was born to Berha and Isaac (Itchie) Yellen on June 10th 1911. She was delivered by the famous Dr DeLee at her home on Maxwell Street in Chicago.

Chani: How many children were in your family?
Bubby Esther: I was one of five children, Leona and Mary were both born in Europe )one other sister died on the way to America.). Solly, Mary, and Bubby were all born in Chicago.

Chani: What did your parents do for a living?
Bubby Esther: When my family first came to America my father sold potatoes from a pushcart. He then opened a fruit store on Paulina and Roosevelt Rd. Where he had housing on top and the store on the ground level. My father became a successful business man.

Chani: What was life lie growing up when you did?
Bubby Esther: the housing on Maxwell Street was small and to make a livelihood we had to move a lot. When my father was more successful we bought a house with two apartments and we had our store on the ground floor. I went to Gladstone