Betty and Louis Cassorla |
Two beautiful people lived "worlds apart" in the 1920s in New York. Their lives came together to form a beautiful marriage that lasts until this day. One of these, Betty Camhi, was a
Kastorli, a Sephardic Jew whose parents hailed from a town in Greece. The other, Louis Cassorla, was a Monastirli, meaning a Sephard from a town in Turkey.
Betty grew up with loving parents, Chaim and Mazalto. Her life with her brother Jack and her sisters was full of ambition, work and good times. Mazalto was a spark-plug of energy, dancing, cave (demitasse coffee), attendance at shul and observance of all of the Jewish traditions.
School life included excelling at typing and sports. But an evil teacher made her influence felt the terror named Mrs. Kreegen. All of the school at PS 190 in Brooklyn was terrified of her. One day, Betty saved at a class-mate across the schoolyard. Mrs. Kreegen responded with a terrible action that left Betty needing medical attention. What did she do, and how did Bettys Mom fight back? Read this autobiography for this wonderful story alone!
Meanwhile, Louis Cassorla was living under somewhat more prosperous conditions, but with an equally busy and loving family. The Cassorlas moved quickly, studying, socializing, attending school and shul, opening factories, forming social clubs and more. Lou was part of the rough-and-tumble Lower East Side. His group of friends was tight.
In school, he was so handsome, he was known as "the Beau Brummel of Jefferson High School." Apparently Betty held that opinion, too. One day when Lou was visiting the Camhi household, preparing to go horseback riding with bettys brother jack, Lou began teasing Betty. That was the start of a relationship that has lasted for 65 years as of this writing!
-- Albert Fried-Cassorla, September 3, 1999