Vilna Stories

Samuel Sadinsky

Dad loved Science & lived like he worked - committed to doing his best

Matt Sadinsky

CEO, PReP Intl - Recruiting/OD for Energy Orgs

I lost my father this March, less than a year after losing my Mom. This Father’s day 2015 is different now. 

My dad was a professional engineer in every meaning of those two words. Committed to continuous lifelong learning, systematic improvement and accomplished in the goals he set to achieve.  He taught me to play chess when I was just 4 years old and showed a pool of patience I strive to achieve with my own children.  Despite surviving his own trials as one of the youngest survivors of the the Vilnius Ghetto and Auschwitz work camps - he lost his father at 10 and was separated from his mother for years, but he always tried his best.

Every day in so many ways he expressed a gratitude for being alive and acted lucky to be around associates, family, friends, mom and us four kids. He was steady and sure. When asked, and often without being asked, he was ready to help out, to make something better, and almost aways, he was capable and able.

Dad served in the Israeli Air force during the War of Independence in 1948 and told me some weeks before he died about a story that embarrassed him. He confided quietly one morning after breakfast that he had never told anyone this story before.

He shared that he received his electrician training in the Israeli Air force and the same day as his graduation, the base commander approached him and a friend on the parade ground and asked him, “Say, Sam, you are the new electrician right?” 

Dad said he that saluted and stumbled out a “Yes, Sir”.  The general then asked him as the new electrician to fix a little problem that had been bothering him, to fix a light on the Israeli flag on the 40 foot pole in the parade ground so it could fly all night and not have to be hoisted and retrieved every day and night.  My father nodded and then he and his friend, began to ask about where might they find some supplies, wire, a transformer or generator, etc. to accomplish such a task? The Officer cut them off, “Don’t ask me stupid questions!" and then smiled, saluted, turned and left, dad remembered.

Dad explained that when the British had pulled out of Palestine, they left just about everything in a shambles. Whatever supplies this new country had were scattered amok, hither and thon. There was scarce spare parts for anything.

So Dad confessed that he and his loyal friend Danny began scavenging everywhere to find the wires, light, switches and stuff needed to fashion a floodlight to keep the Israeli flag lighted at night.  They worked hard and pulled it together. 

Dad explained, they finally found and cut some buried wire they came on and were quite enterprising in acquiring everything else they needed to jimmy-rig a flag pole spot light.  They were quite proud, he said, when the General complimented them early the next morning on how quickly and effectively they got it done. They were good electricians, handy and fast, and they would serve the Air force well!

Dad beamed as he told me that part, and then confessed why he had never told anyone that story till now.  From 1948-2015 is 67 years.  The General explained that while the flag indeed looked real sharp; somehow, someone had cut the wires to the water supply pump to the next nearest next city in the valley. Those poor families had been without water all night and it was going to be a real hot day…  Maybe they could get right on it and check out what was wrong and perhaps get the water running?! Dad and Danny had cut the buried power line to the next city’s water pump !

Dad came to America in 1952, attended the RCA Institute as he taught himself English.  He met my mom in 1954 at an Israeli club in NYC, got married when my mom turned 18, started a family and both became American citizens.

I was born in 1957 and dad began night school almost right away.  When I graduated High School in 1974, Dad earned his BS EE degree from Hofstra University. In High school we sat at the kitchen table and often did homework at the same time. Dad then earned his MBA from Pace University and later served as Secretary of the LI Chapter of NYS PE society and the IEEE, where he later became a life member.  Dad developed a Navy training simulator for submariners that he traveled to Panama to deploy in 1970, and retired from Materials Research Corporation, where he developed technologies in sputtering on wafers to move integrated circuit technology along.  He later retired from SONY and then extended his career at Brookhaven National Labs as a scientist and then from GovMark where he worked until the cancer got the best of him at 83. 

While mom never sent an email, my dad face timed us from his iPhone 6 and loved his computer and his 3rd Prius, though he swore he never could quite get what made the MS Windows 8 operating system better than 7 which was just great as it was.

Dad took me to college classes when I was just 10 and while I struggled to understand anything they were saying, he assured me that the experience would do me good.  Some day, it would make sense. He believed in me and that helped me develop confidence. Now as a father of five and new grandfather of two, I thank my dad most of all for doing what he could for me and my siblings. We were never rich, but never wanted, and we could talk about anything. Dad bred confidence and a helped form a commitment to look at any problem from several dimensions.  Like a chess player, he taught, examine the lay of the board and take stock of the pieces you have.  Think about consequences and try to plan your moves at least 2-3 moves ahead...

Like the Boy Scout committee member and merit badge counselor he was, when facing issues, every day, or in a problem solving mode, Dad taught, do what you could, get help when you needed. But most of all – trust in yourself and do your best!  Happy Father's Day!  Hug your parents and your kids for father's day.

The http://www.teslasciencecenter.org/SADINSKY, Samuel - Pt Jeff St, NY born 7.21.31 died Sun 3.22.15. Holocaust survivor, Served in Israeli Airforce, Hofstra BSEE, Pace MBA and NYSPE. Predeceased by wife Roselyn Berr Sadinsky and son Ethan (LiLi). Survived by loving children Matthew (Wendi), David Sadinsky, Edna (David) Landsman; grandchildren Regan, Jordan, Madison, Carson, Jackson, Joshua Sadinsky; and Evan Landsman. Funeral held at the NSJC - interment at Washington Memorial Park in Coram on 3.24.15.

LitvakSIG records with sorrow the passing of Samuel Sadinksy on March 22, 2015.

Samuel was a Holocaust survivor who was born in Kaunas in 1931 and who

survived the Kaunas Ghetto.

We just learned of Samuel's passing and we extend belated condolences to his

family.

Eden Joachim

Vice President, LitvakSIG