Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-01-28

country In u few short years. typifed
America, was as symbolic of America
as the hardy pioneers of the Mayfower
or Of the covered wagons of the Inst
century.
The spectacular rise OF Mr.. Winter
from pcnnilcss East Side painter to
real estate operator whose deals are
heralded from one end of the country
to the other, is one OF the most ro-
matte stories In modern American bust
ness. During the last year his opcrn-
tions totalled over s10O,OOO,OOO and
their spectacular and brilliant char
acter amazed the country. Dcvoting the
major part of his operations during
the year to Fifth avenue. two OF the
most famous houses on that thorough
fire, emblamatic of New York's most
exclusive society life came into his con-
trol. First he purchased the historic
W. X. Vanderbilt house, then few
weeks later, the Vincent Astor home.
where generation ago the Downger
Mrs. William Waldorf Astor had orig
mated the -Four Hundred. And his
dramatic operations for 1925 were
capped with the most important real
estate deal Of the year. the purchase
of Temple Emanuel, considered the
most valuable site on Fifth avenue, the
Temple receiving as part payment. the
Astor house where it will erect new
and larger synagog.
But the most remarkable phase of his
career is that his spectacular jump to
tile topmost ranks of American business
success has not changed him The least.
He is still quiet modest. retiring. Per-
sons who want to see him. think up all
sorts of devious way to meet him and
find 10 their surprise that he is as ac-
cessible as the humbest clerk in his
employ. Magazine and newspaper in
terviewers ask him his formula for sue
cess and instead of the usual pompous
answer that cmanates from other Amer
lean business successes, he will smile
and say, shyly. that he has no formula
for success. That all he knows Is
that he has worked hard, has been
honest in all his dealings. no matter
il it meant u heavy financial loss, and
has studied and so specialized in his
subject-high class reality holdings
that he goes into every operation alb
solutely certain Of every phase of the
deal.
And with all his lightning ascent to
the top, Mr.. Winter has never once for
gotten or tried to hide his lowly be
ginning, which. also, is not as typical
of many other American successes. A
year after his arrival here, he and six !
other boys from LODI organized the
Lodzcr Young Mems Benevolent Asso-
citation rs a means OF mutual help in |
a new country. That society still meets
twice monthly, and benjamin Winter in
all these twcnty.four years has never |
missed meeting. except for a few
months two years ago when he was |
visiting his old home in I.odZ. And |
too, he was one of the organizers and
is now the President of the Federation
of Polish Jews, which has done much
to help the suffering Jews in Poland.
The thorough Jewish training Mr..
Winter received as boy in Lodz and
the fine Jewish atmosphere in which
he grew up-for his father was we'll
kuown Jewish scholar In the commun-
ity. left an impress upon him that has
never deserted him. He has always
been vitally interested in all Jewish
movements und 1t is no uncommon
sight 10 see well-kDown real estate op-
orators warming their heels in his re-
ception room. while he Is listening,
10 problems of impor
tant or obscure Jewish organizations
in his private office.
1t was natural that Mr.. Winter, be-
cause of his Jewish background aud
cultural training. should naturally be
drawn into the Zionist movement as
one of its leaders and this year he
takes his hrst important public post -