STEIN FAMILY REUNION REFLECTS EXPANDING FAMILY [ Lawrence Fleder ]

Born in Dvinsk, Russia (now Daugarpils, Latvia) during the 1860s, our great grandparents, Heshel (Harry) Stein and Ida (Sarah) Gelman, married and then immigrated to the United States, settling in Norfolk.

At the start of the 20th century, Norfolk was the economic hub of Hampton Roads, thus the families set their roots near downtown – mostly in the Ghent area – pursuing mercantile trades.

On Sunday, July 23, 163 years after Heshel and Ida Stein began their life together, a family reunion was organized by David Konikoff, Lisa Stein Delevie, Alice Laibstain Werner, and Linda Laibstain. About 100 relatives attended.

The Stein family branches include Robbins, Laibstain, Adler, and Fleder, with the next generation names being Konikoff, Wainger, Gamsey, Silverman, Karp, Ossen, Feldman, Fischer, Donn, Golding, and Cohen. Of course, there are more current generations with 29 new surnames and more added each year. In fact, the youngest to attend the reunion was eight-month-old Samuel Kahn. The energy level was high with stories and anecdotes shared throughout the gathering before heading indoors to air conditioning and a delicious buffet dinner.