Geroge arrived in the U.S. with his mother, father, and 8 brothers and sisters in 1899. He was 5 yrs old. His father, Baruch, set up a tea shop in New York's lower east side and the children all went to school. The younger ones learned English quickly, and spoke without accent. Upon graduating from high school, George and his brother opened a stationary store.At the time he was drafted, in the fall of 1917, the store was the sole support of the family. His two older brothers had married and were on their own, his younger brother and sister were still in school. Only his oldest sister, Anna, had moved away but all the others shared his letters as they were received.