Obituary of Henry Feigenbaum

Henry Feigenbaum, 87 passed away Saturday February 7, 2009 at his residence. A long time resident of Vineland he settled here following World War II having survived the Nazi holocaust in Poland. He grew up in "Morde" a small village in central Poland, where he was raised in a rural and traditionally Jewish way of life. Henry attended religious school during his early years, and grew up to engage in the family businesses with his brothers. When war came to Europe, Henry served in the Polish Army until its collapse, and achieved the rank of Lieutenant. When the Nazis invaded Poland, and during the implementation of Hitler's policy of exterminaton of European Jewry, Henry lost his mother, father, a brother and a sister. Henry and his brother Abe went into hiding in the forests of Poland along with some fellow countrymen, and spent many months on the run. Henry was captured by the Nazis at one point, but by a combination of fortuity and survival instinct, he managed to escape. Another brother, Simcha, survived the war living in Russia in a labor camp. Henry came to this country a "free" man, and quickly became a true American patriot. He settled in East Vineland where he purchased a chicken farm, married Hedy Wasserstrom and raised three children. In 1962, Henry and his brother Abe started a real estate development and building business in Vineland. Until his retirement, some 30 years later, Henry achieved measurable success developing and buiding hundreds of residential units, including Dante Gardens Apartments at Lincoln and Dante Avenues. Henry was a long time member of Beth Israael Congregation, where he served for years on its Board of Directors. He was involved with, and supported, many local and international Jewish Philantropic causes as well as local civic charities, despite his very humble beginnings. Henry loved his family above all else, cared deeply for his many friends, felt a strong connection to the City of Vineland, and was eternally grateful for the opportunity to live in a free and democratic America. He never took for granted the opportunities that his new home afforded him. He lived both in his personal and business lives according to the Jewish ethics that he learned as a young boy. Hedy (Wasserstrom) Feigenbaum, Henry's loving and devoted wife of 49 years, pre-deceased him. He is survived by a son and his wife Martin and Andrea Feigenbaum of Cherry Hill, daughter Edna Feigenbaum of Brookline Ma, daughter and her husband Sharon and Craig Altman of Wynnewood Pa. Henry is also survived by is grandchildren Leigh and Sara Feigenbaum and Matthew Altman, his loving brothers, Abe Feigenbaum of Aventura Fl. and Simcha Bluestein of Lakewood NJ. one Niece and three nephews. He was predeceased by one brother and one sister.