[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 19, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1095]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO JACOB BROTMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 19, 2002

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, today I join with two of my constituents, 
Doug Dembling of Takoma Park, Maryland and Ross Dembling of Bethesda, 
Maryland to observe a special day in their family history. One hundred 
years ago today, on June 19, 1902, their matemal grandfather, Jacob 
Botman, proudly appeared before the U.S. District Court in New York 
City and became a citizen of the United States of America.
  Jacob Brotman was born in Romania on September 19, 1879. With anti-
sernitism on the rise in eastern Europe, Jake, as he was known, 
immigrated to the United States via England and Canada while still in 
his early teens.
  On September 6, 1901, the very day President William McKiffley was 
fatally wounded by an assassin's bullet, Jake Brotman enlisted in the 
U.S. Army. He received his honorable discharge from the military on 
March 4, 1902. The Army's records reflect he served his adopted country 
during the Spanish American War as a member of the 72nd Company of the 
Coast Artillery. Shortly after his discharge from the Army, Jacob 
Brotman became an American citizen. Jake died in 1965 and is buried at 
the Long Island National Cemetery, New York.
  Throughout his life, Jake vigorously embraced his new country, 
citizenship, and a strong work ethic. He treasured his citizenship, 
both its ideals and obligations. As Jake considered voting such an 
obligation, he never failed to exercise that precious right. He and his 
wife, Annie, raised four sons and a daughter in New York City with the 
same ideals. Three of his sons, Sol Brotman, Hy Brotman, and the late 
Oscar Brotman served in the U.S. military during World War II; his 
daughter, Florence Brotman Dembling, the youngest of his five children, 
went to work at the Pentagon during that war. Jake worked for over 40 
years as a trainman in New York's elevated train system. He was very 
industrious and conscientious, and in order to provide for his family, 
he routinely worked extra shifts in addition to his 56-hour workweek. 
Despite his sacrifices for his family, Jake could always be counted on 
to help others in his community who were in need.
  Mr. Speaker, later this month, I will have the pleasure of presenting 
an American flag that flies over the U.S. Capitol today to two of Jacob 
Brotman's grandsons. I know that all my colleagues in the House join me 
in this tribute to Jake's memory and service to his family, community, 
and our country,

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