Abraham (Albert) Hodara (b. 1896 - 1970)


Albert was born in Tyrea (40 miles north of Smyrna) in 1896.
In 1919 Albert, his fiancee Victoria Hassan and her mother Mazaltov Hassan and Albert's sister Reina Hodara left Turkey for America via Paris. They were in Paris for 2 months. Isaac, his brother, had already been in America and vouched for them and got the apartment ready for Albert. They arrived in Ellis Island, New York City in 1920. They settled in Harlem 8 East 116th St. between 5th and Madison.
Albert had a tailoring shop on the ground floor of 8 East 116th St. where they lived. his son Morris was born in 1923. His son Leon was born there 1925.
Albert was a tailor in Turkey. He made uniforms for the Turkish army for WWI. He found a job making coffee bags in Harlem. He worked for a coffee importer from Bergen , NJ. After that he opened up a tailoring shop. During the depression no one could afford the custom made suits that he made. So he changed it from a tailoring shop to a dry cleaning store. He did the pressing.
In 1921 Albert Hodara and Victoria Hassan & Reina Hodara and Mayo were married in a double wedding on 116th street in NYC. Albert had to wait for Reina to marry before he could marry. Reina was older than him so she needed to marry first. Reina married a man by the name of Moreno Mayo.
Albert's brother in law Moreno Mayo was in the Chios Brotherhood Society. In 1924 Albert joined the Chios Brotherhood Society. He was active in the Sephardic community in the Bronx.
Moreno Mayo's brother, Albert Mayo worked for Prudential Ins. Agency as a debit agent. Albert became a Spanish speaking insurance agent. Albert was promoted to Asst. Manager. He was Asst. Manager from 1932-1952. They moved from Harlem to Bronx in 1930. They moved frequently in the Bronx in order to take advantage of rental deals. Albert died in 1970. The day before Albert died, Isaac died.

This photograph is from the Filo Club on 169th St and Jerome Avenue in the Bronx.
front left : Victoria and Albert Hodara and son, Morris and his wife Eleanor Hodara
back row: Roberto Palumbo, Dottie and Jerry Nahum , Rachel Yohai, Vivian Yohai Hodara and Leon Hodara (son).
Roberto Palumbo was the attendant at the Men's Room of the Copa Cabana.
Rachel Yohai was mother of Vivian Yohai Hodara, Leon is son of Albert.
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