Welcome to town

The Jewish questionnaire with Sid Abrams

By Benjamin Weiss

For over 50 years, Sid Abrams has been running Abrams Laundry & Dry Cleaning in Philadelphia. He has crisscrossed the city with his truck as he delivered freshly cleaned and pressed clothing to his clientele. His smile and good nature have made him an iconic figure. He recently celebrated his 85th birthday in Tucson.

How long have you been in Tucson?

A few months.

What brought you here?

Family. It was time to retire and spend more time with our 2 children, 4 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren who are on the west coast.

Compared to your hometown, Tucson is...

A nice quiet town. I’m still waiting to make some friends. It’s mostly family now because of Covid. Maybe I’ll wait for the snowbirds to arrive...

A Mitzvah/holiday I love:

Every one of the holidays is great, but Yom Kippur gives me a chance to reflect on the past and hopefully the future.

A cherished Jewish experienced:

Getting married to Joan whom I have known since we were 13 years old. I also enjoyed spending time at the oldfashioned synagogue in south Philadelphia where my grandfather served as the gabbai (beadle or sexton).

I’m currently learning/reading:

Not much. I’m primarily watching TV and playing cards with my wife (she beats me every time but I still love it).

My comfort foods are:

Joan’s chicken cutlets are the greatest. She also bakes banana cake - it’s not as good as my mother’s but still great.

I’m happy when...:

I’m mostly happy. I’m pretty much an easy guy to get along with.

I’m proud of:

My entire family. They have been successful in their own way, educated and seem to ring my bell every moment.

I kvetch about:

I’m not a kvetcher. I’d rather laugh than kvetch.

Favorite Yiddish or Hebrew word:

Schlep. For many years, I used to do a lot of schlepping (hauling or carrying something).

A historical Jewish figure I identify with:

David Ben Gurion and all prime ministers of Israel.

Chabad is...:

A place you can go to and everyone loves each other. It’s like home.

I would like to be known for:

Just being a nice guy. If you need help, I’ll try to help. I’ll suggest a solution but won’t tell you what to do.

Sid Abrams celebrates his 85th birthday by putting on Tefillin alongside his wife Joan and Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin of Chabad Tucson