Treppe

        

Treppe. They were as simple as simple could be - soles hewn of wood with arched ‘Kevlar-tough’ leather hide nailed on top. They were closed or open in the back. Some extended high to ankle or knee. Each week farmers traveled from the outlying countryside to the bustling marketplace of Dabie, a town northwest of the big city Lodz in central Poland to shop for these and other fieldwork essentials.

Treppe from Israel Grünfeld’s kiosk were regularly sought after for their craftsmanship as well as durability. This appreciation of quality did not go unnoticed by Israel's son Joseph, my father, who fully embraced the handwork standards set by his father.

Israel Grünfeld, the grandfather I never knew, began a tradition of craftsmanship with the bar set high. His children adhered to that standard. It remains a model for the generations which followed him.