HERITAGE IN MOTION

My grandfather, Samuel Finkelman, a Polish Jewish Immigrant was noteworthy in the early 1900s as a Semi‑Pro Boxer and World Champion Swimmer. He was featured in numerous newspaper articles, including The New York Times. Possessing superhuman strength, he accomplished extraordinary feats in dangerous waters. On June 19, 1913, Finkelman swam from Jackson Street East, towing four men in a boat through the treacherous Hell Gate to Astoria, Long Island. He also swam from East 23rd Street, towing seven men in a boat weighing 2,500 pounds to College Point, Long Island. Finkelman invented the seal stroke-a technique in which the head remains above water while the body is submerged using a powerful scissor kick, similar to a side stroke but far more forceful. He was a member of the American Lifesaving Society and the West Side A.C., and was professionally trained at all times.

What began as a tribute to Sam's remarkable achievements gradually expanded into a broader family chronicle. As I uncovered stories, photographs, and memories, the narrative naturally grew to include the Barkan side of the family-my grandparents whose warmth, traditions, and quiet strength shaped the generations that followed. Their histories, woven alongside the Finkelman legacy, form a fuller portrait of where we come from and the values that carried us forward.
I have compiled this book so that the extraordinary feats of my grandfather, along with the enduring stories of the Barkan and Finkelman families, may live on in the annals of history and be discovered by present and future generations.