Hausvater

This is the true story of 3 generations of a Jewish family who made their living in the construction industry. Daily life in the New York City construction scene can be stressful, and when Martin (a third generation Hausvater) suffers a stroke, he fades into a deep sleep before surgery and travels back to 1905 Romania. There we meet his 8-year-old grandfather (also named Martin), who was placed into an apprenticeship program as a young boy due to abject poverty. As an Orthodox Jewish man, Martin must navigate 1920s and 30s Europe to attain success and save his own family from the cycle of poverty, only to lose everything at the hands of the Nazis, forcing him to flee Europe and escape to America with his family (who are also marked for death), and ultimately settling in Brooklyn, NY to start all over again.

The story then shifts to the trials and tribulations of moving to America without speaking the language, while raising a young family in the 1940’s. Martin enters the New York City construction scene where two men show up at his sheet metal shop and offer him assistance to expand his business. While he was cautious in dealing with these individuals, his son Harvey came of age and pushed to further the working relationship against Martin’s wishes. After Martin passes away, Harvey takes over the business and gets deeper into the underworld scene, meeting individuals who, without his knowledge, are being investigated by the FBI. With a young family, Harvey is out to protect his wife and children at any cost. After entering the real estate development business, problems get bigger, and things spiral out of control.

Harvey trains his son Martin in the business and warns him of the mistakes he made. In the 1980’s, Harvey leaves the real estate industry and enters the stone and tile business, concentrating in New York City. Eventually Harvey retires and Martin continues in the business. Using the lessons he learned from his father, he gains success as a stone and tile contractor until a major blowout causes a stroke and life spins out of control for him.