OLEMBERG, ISAAC 86, passed away on November 10th surrounded by his devoted family. Isaac was born on April 30th, 1930 in Havana Cuba to Leon and Clara Olemberg, both Polish immigrants. He was 13 pounds at birth. When he was born, they said "es un toro" (it's a bull). From that first day forward, Isaac was always bigger than life. His older sisters recount that at age 6, he would take them to the movies and insist on paying because he was "el jefe" (the boss). When Isaac was 17, he didn't want to go to school anymore. He wanted to start his own business. His father gave him a loan to buy a shoe store that he named Miami Shoes, but said Isaac would have to make enough money to support himself the first year or he would have to go back to school. It made money the first year. By the second year he took over the space next door and doubled the size of his store. By the time Isaac was eighteen, he was making more money than his father. It was at the shoe store where he first met his soon to be wife, Nieves, who walked in one day as a customer. Isaac married Nieves at the former Dilido Hotel on Miami Beach in September 1955. They were married for 59 years until her death in 2014. In 1960, Isaac saw that the Castro regime was going to soon seize his business and personal holdings. So, Isaac and Nieves left Cuba with their two young children Roberto and Lilliam (Lily) and some "vacation money" and never returned to Cuba. The Olembergs settled in Miami Beach. Isaac had to start all over again at a stock person of a local shoe store. It did not take long before Isaac became a salesman and then the best salesman in the store and ultimately manager of the store. At this point, he was offered a big promotion in Boston. His wife Nieves' reaction was that Boston was too cold. Nieves told Isaac that he would have to make a living in Miami and he did! By 1962, he and a friend borrowed enough money to establish their own shoe store in North Miami Beach. That store was soon followed by another store in Cutler Ridge. Isaac said that he could only afford a fraction of the rent required for the first store. Because of Isaac's negotiating skill, confidence and integrity, he convinced the real estate owner to accept less rent, but promised to pay more as his business became increasingly profitable. The business soon grew, and Isaac kept his promise. While Isaac was growing his business, his family also grew with the birth of Janine, also known as Hana in 1962. It was in 1964, that Isaac sold both stores to his partner and founded Olem Shoe Corp. with his wife Nieves. Olem is still headquartered in Miami. Isaac's son Roberto is now President of Olem Shoe. Isaac said that Olem Shoe started to prosper in 1968 when his fourth child, Lisette was born. From that day on, he said, he always made money. Isaac always said that not everyone has the ability to make a lot of money. If you are one that can, you should help others in need. He lived by this motto and is one of the leading philanthropist in his Miami community and in Israel. Isaac loved the USA. He was a proud American and felt strongly that he could have only achieved his success here. "Only in America" was one of his favorite lines. Isaac's charitable endeavors are too many to name. FIDF, Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Temple Menorah , Hadassah, JNF. In Miami, he endowed the Olemberg Family Chair in Neurological Disorders at the UM School of Medicine. Isaac loved to throw parties. He also wanted to insure his community had the facilities to do so and endowed three social halls. Olemberg Hall at Temple Menorah, Olemberg Hall at Temple Beth Shmuel and at the social hall at MAR JCC in Aventura. Isaac loved the USA. He was a proud American and felt strongly that he could have only achieved his success here. "Only in America" was one of his favorite lines. Isaac is survived by his children Roberto (Jennifer), Lily (Ariel), Janine and Lisette (Jeremy), seven grandchildren (Gabriela, Rachel, Aaron, Jackie, David, Daniel and Samuel), his sisters Felicia Gorodetzky, and Rosita Berenthal, nephews and nieces, and an uncountable number of friends. Services will be held in Isaac's honor at Temple Menorah on Sunday at 11:00AM. Shiva will be held Monday and Tuesday evenings from 5-8pm at the Olemberg Hall at Temple Menorah. Donations in Isaac Olemberg's honor can be made to Temple Menorah, Miami Beach, FL.