Isaak Shikhman stepped in to assist his buddy, former Congressman Michael Grimm, who was going to Ukraine to cover the war as a journalist for Newsmax. He made sure Grimm had everything he needed for a successful and safe trip.
According to his grandson Joseph Shikhman, “my grandpa was totally committed to making sure that he was in safe hands.”
According to Michael Grimm, Isaak was a genuinely kind man. I will always be appreciative of his tireless efforts to keep me safe while I was in Ukraine reporting from the front lines, in addition to everything he has done for the many others I know in the Staten Island community. I would never have had the privilege of working as a war journalist and presenting the world with firsthand accounts of the horror that occurred there if it weren’t for him and his family.
Journalist and businessman Isaak Shikhman passed away on January 4 at the age of 78. Renal failure was the cause of death.
Isaak was born in 1946 in Odessa, which is now in Ukraine but was a part of the Soviet Union at the time. According to his grandson, Odessa is a seaside town. During summer vacations, people would travel there. Growing up there was enjoyable.
Riva Shikhman and Abraham were his parents. One of his favorite role models was his father, a renowned Air Force colonel who fought in the Battle of Stalingrad. During Isaak’s early years, the family moved about due to his father’s military career, and they even lived on an island off the coast of Japan. Isaak, however, went back to Odessa for high school. He played soccer as a child and aspired to work as a journalist.
Isaak’s wish was fulfilled. He graduated with a graduate degree in journalism from Moscow State University. He met Sofya, his wife, there.
Archive of the Isaak Shikhman family
His passion for journalism was constant. Writing was always his dream. He was witty and imaginative. Joseph added, “And he got his dream job.”
For an economic publication, Isaak wrote. According to Joseph, it was their take on the Wall Street Journal and was named Soviet Trade. He advanced through the organization. In the end, he covered a large portion of the Soviet Union, writing profile articles about various companies and industries related to trade, industry, and agriculture. He had the opportunity to interview numerous well-known Soviet figures from both business and culture. He adored it.
When private companies were allowed to operate in the Soviet Union, Isaak started a fast-food restaurant. According to Joseph, it was essentially the forerunner of McDonald’s arrival in Russia. He was eager to try new things and was constantly ambitious. And there was a desire to at last have this chance to give his family more after decades of living under communism. He was always the type to seize the chance to try something new.
Archive of the Isaak Shikhman family
Exiting the Soviet Union was Isaak’s top priority. According to Joseph, living there was difficult, particularly for Russian Jews. Free speech was nonexistent. Religious freedom did not exist. They desired to go in order to pursue a more liberated, cozy, and fascinating future.
After waiting for their American visas to be granted, Isaak and his family left Austria and then Rome in 1989 to immigrate to the United States. Before relocating to Dongan Hills, they lived in Brooklyn.
Isaak covered news for Russian-speaking nations as a journalist for Radio Liberty, a U.S. government-funded program. It offered them an alternative viewpoint to that which they are now receiving from state-run propaganda sources. According to Joseph, their goal was to give Russian speakers news that was more grounded in reality.
Isaak co-hosted a television program in Russian as well. According to Joseph, he wished to use his journalism skills and his time spent in Soviet Russia to portray the truth and make the case for improvement. For the remainder of his life, he continued to be passionate about writing, educating others, and conversing with others.
The family archive of Isaak Shikhman and his spouse, Sofia
Eventually, Isaak started exporting, shipping consumer items to Ukraine and Russia. He was successful in exporting textiles from Canada and the United States.
According to Joseph, there were numerous chances to introduce items to the market that weren’t previously available. His street smarts were amazing. In a sense, it was a lawless place, therefore it was crucial that he was a really gregarious person. They were still attempting to understand the workings of the free market and capitalism. His top priority was to support his family, and he wanted to take advantage of the chance to travel to America to achieve just that.
Isaak was motivated to pursue a career in politics after his grandson did. Joseph claimed that he was enthralled with whatever his grandchildren were doing. He was really interested once I started talking politics. He got involved right away. Hundreds of fresh voters were registered by him. He provided support to numerous politicians. He advocated for those with issues that no one was taking notice to by using his connections and skills.
Michael Grimm and Isaak Shikhman Family archive
Isaak spent his leisure time writing books that drew inspiration from his experiences as an immigrant and his early years in the Soviet Union. His sense of humor was nasty. And that was evident in all of his writing, even when the subject matter was weighty. Joseph remarked, “He always made you smile at the end of a page.”
Isaak started Time and Place, a monthly literary and current affairs journal, as a side project and published it for more than ten years. Joseph stated that he wanted to make something imaginative. Its main goal was to compile a wide range of works by Russian authors.
Archive of the Isaak Shikhman family
Isaak took a lot of trips. He met a prominent rabbi in Ukraine during one of his journeys, and he helped a charity that helped orphans through him. Joseph stated that he wished to give back to these children who shared his upbringing on the streets. He wished to assist those who were left behind.
When the war broke out in Ukraine, Isaak jumped into action. He managed to fund the treatment of veterans. According to Joseph, he consistently gathered supplies and clothing and delivered them to the area for the benefit of displaced citizens and refugees.
Above all, Isaak loved his family and enjoyed cooking for them. He would go to a restaurant and find his way into the kitchen to meet the chef and get recipes for what he just ate. Then he would come home and make it for everyone. They were always inviting family and friends over. It was non-stop, Joseph said.
Isaak will be remembered for his incredible charisma. He owned a room, Joseph said. Whenever he walked in, he could make literally anyone laugh. He had a sense of humor, optimism, and curiosity. So many people flocked to him. He could make friends easily because he had a magnetism. I ve never seen anyone as extroverted as him.
He is survived by his wife, Sofya, his son, Arthur, and his grandchildren, Joseph, Daniel, and Max.
Archive of the Isaak Shikhman family
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