Smart Woman From Russia (Israeli, legal, attorney, Murray)

[Supine]

I'm reading the book Supermob and I saw this article today. Kind of serendipitous. Supermob: How Sidney Korshak and His Criminal Associates Became America's Hidden Power Brokers: Gus Russo: Amazon.com: Books

The book Supermob is about Russian Jews, mainly from the Midwest, that used a lot of brains and skills to work between organized crime, politicians, and entertainment. Supposedly, big power players behind the curtain of American power. The author seems to suggest that anyways. I just started reading the book. But Sid Korshack features prominently in the book I guess. I think I first came across his name years ago reading something locally about a good Jewish fighter that fought on the UW-Madison boxing team back during its glory days (of the boxing program). I think it mentioned he went on to become a lawyer out in Hollywood hooked up with Chicago gangsters.

Anyways... I can't help but admire this woman's smarts and drive. I mean she's obviously very intelligent looking at the subjects she got degrees in and how quickly she earned them.

It's a long article but here are some excerpts.

Do you think unmarried mothers get too much help from the state governments today? Actually, does any of the money come from the Federal Government?


Watchdog Report - Landlords, self-employed get state aid on honor system

Marina Kolchinsky Porush describes herself as an agunah, an orthodox Jewish woman abandoned by her husband. Living a life in limbo: Not officially divorced, forbidden to remarry. Left destitute to care for her six sons.

She needs food and medical assistance, child care and Supplemental Security Income, among other public support, she says. She and the boys have received more than $150,000 worth of taxpayer-funded benefits in the last five years.

What she fails to tell the state in her application for the help, however, is that she collects thousands of dollars in rent every month from at least $4 million worth of properties in Shorewood, the east side of Milwaukee and elsewhere.

In December 2012, when Porush renewed her request for public assistance, she disclosed no income from rental properties.

She didn't mention the house on N. Murray Ave. near the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee assessed at $286,000. One tenant there told the Journal Sentinel he and his roommates pay $1,100 a month for their unit.

The house has three other units, according to Nick Weide, the property manager. Weide said Porush hired his small company a few years ago to manage some of her properties. He collects the rent and takes a cut but would not say to whom he makes out the checks, only noting of Porush: "She gets her money."

Porush came to the United States along with her family in 1981 from Russia and settled in Milwaukee.

She quickly enrolled at UWM, receiving two undergraduate degrees in 1983; one in applied math and physics, the other in computer science.

Two years later, she completed a master's degree in electrical engineering and computer science at Marquette University.

"She's very intelligent," said Mary Payne, an attorney who represented Porush over the years. Payne declined to comment further citing attorney-client privilege. Payne sued Porush in 2011 over unpaidlegal bills.

Porush wed again, less than two years later in June 1994, joining a wealthy and powerful family in Israel when she married Mordechai Porush.

According to Marina Porush, he is a distant cousin of the late Menachem Porush, an ultra-orthodox, longtime member of the Israeli legislature.

Court records show it was an arranged marriage with promises in writing and pieces of "fine silver" and money exchanged between the families.

Porush vowed her virginity and in return Mordechai Porush pledged to feed, clothe and sustain her, according to the marriage agreement, known as a ketubah.

The following year their first son was born. Five more would soon follow.
But the marriage deteriorated.