However, I call my grandmother Nonni, the short form of Nonnina, which is an endearing term for grandmother like granny or gramma. I'm not sure this is proper Italian, but that's how I see it. As far as I know nanni is not Italian, and it certainly does not mean grandfather.
Brooklyn became part of the City of New York in 1898. In the early 1900s, Bensonhurstâs Jewish immigrants, many of them Syrian or Egyptian Jews, joined the mix in the mostly Italian neighborhood. During the first half of the 20th century Jewish children primarily attended the local public schools.
Bensonhurst Park. Cropsey Ave. bet. 21 Ave. and Bay Pkwy. This text is part of Parksâ Historical Signs Project and can be found posted within the park. This site and the surrounding neighborhood of Bensonhurst grew exponentially following the construction of steam railroads in the 1870s. This new technology led to the development of the agricultural town of New Utrecht, located in the southwestern region of what is now Brooklyn. In the late 1880s, developer James Lynch bought land here from the prominent Benson family, planted five thousand shade trees, and built 1000 villas.