Abish (Abe) Mendel came from heimishe beginnings in Boro Park, in a hard-working, middle-class family. His career is anything but typical, as he went from advertising/marketing to real estate and teaching. They told me Abish is constantly surrounded by young people seeking his counsel, both in business and in life. Together with his son Shmuli, who now leads the company, Abish built RiverBrook into a significant player in the hospitality (hotel) space. To be honest, I knew nothing about running a real estate business.