His wife of 62 years, Lithuanian-born Luba Kadison, was a Yiddish
actress who performed on stage as a child. She appeared in many
productions with the European company Vilna Troupe, founded by her
father, Leib Kadison. Joseph and Luba met when the troupe performed in
Poland and married in 1923. The couple later emigrated to the US in the
late 20s where they joined the Yiddish Art Theater in New York.