Hi Squad Orange and Brown,
Addressing alumni e-addresses:
Jeffrey Gelman (6/60) has been added to the WHS E-Pals network at jgelman524@gmail.com.
Jeff Kopp (Union 68), a former childhood resident of Weequahic District, is a recent newsletter subscriber at hbkjmk@yahoo.com.
Cheryl Weisman Fulmer (68) and David Berger (55) bring news of WHS alum passing:
Sad to report that Bernie Lubetkin (6/43) died May 7, 2022 a few months after his wife Beverly. Bernie is survived by his son Michael and Beverly's daughters. He had brothers Alvin (1/52) and Charles (Tudy) (6/49). Bernie attended NJ College of Engineering and was involved in building shipping ports worldwide. We were all down in SW Florida and kept in touch. Notice of Bernie’s death appears at Obituary of Bernard Lubetkin. Cheryl & David
Warren Bratter (1/60) finalizes the essay on the 2008 journey back the neighborhood called “Home,” Part III:
I knew Marvin Feinblatt better because he was a frequent denizen of Syd’s, my uncle Mort’s gyroscope for the social balance of the neighborhood. In my late teens, I worked there mostly on weekends and during the football season on Sundays. I also knew Feinblatt socially because Linda, the older sister of my high school sweetheart Fern, was, at that time, Marvin’s girlfriend and would later become his wife. Feinblatt approached me one day at Untermann Field and said he was taking over Pop Shevitz’s Candy Store on Chancellor to start a pizzeria and did I want to come work for him. I hardly knew what pizza was. I was more of a knish with mustard and a Jimmy Buff sausage sandwich kind of kid (don’t tell my grandmother). I think, maybe, I had on occasion fearlessly walked down Bergen Street with some friends to JoRay’s for a pie. I eagerly accepted Feinblatt’s offer of a job.
Once the buildout of the pizzeria was completed, Feinblatt hired Giuseppe, an older Italian American from the Barringer High School neighborhood to guide him and me through the intricacies of every step of pizza-making and sausage and pepper sandwich preparations. I found myself in the pizzeria’s back room much like “Heshy One Eye” who had worked for years at Syd’s in the back room doing all kinds of prep work for the food served. I learned about kneading the dough, shaping the disk, making basic tomato sauce, learning to keep an eye on the sausages on the oven trays while at the same time cutting and sautéing onions, peppers and, of course, peeling the potatoes for the Jimmy Buff-like sandwich.
Working this close with Feinblatt every day that summer, sometimes 12 hours a day, was as important to me, a hoped-for future mensch, as were the culinary lessons I learned and preserved. Feinblatt brought the same intensity to his business, the same fairness and honesty to his employees and customers that he did with his WHS football teammates and, of course, with his own family. I still appreciate those lessons about humanity that Feinblatt taught me about decency towards others. As for my culinary skills learned under Giuseppe’s tutelage, ask my wife if I learned the other lessons taught me at the Indian Pizzeria after she’s had a slice or two of my cookie sheets, two-cheese, artichoke, chicken sausage pizza or my Jimmy Buff pita bread sandwich. Feinblatt, Andy Zupko and Weequahic are always in the back of my mind and deep in my spirit even if I’m not consciously aware of it. Warren
Richie Gerber (6/63) has a special memory related to the Burgerama:
In 1958, after 13 years we moved from an apartment at 399 Leslie Street which was situated on the third floor facing Chancellor Avenue over a group of stores; Frenchy’s Barber Shop, J&J Butchers, Carl’s Beauty Salon and Harjay’s Sweet Shop. The move took us to 56 Summit Avenue directly across from Chancellor Avenue School. To the left of our two-family house was L Rose Florist and behind that was a big vacant lot.
At this time, I began playing golf and realized with a little landscaping I could turn this lot into a pitch and putt. I began chopping down bushes and removed many rocks from the area. My grandfather, who was a brick mason, was building a new stoop for the house. In order to make cement sand was needed to be mixed in along with water. At the end of the day a lot of extra sand was left over. That’s when I realized I could use this sand around the greens that I would eventually construct.
In a few areas there were small mounds that fortunately had a flat ridge at the top. I smoothed down the top of the mound as best I could and dug hole number one. I then dug out some cavities around the green and filled it with my grandpa’s sand (that he thought somebody was stealing). Also protecting the front of the green was a natural sink hole that was most of the time filled with rain water. So, unless you hit a perfect shot over the water, you could not hold the tiny green and the ball would roll over into a back sand trap. I then proceeded to construct two more similar holes. So, here is where I learned a pretty good short game and learned to putt on pretty rough greens. This lasted for maybe a year or two; not really sure exactly how long.
One day I got out of school ready to play a few holes with a friend, who was and still is an excellent golfer, Paul Pinky Brown (6/63). And there it was, the Burgerama was sitting on half of the course taking away two holes. I played one hole for a while until the side of the tin can diner began to dent and a window was broken. Unfortunately, that was the end of my beautiful Burgerama Country Club. Sadly, I then began playing and caddying at Weequahic Park. I played there for many years on a lot better fairways and greens. Richie
The essay memories of Ray Drake (1/50) and Warren Bratter (1/60) continue to receive notice:
Jerry Krotenberg (1/60/faculty 64-69)
Warren, the description of your reunion with Ed Barker made me feel as if I was in the same room. Your eloquent description of the encounter made me think maybe we have more than one "Philip Roth" who attended our beloved alma mater. Please continue to write. Jerry
Rich Kaplan (1/61)
I remember going to Weequahic football games and looking forward to watching the Bratter/Barker duo. Bratter was always a threat to go all the way on kickoff returns and Barker was a strong, hard runner. I also remember Skuratofsky as being a rare for Weequahic, good-sized lineman. Rich
David Cohen (56)
Warren, thanks for the memories. We are four years apart, but I couldn't have described better the feelings or visual representations. I could actually see the neighborhood as I read your words.
As you probably remember, I lived on Vassar one house down from Clinton Place right next to Dr. Teitelbaum. He was a great mentor and friend. Every Saturday or Sunday AM a bunch of us kids were driven by Doc and Paul Klein’s dad to Weequahic park to play softball. The Doc bought me my first mitt as a birthday present when I was around 7 or 8. We had enough kids to field two teams. A lot of kids that lived lower down walked to the park.
When I think about those days, I think “golden” like the rest of our precious neighborhood. David
Jay Levinson (66)
In 1970, while I was touring Bucharest, I met an American who had come to Romania to see the village where he had grown up before WW II. When he was told that the village had been destroyed during the fighting and was rebuilt in the Communist period, he decided to return to New York. He wanted to remember the village as it was in his childhood and not the new village built on the site.
That is the way that I feel about Newark. I had a happy time in the years that I lived in the Weequahic Section; and I do not want to change those memories. I do not want to go back to visit. On two recent occasions I had to be in the Federal Building on Broad Street. Downtown is not what it used to be. I want to keep my cherished memories of the past. It will always be for me McCrory's, Bamberger's Tea Room, Newark Evening News and its building, Bond Clothes, Kresge's and the Hudson Tubes. Jay
Mady Bauman Barna (56)
Warren, I have often wanted to take the drive to the old neighborhood but since 1967, when my husband had a Molotov cocktail thrown at his car, I haven’t gone back. Mady
Natalie Confield Tublitz (52)
Our wonderful friend, Artie Spielvogel, Class of January 1952, would roll marbles down the isles in study hall. Perhaps our Fudge Maven was remembering this? We always encouraged him. Natalie
Irwin Millinger (62)
To add to Ray Drake's remembrances:
I remember when the Newark Arms Apartments were built on Elizabeth Avenue and all the airline stewardesses who had lay overs would ride the bus from Newark Airport to the apartment house where they overnighted.
I would walk from Bradley Beach to Asbury Park every day as I was an usher at the Mayfair Theater in the summer. Had to walk past the Candlestick Bowling Alley, Great Auditorium, tent houses and paddle boats and over Heck Avenue and Pilgrim's Pathway in Ocean Grove.
On Saturday morning, I would go to the Park Theater and we would close the top button on our shirt to look younger and get a cheaper price; ticket seller would try to trick you by suddenly asking your year of birth.
The other bus line was the 102 that went from Lyons Avenue to New York and made famous in Philip Roth's book
The worst part of the ashes was that people would spread them on the street to give the cars better traction in the snow which traction ruined the sledding.
I remember when bus fare from Lyons to downtown Newark went up from 10 cents to 12 cents and everyone had to scrounge for the pennies.
Collecting empty soda bottles on the beach got you 2 cents return from the food concession on the boardwalk at Bradley.
Remember going to Newark Airport before it expanded, going onto roof and sitting there watching planes landing and taking off. Irwin
Passing time about the past time:
Richard Schnur (6/63)
Does anyone know who owned the vegetable cart? Richard
Jac Toporek (6/63)
As a follow up to my own and other’s past comments about Millman’s hot dogs and to Newark history buffs, Nat Bodian has some terrific recollections of Millman’s at Millman's Part One and Millman's Part Two. Jac
Mel Rubin (56)
In response to Clark Lissner (6/6), the Jewish holiday of Purim is very meaningful to me. I met my wife Sharon (Segal Weequahic/Hillside 56) at a Purim festival at AABC on Chancellor Avenue in Irvington. Curiously, my parents also met at an Irvington Purim festival, but a few decades earlier. I worked closely with your brother Mel (53) both in Real Estate sales and taught at his Real Estate school for many years.
In response to Lenny Grossman (6/49), do you recall when Stash would sponsor the roller-car derby on Hawthorne Avenue that ran from Osborne Terrace to the finish line at his store? That was some hill. What great corned beef sandwiches! Mel
