JUNE 30, 2023

TO RESPOND WITH A COMMENT OF YOUR OWN, PLEASE WRITE TO OR CLICK ON WHSALUM63@AOL.COM. 

Hi Weequa-Chatterers,  

E-mail notations:

Richard Blecker (6/63) - RichardB@seniorsathome.net (change)

Larry Sharpe (Columbia 68) – sharperealtynj@gmail.com (new)

Corrections:

Water Chinoy (66)

Last week, in citing the obituary of Lenny Wallen, he didn't graduate WHS in 1964 because he was 85 when he died. He graduated in the mid 1950's. You might like to tell people that he owned the Pleasantdale Kosher Meat Market in West Orange. Walter

Renee Marshal-McKinley (84)

In highlighting our book (“Pouring: a Story of Sisterhood”) last week in the “WHS Note, I forgot to include the link to the book on Amazon; Link to book on Amazon. Renee

Alan Ginter (64/65) has a “Small-Weequahic-World” inquiry:

I play bass and sing in a terrific quartet every Friday at a Ballroom Dance with folks of all ages who know how to dance. Since my Newark upbringing is always part of my "schtick," a nice lady named Ann Roth (no relation to Philip), who recognized the name Weequahic, comes up to me and, after the usual questions, told me she graduated high school in Brooklyn in 1961, had subsequently moved to the Weequahic section, and knew folks from Weequahic. Anyone having contact info, or any info, regarding the following Weequahic neighbors, Harold Witkoff (61 or 62), Roberta Geiger (61), or an Ira "Red" Meltzer who owned cleaning stores in Newark? If so, please let me know at alanginter@hotmail.com.  Alan

Norman Barr (6/54) looks to the future and questions:

I believe that it’s been more than 10 years, and maybe more than 15 years, that I have been reading the “WHS Note,” the weekly alumni newsletter (and its predecessor), and I have always looked forward to its arrival, and to reading it. We, mostly white and Jewish, and some white non-Jewish, alums have shared our common experiences which were so similar throughout the 40s, 50s and most of the 60s. There has been some evolution during that approximately 23+ year period. For example, when I started reading these weeklies, there were considerably more letters from my peers who graduated in the 50s. Now, the preponderance of the letters come from alums who graduated in the 60s.

What about 10 years from now? Do the students who graduated after the 1967 Newark riots have similar positive memories of their high-school experience and will they share them as we have via the “WHS Note?” And if so, can they be encouraged to contribute to this newsletter? I would love to read their positive experiences. How are their positive memories similar to our (white) positive memories, and how are they different? 

If the post-1967 graduates do not start contributing to this newsletter, then the WHS Alumni Association in its present form will cease to exist! Can that be avoided? Norman

Jac Toporek (6/63)

Norman, as editor of the weekly “WHS Note” for the past 23 years, I have attempted on many occasions to reach out to the non-Jewish alumni who were our classmates at the high school to share their memories, favorite hang outs, places of worship, notable clergy and professional, community activities, etc. Unfortunately, my motivational efforts have proven fruitless time and time again. Got some promises of submissions, but no follow through.

The weekly newsletter is not a direct function of the WHS Alumni Assn. I have made it a function of the Class of 63 Assn, my class. The Alumni Association's existence doe not rely on the newsletter, but does rely on Weequahic alumni giving of their time and effort to give back to the school. I believe the Board and leadership of the WHSAA continues to make certain that the organization is represented by and guided by graduates, as it is today, of the 60s, 70s, 80s and so on.

I may not continue this labor of love (as some have referenced it), but for many more years. Yes, it has kept us all connected and sharing. I am confident that the WHSAA and WHS students of today will continue to find ways to connect to the school, the neighborhood, each other and their shared experiences.  Jac

Jacquelin Kaufer Klein’s (66) commentary on neighborhood doctors motivated responses:

Miriam Lipson Kaufman (6/53)

I worked with Dr. Victor Parsonet at Newark’s Beth, Israel Hospital. He was a brilliant doctor. I also remember Dr. Fain, the obstetrician gynecologist who delivered my three children. Marian

Barbara Steinberg Shanker (1/59)

I really enjoyed reading about the Newark doctors. I remember Marty Jacobs when he interned at Beth Israel. He also did one of the last home visits in 1967 when I had strep throat. Dr. Sugarman delivered both of my children at St. Barnabas. As for Dr. Singer, I worked for him for over a year. We were a one-girl office (me) and I believe he was a gastroenterologist. Certainly, look forward to reading this every Friday! Barbara

Debby Rosenthal Weiss (59)

My husband, Marty Weiss (56) and I were perusing the latest alumni newsletter when I saw my dad’s name mentioned in Jacqueline Kaufer Klein’s homage to Weequahic physicians of the 50s and 60s. Many of those mentioned were personal friends. I didn’t know the Dr. Sugarman she mentioned, but I have great memories of Dr. Andy Silverman, who was a most beloved Ob-Gyn and did indeed deliver a good number of babies during that time. He and his wife Mardel were generous and great humanitarians, besides being two of the most humorous people we knew.

My dad, Dr. Arnold J. Rosenthal, was not a pediatrician although his General Practice included many kids. He attended patients ranging from one-day olds to a lovely woman of 107; treated myriad illnesses including diabetes. He also delivered babies and could occasionally be found setting bones in plaster of paris casts on the kitchen table. His patients adored him and our house was always abuzz with them wanting to come upstairs to visit my mom, sister Linda, and our 5 insane dachshunds. So, thank you, Jacqueline, for reminding me of my terrific dad and a glorious childhood. Debby

Vicki Wodnick Klapholz (2/56)

When I arrived home from college in Illinois after my freshman year, my mother took one look at me and said, “Look what happened to you. We’re going to Dr Morress (can’t vouch for the spelling).” And so, we did.  When he saw how much weight I had gained, he quickly gave me a tri-sectioned white box with green, yellow, and pink little pills. Pills were to be taken before each meal. The weight came off very quickly, almost as quickly as I could climb walls and swing from chandeliers. Our trusted Dr. Morress had given me a box of colored uppers. Vicki

Eli Hoffman (1/56)

Thank you for reminiscing about doctors in the Weequahic High School area in the 40 and 50s. Do you remember my family's doctor, Dr. Blaustein. He came to our house; doctors always made house calls in those days. I remember him on Vassar Avenue with his black bag. Sometimes he had to post a yellow form on the front door if any of us had the measles or certain other diseases in the 40s and early 50s.

Dr. Victor Parsonet, as you mentioned, was a wonderful physician. He scrubbed and wore his operating greens on January 12, 1994 when he and his colleague Dr. Ivan Gelshensky performed open heart surgery on me for a triple bypass. I remember distinctly saying to him while being placed on a heart/lung machine, “Vic (we were personally friendly so I could call him by his first name), I was born in the Beth in 1938 don't you let me die here! Thanks to “Vic,” I'm still a working, semi-retired CPA at 84. Eli

Mel Ortner (6/64)

I would add Dr. Orris who lived on lower Keer Avenue and made house calls to our home throughout my sister’s and my childhood. I remember his black bag that was so synonymous with the doctors of that era. If it wasn’t an emergency, his office was in his home. He was a wonderful, kind and caring man. If memory serves me well (which it rarely does these days,) he had a daughter Jane who I think was in my class of June 1964. Mel

W-Memories keep flowing: 

Marilyn Frank Jacks (64)

The road I've travelled from Voorhees Street (and Bragaw Avenue School) to Cave Creek, AZ has been "long and winding." Thank you to the “WHS Note” for allowing us all to share each other's journeys. It is truly a labor of love! Marilyn

David Cohen (6/56)

My wife and I were driving down Route 35 in Belmar on the way to lunch and listening to NJ 101.5 on the radio. The discussion was about places that used to be and are no longer but should be. Some of the calls from listeners were amazing leading us to start our own list. My wife grew-up in South River, NJ. Her recollections are no way anything like mine. I was thinking the Chestnut Tavern for Pizza or Joe Ray's and O’Dowd’s for ice cream or at Jahn's in Union.

For eats, maybe the Weequahic Diner and Syd’s for hot dogs, if not Mike and Lou's. I could go on and on; you can do it on your own. I feel “Awful Awful” and need to go to bed. I feel like I just got hit in the gut by an Indian Pizzeria pizza. I hope my lipid profile is not affected by these cravings. David