DECEMBER 5, 2025

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Hi Generations of Weequahic,  

Dena Gittleman Greenstein (64) with another “Small Weequahic World” story:

My husband and were on the Queen Mary II recently making the transatlantic crossing from Southampton, England to NY. On day 6, at the daily afternoon tea, we were seated with another passenger who had arrived before us. She introduced herself as Marilyn, and we introduced ourselves. I asked where she was traveling from. “From New Jersey,” she said. “So am I, Newark,” I added. “Weequahic,” she responded. “Class of 64,” I said. “Class of 57, stated Marilyn. What followed was a fun discussion of Watson Bagels, Tabachnik’s, Cohen’s Knishes and all the news we read in this weekly newsletter. Turns out Marilyn and I even had other friends in common. So, Marilyn Holtzman, née Schecter, Class of 1957, if you’re reading this, it was a pleasure to meet you and thanks for the memories.  Dena

Ron Bruguiere (6/53) shares celebratory event:

Audrey Blumenfeld Posnock (6/53) joined me on November 3rd at NYC's Le Bernadin to celebrate my 90th birthday. Audrey and I have known each other, and kept in touch, since kindergarten at Madison Junior High School, that's 85 years ago. In pic, below, Audrey is third on the left; Second on the left is Leslie, Audrey's daughter; I'm second on the right. My brother Peter joined us, He's the fifth on the left, grey hair and beard, blueish green shirt. Peter did not attend WHS. The others are from California. Ron

Arlene Chausmer Swirsky (6/64) shares a plea for medical assistance:

I have only one thing on my holiday wish list, a new kidney. The one I received in 2003 is failing. About a year ago, my transplant doc told me my choices were then, and now, very limited. I not eligible to be on an organ recipient list locally or nationally because of my age (79) and I am not willing to go back on dialysis. It made me feel so miserable the last time. I will take my chances of living through the surgery if I can find a living donor.

Yes, it is a sacrifice to be a living donor; one must be healthy and willing and able to take the time needed for the testing, surgery, and post-op recovery. Without a living donor, my transplanted kidney will stop working, but no one knows exactly when that is going to happen.

Giving the gift of life is probably the most noble thing one can do because you are literally saving a life. I hope that by sharing my story and my need, one of our Weequahic faithful can assist in my effort to locate a living donor. I can be reached at acswrite@gmail.com. Arlene

Paul Goff (58) authors comment on his life story and brings to light another tale of notable achievements by WHS grads:

Wondering about others from Weequahic who one way or another did Peace Corps. In our case Ellen (nee. Brodsky, WHS 58) and I went to Sierra Leone in 1972-74. Me, a Peace Corps staff doctor and Ellen working as a volunteer.  

Our time there with our three kids was amazing. I did a quick study of tropical disease and spent much of the time traveling around the country visiting volunteers and volunteering at local hospitals. We housed emergency cases in our home and evacuated the more serious ill to Europe. The country was in the early years of independence and, while there were political problems, it was fairly stable; only one attempted coup. It’s a bit ironic now that, after observing the chaos of the Sierra Leonian elections, we thought how superior, well organized, orderly, and non-violent our own elections in the U.S. were. In any case, we loved the international experience; being in a place at a different stage of development; meeting interesting people and simply the challenge of living and raising a family overseas.  

We were lucky, during that period when there was no Ebola or HIV. Malaria was fairly easily prevented and treated (resistant malaria didn’t appear in Africa until the late 80s). And, fortunately, we all stayed healthy not only in SL but in the other places we worked.  

That said, on my first trip up country I visited a small hospital run by Irish nuns and heard a tale of unexpected serious illnesses and deaths at their hospital, including a staff person. I contacted the CDC and asked whether this could be Lassa Fever (I had read an article about this new disease in Nigeria earlier in the year) and after several months of study including the visit of a CDC team the presence of Lassa Fever was confirmed. It persists as a problem to this day.  

After leaving Sierra Leone, I practiced for a few years in Seattle. We decided that we enjoyed working overseas and subsequently worked for 15 years for the Department of State, me as a doctor and Ellen, after passing the Foreign Service exam, as a Foreign Service officer. We had assignments in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Panama, Bangladesh, Washington D.C. and Thailand until the early 90s when we returned home to the Bellingham WA area.  

Almost immediately on our return Ellen developed symptoms of cancer and after two horrible years died. I subsequently remarried (Dorothy) and, after practicing in Bellingham for several more years. retired and now live in Lynden WA. Paul

W-Alum share “Halloween in the Hood” memories:

Hal Lipton (1/55) 

The night before Halloween was called “Hell Night,” a time to do something destructive. My dad said one could fill a milk bottle with water and lean it against somebody’s front door. My group selected me to put the bottle against the door, ring the doorbell, and run away. This was at a house near Chancellor Avenue School. 

Well, I did the bottle trick and ran. It was getting dark and I tripped and fell--right down on the street breaking my front tooth. I soon was at the dentist with about 12 guys behind me getting some fixing of my broken tooth. It took years to get that tooth fixed properly. In any case, I no longer led the “Hell Night” tricks. It taught me not to be such a wise guy. I did keep a sense of humor, however.

My dad, a CPA, was driving me up to Syracuse U when I was a new freshman. He said, "I want you to remember why I am sending you to college. But I also want you to study." How is that for a clever way for my dad to tell me to have a good time? And, I did! Thanks dad. Hal 

Judi Wodnick Chait (6/62)

Loved the opening of the Halloween evening newsletter. Greetings from the scary cob-webbed basements and scary coal bins. Could there be anything more ominous to a child. Shadows lurking and creaking noises. We were three girls, mom and dad and our grandmother on the second floor in our one-bathroom apartment. My dad decided to put a second bathroom in the basement. Seriously! Who in the world was going down there? Judi

How the W-Memories linger:  

Norman Barr (6/54)

In 1948, when I was 12 years old, I was expelled from Young Israel Hebrew School, Though I was Bar Mitzvahed the following year in a Conservative “Schul (synagogue)," I have never prayed in a temple since that time. When I was 18 years old, I graduated from Weequahic and left New Jersey to attend college in Michigan, never returning to the Garden State except for short visits with family, and some friends. 

For more than 60 years, I have lived in Southern California (Redlands now, if anyone is curious), and it was a little over 20 years ago that I reconnected with Newark through the Weequahic Alumni Association. And it was during covid, about 5 years ago, that I began watching Zoom sessions from the Central Synagogue in New York City (with Chief Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, who is fabulous).

My Weequahic Alumni Newsletter usually arrives at 3pm on Friday, which is exactly the same time that the Friday night Central Synagogue service begins (6pm Newark time). I love that next hour-and-a-half, reading the newsletter and watching Zoom. You can take the boy out of synagogue and out of Newark, but you can’t take the synagogue and Newark out of the boy. Norman

Jack Rudowsky (1/49)

Connie Francis was a neighbor of mine on Belmont Avenue by the Pyrene lot and ballfield. She was not permitted by her dad to talk to any of the neighborhood boys as she would walk down the block to go to the grocery store. This was in 1947 ,1948, and 1949. Jack

Alan Giner (64/65)

To Frank Cheriff (Peshine/Hillside 65), of course, I remember your father's bike shop on Lyons Avenue. If there was damage beyond a flat tire, we would walk our bikes from Schley Street near Chancellor Avenue all the way to his shop. It was right across the street from my Aunt Sally and Uncle Herman who lived above the stores across Lyons. It's also where you bought all the cool stuff like bike horns, lights, and streamers (remember those?). Wasn't he also across Lyons from Marshall Banner's? What a trip that place was and I will share some thoughts about that place soon. Alan

The WHS NOTE is emailed to you by the WEEQUAHIC HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION for the CLASS OF 1963 ASSOCIATION and editor, Jacob Toporek.



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