JULY 19, 2024

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Hi Viewers of Vistas Weequahic, 

Bobbi Gerstl Berrebi (62) provides news of classmate’s passing:

Along with her husband and three sons, I am so saddened to report the passing of my dear friend Susan Friedenberg Major on her 80th birthday, June 19th, after a long battle with dementia. Sue and I were very close through high school and beyond. You might remember her as a cheerleader, very athletic. Always, always a smile on her face. 

After college (1967) we traveled to Europe together. She took a detour to Israel and met her future husband William there; eventually settling down in Paris. A few years later, I traveled to see them and was introduced by them to my future husband! We all lived in Paris at the same time, and then they eventually moved to Texas and us to New Jersey. 

We always managed to see each other and travel together from time to time. She was so fiercely devoted to her family. Our Weequahic memories always were a topic of long conversations. Here is the link to her obituary, Obituary for Susan Major. Bobbi 

WHS Class of 1963 Scholarship

For those who have generously supported the Class of 1963 Scholarship Fund, thank you, of course, but would also like to share that the recipient of the 2024 Fund award ($2,500) was National Honor Society honoree El Hadj Dieng who will be attending William Paterson, majoring in Biochemistry. Marc Tarabour (63)

Public Library announces new director for the Philip Roth Personal library:

Sam Graham-Felsen is the new historian in charge of the Philip Roth Personal Library (PRPL). Graham-Felsen is a novelist and lifelong admirer of Philip Roth’s writing. In his introductory letter (Philip Roth Room-Newark Public Library), he invites anyone in, or traveling to, the Newark area, to reach out to him at prpl@npl.org to provide personalized tours of the PRPL, so that you can see this remarkable collection up close.

Good & Welfare:

Elaine Einhorn Blumenfeld (6/52)

In June, my husband Alvin (6/48) and I celebrated our 72nd wedding anniversary. I graduated Weequahic on a Wednesday and we were married that Saturday night. We recently went to our son’s surprise 70th birthday; our daughter is 68. When did this happen? It went so fast, but good. Elaine

Susan Oaklander Leon (1/58)

Weequahic and Hillside High battled it out playing football on Thanksgiving Day in the 50's (the Jewish boys never won). However, this Weequahic girl and Bob Leon from Hillside will have been married 60 years this coming July 30th. Pretty compatibly I must add. Kudos to all of you who have been fortunate enough to have had a long, happy marriage. Susan

Additional responses to Mady Bauman Barna (56) on the Weequahic Diner and her dad, Leo.

Marilyn Eaker Loewy (6/56)

I remember Mady, we were classmates. And, oh boy, do we remember your dad and his fabulous diners. Our family’s favorite was the Weequahic Diner. Best pickles and coleslaw! Those days were the best. Marilyn

Roberta Blake Abramson (1/54)

I went to the Weequahic Diner every Saturday night with my then boyfriend and later dates. Your dad would anyways come up to me and quietly comment about the guy. I had the same menu choice every visit, chicken salad sandwich, chocolate cream pie, and Coke. But I was slim despite his great food. Enjoyed both the Weequahic and Claremont. My husband Burt, Class of 1948 (to whom I am married 64 years as of last June 14^th), always buys the health salad, when we can, to remind us of the blissful dinners your father created! Roberta

Eli Hoffman (1/56)

Mady’s note about the fabulous Weequahic and Claremont Diners brought back some very happy and enjoyable memories. I just read my January 1956 Legend and viewed again the great pictures of our Class Reunion at the Headquarters Plaza on October 17, 1998. I remember your father's Weequahic Diner, it was GREAT.  

My father would take me to there for breakfast on Sundays every few months. I was probably about 11 or 12. We were on the way to the wholesale produce markets on Miller Street. My father, Joe Hoffman, had a produce store, “Hoffman Brothers,” on Hawthorne Avenue.

I remember the Diner's delicious matzo brei. As teenagers, my friends and I frequently hung out on Friday and Saturday nights at the Diner. Your father's Claremont Diner in Verona was an "upscale" place to go or after a date.

Thank you for bringing back some happy memories. Eli

A few more recalls of Peshine Avenue School days:

Jack Cobin (Peshine 56/Linden 60))

To Mel Rubin (56), I think the shop teacher’s last name was Kevlin. Funny story; I asked him to sign my autograph book and he told me in a gruff manner he does not sign back pages. In response, I turned the book upside down so it looked like he signed the front page. Jack

Stella Goldberg Geller (6/55) 

I had just arrived alone from France after WWII, enrolled in Peshine in September of 1946, placed in Miss Shaw’s 4th grade class because she spoke French. Only Mr. Fry, the Principal, also spoke my language. I was 11 and moved up every month or so till I could converse somewhat in English. My very first assignment was to write those ovals? The push pull method! I refused because it was a waste of paper. I brought to class my French notebooks which were all graph paper in which I wrote in tiny letters to demonstrate the reason for my refusal. I got the only “F” in my entire school career. Stella

Matthew Naula (59)

The shop teacher was not Mr. Devlin. His name was Kevlin, a commuter from NYC every day. He did have his bottle in the shop. He made picture frames for himself and had kids in his class help make them. I am sure the cost of goods was zero because he used the wood supplied by the Newark Board of Education and had child labor to help make the frames. Very successful operation and never got caught. Matthew

Rita Bleckner Weisstuch (6/59)

The shop teacher at Peshine was Kevlin, not Devlin, according to my brother (Martin Bleckner, Hillside 62) who learned to use his hands in that class and went on to be a well-known dentist in Summit. Rita

Fred Goldman (6/62) laments passing of friend with an off-track memory:

Fred Goldman (6/62) 

A few weeks ago, I sadly reported that our Class of June 1962 lost Larry Josloff and that his passing brought back to me a story about Larry, his father and me. As a good friend with Larry over the years, we talked on a number of occasions. He became to know that I loved horse racing and told me that his father, aside from the family glass business on Meeker Avenue, was also a trainer of harness race horses. Although I really didn't like the trotters, I never forgot what Larry related to me ab out his father.

Years later, when I was working as a mailman. On a day at work when the Post Office had some extra workers, I asked if any of my fellow workers wanted to take off with me and we would all go to Freehold for the day. After we get to the race track, I buy a program and as I was looking through it I notices that entered into the last race of the day was a horse named Derf (“FRED” backwards). I tell the guys my story of my nickname, Derf. The topper. The trainer is Larry's father. This had to be some sort of lucky day.

When the last race of the day comes up, I checked the odds. Derf is about 50-1 and has no chance. I tell my friends we shouldn't waste our money on a sure loser. If you don't know Freehold Race Track, it’s very small and the horses have to go around it twice. You could also watch it up very close from the low fence; so close that you could yell at your horse coming down the stretch to the finish. The race starts and going around the first turn Derf is running well, a great drive.

The odds on the horse are still over 50-1 and I have not one cent on him. There was only one thing I could do. I take off running to where the horses turn for home and, when they do, my plan was to run all the way and yell at Larry's father and the horse. I was a very fast sprinter on the WHS track team and was still in great shape years later. Off I went yelling and banging on the fence all the way to the finish. Do I have to tell you who won? NO!

It was a very long ride home and the next day it was a very long day at work. Just like in high school, I took a very good busting all day. I share the story hoping that it would lighten the sadness for all who cared about Larry and his dad. Yes, still “Derf.” Fred

“W-Nostalgia” as we like it: 

Esther Levine Kaplan (44)

I recently visited my Hawthorne Avenue Newark neighborhood including Hawthorne Ave. School and Weequahic High School. Met a group of boys coming out of school and told them I had attended WHS 80 years ago. They were amazed and asked questions about my days there, including which teachers I had. My thoughts afterward; seen a lot of life. Sometimes the future worries me, but meeting these boys gave me hope. Esther

Jean Feldman Janowsky (1/45)

In response to Michael Botnick's (68) reference to Lehigh Avenue, you will note from my graduation date, I am now 97. The Feldman family lived at 127 Lehigh for about 7 years and then moved across the street to #132. After 11 years, we left Lehigh Avenue and moved to Mapes Avenue, but I was no longer a kid then.

My memories of Lehigh are still with me and they are all great to recall. There were lots of kids on our block of all ages and growing up there were certainly happy years. I do recall a Botnick, (either Harold or Howard) whom I believe was older than me but not by much. Perhaps he was Michael's father, who knows? But thanks for triggering my Lehigh Avenue memories, Michael. And how lucky I am at my age to have total recall on growing up on that street.  Jean

Jacqueline Kaufer Klein (66)

I have been so saddened by reading about the losses of so many beautiful, brilliant classmates of ours. With each passing of an alumnus, something vanishes from the real world and becomes a memory. I have a memory of David Shapiro (64), not as the great poet he became or from his NY Times obit iconic photograph; just a beautiful, simple memory. For the entire summer, I stayed in my mother's dress shop all day except for two weeks when we would take a magical trip to Miami Beach. I would stand at the door of her shop on the hot, humid summer days and watch the world. Very often, David Shapiro and his sisters would come by holding tennis rackets, laughing, and talking on their way down Lyons Avenue. They seemed so happy together and not having siblings, I always admired them on their way down to Weequahic Park to have fun as a family.

I am sure they never saw or noticed me, but I used to enjoy seeing them. I know it is just a simple memory, but, nonetheless, it was important enough to me never to forget their happy faces on a summer day in Newark. It is strange and enigmatic; the moments of our childhoods that stay with us. Jacqueline