SEPTEMBER 19, 2025

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

Hi Seekers of Weequahic Wisdom,   

Sharing memorials:

Miriam Lipson Kaufman (6/53)

I am sorry to inform you that my husband Marty Kaufman, WHS graduate of January 1951, passed away on June 7th one week before his 93rd birthday. He is survived by me, three children, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Miriam

Barry Wiernik, Class of June, 1958, passed away this past April. Notice of his passing and a photo of his days in the service appear at Obituary for Barry Wiernik.  

Rhoda Schaffer Kessler, class around 1960, deceased on August 30, 2025, Voorhees, NJ (Obituary for Rhoda Kessler). Anyone who knew her, please email me, her husband, Henry B. Kessler, at hrkess@comcast.net.

Warren Grover (1/55), “historian, community leader, and advocate for Newark’s legacy,” recognized and honored:

Recently, the NJ Jewish News published an article highlighting that the Jewish Historical Society of Greater MetroWest honored Warren Grover with a new “Warren Grover Community History Showcase” curated from his own personal collection of memorabilia. The article by Jill Hershorin states that he “is a true Newarker, born, raised, and deeply shaped by the city’s vibrant cultural and civic life. A proud graduate of Weequahic High School…” The full article appears at Link to Article. 

To schedule a visit to view the “Showcase”, e-mail Karen Auerbach Bocaletti (kbocaletti@jfedgmw.org) or Jill Hershorin (jhershorin@jfedgmw.org).

Need of Assistance:

Weequahic alumnus is in search of a California attorney, graduate of WHS preferred, specializing in Family Law. Any helpful information can be emailed to whsalum63@aol.com and will then be shared with the alumnus. 

J. Paul Blake (68) extends invite to class virtual reunion:

“Countdown to 2028 Zoom Reunion”

The Great Class of 68 has scheduled a Zoom Reunion, Sunday, October 26, 2025, 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST. Following the initial announcement, several classmates provided their email addresses to receive the Zoom link in advance of the event. I regret that the list I had started was lost due to a computer glitch. If you were one of the few who responded to the first announcement, please respond again. My apologies. 

A message, including the Zoom link and the program, will be sent before the event. Participation via the Zoom platform is limited to fewer than 100. Don’t delay. To reserve your participation in the reunion. send your email address to jpaulblake@hotmail.com with “Countdown to 2028 Zoom Reunion” in the subject line. J. Paul

For Martin Friedman (1/47) summer memories more than 80 years:

At Bradley Beach, we would stay either 3 or 4 or 5 blocks from the ocean in the summertime at a boarding house that my father would find just looking for "rooms to rent.” In the summer, we always rented far from the Ocean because my father could negotiate a better price for us at a big old house far there. He always said that walking to the beach was healthy.

Actually, for me, I learned to jog when going and coming back from the ocean every day. Years later, my cardiologist told me that my lifetime of jogging saved my life. My heart was so strong that 14 hours after a heart attack, when I was 60, I was still alive and able enough to have two stents inserted into my heart. That saved my life.

Our Weequahic section and other towns in northern NJ would be in Bradley Beach every summer. At night, everyone would be "walking on the boardwalk" either from Brinley and Lorraine to Asbury Park’s Pavilion with the Paramount Theatre and back. Or, the walk was to Belmar and back. 

On the way to Asbury Park there were sand castles on the beach built by artists. My friend told me that even today sand castles are still being made on the beach.

I also will report that much of my time during the day at Bradley Beach was spent under the boardwalk learning how to play games that were imitations of the ball rolling games that were on the boardwalk, We learned to play poker and blackjack for popsicle sticks. I learned that in blackjack the best odds for players are when you are the house. If I can't be the house, I don't play.  Marty

Getting it on, Weequahic style:  

June Selesner Fischer (6/50)

To my old friend Artie Schechner (1/49) on his claim of meeting with U.S. Presidents. I hate to disappoint you, but you are a long way off from being the WHS grad most to meet a President. In every room in my home there is picture of Joe Biden and me with him hugging me. Witten on one photo are the words "June, I love you. Thanks for being my friend. Joe" Sept 8, 2008. That is the night that he was announced as Biden’s VP. 

My pictures with Joe Biden were taken in various parts of the country. I also have a beautiful signed photo with Bill Clinton. Does Al Gore count also

Thank you for being such a fine date when you took me to your Syracuse Freshman Prom. I still win the presidential sweepstakes, though. June

Richard Gerber (6/63)

I thought this website on Syd’s would be interesting reading for all (Link to Story). 

I worked at Hot Dog Haven for Dave Aronow. Dave told me when the ends of the hot dog were broken off and were floating in the pot, put them on the end of the roll and fill it with mustard sour kraut and relish. The customer will never know there wasn’t any hot dog in the middle. I guess he was kidding. We will never know. LOL  Rich

Bette Krupenin Kolodney (60)

To Jac Toporek (6/63), just turned 80? No way! Well, I am 82 and a 1/2. Still working as a marriage and family therapist and traveling the world every

three months since Covid ended. Now up to about sixty-five countries since I started at age 19, though my parents did take me to Cuba for one day when I was 10 and we were in Miami. 

Anyway, I look forward to the weekly “WHS Note.” What has interested me the most is the part of Newark that fed WHS, other than the Weequahic section and then the Clinton Hill section where my parents and I moved to when I was 12, is the Meeker Ave section you lived in and Jack Lippman (50) wrote about in his “Across from the Tavern.” It was clearly quite the community which included not only students but also some of the faculty. Bette

Allan Brief (6/63)

Note about Hawthorne Ave School; it went through the sixth grade, and the ninth-grade annex. I went there and then to Clinton Place Jr High and then on to WHS. Before CP opened, Bragaw was used for grades 7 and 8. Allan 

Fred “Derf Goldman (6/62)

Let’s see what we have gone over that happened in the past. Start with places to eat, concert, hang out venues, good teachers (and bad ones), and, of course, sports, mainly football and basketball and once in a while baseball, soccer, indoor and outdoor track. By the way, we had a kick ass swimming team that were unbeaten city champs. Then there were jobs, travel, the jersey shore, and our first cars.

So, let’s see how many brave once Weequahic area kids will reveal tales about their very first make-out spots with their cars and dates or maybe the best spots where to go. I found my best spot by chance. One night, after cruising around, I went through the parking lot of Valley Fair which had a huge parking lot. Going through the lot all the way to the back there was an exit almost never used at night, The perfect make out spot was discovered.

It was a very small street with no houses on either side of the end of the block. Very dark place and only parking for one car on the street. Hardly any traffic. Perfect; much better than a park. Forget the South Orange mountains where you could get a tap on your window by a flash light held by a cop on the other end. Next came the expected; police officer giving you one chance to get moving with the last famous words, Don't let me catch you up here again!” 

So, let’s see how many other places there were to make out. I'm sure there were plenty. Now, just write about them. No harm no foul, And, you can omit Route 22 locations with the very cheap rooms for rent by the hour. Don't ask. That’s a whole other story. Fred

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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