DECEMBER 8, 2023

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

Hi Gatherers of the Weequahic Harvest of Memories,   

Enid Hinkes’ (60) reports on WHS vets continues to draw attention:

Gordy Rubin (53)

I lived at 172 Nye Avenue in Newark in the same house as Jerry, Teddy, and Richie Sobrano. Their mom was Molly and their dad was Dave. When we moved there, I was 8 years old. So, I guess it was about 1943. Jerry was the oldest of the Sobrano boys, then Teddy and then Richie. Growing up, Jerry and Teddy were my heroes. Richie was about eight years younger and was one of my sister's friends.

When we heard that Jerry was MIA, my family and I stayed up late every night watching television and looking for his name on the lists that were shown after regular programming was over. Sadly, his name was never there. I went into the army in 1954 at age 18. The first time I came home on a pass I was dressed in my uniform. I was getting out of a car that was parked across the street from our house when I saw Dave, Jerry's ad. He looked up and as I waved to him, he started to cry. When I crossed the street and he saw it was me he hugged me and said, "I thought that you were my Jerry."  Gordy

Esther Gordon (6/52)

Enid deserves praise for reminding us of our fallen heroes. In her mention of Joshua Kussy Kohn, though, I wonder why his middle name is in quotes. Did his friends use that as a nickname? Actually, Kussy was a surname, a branch of the Kohn family, famed for outstanding contributions to Jewish community life, especially through the Jewish Education Association of Essex County. 

When several parents (including my mother, Sara Gordon, and Julius Herr) suggested Hebrew be added to the language curriculum at Weequahic High in 1948, it was the JEA that petitioned the Newark Board of Education, persuaded my mother to make phone calls soliciting the required number of students, and found the linguist Simon Chasen to teach one of only two Hebrew classes in a U.S. secular school. Oh, by the way, Aunt Sarah Kussy worked with Henrietta Szold in establishing Hadassah.  Esther

Elaine Sheitelman Furman (6/56) reaches out to WHS friends:

Since graduating WHS in June 1956, I have been migrating south for many years. First from Wanamassa, NJ, then to Alabama. For the past 40 years, I have been in Jacksonville. FL. I graduated from Rutgers College of Pharmacy in June 1960 when it was in Newark. Worked as a pharmacist for 50 year or so. Would love to hear from those who remember me. My e-mail is furmanelaine@gmail.com. 

I am very grateful for Jacob Toporek (6/63) for the work he does for the WHS alumni via the weekly “WHS Note.”  Elaine

To Mike Mandell (67) on Bunny Hop memories: 

Robin Botnick 66

I really don't know how you remembered all the details about the Bunny Hop. The prices and everything. I am impressed. I am lucky if I can remember what I did today. I also worked there over the lunch hour. They would let me work for about 1/2 hour and then I could have whatever I wanted to eat for lunch. They were great. I have never had anything like a Bunny Bomb since. Funny, I started working at "Dirty Dave's" first for lunch but switched when the opportunity arose. Better Status; ha. Robin

Ira Wiss (68)

I loved the Bunny Hop and went often. I also went to the one in Bradley Beach some years later. I remember you, Mike. I believe you had younger brother named Paul. I liked everything at the Bunny Hop and would order different things on different days. Lunch time was always busy, but well worth the wait.

Ira

Alan Ginter (64/65)

In response to the many folk who brought up the fabulous “Bunny Bomb” at the Bunny Hop, all agreed it was a hot dog "sandwich" stuffed with fried potatoes, peppers, and onions. The important part that wasn't mentioned was that the hot dog was deep fried in the French fryer first, a la Jimmy Buff's. That's what made it so good. The more grease, the better. 

On a different theme, I direct commentary to those who were lucky enough to find coins or even maybe a dollar(!) in the gutter near the sewer by Schley Street and Chancellor Avenue, where "The Lot" drained into the street on rainy days. How come we were able to pick up those coins from next to the curb (G-d only knows what ran in that gutter, but I have a couple ideas) and, without so much as rinsing off our hands, take those coins to Margie's and get whatever we could afford. And then EAT IT with those filthy hands without getting sick with some disease or other illness. I know you don't develop an immunity from those kinds of illnesses. But, I don't think I ever heard of a single kid getting sick with "coins-from-the-gutter" disease. Of course, I don't know of anyone who poked their eye out either. Maybe that's just me. Stay well, everybody! Alan

A few more doses on the W-Medics:

Mary Sherot Mandel (64)

Does anyone remember Dr. Finkelstein on Clinton Avenue? Another kind soul! I guess I had “white coat syndrome” because I remember being afraid to go there! He pierced my ears, gave me shots, and did come to the house when I was sick. I recently found my immunization forms! Mary

Paul Levitt (Maple 48)

Does anyone remember the aptly named dentist Charlie Polk? All I remember is that his office was Downtown and that he used ether. Paul

Nancy Wildstein Curtis (58)

I really enjoyed reading the comments about Dr. Rabinowitz. He had such a warm personality and was a wonderful doctor for my brother, David, and me.  I chuckled when I read Fred Decter's (60) comment about the doctor staying for dinner at the Decters' house one night following a house call. There aren't many docs anymore like Dr. Rabinowitz! Nancy

Ronald Heineman (6/62)

To Marc Curtis Little (69), I remember Dr Samuel Price. I went to his office for many years. Ronald

Remembering the W-Way: OK  

Robert Dubman (6/52)

Alan Gintner (64/65) jarred my recollection of events of 70 years ago when his grandfather lived at 272 Schley Street and was a delivery driver for Pechter's Bakery. I had friends that lived directly across the street at 271 Schley Street. The delivery of fresh bakery goods necessitated a start in the middle of the night for early morning deliveries. The Pechter delivery truck was parked on the street directly across from the house in which my friends lived. The vehicle was old and required noisy and lengthy engine starts. My friends knew that it was 3:00 AM when the truck start-up awakened them. Robert

Robin (Robby Bobby) Botnick (66)

It is sad is some way that here we have all gone through life, after graduating from Weequahic, and still keeping up with the news of our alumni. What an amazing avenue we all have created in this weekly “WHS Note” to reminisce about the life we all had growing up in Newark and graduating from Weequahic. The restaurants, the stores on Chancellor Avenue and Bergen Street, hanging out, the parties and the list goes on. What wonderful fun we had at the shore. Even recalling the doctors or dentists who watched over our health. And, of course, The lifelong friends we have made.

And, yet, at the end, and at some time in the future, someone will write in our newsletter, “Do you Remember Robby, Bobby Robin Botnick? What a nice guy he was. Well, he bit the dust! Please don't get me wrong, I am eternally grateful to those that report we have lost another Weequahic soul. But mortality certainly hits you right in the face knowing that someday someone will write, "I regret to inform you that...”  Such is life and death. I don't mean for this writing to be morbid, it just hit me after reading a recent “WHS Note” noting the many people we have known that have passed, and it made me sad. Robin

Jac Toporek (6/63)

Robin, thanks for the note. The news items about the passing of alumni are meant to honor those classmates, places, shared experiences referred to in your first paragraph. The direction we set for ourselves as young people leading to the individuals we became in our adult life, I feel, are the product of the relationships and lessons learned from those we met on the way. Yes, no doubt sad, but as you put it, “such is life and death.” Recollection of the friendships, the relationships and the good experiences honors them and, at the same time, takes the edge off the sorrow. Jac