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

Hi Thinkers in the Weequahic Way, 

Joan Oppenheim Chait (53) is latest alum-news subscriber at jchait44@gmail.com.

Jac Toporek (6/63) relates the passing of a notable WHS alumnus:

Philip Solondz’s (43/44) obituary appeared in the Star Ledger noting his passing in December (Philip Solondz Obituary). Phil was a well-respected philanthropist and businessman and property developer.

I had the privilege of calling Phil both colleague and a friend. We joined forces as fellow advocates in a number of pro-Israel and Jewish community initiatives. And, through these activities, Phil and my family became friends, so much so, that Phil invited my wife Vivian (nee Barnett; Irvington 66) and me to join him at his Monmouth Park suite when his horses were listed as race entries. He was a generous and caring individual who through out his life strived to make a difference.

In a note of second-generational pride, Phil’s son Todd Solondz is a filmmaker and playwright (Todd Solndz biography). His movie credits include author and director of “Welcome to the Doll House” and “Happiness.”   Jac

Arthur Chausmer (59) shares a “It’s a Small Weequahic World” tale: 

We live on the west coast of Florida, Valencia Lakes in Wimauma to be exact. We were attending a party and show as members of the Italian American Club, although we are not by any stretch Italian. But the club has good shows and parties. We started the "where are you from originally" part of the conversation with our table mates, whom we really did not know. One said he was from Newark. You can guess where this goes.  

“Where in Newark?”

“Weequahic District.”

“Me too, did you go to WHS?”

“Yes, class of 62.”

“I was class of 59.”  

“My brother was 59.”  

“What was your name again?” 

Kenny Frenchman and my brother was Stuart Frenchman.”  

This was clearly one of those "what are the odds?" moments. Kenny and Gail are not Italian either, and we had a really good time both at the show and socializing. I mentioned to Kenny, who reads these weekly missives as well, that I would drop a note, to which he agreed. This is it. Arthur

Jonathan Lazarus (WHS 58/West Orange 60) recounts memories of local movie theaters in article published recently in the NJ Jewish News:

Highlighted by a number of opening paragraphs dedicated to Newark’s Park Theater on Bergen Street, I invite you to follow my passion for the cinemas and the movie theaters that brought us some memorable movies. The article appears at Link to Story

Jonathan

More on the memorable MD caretakers:

Ron Tarr (1/60)

Back in the 50s, our family doctor was Harry Brotman. He lived on 16th Street and like so many, his office was in his home. He would make house calls in his Karmann Ghia, Who even knew what a Volkswagen was, let alone a Ghia. We would generally refer to any car that wasn't made here as "hey, look at that foreign car." The last time I saw Dr. Brotman was in May1965 when my brother Rob and I got our "shots" before working our way to Israel as deck hands on board the Zim Lines’ “SS Zion.”  Ron

Bonnie Zunk Vogel (6/62)

To Mary Sherot Mandel (6/64), Dr. Abe Finkelstein was my uncle! His nurse’s name was Grace. We spent many Sunday mornings at my house eating bagels. So nice to hear others mentioning him. Bonnie

Jac Toporek (6/63)

Since I have not heard his name mentioned in the many comments on Newark medicine men, I wonder if anyone recalls Dr. Lohman (not sure of first name), a orthopedist. He treated my twin brother Norbert for Osgood-Schlatter disease during his freshman year at Weequahic. The knee ailment was the reason Nor could not play soccer that first year in high school. He did play sophomore-senior years and did so very well.

Dr. Lohman also treated me for my various soccer injuries from high school, recreation and post-WHS that included torn leg muscles, stretched ligaments, etc. Still feeling residual pains in “dem” joints today. Another reason to remember my soccer playing years. Anyway, in my first year of law school, one of my knees started buckling at odd occasions. Nothing like being called on in class to explain the complexities of a legal case and you find yourself down on one knee. 

Of course, went to see Dr. Lohman. He confirmed ligament damage and then, without inquiry or request from me, asks if I want him to write a note to the Selective Service System to verify inability to serve in the military. To make a long story short, after a number of visits to the Selective Service and more orthopedic examinations, I was classified “4-F,” unfit for service. My thanks and respect to those who did serve and fought for our country. Jac

Pechter’s points: 

Esther Gordon (6/52)

Salivating over my classmate Bob Dubman's reminiscence about Pechter's bread! After moving to Florida, every time I went back to NJ, my doting family had a quarter of a Pechter sandwich rye with those whatever-you-call-them black seeds waiting for me. And when I left, I always carried a whole sandwich rye in my suitcase, which I doled out to good-bread-starved neighbors and friends in Sarasota. Esther  

Alan Ginter (64/65)

To Robert Dubman (6/52), that was a lovely memory of my grandfather starting his Pechter's truck at 3:00 a.m. across the street from your friend’s on Schey Street. I didn't know that particular story about the neighborhood. He died in 1959 when I was 12 and I still dream about him. Were your friends across the street the Orlans family? Thanks for the memory. Alan  

Bob Dubman (6/52)

For those alumni whose mouth watered when I wrote of the hard starting Pechter's delivery truck at 3:00 AM, we have Flakowitz’s Deli Restaurant in Boynton Beach, Florida that is the successor business to the Pechter's of Newark. The walls of the restaurant are covered with pictures of the business in Newark (including delivery trucks). Bob

Flashes of the W-Neighborhood: OK

Stew Bitterman (1/61)

To Alan Ginter (64/65). I totally remember the sewer on the corner of Chancellor and Schley. I lived in the apartment house on the west side of Schley Street, right off the corner of Chancellor Avenue. I remember several times when I found some coins and then took it into Margie’s Sweet Shop to get a pretzel. And the pinball machine at Margie’s; what a holiday when Irving would get a new machine.  Stew

Michael Mandell (67)

To Robin Botnick (66), I worked at the Bunny Hop all through high school, lunches, nights, and weekends as well as summers in Bradley Beach. That is how I remembered the prices sandwiches etc. The hot dogs were all grilled but the Italian, which was the “Bunny Bomb,” was made in the fryer with the French fries.  Mike 

Arthur Schechner (1/4(9)

In response to Ester Gordon’s (6/52) mention of Josh Kohn, he was the first from our neighborhood to be killed in Korea. Josh was a distant relative of mine on the Schwarz (my mother’s) side. I met him often at family gatherings. His father was Sylvan Kohn. His mother was a Kussy, a very prominent Jewish family that has since disappeared.

On the corner of Bergen Street and Lyons Avenue was a bank called the West Side Trust Co. It was founded in the early 1900s by Meyer Kussy, one of Newark’s richest men.

We never really understood what the war was all about but we knew we lost a friend forever. Arthur