NOVEMBER 11, 2022


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Hi Union of Weequahicists,  

 

Happy Birthday #103 to Thelma Goldberg Gottlieb (37)

 

Celebrating Thelma Goldberg Gottlieb has become an annual “look forward to” event, especially since she turned an active 100 years old just three years ago. Well, a bright, feisty, strong and great lady was celebrated again as birthday #103 made the calendar this past week. Among the more than 30 attendees outside her residence at Daughters of Israel in West Orange, NJ were a number of WHS grads who were honored to be there and to also toast her to 85 years since her high school graduation in 1937.


 Pictured, below, from left to right, Judy Gottlieb (68), Thelma’s daughter; Alan Halperin (6/60); Jac Toporek (6/63); Judy Wilson Schwartz (6/63); Helen Gottlieb Neadel (64), Thelma’s daughter; Herman Jamnik (67); Nor Toporek (6/63); Marty Axelrad (65).




Diana Bash Deo (60) seeks a helping hand:

 

Hoping somebody can help me with info on a friend. I’ve been in contact with Gloria Kushner Levy (1/58) for a number of years. We’ve been sending emails back and forth, but she hasn’t responded to me since mid-October. I am concerned about her and if anyone can give me information it would be greatly appreciated. My e-mail address is 4timesgrammy@gmail.com. Dianna 

 


Appropriately on Veterans Day, Enid Hinkes (60) submits first of the articles about the Weequahic students who died in WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War:

 

It started out as a suggestion for Memorial Day, that the newsletter list the names of the Weequahic students who died in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. I assumed that finding the names for WWII and Korea would be easy since they were listed on the stones in Untermann Field by Goldsmith Avenue and Fabyan Place. The stones, unfortunately, could not be found.

 

I later found the fate of the memorial from Rabbi Shlomo (Stanley) Greenberg, the nephew and namesake of 1st Lt. Stanley Greenberg (WHS Class of June 1938) who was killed in WWII. When the rabbi went to visit the memorial in the late 1960’s, the bronze plaques were no longer there. Only the bare stones were left. This was probably at the same time that the bronze plaque on the large stone in front of the stadium was taken. I presume they were sold for scrap and melted down and the blank stones were then later removed. 

 

Myra Lawson, Executive Director of the Weequahic HS Alumni Association, found the plaque dedicated to the Weequahic students who died in WWII. It has been previously printed in the newsletter. I had already been browsing about the old yearbooks and my interest was piqued as to the background and service of the names on the plaque. The servicemen who gave their lives ranged from a drop-out after freshman year to college graduates. Some died before they went overseas, others after long and courageous service. There was at least one Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars and several Bronze Stars. 

 

I was surprised that there were quite a few listed who were in the Army Air Force, the predecessor to today’s Air Force, a volunteer service. Its modernity most likely attracted the bright graduates of Weequahic. Unfortunately, it had a high fatality rate, second only to the submarine service. 

 

The Newark Public Library site does not have the June 1942 Legend online, so I am missing the Weequahic history of those students. Also, if anyone has a copy of the June 1942 Legend, I welcome any corrections or additions.

 

In other instances where I am lacking the Weequahic history the student may have left early to enlist, moved away, or just dropped out. I hope to print the story of each student, starting with the ones about whom I have the most information. If anyone has additional information about these men, or additional names of the Korean and Vietnam War fatalities, please contact me at ehinkes@aol.com or write to the newsletter, whsalum63@aol.com

 

Attached are the results of my research on the two W-veterans pictured, below, Stanley C. Stickler (on left), Class of June 1937 and his brother Bert. Class of June 1940) (LINK TO PDF). Enid

Reaching out to make the connection again:

 

Phil Tischio (6/61)

Always interested in reconnecting with friends from those wonderful high school years. Best way to say hello to me is beachyphil@aol.com. Phil

 

Berthe Weissman Nathanson (6/59)

 I now live in Westborough, MA, and would love to hear from anyone who lives nearby. My e-mail address is bcnathanson@verizon.net. Berthe

 

A few more hits via the stickball game:

 

Steve Epstein (6/63)

In regards to the stickball boxes, there were two in the AT&T parking lot on Lyons Avenue diagonally across from the Beth Israel Hospital. They were on the backside of garages from houses on the 200 block of Weequahic. Avenue. They served the kids on Weequahic Avenue, as well. The lot was also a small ballfield for baseball games. Steve  

 

Jeff Ignatoff (6/60)

Reading Rich Gerber (6/63) and Gil Lustig's (1/60) reminiscences about stickball and softball made me think of my more recent return to softball. After spending almost 40 years in Chicago and learning slow pitch (16" Chicago softball), we assembled a team to play the game in Savannah after I retired here. It was fun playing slow pitch with a bunch of sexagenarians and septuagenarians and using a ball that was about the size of a small grapefruit. Pitching was a challenge, as the ball has to apex at about 8 feet and must fall through the strike zone. Two strikes and you are out. Also, it was hardly possible to hit it "over the fence." It is a reasonable sport for former stickball, hardball or 12" softball players. Jeff

 

Jac Toporek (6/63)

Gil Lustig (1/6) and my classmate Richie Gerber’s exchange about stickball at the funeral parlor lot, brought back memories of the many stickball games that I and the guys in the Meeker/Elizabeth/Custer Avenues neighborhood played in the Koplin Chevy parking lot that sat behind the fence in the back of 225 Meeker Avenue. Koplin was usually shut down on Sundays, so, it made for numerous opportunities to play stickball.

 

If one was able to hit the ball onto the roof of 225, your RBI total went up 1,000,000 runs. Made for some high scoring games, but truth be told (twin brother Nor has the memory and, I suppose, the truth on this), in all them games the ball never sailed up to the roof. Just run of the mill baseball/stickball scores ensued. The guys were mostly line drive or ground ball hitters with Clark “Nitz” Lissner (6/63) having the best stroke. Clark later played varsity ball for WHS and finally hit the ball over the right field fence at Untermann for a home run in his senior year. A case of stickball practice making good. And, unlike the three at the funeral lot, there was only one unnamed square batter’s box in our stickball lot. Jac

 

Lauding the “Alma Mater’s” impact:

 

Michael Sakowitz (67)

I’m a relatively new member of this group and want to thank you all for triggering so many wonderful memories. After graduating Weequahic, I went on to Rutgers in Newark where Jac Toporek (6/63), our “WHS Note” editor, became my AEPi fraternity brother. I, too, remember the candy stores on Chancellor Avenue and marvel at how we have the same memories separated by several years! What an influence that neighborhood had. Mike

 

Richard Klein (66)

So, this is the first time I’ve ever commented or posted on this thread despite my years of reading it with such fond memories. My time at Weequahic is etched in my being forever. I loved it. I am astounded at the detailed intricacies of everyone’s memories. I lived first on Fabyan Place after moving from S. 16th Street and going to Madison Jr. High. I then went to Gruman Avenue just a few doors from Hillside.

 

I am proud of what have been so many experiences and all of the memories. They are very special, especially these days. We were very lucky people. My return for the 50th reunion in 2016 only confirmed that. What an incredible school we went to. What a great city to have grown up in. What incredible experiences we had. How lucky we are to have been a life perspective from what we experienced growing up in Newark and going to Weequahic. Thank you all for the weekly remembrances. Richard

 

Michael Mandell (67)

Though a bit younger, I remember Johnny the Cop and his motorcycle and that he was a practical joker and loved to kid around. One Saturday while working at the Bunny Hop, two police officers were eating lunch in the store and Johnny came in and sat down to eat. He had taken their radio car and parked on the white line in the middle of the street with the lights flashing. Needless to say, the traffic was beyond backed up and the police sergeant showed up to see what was going on. 

 

We had lots of memories in the Bunny Hop of fun times in the neighborhood. Over 55 years ago, where did the time go? It is really nice reading the different stories written these days about the “good old times.”   Mike

 

Stew Bitterman (1/61)

To further Alan Ginter’s (64/65) post on Margie’s, I would like to ad that I played stickball on that lot with my classmate Lenny Sherman, Howie Ellenport and others. One day Billy Blume (6/57), whose parents owned Margie’s, came out of the store and wanted a turn at bat. He threw the ball up and hit the ball and it went right into Cheryl Alterman’s (married name Elblonk) kitchen window. We all ran like hell and I don’t think we ever got caught.

 

I also remember the tunnel leading from 299 Schley where I lived to the back yard of Harlem’s where I learned to smoke, ugh! Great memories.  Stew

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