WHS NOTE: SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

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

Hi Patrons of Weequahic Culture,

Newsletter subscribers’ list changes:

Fertig Govrin, Cookie (57) - cookie.govrin@gmail.com (change)

Mark Govrin (57) - nardil3@comcast.net (change)

Ken Music (67) - ken@kenmusic.com (new)

On their days in the Hawthorne Avenue neighborhood:

Ann Kosser Branfman (Chancellor/Battin 71)

So, when I was in third grade at Hawthorne Avenue School (pictured, below), my teacher, Mrs. Edna Berton, asked me to buy her a pound of chop meat at Menson's Butcher Shop during my lunch hour. I remember it was 60 cents a pound. My fourth-grade teacher, Miss Gladys Belfatto, had me buy her a rye bread at Silver's Bakery every so often. “Door Dash” has nothing on me. I also delivered many notes from one teacher to the other. Read them, of course. Shame on me. In junior high, the substitute asked me to run across the street to get her a cup of coffee. I later became a schoolteacher and you couldn't ask kids to do anything because they might have gotten hurt.

Speaking of Hawthorne Avenue, the fish store was Henry's; I remember all the fish tanks with live fish. There was also a candy store, don't remember the name, but bought many a Payday Bar, Sugar Daddy lollipop, candy cigarettes, the pastel dots pasted to a long white paper, red hots and Necco's.

There was a One Hour Martinizing cleaning store, and a variety store. A bank was located right across the street from Hawthorne Avenue School. Does anyone remember the name of the appetizing store next to Silver's? They gave jelly apples for Halloween. I so love these strolls down memory lane to a much more innocent, calm, caring time.

Ann

Elaine Katowitz Zirulnick (6/48)

Thanks for the memories of Hawthorne Avenue. How well I remember the fish market and Kiel's Bakery. Those were the best years of growing up, I lived on Osborne Terrace, not far from Hawthorne. Keep it coming. Hope some of my old friends are still around. Would love to hear from you; e-mail, saftae114@aol.com. Elaine

Dennis Estis (65)

In David Kassof’s note regarding Hawthorne Avenue, he mistakenly identifies that “great avenue” as not being part of the Weequahic section. The area around Hawthorne Avenue was as much a part of the Weequahic Section as was Chancellor Avenue. David perhaps forgets that for many years Hawthorne Avenue School hosted the Weequahic Annex. Who would ever refer to Cohen’s Knishes, Dublin’s, Silver’s, Kiel’s, Bragman’s, and I could go on, as not being part of the Weequahic section? Those of us who went to Hawthorne, Bragaw and/or Clinton Place know the truth! Dennis

Barbara Bobbie Straus (61) seeks an assist:

Anyone with contact information for Emily Gordon, please write to me at bobbie1836@yahoo.com. Bobbie

Warren Grover highlights another Weequahic Hero:

Alan Bernstein (2/53) was a leader in our area’s efforts to free Soviet Jews. President of the Jewish Federation’s Community Relations Committee, he was chair of the CARE Committee, which was tasked with helping resettle Russia Jewish immigrants. He worked tirelessly to promote the cause of “refuseniks,” Soviet Jews who lived in a kind of limbo because they had lost their jobs and educational opportunities immediately upon applying to emigrate. Alan, along with his wife Ann, spoke about the plight of these Jews before groups and to those interested in traveling to the Soviet Union to meet with refuseniks.

In 1985, my wife Andrea and I decided we would make such a trip. Alan met with us and five others and gave us the information we needed, including the names and addresses of the “refuseniks” we would visit. The trip was one of the most memorable of our lives. We are still in touch with one of the refuseniks we met, Misha Beizer. He emigrated to Israel and has had outstanding career as an academic.

Alan is responsible for resettling scores of Russian Jews. They and their descendants are now enjoying freedom, primarily in the United States and Israel. They owe Alan (and Ann) a debt of gratitude. Warren

Jac Toporek (6/63) posted a “Watson’s Bagels” photo (reposted, below) and asked the location; an abundance of responses received, Part I:

Phil Yourish (6/64)

The pic of Watson Bagels was on Chancellor Avenue in Irvington, a few blocks past the Newark-Irvington boundary. Bought my bagels there until they closed. Phil

Agreeing with Phil; Richard Hochstead (6/63), Saul Kelton (64), Sharon Rous Feinsod (66), Sam Skuratofsky (59), Ron Schaffer (64), Howard Burakof (56), Michael Mandell (67), Irene Rosen Conrad (65) and some of the following wider comments, below.

Ronnye Windholtz Bertolglio (Battin 64)

The picture posted is from the Chancellor Ave, Irvington location. I worked there and Sonny was my uncle. Ronnye

Jerry Wichinsky (Arts 64)

The Watson Bagel store in the picture was on Chancellor Avenue in Irvington. It was the third iteration of Watson Bagel. The first was on Watson Avenue in Newark. The second (and the one we all remember) was on Clinton Place between Renner and Shepherd Avenues, also in Newark. Jerry

Ira Zaitz (66)

The picture of the Watson’s bagel is on Chancellor Avenue in Irvington. It was located about a block or two from Temple AABC going up Chancellor before Union Avenue. To Ken Vogel (64), a classmate of mine, Ira Marcus, was involved with Brooklyn Water Bagels in South Florida which are pretty close to a Watson’s. Ira

Alan Ginter (64/65)

The photo looks like Chancellor Ave. in Irvington, across Chancellor from Gamarel Electrical Supply where my father, Murray "Moe" Ginter, worked for many years. Alan

Mel Rubin (56)

That clearly seems to be the Chancellor Avenue location. As I recall, the Clinton Place location did not have as large a front exposure. The Belmont Avenue location was on the corner of Avon Avenue. I am really taxing my memory on the last one. Mel

Judie Seidman Gold (6/53)

I think your photo is Watson Bagels on Chancellor Avenue in Irvington. north side of the street. And on the south side, maybe one corner up, was an appetizer store. Loved smoked butterfish, haven’t seen it in years and the appetizer store had it! Judie

Jeff Golden (6/63)

Challenge ME to "pinpoint" some Weequahic region geography? No problem! The building pictured is Watson Bagels at 675 Chancellor Avenue, Irvington, where they were in the 1970s, and maybe a couple of years before and after. This photo was taken from across Chancellor Avenue looking northeast. Watson's parking lot was just to the right of the building at the corner of Sheridan Street.

There was a big synagogue on Chancellor Avenue about a block and a half to the east (now Solid Rock Baptist Church). The Chancellor Theater was about four blocks west, both on the opposite side of Chancellor. This location is now a Dollar General store. GPS coordinates: 40.71485218519555, -74.2360012837652. Can anyone "pinpoint" it any better? Jeff

Steve Care (66)

I think that Watson Bagel was on Lyons Ave. in Irvington. I am not sure. Steve

Michael Cohen (60)

Watson Bagel on Clinton Place around the corner from Aldine Street. Michael

Henry Klein (Bragaw/Nutley 6/60)

I don’t recognize the photo. The only location I remember was a storefront on Clinton Place, a little north of the intersection with Bragaw Avenue. Henry

Naomi Lampf Gelfand (1/60)

I believe the location of Watson Bagels was Clinton Place, south of Renner Ave; just “sayin.” Naomi

Edith Shaffer Jazmin (1/54)

Let’s not forget about Belmont Bagel. My father worked there on the weekends. He was the one that stirred the bagels in the boiling water.

If you’re looking for a good bagel and don’t live in the metropolitan NJ/NYC area, there is a great mail order, JUST BAGELS, located in the Bronx. They send them fresh, 24 to an order. You then freeze them and, when defrosted and toasted, it will bring back memories. They also have Bialys that are great. Jazmin

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