Trenton Jewish Project update

Greetings all.

I am not a numbers person, but I am totally astounded by the power of the Internet.   I met with the Adath Israel Adult Education committee in late February to discuss plans for the March 13th meeting at which Professor Rockland and I spoke.  The committee suggested that I set up a website and print up some cards, so that people coming to the meeting could follow up with me.  I took their advice and set up the blog you are reading now.   I've always been intrigued by the idea of a blog, but had never done anything like this before.

Well, the response has been incredible.  The blog you are reading now got over 500 page views in the first month of its existence.  I have been receiving e-mails from people who were at the meeting, as well as people who have been contacted by people who came to the meeting.  I've gotten messages all the way from Israel to Alabama and they keep on coming.

Carol (Angstreich) Zimmerman who lives in Fairhope, Alabama has sent me some newspaper clippings and personal photos from 1946, 1947, and some from the early 1950's,  which I have added to this online album.

Please take a look and write comments below the pictures.

In an amazing coincidence, I found out from Adath Israel Rabbi Daniel Grossman that Tal Brody, who was the subject of a blog posting two weeks ago, was in the area last week.  I found out Tuesday evening and was able to meet up with him at Abrams Hebrew Academy in Yardley on Wednesday.  He came to speak to the children about his career, starting out playing Biddy Basketball at the old YMHA on Stockton Street.  I showed him some of the JCC pictures that I included in the 2000 interview that I posted.  In fact, he asked me to send those photos to him, which I did.  I shot some video of him and hope to upload it to the blog in the coming weeks.  He spoke fondly of his days at the JCC and in Trenton.  Probably the neatest moment came when he explained how after leading Tel Aviv-Maccabi Elite to its first European League Championship in 1977, a reporter put a microphone in his face and he said, to paraphrase, that the victory, "put Israel on the map, not only in basketball, but in everything."   A group of Israeli teachers started singing a song based on those very words, which have become part of the pop culture of Israel.

Please keep telling your friends what we are doing and direct them to this website.  Keep those e-mails coming.

Thanks,

Ed

New Jersey Jewish News article about the Trenton Jewish Project now on-line

There is an article in the latest issue of the New Jersey Jewish News about the Trenton Jewish Project.

http://www.njjewishnews.com/article/pmb/project-aims-to-revive-interest-in-bygone-area

Matt Schuman was the reporter who wrote the article and he did a nice job.   I'd like to clear up a couple of things that the article mentions.   Most of the quotes attributed to me about "Waldman's Barbershop", Benny Hoch's (sic) and about Kohn's Bakery should actually be attributed to the people who I interviewed for the video that I am working on.   They were Mark Litowitz, Sylvia Schultz, Herm Finkle and Professor Michael Aaron Rockland.  The story about Kohn's is in the archives, but it is a story that is part of Professor Rockland's book.

I am not a Trenton native and would be considered by many a "greenhorn", moving here in 1996.  I have no first-hand knowledge of what Jewish Trenton was like in its hey-day.  I've been fascinated by the stories that have been told to me through the years and by the treasure trove of information that Ozzie and others in the community have saved.  My "immersion" in the archives is not really an immersion.  I've been to the archives three times.  I feel like I've dipped my toe into a pool of knowledge that would drown me if I allowed it.  I make no claims of being a Trentonian and all I know is what people have told me.

Here is a link to the first 7 minutes of video that I have edited.



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This is a work in progress and I am looking for other stories about Jewish Trenton to include.  I am also looking for any pictures that might exist of the Waldmans and Benny Hock's.  I do hope to have other events at synagogues and temples in the area to amass more stories and pictures and spread the word that these pictures exist.

I look at myself as a catalyst more than anything.  Jewish Trenton was a vibrant community.  The only way to preserve the memories of what existed downtown is to capture those stories and save them, because anyone walking downtown today would never know that there was ever such a place.  The response so far indicates that there are a number of people who would like to work to make sure that the history is preserved.

Thanks to all of those who have sent e-mails.   Please click on the "follow" button on the right side of the page and let friends and relatives know what we are doing.

Thanks,


Ed

March 13th meeting recap

Thank you to everyone who came to the meeting at Adath Israel on Sunday morning.   We had an overflow crowd, and we moved the meeting from the chapel into the main sanctuary.  By my count, we had at least 65 people attend.  Thanks to Michael Aaron Rockland for a wonderful presentation on the Jews of New Jersey.  His photos and stories really set the tone for the morning.  I think he was amazed at how many of the photos that he showed had a Trenton area connection.

We were a little rushed at the end, but I appreciate everyone sticking around for the video.  I apologize for the audio problems and will be posting the video to this site very soon, so that you can watch it and share it.   Please, understand that it is not a finished product, but a sneak peek of what I hope will turn into a longer form documentary.

I have the sign-in sheet from yesterday and will be adding those names to the e-maill list.  I will send out a e-mails to everyone who signed in, inviting them to subscribe to this blog.  I hope to add entries on a regular basis and announce meetings and get-togethers.  This will also be a way of letting you know when more pictures go on-line and give you a place to add comments and identify those pictured.

Thank you again to Beverly Rubman, the chair of the Adath Israel Adult Education Committee, to Rick and Mary Lou Byer, who did the set-up yesterday and to Sylvia Schultz, Mark Litowitz, and Herman Finkle, who were in the video.

I look forward to putting together a committee to help promote the Trenton Jewish Project and raise awareness throughout the community.


Ed Alpern