Paterson Day, Paterson Memories

I recently was asked to pen the April JHSNJ newsletter. Less than a year ago, I didn't know it existed. Yet throughout my life since leaving Paterson around 1980 and moving south to Florida, there have been constant reminders of where I grew up in Paterson.

Of course, the strongest connection used to be my mom and sister and their friends who retired to south Florida. After that, came the famous “Paterson Day in South Florida” which was a bi- annual event. Paterson Day, at its height, numbered in excess of 1000 Patersonians. At those gatherings many friendships were renewed and new ones were formed. The strength of ‘Paterson Day’ was the excitement of saying ‘hello’ and promising to stay in touch, but so often for me, the connections remained dormant until two years later when more of those Patersonians passed away. Eventually, ‘Paterson Day’ was discontinued because of attrition and the burnout of some really tired workers who worked so hard to keep it going. I should say that ‘Paterson Day’ is not completely gone. This past February a group of 100+ Patersonians met for lunch at a Chinese Restaurant in Palm Beach County. It was a great afternoon.

I started thinking about what has kept me so attached to Paterson. Not surprising, I look forward to the JHSNJ newsletter. The person to thank for this great connection to Paterson is Jack Zakim. My life in south Florida has gotten me involved in officiating at swimming events. Jack, as everyone knows, has always been a swimmer. I would run into him yearly at the ‘Y Masters National Swim Meet. ‘ This past spring Jack spoke to me about the Jewish Historical Society of North Jersey.

I am on Facebook quite a lot and noticed people often send out lists of items that they associate with. “How many states have you visited?” “Where have you traveled?” The following boxed text is my list of what reminds me of Paterson.

"Temple Emanuel - Barnert Hospital - Manhattan Bus - Camp Wasigan - Paterson Y - Toby's - Moe Liss - John F. Kennedy visit - Allen Ginsberg -The Paramount - Ben and Bob's - Sunshine’s - Eastside Park - The number 54 Bus - The number 38 Bus - Sigma Phi - 10th Ave Circle - Fallsview Diner - Johnny and Hanges - Saturday night bagels - Joe Baker’s horseradish - Mr. Abraham Stein's bar -mitzvah records - Kanter’s - Garrett Hobart - Park East Terrace Apartments - Kent Village -Fabian Theater - US Theater - Jacobs and Jacobs 29 - Mort Jacobs - The Bonfire - The best corn bread - Rabbi Buch - Rabbi Panitz - Deadman’s Curve at Eastside Park - Hickory Hill Country Club - Pine Brook Country Club - Westmount Country Club - Pine Haven - and Preakness Valley Swim Club."

I'm sure you have your own list and I'm sure I missed a few, but there are a few things that still make me wonder. (a)Why did we wear those bathing caps at Camp Veritans? Couldn't they have figured a better way to have buddy call? (b) Did the name Veritans come from a bunch of men who went on an annual boat ride and came back very tan? (c)The big mystery that always perplexed me was why exactly the YM-YWHA in Paterson always made the boys swim nude?

If you have the answers please share them with me.

Steven Goldman, JHSNJ member, Goldman_s@comcast.net