"The Paterson we all left but never left behind."

Three former Patersonians, who count themselves among the key organizers of Paterson Day FL, Rona Rosenberg Simmons, Beverly Grenker Goldman, and Susan Chlebnikow Rappaport collaborated in the writing of this marvelous July 2017 newsletter.

We were collectively Mulberry 4-1831, Mulberry 4-5560, Sherwood 2-8921 aka as Rona Rosenberg, Susan Chlebnikow, and Beverly Grenker. Over six decades ago, these telephone numbers were our Facebook with party lines, busy signals and operators. This was our Paterson, the Paterson we all left but never left behind.
 
Who would have thought, three great childhood friends would be reunited as neighbors and friends today in a golf community in Boynton Beach, FL? How could this have happened when I was from Carroll Street, Bev was from the 10th Avenue area, and Susan from the East Side? What bonded us in this very special city of Paterson? The “cement” for us was our progression from Camp Veritans to Brownies to Girl Scouts to Teen Programs at the YM/YWHA and to the Eastside Class of '64.
 
We came from middle class families where our fathers were MD's -- meat dealers (Paterson Meat Market), mattress dealers (Sleep Mart East Paterson) and menswear dealers (Michael's Clothing on Lower Main) -- businessmen married to their jobs. Our mothers were strong Paterson women, role models who prepared our traditional holiday dinners. All three of our mothers lived long lives into their upper 90's.

So how did the three of us wind up less than a mile apart, playing golf together on Thursdays? The closest we came to golf in Paterson was Hillman's Driving Range, short course, mini golf and ice skating rink all in one. We were too busy finding boyfriends to care about golf. We were too busy hanging around Eastside Park watching the boys cruise around endlessly in their cars on a Sunday afternoon. We were too busy shopping at Junior Cottage (Fairlawn Avenue), Geri’s (Broadway), or Jacob's 29, where Bev and I bought our chubby sizes, Quackenbush, Meyer Brothers and The Mart.  We were going downtown, dashing into Hamburger Express (choo choo train and all) and Nedick's before our buses arrived.
 
The three of us have the fondest memories at the ‘Y’ swimming pool. When collaborating on this article, we were hysterical reminiscing about what we saw through a keyhole in the girls' locker room. Girls' bathing suits were basically over-size woolly undershirts that drooped so low, we needed to tie them in the back with a string to prevent them from falling down.The boys swam naked (why?) and the old ladies sat nude on benches drying themselves meticulously here, there, and everywhere.
 
Thursday night was record and dance night at the ‘Y’ plus Tween Trails and Clubs--our home away from home. When we weren't at the ‘Y’, we were sitting on someone's “stoop” playing or watching stickball, stoopball, Double Dutch and Chinese jump rope. We all knew the milkman, the seltzer man and the names of every car we counted. We knew where to find our favorite ball at Bowl-O-Mat and Market Lanes. It was a simple life. We were latchkey kids, enjoying TV dinners, hot dogs and Hanna Krause. The smell of the Wonder Bread factory continues to be a delightful and delicious memory. Our Girl Scout tour of the factory ended with a reward of a freshly baked mini loaf.
 
We experienced many bar-mitzvahs, and not so many bat-mitzvahs. After all, we were girls... Nevertheless, we have upheld our Jewish traditions and sixty years later are still celebrating these Jewish holidays together.
 
Having a happy childhood in Paterson brought the three of us together. We are keeping these life changing memories and traditions alive by seeking out our old Paterson friends at luncheons, dinners, parties and golf. Thank you, Facebook. What a wonderful invention!
 
In the 1950's a car pulling a massive A-frame sign would ride up and down the streets of Paterson advertising “Land for Sale in Florida. $1 an Acre.” We heard our parents say “It’s a scam. It's under water.” If we only knew then what we know now. Three good friends are probably playing golf on that swamp land in Florida right now!  
 

Submitted by:
Rona Rosenberg Simmons
Beverly Grenker Goldman
Susan Chlebnikow Rappaport