Jewish Finest and Bravest | Jewish Historical Society

We do not often associate Jews as being policemen or firemen but our area in the past had a good representation of Jews who filled the ranks of the “Finest and Bravest. Pictured below are photos of a few who served as our “Finest and Bravest.”

Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Assoc, President of YM/YWHA, President of Barnert Hospital, President of the Jewish Community Center, Paterson Police and Fire Commissioner Jack Stern — That's Commissioner Jack Stern, standing in the center of the above image. Among his many life-time active roles and titles (President of the YM/YWHA; President of Barnert Hospital, President of the Jewish Community Center, General Vice-Chairman of the Red Cross War Fund Drive; Governor appointee to the N.J. Commission on Civil Rights) he served as both Paterson’s Police and Fire Commissioner. Below he is pictured receiving an honorary life membership by the Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association. His wife, Doris B. Stern, was at one time also the Police and Fire Commissioner of Paterson.

Commissioner Stanley Levine, Fire Commissioner Doris B. Stern — Commissioner Stanley Levine, another active community leader, also served as both Paterson’s Police and Fire Commissioner. He later became the North Jersey District Water Supply Commissioner. Above he is pictured with holdover Police and Fire Commissioner Doris B. Stern.

Robert (Bob) Reines, Peekskill Military Academy, Bonnie Tuber — Pictured on the left is Fire Chief Solomon Reines. He served as Petty Officer 2/c in the US Navy from Dec. 1943 through Dec. 1945. He joined the Paterson Fire Dept. in June 1942 and worked his way up to Fire Chief. He retired in Feb. 1981. For many years it was his job to investigate suspicious fires in Paterson. His son Robert("Bob") Reines, pictured on the right in his Peekskill Military Academy uniform with Bonnie Tuber, later became a career Paterson police officer.

Rabbi Reuben Kaufman, Rabbi Edward Lissman, Stanley M. Levine — Officials of the Paterson Fire Dept. shown at the first annual Shomrim breakfast held at Temple Beth-El (see caption for identifications).

Paterson fireman Meyer Cohen — Meyer Cohen became a Paterson fireman on Feb. 16, 1929, and moved up to the rank of Captain in Oct. 1948. Top photos show him in his fireman’s uniform. In the bottom photo he is shown as a member of the “5 Caps and a Bottle” band.

WWII veteran and patrolman Harry Guon, born 1915; patrolman Pete La Conti — Harry Guon, a US Army veteran of WWll was born Dec.13, 1915. In the left photo he’s pictured in his Army uniform. Guon was also a Diamond Gloves champion. In the right photo he strikes a pose with fellow patrolman Pete La Conti.