LET’S GO LOOK AT THE GOLDEN BOOK!
Foreward
Bobby, Danny and I meet at the Weiszes’ house at 2947 Barker Street (which later becomes 6947 Barker Street when the City of Niagara Falls adds 4000 to each address). We grab a palacsinta with apricot jam from Steffie-neni’s kitchen and then pile into Lutzi Bacsi’s big orange Thunderbird. We pass by an apartment that says Dolly on one door and Rosza on the other. We get to the synagogue at 1328 Ferry Street (later 5328 Ferry Street). This week is my turn to start the prayers. I fidget at the shtender and wait for the signal from Rabbi Gross. The opening brachot are on page 45. Mizmor shir is on page 60. Ashrei is on page 76. Shochain Ad is on page 86. Barchu is on page 88. The morning Shema is on page 92. The Amidah for Shacharit is on page 96. Taking out of the Torah begins on page 117. Beriech Shmai is on page 118. Yekum Purkun is on page 128. Musaf begins on page 137. Ain Keloheinu is on 157, Aleinu on 158, and Adon Olam on page 162.
Paul Greenspan is in the second row on the left aisle. Joe is next to him with little Eddie and Brian (they are arguing with each other, as if they were in a courtroom). Behind them is Sam with Barry and Larry, and Abe with Michael. Tommy Dale is in the fourth row on the right aisle. This week, his son Lewis and his son-in-law Mort Rivo are visiting. Lajos Baci is in the row behind him, and George, Bobby and Danny sit with Ludwig. We’re in the next row, Opi (Ferdinand Muller) on his green cushion that Omama (Magdi) had sewn for him for his 75th birthday. My Dad (Henry Muller) is next to me and Jerry and Michael to my right. Right behind us is Lutzi Bacsi (Leslie Weisz), with his son Eddie and son-in-law Norman Bennett. At the other end of the row is Bandi Baci (Andrew Weisz). His son-in-law David Hoffman sits with him.
Right behind that is Philip Zuker. He sits with his sons Ron and Gilbert. At the other end of that row is Louis Stein with his sons Harold and Richard. In the row behind that, Irving Milchberg (he is the main character Bull in the amazing book The Cigarette Sellers of Three Crosses Square by Joseph Ziemian, the story of how Irving survived by gun-running in the Warsaw Ghetto). His son Howard is next to him. No one, including Mr. Mrmak, has any doubt that Howard is a future Nobel prize winner in physics. Behind the Milchbergs is Larry Cohen, with Bobby and Steven, and Irving Feldman, with Robbie and Ross. Then come the Bogomolnys: Hymie with his son Eddy and sons-in-law Hugo Peressotti and Harold Nashman (camp hasn’t started yet), and Abe Bagg with his Howard and son-in-law Gerry Enchin.
The Rosbergs, Joe and Harold are in the next row. Sitting with them are Gerald Rosberg and sons-in-law Murray Frum and Hershel Okun.
The Saks family is in the row behind that, Bill and Bob and Ron, Tom and Allan. Sam Gold is in the next row with his son Alan and his sons-in-law Harvey Roff and Paul Juliar.
Frank Oberman sits with his sons Alan and Steven. They are always well-coiffed! Alan talks with Mel Krass next to him, always about pharmaceuticals. What might become of that I wonder.
At the very back is Sam Srour. His wife Tita and his daughters Francine and Cybelle all stand up when Mr. Srour gets an aliya. They recently fled Lebanon and settled in Niagara Falls.
Services are finished, time to go downstairs for kiddush. The Rabbi’s wife Elisabeth brings out the blue plates. One piece each of Stroli’s gefilte fish with a slice of boiled carrot and Strub’s red beet chrain on top.