On Being Jewish in Union City

The morning after the big event, was my last opportunity to visit all the remaining sights I wanted to see before leaving. The Falkoff’s were kind enough to escort me again and I am so thankful because I doubt I would have found everything on my own. They had invited Ruth and Harry Gorman—more friends of my parents, to breakfast and we had a good time catching up on relatives and friends.

First stop was the Jewish Community Center—which the Leonard and Irving Berlins were instrumental in creating in the late 1950’s. Before the JCC was built, we attended Sunday School in a room at the Davie Crockett Hotel! Because the number of Jewish families has dwindled, the center is being used now by a church. We went inside and I was invited to take some mementos from the Jewish Library. I took two Purim noise makers and a Haggadah which was used for Passover Seder Services.

This photo is from one of those Passover Seders, probably in 1957. It was included in a beautiful album my mother put together for me when I turned 50. The numbers are hers and indicate in order: Esther and Leonard Berlin (my parents), Irving and Muriel Berlin, Happy and Richard Berlin, my cousin Patti, her brother Lee, our grandparents Abe and Anna Berlin, my brother Andrew and me. The man in profile in the lower center is the very Harry Gorman I had breakfast with this morning. I'm sure all the other Jewish families were there, too and I wish I had photos of them.

When I lived there, about 10 or 15 Jewish families dwelt in Union City and surrounding small towns. Many people have asked if I felt prejudice growing up as a Jew in this small community and my truthful answer is NO. I asked Ron about it this weekend and neither of us remembers any problems. The community has many churches and most people are religious and obviously quite tolerant of other’s beliefs. On the other hand, Ron told me that his mother broke up a high school romance of her oldest son because the girl wasn't Jewish.

The only issue I recall was that my babysitter, old Mrs. Cooper tried mightily to convert my brother and me because she was convinced we would burn in hell for eternity if we didn’t accept Christ as our Savior. And although she genuinely succeeded in terrifying us, Mrs Cooper was no match for my parent’s beliefs.