Clifton Merchant Magazine - December 2009

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Clifton Merchant Magazine is published the first Friday of every month at 1288 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton 973-253-4400

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December 2009 Clifton Merchant 4

A thankful Navy veteran: I recent-ly came home from my second tourin Iraq. While away, there weremany things to worry about: bills,health of family and friends and,most importantly, the emotionalwell being of the ones you love.

Well, who would of thought that alocal business owner, who I didntreally know, would make that extraeffort to pitch in back home? Id liketo give a hats off, round of applauseand a salute to Joe Argieri, owner ofBaskingers Bakery and Deli.

While I was away, every time mygirlfriend, Caroline Meza, wouldstop in, Joe would always ask how Iwas doing and more importantly,how she was doing. Joe offered tobuy us lunch when I returned. Itsgood to know that there are peopleout there willing to make a differ-ence in the lives of strangers.

Joe Argieri is truly a friend and apatriot. He backed up his lunchoffer not once, but twice. And thenin last months magazine, I saw hecontributed to the ThanksgivingDinner in town. What a person.Thanks, Joe. Thanks Baskingers.

Joseph A. Barra, HM1(FMF),USNR

The memories you dredged up inme with the story, A Week inNovember 1961 by Rich DeLottowere incredible. I remember thatplane crash vividly.

I was on that same aircraft, whichtook me to basic training at FortJackson, SC. On the way down, wehad a smoke condition and fire in acabin fan, which was doused by aglass of water thrown on it by thestewardess. We got there safe.

The plane went back to NewarkAirport and picked up the next loadof recruits, and crashed on the waydown to Fort Jackson. We misseddeath by one flight.

The capper is, until I read this arti-cle, I didnt know that a friend fromhigh school, Vernon Griggs, waskilled in the crash. I was in basictraining down in South Carolina, so Inever saw the Clifton area localnewspapers to see names. All weknew was that the plane we camedown on crashed.

Vernon was an intelligent, civil,gentleman in high school, and livedin my general neighborhood. Ashame of a loss, but now I know.

Greg Baron, Clifton

I would like to commend you for allthe fine articles you include in yourmagazine. Of special interest to mewas the story about Brian Fopmassuccessful efforts to quit smokingand the promotion of the GreatAmerican Smoke Out on Nov. 19.

It is important to encourage smok-ers to quit and support their effortsbecause they can eventually succeed.I was a smoker for many years andfinally quit for good six years agoafter several attempts. I applaud Mr.Fopma on his success and the CliftonMerchant Magazine for sharing suchstories with us. If anyone would likehelp in quitting, they can call thePassaic County Council onAlcoholism and Drug AbusePrevention at 973-473-3366 x 101.

Paulette Posey, Youth CoordinatorPassaic County REBEL

Clifton Merchant Magazine1288 Main Ave. Clifton 07011

[email protected]

to theEditor

2009

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hundreds of CliftonMerchants on the firstFriday of every month.

~Subscribe Page 85~$27 per year

$45 for 2 yearsCall 973-253-4400

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1288 Main AvenueDowntown Clifton, NJ 07011



Merry Christmasand many thanks foryour continued support

Surrogate Bill Bate

and many thanks foryour continued support

Merry Christmas & Happy HolidaysWelcome to another edition of our magazine.Its Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years all rolledup in one column. We have a lot going on in this monthspublication, from nostalgia, tradition and religion (a kick-off to my churchs 100th anniversary) to schools, sharingand shopping. The cover photo of that little girl lookinginto the eyes of Santa back in 1971 seems to sum it allupbelieve! She is unidentified as I actually found thephoto in a file that had been buried here for some time. Ifanyone knows who she is, I would like to meet her, soplease ask her to call our office.

This months cover also features Mustangs BrendanGuzman, Igor Petrovic, Victor Manosalvas and OscarGonzalez. They led the CHS Soccer team to a near vic-tory in the State Championship in mid November.

In this photo, they are pulling double dutyhelpingus to remind you to Shop Clifton First!and also serv-ing as the opener for our Mustang Sports section. In atribute to their great run, the entire team can be seen onpage 92. Both photos are by Derek Teixeira.

Then there is the classic circa-1950s photo of thosetwo boys under the Christmas tree, which looks likesomething out of Little Rascals. To find out who thosekids are, turn to page 14. That writers story is part of a35 page section in which readers share stories of theirholiday memories and traditions.

As we get ready to turn the page into 2010, and intothe 15th year of our publication, I want to say thanks toyou, our reader. I am thankful that you appreciate thebeauty of the written word, and enjoy the mix of pho-tos and stories we provide every month. Seeing peoplewaiting for us to deliver the magazine on the firstFriday of the month and watching the magazine fly offour racks is a great feeling.

And to my advertisers, I appreciate your business.Its funny that some of you think I say or write that asa cliche. But I mean it sincerely. By purchasing adsand paying your bills promptly, your funding allows meto do my thing, writing about Clifton and its people.That is a great gift, so thank you for your investment.

To Cheryl and my family, your support, trust andlove keeps me going and means so much.

And to close, heres a quote from a favorite story teller,Garrison Keillor: Thank you, God, for this good life andforgive us if we do not love it enough. Tom Hawrylko

Thanksgiving came and is now a memory, but it always provides my familyand I a chance to stop and say thanks to all of you for your support. From theright, Tom and Cheryl Hawrylko and our children: Joe, 24, Thomas Jr., 22,Casey, 19 and Carly, 14. In between the two girls is MamMarie Angello,Cheryls mom. And to the right is our hound, Bob Marley, dressed and wait-ing for Santa to come down Washington Ave. during his tour of the city.



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He flys through the streets of Clifton perched aboard a parade float and hascreated a legion of believers, like that little girl on our cover. For the past39 years, a team of elves has been making the magic of Santa come alive in our

city every Christmas Eve. So if youre a newcomer, dont be alarmed on December

24 if you hear the wailing of sirens and see your neighbors standing curbside

waiting for a cavalcade of trucks blaring carols to pass through your

neighborhood. The history of this tradition begins on the following page...December 2009 Clifton Merchant 9

Santa Tour de Clifton

Circa 1971


Santas Christmas Eve ride through the town wasfounded by Mike Novack and Tom Insinga in 1971.Today it is a group effort, coordinated by Mayor JimAnzaldi and a host of other elves.

While no longer a Clifton business owner, Novacksaid it was a group effort that started the traditionwith support from manythe Athenia BusinessAssociation, Plochs, Al Sabah, Joe Podolak, FrankMelito, Chuck Ranges, Jerry Zecker and others.

The pre-mall Clifton of those days was different,too. Main Ave. was full of well-know locally-ownedstores, as were Botany, Athenia and Valley Rd.

Back then, each shop owner or business associationwould contribute money for games and toys that Santawould hand out. With stops in the the retail neighbor-hoods, his route was a lot different then and a lot longer.

We used to start at 10 am and wed have designatedstops in town where kids could climb on Santas sleighand visit, Insinga recalled in 1998. There would be lit-tle toys and games and candy canes given out. And some-times the children would even have a present for Santa.After the stops, Santa and company would ride through-out the city until about 10 pm, Insinga explained.

In those early days, a young Anzaldi dressed as anelf and would ride on the float. Now he is content toride in the lead police car, directing which streets theywill drive down. As time went on, Insinga explained, itbecame more difficult to maintain the stops, due to thelarge number of children waiting to see Santa.

So instead, they cut out the stops and decided to justride through the city, sirens blaring, waving to the curi-ous residents. Incidentally, they put on about 56 milesevery Christmas Eve.

Although his drive through the city is in its 39thyear, Insinga noted that the town is changing and newpeople in the neighborhood are not familiar with thistradition. What first begins as concern turns into won-der. They dont expect this, when they hear the sirens.They come running out of the house with babies inblankets. Then they see us and they like what we do,he said. The caravan starts at the DPW garage inLakeview. From there, it goes through Botany, then up toClifton Center and Dutch Hill, through Athenia,Rosemawr, Delawanna, Richfield, Allwood, MontclairHeights, Albion, and finishes back in Lakeview.

Anzaldi noted they try to retain the same route and timeseach year and go up and down all streets, except dead-endsand cul-de-sacs because the float doesnt back up.

For approximately six hours, between 3 and 9 pmafter which all good

children should be safely tucked into their bedsSanta does his annual

circuit of the city, escorted by the wailing sirens of police and fire vehicles.

And while the line-up of trucks and patrol cars and other emergency

apparatus can change by neighborhood, Santa will be seen high above

the group, aboard his own personal

float, tossing candies, waving to the

kids, wishing all the best of the season.

Santa 1998


In the 1970s, the float was built with Department of Public Works equip-ment in a body shop owned by Joe Podolak (now owned by Lou Borbas andrenamed Nash Park Auto Body, near Hot Grill), said Insinga.

Anzaldi added that they have never missed a single Christmas Eve outingsince the routes inception. There were nights of bitter cold and still we kepton. Once we had a flat tire on the float, but we fixed it right away and lostonly 15 minutes, Anzaldi said. Nevertheless, this group of holiday well-wishers enjoys their annual trek through the city.

Above in 1978, MikeNovack and his daughter Kerry.

On previous page, thatsSantas elves back in1971, from left, BobLyons, Mike LaCorte andDonna Ruppert.

At right, also in 1971 nearthe intersection of Mainand Clifton Aves, Novack,Chuck Ranges and OfficerPaul Graupe.

Everyone celebrates theholidays differently.And with each passingyear, there are manymore memories. Thereadership of CliftonMerchant Magazine representsthe diversity of the community we serve.Our readers hail from all types of back-grounds and many different ethnicities.This year, we asked you to tell yourstory or share your memories and tradi-tions. On the following pages, youllfind these nuggets of days past. Somealso told us of things they look forwardto that make this time of year so special.We hope you enjoy reading these sto-ries as much as we did collecting them.



As a young Jewish child, Dr. Barry Raphaelremembers the holiday season a bit different-ly than everyone else.

While most of his friends celebratedChristmas, Raphael and his family observedthe eight days of Chanukah.

My mom, Bobbi, had boxes of decora-tions, recalled the orthodontist, whose prac-tice is located on Broad St. Shiny dreideland star ornaments hung from the ceiling tin-sel down the staircase, blue stockings overthe fireplace. My father, Jerry, built a largewooden Menorah with lightbulbs for thefront lawn.

Raphaels parents didnt celebrate theirfaith in such an outward fashion during theirchildhood. Growing up Jewish in a Christiancountry made it hard for young children tounderstand why they did things differently inthe last week of December.

When they were young, they even had aChanukah bush, recalled Raphael. It was-nt so much a way of fitting in as it was keep-ing the children from feeling so different andleft out of Christmas.

But by the time the Raphaels had theirown children, they did away with the bush, asthey became more secure with their identity.

Raphael fondly remembers all of the homecooking that goes on during the one of

Decades of MemoriesHow readers celebrate their respective holidays

The late Bobbi and Jerry Raphael, and their granddaughter, Kim Puleo,lighting the Chanukah candles in 1998.

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When my brother Donald and I went to bed onChristmas Eve during the 1950s, our four-room apartmentabove a grocery store in Jersey City looked exactly as itdid on every other night of the year with one exception.

Just before climbing into our beds at exactly 8 pm, wewould hang our Christmas stockings on the mantle overthe sealed-off fireplace in the living room. That was theone concession my parents, Walter and Cecelia, made tothe holiday season. They were traditionalists, but delight-ed in surprising us on Christmas morning,

Wed lay awake for awhile in our bunk bed, whisper-ing excitedly about what we hoped to find when we wokeup next morning, which always seemed to take forever toarrive. And we were never disappointed when it did.

As soon as Santa slammed the living room windowshut at around 6 am (he couldnt use the chimney becauseof the sealed-off fireplace) wed trip over each other aswe jumped from our beds and threw open the door to anexplosion of colors, sounds, and smells. Our usually dullmiddle-class living room had been transformed overnightinto a Christmas wonderland that went far beyond ouradolescent dreams.

A fully decorated live Christmas tree stood glowing inthe living room alcove, colorfully wrapped packagescarefully laid beneath its lowest branches. Christmas car-ols rang out from a Magnavox console in the corner of theroom while a Lionel diesel chugged around a brightly litminiature village.

The smell of percolating coffee, sizzling bacon, andcinnamon-dusted French toast filled the apartment. Mybrother and I rifled through our very own stacks ofChristmas treasures, giving no thought whatsoever tothe effort my parents put into creating this magical dayeach year.

My dad worked 11 hours a day on split shifts in thegrocery store beneath the apartment, while mom workedpart-time in a wallpaper book bindery, lifting 40-poundrolls of paper onto a cutting machine.

Beginning in early December, dad spent many of hisafternoons in the basement, securing the model traintracks to a four by eight sheet of plywood and wiring thelights in the dozen or so village buildings. Hed thencarry it all up two flights of stairs to the living room, afterhaving already fetched and hauled the tree from its hidingplace on our next-door neighbors garage roof.

All of this took place after he closed the store at 10 pm.Mom and dad would then decorate the tree, do the last-minute wrapping, and get the rest of the place ready forthe 6 am onslaught.

I dont know exactly when my brother and I stoppedbelieving in Santa Claus. It was probably later than mostkids though, because of our parents determination tomake Christmas so special. When we finally did stopbelieving, Im sure it was a bittersweet day for them.

Despite the incredible amount of extra work it tookto pull off the Christmas surprise each year, I know theygot immeasurable joy from the happiness they saw onour faces.

Story by Joe TorelliMagic in a Four Room Apartment


After mom and dad transformed their home, thats Donaldand Joe Torelli on Christmas morning, circa 1953.


In Loving Memory of our Founder

Joseph M. Shook, Sr.March 15, 1924 - June 9, 2008

Shook Funeral HomeInc.Over 54 Years of Service,

Still Proudly Family Owned & Operated

639 Van Houten Ave Clifton973-471-9620

Roy B. GarretsonManager, NJ Lic.#3550

Nancy Shook GarretsonPresident, NJ Lic.#3657

The Christmas Season is a time

when we remember loved ones,

both here and in heaven. During

this

season, we remember the many

fami-

lies who have entrusted their lov

ed ones

to us throughout this past year.

We know that after the loss of a

loved one, the holiday season w

ill bring

special memories and tender mo

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of sadness. Trusting in God, we k

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that through his healing touch,

Christmases yet to come, will ag

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the most important holidays forthose of the Jewish faith.

What Jewish holiday doesntfocus on the food? he said. Freshpotato latkes (pancakes), deep fried,with apple sauce or sour cream. Ithink five of them is a minimumrequirement, hence my figure!

Raphael also recalled the joy ofbeing a youngster receiving gifts. Atthe start of Chanukah, his parentswould lay out eight gifts for each oftheir three children on the table.

Each night, wed pick onepackage and take turns opening,he said. I remember rockets andDavey Crocket hats and Vac-U-Forms and Mickey Mantle auto-graphed bats. My sisters gotBarbies, tea sets, clothes and otherboring stuff.

But nothing was opened until welit the candles and said the prayers,Raphael added. We hugged andkissed each and every member of thefamily and attending friends with abig Happy Chanukah!

Ginny Kostisin loves Christmas so much, she tries to make the spirit ofthe season last over the course of a month.

We have an artificial tree now, maybe for the past five years. Beforethat, we always had a real one, she said. I changed it so I can have it uplonger. In the Kostisin household, the Christmas season begins right afterthe turkey hangover is gone from Thanksgiving. The tree gets assembledand stays up as late as mid-January.

That also means that holiday music is blasting everywhere in the house.Kostisin has a small radio in her kitchen and has her satellite radio tuned toChristmas stations in her car.

Ginny and John Kostisin on their wedding day in 1958.


CelebrateClifton!Our communitys diversity is truly our strength.Celebrate Clifton. Merry Christmas,

Happy Holidays.Councilman Steve Hatala

It wasnt exactly a traditional Christmas, but it wasmemorable none the less. Roy Stesko, who for yearsowned and operated Uncle Roys Tavern on VanHouten Ave., recalled the holiday he spent in theSaigon Zoo in 1972.

Stesko, a US Army Sergeant, was nearing the endof his one year tour of Vietnam. The unpopular warwas dying down and Stesko, like most servicemen, was countingdown the days to his discharge. He had been in the service since1970, and in Nam since 1971.

As Stesko recalls it, there was one soldier who pined for actionand requested that his superiors transfer him to the front lines to getsome combat experience. Stesko and others tried to persuade him tostay in the relative safety of Saigon, but to no avail.

Seeing that this one GI wasnt about tochange his mind, Stesko took it upon him-self to send him off properly.

When his orders finally came down,we wanted to do something special, herecalled, noting that it happened to beChristmas Day. We went off base, got ina cab and told him to take us to the SaigonZoo. Stesko and the departing soldierspent several hours in the zoo, which wasstill in operation despite the battles ragingon just a few miles away.

It was like going to the Bronx Zoo inthe City said Stesko, who was stationedat Saigon Airport and worked in an Armyoffice that managed transient funds.People that lived there were walkingaround like it was normal.

Saigon is actually like NewYork City, only more crowded,he continued. Once you drivein Saigon, driving in Manhattanis a piece of cake. People drivelittle scooters and they cut infront of cars and trucks.

After seeing a variety of ani-mals, Stesko and the GI touredthe local bars and infamoushaunts of the the former SouthVietnams capital.

Next day, the soldier was sent in-coun-try and Stesko ended up being dischargedabout three months later. Though henever learned of what happened to hiscomrade, Stesko is glad that he got toshare Christmas day at the Saigon Zoowith him. by Joe Hawrylko

Christmas 1972: A Day at theSaigon Zoo


Kostisin inherited the annualChristmas celebration from her grand-mother and usually has 16 people at herhouse. The food selection is generallyof the American variety for Christmas.My family has been here too long forus to have much ethnic food, saidKostisin. The food from Johns side(Carpatho Russyn) we do on NewYears Day. Keilbasy, perogi, stuffedcabbage, ham and rye bread.

The Christmas meal begins light,with homemade chicken noodle soup,corn and cabbage. The main course isturkey, with sides of cranberry, stuffingand other traditional American dishes.

During the opening of presents, theyounger children enjoy English crackers. The snackcomes in a cardboard tube that makes a pop whenopened and is packed with candies and a present.

The evening concludes with an all-Americandesert: Apple pie. Oh, I love Christmas, saidKostisin.

Janet Fazio fondly remembers the aforementionedannual tradition of seeing her three children rush outof the house to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus riding

around Clifton with a full entourageof fire fighters.

The kids used to stand and waitall night, she said.

Fazio also had a more uniqueChristmas experience, thanks toRena, her daughter Lisas dog.

I had wanted my kids to dosomething for somebody else andnot get paid, said Fazio.

Thats how the family startedraising Seeing Eye dogs. Each childtook on a dog for 18 months of train-ing before giving it back to theagency.

Rena was still young whenChristmas rolled around in 1976 and

was a little bit confused when her masters brought ina large tree to the living room.

The dog though it was their tree and it was masspanic, laughed Fazio. I was yelling at Lisa to grabher dog and it was running around the house.

Eventually, the tree was roped off so that Renawould stop marking her territory. Fazio also madesure to time the arrival of the new puppies.

It worked out that wed get the dogs in the latespring or early summer, she laughed.

Carol Lo Gioco holds a pumpkinchiffon pie, a family favorite.


In the 40 plus years that the familyChristmas dinner was held at her oldUnion Ave. home, Sally Montaniohas accumulated a lot of fond mem-ories. One of her favorites took placesome 25 years ago, when her son,Mickey, now 57, shipped a uniquegift from his home in the Black Hillsin South Dakota.

Some 20 family and friends hadgathered at Montanios home thatChristmas in 1984. The celebrationbegan at 10 am with hot chocolate,tea and coffee and eventually pro-gressed to the unveiling of presents.

Mickey had moved out to SouthDakota a few years earlier, but alwaysmade his presence felt with gifts thathe mailed to Clifton. However, thepresent that year was unique.

It was large box and the instruc-tions after you took the paper offsaid to turn it upside down, shakewell and put it back on the floor toopen, recalled Montanio.

She followed the directions aswritten, along with her husband of

48 years, Michael, who passed away in 2001. The boxtore open and out poured thousands of styrofoampeanuts and 200 one dollar bills. The reaction of thechildren in the room was predictable.

The kids all went nuts, scrambling to see who couldgrab the most money, laughed Montanio. He wasntable to get home for Christmas, so that was his way ofdoing something special.

After the chaotic scene, the day progressed as nor-mal. Some family members left to visit in-laws andreturned later that afternoon for the traditionalChristmas feast.

The Montanio family Christmas was held each yearon Union Ave. until she and her husband moved in1999 to the Williamsburg South Condos on Grove St.

But the family tradition just passed a generation,with the responsibility shared between her two daugh-ters and their families: Liane DiMartino of Clifton, orBeth, who resides in Fayson Lakes.

Sally Montanio and her daughter Liane DiMartino, aNavy veteran, at the Avenue of Flags on the City Hallcampus on Veterans Day. The two had purchased a flagfor Montanios late husband, Michael, who served in theMarines during WWII and during the Korea War.

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When you celebrate both Chanukah and Christmas,theres never a shortage of food.

My husband [Peter], hes Catholic, and Im Jewish, sowe had Chanukah and Christmas, said Helen Abbate.Chanukah was at my house and we used to spendChristmas by my mother-in-laws.

Christmas Eve was traditional, with no meat on themenu. Instead, the family gorged on large offerings of seafood. Fresh fish filet, shrimp, clams and other delights.

The family would then attend mass and after midnight,the second feast commenced, this time, with meat offer-ings on the table, including pasta with meatballs andsausage and more.

The Christmas Day foods includes plenty of pasta withgravy, lamb and plenty of other filling meals. WhileAbbate enjoyed the food cooked up by her in-laws, noth-ing beat her homecooked Jewish food.

We did it in our house, usually just amongst us, shesaid. One night, I invited all the Catholics who wantedto come because we have potato pancakes, pot roastbrisket, chicken soup... we have no time limit with theJewish people.

Though the family celebrated all eight days ofChanukah, Abbate said the first few were when she wouldcook up endless servings of food.

The main dish was potato pancakes and applesaucehomemade, nothing out of a can, she said. Youd sprin-kle a little sugar on the pancakes and put on some grapejelly. Desert included poppy seed cake, poppy seed tart,sponge cake and walnut sponge cake. Similar to theCatholics, Abbate also served up lots a fruit and wine.

Abbate also shared her recipe for noodle pudding,which is also known as noodle kugel.

Its a big casserole of broad noodles with potcheese, sour cream and cinnamon. Its a big deal, shesaid. You dont serve dairy and meat because mostpeople in those days were kosher.

Former Clifton Police Chief Frank Lo Gioco and hiswife Carol tend to celebrate Christmas in a simple,quiet manner, with up to a dozen close family membersgathering together. While the location of the December25th celebration moves each year, Christmas Eve isheld at the Lo Gioco household in West Milford.

The festivities begin in the kitchen, where Carol pre-pares several dishes which are placed out on the din-ning room table for a buffet.

Turkey, a bigdish of lasagna,Swedish meatballs,deviled eggs and awhole bunch ofvegetables, saidFrank Lo Gioco,the former chief ofthe Clifton PoliceDepartment. Justabout anything youmight want to thinkof, well have onour table. My wifeis really quite agood cook.

The lasagna is for Franks Italian heritage and themeatballs are a nod to Carols Swedish ancestors.

We usually have deserts, pies, cookies and stuff ofthat nature as well, added Frank.

In addition to the food, Carol also goes to greatlengths to decorate the entire house for the holiday.

My wife is a Christmas person. She does everynook and cranny in every corner of this house, villagescenes and everything said Frank. It takes her weeksto put everything together, but it really looks greatwhen it comes together. Christmas is her holiday.

Ken Mooneys Christmas is a bitwarmer since he moved to Floridain 1993. But as much as he hates thecold weather and the snow, he stillfondly remembers the holidays hespent back in Clifton.

We always had it at our house,my late wife, Audrey, and I, heexplained. We usually had the in-laws and stuff like that. It was usual-ly nine or ten people max.

The founder of Ken MooneysService Garage on Clifton Ave. oftenworked long hours, even during theholidays but the holidays were atime to take a breather

Mooneys family used to come tohis Olga B Terrace home onChristmas Eve, where Audrey wouldmix some of her Swedish heritagewith American foods.

Swedish meatballs, turkey orprime rib, something in that order,said Mooney, who is a Lutheran.We went to mass after and did pres-ents that night as well.

Attending church is part of theday but worrying about falling snowis not. Now we just have it withsome close friends, Mooney contin-ued. I cant go north anymore. Ireally cant handle the cold weather,but the kids are always welcome tocome down here.

Even though theyre in Las Vegas, Bob and Carol Van Der Linda have avery subdued Christmas. The former Cliftonites from the Lakeview sectionmoved out to Sin City about 13 years ago to be closer to their son and theirtwo grandchildren.

Christmas is a small event, with just six attendees. The Van Der Lindasstart off their celebration on Christmas Eve with a ham, rutabagas and othersmall sides. One unique platter is creamed herring, traditionally a Jewish sta-ple. Its from my grandmother. Thats how we always did it, said Carol.My husband adopted the traditions we had in my family.

Rye bread is also a staple, and Bob lamented how hes been unable to finda baker as good as the Village Deli on Piaget Ave. After dinner, the Van DerLindas open presents and attend services at their Lutheran church.

On Christmas Day, the family gathers for another feast, this time withturkey as the main dish. After that, its time to lounge around with family,chat and watch some football. Thats what its all about: family, said Carol.



Paid For By Eagler for Council 2010, 32 Greendale Road Clifton, 07013

CouncilmanPeter C. Eagler

I heard the bells on Christmas Day,Their old, familiar carols play and wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

In the Sichel home on Rutgers Place, Christmas Eveis a dual holiday, since it also marks Sharons (above)birthday. To commemorate the occasion, her husband,Bill, started a dinnertime tradition. Since the kids wereborn, we always have lobster, he explained. Shealways wanted lobster on her birthday. With the fireroaring, the family of four starts prepping for the meal.

Its a family tradition and everyone gets into it, heexplained. Each person cooks something or goes outand buys stuff. Following dinner, Bills sister and moth-er come over for coffee and presents.

On Christmas Day, its time to head over to momsplace to gorge on good food again. The main entree isusually either turkey or ham. Theres pickled beans,which are out of this world, said Sichel. She picks thebeans in the summer time and pickles them. She alsomakes lima beans. After the feast, its time to relax andenjoy each others company. We basically just sit aroundthe house, watch football and talk, said Bill. We hangaround her house until the evening is over.

For Roy and Helen Berkenbush, pictured above,Christmas is a little bit more significant, since it happensto fall in the same week as their anniversary.

We go to restaurant row in New York City. We neverget tired of them, said Helen, who will celebrate 52years with Roy on Dec. 28. The couple visits all of TheBig Apples Christmas attractions, including the famoustree down in Rockefeller square.

Seeing Broadway productions is also an annual tradi-tion. Last year we went to see Mama Mia, said Helen.

But while in Clifton, the couple also has another tra-dition. Since their two sons, Peter and Bill, are singleand live in North Carolina and Indiana, Helen and Roydont have any family members over for the holidays.

About ten years ago, the couple started a new tradi-tion: inviting their tenants in their two family homedown for dinner on Christmas.

Did you ever meet somebody that you liked instant-ly? asked Helen. Thats the way we hit it off with outtenants. Both girls are cantors at Catholic churches


and they come down and celebrate Christmas Eve orChristmas Day, depending on their schedules.

The tenants, Valerie and Lori, live on the secondfloor apartment in the two family home Helen and Royown in Botany Village.

The meals for Christmas vary year to year in theBerkenbush household.

It just what my husband has a taste for, laughedHelen. For Thanksgiving this year, he asked for a ham.

In past years, shes served up turkey breast, ham andmeatloaf with baked potatoes. The only consistentplate each year is dessert.

Nine times out of ten, its a chocolate cream piebecause thats his favorite, said Helen. I make myown chocolate pudding, put it in chocolate gram crack-er shell and put topping and he just loves that. Its noth-ing big really, she added. Its just simple.

Every Christmas Eve we went to St. Agnes Churchin Paterson the church that was build with Quarry fromthe Thomas Family Quarry on Valley Rd. (ThomasStreet is named after my late Grandmothers mothersfamily) The Mass was always at 5 pm and after, wereturned to my late grandparents home (Florence andGeorge Trinkle on Valley Rd)

Just as the first course began the familiar sounds ofCliftons Santa sleighactually sirenscould be heard in

the distance. My three sisters and I would dart to theporch of our grandparents home to watch Santa and hissleigh come through our neighborhood. This was thehighlight of the night. Grandma Florence Trinkle gotespecially excited to wave at Mayor Jimmy Anzaldi, oneof her favorite students. During my first Christmas inSeattle, I called home all I wanted to know was whetheror not Santas Sleigh made it past my grandparents house.

Memories of Christmas from the Trinkle Girls: Rosemary,Dianne, Kimberly and Georjean.

Returning as a resident toClifton in 2001, I heard Santassleigh for the first time in manyyears while at the ChildrensChristmas Eve Mass at St.Andrews Church. I panicked OhNo! Will I miss sharing Santa onhis sleigh with my daughter andhusband? Not to worry! Afterchurch as we pulled off of AllwoodRd and pulled into our driveway, Iheard Santas sleigh coming and allthe magic was back again. Iwhisked my then 3 year old daugh-ter from the car to the corner towatch Santas sleigh. What a won-derful tradition to share with herand my husband.

I also learned that year who real-ly was dressed as Santa on thesleigh. For all the years we waitedon my grandparents porch forSanta I never knew he was in factour neighbor Tom Insinga (seepage 10). Our parents never dis-closed his true identify.

And now many years later, I stillwait for Santas sleigh to come upAllwood Rd on Christmas Eve andthe sounds of the sirens and the sightof the sleigh stir up many wonderfulemotions of family and ChristmasEve at my grandparents home.Santas sleigh is one of the greatChristmas Traditions in Clifton thatlives on and on.

by Rosemary Trinkle Baran

Sweet Memories: My mother, Marie, and her sister-in-law, Eunice Meister,created a long-standing tradition that my sisters still perpetuate: The making ofChristmas cookies. The favorite part for all the kids was the Christmas cut-outswhich we decorated. Its a tradition that will always stick with me. Mom makespecan puffs and datenut swirls; my aunt does almond macaroons and DutchKrakelingen. My sisters have tried to make the Krakelingen, but only my lateAunt Eunice could do it. Melt-in-your mouth butter and sugar, light crunchiefigure eights. Very hard to make, but oh what a wonderful Christmas treat! Ofcourse, we also love the December Lesson and Carols service at our church. Itends with the congregation holding lit candles up in the air while singing thesecond verse of O Come All Ye Faithful! Just beautiful!

by Emily Rose

1578 Main AveClifton, NJ

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www.corradosmarket.comDecember 2009 Clifton Merchant 27

My German Grandmother lived with us from the firstday my parents moved into our home in Clifton in theFall of 1954 until the day she died in July 1975 at the ageof 82 when I was 19 and a half years old.

From my earliest memories, I remember Grandmamaking these simple butter cookies every Christmas. Sheused these very old and simple cookie cutters to makethem into about four shapes like stars, bells, wreaths, andthe biggest shape that my two younger twin brothers andI fought overlions! Before they were baked into agolden brown, she would put on a nice layer of jimmies,those tiny multicolored dots also called nonpareils. Theyadded a cool crunchiness to the cookie.

Long before Grandma passed, my Mom started mak-ing those simple butter cookies and they became anextended Klump family favorite.

Every family got its own tin for Christmas. My wifeLisa has taken over the baking for the past few years andnow my cousins wives come to my Moms house or ourhouse to learn too. My daughter Melissa is also helpingout so she is the fourth generation of Klumps!

When I eat onemore likely about 25 at a time withcold milkit brings back some of the greatest memoriesof my wonderful childhood and indeed of my entire life!!GOD Bless!

by Frank A. Klump, DMD

When Christmas rolls around, all Teddy Harsaghycan think about is the great food hes going to eat.

It means its the time of the year for the blending ofhis Hungarian culture with American cuisine.

However, the meals served up on Christmas Evevastly differ from what is cooked the following night.As per his Catholic faith, Harsaghy does not eat anymeat on Christmas Eve.

We have the mushroom soup, made with sauer-kraut juice and the little noodles, he recalled fondly.Harsaghy noted that the traditional soup recipe is asure fire remedy to a New Years Eve hangover.Thats if there are any leftovers, of course.

Filet fish is always on the menu for Christmas Eveas well. However, the special treats are babalky,which are dried dough balls that are put in water andthen coated with honey and poppy seed.

As early as he can remember, Harsaghy said thatthe menu always included the same dishes. It was thatway when his family used to gather at his aunts homein Passaic.

We all had it. It was a big deal, being by my auntshouse and all, he said. It was on Jefferson St., butthey knocked that house down. But we were thereevery year for Christmas. I didnt see my grandpar-ents because they were in Europe.


Christmas Day traditionally is the largest feast, andmeats are back on the menu. Harsaghys family usuallyincludes more American servings for this dinner.

Roast beef, roast ham... Its American stuff forChristmas Day, he said. However, the one rule thatHarsaghy observes is a superstition that prohibits birds atthe dinner table. You cant get anything with scratches,

he laughed. Youll be scratching all year. TheChristmas Day menu has evolved to include a little bit ofan Italian flavor, a nod to Harsaghys wife of 55 years,Filomena. We have lasagna, macaroni, a lot of greens,he said. We used to have a lot of family over, but nowits all broken up. Its just my wife and I. The kids areall gone here and there, but we still have that.


Peter Eagler blends cultures and tra-ditions. For the past 30 years, theClifton Councilman has portrayed St.Nicholas at the Hamilton House,Cliftons historic museum on Valley Rd.He does it on or near Dec. 6, St.Nicholas Day (Dec. 19th in theOrthodox Julian calendar). Dressed as aWestern Rite bishop, Eagler greets chil-dren at the Dutch farmhouse, infusinghis appearance, discussion and gift giv-ing with traditions from Eastern Europeand Holland. To many, St. Nicholas isthe holy man who came long beforeSanta Claus. As far as the 18th CenturyDutch gambrel-roofed homestead, itwas presented to the City of Clifton bythe developers of the property of the lateHarry Hamilton. The Museum is openedfor tours on Sundays from 2-4 pm fromMarch-December; there is a fee. Toursat other times may be made; call 973-744-5707. Membership to the HamiltonHouse also help to fund the operationand makes a nice Christmas gift.

On Dec. 4, tour the Hamilton House bycandle light. Then on Dec. 6, St. Nicholas,pictured with Sophia Refinski, Jacob andJulia Evanina, greets children of all ages.


Every Christmas I go home to Barkley Avenue..My childhood house was located one block fromPiaget Avenue and Main Memorial Park, and nearChristopher Columbus Junior High School, thenCliftons high school.

The library was on First Street in CliftonCenter, as well as the high school annex wherefreshman attended. My brother Joe DeLiberto andI would go to the racey, the pond in CliftonMemorial Park to ice skate. Though wed neverbecome Olympic skaters, Joe would go on to be abeloved postman in Clifton. My home at 45Barkley Ave. was a two-story white house with along narrow driveway just big enough for ourgreen Nash Rambler to squeeze through. I livedthere with my brother Joe, big sister Sarah, andour parents Joseph and Vincenza DeLiberto.

Barkley Avenue was a tree-lined street of olderhouses. Where the telephone building now standswas once an old mansion with a beautiful rose gar-den (I sprinkled my sister Sarah and FredLombardos wedding path with those rose petals attheir 1946 marriage). Many of the homes are gonetoday, replaced by more modern structures. In the fortiesand fifties, people of all ethnicities lived on our block andwe were all compatible.

Near Barkley Ave. were the shops and businesses ofMain Ave. The Russo family owned a chicken storeopposite the Deluxe Cleaners, and Id walk my smallnephew Joey Lombardo to the store to see the live chick-ens. You could select one, purchase it and pick it up readyto roast. Joey went on to be the valedictorian for his grad-uating class at Clifton High School in 1965 and eventual-ly a successful doctor in New York.

My most special memories of Barkley Avenue were ofChristmas. Whenever we put up our tree (a live one, ofcourse), the pine aroma filled the house. As a young girl,Id creep downstairs in the early morning, sit next to thetree and breathe its fragrance. It was a beautiful time; allwas right with the world.

Each December, Id pick a picture from a Christmascard and paint it across our front bay windows. I remem-ber one particular picture of two boys kneeling at Jesus

manger. I always tried to incorporate Gods love in thepaintings the true spirit of Christmas.

My mom, whod later become the crossing guard at St.Pauls School, loved my paintings, and I repeated themevery year. Houses were decorated up and down the streetwith bright lights, candles, and Santas everywhere, butonly ours had that personal touch.

My dad was a bus driver for Public Service. Though hemissed many Christmas mornings driving the #112 busfrom Clifton to Newark, it never diminished his spirit. Heloved putting up the tree. While wed re-acquaint our-selves with ornaments from the past, Dad would string thelights. After they were in working order, wed step backand ooh and aah at our own tree-lighting ceremony.

On Christmas Day, my grandparents would arrive toa sumptuous meal. Grandpa was Italian, so no matterwhat tradition dictated, spaghetti was always part ofour meal. Soon our house was filled with aunts anduncles and cousins all celebrating the Saviors birth,as well as the importance of family.

by Adeline DeLiberto DeVries

Christmas on Barkley Ave.


St. Pauls Roman Catholic Churchwas our parish. I joined the choir andwould walk the dark streets from BarkleyAvenue to the church for choir practice.Excitement would build as we practicedChristmas carols for midnight mass.

On Christmas, the church would beresplendent in bright lights and poin-settias. I can still see MonsignorJoseph Hewetson bustling about tomake sure all was in order. I remem-ber one year when we exited thechurch, the first snow of the seasonwas falling. How wonderfulit reallyfelt like Christmas then!

Now, many Christmases have past.My childhood home is still there, but nolonger do paintings adorn the windows.The house has been renovated and soldat least twice. Christmas is commercial-ized and, at times, impersonal.Reflecting on simpler times, I stillremember my small, personal contribu-tion to the magic of Christmas thepainted windows of my home.

Christmas on Barkley Avenue willalways be in my heart.

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Adeline in a 2006 photo, with her Magnificent Sevengrandchildren. Clockwise: Jessica, Sami. Christopher,Michael, Allyson, Kimberly and Joey. The inset is her lat-est grandson, Aiden. On the facing page is Adeline and

her dad, Joseph V. DeLiberto, Sr. in 1948, a Public Service bus driver who ranthe 112 route into Newark. They are in front of the School 3 Flag pole, whichstill stands today, near the intersection of Washington Ave and 7th St.


To Joseph Pampanin, the photos on these two pagestell a thousand stories. It speaks of heritage and histo-ry, sacrifice and a community coming together to estab-lish their tradition for future generations. Its a pride-ful tale he wants all of Clifton to know.

Like Pampanin, who is 86 years old, and mostof the parishioners of Sacred Heart Church at theturn of the century, they hailed from theDolomites region of Italy, which is in the north-east, near the Alps.

They first came to America in the 1890s,working in the Botany mills and factories.Like other immigrants, they brought theirunique culture and religious beliefs andsoon constructed a church.

The first Sacred Heart Church (Italian:Chiesa Italiana Del Sacrocuore Di Gesu) wasdedicated on Sept. 4, 1898 off of Durant Ave. onproperty purchased from the Botany Worsted Mills,he explained.

However, over time, the original site of the SacredHeart became inadequate for the needs of the parish andplans were made to purchase additional propertyconstruct a new church and rectory. In 1916, they begana campaign to raise the money through bazaars,subscriptions, dances and entertainment.

One of the fundraisers was a play staged by parish-ioners, which told the story of gypsies seeking a home.Rev. Felice Sandri, the first pastor of Sacred Heart,staged and directed the play and was assisted by a musicand voice teacher. The cast included (from the back row)Carlotta De Luca Sagui, Rosa Tonon Ossi, Anna Tomea,Sabina De Sandri Perrini, Severina De Sandre Lo

Biondo, Giuseppina De Lotto Pordon, Marta MenegusDe Ghetto, Brigida Magnoli Tomea, Lucia PalatiniMassarotto, Annetta De Luca Bertoni, (Josephs mom)Teresa Martinelli Pampanin, Marina De Lotto Ossi,Giuseppina De Sandre Belli, Ida Costantini Morris andAdele Magnoli.

Eventually, enough funds were raised and on June 8,1918, the cornerstone of the new Sacred Heart Churchwas laid at the corner of Clifton and Ackerman Aves.However, with World War I raging on and resources at a

Joseph Pampanin holds aphoto that dates back to

around 1916. It containsthe members of thechurch that helped produce a play to

raise funds for a new Sacred Heart Church,

which was dedicated onMay 15, 1920.

A. William Sala, Jr., Esq.

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premium, the City of Clifton put a moratorium on allunnecessary construction.

The ceasefire in Nov. 1918 ended the constructionban, but the cold weather forced construction crews todelay work until March 5, 1919. Just over a year later,the long awaited church was completed and on May 15,1920, Bishop John J. OConnor of Newark dedicated thenew building, which still stands today. Sacred Heart

Church has served the community for 90 years at thevery same location.

The parish has always been a part of Pampanins life.He was born in 1923 and baptized there. Pampanin andhis late wife, Magda, were wed in Sacred Heart on Oct.7, 1961. Thanks to the ladies pictured above, the churchremains the center of the community. Pampanin wantsthem remembered for their contributions.


My holiday memories all have theirroots in the uniqueness of our fami-ly. My mom was one of four sisterswho grew up in Lakeview.

Each married and settled downand raises their own families withinblocks of one another in that samesection of town. So cousins weremore like brothers and sisters; wewent to the same schools, playedand cheered for the same teams, andspent all of our holidays together.

My dad had only one brother, whoalso married one of the sisters, so weeven had the same grandparents andextended families on both sides!

Each sister was assigned a holi-dayours was Christmas. And noneof the holidays in my family lastedone day. Thanksgiving was the dayand the day after. Christmas was theeve, the day and the day after, whichalso happened to be my momsbirthday. So my Christmas holidaysalways began the same way, which Iwill remember and cherish forever.

On Christmas Eve morning, Iwould wake up to the delicious smellsof a big Italian three-day feast beingprepared, among the chatter of thefour sisters. I would lie in my bed,taking in the aroma of the gravy (meatsauce) simmering, mixed with thesmell of fresh roasted coffee brewing,listening to the chit-chat of fourwomen who nudged and poked andlaughed with each other as only thosewho are very close can.

I would anticipate the next threedays, knowing that they would befilled with 20 or 30 people constant-ly in and out of the house, eating,drinking, game playing, singing andtelling jokes that were sometimes sosilly, including reenactments forspecial effects that were so ridicu-lous, that we would all end up wip-ing away tears of group laughter.

We would exchange real gifts,but we looked forward even moreto the exchange of gag gifts thathad become a family tradition.

On Thanksgiving, we wouldeach draw a name out of a hat.Then we would have to buy a funnygag gift, specific to that person, toexchange on Christmas Eve.Newcomers would know that theywere really part of the family ifthey were included in the grab bag.

There was lots of secret name-switching and bargaining behind

the scenes, depending on what hadgone on during the year. The insidejokes among us were alwayschanging with new experiencesproviding new opportunities forteasing one another.

I guess you could say that theNunno family tradition forChristmas was three days of loveand fun with a big group of peopleyou knew intimately and lovedunconditionally, followed by fivedays of rest, before you got togetherand did it all again for New Years!

by Ellen Nunno CorboIn Lakeview, 3 Days of Love & Fun

In 1991, from left: Laura Gulli, Marge Nunno, Ellen Nunno, Lucy Sorbello.Below: Stacey Corbo walking, behind her is Brianne Moore and her momPaula. At left, Ellen Nunno Corbo, Ronnie Gulli, Michele Nunno, BettyPizzulo, Lucy Sorbello and Ellens Mom, Ellen Nunno.


In the Polish and Slavic tradition, we always gath-ered for Christmas Eve supper. Days of preparationwould go into it because the night before Christmas isconsidered even more important than Christmas dinner.

The symbolism involved in Christmas Eve dinnergoes back hundreds of years. Theres the meatlessdinner with mushrooms from Europe and bread thatyou can smell baking in the house for days.

Its a fast day, so youre sitting down to eat andyoure waiting to eat that supper. As kids, wed lookoutside for the first stars so we could eat.

Everybody would bring food. My aunt would startbaking on Columbus Day to get ready for Christmas.There would be like 2,000 cookies.

It varied over the years how many people wouldattend. At my grandparents home in Garfield, therecould be 40 or 50 people.

Santa, played by my father, would visit on ChristmasEve, so we didnt have that Christmas morningexperience. Santa would come for us after dinner andthen wed go home and go to bed, so our parents couldgo to midnight mass. On Dec. 8, which is the feast ofthe Immaculate Conception, my mother would alwaystake my brother John, my sister Virginia and me to theRadio City Christmas Show.

After church, wed get on the bus and go to NewYork. At that time in the 60s, there was a movie afterthe stage performance, so it was a big three-hour thing.

Wed also go to Levy Brothers in Styertowne to siton Santas lap and take a picture.

as told by Peter Eagler

My family and I took a trip to Israel in 1983 to visitmy daughter who was studying there.

We were in the ultra orthodox west Jerusalemneighborhood of Meah Shearim. At the end of theSabbath services, the residents exited the synagogue intothe darkness of the night and lit Chanukah candlesoutside their homes.

They started filling the street with light that hadntbeen there. That was a beautiful memory of sharing themiracle together.

At temple Beth Shalom in Israel, we enjoyedbringing the parents of the religious school kids in andhaving a Chanukah party, during which everybody gotto prepare the latkes.

It was a whole morning of activities. The smellswere extraordinary and the tastes were outrageous.

We also used to take a group to see Joseph and theAmazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the BrooklynAcademy of Music. It was a fun tradition for us Jewishpeople around Christmas time. It also made sensebecause the portion of the Torah read around Chanukahis about Joseph.

When we were living in a small town in Maryland,in order to get to the synagogue, we had to pass throughthe downtown. The kids were little and they didntknow anything about other cultures. People had begunto string Christmas decorations around Thanksgivingtime and there was a Santa with a reindeer sleighhanging up and our kids didnt know what that was, sowe told them it was Old King Cole and his donkeys.

as told by Rabbi Stanley Skolnik

From left, Clifton High School 1978 grad Greg Chananie waits for snow; Councilman Peter Eagler was the 2008 Pulaski ParadeGrand Marshal; and former Temple Beth Shalom rabbi, Stanley Skolnik, now serves at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield.

It must be in 1992 when I celebrated Christmas massfor the first time as a priest at St. Thomas SyrianOrthodox Knanaya Church on Third St., said Fr.Thomas Abraham. I also love getting my familytogether and getting gifts and giving gifts, he said,adding: We follow the traditional customs with theonly difference being that we serve special Indian foodssuch as beef cutlets.I would like it to snow more in town because it looksso much cleaner, said Craig Chananie. Ive been amaintenance worker at the Clifton Board of Educationfor 30 years, so its more work for me but I dont mind.When it does snow, we have to get in early to startcleaning the 48 school busses before 6 am, so they areready to go. But looking back to when I was a kid, Iremember the whole town being shut down when itsnowed, and wed all head up to Garret Mountain to gosleigh riding. I dont think kids do that anymore.

One of my favorite timeswas going to Racys Pondin the winter to ice skate. Igrew up a few blocks awayon Maple Pl., recalledBerkeley Cooper, at left,who now lives in Columbia,South Carolina. Id skatewith my sister, WileetaCooper Wigfall, and my bestfriend, Johnny Lavin, andhis family. We just had somuch fun playing and racing

around the pond in front of Christopher Columbus JuniorHigh School. Being that my birthday is on Dec. 24, I gotmy birthday gifts and Christmas gifts at the same time.Another Clifton holiday memory that I remember wasthe Mustang football games on Thanksgiving.


For those who say it doesnt snow like it used to, theymay be right. At left is Charles Skip Kazer onWonham St. in the snowstorm of 1962. Note thesteeple of St. John Kanty Church in the background.Above, Fr. Thomas Abraham is pastor of St. ThomasSyrian Orthodox Knanaya Church on Third St.


The blizzard of 1996 was so fun because it gave truemeaning to the dream of a white Christmas, saidKristen Sabestinas. Snow was everywhere and youcould barely get out the door of the Richfield Villageapartments in which my family lived. My mom made asnow chair for me and my sister to sit in, like we wereprincesses, along side the apartment building.

Every year my mom, sister and I would bake cookiesfrom Thanksgiving until Christmas to bring to familyand friends, wrote Jamie Wohr. I have continued thistradition with my children making cookies, breads andcandy to share with our family and friends and as a wayto say thank you to everyone who lent a handthroughout the year.

On Christmas Eve, after the stores are closed and mosteveryone is in bed, I walk. Nowhere in particular.I just enjoy the quiet streets, and the memories.

My grandmother, sitting in an easy chair onChristmas Eve, sipping a hot toddy, then later gettingup and doing an Irish job. By the way, whats a hottoddy anyway, grandma?

During the walk, I see my father, looking a lotyounger than the very last time I saw him. Hes comingthrough the front door with a Christmas tree trailingbehind him, pine needles in his hair, laughing.

Theres my daughter, all of two days old on her firstChristmas. We bring her home and place her under-

neath the tree. You done real good this year, Santa.I see the smile of a nephew, feel the hug of a former

love, smell a long-gone turkey roasting.The wind picks up now, freezing all the senses for a

moment. Its all there, everything, and then its gone.Until the next walk on Christmas Eve.

A favorite old essay by former staff writer Robert Wahlers.

Casey and Carly Hawrylko Belgrade Ave., 1998.


One Rose family tradition that I kept frommy childhood is candles in each window atChristmas. (I even use the electric candlesfrom my parents; though Ive started toreplace them with ones that have switches onthe cord, so we dont have to unplug or twistthe bulbs each night.) Ive attempted,though it hasnt happened each year, to makethe candle lighting special and not so time-consuming, by beginning on Dec. 1 withlighting one candle for each night up tillChristmas Day. It helps to have 25 win-dows! The Gwyn family addition is the ever-green swags that grace our porch each yearwith red bows (thats husband Jim Gynn) onthe porch columns. Weve been doing bothfor the 18+ years weve lived in Dutch Hill.

by Emily Rose

Raise a glass, raise aruckus: The Hafelfingershave a very longstandingtradition here on MadisonAve in Dutch Hill. It beganin Maureens (Hoey) child-hood I believe, of bringingin the New Year by goingoutside at midnight andbanging pots and pans onporches and on the street.We neighbors joined in afew years back, addingmusical instruments andsome bubbly.

Greetings from Dutch Hill!

1814

Happy Holidays to All!Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin1333 Broad St., Clifton, NJ 07013office: 973-779-3125www.assemblymangiblin.com

View The Giblin Report Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Channel 76


For 98 year-old Lee Danko, the hol-idays are all about enjoying a home-cooked meal with family. This yearshe spent Thanksgiving with hernephew and his family inMountainside, and for Christmas shewill be in Fairfield with her nieceand her family.

The spry soon-to-be centenariancan remember the big family gather-ings she enjoyed on the holidays asshe was growing up, which includedher parents, her two brothers and sisteras well as aunts, uncles and cousins.

My mother always made home-made macaroni and ravioli, and allkinds of delicious cookies andcakes, she said. We always ate athome. We never went to a restaurantfor a holiday meal.

The Passaic native also remembers the whole familygoing to midnight mass together on Christmas Eve.

In my day, we all lived close by, so we would alwaysbe all together for the holidays, she said.

Today, families live all overthe place and sometimes cir-cumstances dont allow them tocome home for the holidays.

A widow since 1992, Lee stilldecorates her Rosemawr homefor the holidays with Christmasflowers and a wreath in thewindow. I dont do as much asI used to, but I try to make itcheerful, she said.

Although sending outChristmas cards was alwaysanother one of Lees favoriteholiday traditions, she wont bewriting out any cards this year.An increasing problem withmacular degeneration has madeit difficult for her to see wellenough to write out cards and

address envelopes. With the use of a magnifying glass,Lee can read newspapers, books and her mail, so she isstill looking forward to receiving a lot of holiday cardsfrom her friends and family.

Photo & story by Carol Leonard 98 Homecooked Christmas Meals


As a Christian in Iraq, Razzuk Faraq, 61, didnt experi-ence much religious oppression in his private life. Butthe computer programmer recalled that his Christianityimpeded his ability to grow in his government job.

As a Christian, you cant get higher ranks in the armyor the government, explained Faraq, who worked as acomputer programmer for the Iraqi government.

While Iraq is primarily a Muslim nation, Iraqs SyriacChristian minority represents roughly 3% of the popula-tion, most of hwom live in the northern region. Thatsdown from a high of about 10% in the 1950s. But withtwo wars since 1990, the numbers are in constant flux.

The origins of Christianity in Iraq starts 300 yearsafter Christ, Faraq proudly said. We are from thosepeople. Faraq and his family lived in the Kirkuk regionin Northern Iraq until 1999, when they came to the UnitedStates so that his elder son, Sinan, could escape the coun-trys mandatory military service.

We settled in Ocean Township and moved to Clifton sixyears ago, he said. Faraq lives on Sixth Ave. with his wife,Manal, and his sons, Sinan and Layth. They regularlyattend St. Ann Melkite Christian Church in West Paterson,where theyll be on Christmas Eve. After services, theyreturn home to eat with family and friends. We cook a lotof foods common to our culture, said Faraq. Maybe she[Manal] will cook a stuffed rooster. Also we have Indianfoods, like viyani, which is rice and Indian spices.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays...

Kirkuk Christmas

The holidays can often be difficultfor those who have recently lost aloved one. But Marrocco MemorialChapel on Colfax Ave. offers fami-ly members a place to go andremember those who have died.

We started it back in 2000 andwe invite all our families and anyonefrom the public who has had a deathin the past year, said manager JamesJ. Marrocco. Its very difficult forpeople spending their first Christmaswithout the person they lost.

The Dec. 9 Holiday MemorialProgram begins at 7:15 pm as aguest speaker shares some thoughtson loss. A five part candle lightingceremony is next with candles beinglit to represent grief, courage, mem-ories, love and hope. Thats fol-lowed by a video remembrance fea-turing photos of those who havepassed. Reservations are notrequired, but requested, so that pho-tos of the deceased can be included.

The program concludes withfamily members being called up toreceive Christmas ornaments.

Its not a cure all, but it helpsthem get through the holidays, saidMarrocco. It helps the healing andgets them into the holidays.

To participate in this free HolidayProgram, call 973-249-6111.


Oasis of Light: St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Parish Celebrates 100th Anniversary

Stories by Irene JarosewichPhotos by Mychail Newmerzyckyj

For generations of Clifton families and theirneighbors, the parish of St. Nicholas UkrainianCatholic Church has been a spiritual anchor and

at the center of their community. Established in

Passaic in 1910 by 38 families, the parish kicks

off a yearlong celebration of its centennial on

December 6, the Feast Day of the churchs

patron saint, St. Nicholas.

Located between Lexington Ave. and Hope

St., the church building stands on the crest of a

small hill, its warm gold-tone brick and gold gild

around the icons above the main door seem to

reflect sunshine even on the gloomiest of days.

Co-chair of the Jubilee Committee, Marion

Hrubec, a member of the parish for more than 60

years called St. Nicholas our little oasis of light

on President Street.


The property also includes twobrick homes where clergy live, aschool and a hall where thevarenyky ladies still make and sellthe handmade dumplings five daysa week. Behind the hall on themacadam parking lot is where thechurch members gather the firstSunday after Labor Day for theirannual parish picnic.

Around the corner on Hope Ave.is the Ukrainian Center, or UkeCenter - a social organizationwhich recently celebrated its 50thanniversary. Also on Hope is abranch of the Self Reliance (NJ)Federal Credit Union, a Ukrainianfinancial institution.

The neighborhood is now alsohome to a Mexican community andother people of Hispanic descentwho often rent the halls from thechurch or the Uke Center to cele-brate birthdays, baptisms and otherevents.

And while many of the postWWII Ukrainian immigrants whofirst settled in the neighborhoodnow have moved to Clifton, orupper Passaic and Morris Counties,there are still many who live within

Julia Ressetar has lived inClifton since 1926, first onAckerman Ave., and then forthe past 63 years, in theLakeview section. Shecelebrated her 100th birthdayon October 11 with an openhouse for 150 guests and evenmore flowers. It was beautiful!Cant tell you how many peoplesaid they loved me! shechuckled.

The eighth child of 15, shecame to Clifton with her familyfrom the coal mining town ofRamey, Pennsylvania. Many of the original founders of the parishmoved to the area from Pennsylvania in the first decades of the lastcentury. In the factories and farms along the Passaic River, they hopedto find a better life than the one offered by coal mines.

St. Nicholas was the center of our life, she said of the church. Myparents never spoke English, and during the Depression, everyonehelped each other. She was an active member of the Ladies Auxiliaryfor decades, and finally gave in and joined the church seniors, sheadded with a wry smile.

I love to hear the parishioners go from house to house caroling,she said, though not me no! no! I dont have a voice! and thenturned around and began to sing a beautiful Ukrainian Christmas carol.

During the World War II, Julia worked at the Western Electric facilityon Main Avenue and later at Bendix Corp. in Teterboro, assemblingunits for the top-secret Pershing Missile project.

She cheerfully shared a favorite memory from her time at Bendix, asif it were yesterday. One day I brought one of my Ukrainian dishes toworkpotato pyrohy (pierogies) with browned onions. I wanted to heatthem up for the girls for lunch and used the hot plate I used forsoldering, which we were not allowed to do.

Just then, one of the engineers who worked on the design of thePershing Missile was on tour at the plant. He walked into assemblyroom with my boss where the smell of warming pyrohy, butter andonions filled the air. Boy, was I scared Id lose my job!

I told my boss I knew what I was doing was wrong. I really beganto apologize, but the engineer told me to stop. He was German and saidhe hadnt smelled anything so good since he left his mothers kitchen.So quickly, I gave him my pot for lunch. My boss came back later andtold me that I was off the hookthe engineer complimented me on mywork and on my cooking! So guess who he was?! [Wernher] von Braun,the engineer responsible for making the Pershing Missile!

continued on page 50

Parish ElderPerhaps EldestJulia Ressetar


Icons, sacred images that are either paintedor composed of mosaic tiles, glass or textileshave been an important part of the religious tra-ditions of Eastern Catholics for centuries.

Of the more than one billion Catholics world-wide, about 21 million are Eastern Catholics,approximately five million of which are UkrainianCatholics who follow the Byzantine rite.

So, when St. Nicholas Ukrainian CatholicChurch began to undergo restorations severalyears ago, the parish council decided that to pre-pare for the 100th anniversary of their parish,new icons should adorn all the walls and theceiling of the church.

Filling a church with iconography is part ofour heritage, noted Helen Newmerzyckyj, co-chair of the Jubilee Committee, and this effortwas undertaken consciously to be completed byour centennial.

All the new icons are being painted.However, much of the original iconographymade from other materials remains, such as tiledmosaics of the Mother of God and St. Nicholason either side of the altar, large stained glasswindows, and the iconostas, a screen of carvedwood and icons that separates the sanctuaryfrom the nave.

Besides icons, intricately carved dark walnutwood gilded in gold accents will frame the iconson the walls of the church, as well frame theiconostas, and will provide a unifying elementthroughout the church.

Sacred Art: Opening Hearts...to be Closer to God...


The history of the UkrainianCatholic Church in the 20th cen-tury is a tortured one. In 1946,Soviet authorities banned theUkrainian Catholic Church inUkraine and arrested most of theChurchs priests and bishops.Church buildings were confiscat-ed, religious artifacts destroyed.Ukrainian immigrants throughoutthe world, however, including atparishes such as St. Nicholas, sus-tained their traditions.

It is the careful transmission oftradition from generation to gener-ation that is the strength of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, emphasizedRostyslav Pohorilets, who along with fellow artist Ihor Derevianiy isnow working on placing icons on the ceiling of the church.

Planned for the central ceiling dome is an icon of ChristPantokrator (Ruler of All), one of the most well known of Byzantineholy images. It is specifically in the Ukrainian tradition of iconpainting to use lots of blue around images of the Pantokrator, saidPohorilets, the outer edges start dark blue and fade into a bright lightblue around the head of Christ, symbolizing I am the Light. Theicon will fill the entire dome and be completed by years end.

It is specifically in the Ukrainian tradition of icon painting to use lots of blue around images of the Pantokrator, said Rostyslav Pohorilets,

the outer edges start dark blue and fade into a bright light blue around the head of Christ, symbolizing I am the Light.


James J. Marrocco, proprietor of Marrocco MemorialChapel on Colfax Ave., whose family has been in busi-ness in Clifton since the beginning of the 20th century isfunding the central icon of the Pantokrator.

Weve been serving the parishioners of St. Nicholasfor decades, said Marrocco. I wanted to thank theparishioners and support the parish. I have been toEurope many times. I have seen many churches withbeautiful artwork. Many churches in Italy have beautifulpaintings and mosaics and a certain image of this icondrew me in particular. When traveling in Italy, we sawthis beautiful painting in Sicily, in a cathedral built byWilliam Second in 1173. In the cathedral, in the city of

Monreale, in the central dome was a painting of the sameicon of Christ that is now being painting at St. Nicholas.

Art historians have long known that some of the finestexamples of this Byzantine icon are in Italy. Many iconsfrom the times of the Byzantine Empire were destroyedduring the Ottoman invasions.

Centuries later, Communist regimes in EasternEurope and Russia destroyed major churches, as well asthe icons within them.

However, in certain regions of Italy, where examplesof Moorish and Byzantine influences remain, ancientimages of the Pantokrator can still be found.

Throughout the centuries, the formal and dramaticbeauty of icons has drawn people toreflection and prayer.

People receive Gods spirit in manyways, commented Rev. AndriyDudkevych, pastor of St. Nicholas,through music, through prayer, as wellas through icons. Iconography is part ofour religious tradition and in our churchwe want to re-establish this traditionto open peoples hearts so that they canbe closer to God.

Now, says Rev. Andrij Dudkevych, pastor of St. Nicholas, the restoration andexpansion of the iconography throughout the church, is to prepare the church to serve the parish for the next 100 years.

St. Nicks interior top left during services inApril; bottom, as parishioners worshiptoday, above, the scaffolding installation.


walking distance of the church and the communityremains. Many who left return often to the old neigh-borhood with constant movement on weekendsbetween the Uke center, the credit union, the church,youth group meetings and Ukrainian Saturday School.

St. Nicholas was the center of our life, said JuliaRessetar, one of the oldest members of the parish.

And, like Julia Ressetar, the center of our life arethe exact words that Helen Newmerzyckyj of MontclairHeights also used to describe the parish at St. Nicholas.

As the other co-chair of the Jubilee Committee, shealong with her husband Mychail, who now serves asthe church and school secretary, have been activemembers of the parish for decades.

As the daughter of post-war immigrants in the1950s, Helen said, St. Nicholas is where I grew up,went to the school. The school was a huge support forimmigrants. Our parents went to work and the sisters(nuns) cared for us a great deal. We received a wonder-ful education and could keep our religious traditions.

One of the traditions that is being fully revived at thechurch is the restoration of icons on all the walls andceilings. As Ukrainian Catholics, we are Byzantinerite, and icons are an important part of our religiousheritage, said Newmerzyckyj.

Several years ago, the parish council decided toundertake this project and launched a campaign to gath-

er contributions from parishioners, as well as donationsfrom the community, to undertake the project.

A music teacher at Cliftons Christopher ColumbusMiddle School, Sonya Capar, who sings in the parishchoir, is preparing the centennial history book that will bedistributed next October at the banquet to culminatethe yearlong celebration.

Self Reliance (NJ) Federal Credit Union851 Allwood Rd Clifton

973-471-0700 x15 www.bankuke.com

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Fr. Andriy Dudkevych, his wife Mariya and their son Ivan atthe Baptism of their daughter, Marta Maria, on Nov. 30, 2008.

continued on next page


Organization for the Defense of Lemko Western Ukraine, Branch No. 4The ODLWU, Inc. honors and seeks to foster Ukrainian language andvalues and embraces the idea of an independent, unitary UkrainianState embracing all ethnographic Ukrainian territory.Wasyl Harhaj, President Anna Harhaj, Secretary

Ukrainian National Home FoundationProud to be serving and aiding Ukrainians worldwide.Walter Rudakewycz, President John Czuczak, Secretary

CYMUkrainian American Youth Association, Branch No. 4To organize, nurture, and educate youth in the spirit invoked by theideals God & Ukraine. Emphasis is placed on ones role as a citizen ofones country and ones role as a member of the Ukrainian community.Roman Andrach, President Suzan Skala, Secretary

The Ukrainian American Veterans, Post 17, Passaic We send packages to Ukrainian American Soldiers. If you know of anysoldiers or service members abroad, please call 973-225-3648. Commander James Fedorko

The Ukrainian Center Inc.240 Hope Avenue, Passaic

We are proud to be at theheart of the UkrainianCommunity for the past 50yearsand we look forward togenerations of service to come.

Our spacious Banquet Hallwith a band stage & dancefloor is perfect for weddingsand other events. We also offera smaller Party Room. Open toallyou do not have to be amember to rent our facilities.

For info, call 973-473-3379Vera Czyrniansky Stefan Zurawski


Tim and Toby with their dad Tom.As we reflect on the past & considerthe future, we hope you find peace &

health in the New Year.

1313 Van Houten AvenueClifton, NJ 07013

Phone 973 546-2000Timothy J. Bizub, Mgr.

NJ Lic. No. 4022

515 Lexington AvenueClifton, NJ 07011

Phone 973 777-4332Thomas J. Bizub, Mgr.

NJ Lic. No. 2732www.bizub.com

Founder Joseph T. Bizub who in 1923established Bizub's Funeral Home at 205 Third St. in Passaic. For three generations, our family has proudly served our community.

According to records, the very, veryfirst mass for this parish, she said, washeld in Clifton, on Lakeview Avenue, in1910. After that, events moved quicklyand the first church building on VanBuren St., which is off Hope Ave. inPassaic was completed in 1911.

The parish began to expand in thelate 1940s with the influx of post-warimmigrants and under the dedicatedleadership of Rev. Walter Bilynsky. Heis remembered as a strong leader whoserved the parish for 34 years. Duringthat time, St. Nicks acquired severalproperties and in 1972, the presentchurch on President St. was completed.

Nearly four decades later, a mix ofold and new generation of parish-ioners are investing in their landmark church again.

Now, said the pastor, Rev. Andriy Dudkevych, witha smile, the restoration and expansion of the iconogra-phy throughout the church, is to prepare the church toserve the parish for the next 100 years. Arriving fromUkraine in 2003, Rev. Andriy is among the latest wave

of Ukrainian immigrants, those thatarrived after 1991 following the col-lapse of the Soviet Union. Today, morethan 400 families are registered at St.Nicholas, mostly post-war immigrants,their children and grandchildren, andwith each year, the new wave of immi-grants is steadily increasing parishnumbers. Rev. Andriy estimates thatmore than 50 percent of the parish-ioners are Clifton residents.

Over two generations ago, theparish council saw the future of itscommunity among its children. Backin 1921, with more than 500 familiesregistered with the parish, among themclose to 250 school-age children, theparish council voted to establish St.

Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School. The tightly interwoven relations between the church,

the parish school, and Ukrainian youth organizationscould be seen on a recent evening at a meeting of par-ents at the Richfield home of Clifton residents Dariaand Orest Temnycky. continued on page 54

The Van Buren St. Church, circa 1950.

St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School was established in 1921, and today, the tightly interwoven relations between the church, the parish school and youth organizations are still strong.

Like sacred art, music is animportant part of the UkrainianCatholic liturgy. And for thosewho celebrate services in the choirloft at St. Nicholas, they may noticea small a plaque marking anincredible milestone.

For 45 years, Wasyl Yadlowskyserved as the cantor or diak andchoir director of the church. Alwaysreferred to as Professor Yadlowsky,he was honored for his service when

the parish held a testimonial dinner for him in 1986, and the plaque waspermanently placed to commemorate his service to the church, whichbegan in 1941. Wasyl Yadlowskys nearly five decades of service is stillremembered whenever a choir member sings a liturgy, baptism or funeral.Yadlowsky is pictured in an undated photo, with his daughter, Nadia.

The tradition of the cantor or diak goes back to the villages of Ukraine.An experienced singer who, while remaining a part of the congregation,leads the peoples singing of the responses during liturgy that is, the for-mal, public worship of God. In many cases, the diak was the village schoolteacher but his primary role, however, was to lead the singing in church,and remind the faithful of the music for each hymn.

45 Years of Sacred Song: Professor Wasyl Yadlowsky



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Clifton Merchant Magazine - December 2009

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