On November 16, 2021, I turned 97. As an honor to me, the Englewood Shtiebel, without any influence on my part, honored me at the Kiddush, held after Sabbath morning services in their synagogue on Saturday, December 11.

I am attaching a notice that was handed out at those Sabbath services. I do not consider myself a war hero, but others felt that what I had experienced in my life between the ages of 18 and 21 was enough to have me honored.

I presently live in Hillside, New Jersey, where I have lived the last 46 years since my marriage to my lovely, devoted wife, Phyllis Tobin. I was born in the Lower East Side of New York City. Between the ages of 6 months to the time of my marriage to Phyllis, I lived in Elizabeth, with the exception of the 31 months I spent in the American Army and just shy of a year in 1951 and 1952, which I spent in Israel, working in settlements and also doing guard duty wherever I was able to arrange it.

I graduated Jefferson High School in Elizabeth in June 1941 at the age of 16. I was the youngest member of that graduating class. I tried to enlist in the Army after the Pearl Harbor bombing in December 1941, but the United States Army would not allow me to enter until after I reached my 18th birthday. After taking basic training in Fort Eustis, Virginia, I became a replacement in the 98th Infantry Division, stationed in Alabama. I became an expert rifleman, and the Army designated me as a sharpshooter, which gave me a $5.00 a month increase in my service pay. After nine months of Army service in the U.S. I spent the next 22 months with the 98th Division in various Pacific Islands. I ultimately was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant.

I recently read in the news bulletin that only 1% of the World War II army veterans are still alive. I consider myself very fortunate to be a part of that 1%. I also have been very fortunate for the Veterans Administration paying for my college education. While I always had to have a full-time job, I have succeeded in obtaining three degrees, all earned as an evening student. Since I was a veteran, the VA paid all of my tuition bills.

I find myself completely blessed by having a lovely, outstanding wife, a devoted son and daughter, both who have wonderful spouses, and from whom I have four grandchildren. All of my children and grandchildren are living a wonderful, Orthodox-inclined Jewish life.

At one point in my career, Rutgers University Business School appointed and hired me as an adjunct professor. During that four-year period, I taught virtually all of the tax-law courses to the undergraduates and also to the graduate students obtaining their master’s degree at the school of business. At one point, I was even approached by the head of Rutgers University, Newark division, and asked if I would be willing to give up my private career and take a full-time job as dean of the Business School at Rutgers University. Feeling at that time that I could not abandon all of the clients I had been serving for so many years, I declined the employment offer.

I am very fortunate that at my age, I consider myself in good health. The only restriction in my well-being is the fact that I must wear strong hearing aids. However, I consider myself to be in very good health in that I have no problem sleeping, thinking and communicating, and don’t have any other health problems.

I grew up with Yiddish-speaking parents, and I still am able to communicate fully with my wife when we choose to speak Yiddish, and particularly with a Yiddish organization to which we belong, in which we spend one evening a month speaking only Yiddish. In the times I have been in Israel, I have learned to speak Hebrew, and I can carry on a conversation in Hebrew.

I am blessed with an outstanding wife. I also enjoy my wonderful children, their wonderful spouses and their outstanding grandchildren, whom I always enjoy being with.

I am a very fortunate person.