THE BEGINNINGS - from Mark Belafsky

MARK BELAFSKY sent these photos (from the book "Woodbridge: New Jersey's Oldest Township" By Virginia B. Troeger) with the following note:

In 1937, my father left Beth Israel Hospital in Newark as a staff (house) physician and bought this Valentine home on the corner of Green Street and Amboy Avenues. He built his office with a separate front and side entrance on the West side of the porch (right in the picture.) We lived in the rest of the downstairs, and on the second floor. The top floor had an outside entrance in back, where my grandmother and bachelor uncle lived until he got married in 1947. I can remember shoveling coal into the bin thru the outside coal chute. and was very happy when Dad converted to oil heat, I didn't have to get dirty anymore. Richie and Arlene Pargot lived in the upstairs apartment after they got married, while he was in dental school. The Chodosh's lived next door, and Nancy Miller lived behind, on Amboy Avenue. Dr. Homer bought the home in 1955, raised his family there, and had his office there till recently, adding on and remodeling thru the years. The house was torn down last year for a Rite Aid Rx Store. Very Sad.
The Adath Israel Dedication picture shows my Dad, seated two to the speakers left. He was Adath Israel's first President, and was responsible as much as anyone for the building. You can see me, kneeling on the grass to the right and in front of the speaker, my head turned to the left. My sister is standing with her back to the camera. The text tells about the Jewish Community in Woodbridge- interesting stuff. I have more pics, will dig them out---- Mark