Look how closely we sat while breaking bread. That’s me, pictured with my husband Arnee and Milton, my aunt's brother. The date on the back of the photo reads November 24, 1979. That was a long time ago.

I spoke with Milton and his wife, Myra, in mid-December 2022. He turned 89 in July. If the stories aren’t told or written down, someday, our children will look through our old photos and wonder who these people were in our lives.

As a case in point, the week before writing this, I sent my 2nd cousin 1x removed a photo of my maternal grandfather, Harry Friedman, at the wedding reception for her parents. In the picture are her parents, paternal grandparents, father’s sister with her husband and baby, and a few others. My cousin Sherrie told me she had the picture but had no idea who the people were other than her immediate family members.

I solved one mystery for Sherrie by pointing out my grandfather. Significantly, he was the one who met his niece Dora, Sherrie’s grandmother, as she disembarked the Czar ship at Ellis Island when she immigrated on January 21, 1913. Dora was the daughter of my grandfather’s brother, Mayer.

Getting back to Uncle Milton, he is one of the funniest characters ever, with an unparalleled knowledge of Yiddish and old-time Newark. He worked in the Main Newark, New Jersey post office for 50 years as a clerk ending his career working in the dead letter department.

My Uncle Jerome, my father’s brother, was married to Milton’s sister Cerna. Uncle Jerome, also employed at the downtown Newark Main Post Office, was promoted from letter carrier to supervisor.

Milton, and the love of his life, Myra, were married in 1957 on the television show Bride and Groom. My Aunt Fannie was in the audience with Milton’s Grandaunt Sarah. My brother Al watched, and he relives that story as a family memory, but it’s also a human-interest story of importance. How many people do you know who said their vows on the screen?

So many memories throughout the years flood my mind when I see a picture like the one from 1979. When Myra and Milton’s two children, Amy and Roy, were toddlers and we were at our Aunt Cerna and Uncle Jerome’s home for a summer picnic, I lifted Amy for her to look out the window, and she bumped her chin on the ledge on the way down. She's probably long forgotten, but it stays etched in my mind.

Over the years, Milton joined us for family Simchas, always amusing and impressing us with his clever quips with Yiddish interspersed. Then, there were the individual photos, which I snapped of those always cheerful familiar faces when we met outside the kosher butcher shop in the parking lot at a strip mall in May 2014. The stories, the memories, and the jokes rolling that day were penetrating.

Milton and my Aunt Cerna’s father, known as Mr. Kohn to my family, used to hand out 18 cents (18=chai for good luck) to us kids, wrapped in thick adhesive tape. He never said what was in the sealed gift, but my cousin Martin peeked and told me. I still have mine somewhere in the house.

Uncle Milton ended our friendly conversation in December as he always did, with “Zei gesundt,” Yiddish for “Be well,” giving me that old home feeling. Zei gesundt Uncle Milton, until next time.

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Sharon and Arnee Cohen with Milton Kohn Nov. 24,1979

2001 South Orange, New Jersey Milton seated second from left at our son Judd’s bar mitzvah reception - His niece Shari seated on the right

2003 South Orange, New Jersey Milton seated on the right at our daughter Rina’s bat mitzvah reception - His sister Cerna’s three children-standing on left - Martin and his wife next to Shari’s son Mark and Shari -
Norman seated next to Milton with his wife Heather and children Emily and Jerry

“Uncle Milton” May 15, 2014 when we met at the shopping strip mall in Vauxhall Union, NJ

“Aunt Myra” May 15, 2014 when we met at the shopping strip mall in Vauxhall Union, NJ

Cousin Shari with her Uncle Milton October 23, 2022

February 6, 1945, Papa Harry Friedman seated on right at the wedding of his beloved niece Dora’s son Hank to Gladys
Hank’s father standing on the left next to Hank, his mother, Dora, standing next to Gladys
Dora’s daughter Fannie holding her son Irvin on right - Fannie’s husband Louis standing between Dora and Fannie
Others seated at the table are unidentified

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IN MEMORIAM

Rest in peace Uncle Milton

Milton Frank Kohn

JULY 3, 1933 – JANUARY 19, 2023

IN THE CARE OF

Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel

Milton Frank Kohn passed away on January 19, 2023. He was 89 years old. He was born on July 3, 1933 to Amelia Dulberger Kohn and Jacob Kohn. He graduated from Weequahic High School and attended Drake Business school.

He was employed by the US Postal Service in Newark, NJ for 49 years. He made many friends at work which brought him much happiness.

He is survived by his wife Myra to whom he was married for over 65 years; his daughter Amy (Jonathan Levitt) and son Roy; five grandchildren - Sammy (Iliana) and Sylvia Kohn-Levitt, Alex (Andrea), Joseph (Morganne), and Patrick Kohn, and great-granddaughter Drew Kohn.He is also survived by his niece Shari Schlendorf and nephews Martin and Norman Mark, and Richard, Robert, Jonathan, and Neal Dorfman.

He was a member of the Jewish War Veterans and the Oddfellows fraternal organization. He was the proud donor of over 25 gallons of blood.

A celebration of his life will be held in the spring. There will be no shiva.