Imperial Brass. July 7, 2011. Photo by Ted Aanensen, Blogfinger staff
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor, blogfinger.net. 7/7/11.
Last night, in the Great Auditorium, the first Summer Stars 2011 Thursday concert was held. The Imperial Brass is a fine organization of about 30 musicians who play brass instruments like euphoniums, horns and trumpets.
They put on a two hour program of music from Leroy Anderson to Tchaikovsky. It was excellent, but then Phillip Smith, the evening’s soloist, showed up mid way in the event.
Phil is an Ocean Grover who lives on Pilgrim Pathway. But he also happens to be the Principal Trumpet of the New York Philharmonic.
Phillip Smith, Principal Trumpet, New York Philharmonic. Photo by Ted Aanensen
He told the audience that there is “joy in Ocean Grove” and that being here “refreshes our spiritual souls.” He had my attention when he said that he was our neighbor, but I was mesmerized when he played his first solo, called “Jubilance” by William Himes. It was absolutely lovely, and his tone and phrasing were magical. It never ceases to amaze me how superb the musical programs are in this
little town with its big musical heritage. Here, for $15.00, was one of the world’s best musicians, playing for us live…no microphone; just him inside the big cello of an auditorium, with an ensemble of accomplished brass players (also unamplified) to back him up. I don’t know how it is that so few people come to these events.
Later in the program Phil’s wife Sheila Smith, a soprano, sang an enjoyable Broadway medley and then a duet with her husband and piano accompaniment on the standard “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.”
Phil also soloed on”What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” but I really enjoyed his turn, with piano, with Gershwin’s “Someone to Watch Over Me.” I took the liberty of recording that gorgeous solo with my iPhone, and here it is. It’s not exactly a professional audio crew, but enjoy the sound of a brilliant musician who also is our neighbor—–Philip Smith:
It must have been sometime in the winter of 1961-62. We were two soldiers on leave, exploring the mysteries and enticements of New York City for the very first time. Probably on someone’s recommendation, we sought out a place on 7th Avenue called the Village Vanguard, eager to hear some jazz. The chairs were uncomfortable, the tables were tiny and crammed together to make the most of the space, and the cover charge and liquid refreshments cost more than we could afford, forcing us to nurse our drinks all evening in spite of the waitress’s judgmental looks. It was one of those situations where you have to hang onto your glass for dear life lest the waitress scoop it away before it’s empty.
The featured artist that night played jazz piano with a heavy gospel flavor and sang with an air of authority rare in one so young (she was probably not yet 20). She had an enormous voice. I was gobsmacked by her performance. I remember writing a letter to a friend back in Texas, a fellow jazz lover, saying, “You’ve got to listen to a singer named Aretha Franklin. See if you can find any of her records.”
I don’t think I heard of her again until four or five years later, by which time she had altered her repertoire and become the “Queen of Soul.” I never hear her music now without thinking of how she sounded to me on that cold, long-ago night, as I sat huddled in that overcrowded club on 7th Avenue.
This song, a standard from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, provides a good approximation of how she sounded that night.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor and Jack Bredin, Researcher/reporter @Blogfinger.net
Most of us are now aware that the 2008 Redevelopment Plan (NERP) for the North End of Ocean Grove is the only plan that is currently legally binding. But we also know that the collusion between WAVE, CMA and the Township to violate Land Use Laws and to keep a veil of secrecy around their plans has resulted in the past in actions that knowingly ignore the laws such as zoning and parking rules. So we cannot assume that what we think is true is truly true. And that applies to the NERP. Let’s review what has happened:
The original NERP was signed into law by the Neptune Township Committee in 2008, and no other plan, despite all the talk (see below) has been officially/legally approved to take its place.
And that original plan included an underground garage with two levels of parking for over 200 cars. A couple of years ago, the Township tried to get Trenton to pass a “special standard” (exemption) to bypass State RSIS (parking) rules in Ocean Grove, but the Township withdrew its application (without prejudice) when Grovers showed up at the State Site Improvement Advisory Board meeting; so RSIS law must apply to the NERP.
In 2012, the CMA announced that they would “break ground” in 2013, but then Sandy hit in October 2012.
In 2013, the CMA announced that because of Sandy, the developers would “have to go back to the drawing board.” It seems that Sandy drove the Atlantic Ocean over the boardwalk and into Wesley Lake. Obviously, if that underground garage had been built prior to Sandy, it could have washed away.
On April 28, 2015, a “Memo of Understanding” was signed by William Gannon/WAVE (Wesley Atlantic Village Enterprises) and by Dale Whilden of the OGCMA. The witness was JP Gradone. This document is available from the Neptune Township Clerk. (Open Public Records Act.) Anyone can request it.
The Memo contained a new plan for the North End. It defined the project as a “commercial development,” and it called for a one level garage to hold +/_ 140 spaces. It did not say if the garage would be above ground or under. It described 39 condominiums, 10 single family homes, a hotel with 40 units, and other elements.
Of interest is the fact that an appropriately designed hotel plan could allow for that hotel to be turned into condominiums after the project is completed. (ie a sneaky back door plot to get more condos at the North End—it’s possible.)
Committeeman Randy Bishop and the OGHOA proclaimed this new plan publicly in April, 2015, with the Groaners actually trying to take credit for it. Here is a link, nearly 3 years ago, about the newly proclaimed North End plan as presented at the Township Committee:
But, since then, the Township has not tried to validate this “new plan” with appropriate public hearings and votes.
Despite that, the current CMA president, Michael Badger, presented this “new plan” at the Feb 1, 2018 HOA meeting “North End update” as if it were the legally approved plan to move forward with.
So the question now is which plan will emerge once the three-legged stool (WAVE, CMA, Township) decides to apply for site plan approvals?
And finally, is there a secret third plan (the “true” one) which, we suspect, would have two phases? The first phase would be a “scaled down” (put on a happy face) version discussed on Feb 1 by the CMA President; with a second unannounced phase lurking in the shadows, later implemented to get the number of condos up to a total of 165 as in the original NERP
Will anyone in charge stand up for the three T’s:——- trust, transparency and the truth, or will we get more of the sound of silence?
DISTURBED
“Hello darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping…”
Magen David Congregation. Ocean Avenue, Bradley Beach, NJ. 7/5/22. Paul Goldfinger photograph. Below is the view from the shul looking out to the Atlantic Ocean.
By Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, New Jersey, USA. 7/6/22.
Did you ever drive along Ocean Avenue in Bradley Beach and see a nondescript gray building facing the Ocean ? You might recall that it has a row of Stars of David in front, but there is no writing.
We are not from the Jersey Shore originally, except for vacations, but we know that Jewish people have been visiting and living in Bradley Beach for many years and we supposed that this was a synagogue. And we wondered if it were still in use, because we never saw anyone there and we know that BB has a more impressive and active shul called Congregation Agudath Achim which describes itself as “Orthodox” meaning that it follows the traditions of Ashkenazi Jews who originated in Eastern Europe. That shul was “established” in 1898.
Jews were not always welcome in some towns at the Jersey Shore, but Bradley Beach and Asbury Park were welcoming. Some of my family used to rent a room in BB many summers ago.
I decided to take a black and white photograph of the gray mystery shul (see above.) When I got there I noticed that the front door on the 5th Avenue side was open, and a sign told us its name: “Magen David Congregation.” The name refers to the 6 pointed star symbolic of Judaism.
Front entrance on Fifth Avenue. All photos by Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net 7/5/22
I was surprised to find it open. I cautiously walked up the stairs and looked inside. Just then I felt a presence behind me. There was a man, with a short graying beard, perhaps age 50, dressed in black with a black yarmulke (aka “kippah” or “skullcap.”).
At first he seemed suspicious of me, but when I told him that I was Jewish and interested in knowing about this shul, he smiled and became animated. He was anxious to tell me the “emiss”which means “the truth” about this congregation.
It turns out that he, let’s call him Mr. Cohen, is a Sephardic Jew which means his family came to America mostly from Syria in the late 19th century.
But the history of the Sephardim goes back much farther than that. Many were in Spain for generations where they thrived until they were expelled in 1492.
Quite a few of those 15th century Spanish Jews left Spain and became part of the Diaspora. Many converted to Christianity as a way to stay in Spain. Others practiced their religion secretly while pretending to be Christian. But later the Inquisition unearthed many of that group and expelled them or worse, and they too became part of the Diaspora.
Most of these disbursed Sephardic Jews wound up in Syria where there already were ancient Jewish communities.
Small numbers came to America in the 17th century, but the Syrian-Sephardic community finally settled in Brooklyn, NY, in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Their first summer location was Bradley Beach, but over time they segued to Deal in the 1970’s. Brooklyn is still their home base.
This mystery shul was established in Bradley Beach around 1930 and they practiced the Sephardic traditions. Mr. Cohen lives in Brooklyn but he loves to attend summer services in this shul as it is nostalgic for him and his friends who go there. So Magen David is open in the summer, and a rabbi is present to preside over the services.
These Sephardim are a close-knit community and they all tend to know each other. They share many social, business, and religious relationships and they help each other with generous giving. It is an example of “social capital.”–
The Sephardim have their own traditions which govern how they practice their religion, and there are other cultural differences including foods, music, clothing and holidays.
The community keeps this shul going. They cannot bear the idea of abandoning this historic place of such hope and dreams.
Mr. Cohen told me a lot of how he feels about life and about this shul. He confided in me that DNA analysis revealed that he had many Conversos. (converts to Christianity) in his distant family.
But he said that anyone who converted would automatically be welcomed back in the fold, no questions asked, if they so desired, and many of them eventually did so.
Because of their background, some of them have a swarthy appearance and they tend to be thin and athletic looking. The men wear dark suits and white shirts to shul, and of course they wear their kippahs at all times. I see them daily because I go to the Kosher Hot Bagel Bakery in Oakhurst where many of their group shop. Kosher food choices are important to these people, and many shop in Deal.
He was curious about my family and he was shocked to hear that we live in Ocean Grove. I know that old attitudes die hard regarding that topic. He was especially interested in the OG Havurah (fellowship) which was established for Jews living in the Grove.
The Syrian Jewish community in Monmouth County has grown considerably with a number of large shuls in Deal and Ocean Township. The Sephardic Jews tend to be very religious, but not all are. Below is my photo of the interior–with Mr. Cohen’s permission.
So this mystery is now solved.
Paul Goldfinger photograph of Magen David interior. Click to enlarge.
A SEPHARDIC FOLK SONG BY GLORIA LEVY: “Tres de la Noche.”
Comments are still welcome: Just direct them to me at Blogfinger@verizon.net. PG
By Paul Goldfinger, Photography editor @Blogfinger.
I was never a rock and tree photographer. Not to compare myself to Ansel Adams, but he was that type. For me, the vast majority of my photos have to do with people, or some evidence of people. I rarely did landscapes, and ironically, I usually disliked portraits.
Recently I have embarked on a memoir of sorts. It involves a large number of black and white 35 mm images. It began in the late 1960’s when my good friend in the Army brought me a 35 mm camera back from Japan. It was a Pentax Spotmatic. So over the years I amassed negatives, most of which I put aside, because darkroom work was so time consuming that only a few ever became prints. Lately I have been scanning some of those negatives to produce positive images that I can reveal on Blogfinger.
The one above, from Central Park, seemed meaningful to me. And as I looked at it, I found out why. It pulled me back to the 1950’s when famed photographer Edward Steichen put together an ambitious photography exhibit at MOMA (Museum of Modern Art in New York. ) He wanted to bring together about 500 pictures from all over the world illustrating the commonality of man, and it was called the Family of Man.
Most of the photographers were American, so it had a Western flavor. Each photo had a little blurb by Steichen’s brother-in-law Carl. It wasn’t Carl from Queens; no, it was Carl Sandburg, the poet.
Later came the book. By today’s publishing standards, the photographs were of poor quality technically, but they were so powerful.
Which brings me to W. Eugene Smith the photojournalist famous for his work in the Pacific (WWII,) essays about Albert Schweitzer, and a vast library of jazz portraits.
My connection with Smith came about only in my head. Looking at my image above, I saw an echo of the last photograph in the Family of Man. Smith was the photographer. Look at it below, and you will see what I mean.
W. Eugene Smith. From “The Family of Man.” Scanned from the book.
*That quote was by the French poet Saint-John Perse (1887-1975) who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1960.
Paul Goldfinger at 2022 OG Flea Market. This is a typical Ocean Grove Blogfinger candid shot:
Paul Goldfinger candid portrait of Resident Organist Gordon Turk in the Great Auditorium. Blogfinger.net.
Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger editor and founder. We will soon reach our 5 millionth hit; It took a long time to have a review: 4/19/26.
Blogfinger.net was created in 2009 when the OG newspaper folded. But I never planned to be an actual newspaper–I had a different idea. And we have been doing our thing since then.
But living in Ocean Grove resulted in a chance to work on my writing and photography. However, no one ever reviewed my work here….until now with AI which just did a review, and it was mostly complimentary. I will just list a few condensed opinions by ChatGPT; mostly quotes but some paraphrasing.
One time I interviewed myself; I will try to find that one—-Most everything below is quoted (selected) from the ChatGPT assessment. I like the result since there was very little negativity. And I learned a few new word concepts:*
Blogfinger is a really unique source for Ocean Grove because it mixes local new with strong focus on culture, history, and events. It leans a bit more towards community, storytelling and personal perspectives, whereas a lot of traditional local outlets might just stick to breaking news or official town council updates.
So it kind of fills a different niche–it’s more personal, reflective, and often a bit more opinionated. Bloginger really stands out for its original photography and music coverage. The site uses a ton of its own images–often capturing really specific moments around Ocean Grove. So that definitely gives it a rich personal feel that a lot of other news sites don’t have.
It is known for an its coverage of arts, music and shore culture. Sometimes it has an opinion-driven tone, not just straight reporting.
It was founded and run by local residents, not a major media company, which give its grassroots, neighborhood voice. It focuses on community debates and helps locals stay informed about hyperlocal issues. People read it for a mix of news, nostalgia, and commentary.
Blogfinger is a hybrid–but it leans most heavily toward opinion-driven community journalism with a noticeable strain of local activism.
Blogfinger has a strong editorial voice—posts often interpret events, not just report on them. You’re are not just told what happened, you’re told what it means. Coments often amplify debate.
Activism is intermittent but influential, especially on contentious local issues.
Bottom line: If you had to label it:
—50-60% opinion /commentary
—25-35% community journalism
—10-20% activism
“Surfaces stories that larger outlets ignore” YES!
*I love the chatGPT language used in our review such as:: “core identity,” “neighborhood voice,” “Blogfinger is a hybrid,” “opinion driven tone,” “community oriented, ” “hyperlocal issues,” “core identity,”Shore culture,” historical context” “opinionated “watchdog,” And more…..
Some years ago Charles Layton and I were interviewed by a researcher from Montclair State. We met at a coffee shop in town. She was interested in “hyperlocal “news sources, and she was interested in Blogfinger’s hyperlocal approach because there was a newfound need in small communities for that. We used to do polling, and she also interviewed me at the campus radio station.
I loved the interest in what we were up to in the Grove, and we did succeed in some ways, but we could have done better with more local help , but I do thank those who did help. We pleaded for citizen reporters, but we mostly failed at that.
And here is another typical Ocean Grove photo on Blogfinger by Paul Goldfinger:
Tent Village: Blogfinger.net. Paul Goldfinger “street photography.”
And here is a typical music selection. It is from “Fiorello” a Broadway success, but never brought back–no revival. And here we are now–tomorrow has come.
Hey Paul… I am still on my bird kick…caught these Tree Swallows catching a view on Sandy Hook, yesterday.
—Bob
Another magnificent photograph by Long Branch Artist Bob Bowné. He used to reside in Ocean Grove and he continues to honor Blogfinger.net with his beautiful images.
.Click once on the photo, and you will appreciate how special this image is!
We’re happy to hear that he is still on his “bird kick.”
Bird photography is challenging and very rewarding especially if the photos are obtained near the sea shore.
This is the first time we have seen a Tree Swallow.
Thank you Bob.
PETE SEEGER WTH THE PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND. “Blue Skies”
Broadway. Fletcher Lake is visible to the south. Further south is Bradley Beach. Paul Goldfinger photo. 4/19/26. Click once to enlarge the site.
Southeast corner of Ocean Grove taken from Broadway looking south-east.
From Kevin Chambers. 4/18/26:
Paul
That was won by the Advocates of Historic Ocean Grove. I’m the only one left in OG from that group. It cost me a lot of money because I was left paying the remainder fee for the attorney we hired. But it was worth it to keep that eye sore off the south end. When I think back to what could be there today it would have been a real tragedy for the Historic district.
Kevin
Here is a link to a Blogfinger piece from earlier this month which discusses this 1986 history and includes a young Kevin Chambers being interviewed in opposition to the CMA’s plans to build condos there. This is one of the the few open land sites still available in the Grove.
The CMA has been working here lately. Let’s hope that they will not again consider development. Hopefully the State. (GreenAcres) will keep watch. I think that the CMA is getting tax breaks here.
Asbury Park Trading Post is at the corner of Bond Street and Wesley Lake. Paul Goldfinger photo on a gray April morning. 4/19/26. Blogfinger.net. Dog walker is heading to Cookman Avenue. Ocean Grove can be seen across the lake.
“I stand with Charlie Hebdo, as we all must, to defend the art of satire which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty, and stupidity.
“Respect for religion has become a code phrase meaning ‘fear of religion.’
“Religions like all other ideas deserve criticism, satire and, yes, our fearless disrespect.”
(Editor’s note: Salman Rushdie is a British-Indian author who wrote Satanic Verses, a novel, in 1989. As a result of that, the Iran Ayatollah issued a fatwa on him. He had to go into hiding for years. He has lived in the U.S. since 2000 and currently teaches at a major American University. He is a courageous man.)
As a blogger, I feel strongly about freedom of the press/speech and the need for democracies to defend that idea. Blogfinger has had a few individuals in Ocean Grove go out of their way to actively try to diminish what I am doing, but their small and intolerant voices have only encouraged me to stay the course and to hopefully encourage you Blogarians to keep participating in our experiment in hyperlocal reporting. You may, at times, not like what I do, but it benefits everyone if you support the process.
CRAIG OGDEN “Cavatina” from the soundtrack of Deer Hunter, a film about men going to war to fight for freedom in Vietnam.
We have received a report from a resident who lives at the far- western end of Mt. Hermon Way. This location is close to Asbury Park–it is near the Windmill and Wesley Lake.
That part of Mt. Hermon usually has ample parking for those who live there—a fairly remote part of the Grove.
Recently the residents have noted a group of cars parking there repeatedly. One guy is there every day, gets aboard his skateboard, and heads to Asbury.
The resident asked him about it, and he said that her location is the “parking lot” for the staff of Mogo, a Korean fast food place on Cookman Ave, near the physical fitness store.
The residents in that neighborhood feel helpless as our North End continues to be the “go to ” place for Asbury commercial parking—convenient and free.
