It is with great sadness I learned of the passing of Mr. Arnold Fine.
Arnie, as he insisted we call him has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I learned to read with his column ‘I REMEMBER WHEN’ in the Jewish Press, more than 50 years ago.
I REMEMBER WHEN I first started working at the Jewish Press 18 years ago, Arnie who was in charge of the newsroom, took me under his wing, encouraging me to expand my writing from news articles to a weekly column about Poland’s Jewish history that ran for more than 12 years.
I REMEMBER WHEN the Jewish Press was invited to send a reporter to Turkey it was Arnie that put my name forward and when I returned he insisted on giving the story a four page coverage including the front page headline.
I REMEMBER WHEN we had a chance to send someone to the White House he made sure to send me.
Most of all I REMEMBER WHEN, Arnie would talk about growing up in the Bronx Jewish community before WWII. The stories about his legendary brother Berel were the talk of the playground and we couldn’t wait for the next installment.
I can truly say that I can never REMEMBER WHEN there wasn’ta smile on his face. He would always have something good to say for any situation. He would make toys for kids that came to visit the Jewish Press and make parties for the many birthdays of his fellow workers.
I REMEMBER WHEN he would be the one to collect the Tzedaka that was given at the daily Mincha Minyan and he would always top off the donations to round out the money to the next ten even if there was a deficit of more than nine dollars.
Arnie was a Mentch in the true meaning of the word, I am proud that he called me, his friend.
Arnie, ‘A Be Gezunt.’