By Sharon Wisch-Ray

Hildring Drive East between South Drive and Altura Road has always been a nice place for a Sukkah hop (Though, I think the most spectacular sukkah belonged to the Frieds on Sarita!).
On the East side of the street, lived the Beckoffs (now the Kahns) the Rapfogels (now the Moseses) and Beckermans (later the Hoffmans). The Gernsbachers and Imbers later joined the folks on the East side. On the West side of the street lived the Nogen/Stantons, the Bloombergs and the Wisches.
I have some great memories. I remember being Doris Kahn’s, of blessed memory, “Israeli slave for a day,” when the Ahavath Sholom youth group set out to help folks prepare for Passover. All I can say is there were a lot of dishes to tote at the Kahn house.
Ruth and Irv Rapfogel were two very dear friends to us, and their clock collections was something to behold.
There are too many memories to enumerate from the Beckerman family, and I was young when they moved, but a favorite was their 70s classic bumper pool table in David’s study, and also the quick lesson that I learned a tender age that when Greta is right she’s right and when she’s wrong she’s also right.
When the Hoffmans moved in after the Beckermans moved to California, I loved visiting with Sandy. She was a hoot and there was nothing like hearing her say “How You?” in her serious Texas drawl.
The Gernsbachers and our beloved Toni of blessed memory, shared just about every Wisch family event.
And, although the Imbers moved in after I left for Dallas, they kept a watchful eye on my parents.
Fond memories too, of babysitting the Nogen children and playing tag with the Bloomberg boys in the front yard.
Helen and Judd Beckoff and their children — Ivan, Robert, Judy and Barbara — were also dear friends of the family. Barbara and her sister Judy were recently in Fort Worth to visit their old stomping grounds. Barbara was kind enough to remind me of their backstory and what everyone is doing now.
The Beckoffs moved to Fort Worth in 1951 from Brooklyn, New York for a job opportunity for Judd. They lived here until 1973 and then moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, when Judd opened a branch of A.G. Edwards, a stock brokerage firm. He had been running the Fort Worth office for many years.
The Beckoffs lived in St. Pete until 1988 when Judd passed away. Helen relocated to El Paso soon after Judd died to be near son Robert and his wife Leslie. Robert and Leslie have a daughter Jordan who lives in Boston. She graduated from Smith College and got a graduate degree from Emerson.
Ivan Beckoff lives in Denver and is retired from the printing business.
Judy Beckoff lives in Los Angeles with her husband Alan. They have two children, Eric, 30 and Jill, 25.
Barbara has lived in LA since 1982. She and husband Andrew and will celebrate their 30th anniversary in December. They have two daughters, Jessica, 20 goes to Bard College in Rhinebeck, New York where she is studying art history. Elisabeth, 17, is a senior and busy applying to colleges and is interested in art and film.
Belated happy birthday to matriarch Helen Beckoff, who celebrated her 95th birthday Sept. 7 in El Paso.

Happy Birthday Esther Rosen

When attending the Big Hearts Patron Party in Fort Worth two weeks ago, Paula Rosen mentioned that her mom Esther celebrated her 94th birthday Sept. 10.

Esther has been living at Seven Acres in Houston for the past three years.
Her son Jay and his wife Linda live in Houston just minutes away and her grandson Zach is also in Houston. Paula joined Esther in Houston to celebrate this joyous day also.
Esther received lots of flowers, clothes and cards from her nieces and nephews from Fort Worth.
Everyone celebrated with cake and Esther’s favorite ice cream.
Daughters Diane and Lynn will be traveling from Phoenix and Virginia this month to visit!
“We are so blessed to be able to celebrate this milestone birthday with our mother,” said Paula.