See you at Dubrow’s!

This was written by Deborah Dash Moore, who wrote one of the articles in Nosh and Kibbutz. It’s a great history of the significance of cafeterias in NYC in general, I’ve photographed her history of Dubrow’s.  I did not know the original incorporate name was Dubrow’s Pure Food!  

I also didn’t know about the court case against the waiters union in 1932!  This reflects my cousin Joe’s oral history about union busting activity occurring in my family’s restaurant. 

"Chain Migration"

When the current president refers to "chain migration" he's referring to the immigrant story in America.  He's certainly referring to the Dubrow and Kaplan story.

Benjamin Kaplan came here from one small village outside of Minsk. So did Rebecca Friendland.  They met each other and had three kids, one of whom was Irving Kaplan, my grandfather, who went on to manage the Manhattan and Miami Dubrow's for many years, along with his sons-in-laws.  Benjamin Kaplan came from a poor village in pre-World War I Russia and his son went on to college, graduate school, and became a successful business owner.

Benjamin Dubrow came with his wife Rose, and three oldest children, from another small, poor village outside of Minsk.  My grandmother Sylvia was in utero, so I guess she was what anti-immigration politicians today would call an "anchor baby."  His youngest daughter was the first person in his family born here.  He went on to be the founder of the chain of cafeterias so many people still mourn and recall fondly today.

This is what our current leadership refers to when they refer to "chain migration".  It's just a way of demonizing the American dream as my family and thousands of others have lived it.

From what I knew about his politics, my grandfather would be shouting from his grave at the current state of this country, which was so good to him, a proud second generation immigrant from a "shithole country."

JFK at King's Highway Dubrow's (Close up)

I think that memories of Kennedy campaigning at Dubrow's might win for the memory most commonly reported by people who have contacted me through this blog. It makes sense - it was clearly a big deal, and as these pictures show, hundreds or perhaps thousands of people showed up.

Edit: I found this article in Sheepshead Bites that has a nice description of one person's memory of Kennedy campaigning in front of Dubrow's. It also confirms what my sense was - Kennedy's assassination was one of the most defining event for Baby Boomers, and so many of them have also retained closely their memories of him as president and campaigning to become president.

 "My singular Kennedy experience was when the senator, after winning the Democratic nomination, campaigned in Brooklyn, in the summer of 1960, for New York’s 45 electoral votes. My friend Larry and I went to the rally along Kings Highway that stretched from Ocean Avenue to Coney Island Avenue, and onto several side streets, and waited hours among the jam-packed crowd. As we stood at the East 16th Street intersection, opposite Dubrow’s cafeteria, we were constantly pushed and shoved by others impatiently awaiting the candidate’s motorcade."

(Neil Friedman, Nov 23, 2013, retrieved from http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/2013/11/jfk-assassination-remains-a-defining-moment-for-baby-boomers/)

Bernie Sanders hailed from Brooklyn in the Dubrow's era

A New York Times article about a contemporary politician gave a shout out to Dubrow's Cafeteria today!  Apparently Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders hails from Brooklyn and lived close to the King's Highway location growing up.

The one detailed reference to Dubrow's comes with this strange line: "While others would eat pizza at Louis Gino’s, hang out at the Avalon Tearoom or avoid Dubrow’s Cafeteria after school, Mr. Sanders’s free time was spent on the track." 

Why were people avoiding Dubrow's after school?  Thoughts?

Another Dubrow great grandchild blogging

My goodness how time gets away from me.  I blame parenthood.  It can't be a coincidence that my son was born about a month before my last post here.

Still, I couldn't help but share this link to a blog poet by another one of Benjamin Dubrow's great grandchildren.  Mitch Tobin is the son of Paul Tobin, and grandson of Max Tobin.  He adds great detail to the story of JFK coming to stump at Dubrow's - check it out!

New York Governor at Dubrow's

A little more information about Henry Jablonski.  I am going to schedule a phone call in the coming weeks, but for now here's what I know: 

Mr. Jablonski was born on October 4, 1922.   He worked at the Eastern Parkway Dubrow's from 1947 to 1973, and then at the King's Highway Dubrow's from 1973 to 1978.  

This photo was taken in the 1950's, and the caption says "Simon Stark Mrs. Dubrow Harriman."   However, with the help of Dotty Jablonski I learned that the man in the center of this photo (and in the previous photo) is none other than former New York Governor W. Averell Harriman. He served as governor from 1955-1958.  

Kennedy with Max Tobin

Sanda Bragman Cohen, the woman who mailed me the photos of Kennedy at the King's Highway Dubrow's, had this to say about the photos:

"They were taken by a photographer hired by Max Tobin who owned Dubrow's on Kings Highway. He is the man standing behind President Kennedy. His wife was Minnie Dubrow Tobin who was Sylvia Kaplan's sister. Minnie Tobin died in 1957. My mother, Mary Bragman, is the only woman in the picture. She married Max Tobin in 1968 when my father had been dead for four years. My father is the man that can only be partially seen standing behind Max Tobin. The photography studio was named Renard and it was located in Brooklyn. As far as I know the pictures were not copyrighted by anyone. They belonged to Max Tobin, because he paid for them. They were given to me by my mother just before she died. Until then they were in her home. The pictures were taken in October, 1960 when Kennedy was campaigning. Many politicians made a stop at Dubrows because it was the most popular place in that neighborhood (Flatbush), but I do not have any other pictures. The two men sitting next to Kennedy were Brooklyn politicians, and I used to know their names, but I have forgotten. Standing behind my mother, kind of in the shadows, is Carmine DeSapio (he is the man with the sunglasses) who was a powerful politician at the time. I remember that Kennedy wanted a steak and salad for dinner, which was provided for him. It was not the usual Dubrows food. I also remember that my mother was answering the special phones that had been connected for Kennedy and in that picture she is handing him a message from Robert Kennedy. My parents wanted me to have my picture taken with Kennedy, but I was fifteen and had a pimple, so I refused. Needless to stay I lived to regret that decision. However, I did wear a campaign button that said, "If I were 21 I would vote for Kennedy." I would have too!"

JFK campaigning at Dubrow's

Several other readers have talked about their recollections of JFK campaigning at the King's Highway Dubrow's. Reader Sanda Cohen has submitted a couple fabulous photos which commemorates this event. This is the first of those photos.

Dubrow's as a community center

I found two articles from the 1960's, both of which reference Dubrow's as a center of political and community life in Brooklyn. The first one is about the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association rallying the community to vote 'yes' to eliminate the Civilian Complaint Review Board, claiming that "the existence of the board prevents policemen from taking appropriate action to fight crime." (New York Times, October 24, 1966) Apparently the language of the ballot measure was sufficiently confusing, because the article goes on:

"A yes vote bars civilians from serving. Thus anyone favoring the present board must vote no to support it. This produced bewilderment. In front of Dubrow's Cafeteria on King's Highway at 16th street, a campaign worker spoke in a mixture of Yiddish and English in an effort to clarify things for an elderly man."

This campaign hit up all the stops in Brooklyn - the article goes on to say that they made stops at Trump Village shopping center in Brighton Beach and Nathan's Famous before coming to Dubrow's, and from Dubrow's they planned another stop at the Brighton Beach Baths. The article also references a politician named Lindsay and blames much of the current political issues on him.

Two years later, Lindsay, who it turns out was the mayor at the time, is also booed in front of Dubrow's:

"At King's Highway and East 16th street in Brooklyn, the crowd was so vehemently anti-Lindsay over the school strike that (Senator Jacob) Javitz, a master at soothing angry crowds, said several times that there was no point in continuing since he could not be heard, even with a microphone.

"The Mayor is in a tough spot - it may even be his own fault," the Senator told a crowd that including angry teachers and parents outside Dubrow's Cafeteria. But just as he is jeered today, he may be cheered tomorrow.""
(Tolchin, M. "Lindsay Backlash Confronts Javitz." New York Times, October 17, 1968)

Anyone remember these particular political events? The theme is consistent with memories people have shared earlier on this blog about the King's Highway Dubrow's being a popular place for politicians to stump.

Dubrow's as cultural milepost

About a year ago, I found a reference in another blog to a visit to Brooklyn by JFK, which apparently took place right in front of Dubrow's Cafeteria.

Today I found another reference to what may be the same event, in an article by Carol DeMare, as the subject of her story recalls JFK's assassination:

"Albany attorney Jerry Weiss, was 18 and working in the accounting department of Irving Bank and Trust Co. on Wall Street while attending college. A co-worker heard it over the radio, and "we thought he was kidding, and when we realized he wasn't, a pall came over, and by the time we left ... it was dark and dismal." The subway was dead silent "and people were literally crying, tears running down their cheeks," Weiss said. "It was the most eerie awful train ride home ever."

Weiss, 61, was energized seeing the candidate in Brooklyn outside Dubrow's Cafeteria where 10,000 came out. "This figure jutting up from a convertible, it was magical. I think he stood for the notion we can be better than we are as a nation, so when it was lights out, it was a terrible blow."

Dubrow's across politics

I am learning that Dubrow's Cafeteria was loved by people of all political beliefs, as well as by people of different cultures and religions. To me, this is one of the wonderful things about a restaurant, especially a cafeteria-style restaurant. It brings the community together, and some things become bigger than politics.

Here's two blogs I've found that represent the spectrum of political opinions, but that both mention a love of Dubrow's.

In Down with Tyranny, kenniny writes: "I've met every Democratic president since a horse in JFK's "motorcade" stepped on my foot in front of Dubrow's Cafeteria on Kings Highway when I was a child." (Nov 4, 2005)

On the other end of the political spectrum, Linda SoG writes that among her Brooklyn memories is one of "...going round and round the revolving door at Dubrow's Cafeteria under the El on the Highway."

Two vantage points by two different people who share a love of the same city and a restaurant - isn't that what community is all about?

Dubrow's drew people of all political persuasions

I found this excerpt about Dubrow's in an article by Luke Ford about the conservative talk show host Dennis Prager:

"In late 1963, bored with school, Dennis embarked on an intense exploration of Manhattan's cultural attractions. One day he bought a $1 ticket to hear Alexander Schneider and his chamber group play Handel's Concerti Grossi at Carnegie Hall. Prager fell in love with classical music. The next day he spent two weeks lunch money and allowance ($32) to buy concert tickets at Carnegie.

For the rest of high school, Dennis spent two-to-three evenings a week in Manhattan, attending plays, concerts and book stores. He usually ate his dinner (tuna fish salad plate, apple pie and coffee for $1.50) at Dubrow's Cafeteria by the subway station on King Highway."