History &amp; Nostalgia

'Deadly' Steps to the Final Solution

By:

When the Nazis instituted their euthanasia program in January 1940, they began by distributing a questionnaire to the directors of institutions where potential victims might be housed. One of the key questions, from a historian's perspective, focused on whether a particular mentally or physically disabled person was productive in any way. "These forms were sent to the directors by the...

History & Nostalgia

Business

By:

Stephen Seplow

W ith about $50 million in deposits and 135,000 customers, Bankers Trust was Philadelphia’s 10th-largest bank in the fall of 1930, a year after the Great Depression started. That’s when anxious depositors began withdrawing money — and they didn’t stop until it escalated into a full-scale run that amounted to $17 million worth of withdrawals by Friday, Dec. 19. The...

History & Nostalgia

Madison Stern

By:

Melissa Jacobs

Madison Stern Not just anybody gets a “mazel tov” from the president of the United States. This somebody is Madison Stern, a 16-year-old from Voorhees, N.J., who received a President’s Volunteer Service Award this past March. The award, presented by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, recognizes teenagers who have performed outstanding volunteerism. Stern certainly fits the bill: In...

Community

Rabbi Philip Warmflash

By:

Fredda Sacharow

Rabbi Philip Warmflash In nearly 20 years in Philadelphia, Rabbi Philip Warmflash has seen Jewish organizations spring up and flourish, only to fade away. Or merge. Or be reborn with a new name, and a new purpose. The longtime communal worker doesn’t lament the changes. He welcomes them. “I’m starting to hear more people say we have great things here,...

History & Nostalgia

Ron Rubin

By:

Stepen Seplow

Ron Rubin At 80, Ron Rubin, real estate developer extraordinaire, is still trim, agile and very active. He works out for 90 minutes three times a week and plays golf regularly. Without being specific, he says there have been health challenges, but, he emphasizes, “I’m good.” He doesn’t appear to have slowed down. Now, dressed in a shirt open at...