Where will YOU eat your apples and honey this year? Watch video.
September 24, 2014
By Sheila Wilensky, AJP Associate Editor
Vivian Ackerman, left, and Selma Paul Marks (Sheila Wilensky/AJP)
Friendships may be coveted throughout life, but how abounding amount added than 65 years? Selma Paul Marks, now 91, was abundant with her aboriginal adolescent back she abounding her acquaintance Vivian's bells to Harry Ackerman at the Stone Avenue Temple on March 23, 1947. Years later, Marks and Ackerman, 89, accept ancient an continued ancestors of sorts. Marks attends all of the University of Arizona football amateur — with Ackerman's son-in-law.
The abundance of the women's accord is palpable, as they allotment amusement forth with memories in Marks' active room. "Selma is the added grandmother for my grandchildren," says Ackerman, abacus that anniversary of them has one great-grandchild and is assured another. Both women still drive and frequently go to a movie, cafeteria or banquet together.
And anniversary reflects decades of bounded Jewish history. Marks, who is a built-in Tucsonan, was built-in at the Storks' Nest maternology home on North Court Avenue, on Oct. 10, 1923. "I took so abundant for accepted growing up," says Marks. "My ancestor did well. He endemic the Skora Leather Company, which was the alone such business in Arizona.
"We belonged to both Temple Emanu-El and Congregation Anshei Israel because he capital to be loyal. I was the alone Jewish apprentice at Sam Hughes Elementary School. My three sons went there too. I never anytime accomplished anti-Semitism," she says. "Tucson has consistently been a affably affable place. And the Jewish association has appear such a continued way." As a UA undergraduate, recalls Marks, "Jewish girls were asked to agreement Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority. They weren't asked to agreement non-Jewish sororities."
Marks affiliated her aboriginal husband, Aaron "Archie" Paul, in 1944. His parents endemic the Pueblo Hotel with the iconic diving babe neon assurance on Sixth Avenue. "Aaron was a apprentice at the UA and I was still at Tucson Aerial School," says Marks. "We were alien at Temple and he arrive me to the ZBT [fraternity] dance. Everyone teased him" because he went out with a high-school girl.
Former Aboriginal Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, left, receives a acceptance pin from
Vivian Ackerman, Mrs. U.S. Accumulation Bonds, at the United Nations in 1961. (Courtsey Vivian Ackerman)
"She was a admirable envy redhead," interjects Ackerman.
"After two of my sons were born, I went to the UA law school," says Marks. "It took me six years, part-time, to get my law degree." Her aboriginal bedmate was an accountant who had a acceptable faculty of humor. He additionally had diabetes. "From the time he was in aerial academy I'm abiding he was acquainted he wasn't activity to animate a continued time," she says. "Archie capital to booty three months off from assignment so he could booty his two accouchement and his abundant wife to Europe. He went to the Southern Arizona Bank and adopted $10,000. And off we went." The ancestors took continued trips added than once, "always abiding to London or Paris," says Marks. Paul died at age 47 in 1969.
"I consistently acquainted abhorrent that I wasn't there to be with Selma" at that time, says Ackerman. Her husband, Harry Ackerman, was alert adopted as Pima County Attorney. He additionally served in the Arizona State Legislature and State Senate, and after confused to Washington, D.C., for a career in the U.S. State Department. "Harry and I were gone for 20 years, from 1962 to 1982. He was appointed mission administrator in three Latin American countries. Archie died while we were in Panama. Selma came to appointment us everywhere we went."
Both couples were complex in the Young Democrats during the 1950s. "There were no Republicans in the aboriginal days. Conservatives [in Arizona] were alleged Pinto Democrats. Everyone registered as Democrats in the primaries," says Ackerman, who had accustomed in Tucson from New York at age 19.
"I accomplished my third year at Hunter College. My mom had asthma," says Ackerman. "The minute we hit Tucson she acquainted better. I advertised in two bounded affidavit in 1945 as a tutor, for $5. I took the bus to babysitter at kids' homes or go pond at the El Conquistador basin on Broadway. That's how I met Harry," who alien her to Selma and Archie. The two men were such acceptable friends, they alike aggregate one cape for academic events.
Following their alliance in 1947, the brace had two sons and a daughter. "After the accouchement I alternate to the UA to accomplishment my degree," she says. "We belonged to Temple Emanu-El, aboriginal back Rabbi [Joseph] Gumbiner was there and again with Rabbi [Albert] Bilgray. Harry was asked to accompany the Temple board. 'I don't apperceive if you appetite a quasi-agnostic on the board,' he told Rabbi Bilgray, who replied, 'That's okay. You'll represent bisected the board.'"
Marks formed as an advocate in the Pima County Attorney's appointment beneath Ackerman. "I prosecuted cases area the parents didn't abutment their accouchement or to authorize paternity. I would altercate in advanced of Superior Court Adjudicator Jack Marks, who may accept been the alone Jewish judge," who became her additional husband.
"It's my assessment he fell in adulation with you while you argued in advanced of him," says Ackerman.
"Oh, baloney," retorts Marks, smiling. "I anticipate he acquainted apologetic for me."
"I'm one of Selma's better fans," Ackerman tells the AJP.
Ackerman additionally had her day in the accessible eye. In 1961, she became Mrs. U.S. Accumulation Bonds, a role supervised by the U.S. Treasury Department. She racked up 75,000 miles, crisscrossing the country to advance U.S. accumulation bonds. Ackerman was one of the three finalists in the Mrs. America antagonism back she was asked by the treasury administration to accord up a adventitious at the crown. For best of a year she was on the road, calling home to her bedmate and three kids in Tucson. Harry Ackerman died Sept. 25, 2003.
"I acknowledge actuality animate and administration our lives and history," says Ackerman. Selma and I "both feel adored with our families and continued friendship."
"We accept our differences. I alcohol lots of blooming tea, lots of baptize and watch my exercise and stress. It's absolutely funny because I'm such a bloom nut and Selma break all the rules. I accept it's acceptable genes," she says.
"I've been bistro ice chrism and amber back I was 8 years old. I alcohol lots of coffee," says Selma. "Enjoy the acceptable stuff. Don't diaphoresis the baby stuff."