Oceanside Friedberg JCC member celebrates her 100th birthday

Mildred Cohen, adorned with tiara and sash, entered the community room of the Barry and Florence Friedberg JCC in Oceanside for her 100th birthday celebration on Jan 27.

The party, originally scheduled for Jan. 20, just one day after her actual birthday, was postponed for a week due to inclement weather, which made traveling treacherous.

Cohen, a member of the JCC for more than 30 years, was honored at the group’s annual meeting last June 25, when she was given an award for her vibrant participation and dedication.

She said the JCC is like family to her — it’s where she spends her time playing Canasta and Mahjong, and has delved into various volunteer activities, such as knitting blankets for children with cancer.

Cohen, her brother and sister grew up on the Lower East Side, where the schools were wonderful, she said. She still keeps an active social calendar, but misses reminiscing with her siblings, who have passed.

“We had less but we had much more, if you know what I’m saying,” she recalled of her childhood.

She learned secretarial skills in high school and went to work for one of the senior partners at Lehman Brothers, an investment firm. She then worked for the chairman of the board at Norton Lilly International, a shipping agency, but retired 50 years ago when her daughter, Bonnie Zebalese, had a baby, and Cohen wanted to spend more time with her family.

Cohen, who also has two sons, Warren and Mark, said her children were so well behaved that she took them shopping all the time. She said people would often ask how she got them to behave so well, and she said they were just good, refusing to take any of the credit.

Her sons currently live out of state, but her daughter is still close by and visits her mother weekly. Although Cohen lives completely independently, she has never learned how to drive, so Zebalese takes her to all doctors’ appointments, shopping, and does all the cooking for her, apportioning meals into single serving containers to keep in the refrigerator. Only recently has Zebalese hired a companion to stay with her mother, Monday to Friday, to prepare her breakfast, keep her company, and make sure she is safe in her apartment.

Zebalese always had a close relationship with her mother, who was her confidante growing up. Cohen also has stayed close with Zebalese’s children, taking them to Broadway shows, and occasionally staying with them overnight. Cohen now also has six great-grandchildren.

Hope Firestone, Cohen’s friend at the JCC, said Cohen didn’t stop exercising throughout the Covid pandemic. Unable to use the gym, she would walk 100 times around the parking lot across the street from her apartment.

A social person, Mildred Cohen, adorned with tiara and sash, entered the community room of the Barry and Florence Friedberg JCC in Oceanside for her 100th birthday celebration on Jan 27.

The party, originally scheduled for Jan. 20, just one day after her actual birthday, was postponed for a week due to inclement weather, which made traveling treacherous.

Cohen, a member of the JCC for more than 30 years, was honored at the group’s annual meeting last June 25, when she was given an award for her vibrant participation and dedication.

She said the JCC is like family to her — it’s where she spends her time playing Canasta and Mahjong, and has delved into various volunteer activities, such as knitting blankets for children with cancer.

Cohen, her brother and sister grew up on the Lower East Side, where the schools were wonderful, she said. She still keeps an active social calendar, but misses reminiscing with her siblings, who have passed.

“We had less but we had much more, if you know what I’m saying,” she recalled of her childhood.

She learned secretarial skills in high school and went to work for one of the senior partners at Lehman Brothers, an investment firm. She then worked for the chairman of the board at Norton Lilly International, a shipping agency, but retired 50 years ago when her daughter, Bonnie Zebalese, had a baby, and Cohen wanted to spend more time with her family.

Cohen, who also has two sons, Warren and Mark, said her children were so well behaved that she took them shopping all the time. She said people would often ask how she got them to behave so well, and she said they were just good, refusing to take any of the credit.

Her sons currently live out of state, but her daughter is still close by and visits her mother weekly. Although Cohen lives completely independently, she has never learned how to drive, so Zebalese takes her to all doctors’ appointments, shopping, and does all the cooking for her, apportioning meals into single serving containers to keep in the refrigerator. Only recently has Zebalese hired a companion to stay with her mother, Monday to Friday, to prepare her breakfast, keep her company, and make sure she is safe in her apartment.

Zebalese always had a close relationship with her mother, who was her confidante growing up. Cohen also has stayed close with Zebalese’s children, taking them to Broadway shows, and occasionally staying with them overnight. Cohen now also has six great-grandchildren.

Hope Firestone, Cohen’s friend at the JCC, said Cohen didn’t stop exercising throughout the Covid pandemic. Unable to use the gym, she would walk 100 times around the parking lot across the street from her apartment.

A social person, Cohen invited a small group of friends to her apartment for card games during Covid. They all wore masks, and Cohen provided snacks and gave everyone their choice of a scarf she had knitted. Firestone, who was part of that small group, said Cohen’s apartment is beautiful, with Cohen’s own depictions of Chagall’s “Windows” hanging on the wall, done in needlepoint.

“She’s a very inclusive person,” Firestone said.

When Cohen’s husband, Murray, died at the age of 79, she sold their house in Lynbrook and downsized to an apartment where she has lived for the last 27 years.

“I was married to a very, very lovely person, wonderful father, wonderful husband,“ Cohen said.

Cohen, who’s proud that she doesn’t take any prescription medication, imparted the secret to a happy life and a happy marriage: “Not arguing. And the way you don’t argue is you give in some of the time. Not all of the time, but some of the time.”

Those who have come to meet her at the JCC have described Cohen as a happy person and sharp as a tack. She often shows a great sense of humor as well, with a surprising confession from time to time.

“I’ll tell you a secret,” Cohen said. “I have matching underwear for every outfit. If I wear a leopard outfit, I wear leopard underwear.” invited a small group of friends to her apartment for card games during Covid. They all wore masks, and Cohen provided snacks and gave everyone their choice of a scarf she had knitted. Firestone, who was part of that small group, said Cohen’s apartment is beautiful, with Cohen’s own depictions of Chagall’s “Windows” hanging on the wall, done in needlepoint.

“She’s a very inclusive person,” Firestone said.

When Cohen’s husband, Murray, died at the age of 79, she sold their house in Lynbrook and downsized to an apartment where she has lived for the last 27 years.

“I was married to a very, very lovely person, wonderful father, wonderful husband,“ Cohen said.

Cohen, who’s proud that she doesn’t take any prescription medication, imparted the secret to a happy life and a happy marriage: “Not arguing. And the way you don’t argue is you give in some of the time. Not all of the time, but some of the time.”

Those who have come to meet her at the JCC have described Cohen as a happy person and sharp as a tack. She often shows a great sense of humor as well, with a surprising confession from time to time.

“I’ll tell you a secret,” Cohen said. “I have matching underwear for every outfit. If I wear a leopard outfit, I wear leopard underwear.”