Happy 100th Birthday, Harold!

On December 16th, the Jewish Community Center threw a fantastic birthday party for Rockland County’s newest centenarian. The event was jammed packed with speakers, friends, politicians, and, of course, the RCT had to stop by!

During the joyful event, this World War II Veteran was honored with a plaque declaring his birthday Harold Heller Day in Rockland County – we think it should go nationwide next. 

While the entire event was enough to put a smile on anyone’s face, the most touching section was the dulcet tones of the preschoolers of the JCC. These tiny tots helped to sing the Army anthem as well as the national anthem, and there were few dry eyes in the crowd when  they all eagerly watched Harold blow out his birthday candle. 

Some fun facts about the year Harold was born – 1925 was the year F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby, and also the year “The Phantom of the Opera” first premiered in theaters. This year saw the inauguration of the first female U.S. Governor and the first public demonstration of early television. Harold shares his birth year with big names such as Malcolm X, Johnny Carson, Margaret Thatcher, Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury. 

In 1925, eggs were 26 cents a dozen, and milk was about 40 cents a gallon. 

Happiest of birthdays, Harold!