On a hot day, the best breezes are in the bleachers. By Paul Goldfinger reporting from the Greatest Auditorium. Left click for biggest view.
Editor’s note: To explain this photograph you have to understand the work of Eugéne Atget, the French photographer who photographed the architecture and street life of old Paris at the start of the 20th century.
His images were documentary, but they also were artistic compositions that were appreciated by great artists of that time including Matisse and Picasso. When asked how he always got the best shots of old buildings, he said, “It’s where you stand.”
So, with the spirit of Atget in mind, I found myself in the back of the GA during a concert on a very warm sunny day. I simply counted 1-2-3-4 and stood in just the right place. Voila! — PG (This post originally published on Blogfinger in 2012. )
SOUNDTRACK: What do you say to a topless lady? I don’t know, but here is a suggestion:
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor. Blogfinger.net. 2019 re-post
Igor Timkovsky is a Jewish immigrant from Russia. He believes his family was part of the great Diaspora of the Jewish people (as was my family) which brought them to western Europe, probably Italy, perhaps 2,500 years ago. Their lives were difficult through the Middle Ages. They experienced the Inquisition, forced conversions, Crusaders, black death, ghetto life, poverty, mass expulsions, invasions, and religious suppression.
The Diaspora Jews were forced eastward out of Western Europe in the 15th to 16th centuries, and Igor’s family settled in the country of Belarus, east of Poland. Igor was born in Belarus in 1962.
When Hitler invaded Russia, many peoples scattered, especially the Jews. Igor’s family escaped into the Ural Mountains for safety from the Nazis. There were some places that the Wehrmacht failed to reach. During WWII many of his male relatives were lost in the war as soldiers, and other relatives were swept up by the Holocaust.
After the war, small numbers survived, and some then migrated to Israel or the US.
In 1992, thanks to a family reunion program for immigrants sponsored by two US Senators, Igor, his wife, daughter and parents escaped Communism and emigrated to NYC, Washington Heights, where they live now.
He had been an engineer in Russia, but here he got a masters degree and became a social worker. His son Aaron was born in 2006 and will be entering public high school. He is a bright young man, personable, bilingual, and with a strong and obvious attachment to his Dad.
Igor discovered Ocean Grove a few years ago and “fell in love” with this “amazing town.” To see the Grove through the eyes of an immigrant is very special. He enjoys walking on the boardwalk at night. He loves the “friendly, polite, and cultured people.” He says that Ocean Grove feels “safe and comfortable” for his family.
Aaron, age 13, told me during our interview at the OG Bake Shoppe that he” loves” the way that they get here so easily: bus, train and the walk over. They are currently vacationing, staying in a hotel near the beach.
But during a July, 2017, afternoon, something happened to cement their feelings for the Grove. Igor and Aaron were swimming in the ocean. They were seemingly fine, but “suddenly” they were apart and had drifted farther out than they thought. Igor quickly discovered that he could not touch bottom and he managed to join up with Aaron. It seems they were caught in a rip tide. They had one boogie board to share.
Before they had a chance to panic, two OG lifeguards were at their side. One said to Igor, “Would you like to join me on a trip to the shore?” The other one gave Aaron a forceful shove with his board, and he quickly found himself on the shore.
Igor was overwhelmed with gratitude for the way the OG guards saved him and his son. He wrote letters of profound appreciation to the life guards at bench 3 and 4–OG Beach Patrol and he even wrote a book of poems (2018) dedicated to those guards, expressing how he feels about what happened and about his love of this town. Even now, two years later, he cannot stop talking about it.
Igor is a Blogfinger fan, so he contacted me about his book Ocean Betrayal. He is a social worker , a teacher, and a poet. His story and poems have been published in Blogfinger.net.
His book has 24 pages and 8 original and charming poems, punctuated by drawings and photographs. It is especially remarkable because English is Igor’s second language. Searching the Blogfinger.net archives, one can find some posts about Igor and the Grove; and his poetry.
If anyone is interested in contacting Igor about his book, just email Blogfinger and we will forward it.
ART GARFUNKEL “A Heart in New York.”
ADDENDUM. JULY 20, 2026. Once again poet Igor Timkovsky returns for his annual OG vacation. He lives in New York, but he has friends in the Grove including our family. Again he stays at the Majestic Hotel. We met him yesterday and enjoyed his updates including the fact that he is now retired from his life as a New York City social worker.
He returns now filled with joy in describing the tall ships which sailed by his home near the George Washington Bridge. Igor is a true American patriot, celebrating those tall ships as they came bye for the US 250th. H is someone who found freedom for himself and family, and now this is his tenth anniversary visit to OG.
Igor photographed this tall ship from near his home by the GW Bridge
He brought us up to date regarding his brilliant son Aaron, now a student at Baruch College, a college in the City University of NY. Baruch is highly regarded, and Aaron is excelling there, studying finance. He will be leaving for England to study for one semester.
Igor emailed me to say:
“Tune from the past:” His latest poem:
“Dedicated to the 10th anniversary of my arrival in Ocean Grove
“I opened the window to let in fresh air.
“I felt a/c air is not truly fair. I came all the way from New York for a breeze. I hoped a breeze put my breathing at ease. I am asking myself why I use a/c air. It seems it’s not me and myself I won’t dare.
“One thing that I heard and it took me right in. The blinds’ played tune sent me back to begin.”
Igor loves to catch the sun and the views on our OG beach.
He got up at 5 am to photograph our sunrise: (below)
Ocean Grove July sunrise by Igor from the 2nd floor porch of the Majestic Hotel. 5 am. He meets folks on the beach at that hour. 7/20/26
And here is Igor (below) on our Mt. Hermon Way OG porch. He is thrilled with his stay this July.
July 19, 2026. Paul Goldfinger portrait of poet Igor Timkovsky. Ocean Grove. He “loves” our town
Rufus Wainwright and Teddy Thompson. From the movie: “Brokeback Mountain.”
OG boards. July, 2020. Paul Goldfinger photographer.
The streets of OG are wonderful for cruising around town—-not racing. The best times of day are early morning, late afternoon, and twilight, especially in summer during the week.
Most bikers like to explore in small groups and they sight-see and chat with little danger. But there always are risks especially for those who don’t wear helmets, go down wrong way streets, speed or be reckless on the boards, and pop out of side streets onto Main or Broadway.
Our network of narrow village streets, with all the stop signs, poses a risk that must be met by alertness. And then there are the unpredictable openings of doors by parallel parked vehicles.
Biking on the boardwalk is safest for small children, many of whom have their small bikes for safety.
THE LATIN CASINO ALL STARS from the movie The Irishman.
The Hope Jones organ dominates the view, front and center, during the Choir Festival in the Great Auditorium, Ocean Grove, New Jersey. Paul Goldfinger photo. From the Garden State Theater Organ Society during a Choir Festival. Ushers march. Blogfinger.net
The Garden State Theatre Organ Society (GSTOS.ORG) was founded in 1973 to preserve the historic tradition of the Theatre Pipe Organ in American music. Based in northern and central New Jersey, we restore remaining specimens of the instrument where possible, encourage theatres to preserve them, and showcase them to the public for entertainment.
Choir Festival.
BELOW IS GORDON TURK ON THE HOPE-JONES ORGAN IN OG; FROM HIS RECORDING “SUMMER ECHOES”.
“Chanson Romance” by Claude Debussy recorded in the OG Great Auditorium.
Paul, I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts in Blogfinger: A Digital Breeze from the Jersey Shore” What I like, and what makes it unique, is that your blog identifies pertinent issues in our community, examines those issues, and provides supporting documentation. In all your discussions, the reader always knows where you personally stand.
In particular I appreciate your reporting on the proposed North End Development and the ever-on-going parking issues throughout the Grove. Just as important is your commitment to building community. Bringing together people for Garden Tours and other activities makes us all stronger. It builds connections and friendships, and establishes a network of support for one another. It’s one of the most important things you do.
I thoroughly enjoy the various pieces of music you select and was especially moved by 2CELLOS – Benedictus (by Karl Jenkins).
HALLELUJAH 2CELLOS:;
It would be nice to let people listen to some Ocean Grove musicians. My daughter Freya, a 5th generation Ocean Grover who lives with her husband in California, is a cellist/multi-media artist. On June 4th she joined the NY Phil at the Lincoln Center in playing a work that she had composed. Her work can be found at Cellista.net or on Facebook. There are many talented musicians in our community, and it would be nice to hear their work occasionally.
In sum, thank you for all your work. It’s part of what makes us a community.
GAYLE PACKARD, OCEAN GROVE.
Editor’s note: Thank you Gayle. You must be so proud and thrilled about Freya’s success.
Your kind words are much appreciated. The serious music offered in the Grove by the CMA is wonderful—first rate. I agree that providing opportunities for Ocean Grove musicians to perform, especially in the Great Auditorium would be amazing, and perhaps Jason Tramm and Gordon Turk would consider making that happen.
I also would like to see more small musical events such as inviting serious players to take the roll of street musicians. Currently it is a rare sighting. Below this letter is such an event when a flautist brought a small measure of joy to Main Avenue.
Tent Village. July 19, 2025. Dusk. Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net. Click once to enlarge the “OG Underground.” It’s an evolving demographic for this historic town of Ocean Grove, NJ, USA.
This image is from the summer of 2025. Paul Goldfinger. Blogfinger.net OG
