Yes, I am a few years younger than you (if you are who I think you are) and I lived in apt 2B!

Found this thread by googling on the old neighborhood. Ah, the memories you all have triggered.

I lived at 1507 Popham from 50 to 65. Shopped for groceries at Curtis (which later became Power but everybody still called it Curtis) for my mother, fondly remember Eddie's....and of course who can forget Ronai's. It was an institution.
Dang it, now I want a knish.

Amy Ronai and I were classmates for 5th and 6th grade at 109.

Amy and I were close friends. I lost contact with her after graduating college. She was a year or two younger, but my parents were close friends with Joe and Ilya...along with Morty and Carrie Zeltzer. The Ronais and the Zeltzers were the hardest working people I remember. Besides running the deli seven days a week, they catered just about every event in the neighborhood. Throughout the years I have read and heard stories about Ronai's and the good memories people have of Joe and Morty. A number of years ago I spoke with Harvey Zeltzer, Morty and Carrie's older son. He told me that Joe and Morty were offered a large sum of money in the late 60s for the deli and turned it down. Within a year of that offer the neighborhood changed so drastically that they had to close down the deli. I am sure the fate was similar for other businesses in the neigborhood, like the kosher butcher Sam, the bakery, the candy stores and Eddie's,etc. I continue enjoying talking about the old neighborhood and once in a while come across people who grew up there.

Heree's an update you might not know about:
I lived at 1615 University Ave., the building above Ronai's Deli. As kids, when we wanted to go to the Highbridge swimming pool, but didn't have the 10 cents to get in, we would go into my building's basement (which led to Ronai's storeroom for empty soda bottles) and "borrow" a few bottles (10 cents worth) then return them to Ronai's for the deposit.
A little later on, when I was about 15, I went to work for Joe & Morty making up catering platters and delivering them around the neighborhood.
After Joe closed the place, I met him one day in (believe it or not) the BRONX ZOO!! Joe had taken over one of the largest food concession places in the zoo and was running it. I lost touch with him after that.
One thing is for certain..... RONAI'S HAD THE BEST FOOD IN THE BRONX....BAR NONE!!!

There are a lot of good stories about Joe. He not only knew all of his customers he cared about them. I heard a number of stories when a customer could only afford a small catering job and he would add food and drinks to the order and not charge the customer. He was more concerned that the people had a successful affair than he was about his profit margin. It was a different time back then and I feel fortunate to have experienced those times.