I had the recent pleasure of having breakfast with a bunch of “gotten old” men – in this case, the men’s club at my synagogue.

The event was the first of the Jewish New Year, which we kick off each time with our “LEO” breakfast. (As I was telling this to a buddy of mine before the big event, he asked if “Leo” was the guy who sponsored the breakfast. No. It’s the LEO breakfast because … Lox, Eggs and Onions.

After the usual complaints that the coffee was too strong AND too weak (and it hadn’t even been brewed yet), or that Table One got more bagels than everyone else, there’s usually some kind of program. This year’s topic was “Great Jews in Rock n’ Roll.” (A pamphlet only slightly larger than “Great Jews in Sports History.”)

We heard about the great songwriters Lieber and Stoller, Carole (Klein) King, Simon and Garfunkel, David Lee Roth… and the “Jewish Elvis,” Neil Diamond. (While Elvis could swivel his hips, my money’s on Neil Diamond breaking a hip.)

Neil Diamond was born and raised in Brooklyn. Simon and Garfunkel grew up in Queens. So, too, did many of the men at the breakfast. Though none actually knew them, each had a story.

“My sister Estelle’s cousin Sheila dated the kid who sat next to Diamond in homeroom,” one proudly proclaimed.

“He lived on Bedford Avenue. Just down the block from that great bakery,” another chimed in, and the floodgates of memories began.

“The Jewish fraternity that Paul Simon was in at Queens College won “sing” every year!” 

“I went to P.S. 124 with a guy who once bought a Neil Diamond record.”

“I know a guy who’s friends with a Neil Diamond impersonator in Las Vegas! He even sings “Sweet Caroline!’

“Did you know that Mrs. Robinson was supposed to be Mrs. Rosenbaum, but the record company thought it was too Jewish?”

To quote that non-Jewish rocker Ric Ocasek (though ‘The Cars’ co-founder Elliot Easton — nee Steinberg — grew up in Massapequa and was friends with an old girlfriend of a friend of mine, or so I’m told) … let the good times roll!

Can’t wait to find out what next month’s program is!