By COLlive reporter
Mrs. Toni (Toba) Berger, a longtime resident of Crown Heights who was the manager of the kosher restaurant Mermelstein Caterers, passed away on Tuesday, 21 Teves 5784.
She was 101.
Mrs. Berger was born to the Mermelstein family in Vienna, Austria, in 1922. The family was connected to Bobov and Kapishnitz Chassidim. Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, she went on the Kindertransport, the organized rescue effort of children from Nazi-controlled territory in 1938–1939.
She lived close to 2 years in England, before making her way to the United States of America. She arrived at Ellis Island, the busiest immigration station in the U.S. on Erev Rosh Hashana, and managed to make it to her parents’ house just in time, with her father already having gone to Shul.
She joined her family in the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn, and soon became the operator and manager of the staple Mermelstein Caterers, a glatt kosher take-out service and restaurant that was owned by her parents and brother Eddie Mermelstein.
Day in and day out, Mrs. Berger manned the counter and served classic and delicious kosher food to customers, simchas and events. She knew everyone in the neighborhood, her son Heshy told COLlive.com.
“Like her mother, she was devoted to her work and loved to be in the store and bring parnassa to her family,” he said. “She served the Crown Heights community with devotion and satisfaction. She was very well-liked and knew people by name.”
A great-grandchild noted how Mrs. Berger would not eat or begin her day before davening and saying Tehillim. She was also careful about giving Tzedaka, in addition to the free meals she would serve to needy people in the community.
Her son Heshy said Mermelsteins would provide food on a regular basis to 1304 President Street, home of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson. “I personally delivered food to 1304, but sometimes the Rebbetzin would drive by (Mermelsteins) and someone would bring out the package,” he said.
Senior Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Lew of London, England, once recalled how after his marriage, the Rebbe’s mother Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson, suggested that the young couple order Shabbos take-out from Mermelsteins during busy Fridays. They can be relied upon, she stated.
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Mermelsteins would be open late on Friday afternoons, allowing locals to make last-minute orders when necessary. Mrs. Berger would offer the leftover food at a discount and even free to those who could not afford it. One customer would come in on Friday to sing to her “Eshes Chayil” in gratitude for her generosity.
Mrs. Berger also took care of her husband, who suffered from Parkinson’s for many years. They merited to raise a beautiful Jewish family following in the ways of Torah and Mitzvos.
When she turned 91, Mrs. Berger retired from Mermelsteins and moved to live with her children in Lakewood, New Jersey. With the passing of her brother Eddie, Mermelsteins was given to his adopted children – R’ Benzion and R’ Meir Cohen. The restaurant, described as one of the last true kosher luncheonettes, is still in operation until today.
She is survived by R’ Heshy Berger – Lakewood, NJ; R’ Yossi Berger – Brooklyn, NY; and Yenty Rubinfeld – Lakewood, NJ; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her husband Moshe Berger and son Shlomo Meir Berger OBM.
The levaya will be in Lakewood, NJ.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
The best of the best.. A true original. BD”E She had a heart of pure gold.
BDE. She was a very sweet women. She always had a smile on her face. She will sorely be missed.
If you think about it, it is a best eatery in crown heights. Unbelievable variety. Yes, it is cheap, food heated in microwaves, but food is very good, very Jewish. All other places go up and down, this one stays and stays. Who knows, for how many years?
In the 80s i assisted in the office of Tzach, helping organize visits of bachurim to several dozen prisons around the state of New York for Sukkos, Chanuka, and Purim. We took orders of food from the bachurim, and gave the orders to Mrs. Berger. Some of these trips were day trips, others were two or three days. Putting together all the orders was no small task. Mrs. Berger always had all the orders organized for us. Once we gave in the orders, we knew the food was taken care of and it was one thing we didn’t have to… Read more »
Mrs. Berger was always extremely nice to me and everyone. I always knew that she had a special neshomo.
Now, after reading your article, I can understand her life history a bit better. I never knew that Eddie adopted Meir & Bentzion Kohen.
What special people the Mermelstiens were.
She would always give a discount to the needy.
May she have a lichtege gan Eden.
We live in NYC, and when our kids were young (in the 1990s), our last stop on the way home from Crown Heights on Sundays would be buying hot-dogs and burgers from Mermelsteins to be enjoyed by young and old in the car ride home.
Growing up in Crown Heights myself, I remember Mrs. Berger fondly behind the counter at Mermelsteins, always taking care of her customers with grace and efficiency.
May she be a guteh beter for her family and for klal Yisrael.
Splendid holy treasures walked among us
אוד מוצל מאש
ברוך דיין האמת
She was always very nice to me.
My only complaint is that they stopped offering shlishkes.
BDE
Great woman
I had it once a couple of years ago. Never tasted something so good
She was always with a smile.
BTW Mermelstein’s remains – till today – the only Heimesha takeout in Crown Heights, with real authentic old fashion Yiddisha food
BDE, a true Hero
She was full of wisdom.
I once complained about getting along with a sibling.
She responsed, “With Mishpacha, you have to be mevater and move forward”.
She served warm food with a warm heart
Mrs. Berger was as much part of our community as is Mermelstein’s. She was/is a perfect example of a Yid who does chessed that remains between herself and Der Aibershter. There’s so much to learn from the older generation(s.) She was always discreet, always modest; I never heard her boasting about how the Rebbetzin relied on her kashrus or her efficient service.I’m pretty sure most of us in Crown Heights didn’t even know she serviced the Rebbe’s family until we read this article on COL. I can still hear her voice ringing in my head ” What else [would you… Read more »
The differences between red and green, and their respective checking methods. I was a BT new bride at the time. She taught me this with such geshmak!
Baruch Dayan Ha’Emes!
I remember her from my seminary days. The only meals I could afford 🙂 Had that home cooked taste. Tehi zichra baruch.
My aunt was a tzadakis who was always kind to me and our family. She was a true source of nachas. She is now with our Avos and Emaos bgan Eden. Baruch Dayan Haemes.
30- 40 years ago when we were away in the bungalow during the summers Toni Berger filled in for myself & l suspect a lot of other wives. There were many satisfied husbands smiling up and down Kingston Ave who had relied on Mermelsteins for many weekday suppers. Mrs Berger brought a special touch of home …An unforgettable example: she knew my husbands favorite choices and often started plating even before he asked! Also she knew I was conscious about spending so much in a restaurant so she made sure to inform me gently of the high price of particular… Read more »
Wow..she was always someone I saw in my childhood growing up in crown heights and she was always a sweetheart and Mermelstein’s have the best spicy shawama! . Bde
I always went to her several hours prior to my departure back to Israel. she made the best sandwiches for me, ( corned beef, and turkey) including extra side dishes as well as plastic ware, napkins, condiments…she was the best, and so caring, so concern that I should have a safe comfortable flight home. Always with a smile, always concerned. a different generation… Chana
we are mourning a deep loss for our grandmother, who was not only a grandmother to us, but a mother and grandmother for many who knew her. she was a woman of value, a woman of strength and a woman of self discipline and she never let any life challenges get in her way of any of these. bobby will be sorely missed by all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Those who knew her were the lucky ones. She taught us so much, about respect, values and above all humility. She was a brilliant woman, a real seeker of knowledge and truth. A completely selfless women who always looked to do for others. We will try to emulate her as much as we can in this life. May her memory be. blessing. 🤍.