Famed writer Philip Roth looks at a souvenir booklet prepared by NPLC President William Mikesell during a tour of sites mentioned in his books. Liz Del Tufo, tour leader, is at the right in this crowd outside Roth's boyhood home in Weequahic.

Author Joins Tour of 'Philip Roth's Newark'

Participants in a landmarks tour saw many of the settings for Philip Roth's prize-winning novels, and then met the celebrated Newark-born author himself.

The five-hour bus tour of "Philip Roth's Newark" on Oct. 23, 2005 was one of the most successful ever held by the Newark Preservation & Landmarks Committee.

Roth, one of the most distinguished authors to come from the city, has used his hometown as a backdrop for many of the 26 books he has written during the past half-century. He has won every major American literary award, including the Pulitzer Prize, and became only the third living writer to have his works selected for the Library of America.

He joined the tour group at the house in the Weequahic section where he lived with his family from his birth in 1933 until 1942. An historical plaque was placed on the two-family frame house and the nearby intersection of Summit and Keer avenues was renamed "Philip Roth Plaza" for the occasion.

"We were thrilled to greet one of the living landmarks of American literature right where he spent his earliest years," said Elizabeth Del Tufo, who led the tour. She has guided scores of tours through the years, and formerly chaired the City of Newark's Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission.

Points of interest along the way included Weequahic High School, from which Roth was graduated in 1950. Other sights were Newark Beth Israel Hospital, where Roth was born; the old YM-YWHA on Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard (formerly High Street); and the Riviera Hotel on Clinton Avenue, where Roths' parents began their honeymoon.

The tour buses also traveled through Weequahic Park and the adjoining residential neighborhood, which are on the National Register of Historic Places. During the last century Weequahic was home to a large, thriving Jewish community, and it is still a prestigious area.

The tour program began with a slide presentation at Congregation Ahavas Sholom at 145 Broadway, the last original synagogue still functioning in the city. Then the group went past the Newark Public Library on Washington Park, which played a major role in Roth's 1959 novel, "Goodbye, Columbus." That book won the first of his two National Book Awards..

At various points along the way, excerpts from Roth's books, which include "Portnoy's Complaint" and "American Pastoral," were read to the tour group by Robert Steinbaum, publisher of the New Jersey Law Journal.

Former Mayor Sharpe James and Newark City Historian Charles Cummings (who died two months later) joined Roth in dedicating the historical plaque at his old home, and designating the street corner in honor of the author.

The house and the neighborhood provide settings for scenes in Roth's best-selling 2003 novel, "The Plot Against America."

Roth, who lives now in Connecticut, said in a recent interview that he draws on his memories of Newark to provide authentic environments in his books. "In some places around my neighborhood, I am still able to see what used to be there," he declared.

At the conclusion of the tour, the author told his fans that the honor from his native city meant as much to him as a Nobel Prize. He had been a finalist for the 2005 award in literature shortly before the Newark event.

Through the years the Landmarks Committee has conducted many tours of churches, homes, public buildings, cemeteries, and historic districts. Most have been led by Del Tufo, who also operates a private tour business.