OUR COMMUNITY

H

e’s known to many as Mr. Oak 
Park.
Gerald “Jerry” Naftaly, for-
mer mayor of the city where so many 
members of Metro Detroit’s Jewish com-
munity grew up and remember it close 
to utopia, is so knowledgeable about 
the history, the people, the businesses, 
restaurants and shops, that he literally 
wrote the book. Images of America: Oak 

Park, with a foreword by former gover-
nor James Blanchard, was published in 
2012, covering from the time it became 
a community in 1945 through the post-
World War II boom and following seven 
decades through photos and personal 
recollections.
Naftaly’s enthusiasm is contagious, 
and he is far from alone in his nostalgia: 
Receiving a successful welcome to the 

book, Naftaly then broadened to include 
Southfield and wrote a similar book, 
Images of Modern America: Northland 
Mall (he also authored The Hill That 
Grew, about the Shepherd Park Sledding 
Oak Park Hill, aka the Oak Park Hill).
Last year, Naftaly created a board game, 
Northland-Opoly, paying homage to the 
people, places and activities that mean so 
much to current and former Oak Parkers. 

Former mayor Jerry Naftaly has created the gift 
of a board game infused with memories. 
Northland Nostalgia

LYNNE KONSTANTIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

26 | DECEMBER 7 • 2023 J
N

The Northland-Opoly board game

