105-years-smart

By Deborah Moon Seldner

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Mark Saul, likely Portland's oldest Jewish resident, recently celebrated his 105th birthday at Robison Jewish Health Center.
Though confined to a wheelchair and hard of hearing, Saul still has a twinkle in his eye, a sharp mind and a thin, clear voice which he uses to speak the truth.
During an interview with the Jewish Review before his party, Saul said he wouldn't answer any question if he wasn't sure the answer was true.
He was happy to talk about being born in Ismear, Turkey, in 1901 and moving to Portland in 1920. He spoke freely of his large family—two sisters and seven brothers. But he wouldn't say how many grandchildren he had for fear of giving a wrong number.
"I've got a few grandchildren," he said. When pressed for a number he added, "When you don't know if you are telling the truth, you zip your mouth and don't say anything."

Saul's daughter, Davia Rubenstein, filled in some facts. Saul also has one son, Neil Saul; three grandchildren, Susan Menashe, Sunny Rubenstein and Marcy Lehman; and three great-grandchildren, Jordan and Lauren Menashe and Max Lehman. Saul was a long-time member of Congregation Neveh Shalom and its predecessor Ahavai Shalom.
Asked how he managed to reach the ripe old age of 105, Saul said he didn't know.
His daughter joked it certainly wasn't his diet since he enjoyed cholesterol rich eggs and cheese on a regular basis.
Saul did have some wisdom to share. Though the world has changed in many ways during his life and people can seem very different, Saul said we're really all the same.
"Your problems aren't any different than mine, but we looked at it in different ways," he said. "Today no one is different. ? We all live the same things, but we tell our story in a different way."
As the starting time for his party approached, Saul drew his thumb and forefinger across his lips and said, "Now I zip my mouth and that's the end."