Yiddishe Mamas (47 page)

N
ATE
B
LOOM:
Mr. Bloom regularly publishes uplifting and inspirational stories for
JWR.
He writes on popular culture and celebrity Jews for the
Detroit Jewish News, Baltimore Jewish Times, Cincinnati American Israelite, New Jersey Jewish Standard, and JWeekly
(San Francisco).
     Mr. Bloom is the editor of
Jewhoo.com
, which is a smorgasbord of information on Jewish cultural figures, including Jewish actors, actresses, comedians, musicians, scientists, and others.

A
MY
B
ORKOWSKY:
She is a successful comedian and author, and has published
Amy’s Answering Machine/Volume One: Messages from Mom
and
Volume Two: More Messages from Mom
books and CDs. Ms. Borkowsky has appeared on the
Today
show, and has been featured in
People, Life, Mademoiselle, Jane,
as well as the
New York Times, L.A. Times,
and
Chicago Tribune.
Her latest book is
Statements: True Tales of Life, Love, and Credit Card Bills.
Prior to comedy, she was executive vice president and creative group head at a major Manhattan ad agency where she won five Clios, three Cannes Festival Lions, and an Emmy. (
SendAmy.com
.)

T
IM
B
OXER:
Is there someone he doesn’t know? I doubt it. For years, Mr. Boxer was the guiding force behind Minyan of the Stars, a group of Jewish celebrities shmoozing and celebrating their heritage. I was fortunate to be a member and had some memorable nights, thanks to his remarkable get-togethers. Mr. Boxer has been writing a celebrity column for three decades for the
New York Jewish Week.
He is also editor and publisher of
15MinutesMagazine.com
, and author of two books,
Jewish Celebrity Hall of Fame
and
Jewish Celebrity Anecdotes.
He was formerly an assistant to the legendary Broadway columnist Earl Wilson of the
New York Post.

S
EYMOUR
“S
Y”
B
RODY:
He is the author
of Jewish Heroes and Heroines of America: 150 True Stories of American Jewish Heroism,
and may have written more biographies of famous Jews than any other single individual. Mr. Brody is a former editor of
The Jewish Veteran.
He has also created six exhibits of Jews in America for the Web site of the Molly Freiberg Judaica Collections of Florida Atlantic University. He is president of the Jewish Heroes and Heroines of America Foundation.

J
ULIE
C
OBB:
MS. Cobb was born into a theatrical family. Her mother was Yiddish stage and film actress Helen Beverley, and her father was the Tony Award-winning actor Lee J. Cobb. Ms. Cobb has appeared in over seventy TV programs, including
Charles in Charge, Knot’s Landing, Family Ties, Magnum P.I., Hearts Afire,
and
Judging Amy,
among others. She won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for her performance in
After the Fall
and
the Dramalogue Award for her direction of
Twelve Angry Men.
Her daughter, Rosemary Morgan, is also an actor and continues the family tradition. Ms. Cobb is a licensed coactive life coach. She says her dog Seamus reflects her values—unconditional love, acceptance, and the ability to find fun in challenging times.

L
ORRIE
C
OHEN:
This Canadian-born journalist, comic, and mother of three is currently the assistant news editor at the
Tucson Citizen.
In addition to editing, Ms. Cohen has written numerous news stories, and has a strong background in celebrity interviews. When she’s not writing and editing, she can be found doing her own material at comedy clubs in Tucson and all over the country. Her family sometimes provides her comic fodder—as does her lifelong struggle with weight. She swears her model-slim mother had a one-nighter with Danny DeVito.

B
ILL
D
ANA:
“My name: José Jimenéz,” soared the comedian, writer, and producer to fame. He was a head writer for
The Steve Allen Show,
and wrote the classic
All in the Family
episode, “Sammy Davis Visits Archie Bunker,” and
The Laughter Prescription
with Dr. Laurence Peter. He starred in
The Bill Dana Show,
and has headlined in clubs across America. The National Hispanic Media Coalition awarded him their first Impact Award and he serves on their advisory board. When “José Jimenéz” acted the reluctant astronaut, he became a part of that “family.” He’s on the advisory board of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and the nominations committee of the National Aviation Hall of Fame. He received a lifetime achievement award from the Pacific Broadcast Pioneers and is currently developing the American Comedy Archives with his alma mater, Emerson.

Z
ORA
E
SSMAN:
She is the mother of comic Susie Essman, who costars on
Curb Your Enthusiasm,
and is a widowed mother of four. Her husband Leonard was a physician who died in 2001. Susie is her third child. All the Essman children are highly creative individuals: composers, pianists, and producers. Mrs. Essman was born in New York City, educated at Brooklyn College, and holds a master’s degree from Middlebury College. She’s also a multilingual scholar, has taught Slavic languages at NYU and Sarah Lawrence, and has translated books, plays, and poetry.

T
OVAH
F
ELDSHUH:
MS. Feldshuh is the quintessential performer—in theater, film, TV, and cabaret. She has earned Tony nominations, and won Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, an Obie, and Theatre World Awards. In October 2003,
Golda’s Balcony
opened on Broadway, which earned her a Drama Desk Award. Her TV appearances have included her portrayal of a Czech freedom fighter in
Holocaust.
In film, she appeared in
Kissing Jessica Stein
and
A Walk on the Moon,
among others. Ms. Feldshuh is a supporter of Seeds of Peace, which helps teenagers from regions of conflict. She is a recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitas Award, the Israel Peace Medal, and the National Foundation for Jewish Culture’s Jewish Image Award. She is married and has two children.

E
ILEEN
F
ULTON:
She was the first “Bad Girl” on TV, in 1960, when she played Lisa Miller on
As The World Turns.
Her many honors include the Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 2003, and Ms. Fulton has coauthored autobiographies,
How My World Turns
and
As My World Still Turns, Soap Opera,
and six murder mysteries. Ms. Fulton is an acclaimed cabaret star who performs in top venues. Ms. Fulton has appeared in independent films including
Signs of the Cross,
receiving the Achievement in Television and Film Award from the Independent Filmmakers. She actively supports UNICEF, the March of Dimes, Cerebral Palsy, the Lupus Foundation, Martha’s Table, and has established creative scholarships in her family’s name at Brevard College and at her alma mater, Greensboro College, where she was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2005.

R
ONA
G
INOTT:
She is CEO of Rayburn Musical Instruments Company, Inc. in Boston, and she is also passionately involved in Democratic politics, as Connecticut state chair of the Women’s Leadership Forum of the DNC. Ms. Ginott is a former teacher and educational consultant. Her husband, David Ginott, died in 2003 leaving her a mother with two daughters. Her oldest is a Harvard graduate who is currently attending Yale Law School. Her younger daughter is finishing high school. Ms. Ginott is also a niece by marriage to the famed child psychologist, Haim Ginott.

J
OANNA
G
LEASON:
Ms. Gleason, the daughter of Monty Hall, is a distinguished theater actor. She won the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for performances in
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. I Love My Wife, Into the Woods, Joe Egg, Social Security,
and
Nick and Nora.
She has appeared in many films, including
Hannah and Her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Heartburn, FX2, Boogie Nights, Fathers and Sons, Mr. Holland’s Opus, The Wedding Planner,
and
The Pleasure of Your Company.
On TV she has been featured in
Love and War, The West Wing, ER, The Practice, Tracey Ullman,
and
Bette.
Ms. Gleason has directed
Love and War, Louie, Oh, Baby,
and many theater productions. She and her actor husband, Chris Saran-don, have four children between them.

J
UDY
G
OLD:
This former gangly “band nerd” has turned into one of America’s leading cutting-edge comics, actors, and writers (winning two Emmys for the
Rosie O’Donnell Show).
The lesbian mother of two was in the sitcom,
Living in LA,
which was followed by an HBO special (and a Cable Ace Award). She is the host of HBO’s
At the Multiplex with Judy Gold.
She has also hosted Comedy Central’s
100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time,
and the GLAAD Media Awards. Her specials include
Judy Gold, Comedy Central’s Tough Crowd Stands Up,
and she has been seen in
The Aristocrats,
and TV’s
Law and Order.
She’s also guested on
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,
and
Late Night with Conan O’Brien.
Her most recent hit is her critically acclaimed show
25 Questions for a Jewish Mother.

M
AYOR
O
SCAR
G
OODMAN:
The nineteenth mayor of the city of Las Vegas, Oscar B. Goodman calls himself “the happiest mayor in the world.” He was born in Philadelphia and received his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. As a criminal defense attorney, he was named one of the Fifteen Best Trial Lawyers in America by the
National Law Journal.
Mayor Goodman also serves on the advisory board of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The colorful mayor (who was featured in
Of Rats and Men,
and portrayed himself in the movie
Casino)
and his wife, Carolyn, have four children. “When Carolyn and I came here, Las Vegas was truly a land of
opportunity,” the mayor says. “You could establish a career, make something for yourself, and enjoy a great quality of life. I want to make sure that never changes.”

Blu G
REENBERG:
Since 1973, Ms. Greenberg has been a leading voice in bridging feminism and Orthodox Judaism. Her books include
On Women and Judaism: A View from Tradition, How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household,
and
Black Bread, Poems After the Holocaust,
among others. She is the founding president of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, and in 1997 and 1998, she chaired the International Conference(s) on Feminism and Orthodoxy. She has served on numerous boards, including Covenant Foundation, Project Kesher, and U.S. Israel Women to Women. She was first chair of the Federation Task Force on Jewish women and serves on the editorial board of
Hadassah
magazine and the advisory board of
Lilith
magazine. In 2000, she founded One Voice: Jewish Women for Israel. Ms. Greenberg was cofounder of Women of Faith and has been active in the Dialogue Project, which includes Jewish and Palestinian women. In 1990 she participated in the Jewish Tibetan encounter in Dharmasala, and in 2002, the World Conference of Religious Leaders in Bangkok. Ms. Greenberg is listed in
Who’s Who in America
and
Who’s Who in World Jewry.
She is married to Rabbi Irving (Yitz) Greenberg. They are the parents of five children and nineteen grandchildren.

D
R.
H
OWARD
M. H
ALPERN:
Dr. Halpern, a psychotherapist and noted author, wrote
How to Break Your Addiction to a Person, Cutting Loose: An Adult Guide to Coming to Terms with Your Parents,
and
Finally Getting It Right.
He also wrote the syndicated newspaper column called “On Your Own,” and has appeared on
Donahue,
the
Today
show,
20/20,
and CNN. He received his PhD in clinical psychology from Columbia University in 1954 and has taught, practiced, and consulted at several New York colleges and clinics. He is past president of the American Academy of Psychotherapists.

D
R.
M
YRNA
A. H
ANT:
Dr. Hant is a visiting scholar at the Center for the Study of Women at UCLA and an instructor in gender studies at UCLA Extension and Chapman University.
Her research focus is popular culture/television with an emphasis on portrayals of mature women in the media. She is the author of a number of articles and papers on Jewish mothers and the media. She is also chair of the board of P.A.T.H. (People Assisting the Homeless), a nationally acclaimed nonprofit organization that reduces the homeless population by teaching job skills and by providing affordable housing. Previously, she was a college administrator at Chapman University. She holds a master’s in English (Cal State Northridge), an MBA (Loyola Marymount University), and a PhD from UCLA.

L
EE
M. H
ENDLER:
Lee Hendler, daughter of Lenore (Lyn) Pancoe Meyerhoff, is past president of Chizuk Amuno congregation in Baltimore, and the author of
The Year Mom Got Religion,
an autobiographical memoir of midlife learning and transformation. She is the mother of four children, and a well-known speaker on inter-generational philanthropy and issues of Jewish identity. Ms. Hendler and her family, the Meyerhoffs, are well-known philanthropists. She has two sons, two daughters, and two daughters-in-law.

B
INYAMIN
J
OLKOVSKY:
Mr. Jolkovsky is the publisher of
JWR,
the
Jewish World Review
(
jewishworldreview.com
, and
PoliticalMavens.com
). He is an Orthodox Jewish newspaperman from the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. His newspaper communicates traditional Jewish values to counter the growing indifference among young Jews to their religious heritage.
PoliticalMavens.com
stimulates dialogue from scholars and cultural leaders. Jewish contributors include terrorism scholar Daniel Pipes,
Jerusalem Post
columnist Jonathan Rosenblum, Nat Hentoff, (and yours truly), along with over two hundred columnists of all backgrounds (including Tony Snow, Thomas Sowell, and Walter Williams). Mr. Jolkovsky and his Web sites are regularly cited by national and international media.