As colleges nationwide grapple with protests over the Israel-Hamas war, the timing of Sam Joustra’s book is coincidental.
But it couldn’t be better.
Sam Joustra, at her Staples graduation.
The 2007 Staples High School graduate has just written a free online guide. It’s called “Finding the Best-Fit College for Jewish Students: Determining the Right College Fit and Finding a Community of Like-Minded Peers from a Shared Faith Background.”
Sam knows the scene. After Goucher College, she worked for 10 years in admissions at Hampshire College, Vanderbilt University (where she earned a master’s of higher education administration), and the University of Michigan.
In 2021 she joined Collegewise. She now applies her experience on the other side of the desk, helping students navigate the admissions process.
Sam spent the last year researching and preparing her guide.
It is not designed to be a social or political commentary. But, Sam says, antisemitism has been on the rise for years. She believes it is important to share a resource that offers support and advice for Jewish students during this chapter of their lives.
Sam’s guide includes considerations students may have when looking for ways to find Jewish community on campus, and resources to help in their search process.
She cites examples from a variety of colleges. Hillel is featured prominently, but she cites other resources.
There is no one way to be Jewish, and no one way to approach the search process as a Jewish student, Sam notes.
Her guide is not about finding the “right” Jewish experience on a college campus. Instead, Sam hopes to empower students and families to reflect on what matters most to them in what they want their college experience to look like, then use resources that will help them find answers to their questions.
(“06880” often highlights the interesting career paths and lives of Staples graduates. If you enjoy these types of stories, please click here to support us with a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
Once again, there’s been an increase is auto theft and break-in attempts.
At 10:38 p.m. Tuesday night, Representative Town Meeting member Andrew Colabella saw a black Toyota with 5 occupants — wearing masks — make their way down a neighbor’s driveway in the Hillspoint area.
They got into her unlocked vehicle, and opened her garage door. Her keys were not in the car; otherwise they might have used them to steal it, or enter the house.
The owner was home alone. Andrew called the Westport Police. Officer Melissa Bike was on scene within 2 minutes.
Andrew says, “Her professionalism, detailed questions, care, and unique comfort ability brought ease to a terrifying incident.”
Officer Kevin Smith patrolled the entire area, and looked to see if any other properties were entered.
Andrew was impressed too by Detective John Lauria’s “assertive persistence to dust, fingerprint, photograph, and methodically capture any evidence with care.”
The incident serves as another reminder to always remove keys and fobs from vehicles — and, if possible, park them in a locked garage.
Police add: “Keep exterior lights on, and utilize surveillance and/or alarm systems. Call the police immediately to report any suspicious activity. The department strongly advises against confronting any suspects if you observe them on your property. There have been a number of incidents throughout the state where these individuals have resorted to violence when confronted.”
Officer Melissa Bike and Detective John Lauria dust for fingerprints. (Photo/Andrew Colabella)
Badass Bagels is a badass — and very popular — purveyor.
And “How I Built This” with Guy Raz is a badass — and very popular podcast.
Today, the latest episode dropped. The first segment features Westporter Jennifer Balin, and her badass baking and branding. (She works just over the border, on Lois Street in Norwalk.)
As always, Guy does a great job getting to the heart of what people do, and how they do it.
And the experience gave Jennifer a chance to connect with Pete Maldonado, the Chomps grass-fed beef stick founder. (His brand is in Trader Joe’s.)
“The world of entrepreneurs is just amazing,” Jennifer says.
“I have made great relationships with people right here in town as well. Our customer base is flooded with entrepreneurs who want to help me grow. We are expanding, and we love slinging bagels!”
Yesterday’s “06880” lead story described a movement at Greens Farms Elementary School, urging parents not to allow smartphone until their children are out of middle school.
Coincidentally, the Washington Post ran a long story yesterday, about a middle school in Manchester, Connecticut that prohibits cell phone use during the school day. All phones are locked in individual pouches at arrival, then unlocked as students leave.
Interestingly, many youngsters find that not having access to phones during the school day is not all bad.
How did parents react? Click here to read. (Hat tips: Jack Backiel, Chris Grimm)
AEDs are back at town athletic fields, and other outdoor places.
The devices — Automated External Defibrillators, which are easy to use but crucial life-saving devices during cardiac emergencies — are taken in during cold weather.
But now they’re fully charged, and ready to be used.
We hope they never have to be. But just in case: Know where they are.
And be ready to use them
AED at Winslow Park, near the Westport Country Playhouse parking lot. (Hat tip and photo/Mark Mathias)
If you missed Tuesday’s great Startup Westport Innovator of the Year event — featuring ESPN CEO Jimmy Pitaro chatting with ESPN host (and fellow Westporter) Mike Greenberg: You’re in luck.
The Westport Library recorded the event. Click below to hear some great stories about career paths, innovation, the media and sports landscapes — and Westport.
Speaking of sports: Jenny Bradshaw is a world champion cheerleader!
The 2023 Staples High graduate — a 4-year Wrecker cheer member and senior captain, now a student at the University of Miami — cheers for the Lady Jags team.
Last week, her Top Gun All Stars won the Senior Medium L6 division title over 8 other teams at the Cheerleading World Championships in Orlando,
This is not Jenny’s first big Worlds award. As a member of the Xtreme Cheer All Stars gym in Danbury, her team Inferno captured a bronze medal in 2022.
Joseph Davis and Danielle Leblanc are traveling from their Maine home, on the Canadian border, to teach the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport about how the Anishinabe People were given a framework to guide their lives spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. They will also share a blessing with the Sacred Pipe.
The event is this Saturday (May 4, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) at the UU Meeting House.
Grandmother Nancy Andry — a UU Westport member — says, “These are incredible teachings by two revered elders. This is a rare opportunity.”
Longtime Westport firefighter Edmund Duffy Jr. died April 25, in Minneapolis. He was at 82.
He began his service as a volunteer firefighter in 1959, at 18. In 1964 he transitioned to a full-time firefighter, dedicating another 32 years to the profession. Even after retirement, he remained committed to helping others.
Ed proudly served in the Army Reserve from 1964 to 1969.
His family says, “Ed valued the simple joys in life, cherished his blue-collar origins, and treated everyone with respect and kindness, regardless of their background.”
When not working at the firehouse, Ed was a landscaper. He enjoyed baseball, softball, bowling, fishing, and collecting model trains.
Ed is survived by his daughter Elizabeth (Matthew), brothers Charlie (Rose) and Denis (Mary), sisters Anne-Carol and Donna, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was predeceased by his wife Susan and daughter Deborah.
A visitation will be held on May 9 (4 to 7 p.m., Harding Funeral Home). A burial ceremony will follow on May 10 (11 a.m., Assumption Cemetery).
Most people call it “the Longshore exit road.” The official name is Herbert Baldwin Road (in honor of the first selectman who, in 1960, pushed for the purchase of a failing country club — destined to be an 180-home development — for $1.9 million).
Whatever you know it by: It’s a very pretty spot.
Especially in spring, as today’s “Westport … Naturally” image shows:
And finally … on this date in 1536, England’s Queen Anne Boleyn was arrested and imprisoned on charges of adultery, incest, treason and witchcraft.
(Police, education, sports, business news — “06880” covers it all. It’s all in today’s Roundup — as it is every day, 24/7/366. Please click here to help support our work. Thank you!)
And — under the leadership of Doug Grabe, who owns 5 Little Pubs and has now taken over operation of the Saugatuck landmark — it aims to be around for at least 40 more.
But not every restaurant makes it that long.
Even the landmarks.
To honor them, Dunville’s has unveiled a new “icons mural.”
Some flourished nearby. Others were across town.
All are gone, but warmly remembered.
There’s still some room left.
Any suggestions? Click “Comments” below.
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James Comey returns to Westport on May 23.
The former FBI director will be at the Westport Library. He’ll discuss his new book with TV host (and Westporter) Dave Briggs.
Comey’s book is called “Westport.” The suspense thriller features Nora Carleton, lead counsel at Saugatuck Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund.
What a coincidence! Before entering government service, Comey was general counsel of Bridgewater Associates — the world’s largest hedge fund. He and his family lived in Greens Farms, just a couple of miles from his office.
Click here for more information, and to register. Books will be available for purchase at the event.
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Henry Wynne has set many Connecticut and collegiate running records.
Now he’s part of a new world mark.
The 2013 Staples High School and 2017 University of Virginia graduate anchored the Brooks Beasts team that won the men’s distance relay at Friday night’s Oregon Relays.
Their 9:14.58 time sliced nearly a second off the record that stood for nearly a decade: 9:15.50.
It’s not his first world record, either. In 2019, Wynne’s Brooks Beast team won the 4 x 1 mile relay in 16:03.68, smashing the previous mark by as astonishing 9.13 seconds.
Wynne covered the 1600 meters — the longest leg of the 4 runners — in 3:52.64.
He told DyeStat.com that he fed off the energy of the crowd. “It was pressure,” Wynne said, “but such a fun atmosphere.”
Teammate Brandon Miller said: “Seeing Henry, that last 200, pulling away from the lights – it was so hype for me and the boys. It was a dream come true.”
(Click here for the full story. Click here for a video of Oregon Relays highlights. Hat tip: Jeff Mitchell)
Henry Wynne crosses the finish line, with a world record. (Photo/Becky Holbrook courtesy of DyeStat.com)
But the celebration continues this Saturday (April 27, 10 a.m.)
Members of the Westport Police and Fire Departments, Staples Service League of Boys, Police Athletic League, VFW Post 399, Sons of the American Legion Westport Animal Shelter Advocates will gather at the animal control building on Elaine Road (off Compo Road South, between the I-95 underpass and railroad tracks), for a trash pick-up.
Even more help is needed. The area — which includes the state boat launch — is a mess.
Bring gloves and trash bags. Questions? Email acolabellartm4@gmail.com.
Westporters of all ages — including RTM member and organizer Andrew Colabella (standing on trash bags) and Police Chief Foti Koskinas (2nd from right) turned out for an earlier trash pick-up. Among the items: the large discarded signs (left).
The most famous pair nest on a tower next to Fresh Market. Others find homes on platforms at Burying Hill Beach and Sherwood Island State Park, drawing admiring gazes from springtime visitors.
Another osprey couple is less visible. Johanna Keyser Rossi’s eagle eyes (ho ho) spotted them high up on the cell tower next to the Westport Weston Family YMCA.
(Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)
It’s nowhere near as beautiful as the beachside nests.
Johanna Keyser Rossi doesn’t know if it’s an eel or a snake. But her Saugatuck River photo is definitely an intriguing addition to our “Westport … Naturally” series.
And finally … today is the birthday of the amazing Roy Orbison. He died far too young of heart failure in 1988. He was just 52.
The man Elvis Presley called “the greatest singer in the world” had a 4-octave range, earning him the nickname “the Caruso of Rock.”
In fact, music scholars say, Orbison and Enrico Caruso were the only 20th century tenors capable of hitting E over high C.
(“06880” can’t sing as well as Roy Orbison. But we’ve got pretty good range — at least, for our coverage of all things Westport. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
In a town filled with high-profile, high-impact organizations working hard to make the world a better place, Westporters should be aware of AWARE.
Its name is not as well known as some others. But the group — whose acronym stands for Assisting Women through Action, Resources and Education — quietly and efficiently gets stuff done.
And they do it in a unique way.
Each year, AWARE selects a women’s cause — female veterans, say, or breast cancer, literacy, or refugees and immigrants,
Then they partner with a charity working in that area. Through a fundraiser, hands-on activity and educational event, AWARE shines a light on specific women’s issue, all year long.
This year’s partner is Inspirica. The Stamford-based non-profit strives to end homelessness and housing insecurity by helping individuals and families achieve stability through support services, and affordable housing.
To raise funds for an Inspirica playground, AWARE is hosting a “Canvas & Cocktails” party. The event is Thursday, May 16 (6 p.m.) at Clarendon Fine Art, on Main Street.
Nearly 200 people rocked to West End Blend at the Westport Library last night, in the concert portion of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce’s Supper & Soul event.
Earlier almost 100 enjoyed dinner, at 10 downtown restaurants. And after the show, concert-goers went for drinks there too.
Chamber director Matthew Mandell says, “This translates into a direct infusion of over $6,500 into the local economy.”
“At the onset of Passover, Ashkenazi Jews abstain from eating products containing corn, including those sweetened with corn syrup.
“It didn’t used to be so bad, as products were traditionally sweetened using sugar.
“The person to blame is Edward Bedford — once Westport’s richest man. He was head of the Corn Products Company, and set out to convince companies to switch from sugar to lower-priced corn syrup.
“In the meantime, if you want Coke or Pepsi made with real sugar, stock up on the bottles with the yellow caps. They’re made with sugar, and are kosher for Passover.”
Edward T. Bedford
John Kelley is a wealth of information on famous former Westporters.
Responding to yesterday’s Roundup story on Henry Moses Judah — the Civil War general and Westport resident who last week, 158 years after his death, finally got a headstone, by his tomb at the cemetery on Wilton Road and Kings Highway North — Kelly writes:
“Henry Judah had a more famous brother, Theodore Judah, who surveyed the route taken by the first transcontinental railroad. San Francisco, where I now live, has a Judah Street named in his honor.”
San Francisco: N Judah train on Judah Street at 19th Avenue.
Today is also International Mother Earth Day. This year’s theme is “Planet vs. Plastic.”
Longtime Westporter Aye Aye Thant — whose father U Thant was the third secretary-general of the United Nations — writes:
“The day recognizes the earth and its ecosystems as humanity’s common home and the need to protect her to enhance people’s livelihoods, counteract climate change, and stop the collapse of biodiversity.”
“In 1969 my father talked about the environment as an urgent and shared global challenge, and opened the UN’s first meeting on ‘the human environment.’
“He warned: ‘Never in the 25-year history of the United Nations has there been a problem of more relevance to all nations than the present environmental crisis.’
“On this day may I share my father’s prayer for our Mother Earth, as he rang the Peace Bell at the UN on Spring Equinox Earth Day, March 21, 1971:
“’May there only be peaceful and cheerful earth days to come for our beautiful spaceship earth. as it continues to spin and circle in frigid space with its warm and fragile cargo of animate life.'”
Dorothy Abrams died peacefully in her home in Minnetonka, Minnesota yesterday, 4 days shy of her 97th birthday.
Dorothy lived in Westport from 1963 until 2010, when she moved to Minnesota to be close to her son David and his family.
She taught arithmetic at Kathleen Laycock Country Day School (now Greens Farms Academy), Roton Middle School and Norwalk High School before retiring to an active life of volunteerism and travel.
Dorothy was a member of the Westport Woman’s Club and the Nature Conservancy’s Devil’s Den Ordway Nature Preserve in Weston, and tutored students in the Bridgeport school system. She also served as an election judge in Westport.
Dorothy and her family were longtime members of Temple Israel, where she served for years on the Social Action and Caring Committees. She became an elder of sorts, sharing her institutional memory and guiding younger members as they led the congregation down paths of justice and comfort.
Long Island Sound was her happy place for nearly her entire life.
She is survived by her son David (Audrey), and grandchildren Rachel (Claire Steinhoff) and Sal Abrams. She was predeceased by her brother Eugene Cohn, sister Anne Werner, husband Arthur, and daughters Judith Abrams and Janet (Gene) Karoscik.
Dorothy’s funeral will be at the Temple Israel Cemetery at 225 Richards Avenue in Norwalk at noon on Thursday (April 25) — her birthday. The service will be livestreamed; click here.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fairfield County Chapter of the Nature Conservancy or a local food shelf.
Dorothy Abrams
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William Shakespeare’s actual April birthdate was not recorded. His birthday is now celebrated on the date of his death: April 23.
Tomorrow marks the 408th anniversary of his passing, at 52 years old. The Bard of Avon packed a lot of writing into that short life. (And with a quill pen, too.)
Alert “06880” reader Fred Cantor passes on this long, but interesting, Shakespearean tale. Read to the end, for the important Westport connection:
“There is a lovely small public garden in Stratford, Connecticut, at the entrance to what once was the site of the Shakespeare Festival, and is now known as Shakespeare Park.
“The garden is called Will’s Garden — but not for the reason you would think.
“It was named for Will Geer, the late actor who was best known for his role as Grandpa Walton.
“Before that fame, he acted at the Shakespeare Festival for a number of years.
“And before that he earned a master’s degree in botany, and became an avid gardener — including creating the herbarium at the entrance to what was then the Shakespeare Festival.
“The garden fell into a state of disrepair over time. Its revitalization was spearheaded by Stratford resident Christine Rodney, who was given the name of Sal Gilbertie as someone who could help.
“Sal — the owner of Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center in Westport — has been among the most generous of donors over the years. He has always told Christine: ‘Take as much as you want.'”
I’m not sure if roses grow in Will’s Garden. But if they do, I’m sure — thanks to Sal Gilbertie — they smell very sweet.
Enforcement of downtown parking limits — suspended 4 years ago, during COVID — begins again May 1.
The good news: They’re now 3 hours, up from the previous 1 and 2 hours. (One exception: Post Road East parking remains 1 or 2 hours.)
Enforcement will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week.
Some parking areas are designated for all-day parking.
Click here for a map of all downtown parking lots, including aerial views, and the number of timed, all-day and electric vehicles spots. The map is also shown here:
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More police news: The WPD is investigating a car vs. canine accident last Saturday (April 13), at 11:30 a.m. on Compo Road North adjacent to Winslow Park. A driver struck a dog, then left the scene.
Anyone who witnessed the accident should email jkimball@westportct.gov.
Dogs occasionally run away from Winslow Park. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
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Yesterday’s “06880” story on “Suffs” — the musical about early 20th century suffragists that opened last night on Broadway — highlighted producer Jill Furman, a Westporter.
There’s another local connection: 2008 Staples High School graduate Leo Stagg.
A former Staples Player member (and winner of the Paul Steen Award for Fine Character, Dedication, Honesty, and Excellence in Performance), he is the head carpenter for “Suffs.”
His mother Heli — who runs the Westport Library café — was at last night’s show.
The “Suffs” set.
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Speaking of women’s rights:
State Representative Anne Hughes will discuss reproductive justice issues, in Connecticut and the nation, after this Sunday’s Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport service.
Hughes — whose district includes Weston, Easton and Redding — has sponsored pro-choice legislation that expands the eligibility of trained practitioners, nurses, and physician assistants to provide abortions, and blocks Texas and other states from targeting Connecticut patients, doctors and advocates.
The event is sponsored by UU Westport’s Reproductive Justice Committee. The public is invited to the April 21 10 a.m. service, or the discussion only, which begins around 11:30 a.m.
Questions> Email beth@uuwestport.org, or call 203.227.7205, ext. 10.
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There’s a new “Passage” at Pasacreta Park.
That’s the name of Niki Ketchman’s new sculpture. It was installed yesterday at the peaceful oasis on Riverside Avenue, across from Saugatuck Elementary School.
The work is part of a joint initiative between the Westport Arts Advisory Committee, Westport Parks & Recreation Department and the Parks & Recreation Commission, to beautify town parks. It is on loan for 5 years.
Ketchman — whose work has been exhibited at the Katonah Museum, New Britain Museum of American Art, and the Aldrich and Bruce Museums — can visit her work often. She has lived in Westport for almost 50 years.
A public dedication is set for May 4 (4 p.m.).
Sculptor Niki Ketchman (umbrella) watches the installation of “Passage” at Pasacreta Park. (Photo courtesy of Nancy Diamond)
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The Westport Young Woman’s League is sponsoring 2 great — and very different — events.
The 45th annual Minute Man Race Sunday, April 28 at Compo Beach.
The main event includes a certified USA Track and Field 10K run, 5K run, and 5K walk.
Kids Fun Run activities involve a 50-yard dash, 100-yard dash, 1/2-mile run and 1-mile run, featuring a Kids Zone during and after the race.
On-site refreshments include a food truck, ice cream truck and beer truck.
Race net proceeds benefit a number of area charities. Click here to register, and for more information.
The next day — Monday, April 29 (Christ & Holy Trinity Church, 11:30 a.m.)– the WYWL hosts a lunch with chef and TV host Lidia Bastianich.
The 3-course meal features Bastianich’s recipes. All attendees get a gift from Cuisinart. There’s also a free raffle.
VIP ticket holders meet Bastianich in person, take photos and get an autographed copy of her book, “From our Family Table to Yours.”
The event highlights the Young Woman’s League grant program. Click here for tickets and more information.
The start of a Minute Man race.
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The Rock & Roll Legends exhibit — dozens of Michael Friedman’s photos from the 1960s, including the Rolling Stones, The Band, Janis Joplin and more — draws a constant stream of visitors to the pop-up gallery on Church Lane.
On May 14 (7 p.m.), it will draw a large crowd for an Alzheimer’s Association fundraiser. 100% of ticket sales go the non-profit.
The event includes stories from Friedman himself, Q-and-A, and a raffle to win a photograph and signed book.
For tickets ($100), click here; then click “Donate to the Team” once, and — on the next page — “Donate to the Team” again.
Questions? Email mindiroca@yahoo.com, or call 914-806-3090.
Michael Friedman in his pop-up gallery. His photo shows Levon Helm, legendary drummer for The Band.
Whether you watched this month’s solar eclipse in full totality (amazing, we’re told), or here in Westport (less so), you probably have a set or two of special sunglasses sitting around somewhere.
You can hold onto them for the next eclipse, years from now.
Or you can donate them to Astronomers Without Borders. The non-profit recycles them. Click here for more information.
The nearest collection sites are in Bethel and Shelton.
That’s a lot closer than the sun.
Recycle those eclipse glasses! (Photo/Amy Schneider)
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Seth van Beever ties together today’s “Westport … Naturally” image, and next month’s holiday: “This dogwood tree at 22 Treadwell Avenue was planted for my mom‘s first Mother’s Day, in 1976.”
And finally … Dickey Betts died yesterday in Florida. He was 80, and suffered from cancer and chronic destructive pulmonary disease.
The New York Times called him “a honky-tonk hell raiser who, as a guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band, traded fiery licks with Duane Allman in the band’s early-1970s heyday, and who went on to write some of the band’s most indelible songs, including its biggest hit, ‘Ramblin’ Man.'” Click here for a full obituary.
(Have a great weekend! No matter what you plan, “06880” will be here for you. We’re your 24/7/365 hyper-local blog. We rely on reader support. Please click here — and thank you.)
Posted onApril 11, 2024|Comments Off on Rev. Taylor Renews A Contract — And A Congregation
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport does not rush things.
Whether the issue is tapping the endowment to pay for building maintenance, or where to stand on a social justice issue, members study and debate deliberately.
Then they act decisively.
That’s the process they’re taking to replace former minister Rev. Dr. John Morehouse.
When Rev. Alan Taylor showed interest in becoming interim minister — while still serving at Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois, where he’d developed a refugee resettlement program and mental health awareness team, engaged his church in legislative advocacy and charity work, and where his wife and teenage children were living happily — they worked out a hybrid model.
Rev. Taylor spends 10 days a month in Westport. Back home, he carries out his duties via email, Zoom and phone. He serves in partnered ministry with UU Westport’s longtime minister of music, Rev. Ed Thompson.
Rev. Alan Taylor
The Westport church still has not called a permanent minister. They’ve renewed Rev. Taylor’s contract for a second year, through August of 2025.
And there’s an option to renew it again, for one more year after that.
As he did a year ago, Rev. Taylor asked his family if the arrangement was okay. His wife, Angelica Taylor-Cortes, gave up her career as a language instructor and cross-cultural consultant to stay at home with their children, now 16 and 13.
Being away from his family one-third of every month is not easy. But, Rev. Taylor says, “my wife recognizes how fulfilled I am. This is such meaningful work, providing leadership to a congregation that was once a flagship in our denomination.”
The congregation is still, he says, “thoughtful and engaged. They want to create a community that benefits themselves, and the entire country.
“A significant number of folks want to figure out how to live their faith in a meaningful way, through charity, social justice and advocacy.”
Noted architect Victor Lundy designed Westport’s striking Unitarian Universalist building.
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport has a long, storied history. Activists like Jerry and Denny Davidoff were national leaders in the UU movement. The church played a major role too when Connecticut considered eliminating the death penalty.
Locally, Rev. Ed Lane had coordinated clergy to protest the Vietnam War.
Over the years though, the local church pulled back a bit. There was, Rev. Taylor learned, “a certain amount of conflict” over the past decade.
They always continued their charity work. During COVID, for example, the congregation provided meals in Bridgeport, by making sack lunches. It was the only organization to do so.
That type of problem-solving — and the Westport church’s history — appealed to Rev. Taylor, whose background included 3 years as a counselor for abused children, and working in Illinois on gun violence prevention, the criminal justice system, and with undocumented immigrants.
In Westport — and from his home office in Oak Park — Rev. Taylor wants to help the church here lay the groundwork for the next 25 or 30 years.
The sanctuary on Lyons Plains Road.
He is challenging the congregation to have “difficult conversations about what is important, both as a group and one-on-one. We need to understand what we really value.”
To do that, Rev. Taylor says, “individuals need to hear each other’s thoughts. These are not natural conversations to have. They take incredible energy. But they can be really beautiful.”
Church members like David Vita are, he notes, “very effective at this. They’re helping us figure out how to come together as a progressive faith community, and discern our core commitments.”
In Westport, Rev. Taylor has joined with other clergy on important projects. After October 7 he headed to Temple Israel, the congregation’s Coleytown Road neighbor.
In return, Rabbi Michael Friedman brought their Torah to the UU church.
Rev. Taylor has also taken his congregants to Bridgeport’s Islamic Center, to show solidarity.
The newly rehired interim minister looks forward to uniting the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport over the next 16 months.
Or perhaps the next 30.
Rev. Alan Taylor.
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Sergeant Dan Paz, Corporal Craig Bergamo and Officer Dominique Carr represented the Westport Police Department yesterday, at the Long Island funeral of Jonathan Diller.
The New York Police Department officer was killed Monday, during a traffic stop in Queens.
The trio helped with the escort, in Massapequa Park.
More than 200 police motorcycles, and thousands of officers from around the country, attended the service.
“It really hits home for the officers working the road, and their families, any time an officer is killed,” says Westport Police Chief Foti Koskinas.
“But even more so when it’s so close to home. We are very fortunate to have the unwavering support of our community.”
Dan Paz, Dominique Carr and Craig Bergamo, at Jonathan Diller’s funeral yesterday.
Westport’s Lighthouse Church children’s choir kicked off Easter weekend yesterday with a double dose of joy.
They sang for seniors and nursing home staff at Cambridge Health & Rehabilitation Center in Fairfield, and Northbridge Healthcare Center in Bridgeport.
But the egg hunt fun continues next Saturday (April 6). At 10:30 a.m., the Westport Book Shop hosts kids and families on Jesup Green, across the street from their popular store.
In addition to eggs, there’s a reading and signing by children’s author Diana Blau, face painting and snacks.
Reserve a spot by email (bookshop@westportbooksaleventures.org) or phone (203-349-5141).
Later in the month (April 25, 6 p.m.), the Book Shop’s Short Story Book Club discusses 2 short stories about parent-child relationships, and parents’ aspirations for their children.
They’re “Rules of The Game” by Amy Tan (originally part of her novel “The Joy Luck Club”) and “I Stand Here Ironing.” Copies of the stories are online, and included in many short story compilations.
Space is limited. Email bookshop@westportbooksaleventures.org, or call 203-349-5141.
The Westport Book Shop hosts events inside, and on Jesup Green.
This fall, the state’s public television channel will air television premieres of two short films produced by the 1971 Staples High School graduate.
“The High School That Rocked!” explored the magical years when great bands — the Doors, Yardbirds, Cream, Rascals, Remains and more — played at Staples.
The award-winning film was the only documentary short selected to screen at The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Film Series in 2018.
Cantor’s latest documentary, “It’s a Hollywood Life!,” focuses on longtime Westport resident Susan Granger’s 80-plus years connected to the movie business.
But you don’t have to wait until fall for that one. The Ridgefield Independent Film Festival screens the Hollywood film May 18. Immediately after, there’s a Q-and-A with Granger, Keir Dullea and Mia Dillon, and the directors. Click here for tickets.
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In the 13 months ending in February 2024, President Biden raised $3.17 million in individual contributions from Connecticut residents. Donald Trump brought in $1.4 million.
But, CT Mirror reports, Trump leads in the number of individuals who donated since last April: 31,708 to 5,925.
Westport is one of only 2 Fairfield County towns in which Biden drew more individual donations than Trump: 188 to 99. The other town is Sherman (10 to 2).
Click here for the full story, including an interactive map.
Donation map, showing which candidate had more donations in each Connecticut town. Biden is blue, Trump is red.
Just in time for Easter, the full soundtrack for “Dante: Inferno to Paradise, Part 2: Resurrection” is available for streaming.
Emmy- and Grammy-winning composer (and Staples High School Class of 1971 graduate) Brian Keane scored the music — his latest success, in a wide-ranging career of writing, producing and recording.
Matthew Modine (“Oppenheimer,” “Full Metal Jacket”) will be at the Westport Library for a free screening of his new documentary, “Downwind” (April 11, 6:30 p.m.)
He’ll be joined by his producing partner, Adam Rackoff. They’ll discuss the movie afterward, then answer audience questions.
“Downwind” tells the story of what happened after the events depicted in “Oppenheimer.” It focuses on Mercury, Nevada, the testing site for 928 large-scale nuclear weapons from 1951 to 1992.
Featuring members of the Shoshone Nation and many others affected by the radioactive fallout from those tests, the documentary “uncovers the US government’s disregard for everyone and everything living ‘downwind.’”
“Downwind” currently holds a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Dr. Alice Paul was one of the early 20th century’s most prominent women’s rights activists.
She was one of the keys to the passage of the 19th Amendment, and in 1923 introduced the Equal Rights Amendment.
Dr. Paul was a 40-year resident of Ridgefield.
On April 13 (2 p.m.), the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport hosts a talk with Darla Shaw, who worked with Dr. Paul for many years, here in Fairfield County. The public is invited.
Last year’s 1st-ever National Drinking with Chickens Day was such a success, Wakeman Town Farm is bringing it back.
Next months event (May 23, 6:30 p.m.) features live music by Luke Molina, light bite including pizza by Tony Napolitano, craft cocktails by mixxed.by.ed, and guest appearances by the WTF flock.
Tickets to the hen party are $100 each. Click here to register … then shake a tail feather.
Bobbi Essagof spotted this dove — today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature — on her Saugatuck Avenue deck.
“Peace ahead?” she wonders.
From her lips to …
(Photo/Bobbi Essagof)
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And finally … speaking of chickens (see story) above:
(“06880” is your hyper-local blog — and your source for everything Westport-related, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Nancy Diamond is traveling in Israel, on a mission trip sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County.
She’s joined by fellow Westporters Sonia Ben Yehuda, Stephanie Gordon, Lisa Hayes, Jeffrey Mayer, Lynn Rabinovici Park and Shirah Sklar.
It’s been both a sobering and inspiring journey. Nancy writes:
Five days into our trip to war-torn Israel we were given unusual access to the sites of the October 7 massacre, when Hamas terrorists conducted a surprise attack on young concert-goers and residents on the border with the Gaza Strip. Most of the areas our group visited are still being treated as crime sites.
Our 18-member group met with residents of two kibbutzim, agricultural settlements that suffered some of the worst brutalities. Families were shot in their homes; women were raped and beheaded; bodies were dismembered and booby trapped with explosives.
In Kibbutz K’far Aza, 63 residents were massacred. Nineteen were kidnapped and taken a few kilometers away to Gaza.
Israeli kibbutz, after the terrorist attack.
Although 14 of the hostages have been returned, a kibbutz resident told us, “Until the rest are back, we cannot move on. We are still at the beginning of the story, and we don’t know where it will go.”
Remembering missing hostages, at a kibbutz.
The scenes at the kibbutzim were horrific: homes pockmarked with bullet holes and burned. Shoes, toys, mattresses and burned appliances strewn about the yards. Red symbols on doorways indicated how many bodies were inside and whether they had been cleared of explosives and terrorists. This process took some 10 days.
Post-attack information — and a sign from a more peaceful time.
We heard first hand descriptions of the ways in which families had sought refuge in safe rooms, some for more than 24 hours. Some fought back, and some lost their lives.
Very few residents have returned to their settlements. Most are refugees in their own country, having been resettled around the country. Several families are housed in our hotel in Tel Aviv, using the lobby as their living room.
As the air shook with the reverberations of Israeli shells exploding a few miles away inside Gaza, the group visited the site of the Supernova music festival where Hamas killed 364 men and women — most in their early 20s — and kidnapped 44.
The festival site has become a spontaneous monument. Pictures of the victims have been propped on steel poles; volunteers placed candles at the foot of the poles, and families have added personal touches including personal notes, flowers, memorabilia, and QR codes for information about the victims. It was heartbreaking to see hundreds of beautiful, young, faces now no longer alive.
The music festival site is now a monument.
Perhaps the most spine-chilling comment we heard came from a kibbutz resident: “This massacre is not an Israeli problem or a Jewish problem. The terrorists have shown us the playbook for their next attack on the West.”
Our group left the Gaza border area exhausted and emotionally drained, but strengthened in our resolve to share these first-hand accounts.
Remembering victims of October 7. (All photos courtesy of Nancy Diamond)
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