Eli Sharabi — who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and spent 16 months as a hostage before his release last year — spoke to an overflow audience Wednesday night, at the Westport Library. He is on a US speaking tour.
Former CNN journalist and Westport resident Alisyn Camerota moderated the event. “06880” correspondent Robin Moyer Chung reports:
After being greeted with a standing ovation, Sharabi began his harrowing story of survival.
A CFO of a private equity firm, Eli lived in a kibbutz 3 miles from the Gaza border with his wife Lianne, and daughters Noiya and Yahel. Life was peaceful, living among Palestinians who worked in the kibbutz.
Eli Sharabi, with Alisyn Camerota. (Photo/KT Kaminski)
But on October 7, Hamas stormed into his home. They kidnapped Sharabi, and forced him into an underground tunnel for 491 days.
He and his fellow captors were starved, shackled together, physically and psychologically tortured, and in constant, excruciating pain.
He said of his “living” quarters, “There’s no running water, no toothpaste, no toilet paper. The toilet backs up onto the floor. The stench is unimaginable. Worms infiltrate your living quarters. The relentless hunger starts changing everyone’s personality. The filth starts affecting everyone’s health. Hostages start getting sick. It’s hard to imagine a worse hell.”
Eli Sharab — before and after his capture.
Sharabi described his guards too. They cried into their pillows at night, and had panic attacks. Two of them once excitedly told him “about this wonderful movie that they just saw, called ‘Titanic.’”
His audience realized: His guards were human. They watched movies, missed their families and were overwhelmed by the stress of their jobs.
Still, they felt entitled to beat and starve other humans in horrific, unconscionable ways.
On February 8, 2025 — the day he was released — Sharabi asked to see his wife and daughter.
Instead, a social worker from the Israel Defense Forces said that just his mother and sister were waiting for him in Reimkamp. Without her telling him, he knew his wife and daughter had not survived.
But Sharabi is adamant about making his life larger than his experience. “My memories will be alongside of my life, not part of my life,” he said. “I’ll make them proud of me.”
His hope and determination to stay alive for his family saved his life, and perhaps the lives of others around him.
Today, Sharabi travels the world. He talks about his experiences, and helps people understand the terror of being a hostage of Hamas.
Audience members were emotional, as they offered another standing ovation at the end of the evening.
A portion of last night’s Westport Library audience. (Photo/KT Kaminski)
October 7, 2023 was an emotional day for many Westporters.
So was October 13, 2025, when Hamas released all 20 living hostages.
Jodie Semel has lived in Westport for 27 years. She earned a master’s degree in counseling, and has a private practice on telehealth. She says, “My spirit is fueled by the love of my husband and kids, cherished friendships, hiking, deepening my professional development with a special cohort of colleagues, baking granola, and more enrichment than I could have imagined from my involvement with the Chabad.”
Today, Jodie reflects on the past 2 years.
I found out about the October 7th massacre early that morning through a few Israeli blogs I subscribe to.
I was in Florida, preparing to go to synagogue for a bat mitzvah. We didn’t have the full picture until late afternoon.
As I spoke with my best friend in Tel Aviv, both of us in anguish, I told her I didn’t think I could go to the celebration that evening. She reminded me that it is a mitzvah — a blessing — to be happy.
I realized that if I didn’t celebrate this beautiful Jewish milestone, the terrorists would win. That demanded of me to practice living with “both/and,” as we are taught in the Torah — a dialectical way of holding joy and grief at once.
Over the past 2 years I’ve felt an enormity of sorrow, fear, anger, and disbelief — and through it all, a deepened, empowered sense of Jewish pride in my faith, culture, and people. Though my Jewish identity was always central, I was surprised by how that day’s events intensified my connection to a heritage that has sustained our people for more than 3,800 years. That connection has been medicinal.
The aftermath of October 7 transformed how many of us in the Jewish community lived our daily lives. It is one thing to feel despondent or bereft alone; it is another to experience those emotions as part of a nation.
A small part of the October 7 destruction. (Photo/Julie Podziba)
As we say in Hebrew, Am Yisrael — the people of Israel — are one, whether in the homeland or the diaspora. We are one nation, in pain and in joy; when one person is wounded, it feels as though a family member has been hurt. Yet when we feel it together, we begin to heal together.
Only Am Yisrael can truly understand the heartbreak of October 7 and its aftermath — a pain felt collectively, yet bound by a profound beauty in that very togetherness.
Local organizations created spaces for this unity, helping us navigate and heal through an experience unlike any we had faced before. I am deeply grateful for both our established organizations and the ingenuity of the ad hoc organizers in our community who stepped up in ways that allowed us to stand shoulder to shoulder, feeling the flux of emotions together.
What could be more validating for a community feeling so powerless? In Judaism, we believe that healing in community magnifies comfort, just as joy shared together becomes even more meaningful. Neither is meant to be experienced in isolation.
For much of the ensuing 2 years, my calendar has been filled with multiple weekly events offered by the Jewish Federation and our synagogues. The town vigil and menorah lighting, with all of our clergy present, helped us feel less alone in our pain.
As the weeks and months passed, while hearing about so much suffering in the Middle East, many of us here felt a renewed sense of unity. Bonds and friendships were strengthened — or newly formed — that might not have been otherwise.
With each hostage release, I felt immense relief — both personally and shared — and with the final homecoming, that relief spread through our entire community, echoed in our local WhatsApp groups, on the Jewish Westport Facebook page, and in person. It has been profoundly meaningful to acknowledge that feeling together, to breathe again as one people after holding our collective breath for so long.
Judaism teaches that even a single match can light up the darkness. Many in our community have brought light since that Black Saturday. Chabad of Westport, Weston, and Wilton has been an eternally lit lamp for me and the community — from the first Shabbat service after the attacks, to challah bakes with released hostages, to their ongoing speaker series.
Every gathering has filled and nourished our community with strength, hope, and meaning. Even when those seemed hard to find, Rabbi Yehuda and Dina Kantor have been true lamplighters, showing us how to create meaning and bring joy.
The Jewish Federation has been outstanding in its response — through speaker events and especially their “Empty Chairs” installation at Compo Beach in November 2023, displaying 240 beach chairs with photos of each hostage in Gaza, and their recent gathering marking the second year. We all felt the pain and helplessness of our people being held captive, but I was also filled with pride in our town and how people showed up for such a meaningful cause.
Melinda Wasserman has been a visionary, finding a functional way to act when so many of us felt powerless, bringing the weekly hostage walks, Run 4 Their Lives. We’ve also found connection and healing through our synagogues’ various events and speakers.
These local experiences, along with the friendships I’ve built over 27 years in Westport and the new ones formed since the attacks, have reminded me that even in difficult times, we must nurture the connections that align with our deepest values.
As a Jewish person living in Westport, I’ve seen how strong and compassionate our community can be. The past 2 years have shown me that Jewish identity is about connection to our rich heritage and to each other, as we stand together through both pain and healing, joy and celebration.
I am a proud Jew with a deep love for the State of Israel — a love shared by my husband and 2 daughters.
For most Jews, Israel is local. We knew every hostage’s name and story. We hung posters, replaced them when they were torn down, and followed every update with anguish and hope.
The hostages became our brothers, sisters, parents, and friends. As my husband recently said, “Israel may be the smallest nation, but Jews are the biggest family.”
My husband and I joined the first Westport Run For Their Lives walk, organized by Melinda Wasserman and Jennifer Wolff. While we couldn’t attend every week, many in our community did.
Other ways the community stayed connected to what was happening in Israel was to go on organized missions sponsored by local Synagogues and Jewish organizations. I traveled May 2024 with The Community Synagogue, under Rabbi Wiederhorn’s leadership. We met soldiers, journalists, and families directly affected by October 7th.
With hostages’ relatives, in Israel. (Photo/Julie Podziba)
One encounter that left an indelible mark on our Westport group was meeting my friend of 30+ years, Leslie — an attorney with Israel’s Ministry of Justice — and hearing the story of her daughter, Adi, a survivor of the Nova music festival.
Adi and her friends — Yoad Peer, Aner Shapiro, and Hersh Goldberg Polin — fled north when the assault began, taking cover in a small bomb shelter already crowded with others.
Aner, a soldier, heroically caught and threw back 7 grenades before being killed by the eighth. Hersh’s left arm was blown off. He was taken to Gaza, and ultimately murdered. When the terrorists entered the bomb shelter shooting all those who remained, Adi’s friend Yoad shielded her with his body, saving her life. Adi then survived by playing dead for more than 6 hours until rescuers arrived.
Nearly 2 years later, Adi came to Westport to honor her friend Yoad and, for the first time, shared her story publicly during the Yom Kippur service at TCS. Additionally, TCS honored Yoad’s memory by having a special Torah cover created that was inscribed with his name.
Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn with Adi, in Westport.
For those of us who joined the mission, the connection to Leslie, Adi, and their story runs deep. Welcoming Adi to Westport was both heartbreaking and profoundly meaningful — a moment that brought together sorrow, strength, and love.
The weekly Run For Their Lives, which so many Westporters took part in, Adi’s story, and the many others shared in our community, are constant reminders that what happened on October 7th and its aftermath is local to us.
And, we won’t stop hoping, praying and pushing until the remaining 15 bodies of murdered hostages are brought home to rest with dignity and love.
(Our “06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Send submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com.)
150 people met at the Westport Country Playhouse parking lot yesterday, for a special RunForTheirLives walk.
The “Orange Balloon Memorial March” honored the Bibas family, along with Oded Lifshitz, a founder of Kibbutz Nir Oz. All lived there, before being kidnapped on October 7, 2023.
RunForTheirLives-Westport founder Melinda Wasserman opened the march with moving words about how the Bibas boys had come to feel like “our own children,” followed by similarly grief-imbued comments by Jennifer Wolff.
Gathering in the Westport Country Playhouse parking lot …
Temple Israel’s Rabbi Elena Nemitoff-Bressler led the crowd in the Mourner’s Kaddish.
The group then carried orange balloons, most of them donated by Party Hardy owner Jackie Marshal.
… beginning the march downtown …
The balloons were tied onto both sides of the Ruth Steinkraus Bridge. They blew in the winter wind the rest of the day, a reminder of the flame-haired children Hamas had executed.
Event organizers called it “a stunningly moving event. Our grief-stricken community united in both mourning for those we have lost, and celebration of those who have been returned to their families and loved ones, and, of course, to Israel.”
… and leaving balloons on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge.
And on March 10 (6 to 8 p.m.), 2 weeks before the curtain rises on the Westport Country Playhouse production of the backstage comedy “Theatre People,” the 94-year-old institution salutes itself, its legacy, and the people who bring its shows to life.
“Get Ready for Theatre People! An Evening of Cocktails, Fun Tales and Backstage Tours” features an “alumni panel,” with actors Mia Dillon, Keir Dullea, Joe Delafield and Michael McCormick, former co-artistic director Anne Keefe, and more. Playhouse artistic director Mark Shanahan is the moderator.
The pre-show evening also includes behind-the-scenes tours led by WCP archivist and historian Bruce Miller, and a cocktail party.
Discount ticket offers will be available at the event for performances of “Theatre People.” The comedy is set in 1948 in a Newport mansion populated with characters in love with theater. They try to write a Broadway hit, but create as much drama among themselves as on paper.
Tickets for “Get Ready for Theatre People!” are $25; $15 for Encore Club members; click here to order. Click here for more details on “Theatre People” (March 25 through April 12).
Westport Country Playhouse historian Bruce Miller, with some of the 500 head shots near the dressing rooms underneath the stage. They’ll be part of the “Theatre People” tour.
This year’s 5th annual event is set for this Friday (February 28, 7 p.m., Westport Library). Sponsored by the Westport Downtown Association, it’s a benefit for Homes with Hope.
The show features the latest styles, from the town’s mot sophisticated and fashion-forward retailers.
Models are all local friends and celebrities. The emcee and runway director are neighbors too: Dave Briggs and Carey Price, respectively.
There’s a silent auction too, with categories like art, beauty, business, entertainment, food and wine, health and wellness, sports and travel.
Plus (of course!) fashion.
Bidding begins this Thursday (February 27, 6 p.m.). Click here to see all items.
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We’re 3 weeks away from the 5th anniversary of the week COVID rolled into Westport.
Within 24 hours, downtown was deserted. It took months for life to return.
But even in 2025, Main Street is still quiet early on Sunday mornings. William Weiss captured this “Last Picture Show” (Westport-style) image yesterday:
(Photo/William Weiss)
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Mary Brewster comes from an artistic family.
Her father, Howard Munce, was one of Westport’s most noted and beloved artists. He died in 2016, at 100.
She’s been knitting baby hats for quite a while. Now she has created a business: Hat Cakes. (The design looks like a little cake.)
She staged one on a plate, with miniature animals and fake snow. Images posted on social media have received positive feedback. Mothers (and grandmotherss) especially love them.
Contact marybrewste@gmail.com for more information. We hope Hat Cakes sell like hot cakes.
And finally … Jerry Butler — “The Iceman,” who as the first leader of the Impressions, as a duet with Betty Everett and as a solo artist had a long and successful career — died Thursday in Chicago.
He was 85, and suffered from Parkinson’s.
Among his many hits:
(Welcome to another week — and, each day, another Roundup bringing you news of events, people and sights all around Westport. Please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
Jennifer Wolff writes: “Once again, hostage poster thieves have taken to the Ruth Steinklaus Cohen Bridge and ripped down posters.
“And once again, the Westport chapter of RunForTheirLives printed new ones and replaced all that was stolen.
“We have an amazing community of caring people who take it upon themselves to keep reminding Westport and beyond that these innocent folks need to come home. The RunForTheirLifers who replaced the posters include Maya Rotem, Relly Coleman, Hagar Moshe, Ana White, Lynn Rabinovici Park, Julie Podziba and Nitsan Greif.
“We are tired of this cat-and-mouse game. Whatever anyone’s opinion about the conflict in the Middle East, we all can agree that the innocent hostages — many of whom on the morning of October 7 were either dancing, making breakfast for their kids, or still asleep — need to come home. Especially now that we have seen the conditions they are living and dying in.”
Hostage posters on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge.
The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee invites all stakeholders to a public charette next Wednesday October 23 (6 p.m., Westport Library).
Attendees can learn about current plans for Jesup Green, the Imperial Avenue parking lot, and a possible parking deck, with time for questions and feedback.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Ben Casparius secured last night’s 8-0 win over the New York Mets, in game 3 of the National League Championship Series.
It’s getting routine for the 2017 Staples High School graduate — called up to the majors only in August — to come on and succeed, in relief.
But there was another local twist to yesterday’s contest.
Mets’ public address announcer Marysol Castro has lived in Westport for 19 years. The first Latina to hold the job in Major League Baseball, she had the honor of announcing her fellow resident’s name to the CitiField crowd.
And her words were heard, presumably, by millions of Americans watching too. (Hat tip: Isa Didio)
If you weren’t watching the Mets and Dodgers last night, maybe you were at Compo Beach for the comet show.
Franco Fellah was.
He captured this great image of Comet C-2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas.
Check out the bright dust tail on one side, and opposite the rare, faint anti-tail, pointing at the sun.
(Photo/Franco Fellah)
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Survivor Rowing Network connects breast cancer survivors to bond and support each other through their love of rowing.
The Saugatuck Survive-Oars are proud members of the Network. Yesterday, they were part of the story on the Kelly Clarkson Show. Click below for the fascinating segment. (Hat tip: Dave Briggs)
Among the 100-plus Republican officials appearing with Vice President Kamala Harris yesterday, at a Pennsylvania rally: Westport’s former Congressman, Chris Shays.
Shays won a special election to replace Stewart McKinney, after the Republican’s death in 1987. He was elected to a full term in 1988, then re-elected 9 times.
Shays lost to Jim Himes in 2008. He was the most senior member of the House of Representatives to be defeated that year.
Other Republicans who joined Shays and Harris in Bucks County were former Representatives Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Mickey Edwards of Oklahoma, and former Governor Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey.
Former Congressman Chris Shays
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Remember the Maxytaxy?
The Westport Transit District is looking for color photos of the 1970s-era Mercedes bus that traveled throughout town, picking up and depositing riders. (Its cousin, the Minnybus, did the same, but on fixed routes.)
If anyone has a piece of an old Maxytaxy — hey, it doesn’t hurt to ask! — that would be even better.
Email pgoldrtm3@gmail.com with photos or actual bus parts.
In lieu of photos of a Maxytaxy, here’s one of a Minnybus. The transfer point was Jesup Green.
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Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between October 9 and 16.
A 34-year-old Stamford man was charged with interfering with an officer and breach of peace, following an investigation into a September domestic violence altercation in the Saugatuck railroad station parking lot.
A 36-year-old Bridgeport woman was arrested for larceny, and conspiracy to commit larceny, after an investigation into a September theft of $850 worth of merchandise from Stop & Shop.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 7 citations
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
Distracted driving: 2
Failure to drive in the proper lane: 2
Failure to grant right of way: 2
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 2
Failure to comply with state traffic control regulations: 2
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
Failure to renew registration: 2
Traveling unreasonably fast in a school zone: 1
Failure to yield to a pedestrian: 1
Following too closely: 1
Failure to obey stop sign: 1
Improper turn: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 1
Failure to reinstate license: 1
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Too many Westporters — and folks everywhere else — have been affected by ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).
ALS United Connecticut is sponsoring a walk this Saturday (October 19) at Sherwood Island State Park. Registration begins at 10 a.m.; the walk starts at 11.
The walk draws people together to honor all those affected by ALS, and remember those who have died. Click here for details, and registration.
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Noted artist Ruth Kalla Ungerer died Tuesday in her home on Bayberry Lane, surrounded by her family. She was 76.
The Pittsburgh native earned a bachelor of fine arts magna cum laude in sculpture from Drew University.
After years of artistic practice and raising 2 children, Ruth began a new career as director of the 1990 census operations for municipalities in New Jersey. She then spent more than 10 years at the Committee for Economic Development.
She continued her career in development leadership with non-profit organizations, including Literacy Volunteers of America, Montclair State University, the New School University and the Population Council. Her expertise was in strategic planning, corporate and foundation grantsmanship, and major individual donor solicitation.
After retiring, Ruth resumed her artistic career with a focus on printmaking. She worked independently and with fellow artists at the Center for Contemporary Printing in Norwalk and Milestone Graphics in Bridgeport.
Accompanying her husband Richard on business trips to China, Ruth worked with Zhang Dongmin and met Fan Li Jun, one of China’s most renowned artists.
In particular, Ruth pursued her love of the line and a feminist approach to the female form. Her work was shown in galleries and exhibitions across Connecticut and in Brooklyn.
Ruth received numerous awards and honors. She was active in the Artists Collective of Westport and the Center for Contemporary Printmaking, as a board member.
In addition, Ruth and husband became advocates for Montessori education around the world.
Ruth tried through her nonprofit work and arts engagement to underscore the importance of the creative spirit in enhancing the understanding of life’s complexities, as well as its wonders.
She is survived by her husband Richard, children Erika Grossman (Claire Psarouthakis) of Minneapolis, and Heather Grossman, of Urbana, Illinois, and older brother Ronald Kalla. She was predeceased by her younger brother, Alec Kalla.
Her family is grateful for the medical staff at Whittingham Cancer Center at Norwalk Hospital and elsewhere, and the many dedicated caregivers who supported her.
A graveside funeral service will be held tomorrow (Friday, October 18, 10 a.m., Willowbrook Cemetery). Shiva will be observed in her home that day, from noon to 6 p.m. .
(From Citi Field to Kelly Clarkson to comets in the sky, “06880” is where Westport meets the world. We couldn’t do it without you, though. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
A brilliant autumn afternon at Compo Beach was the scene yesterday for a solemn first anniversary remembrance of Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel.
(Photo/Ken Schwarz)
101 chairs symbolized the Israelis still held hostage. Attendees — some of whom march weekly to remember them — vowed to continue their vigils as long as necessary.
Veterans Green was packed yesterday with air-cooled car owners, their admirers — and of course, the vehicles themselves.
The 11th annual event was sponsored by the Small Car Company, the show raised money for the Bridgeport Arts & Cultural Council.
Peter Bush — the voice of “Coffee & Carburetors” — called the action. Auto tech high school students were on hand to learn (and have fun).
The event included awards, food and art exhibits.
(Photos/Sarathi Roy)
Westport-based Small Car Company — a club for air-cool aficionados — is loosely connected to the car dealership of the same name. It was located on Post Road West, diagonally across from Kings Highway Elementary School. Most recently, it was the site of Carvana.
The Westport Public Schools have embraced the concept of “growth mindset” — continuous developing through learning.
A special “Ignite Learning with a Growth Mindset” workshop (October 16, Westport Library) will allow the broader community to support students and staff on this journey.
Participants will learn how the beliefs we hold about our abilities shape our lives in significant ways, and how to apply this knowledge to support both their own success and that of their children.
“Growth mindset is not just about academic achievement. It’s a life skill that can benefit everyone,” says CJ Shamas, co-chair of the district’s Growth Mindset initiative.
“This workshop will provide practical strategies for embracing challenges, persisting in the face of setbacks, and viewing effort as the path to mastery.”
VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 marks the season on Saturday, October 19 (5 to 8 p.m.), with a Chili Cook-off.
The public is invited to the event, which includes a DJ, drink specials, prizes, a 50/50 raffle, and of course many varieties of all-you-can-eat chili.
And finally … in honor of yesterday’s air-cooled car event (story above):
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Every Sunday for months, Westporters have marched downtown to remember the hostages held by Hamas since the deadly October 7 attack on Israel.
Yesterday, more than 100 residents of all ages stood on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge. The memorial marked 300 days since the 250 hostages were taken. About 100 are believed to still be held captive.
The group held signs. They reaffixed posters bearing the Israelis’ names and faces to the bridge.
They were not alone. Passing drivers honked horns, in solidarity.
Posted onAugust 1, 2024|Comments Off on Roundup: Israeli Hostages, Joyce Carol Oates, Mike Greenberg …
Today marks 300 days in captivity for Israeli hostages.
Westporters will join a worldwide run/walk event, calling for the immediate release of the men and women held by Hamas.
It’s set for 6 p.m. tonight (Thursday) on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge. Jews and non-Jews will stand in solidarity, and hold signs — including the official artwork of the international campaign (below).
Organizers say, “this is a family-friendly event. Everyone is invited.”
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StoryFest — Connecticut’s largest literary festival, hosted annually by the Westport Library — has just added a Very Big Name.
Joyce Carol Oates will appear on the Trefz Forum stage September 21. It’s the writer’s first appearance here since she was honored at the 2008 Malloy Lecture in the Arts.
Oates will be joined by award-winning young adult author Ryan La Sala, best-selling writer Sarah Beth Durst, fantasy writer P. Djèlí Clark, National Endowment of the Arts Fellow Peng Shepherd, and novelist Claire Messud.
Oates appears the day after a keynote conversation between author, essayist and editor Roxane Gay, and memoirist and novelist Oliver Radclyffe (September 20). Sunday (September 22) includes a PitchFest workshop with Bloom Writers’ Studio.
In addition to Oates’ and the other panels, Saturday includes 2 live podcast recordings; the awarding of the 2024 Westport Prize for Literature, and a special ceremony for the late Sybil Steinberg, former Publisher’s Weekly editor and beloved Westport icon. This year’s StoryFest is dedicated to Steinberg.
Click here for the full schedule, and more information.
From left: P. Djèli Clark, Joyce Carol Oates, Joe R. Lansdale.
Last weekend, Westport native Chelsea Cutler played at the Levitt.
Tonight (Thursday) at 7:30 p.m., the outdoor amphitheater features another home-grown musician: Drew Angus.
Growing up listening to Tom Petty, the Beatles and Rolling Stones, the 2007 Staples High School graduate merges classic rock influences with modern pop, folk and Americana artists like Ben Rector, The Lone Bellow and John Mayer.
Drew has shared stages with Mumford & Sons, Stevie Nicks, Noah Kahan, Zach Bryan, Pat Benatar, and Andrea Bocelli (on “Live with Kelly & Ryan”). He performed the national anthem at Citi Field and Oracle Park, and appeared on “Saturday Night Live” with Jimmy Fallon and Harry Styles. In 2023, one of his recordings was shared by Elton John to millions of followers.
Back in town last Sunday, Drew drew a large and appreciative crowd at the first-ever Soundview Summer Stroll.
Click here for free tickets, and more information.
Many Westporters love pickleball. On August 5 (6 p.m., Intensity Racquet Club), they can play for a cause.
Th Alzheimer’s Association fundraiser is organized by Westporters Mary Sue Teplitz and Dina Upton. Money raised will go toward the Fairfield County Walk to End Alzheimer’s, set for October 27 at Calf Pasture Beach.
Teplitz’s mother died from Alzheimer’s in 2012. “It seems like almost everyone has been touched by this disease in some way,” Mary Sue says.
Tickets are $100. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
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Mike Greenberg does not shy away from controversy.
The ESPN and ABC sports show host and Westport resident wrote “Got Your Number” — a guaranteed bar-argument-starting book describing which legends owned the jersey numbers 1 to 100.
His new book may start even more debates — because he and co-author Paul Hembekides claim to end them.
“Got Your Answers: The 100 Greatest Sports Arguments — Settled” comes out in September.
In it, Greenberg asks — and answers — questions like: What are the top 10 dynasties in major sports history? The top 10 most coveted sports trophies? The top 7 Game 7 performances? The top 10 Negro Leagues player?
Ranging from professional and college team sports to tennis, boxing and auto racing, Greenberg covers it all.
He’s pretty sure he’s right about all the answers.
Westport Police made 3 custodial arrests between July 24 and 31.
A 58-year-old Westport man was arrested for DUI and violation of traffic control signals, after driving erratically in Fairfield and Westport. He was swerving between lanes, stopping for extended periods at green lights, and failing to stop for red lights.
A 41-year-old Royersford, Pennsylvania woman was arrested for illegal possession of personal ID information, illegal reproduction of a payment card, identity theft, criminal impersonation and forgery. M&T Bank on Post Road West called police after she attempted to withdraw money with fraudulent identification.
A 35-year-old Bridgeport woman was arrested for failure to appear, following a motor vehicle violation stop.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 17 citations
Driving while texting: 7
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 7
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 6
Traveling unreasonably fast: 5
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 5
Failure to obey stop sign: 4
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 4
Improper use of markers: 4
Speeding: 3
Failure to reinstate license: 3
Failure to renew registration: 3
Violation of probation: 1
Distracted driving: 1
Traveling too fast for conditions: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1
Operating a motorcycle without insurance: 1
Failure to carry license: 1
Failure to display lights: 1
Failure to obey posted height requirements: 1
One result of failing obey posted height requirements. (Photo/Jennifer Johnson)
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Get ready for the High Holy Days.
The Westport Library and the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County host food writers Naama Shefi and Westport’s own Liz Rueven in conversation about Jewish recipes and culinary heritage September 9, 7 p.m.).
The event highlights Shefi’s cookbook, “The Jewish Holiday Table: A World of Recipes, Traditions & Stories to Celebrate All Year Long.”
Westport resident Tim Lewis died peacefully on Saturday, surrounded by his family, from complications of cancer. He was 58.
Tim loved his Kansas City roots, returning often to watch the Chiefs with high school friends. He had played clarinet in the orchestra, sung in the chorus, been on the swim team, and started on the football team.
At Yale University Tim was a member of the a cappella group the Spizzwinks.
Tim had a deep commitment to community service, established while canvassing for his mother’s election to the Kansas City school board amid a heated battle over desegregation.
After college, living in Washington, Tim volunteered at a homeless shelter.
After graduating from Kellogg School of Management, Tim had a long, successful career in private equity and business consulting. He served as a principal at the The Keystone Group, followed by CRG Partners and Atlantic Street Capital, before joining Southfield Capital where he was a partner for nearly 10 years.
He served as a Westport Soccer Association commissioner for 4 years. He coached youth soccer and basketball, served on the St. Luke’s School board of directors, and volunteered with Social Impact Partners of CT.
His family says, “Tim gave generously to many educational and scholarship funds, so other kids could have the advantages he and his children did. Tim’s unique touch was connecting with people from all walks of life and with all points of view. He firmly believed in and practiced the art of civil discourse, even in these divided times.”
His obituary says: “Nothing topped his devotion to his family. His wife Alisyn and children Ale, Cessa and Nate were his top priorities. He loved them deeply, actively and tirelessly.
“Tim was famous for coordinating play dates, soccer schedules, date night, violin and drum lessons, all while ordering fall clothing for the kids (often to their chagrin) and making high-stakes work conference calls.
“He was a memory-making mastermind, relentless in his pursuit of family time through neighborhood walks, vacation hikes, and beach days in Nantucket. He particularly cherished family trips, from Northampton to Sedona, Machu Picchu to the Galapagos Islands, Italy, Scotland and beyond.”
He is survived by his wife of 23 years Alisyn, twin daughters Ale and Cessa, son Nate, parents Karen and Stan, sister and brother Catherine (Alex) and John (Suzanne), nieces Sadie, Zoe and Sasha, and nephew Eli.
The Ithaca College junior sports media major earned a spot at the Las Vegas media row.
He was a 3-time John Drury National High School Radio Award winner (best play-by-play, sports talk and news feature) at Staples High School) for his work at WWPT-FM, while at Staples High School.
Manna was selected to work the first-ever ESPN Sports Kidcast. He covers a variety of sports for Ithaca and Cornell University, and recently won 2 College Broadcaster Inc. awards.
He is active too with the Ithaca Youth Bureau, coaching after-school football, basketball and baseball, and assists with arts and crafts and homework at a local elementary school.
Congratulations, Cam. “06880” is following your career with interest and pride.
Herm Freeman is the Westport Book Shop’s artist exhibitor for February. His recent landscapes — inspired by Cezanne, Soutine and villages in the south of France — are on display at the Jesup Road store throughout the month.
Freeman has taught art in Connecticut schools since 1973, and exhibited works throughout the US and Europe for over 40 years.
And finally … today is National Thank a Mailman Day.
Kind of weird that it comes on the one day a week when the mail is not delivered, right? I’m just sayin’ …
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Over 400 people packed the Library last month to hear Dr. Clarence Jones, Martin Luther King’s 93-year-old speechwriter and confidant.
Next week, he’ll have an audience of 100 million,
Foundation to Combat Antisemitism — a group created by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft — will air its first Super Bowl commercial ever. It will feature Dr. Jones.
“I know I can speak for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when I say without a doubt that the Civil Rights movement (including the passage of the Civil Rights and Voting Acts) would not have occurred without the unwavering and largely unsung efforts of the Jewish people,” Jones told FCAS.
“With hate on the rise, it is as important as ever that all of us stand together and speak out. Silence is not an option. I’m glad that I’ve lived long enough to partner with Robert Kraft and FCAS to continue to spread the message to the widest possible audience — the Super Bowl.” (Hat tip: Howard Edelstein)
Dr. Clarence Jones (far right) at the Westport Library for last month’s Dr. Martin Luther King celebration with (from left) New York Congressman Ritchie Torres, and NBC host and Westport resident Craig Melvin. (Photo/Caitlin Jacob)
The Staples Rugby Club is holding a “squares fundraiser.” Boxes are $20. Payouts are $100 for the first 3 quarters, $200 for the final. All net proceeds help fund the Staples boys and girls rugby programs.
Payment is due February 9. Numbers will be assigned February 10.
Payment can be made by Venmo (@staplesrugbyclub) or by clicking here. For more information, click here.
Staples High School rugby team.
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Statistics show that 1 in 5 girls ages 15 to 17 are sexually assaulted. In college, the figure is 1 in 5 women, 1 in 16 men.
In response, the Staples High School cheerleaders are organizing a self-defense fundraiser, with the Westport Police Department and Fit Club Jiu-Jitsu. The event is Sunday, February 11 (2 sessions — 9:30 to 11:30 a.m; 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.) at Fit Club, 1496 Post Road, Fairfield).
Instructors include Joe Oppedisano, detective Beth Leetch, and officers Mike Ruttenber and Rob Curcio.
The cost is $75 per person. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Rowan Center in Stamford, which works with victims of sexual assault.
Space is limited. To register, and for more information, email StaplesWreckersCheer@gmail.com.
Westport Pride is offering 2 $1,000 scholarships this spring. One is for a Staples High school student; the other is for a non-Staples student, elsewhere in Fairfield County.
Applications are open to “anyone who has planned or been a part of activism- centered activities or organizations aimed at bettering the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community, for any members of the LGBTQ+ community who feel their experience as a young queer person has shaped their perspective and an aspect of themselves, or LGBTQ+ individuals who produced an art piece that highlights history, struggle or triumphs in the LGBTQ+ community.”
Click here for the Westport Pride Staples Scholarship; click here for the Westport Pride Fairfield County Scholarship. The deadline for both is May 1.
The teenager who was convicted of seriously injuring a 64-year-old Uber Eats driver during a 2022 Westport car robbery was sentenced to 6 months in prison yesterday.
Jason Minor, 18, of New Haven was handed the sentence — which also includes a 5-year suspended sentence, and 5 years of probation — after violating a program that could have ended with the charges against him being dropped, CT Insider reports.
Longtime Westporter Katharine Miller was delivering Uber Eats to supplement her income. She was assaulted picking up an order, and suffered a head injury. Residents donated $33,000 to help defray medical and rehabilitation bills.
Katherine Miller in 2022, with Bridgeport students holding “magic keys” that were part of her book donation drive. She initiated the project after being assaulted as an Uber Eats driver. Yesterday, her assailant was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
The other day, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport put on a barn dance.
As soon as the music started, a hawk flew into a tree, just outside the church.
He stayed for a while. “I guess he liked the music,” says Johanna Keyser Rossi. She enjoyed watching him — and photographed him, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
And finally … it’s not often that a rock star’s mother’s death rate a New York Times obituary.
But it’s not often that one has an impact on her like Adele Springsteen’s did.
Bruce’s mom — who died Wednesday at 98 — rented him his first guitar when he was 7, then encouraged him and his musical passion in the face of her husband’s lack of steady work and mental illness. (Click here for a full obituary.)
I understood Adele’s importance to her son — and to musical history — when I sat in the second row for “Springsteen on Broadway.”
Among the Boss’ many moving stories, the one about his mother stands out.
She was several years into Alzheimer’s, he said. “But the need to dance, that need to dance, is something that hasn’t left her. She can’t speak. She can’t stand. But when she sees me, there’s a smile.”
And then he launched into a loving, lovely version of “Dancing in the Dark.”
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As the Compo Beach playground renovation project kicks into high gear, young artists have a chance to help.
And win a $100 Amazon gift card.
Students in kindergarten through 5th grade who live in Westport or Weston can enter the playground’s logo contest. The winning entry will be used on the website, social media, t-shirts and signage, through the September build,
Despite yesterday’s rain and cold, Westport’s first Run For Their Lives event drew 20 people (and 3 dogs).
Organizer Melinda Wasserman made signs, provided red beanies, and pinned “115” (the number of days Israeli hostages have been in captivity) on participants’ backs, as though they were running a marathon (which to them it seems like).
Jennifer Wolff provided coffee and Munchkins.
The group walked from Winslow Park to town, then across the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge and back.
Many drivers honked in support. At a stop light, a woman played a melodic rendition of “Hatikva” (the Israeli national anthem) from her car window.
“We’ll do it again and again, until we don’t have to,” Wolff says. To join the WhatsApp phone chain for upcoming events, click here.
Participants in yesterday’s “Run for Their Lives” event.
The Boston Globe has run a long story on Lynda Bluestein’s fight to die on her own terms — in Vermont, because Connecticut has no medical aid in dying legislation.
For several months, a reporter and photographer followed the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport member’s battles against ovarian cancer, and in the Green Mountain State courts.
The Globe story also documents her final project: a wind phone project, through which families and friends can “speak” to loved ones who have died.
It is a nuanced, moving account of Lynda’s final days, accompanied by poignant photos. Click here to read (paywall).
On the morning of Lynda Bluestein’s death, her husband Paul told her how much he loved her. They waited for the rest of their family to arrive, so she could say goodbye and take medication to end her life. (Photo/Jessica Rinaldi for Boston Globe)
MoCA Westport celebrates its “Sixties Mod” exhibit with a Community
Conversations. Curators Kathleen Bennewitz and Ive Covaci, of the Westport Public Art Collections committee, will be at the museum on February 8 (6:30 p.m.).
Pre-registration is required, with a suggested donation of $10 for
non-members.
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Last month, “06880” noted that “The Wiz” is being revived on Broadway — with 2 Westport connections.
The original script was by Bill Brown, a longtime resident. And the revival is co-produced by 1994 Staples High School graduate Ari Edelson.
Now another Staples alum is involved. Benjamin Zawacki has built Wayne Brady’s costumes for the show. He is a professional draper, whose love of the arts was nurtured at Staples.
Performances begin March 29. Click here for more information. (Hat tip: John Dodig)
The 16th annual Darwin Day Dinner returns to The Inn at Longshore on February 10 (6 p.m.).
The event — for people “interested in learning about evolutionary biology and how science impacts society” (and who love a party) — includes a very un-party-like presentation, on “Carbon Dioxide Removal and Understanding Earth’s Natural Systems for Regulating Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere,” by Dr. Matthew Eisaman, professor at Yale’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture.
It is, organizers say, the “best science party this side of the Kuiper Belt.”
And finally … on this day in 1886, Karl Benz patented the first successful gasoline-driven automobile.
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What could be more validating for a community feeling so powerless? In Judaism, we believe that healing in community magnifies comfort, just as joy shared together becomes even more meaningful. Neither is meant to be experienced in isolation.
Melinda Wasserman has been a visionary, finding a functional way to act when so many of us felt powerless, bringing the weekly hostage walks, 
