A disturbing antisemitic incident has had a very positive outcome.
Late Monday evening, Rabbi Michael Friedman sent this message to his Temple Israel congegants:
Dear Friends,
A few weeks ago, on the day before Kol Nidrei, and just a few days after the first anniversary of October 7, a swastika was etched on the football locker of a Jewish student at Weston High School.
A swastika etched on a Jewish student’s locker is different from a swastika drawn, for example, on a bathroom stall or the seat of a school bus (both of which have also happened locally in recent years), because this is a targeted act.
But the story I want to tell you is not one of persecution and antisemitism. Instead, this is a story of resilience and pride, and about the great faith we should have in the next generation.
The student on whose locker the swastika was etched — who grew up here at Temple Israel — was brave enough to inform coaches and the athletic director.
Weston High School athletics
Then later that very evening another Jewish student on the football team — also a Temple Israel student — recorded a courageous and emotional message to his teammates about the impact this swastika had on him, and posted it on the team’s internal chat.
The school administration and town police swiftly coordinated a thorough investigation, according to the policies and procedures that they have in place. Ultimately the investigation was inconclusive; we don’t know who etched the swastika.
A group of Temple Israel teens had recently formed the Jewish Student Union at Weston High School, and swiftly jumped into action.
They approached the principal and administration, advocating for a schoolwide assembly to address the incident. These teen leaders envisioned, shaped, organized, executed and led that schoolwide assembly on Friday morning. They demonstrated initiative and leadership throughout the process.
The assembly included words from the targeted student, the testimony of a Holocaust survivor which was paired with an engaging video, and a message from Senator Blumenthal that the students them themselves had reached out and obtained.
The students also asked me to speak. I taught about the power of symbols, which not only stand for something concrete but also invoke certain emotions and feelings.
I showed a series of symbols on the screen and asked students to share what that symbol made them feel.
When we got to the swastika, Jewish students were able to share in front of their peers how the etching of a swastika on a Jewish student’s locker made them feel targeted, and how the act reverberated throughout the Jewish community of our town.
Finally a representative from the ADL taught about strategies by which one can oppose hate.
The assembly was an excellent and impactful educational experience for the entire school. I want to underscore that the students themselves envisioned, created, shaped and ran the assembly from start to finish. And I credit the school administration for trusting and supporting them, and for giving them the opportunity to stand up and lead.
I am so very proud of the Temple Israel teens who took action following this antisemitic incident.
When the response to an act of hate could have been fear or silence, what the high school community saw instead was courage and pride. Each of them — starting with the one whose locker was targeted, continuing to his football teammate, and then to the many leaders of the JSU — provide a model for all of us.
Many of them began in our Early Childhood Center. All of them were (or are) students in our Kesher program. They embody what success looks like for all our children: to be knowledgeable and proud Jews, and when the time comes for them to act in the world, they do so with courage and integrity.
Thanks to them, even in these trying times which can often feel very dark, we know that the future is very bright.
Steffi David was born in Berlin in 1925 — a century ago, next year.
Her idyllic childhoood — visiting museums with her dentist father, skiing in Czechoslovakia, summering in Switzerland — ended abruptly when Hitler gained power.
In 1937, she and her fellow Jewish classmates were banned from German schools.
The next year — 2 weeks before Kristallnach — 13-year-old Steffi, her father, mother and sister escaped by train to Amsterdam. They had transient visas.
They moved on, penniless, to Panama. At 15 Steffi moved once again, this time — alone — to live with an aunt and uncle in Queens. Within 2 months, she was fluent in English.
Encouraged by a teacher, Steffi earned a scholarship to the Art Students League in Manhattan. She took night classes at the Pratt Institute. During the day, she worked.
Her first job was as a graphic artist. She gave half her salary to her parents, who had finally joined her in America.
After marrying Bridgeport native Al Friedman, and building a home on Yankee Hill Road in Westport, she gave up her career to raise 3 children.
Steffi Friedman
When the youngest was in junior high, Steffi began studying sculpture at the Silvermine School of Art. Her teacher and mentor, Stenley Bleifeld, was later named International Sculptor of the Year.
After 8 years as a student, Steffi became a teacher herself — first at Fairfield University, then for 30 years in her home studio.
She also volunteered, working with talented inner city youth through Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County.
For 19 years she ran Camp Terra Cotta, teaching people from around the world in Vermont.
Steffi worked into her 80s. She was prolific in terra cotta, bronze and stone.
Her work is now part of over 100 private collections. It was shown in galleries throughout the US.
It lives on in Westport too. Temple Israel commissioned several pieces, including one of Golda Meir.
Steffi Friedman, with her Golda Meir sculpture.
“Never Again” hangs on an outside wall. Dedicated in 2004 as part of the temple’s “Tolerance Center,” Steffi considered it her most important work.
“Never Again,” at Temple Israel.
Steffi’s “Pas de Deux” ballet has a place of honor in the Staples High School courtyard. Earthplace features a large piece — “Free to Be Me” — in the atrium, and another smaller work. She also donated 2 sculptures to the Westport Library’s children’s section.
“Pas de Deux,” in the Staples High School courtyard.
“Her art was how she expressed her emotions,” Steffi’s daughter Margie says. “She was so pleased these pieces are all over town.”
Steffi Friedman died in 2019, after complications of a stroke and dementia. She was 94.
Margie Friedman
When her daughter emptied the home her mother had lived in for 67 years, she found hundreds of photos and slides of Steffi’s work. Worried they might be lost — but unsure what to do with them — Margie shipped them to her home in Santa Monica, California.
Soon, she realized she had enough material for a book.
Maggie scanned the images, cleaned them up, found a self-publishing company, wrote text, and created layouts
It took 2 years. Margie — a 1972 Staples graduate — worked around her full-time job, as a TV producer.
The result is “Steffi Friedman: Sculpture.” The 118-page book, printed handsomely on glossy paper, includes dozens of photos of the artist’s work, along with her compelling, first-person bio.
In one section, Margie explains the importance of Jewish themes to her mother’s work. Other sections include figurative sculptures, ballet dancers, children, portraits, fairies and nymphs, stone, abstracts, nature, commemorations and illustrations.
The audience is both local (Steffi’s friends, fans and former students in Fairfield County) and global. Margie has sent copies to Holocaust and Jewish museums and organizations worldwide — including one in Berlin, which holds her mother’s family’s artifacts and writings.
Feedback has been gratifying.
“People love the breadth and depth of the artwork,” Margie says.
“A lot of people didn’t know her story. She didn’t talk about it for years.
“She would have loved this.”
(“Steffi Friedman: Sculpture” is available at the Westport Barnes & Noble. It can also be ordered from Maggie. Email wgwmargie@aol.com for details.)
Steffi Friedman’s “Free To Be Me” is now on view at Earthplace.
(“06880” often covers Westport’s arts scene — its past, present and future. If you enjoy that coverage, or anything else on our hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
The start of construction on the new Long Lots Elementary School — originally planned for this fall — will not take place until next year.
That’s the most recent news from the Long Lots School Building Committee, which met Thursday for the first time since May.
As a result, the 125,882-square foot school will open later than the anticipated September 2026 date.
Site plan for the new Long Lots Elementary School.
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JT Penny understands the power of video games.
And not just because the Staples High School senior is ranked among the top 350 Overwatch players in North America.
He knows that gaming relieves stress, reduces boredom, and offers an escape into a digital playground when times are tough.
JT also knows that, for some children, video games can be actual lifelines.
In addition to defending his Grand Master gaming title — and rowing with the Saugatuck Rowing Club varsity — JT has partnered with a national non-profit charity.
Gamers Outreach has one mission: provide specialized video game stations (“GoKarts”) to kids receiving treatment or recovering in hospitals.
Over the past year, JT collected donations by livestreaming video game playoffs on Twitch from home, and at the Stream-A-Thon hosted by Gamers For Giving at Eastern Michigan State University.
On Wednesday, JT delivered his first GoKart to Yale New Haven Hospital’s Pediatric Unit.
It’s a great partnership. Through the process, JT worked closely with Yale New Haven’s child life gaming and technology specialist Tyler Mahoney.
JT has mastered a high-level video game. He’s won big crew races. Both are great accomplishments.
But his real prize is empowering hospitalized kids, at a time they need it most.
JT Penny (left) and Tyler Mahoney of Yale New Haven Hospital with JT’s GoKart donation, ready for its first patient/gamer.
Ever since the October 7 Israeli massacre by Hamas, Haaretz reporter Lee Yaron has been at work investigating the lives of some of the victims. She’s spoken with survivors, their family members, and first responders in Israel and beyond.
“100 Human Stories” will be published this fall.
On October 14 — one year and one week after the first anniversary of the attack — she’ll be at Temple Israel (7 p.m.). She’ll speak with Rabbis Michael Friedman and Evan Schultz about the events of 10/7, and their continuing impact on Israel today.
The event is free, but pre-registration is required. Click here for details. (Hat tip: Sal Liccione)
Three exciting and diverse events have been added to the Westport Country Playhouse fall calendar.
At “Perfectly Westport: A Fireside Chat with Westport’s Bestselling Author Emily Liebert,” the “Perfectly Famous” writer chats with Westport Magazine editor-in-chief Samantha Yanks about story inspiration, finding an agent, getting published, editing, ghostwriting for celebrities, and balancing career and motherhood.
It’s September 30 (7 p.m.). Click here for tickets, and more information.
Hitchcock fans will enjoy “Rear Window: A Night of Suspense.” In advance of the WCP production of “The 39 Steps,” there’s a special screening of the “Rear Window” movie.
Artistic director Mark Shanahan — a Hitchcock scholar and fan, who taught a course on the director at Fordham University for over 21 years — shares his knowledge and insights about Hitchcock.
He’ll highlight key details to watch for. After the movie, Shanahan will explore why “Rear Window” is such a classic.
It’s October 2 (7 p.m.). Click here for tickets, and more information.
Then comes “Ghost Stories and Legends” — an evening of classic stories of the supernatural with Broadway’s John Rapson (“Sweeney Todd,” “Les Misérables”).
He’ll present a special version of his solo show of Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” plus other ghostly tales.
It’s October 10 (7 p.m.). Click here for tickets, and more information.
Featured authors include Clay McLeod Chapman, May Cobb, Gabino Iglesias and Cynthia Pelayo.
The evening also includes a performance by author/puppeteer GennaRose Nethercott, a story told by acclaimed photographer Jesse Freidin, and an appearance from Northeast Storytelling President ChaChanna Simpson, who oversees the Library’s Storytelling Sundays monthly series.
The Power of Story kicks off at 7 pm in the Library’s Trefz Forum. Light refreshments will be served.
StoryFest writers include (clockwise from top left): Clay McLeod Chapman, May Cobb, Gabino Iglesias, ChaChanna Simpson, Jesse Freidin, GennaRose Nethercott, and Cynthia Pelayo).
The switch of 95.9 The Fox — from rock to simulcasting WICC’s news and talk format — has Westport connections, beyond listeners losing a longtime Fairfield County music staple.
WFOX is owned by Westport-based Connoisseur Media. It says the move was made in part because of the departure of New York’s WCBS Newsradio 880.
The other “06880” angle: Westporter Lisa Wexler, host of a very popular morning talk show on WICC, will now be heard by many more listeners.
Lisa Wexler
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How old is the universe?
Pretty old. 13.8 billion years (give or take a hundred million years).
Don’t take my word for it. Ask David Weintraub.
The Vanderbilt University professor of astronomy discusses “How Old is the Universe?” at the Westport Astronomical Society’s next virtual lecture (September 17, 8 p.m.). Click here for the link.
A spectacularly small portion of the very old universe.
Our “Westport … Naturally” feature sometimes showcases egrets doing their thing: hanging out, looking smooth, in water.
This one is doing its other thing: soaring majestically, above the Riverwalk by the Westport Library.
Kudos to Johanna Keyser Rossi, for this very cool capture:
(Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)
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And finally … in honor of our 13.8 billion-year-old universe (story above):
(“06880” is where Westport meets the world — and the universe. But we can’t do it without our loyal readers’ help. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. And thank you!)
This weekend, the Levitt Pavilion hosts 2 special shows.
Tonight (Saturday, July 13, 7 p.m.) features Marc Broussard and the 20th Anniversary of Carencro. It included the hit “Home,” now going viral again on Instagram.
Also on the bill: local favorites Otis & the Hurricanes. Their gumbo of blues andhttps://www.levittpavilion.com/2024/04/08/marc-broussard-carencro-20th-anniversary-tour/ soul complements Broussard’s “bayou soul,” a mix of funk, blues, R&B, rock and pop, all with distinct Southern roots. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Tomorrow (Sunday, July 14, 7 p.m.), the Levitt invites concert-goers to wear white, while celebrating the 19th Amendment and women’s right to vote.
The show features Grammy-winning folk singer/songwriterAoife O’Donovan and folk quartet Hawktail. O’Donovan was last at the Levitt in 2022. Click here for tickets, and more information.
For both shows’ lawn tickets: on Saturday, children 7 and under are free. On Sunday, those 10 and under are free. Ticket proceeds help support the 50-plus shows presented free of charge each season, for all.
PS: The Blind Rhino food truck will be on site both days.
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Speaking of music: Thomas Dolby comes to the Westport Library Tuesday (July 16). He’ll discuss his new book “Prevailing Wind” with another big name: Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and longtime Library supporter Chris Frantz.
The 4 p.m. start time accommodates Dolby’s performance later that evening in the Totally Tubular Festival at Bridgeport’s Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater.
Dolby — a musician, producer, composer, entrepreneur and teacher — played synthesizer for David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell and others during his eclectic career. His 1980s hits include “She Blinded Me With Science” and “Hyperactive!”
He also has been music director for TED Conferences. On the Johns Hopkins University Peabody Institute staff, he leads the Music for New Media program.
This is Dolby’s only signing event in the tri-state area. All attendees who purchase a copy of Prevailing Wind may get the book and one additional item signed by the author.
Frantz is a musician, producer, songwriter, and founding member of the Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club. A frequent guest of the Library and the host of the Library series “Chris Frantz Presents,” he also hosts a radio show on WPKN-FM.
There’s not a lot to laugh about in the Middle East.
But on July 30 (cocktails at 7 p.m., show at 7:45), Temple Israel hosts a comedy night. Five comics — Andrew Ginsburg, Nick Scopoletti, Cody Marino, Olga Namer and Beau McDowell — will all appear, in a fundraiser for Israel relief.
Tickets are $54 (VIP) and $36 (general admission). Click here to purchase, and for more information. (Hat tip: Les Dinkin)
Yesterday’s Roundup included an item on Homes with Hope CEO Helen McAlinden’s meeting in Washington with Representative Jim Himes.
A photo showed our congressman with a statewide delegation of advocates for the homeless and hungry.
Alert “06880” reader Marlene Siff recognized artwork hanging on the wall.
It was hers.
The piece — “Fallen Heroes/Afghanistan” — has hung in Himes’ office since 2010.
“It is my memorial dedicated to all the soldiers we lost in the war in Afghanistan,” Siff tells “06880.”
“Fallen Heroes/Afghanistan” (Marlene Siff)
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Westport-based Nest Egg Foundation has partnered with the Carlos Rodón Foundation to launch the first-ever Willow Gala.
The September 30 event at the Delamar in Greenwich will bring together community leaders, philanthropists and supporters, to raise awareness and funds for families facing fertility challenges. The evening includes live music, dining, silent and live auctions, and special guests.
The Nest Egg Foundation was created in 2015. It is a collaborative effort of medical and financial professionals, attorneys, and others. The foundation plays a key role role in the application and evaluation process of The Willow Grant, which was developed by New York Yankees pitcher Rodón and his wife.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
And finally … on this date in 1985, the Live Aid benefit concert was held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London, and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. The goal was to raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief.
On this day too, Live Aid-inspired concerts were held in the USSR, Canada, Japan, Yugoslavia, Austria, Australia, and West Germany. An estimated 1.9 billion people — nearly 40% of the earth’s population — watched the broadcast.
(It’s nowhere near as important as famine relief. But if you’re inclined to toss a few bucks our “06880” way, you can click here and follow the prompts. Thank you!)
39 Staples High School scholar-athletes were honored last night, at a unique dinner.
The coach of each varsity sport nominates one candidate, for his or her combined academic and athletic achievements. Each is given one question to answer on the spot, involving their interests, activities and passions.
Topics last night included flying as a solo pilot at age 16, overcoming a gymnastics neck injury to compete again, and experiences in clubs like Girls Who Code, Females in Finance, and AWARE.
Congratulations to all the scholar-athletes:
Fall sports: Charlotte Moody (fall cheerleading), Ben Lorenz (boys cross country), Emma Morris (girls cross country), Kathryn Asiel (field hockey), Troy Toglia(football), Jeremy Rosenkranz (boys golf), Avery Mueller (boys soccer), Coco Crombie (girls soccer), Libby Turner (girls swimming), Isabella Rivel (girls volleyball), Ronan Waddhwani (boys water polo).
Spring sports: Luke Oakley (baseball), Erin Oldale (girls golf), Ryan Skolnick (boys lacrosse), Caroline Cooper (girls lacrosse), Kellen Archibald (boys rugby), Katelyn Bouchard (girls rugby), Caitlyn Schwartz (sailing), Carley McGarry (softball), Jared Even (boys tennis), Sarah Marron (girls tennis), Luke Rabacs (boys outdoor track), Valentina Davis (girls outdoor track), Mason Siskind (boys volleyball), Kira Tomoda (girls water polo).
In addition, Staples athletic director VJ cited 2 coaches for career victory milestones: Laddie Lawrence (track, 2,000) and Jack McFarland (baseball, 300).
Sarullo also presented Bud Titsworth with a Block “S” award, for his longtime service to Staples athletics.
Bud Titsworth (left) and Staples athletic director VJ Sarullo, at last night’s Scholar-Athlete dinner. (Photo/Mark Sikorski)
Brendan Donohoe — known to many generations of Westporters as a friendly, knowledgeable and passionate maître d’ at several local restaurants, most notably his decades at Chez Pierre (now Nômade) — died suddenly on Thursday.
He was 88, and lived in Wilton.
The Newry, Ireland native joined the Merchant Marines as a young man, and traveled the world. He often recounted adventures from those days.
Brendan immigrated to the US in the 1960’s. He settled in Westport, and began his restaurant career.
He was a lifelong history enthusiast, especially that of Ireland and the Celtic tribes. He followed political and financial news, and was an officer and investor in several gold mining firms.
His rituals included breakfast daily with friends at Orem Diner, and a weekly lunch at the Sherwood Diner. He attended mass every Sunday.
Brendan was an avid runner. He completed over 30 marathons throughout the United States.
He is survived by his wife, Susan Butler; siblings Marie, Veronica, Kevin and Dermot; many nieces and nephews, and his beloved dog Gigi. He was predeceased by his sister, Shelia Barr.
Visiting hours will be held at Harding Funeral Home, Westport on Wednesday (June 5, 5 to 7 p.m. A Memorial Mass is set for at Our Lady of Fatima in Wilton on Thursday (June 6, 10 a.m.).
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Fatima.
Yesterday, Major League Baseball celebrated its 4th annual Lou Gehrig Day.
The event — a joint effort of all 30 clubs, along with broadcast partners, and digital and social media — raises both awareness of ALS, and funds for research.
Also is also called Lou Gehrig’s Disease. MLB remembered the New York Yankees hero, and all who have been lost to the disease.
MLB’s strong advocacy for the project is due in large part to Chuck Haberstroh. The former Staples High School basketball star — whose mother Patty, a beloved Westporter who touched many lives through her work with the Department of Human Services, and who was afflicted with ALS — c0-chaired a committee that developed the league’s several initiatives.
MLB honored Patty Haberstroh yesterday, in their publicity for Lou Gehrig day.
PS: A special fundraising auction is underway now, through June 12. Click here for items, and to bid.
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If you missed the first showing of Homes with Hope’s 40th anniversary documentary: Don’t miss the next one.
It’s Sunday, June 9 (2 to 3:30 p.m., Christ & Holy Trinity Church’s Branson Hall).
The free event showcases the non-profit’s 4 decades of housing the homeless, feeding the hungry, and offering hope to neighbors whose lives are not as fortunate as others’.
Former Westporter Livio Sanchez’s documentary film uses interviews and archival material (including long-ago video), to trace Homes with Hope’s history, from a controversial concept (with plenty of NIMBY and it’s-not-our-problem opposition), through its move from a drafty firehouse to an old maintenance shed on Jesup Road (now the Gillespie Center), and its current array of multi-pronged programs.
Jim Gillespie’s family will be honored at the showing. He played a major role in the founding and development of the Interfaith Housing Association, the original iteration of Homes with Hope.
The Gillespie Center was named in his honor Dr. Gillespie, a clinical psychologist, was killed when struck by a car in France in 1988.
The Gillespie Center. Dr. Gillespie’s family will be on hand June 9, for the showing of a documentary on Homes with Hope’s first 40 years.
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Temple Israel found a unique way to celebrate Pride yesterday.
Members baked rainbow challah, then handed them out at Jesup Green.
(Photo/Amy Schneider)
Meanwhile, here’s another great shot from yesterday. Their t-shirts and smiles say it all:
The future of pedestrian safety may be seen on Myrtle Avenue.
There — at Evergreen Avenue — pushing a button lights up the crosswalk.
It’s a bright, startling sight for drivers. They immediately slow down.
I’m not sure why this hasn’t gotten more publicity. But it seems like a relatively inexpensive, high-return solution to one of Westport’s biggest concerns.
This photo does not do justice to the crosswalk lights. (Hat tip and photo/Carl Addison Swanson and Jo Ann Miller)
This is a photo of lighted crosswalk (not in Westport). The “Xing” sign is also not in Westport.
Staples High School’s senior prom was Saturday night, at the Greenwich Hyatt Regency. “06880” received this photo, of attendees at a pre-party:
(From left): Michael Belpedio, Nate Goodman, Lucas Fischel, Jack Marshall, Aidan Kogan.
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The next Westport Book Shop Short Story Book Club meeting is June 27 (6 to 7:30 p.m.).
Attendees will read 2 selections from Alice Munro’s “Runaway” collection. “Soon” and “Silence” are connected stories that relate different stages of a character’s life, and explore themes including relationships, family and loss.
Copies are available at the Westport Library. The Westport Book Shop has 1 copy, for borrowing.
Registration is required. Call 203-349-5141 or email bookshop@westportbooksaleventures.org.
Westport Book Shop, on Jesup Road.
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Alexanderina “Ina” Lozyniak of Westport died on Friday.
A native of Aberdeen, Scotland, she came to the US as a teenager. She was a long time Westport resident.
Ina was an active member of Saugatuck Congregational Church. She enjoyed bingo at the Senior Center, movies and having lunch with friends. Ina was an avid reader, and loved challenging word puzzles.
Ina was predeceased by her husband Steve in 1998. She is survived by her children Kenny, Robbie, Stephanie and Stephen; daughters-in-law Carrie, Laurie and Marcy; son-in-law Mike; granchildren Michelle (JR), Kim (Phil), Nicole (Bill), John (Nicole), Kenny (Dani), Courtney, Kristen, Helen, Alex, Lindsey, Stevie and Shane; 9 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours are tomorrow (Tuesday, June 4, 5 to 7 p.m., Harding Funeral Home). A funeral service will be held Wednesday *June 5, 1 p.m., Saugatuck Church in Westport), with interment to follow at Willowbrook Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a favorite charity.
Ina Lozyniak
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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo comes from the Library Riverwalk.
But it’s a scene that’s repeated all around town, these late spring days:
The Board of Selectwomen’s Wednesday agenda (May 8, 9 a.m., Town Hall auditorium) is packed.
Among the 14 items:
A report on discussions between the Police Department and Board of Education, recommended by the selectwomen last month to re-examine the policy that “recreational facilities located on Board of Education campuses are not accessible to those who are not students, staff or invited guests between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. on school days,” and how it may apply to Wakeman Town Park while maintaining safe and reasonable school security.
Approving a contract with Lindquist Surveying for services for the Long Lots Elementary School project ($19,500); a contract with Svigals + Partners for architectural, engineering, and furniture, fixtures and equipment for Phase II design and construction of Long Lots ($4.097 million), and a contract with Newfield Construction, for pre-construction services ($145,045).
Wakeman Park — popular with dog walkers, joggers and more during the school day — is adjacent to Bedford Middle School.
“Pure: The Sexual Revolutions of Marilyn Chambers” — will be published May 15.
Chambers is known to Westporters as Staples High School 1970 graduate Marilyn Briggs.
Publicity for the book says: “Marilyn Chambers was the embodiment of the free-spirited ’70s, the world’s most famous X-rated star, and an unappreciated talent whose work in adult films hindered her dreams of becoming a serious actress.
“Raised in an affluent Connecticut suburb, Marilyn catapulted to fame when it was learned that not only had she starred in the groundbreaking X-rated film, Behind the Green Door but was also the model on the box of Ivory Snow laundry detergent (product tagline: ’99 44/100% Pure.’)
“Marilyn was the first woman known primarily for her work in adult films to cross over to mainstream entertainment. She sustained a versatile 3-decade career in entertainment, including roles in dramatic plays, a Broadway musical revue, her own television show, and the lead role in David Cronenberg’s film ‘Rabid.’
But her success in adult films also proved to be her undoing. Marred by a violent relationship with her abusive husband-manager, Chuck Traynor, she developed the persona of a 24-hour-a-day sex star. In the process, she lost her sense of self and spent much of her life searching for her true identity.
“With recollections from family and friends, many of whom have never spoken publicly, along with Marilyn’s own words, and never-before-published photos, Jared Stearns vividly captures the revolutionary career of one of the twentieth century’s most misunderstood icons.”
For more than 4 decades, 5-time Emmy Award-winning producer/director/ musical theater and symphony conductor/ writer (and Westport resident) Andrew Wilk has captured the performing arts for television.
He has recorded everything from artists like Kristin Chenoweth, Joshua Bell; and Itzhak Perlman and performances like the Alvin Ailey Dance Company for prime time broadcast.
As executive producer of “Live From Lincoln Center,” Wilk created renowned musical and theatrical productions for PBS.
He produced 3 Westport Country Playhouse productions for PBS too. At the Library, he created the speaker series “Andrew Wilk Presents.”
On May 22 (7 p.m., Westport Library), he’ll chat with Y’s Men of Westport and Weston past president John Brandt about his career, the stars he’s worked with, and take questions from the audience.
The evening is a collaboration with the Y’s Men’s Classical Music Society. Click here for more information.
“Art in Bloom” — a celebration of the Westport Public Art Collections, with drinks, light bites, art sales, a silent art auction, and a special exhibit of flower-themed works — is set for June 6 (7 to 9 p.m., Westport Woman’s Club).
This is the first fundraiser for Friends of WestPAC is 5 years. They welcome old and new friends, to ensure the continued growth, care, display and educational uses of the collections. Works are exhibited in public building throughout town, including schools, Town Hall, and municipal offices.
Click here for tickets, sponsorship information, and donations.
Westport artist Stevan Dohanos’s Saturday Evening Post cover — part of the Westport Permanent Art Collections — has special significance. The models were all Staples students.
And finally … on this day in 1877, Chief Crazy Horse of the Oglala Lakota surrendered to US troops in Nebraska. He had fought fiercely and proudly to preserve the traditional way of Lakota life, including the Battle of the Little Bighorn the previous year.
Four months after his surrender, Crazy Horse was killed while resisting imprisonment. In 1982 he was honored by the US Postal Service, with a “Great American series” stamp.
(“06880” is your hyper-local “bear necessity.” Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Clover Farms (now Stew Leonard’s) had a milk vending machine on Riverside Avenue. Il Pastaficio has a machine that sells fresh pasta — the first in the world, owner Federico Perandin says.
So it should be no a surprise that Temple Israel has launched the world’s first Jewish vending machine.
But it is.
Rabbi Michael S. Friedman calls the machine “a one-stop shop for living a Jewish life. It puts Jewish rituals in easy reach, providing a simple yet profound way to engage with Jewish tradition.”
The machine vends a variety of Jewish items, from Shabbat candles and mezuzah scrolls to Israeli snacks.
Assistant Rabbi Zachary Plesent adds, “At Temple Israel, we’re not just embracing innovation; we’re making it a tangible part of our community. This Jewish vending machine physically manifests our commitment to making Jewish tradition accessible to everyone.”
Everyone is invited to see and enjoy the Jewish vending machine. It’s inside the building, near the stairs.
Rabbi Michael Friedman, with the world’s first Jewish vending machine.
“Along the Lines” — the Connecticut Department of Transportation podcast — recently hosted Matt Pentz.
The Norwalk Transit District CEO discussed “micro-transit” — including its place in Westport. (Norwalk Transit operates Westport’s buss.) Click here to listen. (Hat tip: Sal Liccione)
If you love remember and/or love Coney Island — and who doesn’t? — you’ll enjoy Robin Jaffee Frank’s 2-part look at the historic site.
On April 4 and 11 (6:30 p.m.), she’ll be at the Westport Museum for History & Culture. Her talks are in conjunction with the museum’s “Playful Pastimes” exhibit.
Building on Frank’s exhibition and book “Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland,” Frank will explore Coney Island’s appeal as a subject for artists and filmmakers, from the Civil War to today.
“Their visions of Coney Island imagined the future and later recalled the past, conveying changing ideas about leisure, and exploring the mixing of people of different races, ethnicities, classes, and sexual orientations, transcending social boundaries,” Frank says.
Three of Artists Collective of Westport member Béatrice Crane-Baker’s works have been chosen for a Connecticut Center for Contemporary Printmaking show in Norwalk. It runs from June through August.
When it closes some of the prints may go the Litho Werkstatt in Berlin, part of a swap arrangement between the German gallery and the printmaking non-profit.
And finally … when you saw “Coney Island,” you knew this was coming, right?
(Whether you’re from Brooklyn, or you’re a Westport native, or landed here from anywhere else: You’re part of this “06880” online community. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
For 4 months, the media has covered the aftermath of Hamas’ terror attack on Israel.
But news reports can convey only so much.
Earlier this month 21 Westporters — led by Rabbis Jeremy Wiederhorn of TCS, and Michael Friedman and Zach Plesent — headed there, to see for themselves.
It was a brief trip: just 4 days. But as they traveled around the country, met soldiers who fought Hamas that day, and families that hid in safe rooms; volunteered at an agricultural center, and visited the site of the music festival massacre, they felt a welter of emotions.
Horror, anger, inspiration, pride — all those and more remained, when they returned to Westport last week.
The rabbis and their congregants began with a visit to Danny’s Farm. The “oasis of calm” assists soldiers suffering from PTSD.
They headed south to the Gaza Envelope, less than 5 miles from the Gaza Strip. The Westporters volunteered with the New Guard, which organizes help in the fields and orchards previously tended by foreign workers, and Gazans with security clearances.
Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn picks fruit.
They visited a brigade that transports troops and supplies in and out of Gaza, and heard from a major in the paratroops reserves who was involved in the fighting on October 7.
The Westport group, with IDF troops. The poster was created by young Temple Israel students.
At Kibbutz Nirim — a community severely impacted by the Hamas terrorists — the Westport group met a woman whose family hid in their safe room for hours that day.
Aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack.
The rabbis and their congregants visited the site of the Nova Music Festival. It is now a memorial, and a gathering spot for families, visitors and soldiers. As they paid their respects, artillery boomed nearby.
Music festival memorial.
The group also met with the father of an October 7 hero, first responders, and an expert on the Israel-Arab community; visited graves of fallen soldiers; sorted clothes for evacuees, and went to the Kotel, where Rabbi Friedman placed notes written by 3rd and 4th grade students.
Young Westporters’ notes in Kotel wall.
“Our itinerary sounds macabre,” Rabbi Friedman wrote midway through his trip to Temple Israel members back home.
“Although it was unquestionably sad, there was also a clear sense of pride, purpose, unity, mutual support, and that most powerful of Jewish senses: memory. Even in the presence of death, one feels the essential vitality of the Jewish people.”
Later, he quoted a congregant, who said, “This was oxygen for my soul and stitched up my broken heart.”
Rabbi Friedman concluded: “As much as this trip gave us, so many of the Israelis we met gave us the gift of expressing their appreciation to us for being there.
“I knew I needed to be here, but I didn’t realize just how much. I needed to mourn at Har Herzl, witness the Nova Festival memorial, and feel terror as I entered the replica Hamas tunnel in Hostage Square. I also needed to experience the vitality of Machane Yehuda, pick bushels of lemons in an orchard, and bask in the sun for a moment in Herzilya.
“We came home knowing that every single Israeli Jew is fighting the war. Some are risking their lives, but everyone is fighting — for their children’s future, to hold their community together, to provide for neighbors and strangers, to simply do what needs to be done at an impossibly difficult time.
“On several occasions, we joined groups singing HaTikvah together, outdoors, in public. It was an expression of our commitment to embody the words of the prophet Zechariah, who calls us ‘prisoners of hope.’
“Despite everything, our shared fate, shared vision for the future, and shared destiny as Am Yisrael points us in the direction of hope.”
This story has become a Martin Luther King Day tradition on “06880.” After the events of the past couple of years, today — more than ever — we should think about the history of our nation before Dr. King was born.
And where we are, more than half a century after his death.
Today is Martin Luther King Day. Westporters will celebrate with a day off from school or work. Some will sleep in; others will shop, or go for a walk. Few will give any thought to Martin Luther King.
Twice, though, his life intersected this town in important ways.
The first was Friday night, May 22, 1964. According to Woody Klein’s book Westport, Connecticut, King had been invited to speak at Temple Israel by synagogue member Jerry Kaiser.
King arrived in the afternoon. Kaiser and his wife Roslyn sat on their porch that afternoon, and talked with King and 2 of his aides. She was impressed with his “sincerity, warmth, intelligence and genuine concern for those about him — our children, for instance. He seemed very young to bear such a burden of leadership.”
Martin Luther King, with Sarah and Tema Kaiser at their home on Brooklawn Drive, before his Temple Israel appearance. Their brother Michael had a cold, and was not allowed near Dr. King.
King’s sermon — to a packed audience — was titled “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.” He analogized his America to the time of Rip Van Winkle — who also “slept through a revolution. The greatest liability of history is that people fail to see a revolution taking place in our world today. We must support the social movement of the Negro.”
Westport artist Roe Halper presented King with 3 woodcarvings, representing the civil rights struggle. He hung them proudly in the front hallway of his Atlanta home.
(Another of Halper’s MLK carvings, which usually hangs in principal Stafford Thomas’ office at Staples, will be on view at MoCA Westport, from January 18 through March 3).
Artist Roe Halper (left) presents Coretta Scott King with civil rights-themed wood carvings.
Within a month Temple Israel’s rabbi, Byron Rubenstein, traveled south to take place in a nonviolent march. He was arrested — along with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King.
In jail, the rabbi said, “I came to know the greatness of Dr. King. I never heard a word of hate or bitterness from that man, only worship of faith, joy and determination.”
King touched Westport again less than 4 years later. On April 5, 1968 — the day after the civil rights leader’s assassination in Memphis — 600 Staples students gathered for a lunchtime vigil in the courtyard. Nearby, the flag flew at half-staff.
A small portion of the large crowd listens to Fermino Spencer.
Vice principal Fermino Spencer addressed the crowd. Movingly, he spoke about his own experience as an African American. Hearing the words “my people” made a deep impression on the almost all-white audience. For many, it was the 1st time they had heard a black perspective on white America.
No one knew what lay ahead for their country. But student Jim Sadler spoke for many when he said: “I’m really frightened. Something is going to happen.”
Dr. Martin Luther King
Something did — and it was good. A few hundred students soon met in the cafeteria. Urged by a minister and several anti-poverty workers to help bridge the chasm between Westport and nearby cities, Staples teachers and students vowed to create a camp.
Within 2 months, it was a reality. That summer 120 elementary and junior high youngsters from Westport, Weston, Norwalk and Bridgeport participated in the Intercommunity Camp. Led by over 100 Staples students and many teachers, they enjoyed swimming, gymnastics, dance, sports, field trips, overnight camping, creative writing, filmmaking, photography, art and reading.
It wasn’t easy — some in Westport opposed bringing underprivileged children to their town — but for over a decade the Intercommunity Camp flourished.
Eventually, enthusiasm for and interest in the camp waned. Fewer Staples students and staff members wanted to devote their summer to such a project. The number of Westporters willing to donate their pools dwindled. Today the Intercommunity Camp is a long-forgotten memory.
Sort of like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Even on his birthday.
Martin Luther King Day bonus feature:In the late 1950s, Westporter Tracy Sugarman took his son Dickie, and Dickie’s friend Miggs Burroughs, to a picnic in Stamford.
Rev. Martin Luther King was there, at the invitation of the host: Jackie Robinson.
Sugarman — a noted illustrator – was also a civil rights activist.
Miggs — a junior high student — took the Minox “spy” camera he’d bought earlier that summer.
He still has those photos. Here are the 2 pioneering Black Americans: Martin Luther King and Jackie Robinson.
“We did it! We have reached our goal of inspiring (over) 150 Westporters to make a gift in support of Sustainable Westport.
“We deeply appreciate every individual who participated in our first-ever Community Giving Challenge.
“Your support helped us raise money to expand our programming in 2024, demonstrated our community’s continued commitment to sustainability, and helped us unlock an additional $10,000 challenge grant from a generous Sustainable Westport donor. When we come together, even small actions have an incredible impact! Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Jake Thaw is going to the College Football Playoff championship.
His University of Michigan Wolverines edged Alabama 27-20 in overtime yesterday, at the Rose Bowl. They’ll face the University of Washington next Monday in Houston (January 8, 8:15 p.m., ESPN).
It almost didn’t happen, though. The only punt that came the 2020 Staples High School graduate’s way was muffed, at the 5-yard line. Thaw did a great job of avoiding a safety, under intense pressure.
Jay Harbaugh — the UM special teams coordinator, and son of head coach Jim Harbaugh — was heavily criticized on social media for allowing Thaw to attempt the catch inside the 10, and not simply letting it bounce.
Bridgewater Associates — the Westport-based world’s largest hedge fund, and the object of so much interest and mystery in that world — is under the media microscope again.
Not long after the publication of Rob Copeland’s tell-almost-all book “The Fund,” a Bloomberg story examines charges against the company of favoritism, age and sex discrimination.
The article includes this description of what goes on inside the office:
Because many employees at Bridgewater are in their 20s and 30s and work long hours in the Connecticut suburbs far outside New York City, romantic relationships are common, people who have worked there said….
And the togetherness extends beyond work. There are almost 100 clubs where employees can do everything from play softball to rescue pets.
Click here for the full story. (Hat tip: Allan Siegert)
Bridgewater’s Nyala Farm headquarters, where romance blooms. (Photo/Nico Eisenberger)
Bassist/composer/producer Harvie S and guitarist Sheryl Bailey kick off the 2024 Jazz at the Post year this Thursday (January 4, VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 6:30 p.m. on).
The two highly regarded musicians will be joined by saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall and drummer Steve Johns.
Reservations are highly recommended: JazzatthePost@gmail.com
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The assembly was an excellent and impactful educational experience for the entire school. I want to underscore that the students themselves envisioned, created, shaped and ran the assembly from start to finish. And I credit the school administration for trusting and supporting them, and for giving them the opportunity to stand up and lead.
