Thursday, May 29, 2014

Ma·zel tov!

Reminder!  This Friday, May 30th, there will be no Shabbat  at Lenny's Deli because Cantor Schwartz will be out of town and celebrating her grandson's graduation!

Friday, May 23, 2014

PRESS RELEASE  PRESS RELEASE  PRESS RELEASE  PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT:                Gail Blair – 818-783-8824

EVENT:                      LIVING HISTORY AND GRATITUDE CIRCLES VISIT FAIRFAX HIGH

ATTENDEES:           Cantor Estherleon Schwartz - http://www.estherleon.com
                                    Leonard F. Delpit, Executive Director of The University of South Central 
                                       - http://www.takeactionwebbuilder.com/delpitforcitycouncil2015
                                    Gail Blair, Executive Director for Cantor Schwartz
                                    Ivor Pyres, Creative Director for Cantor Schwartz
                                    Mark Ross, Assistant Principal - http://www.fairfaxhs.org/

DATE:                        Thursday, May 22, 2014

TIME:                          1:00 p.m.

LOCATION:               Fairfax High School
                                    7850 Melrose Ave
                                    Los Angeles, CA 90036
                                    http://www.fairfaxhs.org/
                                    (323) 370-1200
                                    Principal Carmina Nacorda                       323 370 1202
                                    Assistant Principal   Mark Ross     323 370 1222

DESCRIPTION:        Sharing a Living History combined with Gratitude Circles 
                                    will create unity by:
                                                Building real trust
                                                Developing stronger, more rewarding relationships
                                                Communicating fairly, effectively and positively
                                                Coping with various cultures, backgrounds and faiths
                                                Retention of individuality and enjoying others’ uniqueness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CREATING A NEW HISTORY ROOTED IN UNITY AND PEACE

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

Their website banner reads:  “FHS fosters a community of diversity and potential!!!   FHS will lead Los Angeles schools in graduation rate….” – these are the children of today, uniting cultures to help dispel discrimination and bullying for today and tomorrow.

On Thursday, May 22nd Cantor Estherleon Schwartz visited Fairfax High School in Los Angeles where she shared her story as a child Holocaust survivor and showed students how to instill forgiveness, unity and peace through coming together and creating a gratitude circle.

The Gratitude Circles project was created by Cantor Schwartz as a movement to bring a voluntary program to schools that aim to connect children with one another regardless of culture or faith.  Cantor Schwartz believes that by the children holding hands and sharing gratitude with their classmates, bonds will be created and strengthened by their commonalities.  The result could be that by overriding differences – diversity and uniqueness will be celebrated and enjoyed.

Attending the multi-media event at Fairfax High School was Assistant Principal, Mark Ross, who said that he found the presentation, “interesting.”  Also in attendance were Shabbos Buddies, Leonard Delpit, Executive Director of The University of South Central; Gail Blair, Executive Director for Cantor Schwartz, and, Ivor Pyros, Creative Director for Cantor Schwartz.

“Cantor Schwartz  provided two presentations to students, the first was for 3 classes and the second was for 2.  Almost all students participated in the holding of the Torah as well as being wrapped in the Shawl of Many Colors (which symbolizes our world’s diversities), and ended with the formation of gratitude circles.”

“The kids were great,” said Cantor Schwartz, “They made me feel welcomed and one of them.”

As a thank you for her efforts, Assistant Principle Ross honored Cantor Schwartz as a graduate and alumni of Fairfax High by presenting her with a class pin.


About Cantor Estherleon Schwartz
Estherleon Schwartz is a French-born cantor who, along with her parents, evaded Nazi capture during World War II.  The Cantor obtained American citizenship in 1948 and currently resides in Southern California.  She is a Los Angeles based and community leader; promoting an agenda which includes unity, peace, and anti-hunger through music and the spoken word. 

Cantor Estherleon Schwartz Website:  http://www.estherleon.com
Beth Shirah (House of Song) Website:  http://bethshirahhouseofson.wix.com/estherleonschwartz

Availability
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. and worldwide by arrangement and via Skype or telephone.

Media Contact
Gail Blair: (818) 783-8824  gailblairmgmt@gmail.com


#   #   #

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

This Friday Night: Shabbat at Lenny's Deli, Westwood!


 


This Friday, May 23rd at 6:30 p.m. 
Shabbat Night at Lenny’s Deli 
Shabbos Buddies celebrate 2 birthdays!  
(Gail Blair and Destiny Puzzanghero!)  

Come join the fun!  All are welcome! 

Open menu.  

Parking in lot with 1 hour validation.  
Street parking and metered parking also available.  

$7.00 cash donation at the door. 
(1 dollar out of 7 goes to local SOVA food banks. 
Every dollar received by SOVA provides 4 meals!)  

Reservations highly recommended.  
CONTACT:  
Gail Blair 818.783.8824  
gailblairmgmt@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!

PRESS RELEASE  PRESS RELEASE  PRESS RELEASE  PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT:                Gail Blair – 818-783-8824

MEETING:                 GRATITUDE CIRCLES TO REPLACE PRAYER IN OUR SCHOOLS

ATTENDEES:           Cantor Estherleon Schwartz - http://www.estherleon.com
                                    Daniel Tamm, Mayor Eric Garcetti's Westside Area Representative
                                    http://www.lamayor.org/meet_daniel_tamm_your_westside_area_representative
                                    Abigail Roth, LAUSD - http://www.lausd.net/

DATE:                        Wednesday, May 14, 2014

TIME:                          1:00 p.m.

LOCATION:               Office of LAUSD Board Member, Steve Zimmer
                                    1075 N. Western Ave. #110
                                    Los Angeles 90029

DESCRIPTION:        Gratitude Circles will create unity by:
                                    Building real trust
                                    Developing stronger, more rewarding relationships
                                    Communicating fairly, effectively and positively
                                    Coping with various cultures, backgrounds and faiths
                                    Retention of individuality and enjoying others’ uniqueness


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  -  Monday, May 12, 2014
A New Project of Goodwill by CANTOR ESTHERLEON SCHWARTZ

New Public Prayer Controversy in the United States; Is There Hope for Our Youth in Need of Compassion and Unity?

The recent Supreme Court's decision to allow Christian prayers at public meetings puts non-Christians in an awkward situation and sets the stage for blowback while providing opportunity.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – May 12, 2014 - As Christian prayer gets a foothold in United States binding Church with State, non-Christians are creating a call-to-action to band together in an effort to keep prayer out of school to help dispel discrimination and conformity. (A viewpoint taken seriously in the 1962 decision, Engel v. Vitale, and the 1963 decision, Abington School District v. Schempp.  And further emphasized under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment referring to state sponsored activities that “Must neither advance nor inhibit religion;” and “Must not result in an excessive entanglement between government and religion.”)

Although many people who engage in some sort of spiritual connectedness do include prayer in their practice, not everyone wants to combine Church and State, but neither do they want war, but peace.  According to a recent article in the Huffington Post, “Of all America's wars over the past century, only World War II has retained mass public approval.”  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lawrence-wittner/when-will-they-ever-learn_2_b_4557364.html 

Perhaps the bigger question is this – how do cultures unite by their differences to create unity; an essential element toward peace?  Cantor Estherleon Schwartz challenges everyone to flip their thinking.  The Cantor suggests that we should not focus on what separates cultures but instead, people should focus on the similarities between people.

So if not prayer, then what?  Cantor Schwartz offers an alternative to Christian prayer in public venues in the form of Gratitude Circles.  Gratitude Circles offer a different kind of unity experience designed to get people engaged with their lives as well as those around them.  By expressing gratitude openly, the experience would bring the things people care about to forefront, many of them similar in context. In doing so, Gratitude Circles combine basic and fundamental moments associated with life cycles so people can gain insight, understanding, and compassion about one another while growing together in community.

About Cantor Estherleon Schwartz
Estherleon Schwartz is a French-born cantor who, along with her parents, evaded Nazi capture during World War II.  The Cantor obtained American citizenship in 1948 and currently resides in Southern California.  She is a Los Angeles based and community leader; promoting an agenda which includes unity, peace, and anti-hunger through music and the spoken word. 

Cantor Estherleon Schwartz Website:  http://www.estherleon.com
Beth Shirah (House of Song) Website:  http://bethshirahhouseofson.wix.com/estherleonschwartz

Availability
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. and worldwide by arrangement and via Skype or telephone.

Media Contact
Gail Blair: (818) 783-8824  gailblairmgmt@gmail.com

# # #

Monday, May 12, 2014

TUESDAY MAY 13th at 12:15 p.m.!

PRESS RELEASE  PRESS RELEASE  PRESS RELEASE  PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT:                Gail Blair – 818-783-8824

MEETING:                 CANTOR ESTHERLEON SCHWARTZ TO SHARE MEMORIES AND THE
                                   WISDOM GAINED BY BEING A CHILD HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR

ATTENDEES:           Cantor Estherleon Schwartz - http://www.estherleon.com
                                    Gail Blair, Executive Director for Cantor Estherleon Schwartz
                                    Leonard F. Delpit, Executive Director of The University of South Central;
                                                Chair, 8th, 2nd. 54th, 30th & 37th CD Democratic Council, and,
                                                Current Los Angeles City Council Candidate
                                    Daymond R. Johnson, President of the Animo Classified Employees Association
                                    A Representative from Mark Ridley Thomas’ office
                                    Ivor Pyres, Shabbos Buddy
                                    Paul Puzzanghero, Shabbos Buddy
                                    Marcia Puzzanghero, Shabbos Buddy
                                    Patricia Pugliese, Shabbos Buddy
                                   
DATE:                       Tuesday, May 13, 2014

TIME:                         12:15  p.m.

LOCATION:               Animo Pat Brown Charter High School
                                    8255 Beach Street
                                    Los Angeles, CA 90001                             

DESCRIPTION:        Keeping history alive:
                                    Knowing the facts
                                    Dispelling anti-Semitism, discrimination and bullying
                                    Developing sympathy and empathy
                                    Communicating fairly, effectively and positively
                                    Coping with various cultures, backgrounds and faiths
                                    Retention of individuality and enjoying others’ uniqueness


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  -  Monday, May 12, 2014
A New Project of Goodwill by CANTOR ESTHERLEON SCHWARTZ

KEEPING MEMORIES OF THE HOLOCAUST ALIVE IN LOS ANGELES

In the midst of his campaign for Los Angeles City Council, Leonard F. Delpit, felt compelled to address the fiasco at the Rialto school, (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/furor-over-school-essay-assignment-questioning-whether-holocaust-happened/).  Delpit contacted his good friend, Daymond R. Johnson, President of the Animo Classified Employees Association, to brainstorm about creating a venue to keep the history and truth of the Holocaust alive in Los Angeles schools and throughout the nation.  Their solution:

At the top of Delpit and Johnson’s list to helm the new campaign was Cantor Estherleon Schwartz, a local peace, goodwill and anti-hunger activist; while their eyes were set on the Animo Pat Brown Charter School as the educational platform to launch the series. 

“This may be the last generation able to listen and speak to a child survivor of the Holocaust,” said Johnson, who was instrumental in choosing Cantor Schwartz for the project.

Messrs. Delpit and Johnson went from concept to action within days, having cemented a union between both the Animo Pat Brown Charter School and Cantor Schwartz.  The first presentation for the Cantor is tomorrow, Tuesday, May 13th at 12:15 p.m.  Cantor Schwartz will engage her young audience using a multi-media platform while sharing her personal experience as a childhood Holocaust survivor.  Immediately following her presentation, the Cantor will be available for questions from the students.

In attendance at tomorrow’s venue will be a representative from Mark Ridley Thomas’ office.  (An invitation was also extended to Governor Jerry Brown and if he is not available, a representative from his office will be welcomed.) 

About Cantor Estherleon Schwartz
Estherleon Schwartz is a French-born cantor who, along with her parents, evaded Nazi capture during World War II.  The Cantor obtained American citizenship in 1948 and currently resides in Southern California.  She is a Los Angeles based and community leader; promoting an agenda which includes unity, peace, and anti-hunger through music and the spoken word. 

Cantor Estherleon Schwartz Website:  http://www.estherleon.com
Beth Shirah (House of Song) Website:  http://bethshirahhouseofson.wix.com/estherleonschwartz

Availability
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. and worldwide by arrangement and via Skype or telephone.

Media Contact
Gail Blair: (818) 783-8824  gailblairmgmt@gmail.com

# # #

Cantor Estherleon Schwartz proposes a solution ...

Click here to read the full article:  http://bethshirah.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-answer-gratitude-circles.html

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Shabbos Buddies now on MeetUp!


 You +  
SHABBOS BUDDIES!

New Meetup Group: Shabbos Buddies at Lenny's Deli, W.L.A.

Inviting all religions, cultures and beliefs to experience a Shabbat dinner, with traditional blessings, music, the spoken word and chicken soup, to come together with the understanding that we are all connected. 

Join us and become a Shabbos Buddie and meet new friends every Friday night, Lenny's Deli, 2379 Westwood Blvd. W.L.A. 90064, (north of Pico). 

Friday Night Shabbat at Lenny’s  6:30 p.m. every Friday night except the last Friday of each month.
        
$7.00 cash donation at the door – one dollar out of seven goes to local SOVA food banks. Every dollar received by SOVA provides 4 meals!

Open menu.  View menu at http://www.lensdeli.com/our-menu/.

Parking in lot with 1 hour validation.  Street parking and metered parking available.

Reservations highly recommended.  
CONTACT: 
Gail Blair
Executive Director
A Knight of Malta

818.783.8824  or  gailblairmgmt@gmail.com

FRIDAY NIGHT SHABBAT - NEW TIME!




Shabbat, Friday nights at Lenny's Deli in Westwood now starts at 6:30!