Public Employee Press

DC 37 celebrates Jewish heritage

By JANE LaTOUR

Blending traditional themes and music with lighter fare made for an evening of substance and levity May 24, as members joined in the union's 18th annual Jewish Heritage celebration.

Committee Chair Dr. Leonard Davidman was pleasantly surprised when City Comptroller John Liu paid an impromptu visit. Mixing humor with praise for the hard-working union members, Liu said: "Tonight, we celebrate our diversity. That's what's special about DC 37. As my great-grandmother in Taiwan used to say, 'Mazel tov!' "

In his invocation Rabbi Dr. Alvin Kass said, "The most precious gift that anyone can have is the gift of vision. At the core of Judaism is a vision of social justice. Together tonight we celebrate that vision and our heritage."

DC 37 Secretary and Local 1070 President Cliff Koppelman offered greetings from DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts: "On behalf of the whole DC 37 family - enjoy yourselves!"

Howard Leshaw and his band performed throughout the evening, offering a program of standards, klezmer and other traditional Jewish music. Balladeer Wendy Kimball lured one retiree toward the microphone where they shared a duet in Yiddish, while the room turned into a dance hall.

Keynote speaker Mark Weitzman, who heads up the Task Force Against Hate for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, called Wiesenthal "a figure who was larger than life." Weitzman recounted his first meeting with the legendary Nazi hunter, and said, "What began as a conversation ended as a friendship. He championed the cause of human rights and spoke out on behalf of every group threatened by genocide - the Cambodians, the Kurds, the Gypsies."

The brash humor of comedienne Michele Balan offered something completely different and capped off the evening. Voted as one of the "Top Ten Comics" by Backstage Magazine, Balan recently toured with the Smothers Brothers as they celebrated their 50th anniversary in show biz.

"I'm so neurotic that when I leave my house, I check the oven, even though I haven't cooked for 10 years," said Balan, leaving the crowd laughing.

Local 371 President Anthony Wells was one of those who couldn't resist the infectious strains of the music and took to the dance floor. "Nights like this are the perfect mix of recognizing the Jewish ideal of social justice and having a good time," he said.