Page 4 - Jewish News_December-2020

4A December 2020 FEDERATION NEWS

CEO Howard Tevlowitz to retire in 2021

Staff Report
oward Tevlowitz, CEO of The area Jewish institutions and future generations, has been inspir- sota where he can continue to do good
Jewish Federation of Sara- ‹ Creating a security infrastructure ing for all of our community members deeds.”
Hsota-Manatee for more than to ensure the safety of the Jewish and donors. Because of his leadership, Howard Tevlowitz commented,
20 years, has announced plans to re- community in partnership with Se- we are in a position to truly begin the “With the support of forward-think-
tire as of December 31, 2021. He has cure Community Network, includ- ing and creative volunteer lead-
spent his entire career working in Jew- ing the hiring of the organization’s ership and an outstanding and
ish Federations in Long Beach, Cali- first Community Security Director dedicated professional team, we
fornia, Philadelphia and Minneapolis. ‹ Establishing relationships and have worked together to grow
Under his leadership, our Federation deep-rooted partnerships with Federation in ways none of us
has evolved into a thriving 21 centu- educational, faith-based and arts could have ever imagined. It is
st
ry organization. His accomplishments organizations throughout the com- not my intention to say good-
include: munity bye. Instead, it is my firm and
‹ The re-envisioning of the Fed- ‹ Bringing financial stability to sincere belief that this year-long
eration’s 33-acre Larry & Mary the Federation through engaging transition is necessary to take us
Greenspon Family Campus for strong financial leadership and Federation President Randon Carvel, Federation CEO to the next level.”
Jewish Life, for which an ongoing establishing diversified revenue Howard Tevlowitz, Federation Past-President Michael Ritter The Federation has initiated
capital campaign so far has suc- streams transformational changes that will a national search for its next CEO with
cessfully raised $15.4 million Randon Carvel, Federation Pres- serve our community for many years a diversified group: Chair Joel Morgan-
‹ Establishing a LIFE & LEGACY™ ident, noted, ”Howard’s dedication to to come. We owe a debt of gratitude roth MD, Vice Chair Patti Wertheimer,
community-wide endowment cam- our Jewish community for more than to this amazing man. Fortunately for Veronica Brady, Randon Carvel, David
paign that has secured more than 20 years, and his vision of what great us, although he will be retiring, we are Millstone, Michael Ritter, Wayne Ru-
$20 million in legacy gifts for 11 things we can achieve for ourselves glad to know he is staying here in Sara- ben and Rabbi Jennifer Singer.
Noam Shuster – “Laugh Your Tuchus Off!” live from Israel

By Gayle Guynup
oam Shuster is not your typical mania, and my mom was born in Iran and the Iran I feel when she hugs me ing my material and working in come-
comedienne. But then again, and is an Iranian Jew. I am half Ashke- and speaks about her memories.” dy clubs in the U.S., it was truly, truly
Nthere is not much that is typ- nazi, European Jewish, and half East- Shuster and a Palestinian girl from amazing.”
ical about this Israeli political activist ern Sephardic Jewish.” Jaffa received a “Coexistence” schol- Shuster said that after being a po-
who has turned to stand-up comedy in Shuster’s Iranian grandmother arship to Boston’s Brandeis Universi- litical activist for so many years, “the
order to share her message. ty, where Shuster studied international situation here had just become worse
Shuster will perform virtually in relations as well as theater. “Brandeis and worse, and first and foremost, I was
“Laugh Your Tuchus Off!” live from was amazing,” she said. “I studied. I exhausted. I wanted to ignite some-
Israel for The Jewish Federation of was an activist on campus. I learned thing creative that I had always had in
Sarasota-Manatee on Thursday, De- what it means being an American Jew me. I channeled my personal capabil-
cember 31 at 10:30 a.m. vs. being an Israeli Jew coming to the ities in order to spread hope through
“For this show, I think what we United States.” my art, my stand-up routines. It was
will do is have a really hilarious and in- While at Brandeis, an internship the most immediate thing I could do to
teresting, funny and serious, conversa- with the women’s organization We Act start speaking to the hearts and minds
tion about these crazy past few months took her to Rwanda, where she worked of people. Soon, I found I could reach
that I have experienced, starting with with women who had been raped and more people and speak freely through
having to move out of Harvard and were HIV positive. She was awarded my craft. I didn’t need to be in an or-
move back home in the middle of this Noam Shuster the Davis Peace Prize for developing ganization or a political group in order
dream year, getting COVID and being and infant mother moved to Israel in peacebuilding programs for HIV-posi- to be effective. As Noam, I am strong
quarantined in a hotel with a bunch 1957. Shuster was raised speaking both tive youth in Kigali. After graduating, enough, I am talented enough, my
of Jews and Arabs who were getting Hebrew and Arabic in a peace village Shuster returned to Israel to work for voice is strong enough that I can make
along in a most extraordinary way,” near Tel Aviv (Neve Shalom), where the peacebuilding group Interpeace, an people laugh and tell a story without
said Shuster. “I’ll share things from my Palestinian and Jewish Israeli families international organization formed by waiting for anyone’s approval. This is
childhood, what it was like as a Jew- lived, committed to educating and rais- the United Nations in 1994, with the what cultural activism did for me,” she
ish woman growing up with Palestin- ing their children together. goal of preventing violence and build- explained.
ians, what it is like being a mixed Jew, Shuster was greatly influenced by ing lasting peace around the world. Shuster said she believes politics
and being a peace activist most of my her family’s Iranian roots, which were But with the political situation and comedy feed off of each other.
life. All of these topics we will explore mostly kept hidden from her as the between Israelis and Palestinians at “Politicians are the best comedians we
together.” family embraced life in their new Jew- an impasse, Shuster felt she wasn’t have right now. And comedians are
But let’s start at the beginning. ish homeland. Shuster said, “My roots reaching people with her message. So, the best politicians we have right now.
“I am Jewish with mixed roots,” are strong. My family can never forget once again she began telling her jokes People are listening to comedians in a
Shuster explained. “My father is the about the Iran they remember and love, – about the village where she grew up, way that they haven’t before in regard
son of Holocaust survivors from Ro- the Iran I smell in my mother’s kitchen, about her identity as an Iranian-born to politics. These two worlds never
Jew and even dating in Israel. need to be separated. The best satire
Years later, Shuster became a vis- comes from the worst political circum-
iting fellow with the Religion, Con- stances. This is what feeds my comedy.
flict and Peace Initiative of Harvard People are listening to it, people are
Divinity School. “Harvard was a very paying close attention today. Come-
different experience. I was much more dy is a great tool to make people see
mature. I was an artist visiting, a fellow things. It helps reveal things that peo-
on campus working on my craft, my ple forget to see about racism, bigot-
comedy. Harvard was really a dream ry, sexism and oppression. Comedians
come true,” she said. reveal these things and help people
“When I came to Harvard, it was see them without becoming numb to
after my change in career, moving them,” she said.
from the UN to being a comedienne. Shuster said her goal is not simply
At Harvard, I really came to practice to make people laugh. “I want to make
what comedy means to me and to write people think.”
my one-woman show (which she per- Tickets for Shuster’s New Year’s
forms in Hebrew, English and Ara- Eve day performance are $10 per
bic), titled “Coexistence My Ass.” Of household. For reservations, go to jfed
course, I didn’t expect it to end so srq.org/events. For more information,
abruptly in April because of COVID, contact Jeremy Lisitza at 941.343.2113
but for all the months I was develop- or jlisitza@jfedsrq.org.