Stars of David
June 19, 2008 - Michael Elkin, Arts & Entertainment Editor |
| Michael F.
Barrett |
Summer breeze, makes you feel -- "Starry"-eyed: What with the Phillies locking up the World Series berth early this year -- remember, 1964 was just 44 years ago, Gene Mauch's number times 11 -- it looks like a good year for the boys of summer. Here's one of them, all grown up, with a grand slam of a career:
Michael F. Barrett just assumed the giant gavel -- think of it as a 44-ounce bat -- of the top spot of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association. And the new prexy of the PTLA, as well as managing shareholder of Saltz, Mongeluzzi, Barrett & Bendesky, PC, has even more honors to put on his personal docket: He's just been elected to the board of directors of the Louis D. Brandeis Law Society Foundation. This one is outta here!
Eye on the prize: Dr. Dick Goldberg, a prominent retired ophthalmologist, will be part of a panel of top physicians and art educators discussing the relationship between eye problems and art perception on June 25 at "Eye to Eye," at the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College, in Collegeville. What you see is what you get: Goldberg, who turned to art after retirement and has gained national attention for his work, is also exhibiting at the museum.
Driving a lemon? 1-800-LEMON L -- it's like "Costanza"; "Stars" just can't get that commercial jingle out of his head. And at the head of the class are those who came up with that jinlge: Robert M. Silverman and Craig Thor Kimmel, founding partners of Kimmel and Silverman -- and whose commercials tout them as the "lemon law firm" for those car junkies whose cars turn out to be junkers -- have been honored as "Pennsylvania Super Lawyers" by Law & Politics magazine. That's five years in a row (or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first; guess they're still under warranty.) If there's a ceremony, "Stars" bets their ride won't be breaking down on the way.
 |
| Josh Young |
Bring him home? He's already here! Philadelphia's Josh Young has returned to his roots -- and audiences are rooting him on at the Walnut Street Theatre, where the romantic lead is portraying Marius in the Walnut's adaptation of "Les Misérables." How much longer will he be there? One more day! Nah, actually, the run goes on to Aug. 3.
To be young (besides you, Josh), gifted and -- Barrack? David Carel, a sophomore at the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Philadelphia, is a winner of the Jewish Theological Seminary's Ahavat Torah Award, for those showing a "serious commitment to excellence in leadership, service and Judaic studies." He's one of a kind, that David -- and one of only 15 nationwide, joining 14 other sophomores and juniors deemed to stand proud and tall beside him in this honor.
Simon says -- let's get together in New York City! Philly lawyer Theodore Simon served as a co-chair of the recent National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers gala in the Big Apple. Simon, a board member of NACDL, also helped plan the event, marking the association's 50th anniversary. "Stars" hears it was actually the 55th anniversary, but they were able to plea out for less.
Design of the times: Matt Neff can doodle all he wants these days after the fine-arts lecturer was named winner of the University of Pennsylvania's G. Holmes Perkins Award for Teaching in Undergraduate Programs. Wonder if he supervised printing of the award notification.
You've got a friend in
the White House? The push for Ed Rendell for the national Dem veepee spot continues with the New Republic pledging allegiance with a column by Philadelphian Buzz Bissinger endorsing him. But what caught "Stars" attention was the fact that this may mean the first Borscht Belt politico to cut the mustard since Grossinger's offered all the corned beef you could eat. Buzz on Rendell is that "he's more Jackie Mason than Jack Kennedy." Hey, mistah, you got a problem with that?
Off the wall? On the wall: The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program has honored Rabbi Gerald I. Wolpe, rabbi emeritus of Har Zion Temple, and William P. Hankowskychairman/Liberty Property Trust, for their leadership roles, at its Wall Ball. Hey, isn't that what Ian and Jay and I played back in Logan in the parking lot of the Penn Fruit?