Stars of David

October 30, 2008 - Michael Elkin, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Steve Cohen

Boo! "Stars" aren't afraid of life's tricks as they go about treating others to acts of kindness and commitment. As for this week's first "Star," well, he's already on familiar- enough terms to wish a gut yontif, pontiff! The pope knows he's a good guy; now so does the rest of the world: Steve Cohen joins Anne Hamilton and Tom Scannapieco in receiving the "Heroes of Liberty Awards" from the National Liberty Museum,which puts its best fete forward on Dec. 3. The dinner and awards program at the Westin Philadelphia will cite the insightful chairman of the board of Morris J. Cohen CPAs for his

Rachel Levy Lesser

contributions to the community, and whose "actions personify the museum's mission of teaching America's youth to live responsible, productive lives." Ten years ago, Cohen was saluted with a Papal Honor, marking him as one of only a handful to receive such recognition. Also in the NLM spotlight: Officer Brian Leventhal. The Philadelphia SWAT unit member joined colleague Erik Bullock in receiving a team award, part of the museum's 2008 Police and Fire Fighters Heroes Awards event. He's so fine? Philadelphia's finest. ... Shopping for Love in all the wrong places? Try the bookstore. Yardley resident and Penn grad Rachel Levy Lesser penned the book, claiming she "inherited the shopping gene from my grandmother, aunt and mother." The tome's more-serious subject talks of how shopping helped the author's mom, Becky Deitz Levy, cope with cancer. ... Chapter 2: Dr. Robert Vogel's new book, Voices of Teens: Writers Matter (You, go, Bob!), focuses on his adapting the Freedom Writers Project to Philadelphia middle schools. Nothing middlin' about this guy; the education prof at La Salle U. is also a board member of Barrack Academy and the Anti-Defamation League. He's now in forward motion: The book's forward was written by Erin Gruwell, whose own Freedom Writers Diary, about public-school

Douglas J. Feith

education, was the focus of a film starring Hilary Swank. (Hold out for Johnny Depp, professor.) ... Cheers! How best to salute the scheduling of Princeton's Bebe Neuwirth by the Katz Jewish Community Center in Cherry Hill, N.J., for a spot on its jammed Blank Rome Festival of Arts, Books and Culture. Everyone's favorite Addams Family-looking apparition from TV's "Cheers" -- far from the beauty she is in real life -- the Tony Award-winning and tony Neuwirth brings her "Stories With Piano" cabaret act, the festival's Spotlight Performance, to Temple Beth Sholom on Nov. 9, just a day before Douglas J. Feith, former U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, discusses his book, War and Decision: Inside the Pentagon at the Dawn of the War on Terrorism, at the JCC Lahn Social Hall. The scion of the prominent Philadelphia Feith family will do so in conversation with legendary broadcaster Larry Kane. ... Doctor, heal thyself? "Heal Thy Practice"! That was the focus of a discussion on holistic family medicine offered up by Dr. Daphne Goldberg of Bala Cynwyd at a medical trade conclave meeting in New York about "Transforming Primary Care." ... Okay, so the waves may be a splash too nippy at this time, but what's to prevent you from donning a parka and going to Park Place in A.C.? That's right, it's time for the board walk. And Berton Korman and Robert Pollack are among those re-elected to three-year terms on the board of the Philadelphia Orchestra. No "Unfinished Symphony" here. ... Law, man!

Berton Korman

Gerald Alexander, serving as assistant general counsel/office of litigation of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, has been granted a Wasserstein Public Interest Fellowship at Harvard Law School. Another Akiba (Barrack) grad, Class of '81, done good. ... I am "Stars" and I approve this message: It's the election -- and the economy -- on Nov. 4. Remember to vote early and vote often.