Stars of David

November 13, 2008 - Michael Elkin, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Michael J. Masch

What's in your wallet? Well, Michael J. Masch has a right to pose that question, being the busy -- and business -- kind of guy that he is. The longtime-ago staffer at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Philadelphia and Jewish communal activist has gone from serving as secretary of the budget for the state to chief biz officer of the School District of Philadelphia, giving new professional meaning to that old schoolteacher command to students: "Crack

Julia Swain

open those books!" ... As Annie Hall would say: "Law-de-daw!" Julia Swain of the legal giant Fox Rothschild LLP recently delivered a seminar about "Ethical Consideration in Family Law," also featuring attorneys Barbara S. Rosenberg of Norristown and Elaine Smith of Smith & Horwitz, in a program presented by the Family Law Section/Philadelphia Bar Association. ... Turn for another attorney: Jennifer Platzkere Snyder is partnering up with the litigation department and labor employment group at Dilworth Paxson. ... All the Weil: Jeffrey Weil is new chair/commercial litigation division for the locally-based Cozen O'Connor law firm. ... Pops goes the Nero: Philly Pops Papa Peter Nero has extended his l-o-n-g association (hold that note!) with the city and its music by signing a five-year extension. Nice to know he'll be making beautiful music with the Pops through 2014, which, as everyone knows, will be the seventh year in a row that the Phillies win the World Series. (Oh, no -- yawn -- not another one of those annual parades!) ... "Inside" out: That's right, just a coupla more days to take in "Entering From the Inside: The Art of Memory," Michele Brody's brush with the Temple Judea Museum, Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel, in Elkins Park, through Nov. 14. ... A mutual fund of respect and admiration between the

Ellen Tilman

community and Ellen Tilman is the foundation for her being honored at Beth Sholom Congregation Sisterhood's Torah Fund campaign and dinner the other night. Of course, Ellen's no stranger to the Elkins Park synagogue -- it's not like she needed directions to the dinner (Okay, Ellen, make a right turn at the bimah ... ). Her father, Sidney Rosenberg, was formerly its exec director, and her hubby, David F. Tilman, knows from his own chorus line as the temple's cantor who also, ahem, sings her praises. ... Remember that glorious number from the Broadway musical about podiatrists -- "Foot, Glorious Foot"? No, well, how about the one about shoeless kids in not so merry Old England with a Charles Dickens twist of a plot. Jessica Williams is familiar with it; the 13-year-old honors student at Collingswood Middle School has the title role in "Oliver!" -- a bit of untraditional casting, but it was a time before Oliver's voice changed -- now at the Collingswood Community Theatre. ... Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! Marcia Bronstein, past veepee of the JCC of Greater Philadelphia and formerly active with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, is the new director of development for the regional office of AJCommittee. ... Chill out on the board walk, where the Diving Horse has gone to his condo for some heated hooves: Alan E. Casnoff, prexy of DLV Inc., has

Jason E. Reitman

become a board member of Philabundance, while attorney Jason E. Reitman of Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel, where he's a partner, is a new member of the board of the Philadelphia Anti-Defamation League. Meanwhile, legal eagle Ron Yaffe and Harris S. Fishman, prexy/CEO, First

Harris S. Fishman

Financial Group, have boarded up with Easter Seals of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Okay, everyone into the ocean! And don't tell "Stars" you're scared of a little frozen saltwater taffy.