The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Grace Bennett

How ‘JewBelong’ Billboard Messages Inspire Hope and Gratitude in the Battle Against Antisemitism

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The first time I noticed the signature JewBelong hot pink billboard with a message advocating for not only Jewish safety, but also for Jewish understanding, I thought: how clever!  It felt like a gift ‘from above’, and in these treacherous times of skyrocketing antisemitism, particularly since October 7, each one feels like a gift–but so much more.

Each billboard ‘sighting’, including the ones that travel on trucks, and recently on water too, instill a sense of relief and comfort that someone ‘out there’ understands the threats looming and is taking concrete steps to influence hearts and minds far and wide, and not just Jewish ones. In short, they are not just singing to the choir, but trying to reach as its founder puts it, “the mushy middle.”

I was thrilled for the opportunity to meet the ‘brains’ behind these messages, JewBelong’s cofounder Archie Gottesman, at a recent fundraiser for UJA Federation of New York. Visit: ujafedny.org

On June 6, 100s gathered at the Brae Burn Country Club in Harrison, NY, for a presentation by Gottesman about the billboards’ vital messaging and the need for as many as possible out there too.

Archie Gottesman, co-founder, JewBelong

To date, the billboards have appeared in 32 states. They very much require charitable contributions to launch and sustain, so do visit JewBelong.com 

“Any amount matters,” Gottesman said.

“I don’t care where you are in your Jewish journey,” Gottesman stated. “We have a message for everyone. It’s an expensive battle – 200 billboards cost approximately one million dollars– (and they have to battle graffiti too) but it is so worthwhile and so important.”  

More of what Gottesman conveyed during her talk:

“Every billboard starts a conversation. I want the world to be talking about antisemitsm.  It’s not fair that we have been talking about everyone else’s rights and leaving antisemitism off the table. That’s how change is made in this country.”

“When you think about social issues the country talks about, such as Black Lives Matter or Me Too, they had to become aware of the issue first.  Message matters.”

“I’m going for the ‘mushy middle’; those people who can still be swayed by the messaging. Too many are getting swayed by the other side.”

The information below is courtesy of/direct from JewBelong:  

About JewBelong

JewBelong is a non-profit group supporting Joyous Judaism and fighting antisemitism through a national outdoor campaign that includes traditional billboards as well as billboard trucks. JewBelong has run over 600 billboards across the country reaching over 250 million people. Our trucks have crossed the country and reached many millions more! Through a library of free resources, JewBelong also offers education and meaningful DIY rituals for Jews, allies, and anyone who has felt like a Jewish outsider or feels disengaged from the religion.

About JewBelong co-founder Archie Gottesman

Prior to founding JewBelong, Archie served for more than 30 years as executive vice-president/chief branding officer of Edison Properties and its multiple entities. Gottesman was the voice behind Manhattan Mini Storage’s iconic billboards, which became a viral sensation with a mix of edgy humor and common-sense advice.

 

 

A Tree Grows in White Plains

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A Young Girl’s Legacy of Hope, Courage and Resilience Honored in the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center Planting of a Sapling From Anne Frank’s Tree at the Garden of Remembrance

On June 13, 1944, Anne Frank wrote in The Diary of a Young Girl:

“It’s not just my imagination – looking at the sky, the clouds, the moon and the stars really does make me feel calm and hopeful…Nature makes me feel humble and ready to face every blow with courage!”

Imagine a teen finding solace and peace peering out at a majestic chestnut tree, and in her world famous diary expressing her love and admiration for the tree and for the many wonders of nature, and also her firm belief in the goodness of human beings and the world. And knowing Anne Frank’s ultimate fate, imagining that might break your heart.

But it also might give you reason for hope, perhaps the kind of hope Anne Frank so dearly held on to and with the utmost courage.

Anne Frank’s legacy has largely revolved around her firm faith in humankind. The focus on her love of nature may be less well known but it was always heartfelt and beautifully expressed.

To honor that legacy, The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) held a ceremony for the planting of a sapling from a tree located outside the window Anne Frank wrote about in her diary at the Garden of Remembrance in White Plains, where about 100 gathered to witness this historic event and to listen to a series of remarks surrounding the June 11 dedication.

HHREC was recently chosen as one of six organizations in the U.S. to receive a sapling by the Anne Frank Center USA.

“We are honored to be entrusted with the sapling, a living memorial symbolizing hope, courage and resilience. It is our hope that the tree stands strong for many years to come so that future generations understand its meaning and splendor,” said Millie Jasper, HHREC executive director.

In welcome remarks, the HHREC’s chairperson Michael Gyory shared that his mother was about the same age as Anne and survived Auschwitz at the same time Anne was captive there. He wondered if perhaps the two 15 year olds met…  But regardless, “They’re certainly bonded together by the horrors of the Holocaust; both transported out of Auschwitz leaving behind their mothers who would die there….  “Although times were difficult and  sometimes cruel, at least my mother  had the opportunity to see the birth of three children and eight grandchildren.  I like to think of myself as one of Anne’s children.”

Michael Gyory, chairperson, Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said when he listens to the sound of children at play in the distance, he thinks of the innocence of children in that period… “and how they could not grasp what we in the adult world knew what was happening.”

“People who died in the concentration camps, Jewish and non Jewish alike, were cheated out of the joy of  life–graduations, bar mitzvahs, holy communions and confirmations,” Latimer added. “By planting a tree, which will outlive the vast majority of us, we are making a statement of hope that there is a future in which that tree will grow and flourish in the same way that the children in the distance will grow and flourish… as a matter of faith and hope.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer  Photo by Raya Cottrell Photography

While rescue didn’t come fast enough for Anne, “we do believe in the long run righteousness will prevail.”

Latimer recalled the allied armed forces who saved victims of the Holocaust. “Let that tree remind us as it grows the sacrifices made then… and rise above our own experience through the shared suffering of all of us to commit to the peace of all of us.”

Eva Wyner, Deputy Director of Jewish Affairs at the NYS Executive Chamber and a 3rd generation Holocaust survivor, shared her family’s harrowing story and offered that a sapling grown from the tree Anne Frank loved is a living memorial and a symbol of hope, resilience and the enduring human spirit. She said that she has “always s felt a visceral connection to Anne Frank due to her connection to Holland, and the parallel experiences in my own family history… I have a profound sense of gratitude to be alive today and share my grandmother’s story.”

Eva Wyner, Deputy Director Jewish Affairs at New York State Executive Chamber

In additional remarks, speakers recalled the madness and evil that overtook Holland and the impact on their families and communities. They expressed gratitude to the Anne Frank Center and to the HHREC for helping to keep Anne Frank’s legacy alive. These remarks were from Lauren Bairnsfather, CEO Anne Frank Center USA, and Fred Polak, descendant of Dutch Holocaust Survivors.

The dedication included Olivia Konteatis reading of passages pertaining to Anne Frank’s adoration of nature from The Diary of Anne Frank.

In Tales from the Secret Annex, on March 26, 1944, Anne wrote:

“How wonderful it is that no one has to wait but can start right now to gradually change the world! How wonderful it is that everyone, great and small, can immediately help bring about justice by giving of themselves!”

Following the remarks, many lined up for a chance to view and photograph the sapling and the accompanying memorial.

The Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in White Plains New York that serves schools, synagogues, colleges, churches and civic centers in Westchester and the greater Hudson Valley area. The HHREC Mission is to enhance the teaching and learning of the lessons of the Holocaust and the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect. HHREC works with teachers and students to help schools fulfill the New York State mandate that the Holocaust and other human rights abuses be included in their curriculum. Since 1994, the HHREC has brought the lessons of the Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations to more than 3,000 teachers, and through them to thousands of students. For more information visit www.hhrecny.org call 914.696.0738 email info@hhrecny.org

Millie Jasper, Executive Director, Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center with Dr. Lauren Bairnsfather, CEO, Anne Fank Center USA Photo by Raya Cottrell Photography
Assemblyman Chris Burdick and HHREC board member Daniel Weinreb
Fred Polak, child of Dutch Holocaust survivors
Reading from The Diary of Anne Frank by Olivia Konteatis
Sapling from the Anne Frank Chestnut Tree planted in a dedication from the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center at the Garden of Remembrance
 Gathering for the HHREC dedication of an Anne Frank Sapling (L to R): NY State Senator Shelley Mayer, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, NY State Deputy Director of Jewish Affairs Eva Wyner, NY State Assemblyman Chris Burdick, Anne Frank Center USA CEO Dr. Lauren Bairnsfather, Anne Frank Center USA Actor Olivia Konteatis, HHREC Board Chairperson Michael Gyory, HHREC Executive Director Millie Jasper, Fred Polak, Office of the County Executive Director of Research Ellen Hendrickx, Tony Polak, Vedat Gashi, Chairman Westchester County Board of Legislators    Photo by Raya Cottrell Photography

 

Anne Frank. Photo courtesy of the Anne Frank Center USA

This Wild and Precious Life

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“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Mary Oliver, The Summer Day

Grace Bennett
PHOTO BY DONNA MUELLER

Many ponder that question as time marches on. As goals and desires unrealized gnaw at me, I’m taking Oliver’s challenge to heart. On our home page, you will find a genealogy story, a real-life cousin who found me doing research of family lost in the Holocaust! The revelation further inspired me to revisit yellowing documents from my dad’s horrific experiences surviving Auschwitz, and to hopefully undertake translating my grandfather’s manuscript of surviving that horrendous war in hiding, and reuniting with my dad in Israel, after the rest of his family was killed. And about growing up ‘in the shadow’. I may have a memoir in the making if I can do my best to stay focused.

In time for Mother’s and Father’s Day and graduations, enjoy stories about new & expectant families, a second ‘Portraits and Profiles’ column sharing peace-enhancing practices plus a lovely essay about a special mother/daughter bond.

Here too are spotlights on two great County leaders. A cover story by Alexa Troob emphasizes Vedat Gashi’s focus on cooperation and collaboration. Via Deborah Notis’s interview with Westchester County Executive George Latimer, we learn about a hardworking, results-achieving leader! Other stories include ones about a local rock band, The Station Agents, and another, about a humble World War II vet, Sargent Dan Santagata.

A second cover story (by yours truly!) is about a local dad who just happens to also be a two-time Grammy winner and mastering engineer — Joe LaPorta! Joe’s latest Grammy was for Miley Cyrus’s FLOWERS! I had fun learning how LaPorta, and those in his field of expertise, enhance a song’s sound so that its melody really sticks!

I’m particularly excited to present the indomitable Benjamin Cheever’s engaging cover story about the globe-trotting adventures of award-winning documentary team Susan Todd and Andrew Young. We also think you will appreciate a close-up of Pleasantville High School’s beloved Principal Joseph Palumbo. Two articles by Christine Pasqueralle are one about the Briarcliff Manor Library’s Poetry Café, and a second about the much beloved Briarcliff Manor fundraiser – affectionately called Mezzapalooza. Please also don’t miss our update about the upcoming lineup at the ever-beautiful Caramoor, or the breaking news about the Jacob Burns Film Center’s opening of Take 3, a new Wine Bar and Cafe! Here too is an announcement of the lineup of the Pleasantville Music Festival which we are lending a helping hand to this year, too, as a media sponsor.

Plus, as always, there’s ‘much more’.  Just take a look!

If I’ve missed anyone or anything, we will surely catch up with you one day, as we love to do!

I’m forever grateful to all our contributors and advertisers — I’d like you to know that advertising revenue remains vital for bringing these independently-produced editions to a wide swath of Northern Westchester ‘and beyond’  (to some 75,000 readers not even counting the internet reach of many thousands more with each publishing cycle), so in our 21st year of publishing that includes some true milestones including a recent 20-year anniversary or Inside Chappaqua, a current 10-year anniversary for Inside Armonk and five-year one for Inside Briarcliff Manor & Pleasantville, please contact us ‘for the first time’ if you have ever contemplated a print plus online (a powerful combo!) sponsorship, or ‘revisit’ us if you have in the past! 

We’re still cooking, but make no mistake about it, we need you!

More than ever, in fact, we also appreciate reader support. Another way to help us keep the issues coming is a digital subscription that opens up a decade of content to you (ask us how to unlock a story permanently too, or over the long term): https://www.theinsidepress.com/subscriptions/

It’s truly a privilege producing well regarded magazines in the beautiful hills of Northern Westchester. So, as I retreat to behind-the-scenes projects and pursuits, please know I’m still very much here, and confident that our magazines’ ‘day to day’ responsibilities are in capable hands with associate publisher/editor, Elise Trainor. Elise will be giving you The Inside Scoop each issue.

Here’s wishing you warm, bright days ahead in your own precious lives.  

 

Meet Joe LaPorta: Armonk’s Resident Two-Time Grammy Winner!

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PHOTO BY ANDREW LIPOVSKY

It was a short message in my inbox with a pitch that Armonk resident Joe LaPorta won a Grammy for his ‘Mastering’ work on Miley Cyrus’s Grammy-winning Record of the Year, Flowers.

Would the Inside Press be interested in learning his story? Well, heck yeah! Like many millions, I have been obsessed with Miley’s song, and struck something of a chord myself in social media after solo on Valentine’s Day, I posted a pic of a big purple Iris in my drink at a local bar with a status, “I can buy my own drink with a flower inside it.”

So, yes, I’d be very interested in a story about any contribution to the story of Flowers. And a Grammy award winner to boot…

Soon thereafter, I began corresponding with LaPorta, who won his first Grammy for ‘Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical’ for his work on David Bowie’s Blackstar – at age 36, he became the youngest mastering engineer to ever win in this category!

Joe with Bon Jovi and producer John Shanks

LaPorta, who today is 44 years old, has been nominated seven times in total and for two Latin Grammys as well. In just the last year, his work spanned from mastering the biggest rap single of 2023, fukumean by Gunna, and the biggest rap album of 2023, Heroes and Villains by Metro Boomin – also nominated for Best Rap Album Grammy – to mastering Bewitched by Laufey, which won the 2023 Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Additionally, Miley Cyrus’s Flowers was the best-selling and most streamed song globally last year.

LaPorta’s mastering successes also include the biggest UK rap single of 2023 – Sprinter by Dave and Central Cee. He also boasts mastering work for Jelly Roll – one of Country Music’s biggest new artists.

LaPorta has amassed a body of work that is incredibly wide ranging for a mastering engineer. Throughout the years, he has become an internationally trusted name in mastering music from everything from Pop, Rap, Country, Indie Rock etc.

On Breaking In

Joe with Keith Urban and mix engineer Sean Moffitt

LaPorta’s future had its seeds growing up in North Salem with a fire in the belly and raw talent needed to break into the music world. He and a friend started a record label called Freshchest Records and secured a deal through an independent distributor of EMI records.

“It was so cool to see our releases make it into record stores, both local and internationally,” he said. During this time, LaPorta had the opportunity to work with artists including 50 Cent, GZA, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch and Cunninlynguists, and licensed tracks to TV and film clients such as MTV, Showtime, and Fox Network. Joe also worked as a music consultant on forensic musicology/copyright infringement cases. He has consulted on cases for The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Prince, Jay-Z, Britney Spears, Shakira, Guns N’ Roses, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Sting, Phil Collins, Diddy, Alicia Keys, and others.

It was during this inspiring period that LaPorta learned about mastering while producing hip hop and drum-n-bass records as well as attending NYU for music technology. He started mastering full time at a small New York City mastering house called ‘The Lodge’ and then joined Sterling Sound as a Senior Engineer in 2013.

The Art of Mastering

Joe with Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme

Once a song is fully written, produced and mixed, LaPorta and his team will receive it for the final stage known as mastering. “To me, mastering is the art of finalizing a song while also maintaining the artist’s vision,” he said, explaining further that “it can be achieved with numerous tools (both analog and digital processing like Gain, EQ, Compression, Limiting, Imaging and many more) which help with the song’s dynamics, impact, clarity, and overall competitive level.

The use of these tools, he further explained, in combination with the instinct and taste of an experienced mastering engineer, can bring great final touches to a song before it is released to the world.

A Grammy can feel like an exceptional feat in that mastering engineers are only eligible to win a trophy in five of the 94 categories (Record of Year, Album of Year, Best Engineered Non-Classical, Best Historical and Best immersive/surround audio). “They limited our eligibility as we tend to work on so many albums each year, so they’re very difficult to get,” shared LaPorta proudly.

But whether LaPorta takes home ‘the prize’ or not, he has clearly enjoyed the opportunities to meet many artists over the years either during attended sessions or at shows and events. “For the most part,” he said, “everyone is super down to earth and humble, and it’s great to see how involved they can get with the intricate details of something like mastering.”

The LaPortas have also attended the Grammys several times.
“It’s amazing to watch the whole operation happen with their massive production crew doing everything live – cameras flying around the room, set changes, seat swap outs. It’s also fun to watch everyone decked out in their tuxes and gowns for the special night while enjoying stadium concessions like hot dogs and pretzels!”

But his “craziest, pinch-myself moment” was an invite by Dave Grohl for a Post Grammys Dinner after they won Best Rock Album in 2012. He booked a room in a small Italian restaurant and some of the guests were Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Johnny Depp, Elvis Costello, and Tony Hawk. “I was definitely not worthy of being there, and it was a pretty surreal experience,” LaPorta said, striking a humble note.

More ‘fun stuff’ is in the works, “but unfortunately, I can’t talk about everything,” said LaPorta, who recently worked on new albums on the way from Twenty One Pilots, Future & Metro Boomin, The Marias, Don Toliver, Willow, and more.

North Castle Living

Joe with Tara and their sons Jayden & Justin. The family was attending Jayden’s school band concert in the Byram Hills School District.

Joe and his wife, Tara, purchased their Armonk home 14 years ago “for the amazing school district, the overall vibe of the town and the central location and proximity to the city… I sometimes refer to it as the bat cave since it’s so easy to hop back and forth from the city!” LaPorta added with a chuckle. “It has been a great place to raise our children!”

For the best sense of LaPorta’s work and range, follow him on Instagram, @jlaportamasters and check out his playlist on Spotify or Apple Music with artists like Young Thug, David Bowie, FKA Twigs, Foo Fighters, Beach House, The Alchemist, Shawn Mendes, Lil Peep etc.

&nd=1&dlsi=cf68b162d0b94ea2    

 

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/mastered-by-joe-laporta/pl.u-vxy69yxCqN6BZ

 

Fresh Beginnings

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Grace Bennett
PHOTO BY DONNA MUELLER
When I conjured up the theme of “fresh beginnings,” I had hoped we’d see the hostages come home… with that, a new peace in a troubled region, and a collective sigh of relief everywhere! I’m sad that wasn’t the case, at least not at press time, but I remain, I know we all remain, ever hopeful.

Holding onto hope in the battle against cancer is the reigning sentiment for all the participants of Chappaqua’s always amazing Relay for Life, our Inside Chappaqua cover story by Mia Brown. Kudos to all the Greeley volunteers!

The historic inaugurations in January seemed to promise a bright, new future for our residents, with Victoria Bayard Tipp now at the helm as the Town of New Castle’s first BIPOC Town Supervisor. We are proud to present Zoya Nabeel’s poignant coverage, and my own report of all the newly sworn in public officials, in our first 2024 edition, kicking off a 21st year of publishing.

Elise Trainor
In the meantime, some fresh beginnings have taken place Inside the Inside Press. In December, we extended a warm welcome to our new Associate Publisher and Editor Elise Trainor, a consummate media pro who has been busy gearing up to assume many of my current responsibilities (my goal is to pursue special projects long put on hold!). Elise, an Armonk resident who has raised her family in North Castle together with her husband John, rolled up her sleeves right away getting to know our present sponsors and securing new ones in our vital print/online market. She is also already bringing us great stories including the Inside Armonk cover story written by Stacey Pfeffer about Stayin’ Alive, a gift to First Responders and the residents in Armonk, but also in nearby towns. To reach Elise, write to elise@insidepress.com.

Speaking of gifts, we celebrate spring in a debut of Ronni Diamondstein and Naava Katz’s fun new column, Portraits & Profiles. We hope you enjoy it.

Ella Ilan’s article about newly elected Town Supervisor Joseph Rende offers our readers an opportunity to ‘get to know’ him a little better, and offers some insight into his priorities for North Castle. As a prime example, look for a remounting of the Armonk Eagle with details to follow about the beloved landmark. 

We are also thrilled to hear that the Byram Hills Varley Players are gearing up to present Mamma Mia!, a personal Broadway favorite. So, mark your calendar for an event the entire community will surely enjoy.

Music is always a great salve during challenging times, so we are very proud to bring you Marco Lamberti’s story, the Inside Pleasantville and Briarcliff Manor cover story, as told by Christine Pasqueralle. A 10-year-old drummer rocking venues around the county felt inspiring to us, and we’d like our readers to perhaps one day say ‘they knew him when’ as they recall Marco’s ‘beginning’ 15 minutes of fame in their favorite local magazine.

In entirely different arenas, Michael Gold continues to bring stories to local presses intended to protect our precious planet, this time in a conversation with Nicole Asquith on the future of renewable energy. Fran Goldstein’s interview with Briarcliff Manor’s Audrey Birnbaum about her extraordinary new Holocaust memoir is a must read, and we wish Audrey well on her publishing journey. You’ll also find sage ‘midlife’ advice from the one and only René Syler. Also, if winter sniffles strike again, check out our new roving food reviewer interns who sampled hot soups in the area, and report their favorite to take out.

Please take time to check out all our new stories. Wishing you all fresh beginnings!