arts & entertainment

Becoming Eileen A member of the famed Rockefeller family finds her voice — and a love of Jewish traditions. Paul Growald and Eileen Rockefeller at their 1981 | Suzanne Chessler ER: I like that I managed to be true to my Even to grow into oneself wedding in Seal Harbor, Maine | Contributing Writer voice as well as my family and my stories. requires a community of sup- I love that my siblings have each seen their port because family, our first community, I visited John Fetzer at the Fetzer ileen Rockefeller hopes that her own chapters and given me the green light. is one that mirrors us but often through Institute there because he became the first presentation at the JCC Jewish Some of my favorite stories are in the chap- distorted lenses. The writing of my book funder of my founding of the Institute E Book Fair will include her hus- ter, “Time for Being,” which describes Paul’s was a process of sorting out which reflec- for the Advancement of Health, and we band, Paul Growald, who grew up in background and how we blended his Jewish tions were accurate and which were not. became great friends. Kalamazoo and introduced her to the traditions with my Rockefeller ones. Jewish traditions important to their family. JN: What are you JN: Have any other members of the The presentation, on the morning of JN: Was there going to include in Rockefeller family married into Jewish Nov. 14, will expand on her new book: one incident your presentation? families? Being a Rockefeller, Becoming Myself: A that was the ER: I’m definitely ER: Not all the marriages have lasted, Memoir (Blue Rider Press). final inspiration going to include but many of my relatives are married to “Paul and I have spoken together for the for you to write how my husband Jewish people. Jewish Funders Network,” Rockefeller says the book? Paul and I blended in a phone conversation from her Vermont ER: The first the Rockefeller and JN: Have your relatives joined in the home. “Given the theme of my upcoming inspiration Jewish traditions religious celebrations you have had? talk — that strong families create strong was when our Eileen Rockefeller in raising our chil- ER: Many of them came to our sons’ bar societies — I believe it will be a more sons went off dren as Jews, how mitzvahs. Adam, 27, works at a strategic impactful discussion and more useful to to college and I [brought Jewish rituals into our home] branding and design company; Danny, 25, people if Paul is able to partner with me.” suddenly I was and how that has affected me personally as works for an entrepreneur to help scale The author, the daughter of David and faced with the empty nest. Having cre- well as the raising of our two sons. businesses in technology, communication the late Peggy Rockefeller, writes about ated so much of my identity as a mother, and sustainability. growing up as the youngest of six children I sat down to write stories of my favorite JN: How do you react to the experi- Some of my relatives participated in the in a celebrated family and then finding her memories with them. ence of being in the public eye? bar and bat mitzvahs of their [stepchil- own path through education, friendships I wrote enough for a book, but it turned ER: I have grown enough into my own dren]. My sons were the only ones born and causes she deems important. out those stories were too close to their self that I feel as much a Rockefeller as into the Rockefeller family as the mar- One anecdote recalls a student project childhood to publish. That’s when I chose I do Eileen, and therefore I’m happy to riage sustained, and they were the only focusing on Hudson River pollution. It to go deeper to the origins of my own share both aspects of myself in whatever Rockefeller children to have a bar, or bat, impelled her to pursue meaningful correc- childhood. ways can make a difference to others in mitzvah. tive measures by showing the problem to finding and becoming themselves. her influential uncles: Nelson, then gover- JN: Did you learn anything new about JN: How do you feel about living in nor of , and Laurence, a longtime yourself just from the experience of JN: What has been your connection Vermont, which has the highest use of conservationist. writing? to in light of your husband’s state-grown agricultural and livestock Rockefeller, 61, whose text also delves ER: I learned many new things. One years in Kalamazoo? products? into her parents’ backgrounds and is humbling admission was that I couldn’t ER: I have not spent much time in ER: My husband and I eat exclusively complemented with photos, comfortably possibly have done it by myself. I think Michigan except for visiting Kalamazoo from our garden. We have an organic answers questions about her experiences it’s probably true, as I look back on my in 1984 [when my in-laws no longer lived garden and grow all of our food with the and priorities: life, that anything a person wishes to grow there]. At that time, Paul showed me help of several people who work for us. or create that’s larger than the person where he had lived in Kalamazoo, and that We freeze and can our foods so that we are JN: What do you like about the book? requires a community of support. was great fun. literally self-sustaining. Jews Eileen on page 69 | Nate Bloom creator Mitch Hurwitz, 50, as well as Bolton had a string of “blue-eyed 50 Years Later | Special to the Jewish News cast members Jessica Walter, 72, and soul” hits in the ’80s and ’90s. The The National Geographic Channel Jeffrey Tambor, 69. 62-year-old Carter, who isn’t Jewish, joins many other media outlets in Talk-Show Beat Nov. 3 saw the return of a new sea- has been married since 1984 to media marking the 50th anniversary of the Bravo’s Inside the Actor’s Studio son of OWN’s -hosted company exec Robert Altman, 65; their death of President John F. Kennedy returns on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m., show Where Are They Now? It is cur- now-adult son and daughter were bar/ with an original film, Killing Kennedy. with an interview with the principal rently available for viewing on the OWN bat mitzvah. It airs at 10 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10. cast of . - website, with guests Soleil Moon Frye, The episode airing at 10 p.m. Sunday, Rob Lowe plays JFK. Ginnifer born-and-raised host James Lipton, 37; singer Michael Bolton, 60; and Nov. 10, includes professional celebrity Goodwin, 35, plays Jacqueline Kennedy. 87, has strong ties to the TV series, actress Lynda (Wonder Woman) Carter. Tori Spelling, 40. Spelling recently talk- Michelle Tractenberg, 28, plays Celebrity having played the Frye, whose mother is Jewish, ed to USA Today about the big reveal Oswald’s Russian- recurring charac- is best known for playing the title in her new memoir, now in bookstores: born wife, Marina. ter Warden Stefan role in the hit ’80s TV series Punky She is almost broke, and her husband The actress, whose Gentles in 2004 and Brewster. She wed film producer (they have four kids) cannot even afford parents are Jewish 2005, and, again, Jason Goldberg, 40, in a Jewish cer- to get a vasectomy. immigrants from the when the series was emony in 1998. The couple have two She claims her late father, mega-TV former Soviet Union, revived for Netflix children, ages 5 and 8, and are now producer Aaron Spelling, left her “only” speaks fluent Russian, last May. Appearing expecting a third child. Frye hosts the 800K. Her mother, Candy, told the which she uses in her Lipton with Lipton are show OWN D-I-Y show, Home Simple. paper, “It was much, much, more.” Trachte nberg film role. ■

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bowl. Drizzle with oil, and toss well. and saute until translucent. Sprinkle spices over, and toss well Add remaining ingredients, except again. Arrange on the prepared bak- cilantro and salt, and stir to combine; ing sheet. Cook uncovered for 30 bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, minutes. Serve hot, warm or at room and cook for 30 minutes. Stir in salt temperature. to taste. Stir in half the cilantro, and Makes 8 servings. transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle remaining cilantro over, and serve. ALOO GOBI Makes 8 servings. There are numerous versions of this traditional Indian dish. Mine is easy HERB-ROASTED and delicious. PARSNIPS AND CARROTS 2 Tbsp. olive oil 2 lbs. parsnips, peeled, cut into 2 cups chopped onion 1-inch chunks 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and 2 lbs. carrots cut into 1-inch chopped chunks 1 small head cauliflower, the flo- ¼ cup olive oil rets and up to 1½ inches of stems 3 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves chopped 1 Tbsp. dried parsley 2 lbs. Russet or Idaho potatoes, salt and pepper to taste peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks ½ cup water Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped two large rimmed baking sheets well 1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. ½ tsp. ground cumin Toss all ingredients together in a 2 tsp. ground turmeric large bowl. Spread vegetables in a 1 Tbsp. garam masala single layer on each pan, and roast for 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves about 30-40 minutes, until the veg- salt to taste etables are tender. Combine the veg- etables, and adjust salt and pepper to Heat oil in a large saucepan over taste. Keep warm until ready to serve. medium-high heat. Add the onions, Makes 8 servings. All recipes © Annabel Cohen 2013; [email protected].

Eileen from page 64 We also grow our own chickens and JN: Are there any new projects you turkeys. would like to pursue? We’re involved personally and give ER: I would like to find a way to to several organizations locally, help- strengthen families. I mean that in ing train farmers and supporting a very broad sense. [No matter how food pantries to bring healthy food to the family is constructed], we need to people who don’t have the money to build back into our culture the value of buy it. family enough to support it authenti- cally, helping children in becoming JN: What do you express through who they are. The future of our coun- your blog (eileenrockefeller.com)? try becomes stronger because of the ER: The blog is an extension of citizens we raise. what’s in the book. The categories include environmental preservation, JN: How do you relate to readers of self-health, poetry, reflections on life, all backgrounds? the importance of family, the joy of ER: We all have the task of becom- human connections and connections ing ourselves, and I share with every to nature. reader the feelings of shyness, embar- rassment, sadness, loss, happiness and JN: Do you still have time to write a great deal of gratitude. I feel a lot of poetry? gratitude for being able to share my ER: I can’t help myself from writing stories with many others in hopes that poetry. I’ve been writing poetry since I my stories will find points of connec- was 8 years old. My third-grade spell- tion with them. ■ ing and word-study teacher recently sent me two of my poems that she Eileen Rockefeller will speak at had kept in her files. She strongly the JCC Jewish Book Fair at 10 recommended that if I write a book of a.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, at the poetry, which I’m planning to do, that Jewish Community Center in I include them. West Bloomfield. www.jccdet.org.

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