Remembers Her Westchester Roots By Lorraine Thomas Sherman , where her skill her life was her father, a litigator with language emerged. She loved learn- “and an unbridled optimist who ne woman? Is it possible? Comic, ing languages and speaks French, Spanish, lived life fully.” They owned hors- writer, dancer, singer (she even was Italian, and “a little, very poor Hebrew,” al- es, and he trained her to ride. He a rock singer at one time), teacher, though she visited Israel many times and was one of the first Jews accepted Oplaywright, actress on stage, screen and is fluent in Tefila prayer book Hebrew. into Boulder Brook Riding Club, television—with awards in every area— After completing her degree in phi- later became President, and was Tovah Feldshuh is, as described in 1999 losophy at , she able to open up the Club’s mem- by Richard Dyer of the Boston Globe, “so started graduate work, but almost imme- bership. talented, it’s scary.” diately left for Minneapolis, after winning, Married to at- Presently on stage five evenings with all expenses paid, the McKnight Fel- torney Andrew Harris Levy, with and three matinees a week in the highly- lowship in Acting to the Tyrone Guthrie two children, she states, praised “Irena’s Vow,” at the . That was the start of her career. “We are not assimilated. Theatre on West 48th Street in NYC, her Now, a resident, she is a A scene from Irena’s Vow We celebrate who we are. We flaming red hair member of B’Nai sing a lot, and it is fun. Singing must be hidden under a Jeshurun on play the part. She feels a certain kinship something that is close to G-d.” blonde wig for the West Side, with the character. For charitable work over the years the part of Ire- where her son “Irena’s last name, ‘Gut’ means ‘good’ she has received the Eleanor Roosevelt na, the dynamic and daughter in English. And my name, ‘Tovah,’ means Humanitarian Award, Hadassah’s Myrtle star grew up in attended He- ‘good’ also, so we have a small relation- Wreath and the Israel Peace Medal, as well Westchester, brew School as sh i p .” as the National Foundation for Jewish Cul- where she en- children. Her The most important influence in ture’s Jewish Image Award in 2002. joyed a freedom mother, now 98, no longer preva- raised funds for lent. Hadassah, and “You could is a firm Demo- ride your bike crat who “loves until sundown. Nita Lowey.” She No one thought still lives in the about kidnap- house in Scars- ping or child dale where To- molestation in vah grew up Scarsdale in the A n o t h e r 50’s and 60’s.” great interest of Theirs was Feldshuh is his- the only Con- tory. “It is the servative Jewish story of man- family in town kind, told by the and belonged victor, usually… to Temple Israel human stories Center in White that happened… Plains, where Tovah Feldshuh and it is not such Terri Sue Feld- a far fall from shuh (her birth name) had a bat mitzvah. there to theatre.” She was also a pianist, At that time, Rabbi Max Gelb officiated, and recalled that playing “Rhapsody in with Cantor William Wolff. Blue,” at her 8th grade graduation, “was a “I think I was the only Bat Mitzvah,” big deal in my life.” She continued playing she said. Everything was done so differ- at summer camp, and then moved on to ently years ago; she mentioned she even acting in plays with music, “which I really remembered “an open casket at my grand- e nj o y.” mother’s funeral.” In “Irena’s Vow,” her current vehicle, Born in 1952, she lived in Scarsdale she made the interesting point that Irena from the age of about 2-1/2, attending is a devout Catholic and yet she is able to

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