Opens with Laughs by ALICE ADAMS IJHV VETERAN'sday by LISA BROOKS I for the JHV 'Semper Fiv Nov
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The ultimate high school experience oice Page 20 The Texas GulfCoast's Jewish Newspaper Since 1908 November 6, 2014 - 13 Cheshvan 5775 Volume CVII - Number 34 Houston, Texas jhvonline.com JRlJ $ $2 Per Copy Book & Arts Fair Jewish Veteran's desires for tikkun olam still strong opens with laughs By ALICE ADAMS IJHV VETERAN'SDAY By LISA BROOKS I FOR THE JHV 'Semper FiV Nov. II. 2014 The familiar salutation or sign-off Alan Zweibel is hilarious. He entertained a nearly ca among members ofthe United States Ma pacity crowd to kick off the 2014 ERJCC Jewish Book & rine Corps - Semper Fidelis or "Always Arts Fair. It was an evening of laughter, with poignant Faithful" - signifies the dedication Ma moments, but mostly laughter at the personal memories rines have to "Corps and country" and Zweibel shared with the audience. to their fellow Marines. It is a way of life The evening began with a video from Zweibel winning - not negotiable - not relative, but abso the 2006Thurber Prize for American Humor for his book, lute. Marines pride themselves on their "The Other Shulman." The video featured Larry David, mission and steadfast dedication to accomplish it." Garry Shandling, Rob Reiner and Billy Crystal, all fun Apast president may have said it best: "Some people nymen who have worked with Zweibel. The Larry David spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a differ- MARKKATZ See Loughs on Page 13 Ann and Stephen Kaufman share a laugh with Alan Zweibel. See Strong on Page 4 Strong From Page 1 She sees a symbiotic relationship in being an attorney and a Marine. "When ence in the world. The Marines don't have d someone once asked me how my military that problem." experience influenced my law practice, When you first meet Col. Terri Zimmer my response was, 'Absolutely.' There is an mann, 47, civilian attorney, wife and moth emphasis in the military as there is in law er to two active teens, you immediately on values and doingthe right thing. It's the understand the importance of SemperFi. same when it comes to giving a full effort Beginning her life in Albuquerque, N.M., to every task and that attention to detail is where lawyer-father Jack Zimmermann important." was serving as an active duty Marine dur 1^1 She also triangulates her Judaism into ing the Vietnam Conflict, Terri was in sixth the equation. "We were always taught to be grade when her family moved to Houston kind, to do the right thing and to be help and her father accepted a position, work ful," she said. "Judaism fosters this. In the ing for the legendary Richard "Racehorse" 1 military, we take care of each other, too. Haynes. (Notably, Jack Zimmermann - one Wedon't leave anyone behind. As Jews, we of his daughter's most influential mentors - repair the world. Our military tries to do served on active duty in the Marine Corps the same thing." for 14 years and 16 years in the Marine Re •' <-'' Terri's husband is a former Marine (as serves before retiring in the mid-1990s.) Terri Zimmerman, current day (left) and during a field exercise in a snowstorm (right). is her brother), and she commits her free While earning a degree in government time to him, children and 10-year old Lab from The University ofTexas at Austin, she women in a 200-person integrated training tray themselves as being tough on crime. rador retriever, currently undergoing che interned her junior year for the now-late school and the first integrated school the That's why they don't always take the hard motherapy. Congressman J.J. Pickle. The Washington Marine Corp had attempted). cases. The military, in the same situation, "As I begin the second part of my ca experience soured Terri's interests in poli "We carried the same equipment our will take the case. Not only will the mili reer, I'm aware I am evolving and I'm enjoy tics, but not her determination to make a male counterparts carried," said the at tary prosecute, even difficult sexual as ing what I do," she said. "Although at this positive difference, to repair the world. torney, "and we went everywhere the men sault cases, but they will appoint a lawyer, point, I always want more time and I con So, what to do? went. I have a photo during a five-day train free of charge, to people who file a claim of stantly feel the pull to be a full-time mom, "I finally relented. A law degree is a ing exercise in the snow. You can tell by my sexual assault. a full-time Marine and a full-time civilian good way to help others," she explained; expression, it was not all fun, but we com When you read about civilian lawyer lawyer, but I'm where I need to be. and later, while she wasat it, she decided to pleted the exercise," she added proudly. Terri Zimmermann's early practice, one "My problem is having a hard time say go back on her adamant teen-years refusal Zimmerman's active duty included might assume - like father, like daughter ing 'no,'" she confessed. "I always want to not only to become an attorney, but also to OCS (1990) and TBS (January-July 1993) - that her early professional life was punc have a finger in every pie, but it is all a mat become a Marine. It took only a few visits at Quantico, Va.; Naval Justice School tuated by some high-profile cases - cases ter ofpriorities." with a Marine recruiter before she began (September-October 1993) in Newport, R.I. like the so-called "Cheerleader Mom Mur When she returned to civilian life, the thinking, "Hmmm. That sounds pretty Then, active duty tour at Marine Corps Air der Case" and the "Border Shooting Case." young attorney became part of Zimmer darned good." Station, El Toro, Calif. (1993-1996); and ac "Those cases came to us because of my mann, Lavine & Zimmermann, PC. Her fa Attending classes at Georgetown Uni tive duty mobilization at Camp Pendleton, father," the attorney is quick to point out, ther now calls her "the brains of the busi versity Law Center, she spent one sum Calif. (February-August 2008). but she cannot deny her thoroughness, her ness," and co-workers acknowledge Terri mer attending a 10-week officer candidate "The military justice system isn't per love of research and her demand for un is the only person who wins arguments school, an experience she said was used fect, but it is usually more fair than how questioned accuracy - talents that played with her father. to evaluate and screen out anyone not up cases are handled in civilian courts. The significant roles in her early success. She and her family are longtime mem to the job. She also learned to be a Marine perception that the military protects its "I was taught not to say anything with bers of Congregation Emanu El. She grew first and an attorney second. After earn own is not accurate," she continued. "Re out believing it was true," she explained. up there. They also attend Congregation ing her law degree, she spent another six membering civilian prosecutors are elect "My parents also taught us to first think Shma Koleinu. months of basic infantry training (one of 15 ed, there is much pressure for them to por about what you say before you say it." As another Veteran's Day approaches, Col. Terri Zimmermann is humbled by those who have made the ultimate sac rifice, families of loved ones who have served multiple deployments, veterans whose love of country exceeded all oth ers. "I've continued to serve - as a Marine and an attorney - because I enjoy helping people and enjoy being involved," the vet eran said. "In the Marine Corps, there's another saying that goes something like, Stay in as long as you're having fun.'" •.