Tag Archives: Manhattan

Jew of the Week: Nora Ephron

Nora Ephron

Nora Ephron (1941-2012) was born in Manhattan to a family of writers. She became a journalist and worked as an intern in President Kennedy’s White House until joining Newsweek as a lowly “mail girl”. From there, she became a reporter, and also started writing humourous essays. By 1972, Ephron was among the most well-known humourists in America. She also happened to be married to Carl Bernstein, the journalist who exposed the Watergate scandal. After being asked for help rewriting the screenplay for the film All the President’s Men, Ephron moved into film-making. She went on to make such classics as When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seatle and You’ve Got Mail. Her last film was the highly acclaimed Julie & Julia. Nominated for three Academy Awards, and winning countless others, Ephron also published books, wrote plays, and in her last years contributed a column for The Huffington Post. A symbol of feminism, she inspired a generation of women. Sadly, Nora Ephron passed away on Tuesday.

Words of the Week

One who does not see God everywhere does not see God anywhere.
– The Kotzker Rebbe

Jew of the Week: Ayn Rand

Ayn Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum Rand

Alisa Rosenbaum (1905-1982) was born in St. Petersburg. She taught herself to read at age 6, and had decided to become a writer by 9. She was among the first group of women to enroll in a Russian university, studying history and philosophy, devouring all forms of literature in not only Russian, but German and French, too. She went on to study cinema arts, and took on the pseudonym Ayn Rand, from the Hebrew ayin (עין), meaning “eye”. In 1925 she came to Manhattan, and shortly after moved to Hollywood where she became a screenwriter. (Her first job was with Cecille B. DeMille – the guy who made The Ten Commandments). She catapulted to fame with the publishing of her novel The Fountainhead. The book sold over 3.5 million copies (despite being initially rejected by 12 publishers!) and was turned into a motion picture in 1949. The Fountainhead strongly influenced people around the world, inspiring Rand to move to New York and start a philosophy circle for her admirers, among them future Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. Rand’s greatest work came in 1957. This novel, Atlas Shrugged, became the basis for a new philosophical movement called Objectivism. In a 1991 survey by the Library of Congress, readers cited Atlas Shrugged as the second most influential book of all time, after the Bible! A passionate political activist throughout her life, Ayn Rand’s career included 12 books, along with a variety of films and Broadway plays. A woman with a complex mind, she called homosexuality “immoral” and “disgusting” but at the same time fought to repeal all laws against it. She was a staunch pacifist, and yet heavily supported Israel in its wars, calling them “civilized men fighting savages”. In her words: “When I die, I hope to go to Heaven, whatever the Hell that is.”

Words of the Week

Do something instead of killing time. Because time is killing you.

– Paulo Coelho