A Great Party For A Great Woman

My friend Carol turned 70 this month. Time to celebrate! Not just the years. More, the person. I met Carol Weinshenker in 1981 (she insists that I knew her earlier than that and that I took her campaign picture when she ran for local office years before; I don't remember.) We were co-founders of the Shorefront Peace Committee, a peace and justice organization that we built in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Brighton and Manhattan Beaches, Coney Island and Sheepshead Bay. We worked hard together to build Shorefront and became fast friends doing it.


Carol's campaign poster for Council-At-Large. She tells me that I took the picture. All I remember is that she has been a tireless worker for peace and economic justice ever since I met her.

Over the years, Carol and Mickey and Stacey and I have become good friends. We do theater, we do demonstrations, we do dinner, we hang out. To be honest, it's comes as a big surprise to me that Carol is 70! It seems she's still in her 40's! And, after all, she is the youngest and sweetest and greatest 70 year old that I know -- a great friend and comrade, a person you can count on when the going gets rough, a person you can call when you need someone to talk to. Never ever judgmental, she's the person to seek when you need advice and it's always sage counsel and ever given with compassion.

.....

We gathered at East Of Eigth restaurant in Manhattan's Chelsea, family and friends, on Saturday night. Once again, Stacey was absent, still upstate helping with the new baby. She was sad not to be there and, I believe, she was missed as well. She and Carol have become very good friends - having travelled to Palestine together. That was a trip that created very tight bonds for all the women who participated.

Carol's family - children (with the exception of daughter Mindy who lives in Holland), grandchildren, cousins, makheteyneste and lots of friends were all in attendance. The garden (enclosed and heated) was packed. We ate, drank and sang happy birthday. Mickey made a speech and then others took the floor with their thoughts. There was a lot of love in that room on Saturday night.

Mickey and Carol at Carol's 70th birthday party.


Ahmed, Anne and Doreen give Carol a peace sign.

A daugther and a daughter-in-law: Lori and Naomi.

Naomi and Michael - having fun at Carol's party.

Carol welcomes her neighbor, Eedeete.

The in-laws - Naomi's parents, Anita and Kenny.

A gaggle of kids and grand-kids.

Lori and Mickey - daughter and dad.

"And I tell you, if I had it to do all over again....."
If you want to see all the photos from Carol's 70th birthday party, just click here.