Among her many accomplishments, she gave her time to The Metropolitan Center for Mental Health, founded to provide affordable psychological treatment for people with emotional problems.

She died recently and in her honor, MCMH dedicated a site to her, at 94th Street and Central Park West. I was honored to attend with family and friends, and it was a proud moment. She was very loved.

When I asked my mother, toward the end, what made her most proud, she responded that “it was her children and her work with the institute.” It’s a resource that people need to know about and can benefit from.

I hope to emulate her.

 

 

DEDICATION CEREMONY FOR  LOUISE S. HOROWITZ

October 30, 2011

ODE  TO  LOUISE

By Ruby R. Benjamin, Ed.D.

 

Today, we honor Louise, our past Illustrious Board President

Who guided us through the years that came and went,

It is fitting to dedicate this site to her,

On this, we did not need to confer,

The Clinic grew by leaps and bounds,

This was the first site that we found,

 

It was 25 years and counting

Her ideas for MCMH kept mounting,

We appreciated her many a productive meeting,

Always begun with a hospitable greeting,

She kept her eyes on our mission,

Working tirelessly to see,

that it came to fruition,

 

Louise always took a call,

Applying her knowledge and skill to one and all,

Her legal expertise kept us afloat,

We sometimes felt like a capsized boat,

 

We gathered quarterly to discuss the Clinic,

Exchanges were lively minute to minute,

We also had disagreements from time to time,

Helped along by glasses of wine,

 

She gave presentations which were always thoughtful,

Filled with substance and not bull,

She left behind a thriving clinic,

to the less fortunate in the community,

 

We try to follow the regs, but NOT with impunity,

Her MCMH accomplishments are too many to list

Suffice it to say she will be missed,

The Board will continue to carry on,

Louise’s spirit will prevail, although she is gone.

 

Received such a nice response to yesterday’s weekly email Script Tip Exercise mailing: “Thanks for your updates, they are appreciated as they spur me on to continue pursuing my writing goals!” – Thank you Agnes for the warm feedback – keep writing!

Simchat Torah – This holiday follows immediately after Sukkot, and offers even more joy as it marks the completion of the reading of the Torah for the year. I remember being amused at going to shul and seeing the rabbi and other holy men dancing with joy with the Torah. I was reprimanded for commenting, ” I know just how they feel — It’s how I feel when I finish my homework.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can read more about it here: http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/whatissimchattorah.htm

The DC Conference as always, was a wonderful experience that nurtured, educated and supported writers at various levels of career. I had the pleasure of teaching my whole writing system in one-day to a group of talented, focused and determined writers who were also generous class participants. I ran onto Linda, a student who’d taken a class with me at the Writer’s Guild East – 10 years ago. Time flies when you’re having fun! This a great event and highly recommended. Also, Joe Gann is a major DC area event creator and a big promoter of Short films, so check him out.

 

Congratulations to all of the participants, pitchers, filmmakers and WIFV, the DC Film Alliance and other organizers!

What a tremendous week – I’m closing in on the end of my book, and I have to give credit where it’s due – I’m blaming it on Paris – if not for my trip to the Writers Retreat in Paris, and the amazing experience with Wendy and the wonderful scribes there – I wouldn’t have had the breakthrough on my novel. Merci bien to my colleagues there!
I cannot thank Wendy enough – she had the insight to advise me that it had to be a ‘different kind of dinner’ in my book, and she was right, it’s made al the difference and I’ll be forever in her debt.
This experience has led me to a revelation – which is to write, no matter what, where, and pick up every bit of energy surrounding the experience, the paragraph you pen can change your life, and inspire your words.

The High Holiday in The Jewish Tradition is a time to make your peace with God. It began at sundown last night and continues through sunset today. I grew up observing this holiday very strictly, which involves fasting, self-reflection and spending alot of time sitting in Shul. I am not observant, as the childhood torture of the endless sitting convinced me that it was a man made tradition and that God wouldn’t make children sit for so long. But I do feel the cultural and historical obligation to mark this holiday.  Judaism is very specific about what sins can be forgiven, and what can’t.
Yom Kippur  is not a time to repent sins against other people, our belief is that you have to actively reconcile problems with other humans.
What  then, are sins against God? This is a fascinating topic, and something to ponder.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-yom-kippur.htm

Don’t Count On Anything – Steve Jobs didn’t.

I’d just come home from dancing the tango with a friend. He wanted to leave exactly at midnight. ” Do you turn into a pumpkin?” I asked seriously.
 He said, “No but I have to get to work early tomorrow.”
I said,” Okay, but this has been such a great night, and no guarantees that there will ever be another — how about one more and then we’ll go.” (Yes, I wanted to dance but also to make sure he didn’t turn into a pumpkin!) He agreed and we had a fabulous dance. We then left, and there on the floor of the cab was a perfect shiny penny, heads up. I picked it up and then handed it to him.
” I want to share the luck with you.”
“Yeah, yeah,” He took it and stuck it in his top pocket.
“What are the odds of us finding a shiny penny in a cab?”
“I guess you’re right.” I was sad that he wasn’t happier.

Then I came home and turned on the computer only to learn that Steve Jobs was dead. Really glad we had that extra dance. Carpe Diem – Seize the moment. Steve Jobs did, and we are all the poorer for his loss.

Variety.com Breaking Story: Steve Jobs dies at 56&body=Click on this link to read the full story:http://www.variety.com/VR1118044003.html

THE ONE tells the refreshingly funny yet sensitive story about Daniel, who couldn’t have it better: great parents, a successful career as an investment banker, and his beautiful fiancée, Jen . There is one temptation that may derail his best laid plans for the “straight-and-narrow;” he has a “thing” for Tommy, a former college classmate who is now openly gay. After a few drinks, Daniel succumbs to his repressed desires and has a one-night stand with his old college buddy.

 

 

What a thrill to see my student Caytha Jentis’ film THE ONE premiere in NYC this weekend! Hope you will join us!

Get Tix here:

http://www.quadcinema.com/coming-soon/

Marilyn_Horowitz_OverheardConversations_BBC

In the interview I did with Chris Ledgard, Senior Producer of the
BBC Radio 4 Show “Word of Mouth”