Estherleon Schwartz: 2014

Friday, May 23, 2014

PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT: Gail Blair – 818-783-8824

EVENT: LIVING HISTORY AND GRATITUDE CIRCLES VISIT FAIRFAX HIGH

ATTENDEES: Cantor Estherleon Schwartz - http://www.estherleon.com

Leonard F. Delpit, Executive Director of The University of South Central

- http://www.takeactionwebbuilder.com/delpitforcitycouncil2015

Gail Blair, Executive Director for Cantor Schwartz

Ivor Pyres, Creative Director for Cantor Schwartz

Mark Ross, Assistant Principal - http://www.fairfaxhs.org/

DATE: Thursday, May 22, 2014

TIME: 1:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Fairfax High School

7850 Melrose Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90036

http://www.fairfaxhs.org/

(323) 370-1200

Principal Carmina Nacorda 323 370 1202

Assistant Principal Mark Ross 323 370 1222

DESCRIPTION: Sharing a Living History combined with Gratitude Circles

will create unity by:

Building real trust

Developing stronger, more rewarding relationships

Communicating fairly, effectively and positively

Coping with various cultures, backgrounds and faiths

Retention of individuality and enjoying others’ uniqueness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CREATING A NEW HISTORY ROOTED IN UNITY AND PEACE

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

Their website banner reads: “FHS fosters a community of diversity and potential!!! FHS will lead Los Angeles schools in graduation rate….” – these are the children of today, uniting cultures to help dispel discrimination and bullying for today and tomorrow.

On Thursday, May 22^nd Cantor Estherleon Schwartz visited Fairfax High School in Los Angeles where she shared her story as a child Holocaust survivor and showed students how to instill forgiveness, unity and peace through coming together and creating a gratitude circle.

The Gratitude Circles project was created by Cantor Schwartz as a movement to bring a voluntary program to schools that aim to connect children with one another regardless of culture or faith. Cantor Schwartz believes that by the children holding hands and sharing gratitude with their classmates, bonds will be created and strengthened by their commonalities. The result could be that by overriding differences – diversity and uniqueness will be celebrated and enjoyed.

Attending the multi-media event at Fairfax High School was Assistant Principal, Mark Ross, who said that he found the presentation, “interesting.” Also in attendance were Shabbos Buddies, Leonard Delpit, Executive Director of The University of South Central; Gail Blair, Executive Director for Cantor Schwartz, and, Ivor Pyros, Creative Director for Cantor Schwartz.

“Cantor Schwartz provided two presentations to students, the first was for 3 classes and the second was for 2. Almost all students participated in the holding of the Torah as well as being wrapped in the Shawl of Many Colors (which symbolizes our world’s diversities), and ended with the formation of gratitude circles.”

“The kids were great,” said Cantor Schwartz, “They made me feel welcomed and one of them.”

As a thank you for her efforts, Assistant Principle Ross honored Cantor Schwartz as a graduate and alumni of Fairfax High by presenting her with a class pin.

About Cantor Estherleon Schwartz

Estherleon Schwartz is a French-born cantor who, along with her parents, evaded Nazi capture during World War II. The Cantor obtained American citizenship in 1948 and currently resides in Southern California. She is a Los Angeles based and community leader; promoting an agenda which includes unity, peace, and anti-hunger through music and the spoken word.

Cantor Estherleon Schwartz Website: http://www.estherleon.com

Beth Shirah (House of Song) Website: http://bethshirahhouseofson.wix.com/estherleonschwartz

Availability

Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. and worldwide by arrangement and via Skype or telephone.

Media Contact

Gail Blair: (818) 783-8824 gailblairmgmt@gmail.com

# # #

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Cantor Estherleon Schwartz to Present Gratitude Circles Project

PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT: Gail Blair – 818-783-8824

MEETING: GRATITUDE CIRCLES TO REPLACE PRAYER IN OUR SCHOOLS

ATTENDEES: Cantor Estherleon Schwartz - http://www.estherleon.com

Daniel Tamm, Mayor Eric Garcetti's Westside Area Representative

http://www.lamayor.org/meet_daniel_tamm_your_westside_area_representative

Abigail Roth, LAUSD - http://www.lausd.net/

DATE: Wednesday, May 14, 2014

TIME: 1:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Office of LAUSD Board Member, Steve Zimmer

1075 N. Western Ave. #110

Los Angeles 90029

DESCRIPTION: Gratitude Circles will create unity by:

Building real trust

Developing stronger, more rewarding relationships

Communicating fairly, effectively and positively

Coping with various cultures, backgrounds and faiths

Retention of individuality and enjoying others’ uniqueness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, May 12, 2014

A New Project of Goodwill by CANTOR ESTHERLEON SCHWARTZ

New Public Prayer Controversy in the United States; Is There Hope for Our Youth in Need of Compassion and Unity?

The recent Supreme Court's decision to allow Christian prayers at public meetings puts non-Christians in an awkward situation and sets the stage for blowback while providing opportunity.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – May 12, 2014 - As Christian prayer gets a foothold in United States binding Church with State, non-Christians are creating a call-to-action to band together in an effort to keep prayer out of school to help dispel discrimination and conformity. (A viewpoint taken seriously in the 1962 decision, Engel v. Vitale, and the 1963 decision, Abington School District v. Schempp. And further emphasized under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment referring to state sponsored activities that “Must neither advance nor inhibit religion;” and “Must not result in an excessive entanglement between government and religion.”)

Although many people who engage in some sort of spiritual connectedness do include prayer in their practice, not everyone wants to combine Church and State, but neither do they want war, but peace. According to a recent article in the Huffington Post, “Of all America's wars over the past century, only World War II has retained mass public approval.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lawrence-wittner/when-will-they-ever-learn_2_b_4557364.html

Perhaps the bigger question is this – how do cultures unite by their differences to create unity; an essential element toward peace? Cantor Estherleon Schwartz challenges everyone to flip their thinking. The Cantor suggests that we should not focus on what separates cultures but instead, people should focus on the similarities between people.

So if not prayer, then what? Cantor Schwartz offers an alternative to Christian prayer in public venues in the form of Gratitude Circles. Gratitude Circles offer a different kind of unity experience designed to get people engaged with their lives as well as those around them. By expressing gratitude openly, the experience would bring the things people care about to forefront, many of them similar in context. In doing so, Gratitude Circles combine basic and fundamental moments associated with life cycles so people can gain insight, understanding, and compassion about one another while growing together in community.