Staff

Marianna Brown Bettman is a law professor emerita at the University ot Cincinnati College ot Law. Before that she was a judge on the First District Court of Appeals of Ohio. She currently blogs extensively on the Supreme Court of Ohio.

For 10 years she worked as a motivational speaker. She is an award-winning columnist and has three books in print. She then retired from her creative work to enjoy the birth of nine grandchildren over the last 12 years. She is back now with a Living and Learning column. As she tells the stories of her life, she hopes readers will glean life lessons.

Dr. Jordan Finkin is Rare Book and Manuscript Librarian at the Klau Library of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. A specialist in modern Yiddish literature, he is the author of several books as well as numerous essays and articles. His most recent book, Exile as Home, explores the poetry of the Yiddish poet Leyb Naydus. He is also a Yiddish translator as well as the director of Naydus Press.

Michael B. Ganson was born and reared in Cincinnati, Ohio. Michael is a lawyer licensed in both Ohio and Florida. His law office is in East Walnut Hills. His focus as a lawyer over the years has been to assist individuals with a variety of legal matters. Michael is a contributing columnist for The American Israelite newspaper writing articles for A Legal Look column.

C.J. Gossage was born and reared in Bellingham, Washington before moving to Massachusetts for Graduate School. He is now a PhD student at Hebrew Union College and a happy resident of Cincinnati. He and his wife Jacquie have two children. CJ writes a column called “Jews by Choice,” where he interviews Cincinnati’s Jewish converts to learn the ins-and-outs of their Jewish faith.

After 47 years of practicing law, I am often told it is time to retire to the music, opera, theater, and books that I love.  If I truly love my children and grandchildren, not to mention my fellow women and men, and if I truly want all of my work the past 50 years to have meaning and to be any sort of legacy to them and their progeny, then I cannot retire. But I can pivot to planet-saving endeavors. The music, the arts, and the books that are life-blood to me must serve as sources of strength and rejuvenation as I continue my life’s work. 

          But by far the MOST IMPORTANT part of my life the past 50 years has been co-parenting my magnificent daughters. They and their seven children (so far) are the treasures of my life.

Cathy Hollander was born and raised in Cincinnati, she left only to attend Washington University in St. Louis. Graduate school at the University of Cincinnati brought her home to earn a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling. She is married to Gary Hollander and has 2 children, Jeremy and Brad. She is an editor and ghostwriter of non-fiction, memoir, and fiction. She teaches creative writing to high school students at Schilling School for Gifted Children, which is housed at Congregation Etz Chaim.

A graduate of University of Cincinnati, Richard Katz is currently the president of Katz Manangement Group where he represents individuals in the professional and college sports industries. He is active in the Cincinnati Jewish Community. Most importantly is the JCC Men’s Adult Softball League, he cant wait to share the experiences in the league, and the golden stories and characters that lie therein.

I grew up on Long Island, New York. I was drafted after high school. I celebrated my 21st and 22nd birthdays in Viet Nam . I can trace my interest in psychology to my experiences during the Viet Nam war. After I was discharged, I turned my focus towards school. I got turned on to psychology and trying to answer the question, why?

I reside in Cincinnati with my wife, Barbara and 2 children. I ride a bicycle for the therapy of it. I’m also an avid collector of African currency and wire sculptures, keys and locks, and books. I also focus on my Judaic heritage.

Dr. Ruth Nemzoff is the author of “Don’t Roll Your Eyes: Making In-Laws Into Family” and “Don’t Bite Your Tongue: How to Foster Rewarding Relationships With Your Adult Children” and a frequent speaker on family dynamics. She is a resident scholar at Brandeis University Women’s Studies Research Center. She holds a doctorate in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University, a master’s in counseling from Columbia University, and a bachelor’s in American studies from Barnard College. She and her late husband, Harris Berman, have four adult children, four in-law children and eleven grandchildren.  

I am 5’2” – the truth, I weigh 115 lbs. – a lie. I like to dress funky. Do what’s not expected. Push the envelope of what‘s customary. Surprise. Delight. Entertain and Connect. I am an aging baby boomer, wife, mother and grandma who writes a column entitled “Incidentally, Iris” for the American Israelite. Blogs for the Huffington Post, And does motivational speaking on all topics related to mid life and baby boomers, including tattoos, though I graciously decline the opportunity to get one. I have entered the social media age kicking and screaming in order to motivate, inform, entertain and educate, foster connection and other tidbits of authenticity for myself and for others.

Steve Rosedale is a native Cincinnatian and a Vietnam combat veteran. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of CommuniCare Health Services in Cincinnati, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Israel’s Nachal Haredi (the Orthodox unit in the Israel Defense Forces), Chairman of the Cincinnati Jewish eXperience, and above all, a grateful Jew.

Bob is a writer. He has been a writer since college (1963-67 UG & 1967-69 grad, at University of Cincinnati). Bob’s writing mostly has been commercial, writing speeches for corporate types, seminar scripts, show continuities for business meetings, brochure copy, radio spot copy, direct mail material and so on. Also, some creative and historical writing, but nothing that amounted to much.

Sherry Brynes, a seasoned reader and storyteller, has cultivated a rich tapestry of experiences and insights through her extensive journey in literature and life. Originally hailing from Rhode Island, Brynes has an impressive record of having delved into thousands of books, a testament to her deep-seated passion for reading and learning.

Brynes’s career path is as diverse as her reading list. Having worked in numerous fields, she brings a unique blend of practical wisdom and a keen eye for quality. Her storytelling skills are not just confined to the written word; they permeate her professional and personal life.