Gratitude

For what seems like an eternity, we have been bombarded with bad news. The World is in an uproar. We have an increasingly unstable climate, with people losing their homes and in some cases their lives due to violent weather and the effects of global warming. There are wars going on in Ukraine and in the Middle East. People are starving in the Sudan. We have a deeply divided nation, and the political climate has become increasingly negative and uncertain. It is very tempting to retreat into ourselves and our immediate families, make our lives as small as possible and ride it all out.

I find myself going into retreat mode occasionally, until something happens, and I bounce back. I get inspired. I am reminded of all the things that I have in my life and that makes me want to get out of bed, work out, get dressed and participate in life again.

As I write this, one such thing recently snapped me out of my introverted tendency. Six hostages were brutally executed by Hamas in Gaza as Israeli Defense Forces closed in to rescue them. These were innocent, relatively young people, who had been forcibly kidnapped, held against their will for nearly a year and then killed for no reason other than hate. One of the six was a young 23-year-old boy, named Hersh. Hersh had been at a music festival the day he was kidnapped, and he had already lost part of his arm in the attack.?

Hersh’s parents and family had/have every right to be sad and angry at this tragedy. But at his funeral, Hersh’s mother, Rachel, said something that really struck me. She said, “it’s not that Hersh was perfect, but he was the perfect son for me.” Then she said something truly incredible. She said that she wanted to do “hakarat ha’tov,” to recognize the good, for the fact that Hersh was her son, saying that she didn’t know what she did in past life to deserve him. She said, “I just want to say thank you, I wish it had been for longer.”

I immediately googled hakarat ha’tov to find out what it meant. Apparently, it means “recognizing the good”, which is a fundamental Jewish value that encourages people to be aware of the blessings and gifts that they receive, both big and small and to appreciate them. Those who practice gratitude can help people create boundaries, appreciate what’s around them, and come from a place of listening and openness. If Rachel can engage in this practice, then I can certainly follow her example and do the same.

So, I encourage each of you to take a few minutes each day and reflect on all of the blessings in your life. I am grateful for my beautiful wife, wonderful children and grandchildren, my extended family, friends and colleagues. I deeply appreciate my partners and co-workers at Lachtman, Cohen & Belowich LLP for giving me a professional home and supporting my efforts this year as President. I am grateful for our Executive Committee and Board of Directors, our many section and committee chairs, and all of our members. And I am humbled and grateful every day that I get to wake up and serve.

The WCBA is ready, willing and able to provide each of you with opportunities to roll up your sleeves, learn, serve, network and get involved. Here are just a few.

WCBA Membership Month

Fall is now officially upon us, and that means that WCBA Membership Month is here! As I mentioned in my column for the August 2024 edition of the Magazine, a WCBA membership is an essential tool in expanding your network, developing professionally and serving each other and our community. So, please renew your membership and reach out to others to join. We have already had a busy September, and our events calendar is kicking into high gear in October, with something for everyone. (See page 3 for details.)

Meet the Judges October 8, 2024 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

This is the perfect opportunity for lawyers of all ages and levels of experience to meet and mingle with many members of our local judiciary. Held in the Tudor Room at the Elisabeth Haub Law School of Law at Pace University, 78 North Broadway, White Plains, NY, the first hour will consist of a series of judicial roundtables featuring the Hon. Lissette Fernandez, Hon. Keri A. Fiore, Hon. William Giacomo, Hon. James L. Hyer, Hon. Linda S. Jamieson, Hon. Lewis Lubell, Hon. John Pappalardo, Hon. Veris Shako and others. The balance of the evening will be a networking reception with the aforementioned judges and members of the bar. This event, sponsored by the WCBA’s New Lawyers Section, is free to Elisabeth Haub Law School Students, WCBA’s New Lawyers Section members practicing less than 10 years and current members of the judiciary. The event is also co-hosted by our friends at the Westchester Black Bar Association and Hudson Valley Hispanic Bar Association. To register, click here.

Pop-Up Social October 23, 2024 5:30-8:30 pm

If you want to participate in an informal networking opportunity with WCBA members, this is the event for you! Sponsored by the WCBA Tax and T&E Sections, it will be hosted at the Hudson Grille on Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY. We have been holding these pop-up socials every month for awhile and they are very popular. To RSVP, click click herehere.

13th Annual WCBF Benefit

October would not be complete without one of our signature events —the annual Westchester County Bar Foundation Benefit, held on October 29, 2024 from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Fenway Golf Club, 348 Old Mamaroneck Road, Scarsdale, New York. For those of you who are not aware, the WCBF is the charitable arm of the WCBA and was established in 1984. Its goal is to contribute to the improvement of the administration of justice and encourage a better public understanding of the law. The Benefit raises money for the Public Interest Fellowship, a two-year public interest fellowship for a new lawyer. This fellowship provides legal help to the county’s underserved residents, and also provides training to a new lawyer who otherwise might not have the opportunity to do public interest work. A history of the fellowship can be found here.? The benefit consists of a cocktail reception, hors d’oeuvres, buffet dinner, dessert, silent auction and basket raffle. (See page 7 for details.)

Of course, the highlight of the Benefit are the distinguished people who are honored. This year, the WCBF is honoring Anthony J. Enea, Esq. and the Hon. Joan B. Lefkowitz. Anthony is a past president of both the WCBA and the WCBF and a monthly contributor to the Westchester Lawyer Magazine.

He is also the managing partner of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP with offices in White Plains and Somers, New York. For almost 40 years, he has devoted his practice to educating and protecting the rights of seniors, the disabled and their families from the costs of long-term care. He is the author of hundreds of published articles and a frequent lecturer to seniors, the disabled, attorneys, CPAs and financial advisors.

Justice Lefkowitz is a distinguished justice of the Westchester County Supreme Court. She was first elected to the Supreme Court bench in 1991 and re-elected in 2005 and 2019. She has served as the supervising judge of Fiduciary and Guardianship Matters and has also presided over the Medical Malpractice Conference Part, Compliance Part, Preliminary Conference Part, Trial Ready Part, Settlement Conference Part and Environmental Claims Part. Justice Lefkowitz has been a longstanding member of the WCBA, the New York State Bar Association, the White Plains Bar Association, the New York State Women Judge’s Association, the Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert, the Coalition of Mutual Respect, and the Justice Brandeis Society. She has also served on the Board of Directors of Young Israel of Scarsdale, the Westchester Women’s Bar Association, and of the Westchester Judicial Conference.

The contributions to our legal community and society by both Anthony Enea and Justice Lefkowitz are unparalleled and they are richly deserving of recognition. To register for this great event, click here.