I Agree With the Removal of Brokers Fees in NYC

Moving is expensive and time-consuming. There are a thousand little details and moving pieces that could instantly gum up the process.

In New York City, new tenants paid a broker fee in addition to the first month’s rent and security deposit. The fee is usually a percentage of the monthly charge or one-month rent. A new law, The Fairness in Apartment Rentals Act, now requires that the broker is paid by whoever hires them. The person is usually a building owner or a representative of the landlord/landlady.

I am all for this change. Those whose job is to show open listings deserve a reasonable wage, as we all do. Opponents of the bill say that the management companies or landlords will just pass it to their renters.

I have to believe that there is a way to compromise. Maybe put a cap on what the brokers charge or create a sliding scale. The owner of a private home that has one or two units pays more than a management company that owns multiple properties.

It goes without saying that someone will be unhappy. But the legislation is a huge step in the right direction.

On Being Jewish Now: Reflections from Authors and Advocates Book Review

It has been said that for every two Jews, there are three opinions.

On Being Jewish Now: Reflections from Authors and Advocates was released last month. Edited by Zibby Owens, the book contains a series of essays from Jewish artists and authors. Brought together by the events of October 7th, they explore the many aspects of being Jewish today.

This title can be summed up as Jewish joy. Though some of the writers touch on dark subjects, they also explore the light, liveliness, and community that comes with being a member of the tribe.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

On Being Jewish Now: Reflections from Authors and Advocates is available wherever books are sold.

A Real Pain Movie Review

As much as we love our families, they are not always the easiest people to be around. They have a way of getting on our nerves and pushing up to our limits.

The new movie, A Real Pain, follows cousins Benji and David Kaplan as they visit their late grandmother’s country of origin. Grandma was a Polish Jewish Holocaust survivor. Benji (Kieran Culkin) is still figuring it out. David (Jesse Eisenberg, who also wrote and directed the film) has a job and a family.

As kids, they were as thick as thieves. But adulthood has taken Benji and David in different directions. While the cousins discover the world that their forebears knew, old tensions arise and threaten what could be a life-changing experience.

A Real Pain is one of the best movies of the year. The chemistry between Eisenberg and Culkin’s on-screen relationship crackles with energy. Eisenberg’s screenplay balances both the joys and pains that comes with being with those who know you best.

Although Eisenberg shines as David, Culkin’s character arc is breathtaking. Benji jumps from being charming to anxious to stating uncomfortable truths in the blink of an eye.

The scene that stood out to me was when the tour group visited the Majdanek concentration camp. This moment elevates the narrative and reminds us why we are on this journey. Among the many on-screen Holocaust tales released over the years, A Real Pain adds a new layer to a dreadfully familiar story. Instead of focusing on the trauma of those who lived through the era, the spotlight is on the subsequent generations and how they respond to the past.

Do I recommend it? Unquestionably yes.

A Real Pain is currently playing in theaters.

How Propaganda Works Book Review

Propaganda is merely a tool. How it is yielded depends on who an individual is, what they believe, and their position within the the society that they reside in.

How Propaganda Works, by Jason F. Stanley, was published in 2015. In the book, Stanley points out (as we have come to learn) that democracy has never been rock solid. Using a variety of sources and theories, the author points out how it can easily be undermined and destroyed under the citizenry’s nose.

I look at this title as both a warning and an opportunity. It is a warning of what could occur. It is also an opportunity to ensure that our democratic way of life is solidified and respected.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

How Propaganda Works is available wherever books are sold.

What’s Love Got to Do with It? Movie Review

There are two schools of thought when it comes to arranged marriage. The first is that it is archaic and unnecessary in our modern world. Any adult with reasonable intelligence can find their own partner. The second is that those who love us may have an insight that we don’t have.

What’s Love Got to Do with It? was released in 2022. In London, filmmaker Zoe (Lily James) and physician Kaz (Shazad Latif) have been neighbors and best friends for years. Both are single. Zoe has been on numerous dates but has yet to find her person. Kaz has allowed his parents to choose his spouse.

While filming Kaz’s wedding in Pakistan, Zoe starts to rethink that maybe there is something to the idea of bringing in the family to find one’s other half.

I enjoyed this film. It is funny, sweet, romantic, and deep. Which in my eyes, makes it stand out as a romantic comedy. It takes the audience on a journey that actually requires thinking and perhaps acknowledging one’s misconceptions.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

What’s Love Got to Do with It? is available for streaming on Hulu.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern Book Review

There is a myth in our culture that once you get to a certain age, new opportunities dry up.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, by Lynda Cohen Loigman, was published last month. In the 1980s, pharmacist Augusta Stern has been forced into retirement. Unmoored without the daily grind, she moves down to a senior living community in Florida. The last person she expects to see is Irving Rivkin.

Six decades prior, Augusta was growing up in her father’s Brooklyn pharmacy. After her mother’s untimely passing, Great Aunt Esther steps into the maternal role. Esther is a healer. She frequently clashes with her medicine and science-based nephew. As she ages, the bond between Augusta and Irving (who worked for her father as a delivery boy) changes. But when life gets in the way, forcing them apart.

Haunted by the past, Augusta tries to stay away from Irving. But the harder she tries, the more she has to admit that the old feelings are still there.

Cohen Loigman has done it again. This novel is entertaining, full of twists and turns, and a quick read. I love the historical details, the characters, and the idea that falling in love can occur at any age.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is available wherever books are sold.

Thoughts On The Clown Car That is You Know Who’s Cabinet

When one is in a leadership position, who they choose as their direct reports or advisors speaks volumes.

Over the last few days, you know who has been announcing his cabinet choices. Among them are Matt Gaetz, the Attorney General, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

I don’t know who is worse: Gaetz (who has been accused of having sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl) or RFK ( who has been spouting dangerous conspiracy theories about the health system and policies)

I wish the term “clown car” was enough to describe those advising the former and future President. But it is mild compared to the other descriptors that are less generous.

Flashback Friday: Stage Beauty (2004)

Women’s march to equality is full of steps, both big and small.

In the 2004 dramedy Stage Beauty, Maria Hughes (Claire Danes) wants to act. But because she is a female working in a London theater in the 1660s, Maria can only earn her keep as a dresser for Ned Kynaston (Billy Crudup). Female characters are played by men in drag.

When she finally takes the stage as Desdemona in Othello, Maria receives rave reviews. As she climbs the career ladder, Ned is left behind.

In theory, Stage Beauty has it all. A talented cast with a timely and entertaining narrative should have kept me watching. But I couldn’t. I had to stop and move onto something else.

Do I recommend it? No.

Throwback Thursday: Days That Shaped America (2018-Present)

History can be seen as two distinct things: an overarching subject or a series of individual events leading to a larger narrative.

Days That Shaped America aired on the History Channel in 2018 and 2020. Each episode told the story of a specific day that shaped American history.

I watched a couple of episodes and enjoyed it. It brings these moments to life and educates the viewer while telling (or retelling, depending on the person watching) the story of that moment.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

All Other Nights Book Review

Jews have been part of America’s fabric since before its founding.

All Other Nights, by Dara Horn, was published in 2009. In 1862, Jacob Rappaport was a soldier in the Union Army. During Passover, his superior officers give him an extraordinary assignment. His uncle, living in New Orleans is going to kill Abraham Lincoln. Jacob has been told to take the man’s life.

Once this task is done, Jacob is sent to Virginia. He needs to discover an enemy agent. Like his uncle, this woman is not a stranger. Her father has done business with Jacob’s father in the past. His job is not to kill her but to marry her. He tries to remain as emotionally distant as possible. But like many plans, it does not go as expected.

The best parts of the novel are the historical details and the humanity of the characters. As our protagonist, Jacob believes that he is doing the right thing. But like many characters who follow their conscious, he will soon learn that not everything is black and white.

Another aspect of the story that I appreciated was the daughters of the family who were suspected of being spies. Instead of passively waiting for the war to end, they did their part to support their side.

This is (for now at least) my final attempt at Dara Horn’s fiction. I got farther along than her other work. But I could not dive as deep into the tale as I wished.

Do I recommend it? No.

All Other Nights is available wherever books are sold.