Susan Kohl

Susan Kohl is bringing her organizational and fund-raising skills to the SBJFF—and we’re delighted to receive them. Susan grew up in the Bronx and got her B.A. in psychology from CCNY. She was awarded a full scholarship to the Columbia School of Social Work, from which she graduated with a Masters degree. “Actually, I wanted to be a brain surgeon,” she quips, “but my mother told me girls don’t do that. With psych I was getting close . . .”

Next, Susan went to Scotland with her husband, genetics professor David Kohl, after which he was offered jobs at universities in Calgary, Canada and Santa Barbara, CA. “We hadn’t seen the sun in 365 days,” she says, “so it was no contest.” In Santa Barbara Susan worked for the California Department of Social Services, was a therapist at a psychiatric clinic for the Retail Clerks Union, and then practiced privately for 23 years. While working full time she raised two sons, Joshua now an Orthodox rabbi in New York, and Benjamin, a cardiac anesthesiologist in Pennsylvania. But that’s not all—at the age of 40 she returned to school to begin the arduous process of earning her Ph.D.

Susan is not quite as busy now, but she’s hardly idle. For fun she walks 5 miles a day—starting at 5:30 a.m.!—plays mahjongg and Scrabble, and does the New York Times crossword puzzle (Monday-Wednesday in ink, Thursday-Sunday in pencil). She also criss-crosses the country regularly to visit with her children and five grandchildren on the East Coast. Each week she and David visit nursing homes and long-term care facilities as advocates for the elderly through the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

Why did Susan Kohl volunteer for the SBJFF? “I’d been a fan of the festival for years and appreciated how important it was to the community. I thought I could make a particular contribution in the areas of organization, volunteer recruitment, and fund-raising. Now that we’ve gotten started and I see how much fun it is, I’m so glad I raised my hand!”

Susan Kohl

Linda Schwartz Gets Things Going

How lucky can we get? Some terrific, new volunteers have come forward to assume leadership positions at the SBJFF, and we couldn’t be more pleased. Long-time Santa Barbara resident and film buff Linda Schwartz is one of these highly qualified individuals. The owner of Educational Consulting Works and founder and former president of The Learning Works, she is the award-winning author of more than one hundred activity books for children.

Linda received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida (and actually says, “Go Gators!”) and her Masters in Administration/Supervision from Cal State Northridge. She was an elementary school teacher before becoming a resource specialist for gifted and talented students in Torrance and Santa Barbara.

Since her semi-retirement, Linda has served as chair of Life Chronicles, worked as a student mentor with the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council and is currently a member of Congregation B’nai B’rith’s caring committee. But that’s not all:  Linda is an avid reader and gamester who enjoys playing Mah Jongg, pan, poker and golf. She is also a serious poet who belongs to several poetry groups and is currently compiling a collection of her poems to be published later this year. Are we tired yet…..?           

This talented mother of two sons and grandmother of two grandsons has attended the Jewish Film Festival for years, and she welcomes the challenge of helping it grow. This she plans to do through fund-raising and operational support and by spearheading a new component to the festival, the Student Short Film Competition.

“I love movies and really enjoy working with people, so I thought it would be fun to be part of SBJFF 6,” Linda explained. “I like the nitty-gritty, behind-the-scenes aspects of planning and organizing an event. Above all, I see my involvement in the film festival as an opportunity to give back to the community that’s been home to my husband and me for the past thirty-five years and the place where our two sons grew up.”

Myrna Lord: The Versatile Volunteer

To many moviegoers, Myrna Lord IS the smiling face of the Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival. Whether she’s handing out SBJFF fliers to those waiting in line at the International Film Festival or giving out cookies before our own screenings, Myrna makes everyone feel good about the SBJFF—and we definitely feel good about her.

Despite the fact that Myrna and her husband, Don, only come to Santa Barbara from Chicago during the winter and part of the spring, they have been staunch supporters of the SBJFF from day one. They’ve sponsored a feature film each year, stuffed envelopes and participated enthusiastically in all our activities. But, then, Myrna has a long history of supporting the arts. A former board member of the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, one of the pre-eminent repertory companies in the country, she currently enjoys the international film festival here, patronizes the documentary festival in Los Angeles and travels to New York and London to experience the best of live performances.

When she’s not in a movie or legitimate theater, Myrna is an avid hiker, tennis player, golfer and Chicago Cubs fan to the max. In the past she has worked as a buyer and sold hand-crafted American Indian jewelry, too. Obviously, this mother and grandmother of two has transmitted her theatrical gene to her son, Tony, a writer and producer who is currently working on a series for CBS and a movie based on the Harlem Globetrotters.

Why does Myrna Lord volunteer for the SBJFF when she’s on vacation here? “I feel that pitching in is a great way to connect with the Jewish community in Santa Barbara. It’s a pleasure to give time to furthering the cause of Jewish film, educating all of us about little-known aspects of Jewish history and life, and adding another fine element to the cultural offerings in town.”