Fast forwarding to the present, we’ve been married for 35 years and have a rapidly expanding family. David is 33 and has parlayed his unique and quirky sense of humor, his verbal facility and his ingenious perspective on things in general into a career as an award-winning (an Emmy, Richard Rodgers Development Award, many others; okay…I’m being a typical Jewish mother!) comedy writer/musical theater writer. After a stint as a writer for The David Letterman Show, he went on to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central where he is now head writer and is co-authoring a humorous book on the history of American democracy. He has also written the book and lyrics for several well-received musicals including Suburb which is currently playing in theaters around the country. David’s tenure at Comedy Central has also been productive in another way; it was where he met my wonderful daughter-in-law Debra, a website designer. They were married in May 2002, live in NYC and are expecting our first granddaughter in December 2004.
Our daughter Alison, a writer and former editor, is 30 and has been married for 6 years to Stuart, an attorney (also wonderful and who, coincidentally, she met during the summer before her second year of college.) Their combined efforts have given us our most cherished titles – Grandma and Grandpa. Zachary was born in January 2000 and the twins Daniel and Joshua were born in July 2002. Fortunately for us they live in Livingston, just 25 minutes from our home in Watchung, so we get to see them all the time.
As for my post-Douglass educational/professional life… in a nutshell: I went to graduate school at Rutgers Newark when my children were small and received an M.A. in Political Science. After teaching Poli Sci courses there for several years as an adjunct, I worked as a production assistant for two different public affairs television shows. I went to law school full-time in my mid-30’s and then spent some time in private practice and 5 years as a Deputy Attorney General in Newark. After concluding that I wasn’t enjoying the practice of law, I spent 5 years at the Center for American Women and Politics (a unique think tank/research organization which is part of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, New Brunswick.) I did research on and for women and politics, planned programs and meetings and a variety of other things having to do with the mission of the Center. I found it very stimulating and worthwhile but ultimately decided to leave in January 2002. I have no regrets – and amazingly, little free time – since then and am enjoying this time of my life enormously.
Ken’s schedule is increasingly flexible (he is the senior partner in his own law firm in Springfield specializing in personal injury work and is still very active in bar activities) and we like to travel and take advantage of what NYC has to offer. I also love grandmother-ing and try to spend as much time with Ali and the boys as possible.
Getting involved in the reunion planning has been tremendous fun. It has allowed me to meet a lot of people I didn’t know in high school and re-acquaint with some old friends. I hope to see all of you on October 9, 2004. Tema Yeskel Javerbaum - javer@optonline.net
