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The true story of how a Jewish New Yorker's familial relations to the Mafia profoundly shaped her life. They say that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." In Lisa Novick Goldberg's memoir, she explores the veracity of this proverb by examining her complicated relationship with her father, whose closest friends happen to be bosses of the Genovese crime family.

Goldberg begins with a mob-related murder that forever alters the way she views the world. Through chronological vignettes, both riveting and humorous, she takes us behind the scenes into the glitzy and corrupt world of organized crime, where chaotic consequences wreak havoc on her fragile family. From her early childhood in Brooklyn, to growing up in the Five Towns of Long Island, to adulthood, Goldberg examines the fear, disappointment, and confusion that comes with a lifetime of negotiating identities as a privileged Jewish girl and a sort-of Mafia princess.

In The Apple and the Shady Tree, Lisa Novick Goldberg takes you on her intensely heartfelt journey as she uproots her family tree and explores its misshapen branches and weakened leaves.

Alex Vogel has always been a high achiever who lived her life by the book-star student and athlete in high school, prelaw whiz in college, Harvard Law School degree. Accepting a dream offer at the prestigious Manhattan law firm of Klasko & Fitch, she promises her sweet and supportive longtime boyfriend that the job won't change her.

Yet Alex is seduced by the firm's money and energy . . . and by her cocksure male colleagues, who quickly take notice of the new girl. She's never felt so confident and powerful-even the innuendo-laced banter with clients feels fun. But as her clients' expectations and demands on her increase, and Alex finds herself magnetically drawn to a handsome coworker despite her loving relationship at home, she begins to question everything-including herself. She knows the corporate world isn't black and white, and that to reach the top means playing by different rules. But who made those rules? And what if the system rigged so that women can't win, anyway?

When something happens that reveals the dark reality of the firm, Alex comes to understand the ways women like her are told-explicitly and implicitly-how they need to behave to succeed in the workplace. Now, she can no longer stand by silently-even if doing what's right means putting everything on the line to expose the shocking truth.

The Director of the program, Chris Gorton, is looking for adult volunteers who are able to drive, but who also have the ability to spend some time getting to know their clients. The individuals (and sometimes families) that are receiving this assistance are often lonely and looking for some companionship and friendship, and in many of the relationships that have been established since the inception of this program, the client has asked the volunteer to select their food from them, often with comments of "please just pick out what you know I'll eat." It's a little bit like forming a relationship with your Instacart Shopper, but the "store" is the Food Pantry and the client is ordering not because of COVID, but because they really can't leave their home.

The clients do have the ability to order their own items, so you wouldn't necessarily be tasked with selecting someone's meals! But - it would also be more than just picking up at the Pantry and dropping off to the clients. Deliveries would be twice/month, per client you're assisting.

If you are interested, please reach out to Chris Gorton directly at gortonc@comcast.net and please tell her that Liz Loew from the Food Pantry referred you.

Thank you for reading, and for sharing with a friend who you believe may be interested in assisting.

Hope you're well!

A Kindle version of our prayer book is available on Amazon for only $9.99.

Click on the image of the book or this link:

Also, a FREE online version is available from CCAR Press: