Advocating for Klal Yisrael’s Children
Today, both parents and educators pursue special services. But costs can be astronomical, and the process confusing and frustrating. That’s where Leah Steinberg comes in.
Y
ears ago children who weren’t performing well in school would sit in the back of the classroom daydreaming and wasting the day away. Today parents and educators are aggressively pursuing special services so that every student has a chance to succeed. But the costs can be astronomical and the process of securing services can be confusing and frustrating. That’s where Leah Steinberg director of AgudathIsrael’s Project LEARN comes in.
I’m having a dinner date with Leah at the new Bison and Bourbon located onSeventh Street in an industrial area just offBrooklyn’s Gowanus Expressway. Think Lowe’s Home Depot Ikea warehouses and — yes trendy restaurants. It’s yet another area ofBrooklynthat’s being gentrified for a young hipster crowd.
Back to Leah. In the interest of full disclosure I should state that I know Leah from way back. I was vaguely aware of her work as special education coordinator for Agudah but it was only recently when I heard about her semiprivate White House tour that I realized that Leah was in the big league.
So I invited her out to dinner at B and B which turned out to be an eye-opening experience both in terms of Leah and location. We arrive on a humid summer night and the place which just opened a few months ago is bustling. I admire the outdoor courtyard area with its arched entranceways streetlights trees and whimsical mural-painted brick walls that give off an aura ofMainStreet USA. Combine all that with a distinctly casual and easy vibe and you know you’ve stumbled upon something unique.
There’s plenty of seating both indoors and out as well as a balcony area. We choose an indoor table and meet Andree the general manager. Clearly a fellow who likes to schmooze he tells us about the history of this location. In the 1920s B and B was a massive warehouse that was eventually converted into a Turkish restaurant called The Bhache. More recently three entrepreneurial and visionary Chabadniks David Menashe and Ariel turned it into a kosher steakhouse that’s apparently become an overnight sensation. Andree says he’s booked 300 reservations just for tonight alone! The clientele ranges from heimish to hipster and everything in between.
We’re introduced to our waitress Chelsea and our food runner Samantha both of whom are eager to please us. The executive chef is the talented and innovative Cyndi Stanimirov. Instead of having us order our dishes Samantha decides to surprise us with her own personal favorites.
As we wait for our first course Leah tells me how she came to become the voice of advocacy for special needs children in our community. Originally she says she was interested in pursuing another field entirely but somewhere along the way she realized that “I have a passion for this.”
Excerpted from Mishpacha Magazine. To view full version, SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE or LOG IN.
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