4 minute read
Extraordinary men speaking to enthusiastic audiences
By Larry Israelite
Already, 2024 has been an exciting year for MCA members and members of the Greater Naples Jewish community. Besides what we might describe as the ‘regular’ activities sponsored by MCA — over 200 in January and February alone — community members have experienced three extraordinary presentations/performances by distinguished Americans. Here are their stories…
Lew Merletti
Lew Merletti began his career with the Army's 5th Special Forces Group (aka Green Berets) in the jungles of Southeast Asia, where he earned a Bronze Star. Following his Green Beret service, Merletti transitioned to the U.S. Secret Service, an agency tasked with protecting the U.S. president, vice president and other dignitaries. The Secret Service selection process is highly competitive, demanding exceptional physical fitness, mental acuity and unwavering dedication. Merletti's Green Beret experience likely served him well during this rigorous selection process.
Details about Merletti's specific role and accomplishments within the Secret Service are also classified due to the sensitive nature of the agency's work. However, it's safe to assume he played a crucial role in safeguarding presidents and other dignitaries, potentially serving on protective details or in specialized units.
Merletti's presentation focused on his service under Presidents Reagan, Bush and Clinton, about his days on the elite Counter Assault Team, and on the Presidential Protective Detail. His audience was enthralled by both his life experiences and his clear commitment to his country.
Sandy Greenberg
As a star student/leader/athlete attending Columbia University, Sandy Greenberg became blind following a botched medical treatment and surgery for advancing glaucoma. Saved from a deep depression by his roommate and life-long best friend, musician Art Garfunkel, and his wife, Sue Greenberg, Sandy rose above his difficulties to earn advanced degrees at Harvard and Oxford, served as a White House Fellow, founded and sold a series of tech companies, and chaired or served on numerous boards, including the National Science Board, John Hopkins University and the Wilmer Eye Institute. Sandy's "extraordinary vision for life" has been an inspiration to those whom he has touched deeply, including Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Michael Bloomberg and Al Gore.
Through a discussion with MCA member and longtime friend, Bob Gage, Sandy described Judaism as the driver of so much of his service and accomplishments. He also shared his most recent project, offering the "End Blindness by 2020 Prize," which is awarded to scientists who have made the most impact this past decade in the quest to eradicate blindness — Sandy's tikkun olam! Sandy's life plan, developed in 1961, was "to make the world a better place for those who come after us."
Peter Simon
Peter Simon has established himself as one of America’s finest musicians and most distinctive and versatile musical personalities. A former music professor and native of Denver, Colorado, he has accomplished the rare artistic feat of generating both critical acclaim and widespread audience enthusiasm.
Over the years, Simon has performed in major concert halls, including the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall, American Embassies, cruise ships and over 500 small communities across America. He has toured Europe as well as five tours of Asia, primarily in Japan and South Korea. Simon enjoys creating “themed programs” to increase audience interest and has performed a one-man play called “Franz Liszt Live,” as pianist/orator in “The Music & Poetry of Love,” “Classy Piano Favorites” and “The Spiritual Music of the Great Composers.”
Simon has been featured on two public television specials: “Profiles & Performances” and “Culture in the Country” as well as his own three-part television series “Peter Simon & Friends.” He has a firm belief that classical music is meant for everyone regardless of age or background and devotes much of his time performing outreach programs for numerous school districts as well as being a guest speaker on the importance of the arts in education and everyday life for various civic and social organizations.
Simon’s focus during his MCA program was “Great Jewish Composers and their Influence.” Throughout the evening, he played music and discussed each composer’s life and their significance in the history of music. His musical selections focused on well-known Jewish composers, like Irving Berlin and Rogers and Hammerstein, as well as others who may be lesser known to the uneducated listener, such as Maurice Revel and Jaque Offenbach, who composed ‘The Can Can.’ Simon’s knowledge and wit, combined with his outstanding musicianship, made for an educational and entertaining evening.
MCA states that its members are both physically active and intellectually curious. The three events described here are just an example of our focus on the latter. Check the MCA website, mcanaples.org, or scan the QR code to explore the full range of what MCA has to offer.
