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OBITUARY
Philanthropic funeral director dies at age 83 man’s Funeral Homes, which now has locations in Rockville Centre, Woodbury, Brooklyn Steven Kanowitz, a funeral and Boca Raton, Florida. He director whose steady guid- became the face of the busiance, compassion and commit- ness, meeting families and ment supported countless fami- guiding services with a gentle lies in New York and Florida but steady approach. “His influence will continue for nearly six decades, died on to guide the direcNov. 9. He was 83. tors and staff he so Bor n in Brookpassionately led,” lyn on March 13, Gutter man’s of fi1942, and raised in cials said in a stateSyosset, Kanowitz ment. “The tradiunderstood early in tion of service and life that his calling compassion he was to help people. embodied will live After attending on.” funeral directing Those who school, he entered a worked beside p r o f e s s i o n t h a t RABBI URI GOREN Kanowitz admired demands empathy, Temple Avodah his comprehensive patience and a deep knowledge of respect for tradition — qualities that, accord- funeral traditions and the diging to his community, he car- nity he brought to every service. But they admired more ried naturally. O v e r t i m e , h e b e c a m e the way he treated people. His known not only for his profes- approach was simple: He loved sionalism, but also for the way to help. That love, those who he supported people during knew him said, shaped every t h e i r m o s t v u l n e r a b l e aspect of his work and life. “He had an ‘old school’ way moments. For more than 30 years, about him, about the way he Kanowitz served as a partner treated people with common and vice president of GutterCONTINUED ON PAGE 10
By ABIGAIL GRIECO
agrieco@liherald.com
Courtesy Teresa McCarthy
Teresa McCarthy, the Island Park Library’s children’s librarian, far left, and Creatology Kidz Director Biju George, second from right, hosted a “Dog Man”-themed Lego program on Nov. 19.
Theatre Guild revives ‘Carnival!’ By ABIGAIL GRIECO agrieco@liherald.com
The Theatre Guild of Oceanside is bringing a Golden Age gem back to the local stage with its upcoming production of “Carnival!” on Dec. 6, at 8 p.m., and Dec. 7, at 2 p.m., at Oceanside School No. 6. The performance marks the guild’s annual return, a tradition revived four years ago after a 25-year hiatus, and continues a renewed momentum that members say is growing each season. Each year, TGO stages one full production. As soon as the curtain falls, planning begins for the following year’s production. Stage and musical director Bruce Bider has witnessed the arc of the guild’s history firsthand. One of the first stage shows he ever saw as a child was a TGO production in the same auditorium — then known as the Boardman Junior High School auditorium — where this year’s musical will be staged. “We always get a core group of people who have been with us before, but we also get a lot of
new people, too,” Bider said. “It makes me feel like we’re building something.” Founded in 1968, the guild thrived for decades, and became a fixture of Oceanside’s arts scene before weakening in the 1990s as members aged and moved away. The theater went silent until Oceanside schools Superintendent Dr. Phyllis Harrington approached Bider in 2022 with the idea of bringing it back. The revival not only reignited nostalgia among former members, but also drew a new generation of performers who had never seen the guild in its early years. “Carnival!” stands out for its unique tone and storytelling. “‘Carnival!’ is a very different show,” Bider said. “It’s not as well-known as ‘Oklahoma!’ It’s got light and dark elements. There’s comedy, but there’s also very intense relationship dynamics.” His directing style, Bider said, focuses on building the emotional arc of each moment. “I try to think of the show as a whole piece, and then break the scenes down,” he said. “As I’m CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
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hope you take the very best of him and make it part of who you are.