One Minute With...    Judith Langholtz

By Libby Barsky

April 25, 2008
 

Name: Judith Langholz

Occupation: Retired Westfield elementary school teacher

Address: Scotch Plains

Family: Widow of Joel Langholz, who died 25 years ago. Four children: Daughter Ilisa Ferrin is married to Anthony Ferrin, a postal worker. They live in Charlotte, N.C. and have one son, Robert, who is in graduate school for urban planning. Daughter Ellen, a computer programmer, is married to Philip Hesse who also works in the computer industry. They live in Hillsborough with their two children Melisa, 18, graduating from high school who will be attending Pennsylvania State University, and Daniel, 16. Son Joseph Langholz is an IDA command master chief in the US Navy, disabled by a roadside bomb and current living in Jacksonville, N.C. with his wife Ida. He has five boys: stepson Velmor, a manager for Sonics who has a daughter, Joel, who is a chef; Joshua, a student at North Carolina State University studying engineering; and twins Jonathan and Jordan, 18, graduating from high school. Daughter Ariel Poss, a former manager for the Cancer Society of America getting her degree in Library Science, is married to David Poss, a middle school history teacher. They live in Chattanooga, Tenn. and have two sons Zachary, 16, and Eli, 12. Brother Alan Lieberman died last year; he was married to Jackie and lived in Brooklyn. Their daughter is Rachel Lieberman, who teaches high school science in Chinatown, Manhattan.

Community activities: A six-year member of the Board of Trustees for Temple Emanu-El, Westfield; co-chair of committee delegating those who present temple gifts at bar/bat mitzvah ceremony and a member of the temple’s personnel committee; Sisterhood member and volunteer in the Emanu-El Judaica shop; lifelong Hadassah member formerly on the Hadassah board. She is a volunteer for the auxiliary of the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Scotch Plains and a former worker for the county Board of Elections.

Hobbies: "I love to travel. Since I retired, I’ve been to all seven continents." Other interests are reading gardening and knitting. "I’m also a member of The Live Poets Society, a group that reviews members’ writing -- poetry, prose and fiction."

Self-portrait: "I always see the glass as half full rather than half empty. I’m happy, friendly and very outgoing. That’s who I am."

Greatest accomplishment: "My wonderful children and 10 grandchildren -- nine grandsons and one granddaughter and one great-granddaughter. I also have wonderful friends -- from Marriage Encounter. It helped me learn a lot about myself."

Bad habits: "I procrastinate."

Favorite TV show: " ‘Dancing with the Stars’. Dancing was one of my favorite things to do, but I don’t do it now."

Favorite food: "I love to eat, and in my travels I’ve tried different things and eaten crocodile, kangaroo, camel; but I do love chocolate."

Best childhood memory: "Spending Sunday mornings with my grandfather. We lived in the same brownstone -- our apartment was upstairs and his on the first floor. On Sunday mornings, while my parents were still asleep, I would go downstairs and walk myself to his apartment and watch him lay tefillin. Afterwards we would make lox and eggs and onions and we would have breakfast together."

People don’t know that I... "Can’t ride a bicycle. We lived in Brooklyn and I didn’t need a bike -- I walked everywhere. My brother had a bike and I would ride on the handlebars. When I was older I tried to learn and hurt myself when I tried."

Last book I read... "The books of Maggie Anton, who wrote ‘Rashi’s Daughters,’ ‘Yocheved,’ and ‘Miriam’. The author Maggie Anton will be coming to Temple Emanu-El on Monday, May 5."

The biggest asset in the local Jewish communities: "Our Rabbi Sagal of Temple Emanu-El is our biggest asset, because he is haimish and smart. He’s a get-out-there-and-do-it kind of guy, and he’s brought a lot of interesting things to the temple. He works well with the board and members."