Home

Name: Maurice Mahler

Occupation: Artist and art history adjunct professor in Rutgers Continuing Education program

Address: Monroe Township

Family: Married 51 years to Roberta, a retired bookkeeper and interior decorator. Two sons. David, a retired owner of telecommunications firm who lives in Bellmore, Long Island. He is divorced and has two daughters. Michael, a computer engineer, is married to Renee, a physical therapist, and they live in Boylston, Mass. with their two children, Ilana and Samson. Daughter Kathy is a math teacher in the South River Middle School and is married to Ian Kansky, owner of a food company. They live in Morganville with their two children, Rachel, 15, and Russell, 13.

Community activities: Trustee at the Jewish Congregation of Monroe for two years; currently working on seating arrangements in three separate locations for holiday services. Serves as fire commissioner and chairman of District 2 Monroe Township, an elected position held for seven years. Member of Project Healing Waters where wounded veterans learn how to make the fly fishing lures they use on fishing outings once a month and also fund-raises for the Susan B. Komen Casting for Recovery cancer three-day retreat program, where 15 women recovering from a recent mastectomy engage in discussion, group therapy, and making lures for fly fishing then fish at the Pequest State Hatchery on the last day.

Hobbies: Fishing, teaching, lecturing, and designing stained glass windows.

Self-portrait: “I’m energetic, a loving and caring person, and always looking to help.”

Motto: “Work, Work, Work. One must work to stay alive.” Quote of artist Ben Shawn -- Mahler’s teacher at N.Y. Music and Art High School.

Greatest accomplishment: “Designing the six stained glass windows for the new Chabad community center for Rabbi Spritzer that Wilmark Studios will make.”

Bad habits: “I’m trying to get away from being an ‘A’ personality and let people finish their sentences.”

Favorite TV: “I like to watch the History Channel and I enjoy ‘Two-and-a-Half Men’ and ‘Criminal Minds’.”

Favorite Food: Kasha varnishkes.

Best childhood memory: “I was 7 and visited my grandmother, Leah, on a Sunday when all the stores were closed. She had baked a challah but didn’t have any butter. What I still remember was how she solved the problem. She took the cream from the milk bottle, then put it in a mason jar covered with wax paper and shook the cream until it formed into butter. I had never seen that before.”

People don’t know that I… “was a student at the High School of Music and Art and sat next to Dianne Caroll and David Zinman (conductor of Rochester Symphony).”

Last book I read: “The Secrets of the Sistine Chapel,” by Rabbi Ben Blech. “I’ll be giving a lecture on this (same title) at the Monroe Township Senior Center on Sept. 3 at 1 p.m.”

Biggest asset in the local Jewish communities: “Having the shuls -- the Jewish Congregation of Concordia--Monroe Township Jewish Center and Chabad in the community. I think Rabbi Spritzer has been a great adviser.”

Biggest problem in the local Jewish communities: “Getting people to join the synagogue.”

If I had more time I would… “I don’t know what I’d do right now, but I’d spend more time with my wife.”