Women's funder raises over $319,000

The Lions of Judah, all of whom donate $5,000 to the Women's
Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Greater Monmouth County,
attended the Main Event on May 16. Photos by Jill Huber

by Jill Huber
NJJN Bureau Chief/Monmouth
05.29.07

Sidebar: Down-to-earth advice from high-flying journalist

Down-to-earth advice
from high-flying journalist

Lynn Sherr, author and correspondent for 20/20,
was the guest speaker at the Main Event on May 16.

LYNN SHERR combined personal and professional lessons in her speech at the Main Event, the annual fund-raiser of the Women's Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Greater Monmouth County.

Sherr, author and correspondent for ABC's newsmagazine 20/20, touched on her Jewish heritage, her husband's early death, and her own brush with cancer.

"Many women here are from my era," Sherr told NJ Jewish News before she headed to the podium. "I hope my experiences match their efforts. I'm here to share my experiences, both the good and the not-so-good. I think there is a lot of commonality."

Sherr, who lives in New York City, is the author of five books, including a recent memoir titled Outside the Box.

"I'm passionate about my career, and that's why I contribute stories to 20/20 and that's why I write — it's part of who I am," she said.

She also touched upon her family life; her husband, Larry Hilford, died in 1992 at age 57 from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. (Sherr was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1997; she is now cancer-free.) She has three grown stepsons and four "perfect" grandchildren.

"I feel at home and in good company," Sherr told the audience. "The recognition of women's issues has made it possible for us to be here today and for you to do the things that are important to you."

Throughout her career, Sherr said, she has always kept one foot outside the box.

"It's a position, maybe even a mindset, that I've adopted regularly as a reality check on the mighty medium of television and print journalism," she said.

Her Jewish heritage has often been a source of surprise among her colleagues. She recalled a conversation with an employee of a Jewish newspaper in Philadelphia.

"He asked me whether my background had contributed to my choice of a career, since Jews are always asking questions — and answering questions with another question," Sherr said. "I asked him if he was serious. In fact, I became a reporter for a very corny reason: to tell the truth."

She had similar encounters while working for WCBS-TV in New York. Sherr and group of reporters were discussing the Yom Kippur War, when a CBS executive entered the newsroom and joined the conversation.

As the group began to drift away and return to work, the executive called out, "Toda raba [thank you]."

"Instinctively, I called out b'vakasha [you're welcome]," Sherr said. "The executive stopped in his tracks and asked what I said and why I said it. I told him it was the appropriate response. He asked me how I knew that. I said it was the result of years of Hebrew school.

"He said, ‘Hebrew school?' in a state of disbelief," Sherr continued. "He said, ‘But you're a blond; you're a tall blond. You went to Wellesley College. You're from Philadelphia, on the Main Line. You can't possibly be Jewish!' That was my introduction to the world of television."

She is proud of her Jewish heritage and her Jewish roots, and when others express surprise, Sherr has a ready answer.

"I say, ‘I'm what Jewish can look like,'" she said. "That usually ends the conversation."

Sometimes people recognize her on the street, and they often tell her that she looks better on television than she does in person, she said.

Throughout her career of covering major news events, said Sherr, she has learned a valuable lesson.

"We're all flying through life together," she said. "We learn life lessons as we go along. I've included the history and life lessons of my loved ones with the events of my professional life because they are so intertwined. I hope we've laid some basic groundwork for future generations. I hope we've conveyed that even though we are still seeking solutions to many issues, one thing remains clear: We're all flying on this planet together."

— JILL HUBER

Comment | Print | Subscribe | Webmaster