Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin had to overcome major obstacles to reach success as a star of film, television, and stage.

But she's had it relatively easy, said the hearing-impaired actress, compared to those who benefit from the contributions raised by the Women's Department of the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ.

Matlin, costar of the Showtime series The L Word, shared her experiences at a breakfast held Oct. 17 at the Crystal Plaza in Livingston with a group of 150 during Hineni: Women's Campaign Day 2008.

Speaking through her long-time business partner and interpreter, Jack Jason, Matlin began by telling the audience, "I don't need this, obviously," as she slid her microphone away.

She praised the group for their efforts on behalf of Jews, both locally and around the world.

"I am proud to be part of the campaign whose theme is ‘Live Generously,'" she said. "I know that because, as Jewish women, no matter where we are, at home or in the world, no matter how far away we are, we have the unique talent…to make each other feel at home by extending our hearts and our hands."

Matlin, who lost most of her hearing as a baby, said she was able to achieve her goals with a lot of love and a big helping of chutzpa from her family. They insisted she receive her education in a mainstream environment rather than at schools for the deaf.

She described how she chose to learn her Torah portion phonetically for her bat mitzva at Temple Beth Sholom near Chicago, which serves both the hearing and deaf communities.

"I looked at the audience, just as if I was on stage. But instead of my family and friends smiling, they were crying…because their little girl had fulfilled a dream that everyone said would never be realized."

Matlin said she, too, began crying.

"I looked down at the Torah; I was mortified. My tears had stained the parchment." After the service she sought forgiveness from the rabbi, who told her that Jewish history was filled with tears for tragic events; in this case, he told her, "I think your tears are a wonderful mitzva."

Matlin said Henry Winkler, whom she met when she was 12 and already thinking about a career as a performer, is "the coolest Jew and the biggest mensch in the world." He was at the height of his popularity in the TV series Happy Days when she told him about her goals.

Although others had told him he shouldn't encourage her to pursue her choice of careers, "He said, ‘Marlee, sweetheart, you can do anything you want to when you grow up. Just make sure you follow your heart, and your dreams will come true. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise.'"

Matlin says she learned from her mentor that "no matter what barriers we face,…we must appreciate that everyone has unique gifts to share.

Women's campaign chair Maxine B. Murnick said Matlin was a strong woman who didn't let anything get in the way of her goals.
"Women account for almost one third of the annual UJA federation campaign. Even in the men's campaign, it's the women who very often encourage their husbands to make their gifts," she said.

Sloane Gillman, cochair for the event with Bunny Schwartz, described the women in attendance as "a strong, dedicated group that gets together to celebrate the Jewishness of their souls. This is a ‘thank you' to them for their dedication."

---