On My Mind
Executive editor — issues and opinionsShalom USA’s 10th
Shalom USA, one of the nation’s finest Jewish radio programs, is holding a event to mark its 10th successful year on the air.
The show is aired live 8:30-10 a.m. Sundays on 1370 WVIE AM.
The 10th anniversary event will take place Sunday, July 12, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Hebrew Congregation. The cost is $54 per person.
Shalom USA will honor keynote speaker IDF General Yaakov Amidror, and Mike Lowenstein, who was worked to help former Gush Katif residents find employment.
Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 410-764-7443 or emailing .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Tickets are also available at the door.
When Shalom USA founders Jay Bernstein and Larry Cohen started the show, they didn’t come on the air with any experience to speak of in the radio field. Over the years, though, the two have really put their heart, soul and time into the show. They just don’t “wing” it. Jay Bernstein, I feel, can interview anybody. And that’s because he cares. He cares to do background work, he prepares for interviews. There are no wasted questions. And after 10 years of doing this, I wish I could listen to Jay during the week as well as Sunday, because I know I’m going to come away with something learned. I think Jay is one of the best on-air interviewers I’ve ever heard.
Larry quite simply makes the show happen. If you’ve never seen what it’s like to work literally minute-to-minute in a radio booth, it’s like a conductor stepping up to an orchestra podium. Larry runs the show, making sure that there is a pace, a cadence, and it’s done all according to a tight schedule. At the same time, Larry also loves to give Jay a tweak or two when especially when it comes to politics.
When the two started the station, they were known for their passion in the area of day school education funding. That passion remains, but the issues they cover have diversified 100 fold. Jay has interviewed countless numbers of subjects over the years and the two have taken difficult stands on issues critical to Jewish Baltimore.
And it’s not an Orthodox only show. If anything, Jay and Larry have worked to include all Jews under their canopy.
So here’s to 10 more years guys.
And keep talking.
