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Max Marsal, left, and his brother Liam volunteered to light one of the candles for the menorah together at the urging of their mother.
Photo by Nathan Miller
Mochkin's address to the gathered crowd called for brotherhood and peace in the wake of a fatal shooting during a Hannukah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, killed 15 people and injured dozens more.
"I know the rabbi who — God forbid — unfortunately lost his life, Rabbi Schlenger," Mochkin said. "And a cousin of mine is fighting for his life. He's in the hospital now."
Following the touching tribute to Bondi Beach victims and the lighting of the menorah, the crowd shuffled down Franklin Avenue to Babette's where hot drinks and snacks were offered.
Rabbi Mindy Mochkin, right, holds the shamash candle, or the middle candle on the menorah that is traditionally used to light the other eight candles, while Sergeant Michael Rahilly, left, lights it.
Photo by Nathan Miller
Ali Marsal, center, and her sons Max, left, and Liam huddle together to fight the frigid temps.
Photo by Nathan Miller
Cellist Christopher Hoffman wrote and recorded his 13-track, solo record ‘Rex’ while living in the former home of Rex Brasher in Amenia, the self-taught painter who created 1,200+ watercolors of North American birds.
Kenneth Jimenez
Rex Brasher at his home in Chickadee Valley.Provided
Founded in 2008 to preserve Brasher’s legacy and promote bird and habitat conservation through art, the Rex Brasher Association became an early point of connection for Hoffman, who composed and performed an original piece at the 2023 Rex Brasher Symposium just months after moving into Brasher’s former home. After many years in Brooklyn, Hoffman and his family had been looking for a change when they were shown the 116-acre property by association board member and architect Matthew Schnepf, who shared the history of the land and of Brasher himself.
“We’re the first renters outside of Rex’s family,” Hoffman said, explaining that the house is rented as part of an agreement to maintain the estate. Upon moving in, Hoffman dug deeper, purchasing the two-volume set of “Birds and Trees of North America” and immersing himself in Brasher’s world. Around the same time, and at the encouragement of composer, saxophonist and flutist Henry Threadgill, Hoffman debuted his first solo project at Tomeka Reid’s Chicago Jazz String Summit, planting the seed for the 13-track album that he then composed, recorded, mixed and mastered in Brasher’s home. The RBA (Rex Brasher Association) was equally supportive of the finished work, granting Hoffman permission to use Brasher’s artwork for the album, including the swallow-tailed kite painting that appears on the vinyl packaging. “You open up the record and the whole painting is right there,” said Hoffman.
‘Swallow Tail Kite’ by Rex BrasherProvided
Though birds are central to the record’s spirit, Hoffman deliberately avoided literal birdsongs. Instead, the cello is layered into dense soundscapes that suggest rather than illustrate. “There are tracks with tons of layered stuff where I guess you could hear bird sounds if you wanted to,” he said. Brasher’s refusal to accept approximation — destroying paintings when feathers didn’t look right — mirrored Hoffman’s own instincts as a musician. Tracks were built, discarded, rebuilt. Nothing stayed unless it felt true.
For Hoffman, “Rex” became a kind of reckoning. Though Hoffman has begun noticing birds with new intensity, using the Merlin bird app to identify some 30 species on the grounds, he says Brasher’s acuity still feels out of reach. “Even with binoculars, I still can’t see the details he was seeing.”
The album will be released Jan. 16 on Out of Your Head Records. Composed for acoustic and electric cello, the record reflects the solitude and intensity that shaped both Brasher’s vision and Hoffman’s process. “This guy was working so hard,” said Hoffman of Brasher. “And it was like, ‘Alright, Chris, get it together. Make the solo record you’re afraid to make.’”
To listen and purchase the album, go to: https://christopherhoffman.bandcamp.com/album/rex
Thuan Nguyen and Britt Rovi are old friends and now business partners at the Zen Den.
Jennifer Almquist
Founders Britt Rovi, an LPC, and Thuan Nguyen are old friends who most recently worked together at Mountainside Treatment Center in Canaan. They bring extensive experience as therapeutic healers and as survivors of their own journeys from adversity to wellness.
“We believe healing happens in community — where you can feel connected, seen and loved,” they said. “So please help us spread the word about this cool, soulful, and uplifting new space — a hip, spiritual hangout for those who crave purpose, meaning and connection.”
The new clinical wellness membership center combines holistic treatments such as yoga, reiki, qi gong, sound baths, somatic therapy and trauma-informed care for mind, body and soul with clinical groups for stress management, grief and trauma.
Nguyen, who was born in Vietnam during the War, survived a harrowing escape with his family, later settling in Westchester and attended Vassar College and Cornell University. He became addicted to crystal meth and his family got him into rehab. He recalled his journey to sobriety:
“In recovery meetings, people gave me a language for my experience, words I never had access to before. They shared their stories with honesty and courage, creating a space safe enough for me to find my own. My journey continued through meditation, yoga, energy healing and various wellness practices that helped me return to myself. I learned that true healing is holistic — it touches mind, body, spirit and community.”
Soft opening of the Zen Den for friends and family.Jennifer Almquist
Nguyen has since worked at two nationally recognized inpatient treatment centers as a 12-step coach, spiritual advisor, wellness coordinator, manager and director. He is also a master teacher in Usui Reiki and certified in Karuna Reiki.
Rovi is a clinical life and relationship coach with a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling and a specialization in family therapy. During college, the sudden suicide of a dear friend plunged her into a self-destructive spiral. A spiritual awakening centered her, and she began her remarkable journey to wellness.
When asked about her dream for the center, she said, “Community more than anything. We live in a world where everything is sad, stressful and hard.We need connection and to not feel alone. I want to ignite that spark in humanity again from a small local vibe. I want to breathe hope back into the world.”
Rovi and Nguyen are grateful for the support of the Winchester Economic Development Commission, which helped them open their doors on Main Street near the town green. At noon on Dec. 27, there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony with members of the commission, and the community is invited.
For more information and to become a member of the Zen Den community, visit: thezendencenter.com
