My Friend Dorrit
Dorrit Geshuri, a polytalented multicompetent friend of mine, designed this website for me.
Her old bike needs its own portrait.
That was some years ago, she has an ebike now.
The Bike photo was taken outside Café Leila in Berkeley. There’s a story about that.
In 2012 I went to work at a nonprofit called BayNVC, where Dorrit was the Executive Director. I first met her at my job interview. I was friends with Miki Kashtan, one of BayNVC’s founders, but I was wary of Nonviolent Communication. In some members of the movement I had seen a cultic level of groupthink and disparagement of outsiders, which put me off. At my job interview I expressed my concerns about the jargon spoken in NVC. Dorrit said, don’t worry, in the office we speak half NVC and half sarcasm. Oh well, in that case… I took the job.
In my first week there, Dorrit and Miki had to lay off several of the nine staff, because BayNVC’s income had crashed. Within a few more weeks, Dorrit had to lay off everyone else, including herself. That left only Miki, and me, because I was helping Miki’s personal projects. (With decreasing hours, I stayed 6 good years).
After the lay-offs a few of us from the staff got together at Café Leila to commiserate. It was fun and we made a date to meet again. Five of us—Dorrit, Carol, Pam, Trudyanne and me—have met monthly ever since: thirteen years now. For many years we met at Café Leila. Since Covid, and after Pam moved to New Orleans, we have met on Zoom. This coffee klatsch has been a huge joy for me. Four smart women and me: I am honored.
A word about the café: it is owned by two Palestinian brothers whose family in Gaza has been devastated these past two years. They have excellent organic food and coffee and a beautiful outdoor patio: don’t miss it if you are in the Bay.
Dorrit has done many amazing things in her life. Drove a cab, crewed fishing boats in Alaska, worked with the Zapatistas in Chiapas, ran a radically left bookstore in North Carolina, played accordion in a klezmer band, of a Jewish Renewal synagogue, etc. Quirky Berkeley has lovely pics of her Mid-Century Modern Klezmer Cowgirl apartment. She has only recently discovered that her biological grandfather was actually a famous Czech artist, so she has been visiting the Czech Republic.
