Teaneck–World renowned mentalist Marc Salem, who has captivated audiences and drawn rave reviews from theater critics around the world, is performing in Teaneck on November 15th, with a one-night-stand at Congregation Rinat Yisrael to benefit P’tach.
Salem, who is Jewish, has spent his career learning and teaching about the science of non-verbal communication. He has a PhD in developmental psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and has taught at the university level. His performance has been featured on 60 Minutes, in the New York Times, and he has performed his show on Broadway, in London’s West End and at the Sydney Opera House. Variety Magazine said of his performance, “This is A SUREFIRE.” Show Magazine declared, “You-gotta-see-this-show,” and The New York Post called it, “Brilliantly entertaining.”
Salem has also consulted for the NYPD, to help them learn how to detect when people are lying, and for Big Tobacco, to help read jurors. It is said that mentalists are not mind readers or magicians, but that they are somehow simply particularly tuned into people’s body language, and can make assessments on that basis.
“I think the work P’tach does is unbelievable. They do miracles every day. While I do miracles on stage on occasion, they do miracles every day,” Salem told JLBC.
Steve Fox, who is on P’tach’s board, has known Salem since grad school and said that Salem agreed to do a fundraiser for the organization as soon as he was asked. He said that Salem is a top flight performer and really entertaining. And at the same time, the ticket to see Salem is benefitting a very special organization. “P’tach is one of the pioneers in Jewish special education,” Fox told JLBC.
Started over 35 years ago, P’tach runs special education programs in yeshiva day schools such as MTA, the Yeshiva University High School for Boys, and Central, the Yeshiva University High School for Girls, Chaim Berlin and Bais Yaakov, and has directly benefited many families in Bergen County. “P’tach takes students who would not be successful in the regular yeshiva environment and gives them the support and tools they need to succeed. Because they are already located in schools with a general education population, P’tach students can also be mainstreamed in certain subjects. Many of the students who go to P’tach would not be in any yeshiva if not for it,” Fox said.
The performance, is set for 8 p.m. on November 15, costs $36 in advance or $50 at the door, will be held at Congregation Rinat Yisrael at 398 West Englewood Avenue in Teaneck. For reservations, visit http://www.Ptach.org.
By Elizabeth Kratz
