Published Articles

Original Article Published On The Jerusalem Post

Lia Kes is involved in every aspect of the design process, visiting factories, meeting with customers, and selecting dyes and recycling materials for garments.

NEW YORK – Lia Kes’s fashion show threw guests for a loop during a recent New York Fashion Week event at the Beekman Hotel in Lower Manhattan. Instead of the glitz that industry insiders have come to expect of NYFW exhibitions, Kes’s show, KES SS18 – which stands for [Spring/Summer 2018] – presented guests with a low-key subterranean vibe.

There were no famous models, no elegant runways, no DJs spinning electronic music – instead, Israeli-born Kes featured 28 original designs, modeled by seven mixed-age, multi-ethnic models: Yuliya in a black Augustine double- wrap slip dress, Tierra in a macro mosaic top, Hartje in an asymmetric cow-neck top and harem pants, and Qi Wen in a high-low halter dress with reverse monk top.

“There is a subtlety and spirituality to Lia,” observes Meredith Berkman, a writer and customer based in Manhattan who wore a Kes-designed outfit to the show. “That is what makes her so intriguing.”

Berkman discovered Kes’s Upper West Side store several years ago because of the big Hebrew letters and pictures of Israel in the window. She was immediately attracted to the label that promoted its Jewish and Israeli background.

Kes grew up on the 1,300-person Kibbutz Afikim, just south of the Kinneret. She reflects fondly on her first sewing teacher and mentor, Ahuva Gottesman.

“I still think about her frequently – her professional qualities were some of the highest I came across in my whole professional life.”

After two years in the Israel Air Force and a bachelor’s degree in fashion design from Shenkar College in Tel Aviv, Kes relocated to the US, settling in, doing a brief stint in California and then returning to New York where she launched her namesake collection.

“I feel like it took me a while to combine who I am now,” Kes said.

“I am an immigrant, an Israeli American, a sort of a hybrid – not completely Americanized and not completely Israeli.”

With boutiques located at 463 Amsterdam Avenue at 82nd Street in Manhattan and in Southampton in Long Island, New York, Kes has found success catering to the locals.

“It is the mix of the right people with the right community to create something so amazing,” she said.

She is involved in every aspect of the design process, visiting factories, meeting with customers, and selecting dyes and recycling materials for garments that can require up to 40 pieces of fabric.
At home, Kes is an involved mom to her two daughters – ages 10 and 13 – and is active in their Jewish day school, Heschel, and Jewish Community Center.

Last fall, during a spate of stabbings in Israel, two Heschel mothers who are also customers and philanthropists approached Kes with an idea – to produce a desirable object that could raise funds for Israel. Together, they created Project AHAVA, a conceptual messenger tote from which all proceeds would go to charities that support Israel.

Customers purchased $180 denim messenger bags – funky, unfinished objects with words describing Israel (eternal, radiant, innovative, lush) printed on the inside. All proceeds went to support the Israel Trauma Coalition.

“Working with her on the Ahava Project was amazing,” said Stacy Helfstein. “Lia is a shining star. She gives 100% and is not happy until the product is perfect.”

Kes continues to leave her imprint on the New York and fashion worlds, building community one outfit at a time. At her Upper West Side store on a recent weekday, shoppers included young hipsters, 80-year-old women – and, of course, a group of Israeli ex-pats.

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Original Article Published On The Jerusalem Post

The young tennis player, who now ranks 28th in the world, brings a lot of pride to the Jewish athletic world.

from Argentina sat with a curious Jerusalem Post reporter in the Media Center of the US Open. Despite his at-the-time recently-achieved career high ranking of No. 61 (he is now ranked 28th in the world), few reporters were interested in Diego Schwartzman.Schwarzman, then 23, was engaging, polite, always-smiling and happy to speak about his family, Jewish upbringing in Argentina, love of soccer and, of course, tennis.

Schwartzman stands 5-foot-7-inches (1.7 meters), and is known affectionately by the Argentinian Jewish community as “el Peque” (the small). He started playing tennis and soccer at seven years old at Club Nautico Hacoaj, a Jewish sports club in Buenos Aires.

Schwartzman and his three older siblings – brothers Andres and Matias and sister Natali – all played soccer, attended Hebrew school and celebrated their bar and bat mitzvas.

By the age of 13, Diego focused exclusively on tennis.

“I did not have time for Hebrew school because of tennis,” said Schwartzman, though he noted that he and his family “respect Jewish traditions” and occasionally attend synagogue.

In many ways, Schwartzman is a typical Argentine young adult. He enjoys sports, hanging out with friends, listening to music and going to bars on the weekends. But unlike friends who have already attended university, Schwartzman’s desire to study management and public affairs will have to wait.

His professional tennis career is really taking off.

By the end of this year’s extraordinarily successful US Open, the 25-year-old Schwarzman was a household name among tennis fans, and members of the press from around the world filled a large interview room almost daily to ask questions – both in English and Spanish press conferences – about his stunning come-from-behind victories against top players – and about being the shortest player by far in the top 50.

What a difference three years and a tremendous two week run at a Grand Slam tennis tournament makes.

Schwartzman arrived at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, a few days before the August 28 start of the US Open.

In a post-practice interview with The Jerusalem Post in the player’s garden, Schwartzman discussed his past year on the ATP Tour, some changes to his team, and what it might take to “go deep” in a major tournament.

Schwartzman clearly had no expectation of advancing to the quarterfinals of the impending major.

“I think I have improved a lot in many things. I am really focused, both inside the court and outside the court,” he said.

He is pleased with his recent progress.

“This year was really good so far. I played really good. I made lots of quarterfinals and some semifinals, but I still need to improve a few things, like the physical and recovery after matches.”

Schwarzman lost a high-profile five setter to Novak Djokovic at the French Open earlier this year.

Then came the US Open, where Schwartzman surprised even himself, taking out a number of giants in rapid succession, including fellow countryman Carlos Berlocq (6-2, 6-1, 6-3), Serbian Janko Tipsarevic (6-2, 6-4, 7-5), fifth-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia (4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-4), and No. 16 Lucas Pouille of France (7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2) in his first career Grand Slam fourth round.

Schwartzman remained a gentleman throughout the tournament, consistently sharing kind words about his opponents. Following the Cilic match, Schwartzman shook hands and apologized.

“I just said nice words for him, because he’s a big-time player as well as a really good guy.”

Prior to facing Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarterfinals, Schwartzman noted, “It’s going to be really nice for me. I am really happy to be in the quarterfinals this year. I am excited to play Pablo since he’s my friend off the court. We have a good relationship in the locker rooms, and we share a lot of things outside the tennis life.”

Schwartzman ultimately lost to Carreno Busta (6-4, 6-4, 6-2) before an enthusiastic capacity crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium, chanting “Vamanos” (let’s go”) and the soccer chant, “Ole Ole Ole.”

Shwartzman’s storied run in New York earned him $470,000 and raised his profile and popularity in the tennis world. (Prior to the US Open, he earned $828,051 in 2017 and had total career prize money of $2,221,962).

Now, he is off to Kazakhstan where he will be a member of the Argentinian Davis Cup Team as it squares off against Kazakhstan in the September 15-17 World Group Play-Offs.

A long-awaited first trip to Israel will still have to wait.

“I am good friends with Dudi Sela and I really want to go to Israel. I almost got to go for the Maccabiah this year!” Whether or not he makes it to the Holy Land in the near future, the future is bright for Schwartzman, and with his play and attitude he is sure to garner more fans and admirers in the Jewish world and beyond.

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Original Article Published On The Jerusalem Post

NEW YORK – Three weeks of US Open tennis – from the qualifiers and the finals – drew to a close Sunday evening in New York City. Even with the absence of big names like Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Serena Williams, the tournament generated a great deal of excitement.

Four American women met in the semifinals for the first time since 1981, when names Austin, Navratilova and Evert graced the hallowed grounds of Flushing Meadows. Juan Martin del Potro knocked out Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, making a much anticipated, first-ever Nadal/Federer US Open meeting impossible. And the success of Denis Shapovalov reminds us there are many up-and-coming young players to watch.

As players from around the world return home for rest, family time, additional training and the Davis Cup, it is a good time to reflect on the state of Israel tennis.

As always, Dudi Sela was a crowd pleaser, always willing to sign one more autograph or pose for a selfie, even after a disappointing loss. And Yshai Oliel proudly represented Israel in juniors singles and doubles, though the 17-year-old, highly seeded in both, was knocked out earlier than expected.

Overall it was a very poor turnout for Israeli tennis players at this year’s US Open.

In past years, cheering Israeli and Jewish fans might have caught a glimpse of Shahar Pe’er, Julia Glushko, Jonathan Erlich, Amir Weintraub, Andy Ram (long retired) and such rising juniors as Shelly Krolitzky, Or Ram-Harel, Bar Botzer and Valeria Patiuk. In 2011, lucky fans even got to see top blue-and-white wheelchair tennis player Noam Gershony in action.

I long for those days. More than a few fans at Sela and Oliel singles and doubles matches saw my media credentials for The Jerusalem Post and wondered “Where are the Israelis?”

This year, Glushko and Erlich did not rank high enough to qualify. Krolitzky seems to be focusing on rising from the lower echelons professional tennis; during the US Open she played in pro tournaments in Ricany, Czech Republic and in Antalya, Turkey. And most of the Israeli juniors who once competed at the US Open have been lured away from Israel and are playing for American college tennis teams: Patiuk at Michigan, Botzer at Wake Forest and Ram-Harel at University of Tulsa.

Sadly, Israel provided the same number of males in the men’s singles draw (one!) as Barbados, Cyprus, Korea, Moldova and Tunisia. Even Paraguay had one woman in the draw; China and Croatia each had five.

When will fans of Israel tennis have something to cheer about?

That is a tough question to answer, though Israel Tennis Centers serve over 20,000 Israeli children every year and even offers a high performance program. And the David Squad, which boasts that it is “building the future of elite Israeli tennis” though its massive support of Oliel and others, only managed to produce one player at this year’s US Open

Hopefully, the upcoming September 15-17 Davis Cup tie will give fans of Israel tennis something to cheer about. Look for young hopefuls like Edan Leshem, 21, and Mor Bulis 20, as they play with more established teammates Sela and Erlich as the blue-and-white battles Ukraine in the first round of the Group I Europe/ Africa Relegation Play-Offs.

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Original Article Published On The Jerusalem Post

“In this kind of match and with this type of opponent, confidence was tough.”

NEW YORK – Diego Schwartzman’s magical run at the US Open came to an abrupt end on Tuesday when he encountered Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarterfinals during the day session at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Carreno Busta defeated Schwartzman in two hours 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in their first-ever meeting.

Even the soccer chants of the Argentinian fans, which had lifted fellow countrymen Juan Martin del Potro to victory on Monday from two sets down, did not help Schwartzman, who proved unable to convert on multiple break-point opportunities, winning only two of ten. Carreno Busta won six of eight break points and kept Schwartzman back at the baseline throughout the match.

“In this kind of match and with this type of opponent, confidence was tough,” said Schwartzman, who was very encouraged by his overall performance in New York. “I am really happy to play there in the Arthur Ashe and in the Grandstand and many courts here in the tournament. The crowd this year was amazing. Many Argentinians, many people from here. It was really good.”

Carreno Busta will next face either American Sam Querrey or big-serving Kevin Anderson of South Africa, who played their quarterfinal later on Tuesday.

Israel’s Oliel advances in junior doubles Take four hard hitting junior boys from Brazil, Russia and Israel. Put them on a fast, hard court surface on a sunny Labor Day afternoon in New York. Add hard serves and ground strokes, precision volleys, offensive and defensive lobs, occasional drop shots, and extraordinary athleticism.

It is anybody’s game. Israel’s Yshai Oliel and Alexey Zakharov, the No. 7 seeds, came out on top, narrowly outplaying the Brazilian duo of Igor Gimenez and Matheus Pucinelle De Almeida 6-4, 7-5 in just over an hour on Monday night.

In the first set, teams held serve for the first four games before exchanging breaks.

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