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MILFORD — Manny Strumpf is the man responsible for the first wedding and the first murder at the Statue of Liberty. But he is neither a rabbi nor a criminal.

Milford resident and long-time Jewish Ledger columnist, Strumpf knows a thing or two about Lady Liberty — he served for 22 years as the public affairs officer for the National Parks Service in New York City and had an office at the Statue of Liberty.

Strumpf once went to great lengths to help a Chicago couple plan a wedding at the Statue of Liberty-helping to arrange everything from the marriage license, to a minister, to media coverage. Now in his new book, “Murder at the Statue of Liberty” (2006, Publish America), Strumpf writes about a fictional murder at the national monument.

The idea for the book evolved from Strumpf’s real life work at the Statue. He recalls one incident when a man hid in the torch and tried to parachute from the Statue-but his parachute got stuck and he was left dangling.

“I thought, ‘What would have happened if this person hiding in the torch was a murderer?’ That afternoon on the train home from Grand Central Station, I jotted down some notes.”

Every afternoon from then on, he jotted down more notes for what would eventually become his book.
Besides his own experience at the Statue of Liberty, he received input for the book from the members of the United States Park Police New York Field Office.

“I developed a great respect and admiration during that time for the men and women who are devoting their careers to protecting and preserving our natural and historic resources, including the Statue of Liberty,” he said. “I’m proud to have worked closely with them during my career. Although I was an eyewitness to many activities on Liberty Island, fortunately, there never was a homicide.”

A six-year process
Strumpf, who was trained as a journalist at New York University, worked as a sports editor for a newspaper in Mount Vernon, N.Y., and served for 14 years as a reporter for the New Haven Register, before becoming PR officer for the National Parks Service.

Besides the Statue of Liberty, he also handled public relations for landmarks like Theodore Roosevelt’s birthplace, Grant’s Tomb, Federal Hall, Castle Clinton and Alexander Hamilton’s Home.

Over the years, Strumpf’s job at the Statue of Liberty has led him to meet many famous people, including President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca, and country singer Dolly Parton. He once gave a private tour to actress Mary Tyler Moore and her father.

Strumpf used much of his own knowledge about the famous New York City monument in writing his murder mystery.

In “Murder at the Statue of Liberty,” main characters William Johnson, deputy chief ranger at the Statue of Liberty, and ranger Jennifer Marcus find a dead body one morning inside the monument. They soon become prime suspects when U.S. Park Police Lt. Mike Finnegan and Vince Torre of the NYPD begin to investigate the shocking murder.

After completing one draft of the novel, Strumpf put it away for eight months. When he looked at it again, he felt it needed revision. He met book editor Stuart Meyer at a conference at Manhattan’s World Trade Center, who agreed to offer feedback. Strumpf ended up rewriting the book twice and changed the outcome several times. In all, it took him six years to finish the project.

Strumpf said that he has received many letters and emails of support for his book – and he has also received his first royalty check.

“I’ve received letters from London, Toronto, Los Angeles, North and South Carolina and I have been featured in the newsletter of the International Statue of Liberty Club,” reports Strumpf.

Strumpf, and his wife, Phyllis — the parents of two grown children and grandparents of three – are members of Congregation Or Shalom in Orange, where he is chairperson of the communications committee and was the recent recipient of the synagogue’s Shomerei Or Award.

Strumpf and his wife will soon head to their winter home in Florida where he will spend his time following sports, reading, golfing, and working on his next novel, which takes place at another interesting New York landmark — Theodore Roosevelt’s birthplace.

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NEW HAVEN — When a New Haven doctor received an email with a plea for help from an Israeli doctor, he knew it was time to mobilize-especially since the lives of Israeli soldiers were at stake.

Just before the start of Shabbat in mid-August, Dr. Arthur Levy, a New Haven oncologist and chairperson of the Westville Synagogues social action committee, received an email informing him that Israeli reservists fighting in Lebanon did not have adequate body armor to protect them.

There was no time to get lots of details, reports Levy. I made an announcement at the end of services, and received an astounding response. More than 50 people raised their hands to make pledges to purchase vests-not bad for a Shabbat during the summer when many people were away on vacation.

More than 60 vests have been purchased thus far by the Westville Synagogue.

The idea for the Kevlar vests came about when Dr. Eli Reshef, an Oklahoma City fertility specialist and husband of Edie Rodman, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City, spoke with his reservist nephew, Peleg Reshef. Peleg had been deployed to Lebanon, and Eli contacted him by cell phone. What can I do for you? asked Eli. Peleg immediately informed his Uncle Eli that his unit of 80 men, a reservist combat engineering regiment known as the Orev Company, did not have adequate protective vests and body armor. Vests had apparently been issued to active duty soldiers, but vests for reservists were either nonexistent, tattered or not updated. Eli, worried about Peleg and his other two nephews who were all serving in Lebanon at the same time, asked, How much will it cost and how many do you need?

Within hours, after making a few phone calls and sending emails, Eli Reshef, a former member of the Israel Defense Force who saw combat on Mount Hermon, the scene of some of the most intense fighting during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, had commitments for 80 of the vests at $110 per vest. Thus, Operation Body Armor was born.

Edi Rodman proudly notes, We have raised more than $60,000 so far and have provided vests for four or five units so far. And every penny goes directly for the body armor-none of the donated money is spent on administrative costs, postage, etc. Reshef also hoped to purchase the vests in Israel as a way of supporting the Israeli economy. He purchased all of the vests from Kibbutz Sasa.

Rodman said that on Channel 2 TV in Israel, they interviewed soldiers on their way out of Lebanon, and they repeated over and over again how appreciative they were.

CAP: PELEG NEWSPAPER: An article in an Israeli newspaper about the Kevlar vests purchased for Israeli soldiers.

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