Meet A Mom Who Moved Here From Paris and is Fluent in Six Languages

Meet a mom who has lived in many places around the world, and speaks six languages, and find out why she loves Montclair.

SHE'S ALL THAT: Deborah Zafman.

WHY SHE’S ALL THAT: Deborah Zafman comes to Montclair by way of California, Jerusalem, Florence, Berlin, and Paris. She is half Ecuadorian, half Jewish and is fluent in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Hebrew. She has thrown herself into her new Montclair community, and specifically the Montclair Cooperative School, by being the driving creative force behind the Coop’s wildly successful DreamStream benefit, and is bringing her experience as art historian and gallerist to town with plans of creating a business as an art advisor. 

MOVED TO MONTCLAIR: Last summer from Paris. Reunited with college sweetheart via the Internet, and she and her 10-year-old daughter made the move to be with him.

KIDS: One daughter at the Montclair Coop in sixth grade.

WORK: I’m creating an art advisory for people interested in building art collections. I have a Ph.D in Art History, was an independent curator and art critic, then became a contemporary art gallerist. Creating an art advisory is the natural evolution from being a gallerist. Now I’m more impartial; I have contacts in New York and in Europe, and will work together with clients within their budget to build a collection; like a personal shopper for art. If people are interested, they can email me at Deborah.zafman@gmail.com. I’m also obsessed with longevity and am currently studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a holistic life coach. 

VOLUNTEER: My daughter is at the Montclair Coop, which is just utopia. Each parent there automatically gets a job — everyone pitches in rather than having a higher tuition. I’m teaching two classes: Museum Studies for seventh graders and Zen Mediation for fifth to eighth grade as part of the upper school electives program. Last August, right when we got here, I received a call from the parent who coordinates jobs — she said they needed someone to organize an auction event. I love planning events! I was overjoyed to think I could organize an artistic cultural event. People said “You took on that? It’s the hardest job!” But I saw it as something I can do; I can offer an aesthetic experience that offers beauty and joy and raises money. The event was called DreamStream and took place April 9. It was amazing! 

I also tutor Hebrew at B’nai Keshet and we are meeting with a  Holocaust survivor to have my daughter document her life story. My daughter is becoming a volunteer at the pet shelter.

PETS: We have a 10-year-old dog. We live in a situation that’s not ideal for him so we may have to give him away—if anyone can offer a good home to a beautiful Vizsla, please let me know! He’s a perfect sized dog, neither big nor small, no shedding, and very friendly. 

KIDS’ ACTIVITIES/THE SCHLEPPING: MY daughter is a very gifted dancer; she does three classes a week at Sharron Miller, and also goes to Hebrew School. She also is a fashion designer and designs and sews her own clothes.

EXERCISE ROUTINE: This is a huge issue for me right now. For now, I’m taking walks in the forest with the dog. I was addicted to some classes at New York Sports Club, but the instructor left and I’m devastated.  I’m still searching for what I will do next. I’m also studying to become a holistic health coach so exercise is a concern for wellness. I try to walk at the very least.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Reconciling the desire to be out in the world doing stuff and also have an inner life. Coming to terms with having both inner and outer; public and private lives. 

WHAT GIVES: Getting the house to be less cluttered. I have a dream of always wanting to do a Spring Cleaning. I always have a fantasy of going through every object in the house and saying ‘do we really need this?’ and just getting rid of so many things.

WHAT YOU’RE READING: I just finished the Patti Smith book, Just Kids, about her relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe, and I have Art Green’s Zohar book. 

BIGGEST HELPER: My daughter. 

PET PEEVE: Hair that’s not attached to the body. 

HOW YOU GET DINNER ON THE TABLE DURING THE WEEK: I am no cook. I’m actually a wannabe liquidarian. I can't stress enough how much I love my smoothies and juices. I must start every day with my morning superfood smoothie, then there's the green juice I make in my juicer: cucumbers, celery, kale, carrots, beets, apple & ginger. As for dinner with my daughter, we’ll often go to Leone’s after ballet or I’ll make her tamales from Trader Joes’ in the microwave, and I make my favorite salad of arugula, avocado, pine nuts, shaved parmesan, a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Or maybe we’ll have a container of soup from Whole Foods.

KIDS’ FAVORITE RESTAURANT: 32 Church is her very favorite.

FAVORITE NIGHT OUT WITHOUT KIDS: Going out to dinner in town — we love Mei’s Café on Glen Ridge Avenue.

BEST PLACE TO PICK UP KIDS’ BIRTHDAY GIFT: Parcel is great; I just put together in cool boxes for birthday gifts.

FAVORITE MONTCLAIR CLOTHING STORE FOR YOU: I did buy my all time favorite dress at Dem Two Hands, but I don’t really have time shop too much.

FAVORITE MONTCLAIR ACTIVITY/DESTINATION: There are so many. I’m in love with Montclair. I love going to Eagle Rock Reservation and being in the forest. I love the gardens at Van Vleck. I love the Montclair Art Museum. I love the Clairidge movie theater. And I just love to stroll — Walnut Street, Church Street, and Watchung Plaza all have wonderful shops and things to look at.    

WHAT YOU LOVE ABOUT MONTCLAIR: So much. The view of New York City. I always feel like I’m Dorothy in the poppy fields looking at Oz.  The Clear Mountain Zen Center on Lackawana, and all the things I listed already! And I love the Coop and B’nai Keshet with all my heart. And most importantly of all, I love the quality of the people. I feel so blessed to be in this community. 

WHAT YOU WISH YOU COULD CHANGE: I wish that everyone in the world would act out of love and not fear.

ADVICE FOR OTHER BUSY MOMS: I guess what I do that works, is I completely abandon a notion of perfection. My advice would be to accept, don’t expect. Breathe. Laugh.