NOVEMBER 16 • 2023 | 55
J
N

At the Sheraton Hotel in 
Tel Aviv, Kavanagh’s grandfa-
ther started a spa, health club 
and men’s barbershop. Also, 
during that time in Jerusalem, 
her grandmother covered 
the Adolf Eichmann trial as a 
writer for the Jewish Floridian 
newspaper. Based in Miami, 
the Jewish Floridian was 
founded in 1927 by Kavanagh’s 
great-grandfather, J. Louis 
Shochet. The paper was later 
taken over by her great uncle, 
Fred Shochet, and was in pub-
lication until 1990.
“Because my mom was very 
young when my family moved 
to Israel, when they came back 
to the U.S. in 1964, my mom 
didn’t know English anymore, 
she only spoke Hebrew,
” 
Kavanagh says.
For now, Kavanagh and her 
Mrs. Doubtfire cast and crew 

are enjoying bringing their 
musical talents and lightheart-
ed entertainment to audiences 
throughout the country. 
The national tour started 
in Buffalo in September. This 
will be Kavanagh’s third time 
coming through Detroit; she 
danced and sang through 
La Cage Aux Folles in 2012 
and Hello Dolly in 2019. She’s 
excited to be in Detroit, espe-
cially during this time of year. 
Kavanagh plans to run in the 
Thanksgiving Day Turkey 
Trot — “that is, if I’m not too 
sore [from the show],
” says the 
dance captain.
“With everything going on 
in the world right now, you 
can have a healing night at the 
theater,
” she adds. “This show 
has a lot of hope. It will make 
you laugh and bring tears to 
your eyes.
” 

COURTESY JULIE KAVANAGH

Bryan Sarner 
and Julie 
Kavanagh on 
the night they 
first met in NYC 
in 2015 with their 
friend from Israel, 
Daniel Sharabi, cen-
ter — and eight years 
later, they recreated the 
same photo at their wedding 
in July 2023.

Solution to puzzle in 11/9 issue.

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