Title: Destiny: From Shoeshine Boy to Mayor
By: Norman Ciment
Urim Publications
Norman Ciment’s memoir, Destiny: From Shoeshine Boy to Mayor, is a refreshingly honest and deeply personal collection of stories that highlight Jewish faith, dogged persistence, and the surprising ways Hashem’s involvement in our lives shapes our paths. Through humor, challenges, and moments of unexpected clarity, Norman reflects on how Hashem’s guiding hand appeared in his life, often in ways he couldn’t recognize until much later.
Norman begins by sharing his humble beginnings working after school as a shoeshine boy in the Bronx – not exactly the most glamorous way to scrape together a few dimes for an ice cream cone or baseball cards. One time, he gave a rabbi a “deluxe” shoe-shine and charged extra for it. The rabbi, with a smile, asked, “You call this kosher?” Young Norman quipped, “Rabbi, it’s glatt kosher!” That joke led to an invitation for Norman to join the rabbi’s Shabbat dinner. It’s a small moment, but it reveals one of Norman’s gifts for connecting with others – a skill that served him well in business and politics. His raw honesty about these early struggles, paired with his wit, make you feel like you’re right there with him.
One of the most frightening stories occurs early on when Norman becomes gravely ill as a teenager in Miami Beach. With a 105-degree fever, he dreams that he should call his grandfather in New York to pray for his recovery. His grandfather – who didn’t even have a phone – is somehow waiting by a phone for the call. He immediately gathers a minyan to say Tehillim, and almost immediately, Norman begins to recover. While Norman doesn’t say it explicitly, this story may have been pivotal in strengthening his faith and giving him a deeper understanding of Hashem’s ability to guide and protect, even in the darkest moments.
Norman seems to enjoy sharing the difficult moments in his life which often became the clearest examples of Hashem’s guidance. For example, when he was a young law student struggling on probation (for low grades), a professor initially refused to reschedule an exam that conflicted with Shabbat. After some persistence, the professor relented and allowed Norman to take a make-up test at his home on a Sunday. While there, Norman noticed a photo of an older man with a beard. The professor explained that he had converted from Judaism to Catholicism, and the person in the photo was his grandfather, a devout Jew. Without any explanation, the professor unexpectedly marked Norman’s exam with an “A” and later became one of Norman’s strongest advocates, helping him graduate law school.
Here’s another small vignette that shows Divine Providence appearing unexpectedly: While traveling with a friend in Europe in the early 1960s, Norman finds out that he has failed the bar exam. Devastated, and thinking his dreams of becoming a lawyer are over, they alter their months-long trip and decide to visit Israel for the first time. They spend two weeks in Israel and return to Naples to continue their adventure. Instead of taking a cab from the port, Norman randomly decides to walk into the city. This leads him to a small store selling the same paintings he has been searching for all over Europe. That whimsical, spontaneous decision to take a random walk turns into a key discovery of a supplier that would help his dad’s business for years.
The book is not just about the opportunities that come the author’s way, though. The people who show up at the right moment are equally important. Whether with family, friends, or even complete strangers, Norman’s life seems full of these serendipitous connections. Over and over, he talks about how the wisdom, kindness, and surprising actions of others helped him get through tough times. His story illustrates how Divine Providence often works through human relationships and the small, seemingly random events that can change everything.
For example, when he was running for Miami Beach city commissioner, he was invited to a barbecue, expecting a crowd. Instead, it was just one person grilling in his backyard. Rather than walking away, Norman gave his full campaign speech to that man, who turned out to be the president of a large condo association. That one conversation ended up being pivotal in securing votes for his election.
The photos included in the book add a visual layer to the story, giving it more texture. You’ll see Norman with leaders like Menachem Begin, Shimon Peres, and other influential figures, offering a glimpse into the relationships that helped shape his path. One gets the sense that while Norman’s life features a lot of hard work, it’s also been about connecting with people and nurturing relationships.
It’s clear that Norman’s commitment to Jewish tradition guided him, especially when it came to his work in public service. When he was first elected mayor of Miami Beach in 1981, one of the Jewish community leaders, Rabbi Tibor Stern, approached him with the idea of building an eruv in Miami Beach – which would be the first in Florida. Initially, Norman wasn’t sure how it could be done, thinking the project would cost over $500,000 and be too difficult given the city’s regulations. But Rabbi Stern persisted, telling Norman that his election as mayor was divinely intended to bring about the creation of the eruv. Together, they figured out a solution with city workers, and the eruv became a reality for a fraction of the original cost. The project was a significant achievement, making religious observance more accessible for the Miami Beach Jewish community.
What makes this memoir inspiring isn’t just that Norman achieved so much, but how his journey proves that even the most unlikely paths can lead to success. It’s a celebration of resilience, community, and the power of faith to turn challenges into opportunities. Norman’s very engaging and unexpected anecdotes aren’t only about the ups and downs in his personal, political, and professional life – they’re about sensing the guiding force behind them.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, zt”l, wrote, “Faith is not certainty; it is the courage to live with uncertainty.” Norman’s memoir illustrates this courage – not because everything in his life went perfectly, but because he trusted in Hashem’s plan and kept moving forward.
This is more than a personal story – it’s a recounting of very relatable moments which remind readers that Hashem is always at work, even when we don’t notice Him. Through funny recollections, honest accounts of his mistakes, and meaningful experiences, Norman shows that there is no other reasonable explanation than that Hashem has a plan that is continuously unfolding behind the scenes.
If you’re looking to be inspired and to build faith that gives you strength in tough times and encourages you to trust in the bigger picture, Destiny: From Shoeshine Boy to Mayor is definitely a book worth checking out.
