Th ank You
“Attleboro Heros”
Magic Continued from Page 19
Th ank you to our dedicated staff
who show up to work everyday to
care for our residents in the midst
of these challenging times.

Independent Living, Personal/Memory Care,
Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
290-310 East Winchester Avenue,
Langhorne, Pa 19047
www.attleborocommunity.com 215-750-7575
Robert Malissa started doing magic when he was 10
Photo by Ellen Malissa
Fol low The
And Never Miss A Stor y!
www.jewishexponent.com #jewishinphilly
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MAY 14, 2020
twitter.com/jewishexponent Malissa, a civil engineer in his non-magical hours, is used to
making something appear where there used to be nothing. Th e
Northeast High School product and current Lower Makefi eld
resident has performed magic for 50 years, in venues as varied
as an Amsterdam sidewalk to the Cheeburger Cheeburger at
Oxford Valley Mall, and everywhere in between. Malissa hopes
to disabuse you of the notion that there is a disconnect between
his day job and his entertainment career; “a magician,” he said,
“is an engineer with panache.”
Malissa’s magic career began at the age of 10. His parents,
members of Adath Tikvah-Montefi ore in Rhawnhurst, had a
friend named Sy Constantine. Th at was his civilian name, of
course. Onstage, he was Sy the Great.

At a picnic, young Malissa joined the adults for a game of
horseshoes, and struggled to reach the stakes with toss. Seeing
Malissa’s frustration, Sy the Great walked over and turned a
handkerchief into a chain in front of Malissa’s eyes.

Th at’s the fi rst trick he can remember seeing, and it’s the one
that led to his new name: Robert the Great (name courtesy of
Constantine). Constantine would take Malissa along with him
to shows, feeding Malissa’s passion as the newcomer picked
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