By Linda Wisch-Davidsohn

Ethel Gruen Honored at Yeshiva University Dallas Convocation

Good wishes to Dallas philanthropist and prominent member of our local Jewish community, Ethel Gruen, who was honored at a special March 19 reception at the Dallas home of Ruthy and Steven Rosenberg.
As a Yeshiva University benefactor, Mrs. Gruen received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from YU President Richard M. Joel in recognition of her contributions to the university. Her late husband, Ronald, (z’l”) received an honorary degree from Yeshiva at a 2004 Dallas convocation.
Joel stated that “Tonight, we again celebrate the ways in which the Yeshiva University and Gruen legacies have intertwined. Your contributions as Yeshiva University benefactors, primarily through the Ronald and Ethel Gruen Endowed Fund for the Advancement of Secondary Jewish Education, and most recently toward our high schools, have ensured that more young men and women emerge better prepared to fulfill their Torah-informed mandate to matter in the world.”
Throughout the years, Gruen has been actively involved in various local philanthropic ventures, including the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, Akiba Academy of Dallas, Hadassah, Pioneer Women, Chabad of Dallas and B’nai B’rith.
President Joel continued to say that “Ethel, you have busied yourself with the sacred work of the Jewish people. As a true aristocrat of the spirit, you comport yourself not with a crown on your head, but with nobility in your heart.”

7th Annual End of School Year Bash scheduled for April 27

The Seventh annual End of School Year Bash, sponsored by Gladys Golman/Faye Dallen Special Needs Fund of the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation (GGFD), promises to bowl a perfect game for the Texas special needs community.
More than 200 bowlers are expected to converge from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 27 at Bowlmore Dallas, 3805 Beltline Road in Addison, for a day of fun and fundraising. Pizza and drinks will be served, and trophies and prizes will be awarded to the top bowlers across age groups. Also included will be a silent auction for valuable prizes.
Participants are encouraged to arrive early to select their game balls and shoes. The event is open to the public and admission is $18, which includes bowling fees, shoes and snacks.
The seventh annual End of School Year Bash is presented to attract interest and generate funds to train educators on how to better teach and work with children with learning differences. During the past seven years, the GGFD Fund has raised more than $350,000, gifting dozens of grants to Jewish Family Service, area schools and institutions to train religious, preschool and day school teachers to enable children with learning challenges to be successful because “every child deserves a quality Jewish education.” Louis Zweig, and his wife Robin, founded the GGFD Fund in honor of their son, David, who has Asperger’s syndrome. Asperger’s is an autism spectrum disorder that is characterized by social interaction difficulties and behavioral issues.
“Our goal for the program is to be a resource for every family with a child who has special needs and every teacher and staff person in the Dallas Jewish Community,” said Michael Fleisher, CEO of Jewish Family Service.
“With these efforts, students with special needs will reach their full potential through classes and activities that are inclusive, interactive and meaningful for all participants. Our objective is to ensure that every school, synagogue and organization can participate and succeed. We are very proud to be a partner of the Gladys Golman/Faye Dallen Special Needs Fund, who has provided invaluable leadership to this effort, created momentum, provided essential funding and made an overall positive impact,” said Fleisher.
The need for awareness and resources in support of children with special needs continues to grow. Schools seek the ability to foster growth for students in their schools with special needs, and to recruit students whose needs are not being met with their current schools.
Sponsorship opportunities are encouraged and are available at different levels for groups of team attendees: Title Sponsor ($10,000); Presenting Sponsor ($5,000); 300 Sponsor ($3,000); 7-10 Split Sponsor ($1800); Gold Sponsor ($1,000); Silver Sponsor ($500); and Lane Sponsor ($250).
“We believe that one out of every 10 children have some sort of learning difference that is not properly addressed by preschools, day schools and religious schools,” said GGFD Fund co-founder, Louis Zweig. “We are focused on programs and resources that not only help the teachers, but also the parents and other students that are impacted with learning differences.”
Past recipients of GGFD grants include: Jewish Family Service, Congregation Shearith Israel, Tiferet Israel, Jewish Community Center Preschool, Anshai Torah, Congregation Beth Torah, Temple Emanu El, Temple Shalom, Akiba Academy, Levine Academy, Torah Day School, Adat Chaverim, Kol Ami and Shir Tikvah.
Title sponsors include Louis and Robin Zweig and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. Presenting Sponsors are Dr. Jonathan and Andrea Bard. Among those included in the 300 additional sponsors are Jim Beam Spirits Co., Ruth Robinson/Robinson Family, Glazer’s Distributors, Lidji, Dorsey and Hooper, and Waldman Brothers. Martin and Susan Golman are 7-10 Split sponsors. Gold Sponsors include Jeff Chapman and family, Kenny and Sherry Goldberg, Stan and Barbara Levenson, Michael and Jane Hurst, Kahn Mechanical, Kirschner/Bookatz Foundation, Patrón Spirits Company, Jon and Kimberly Ross and Family, Beverly and Cary Rossel, Leslie and Howard Schultz, Jeff and Dolores Staffin, Shelly and Barbara Stein, Rob and Linda Swartz, David and Sandra Veeder, Dr. Brian and Lori Zweig and Harold and Ida Ann Zweig.
The GGFD Fund focuses on children with different forms of autism, ADD/ADHD, dyslexia and other neurological disorders.
If supporters are unable to attend the event, but wish to contribute, tax-deductible contributions of any size can be sent to: Gladys Golman/Faye Dallen Education Fund C/O Dallas Jewish Community Foundation, 7800 Northaven Road, Dallas, TX 75230. The GGFD Grant Process for the next school year starts May 1. Submissions should be sent to Lzweig@glazers.com by July 1.

Diana Ross to headline Vogel Alcove’s Annual Arts Performance Event, April 23

Marion and Bennet and Glazer, Marianne and Staubach and David Weinreb are co-chairing the Vogel Alcove’s 23rd annual Arts Event at at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 23 at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. This year’s event, presented by McKool Smith, features the iconic Diana Ross with a symphony accompaniment. Bennett Glazer is CEO of Glazers Distributers. Roger Staubach is the executive chairman for Jones Lang LaSalle, an NFL Football Hall of Fame member, SuperBowl MVP and two-times SuperBowl Champion. David Weinreb is the CEO of the Howard Hughes Corporation.
This is the Vogel Alcove’s largest fundraising event of the year, raising roughly half of the organization’s operating budget. This event has been touted as the 11th most powerful event in DFW by www.dvwmostpowerful.com.
Ross joins an impressive history of headliners including Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett, Kenny Loggins, Michael Bolton, Liza Minnelli, Johnny Mathis, Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, Marvin Hamlisch, Ray Charles and Itzhak Perlman.
The concert is soldout. For information about sponsorships are available and more information can be obtained by calling Vogel Alcove at 214-368-8686 or visiting www.vogelalcove.org/artsevent.