By Sharon Wisch-Ray

I had the Rangers on my mind earlier this week, when Elizabeth and Murray Cohen sent me the photo at right of ourtowner Rhoda Solomon and former ourtowner Shirley Cohen (now of Plano). I had just purchased my Wildcard game tickets with the hope that the Rangers might have a little rachmanis on me and stay in that race. The Solomon and Cohen clans are well-known, devout Ranger fans and are pictured here with fan-favorite, former left fielder Rusty Greer at the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame Induction luncheon for Pudge Rodriguez held at the Omni Hotel in Fort Worth on Friday, July 19. I’m told that the duo met Mark McLemore as well, and Rhoda said, “Mark, when the Rangers traded you I cried and cried.” Mark answered, “Ma’am, so did I.” Let’s keep our fingers crossed that there IS October baseball in Arlington this year. I know three families for sure that will be thrilled.

And a quick segue to the 2014 Maccabi Games

Speaking of baseball, one of my oldest son’s most memorable high school experiences was traveling to Philly in 2011 as part of the Team Dallas Maccabi delegation. Meeting Jewish kids from not only around the country, but also Israel, Mexico and Canada was a highlight for him, and we have the swapped jerseys from Mexico, Atlanta and LA to show for it.
Our family was also lucky enough to host two terrific baseball players from Baltimore when the Dallas JCC hosted the Maccabi Games in 2005.
I was thrilled to learn this week that kids from Fort Worth and Tarrant County will be able to join the fun next summer.
At 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29 at Congregation Ahavath Sholom there will be a meeting for teens and their parents to meet Robby Etzkin, assistant executive director of the Roth JCC in Orlando, Fla., to find out how they can participate in Maccabi 2014 in Boca Raton Aug. 10-15.
The games are open to teens ages 13-16 as of July 31, 2014. Competition includes baseball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis and swimming. There will also be a co-ed flag football team.
The games began in 1982 and have grown to include all of North America and Israel. Last year’s competition was held in Austin and Orange County, Calif. Dallas sent a large delegation, as did many other large communities. Because Fort Worth does not have a JCC, there has not been a push to send kids. However, I’m told, a dedicated group of volunteers from Ahavath Sholom want to make this a community priority. The kids would be joining the Orlando delegation for 2014. Since the 2015 games will be in Dallas, there may be enough kids to support a Fort Worth and Tarrant County delegation.
The goal is to have as many kids and parents attend the meeting on the 29th. The only restriction is age and being Jewish.
Even if a teen does not play a particular sport, it is possible to join in through Maccabi. There is plenty of time to learn a new sport and make new friends.
Once interest is assessed, a community committee will be formed to implement the process of funding and logistics. For every 10 athletes, there will be an adult from the community. Etzkin, who happens to be Naomi Rosenfield’s son, will be the professional staff for the games.
To find out everything you need to know about Maccabi, please consider attending the meeting on Sunday. You can also visit the official website at www.jccmaccabigames.org.

Introduction to Judaism

Congregation Beth Shalom will hold a weekly Introduction to Judaism class beginning next week. From 7:30-9 p.m., starting Wednesday Oct. 2 and running through early May, Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker will share and explain stories from the bible, Jewish history, the sacred Jewish calendar and much more.
Have you forgotten your Hebrew school days and need a little reminder? Do you want to learn more about Judaism? Then this class is for you. Cost is $54 for Congregation Beth Israel members and $108 for non-members, plus the cost of books. Rabbi Cytron-Walker stresses that cost should not be a barrier to education. If the cost of the class would inhibit your participation, please contact him at rabbi@congregationbethisrael.org.
To enroll for either class, RSVP to Stephanie at administration@congregationbethisrael.org.

Wash U. Alumni Club comes to the Kimbell and the Modern

Fellow Wash U. alums Elliot (AB’71) and Patty (AB’72) Garsek will host The Washington University Alumni Club of Dallas/Fort Worth at the Modern and the Kimbell Art Museum on Oct. 12. Join Professor John Klein for a discussion and tour of the Picasso and Matisse exhibit. Klein, a noted expert on both artists, has presented to WU alumni in Houston, Chicago and New York about Picasso. Following the presentation, the group will walk to view nearly 100 of the Art Institute of Chicago’s most outstanding masterpieces on display at the Kimbell Art Museum.
Cost which includes breakfast, presentation and tour is $35 per person (above 35 years old) and $25 per person (35 years and under). Complimentary reservations extended to Current and Life members of the William Greenleaf Eliot Society (up to two per household).
Klein is the associate professor and director of graduate studies in the department of Art History and Archaeology at Washington University in St. Louis. Among his areas of expertise are modern sculpture, Dada and Surrealism, the history and theory of the art museum, modern decoration and decorative arts, portraiture from antiquity to the present, and modern art theory and criticism. Klein is an internationally known specialist in the art of Henri Matisse. In addition to his book “Matisse Portraits” (Yale 2001), he has published many articles and book chapters on the artist. He is currently writing the book “Matisse’s Late Decorations and the Essential Quality of Art,” to be published by Yale University Press.
The Art Institute of Chicago holds one of the greatest collections of modern European art in the world. In the largest loan of its kind from the Art Institute, nearly 100 works from this collection have traveled to the Kimbell Art Museum. The Kimbell is the only venue for this special exhibition. Among the works in the exhibition — which spans the first five decades of the 20th century — are 10 by Picasso and 10 by Matisse, the friends and rivals whose paintings revolutionized Parisian art at the turn of the century.
For more information, contact Virginia Kelly at 314-935-5212 or virginia.kelly@wustl.edu.