Now that we’re coming out of the “secular” holidays, it’s time to get back into routines. Sometimes it can be hard — I don’t know about you, but I get pretty lazy during the last week of December: Even if I’m working, I’m not really working, if you know what I mean.
Though I have felt lazy, the Jewish community throughout Tarrant County has been anything but. During the past several weeks, the community has offered some great events (and some of them have had to be cut due to space, for which I apologize). Please continue to send your events and news about your trips, lifecycles and other fun stuff, to me at awsorter@yahoo.com. The name of this column is “Around the Town,” and to keep it going we need news — from around the town.
In honor of Rosh Chodesh Tevet
Congregation Ahavath Sholom conducted its first Rosh Chodesh women’s minyan on Dec. 27. Elaine Bumpus (assisted by Rabbi Gary Perras) conducted the service; Torah readers were Katrina Diaz and Rabbi Perras. As you can tell by the photos, this was a very meaningful event — hopefully other Rosh Chodesh events will take place in the coming months.
Scholar in Residence
The Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County will have its Kornbleet Scholar-in-Residence program at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 19 at Beth-El Congregation, 4900 Briarhaven Rd. Guest scholar is columnist and social/political commentator Micah D. Halper, who will discuss “The Muddy Middle East: Arab Spring and Israel.” The event will be followed by refreshments. Questions? The nice folks at the Federation can help — call them at 817-569-0892.
Gearing up for film
Beth-El Congregation, with financial assistance from the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, will launch the 2012 Beth-El Jewish Film Festival with the “Human Resource Manager” starting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 7 at the synagogue at 4900 Briarhaven Rd. Other films will be “Jewish Soldiers in Blue and Gray” to be shown on Feb. 18 and “Camera Obscura” the feature presentation on March 10. The films are free with an optional dinner available prior to each film at a cost of $12 per person; reservations for the dinner ARE required and can be obtained by calling 817-332-7141.
Daytimers presents … theater!
The Jan. 11 Daytimers monthly meeting offers a special treat — director Jerry Russell and cast members from Stage West will present excerpts from the play “New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch de Spinoza at Talmud Torah Congregation: Amsterdam, July 27, 1656.” The play itself opens on Jan. 5 and will run through the end of the month.
The Daytimers’ program will begin at noon at Beth-El Congregation, 4900 Briarhaven Rd. in Fort Worth. If you want to eat, the cost is $9 per person (lunch is being catered by Boopa’s Bagels with a choice of turkey and humus on a sesame bagel, tuna salad on a honey wheat bagel or lox and cream cheese on a pumpernickel bagel, along with chips, a cookie, coffee or tea). Don’t want to dine? The cost is $4.
To reserve your spot, send a check to Beth-El Congregation, call Barbara Rubin at 817-927-2736 or log onto www.bethelfw.org/donations.
But that’s not all — Daytimers is planning a trip to Stage West to see the show on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. Cost for seniors is $20 (or two for $26 with a press pass). Those interested should call Stage West at 817-784-9378. Have your credit card ready and make sure to ask to be seated with the Daytimers group.
Shabbat means learning
And the Fort Worth Chapter of Hadassah plans to combine both through its Shabbat Lunch & Learn at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28 at Congregation Beth Shalom, 1212 Thannisch Dr. in Arlington.
The topic: “Scripture, Salmon and the Fairer Sex,” will be presented by Dr. Toni Craven from TCU’s Brite Divinity School following services conducted by Cantor Sheri Allen.
A lunch will be served as well (consisting, appropriately enough, of salmon). Cost is $18 per person; reservations need to be made by Jan. 24.
For more information or to reserve your spot, contact Dolores Schneider at 817-294-7626 or Schneider_dolores@yahoo.com for more information.
To the “outliers”
We’ll try this yet again. We are planning (again) a meet-and-greet for Johnson County and southern Tarrant County Jews on Jan. 22 (which is a Sunday). There are no basketball tournaments and certainly no Cowboys’ game.
If you are interested, please e-mail me at awsorter@yahoo.com and I’ll give you the salient details at that time.