By Amy Wolff Sorter
This past week I received an e-mail from a reader about the best way to beef up the TJP’s Tarrant County coverage. Also in this e-mail was the comment that Around the Town should include news about weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs and other life cycle events as well as trips, moves, health of people and so on.
I couldn’t agree more. I invited this person to submit story ideas for potential future articles and to tell others to send news about weddings, births, b’nai mitzvah and so on.
I’m waiting for a response from this individual, but I want to repeat it here. I’m glad to put scheduled events in Around the Town, but I also believe other topics should focus on goings-on around the Tarrant County Jewish community. So I will repeat myself (again) — please send your news items awsorter@yahoo.com. My goal is to get so much personal news that I have to shoehorn it into this column!
I’m also going to send out the request to those who might be members of Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville or Congregation Beth Shalom in Arlington — please send me news and activities. I would like to include your organizations in this column.
Lauren Magee Onstage
Leslie Magee sent some pretty cool news to us that I’m glad to pass along — her daughter, Lauren Magee, age 9, will perform the lead role of Fern in the all-time classic “Charlotte’s Web” at Casa Manana in Fort Worth.
Lauren, who is also Alan Magee’s daughter and Brigitte Altman’s granddaughter, is no stranger to Casa Manana — Leslie writes that, since September 2010, Lauren has been on that company’s stage 70 times in six musical productions including “The Sound of Music,” “The Wizard of Oz” and “Oliver.”
Lauren is double-cast in this role, and she’ll be performing in the Saturday shows, which take place this month at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Feb. 11, 18 and 25. Tickets are available at the Casa Manana box office, 817-332-2272. Best of luck, Lauren — and congratulations!
A musical tribute
Rabbi Gary Perras at Congregation Ahavath Sholom hinted this might happen in a recent discussion I had with him, but I’m glad to see that it’s now in stone. Following CAS’ Kabbalat Shabbat service on Feb. 24 (beginning at 6 p.m. at the shul on 4050 Hulen in Fort Worth), the choirs of Arborlawn United Methodist Church and Rising Sun Baptist Church will pay a visit to sing musical selections composed by Rabbi Perras’ dad, Cantor Hyman Perras. Furthermore, membership of both churches has been invited to attend so they can hear their choirs.
According to CAS’ bulletin, February has been designated as Brotherhood Month, and instead of hearing sermons about the virtues of brotherhood, it was thought that demonstrations of brotherhood would be more effective.
Speaking of Rabbi Perras, I owe him an apology for not getting back to him immediately to learn more about CAS’ plan to plant 1,000 trees in Israel. It’s been a crazy week, but I WILL be in touch.
Keeping on the theme of entertainment
Beth-El Congregation is in the midst of its film festival, with the next film, “Jewish Soldiers in Blue and Gray” to run at 7 p.m. on Sat. Feb. 18 at 4900 Briarhaven in Fort Worth. An optional dinner (at 6 p.m.) catered by Pak a Pocket will also be served — the film is free but the meal costs $12, and an RSVP for dinner must be made to the synagogue’s office by Wednesday, Feb. 15. For more information, call 817-332-7141.
Chabad Cafe
Interested in schmoozing along with a good dollop of food and drink? If so, join the good folks at Chabad of Arlington at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2136 Linblad Court. Also on hand will be a performance by “Unfinished Business,” a barbershop quartet. Cost is $25 and sponsorships are available for $72.
Questions? Call 817-451-1171 or log onto www.arlingtonchabad.org.