Enjoy Tarrant talent with the first Chanukah candle
Folks in ourtown can enjoy the talent of Tarrant County at a Community Chanukah Celebration on Sunday, Dec. 21 at Congregation Ahavath Sholom. Festivities will start at 5 p.m. with a Community Menorah Lighting at the Federation Building adjacent to Ahavath Sholom.
Following at 5:30 p.m., entertainment and a community musical program and play featuring the Religious School students of Beth-El and Ahavath Sholom with Javier Smolarz, Sheri Allen and N’shot HaKafar (the Beth-El Choir) will be presented.
Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m.
Admission is $5 for adults, $2.50 for children 3–12, free for children under three.
The holiday event will be brought to you by the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County with financial support from the Dan Danciger/Fort Worth Hebrew Day School Supporting Foundation.
CGI winter camp:fun for school break
Chana Mandel, camp director, tells the TJP that Chabad of Fort Worth and Tarrant County has planned a stellar program for the first session of Camp Gan Israel. Instead of boring, dull days, the camp can transform your child’s winter school break into a fun Jewish mini-camping experience.
Activities include a Chanukah carnival and field trips to the Fort Worth Zoo and the Main Event for bowling. In addition, campers will make Jewishly themed arts and crafts, and bake challah on Friday.
Camp Gan Israel runs Monday, Dec. 29 through Friday, Jan. 2 at the Sonnenschein Chabad Jewish Center in Fort Worth. Chana says that the camp was specifically planned for the second week of the long winter break.
Additionally, the camp is flexible — campers can sign up for all week, or one specific day!
For more information or to review the schedule of activities, call 817-263-7701.
News and notes
Gail Granek’s and Harold Granek’s son Josh and daughter-in-law Daphne with their new baby, Yair, were in town visiting proud savta and saba. They also made sure to visit Gail’s parents, the Aronoffs, in Dallas. The Aronoffs are longtime members of Temple Emanuel and this is their first great-grandchild.
When Mary Frances Antweil was in New York City with her daughter, Julie Silverman, visiting her son Mark and his family, they got tickets to be in the audience for a “Live with Regis and Kelly” show. Julie ended up winning a contest where she received a new T-Mobile telephone and was shown on TV. Just so happens that ourtowner, Becky Victor, was watching in Albuquerque and saw Julie on TV.
Former ourtowners Toni and Harold Gernsbacher and daughters, Leigh and Jordan, joined a group of friends for a 10-day holiday cruise to the Western Caribbean.
JFS gears up to help the needy for Chanukah
Jewish Family Services is in gear for Chanukah. Despite the problems with the economy, our wonderful community members are as generous as ever. At least 50 people participated in making sure Jews in need (about 44 adults and 16 children) will be able to celebrate Chanukah this year. Monetary contributions from people who have adopted families have already started coming in, so JFS staff can do the shopping and provide gift bags. Two supper clubs, including the Menorah Club, which has been getting together for over 20 years, generously adopted families of six, as did the Isadore Garsek B’nai B’rith Lodge. Dr. Carole Rogers spoke to the second supper club, at a wonderful dinner at Hedary’s, about the struggles that some of the families have. This group is made up of the most amazing women: Laurie Blum, Rochelle Moses, Cynthia Gilbert, Carol Minker, Joan Katz, Barbi Eisenman, Ruth Roper, Marilyn Hochberger McGee and Susan Luskey were all in attendance. As compassionate, organized and efficient as they are, they could really run the world!
B’nai B’rith Lodge provides Thanksgiving feast
On Nov. 26, the Isadore Garsek B’nai B’rith Lodge provided another sumptuous feast for Thanksgiving. Over 100 community members participated, including those who regularly attend the JFS Senior Program. The Cherkosavs played Jewish, classical and holiday music while photos of the senior program were shown on a screen in Beth-El’s Great Hall. This year many young helpers from the B’nai B’rith youth group, including Amit Krompass and Eric Kupstin, helped with the serving. What was really special was that Eric Kupstin’s grandmother was at the luncheon and she didn’t know he would be there. He both surprised and thrilled her by showing up at her table and serving her lunch. And of course Hedy Collins was the consummate hostess. The tables were adorned with gorgeous arrangements put together with the help of Gail Berlin and Robin Stien. And Hedy handed out “pats on the back” to the wonderful volunteers — kitchen spoons covered by an oven mitt adorned with flowers of the season.
