Kirk Douglas being honored
in L.A.
My mail this week brought me a prestigious invitation from famed movie director Steve Spielberg, who is chairing the Ambassadors for Humanity gala dinner honoring one of my all-time favorite movie stars, Kirk Douglas.
I know it’s going to be a fabulous evening because two more of my favorites are on the program: Billy Crystal will host the event and Bette Midler is slated for a special performance. Wow, what a triple-packed event! Would that these tired, aged bones were a bit younger and with an extra $100,000 in my pocket I would certainly hail it to the California Science Center in Los Angeles on Oct. 22 to add my accolades to Kirk.
In my mind, Kirk Douglas is worthy of the honor; he is a practicing, proud and generous Jew with both his time and resources. Not only that, I still enjoy reruns of many of his films on vintage TV.
I’m more than a bit sorry that I won’t have the opportunity to exchange small talk or Hollywood gossip with Kirk’s sons and their spouses, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael, Lisa and Peter and Jo Ann and Joel and some of the other dignitaries.
I’ll just tuck the invitation in my special drawer with some of my special memorabilia and, every once in a while, I might just glance at it and think of what might have been.
Oh well, I’ll be there that evening, in my special way, sending my message of congratulations to Kirk and his family through mental telepathy. The dinner, by the way, is a benefit for the USC Shoah Foundation Institute.
‘Daytimers’ looking forward to Rabbi Dennis
Next event for “Daytimers” will be the eagerly awaited return of Rabbi Geoffrey Dennis on Wednesday, Oct. 22, noon, at Beth-El Congregation. He will talk about “Demons and Dybbuks and Golems, Oh My!”
He is the author of “The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism,” the only comprehensive one-volume reference guide to Jewish lore on these disciplines, as well as the rest of the great Jewish esoteric traditions.
Rabbi Dennis, who leads Congregation Kol Ami in Flower Mound, studied in Jerusalem and earned a master’s degree in Hebrew letters and an ordination from Hebrew Union College. He is also a lecturer in rabbinics at the University of North Texas. When Rabbi Dennis spoke for the “Daytimers” last year, the entire group was entranced by his presentation, and all the 20 books that he brought with him were sold out.
Caterer for the day will be Jason’s Deli. Guests will have a choice of breast of turkey, Jason’s famous chicken salad, or tuna salad on rye. For credit card reservations for “Daytimers” events, call Barbara Rubin, 817-927-2736, or Sylvia Wexler, 817-294-1129, or checks can be mailed to Daytimers, Jewish Federation, 4049 Kingsridge Road, Fort Worth, TX 76109. There has been a change in the credit card processing. “Daytimers” can now accept Discover cards in addition to MasterCard, Visa or American Express. Each card must include the mailing ZIP code and the three- or four-number security code from the card. The Sylvia Wolens “Daytimers” is a program of Congregation Beth-El with financial support from the Jewish Federation.
A ‘Factor’ in our voting
Need a task done? The solution is to ask the busiest person you know and voilà, it’s done. So it is with Kim Factor, who, with husband, Abe, looks forward to the bar mitzvah of their youngest son, John, at Beth-El on Saturday, Oct. 18. Yet, along with being engulfed in bar mitzvah plans, Kim will lead a discussion for the Daughters of Abraham on “Does Religion Influence Our Vote?” on Oct. 16 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Beth-El. Kim knows from where she speaks and is well versed on the subject. A practicing attorney, she’s been active in politics locally and has been a candidate in elections in years past. My friend, Corrine Jacobson, who is an active member of Daughters of Abraham, says it’s an interesting group of women and their meetings give an insight into many cultures within our several religions. For more information, contact Corrine at 817-294-7844.
Hillary Collins receives
master’s degree
Congratulations to former ourtowner Hillary Collins, who received her master’s degree in architecture from the University of Texas. Hillary in currently living in New York City, where she is employed at the prestigious firm of Peter Gluck Architects. Hillary earned her undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies from the Gallitin School of New York University. Proud mother is Hedy Collins, who just completed her first year as the director of the Jewish Family Services Senior Program. Equally proud are brothers Evan Collins, who is currently earning his engineering degree at the University of Texas at Arlington, and Danny Collins, who is completing his law degree at St. Mary’s in San Antonio. Danny was back in Fort Worth this summer having a great time interning for Abe and Kim Factor at their law firm.