Over the years Dallas Doings has been written by a number of folks. In the early days, there was Claire, in the ’70s and ’80s, my sister Linda Wisch Davidsohn was the scribe. More recently, my mom Rene Wisch put the column together every week. While I have been putting the column together since mom’s death last November, I feel as though I haven’t found the right voice for it. In the early days, Dallas Doings reported on many social happenings in our community, as the Dallas community and the TJP has grown, it has been a place for short items about community members and organizations. As we start the New Year, I am going to take a stab at writing the column in my own voice. I hope you’ll send me your news. E-mail me at sharonw@texasjewishpost.com. L’Shanah tovah!
Helpful at the Holidays
I just received Luah Hashanah, the United Synagogue’s newly redesigned and user-friendly guide to prayers, readings, laws and customs for use both in synagogue and at home. Now I’ll know exactly which prayers to say and when to say them at our holiday and Shabbat tables, as well as understand more of the nuances of the service when at shul. The book is a joint project by United Synagogue and the Rabbinical Assembly, edited by Rabbi Miles B. Cohen and Leslie Rubin. This year’s edition costs $19.95. You can find it here: https://secure.uscj.org/bookservice/BookDetail.asp?item_id=710& I have been smiling all day after baking my first-ever challahs in preparation for Rosh Hashanah. I schlepped my trusty mixer and ingredients to my niece and Akiba Early Childhood Director Jordana Bernstein’s home, and we made some batches of dough together Monday night. As the hour was late, I took my dough home to rise and shape into the traditional round challot for yontif. The only problem was that, I’ve never made it before. I was thrilled when at close to midnight I surfed to YouTube and was able to find instruction from Dallas’ own Tina Wasserman on how to make the perfect “crowns” for my holiday table. Tina is a former food columnist for the Union of Reform Judaism’s Reform Judaism magazine, and the author the amazing cookbook “Entrée to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora.” Tina is still active as a cooking instructor and guest lecturer throughout the United States. To learn more about her visit www.cookingandmore.com and to learn how to braid the perfect round challah visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=11B8leqk0RY.
Akiba Academy Goes Social
Akiba Academy recently launched their new social media pages. As part of the school’s continued efforts to stay connected with parents, friends of the school and the Jewish community of Dallas, Akiba fans can now “Like” and “Follow” events and follow exciting Akiba happenings through Facebook and Twitter. Each of the new social media pages will provide Akiba fans exclusive content and insights into the day-to-day at the school, ranging from Shabbat Schmooze in the Preschool, to Akiba Cougar Sports and Akiba Community Education (ACE) Program updates. These pages can accessed by visiting www.akibaacademy.org and clicking on the Facebook and Twitter icons located at the bottom of the website’s home page.
News and notes
June Penkar tells me that the JCRC’s Evening of Learning, originally scheduled for Oct. 3, has been postponed until after the High Holy Days. Stay tuned to this column for a new date. On Oct.18, the Jewish Women’s Circle will present Sushi in the Sukkah at 6704 Starbuck Drive in North Dallas. Rabbi Faivish Vogel of London will speak. Cost is $10. To RSVP, contact michalshapiro@sbcglobal.net. In a recent Dallas Doings column we shared with you Charlie Gelfand’s story as a Civil Air Patrol volunteer. Unfortunately, we had a typo in his phone number. If you’d like to learn more about the CAP contact Charlie at 972-467-2525.
Kudos
Dr. Lorin Berland was recently honored with the prestigious award for Outstanding Contributions to the Art and Science of Cosmetic Dentistry by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. In addition, all of the dentists at Dr. Berland’s state-of-the-art, multi-specialty dental practice in the Arts District of Downtown Dallas were voted among Texas’ Top Dentists — Dr. Berland for Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Mark Margolin for Periodontics and Implants and Dr. Sarah Kim Kong for General Dentistry.
For the third time, Marla Cohen, editor of the Rockland Jewish Reporter in New York has won the top national prize for quality Jewish writing. The Simon Rockower Awards for Excellence in Jewish journalism are distributed annually by the American Jewish Press Association. Cohen won the first place Louis Rapaport Award for excellence in commentary for newspapers with a circulation under 15,000. AJPA recently held their annual convention from June 28-30 in Dallas at the Westin Galleria Hotel at which time the awards were announced. Cohen previously won the first place Rockower Award in 2006 and in 2008 for her commentary columns. She was also elected to the AJPA national board at the convention. Cohen is the daughter of Miriam and the late Sidney Cohen of Dallas. She lives in New City, NY, with her husband and two children.
Honorable Menschen
A number of Levine Academy students have been working hard in recent weeks to do the right thing. Aron Ido, a sixth grader, has invested in the future of the Berry kids. After coming home from three weeks at Greene Family Camp this summer, where kids his own age were talking about the tragic accident in early July that claimed the lives of Robin Perlo Berry and Joshua Berry and left sons Peter and Aaron with spinal cord injuries, Aron got a great idea. He decided to take the money he was given by his grandparents for vacation and bought rubber bracelets. He is selling these bracelets for $5 and all the money raised will be given to the Joshua and Robin Berry Children’s Family Trust. To date, Aron has raised close to $800. He is the son of Sheri and Leon Ido. Incidentally, Peter and Aaron Berry returned to Houston’s Beth Yeshuran Day school on Monday Sept. 19, joining little sister Willa. The boys spent two months of spinal rehab at Shriners Hospital in Chicago.
Second grader Rebecca Hoffman recently donated her golden locks to Locks of Love, an organization that uses human hair to make wigs for children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy and diseases like alopecia.
Finally, seventh grader Aaron Minsky, son of Jolene and Jayson Minsky, is putting together an interesting mitzvah project in support of the Friends of the IDF. Aaron is hosting “Shots of Appreciation,” a free-throw shooting contest on Oct. 9 from 3-5 p.m. at Levine Academy. Aaron homes to raise enough money to purchase a plasma TV for the recreation room of the IDF battalion adopted by the Dallas Jewish community. An $18 minimum donation is required to participate and children as young as 6 can participate. For More information or questions e-mail Aaron at aminsky11@gmail.com.