By Sharon Wisch-Ray
Former Congressman Martin Frost D-Dallas phoned me last week and shared that he recently endorsed Marc Veasey for the democratic nomination in the newly drawn 33rd Congressional District that spans the DFW Metroplex. Frost was the only Jewish Congressman from Texas in the 20th century. “Marc worked on my Congressional staff for six years prior to his election to the Texas Legislature from Fort Worth in 2004 and is an unusually qualified candidate to serve the new 33rd district,” Frost said.
Other key Dallas supporters include former State Representative Steve Wolens, former Mayor Adlene Harrison, NJDC chair Marc Stanley, and longtime Democratic party activists Norman and Audrey Kaplan and Tina Wasserman.
On May 15, Wendy and Marc Stanley will host a an event in their home for Veasey. Additionally, members of the Dallas Jewish community will be participating in an event for Rep. Veasey at the home of long-time Dallas Democratic fundraiser Jess Hay on April 25.
The newly created 33rd Congressional District is 80 percent combinded Black and Hispanic and is expected to elect the Metroplex’s second minority member of Congress. The population is about evenly divided between Dallas and Tarrant counties, with the highest turnout precincts in Tarrant County. It included portions of Oak Cliff, Grand Prairie, Irving, Arlington and the east and north sides of Fort Worth.
An update from Shearith’s impact committee
In order to address poverty in the Dallas community, Shearith Israel’s IMPACT committee — Involve More People And Change Tomorrow — has creatively incorporated the Tikkun Olam message to highlight charities in need and provide a vehicle for action during communal gatherings.
As part of Shearith’s Purim celebration, IMPACT held a “Shake than Donate” campaign in which congregants were encouraged to bring boxes of macaroni and cheese to use as groggers during the Megillah reading, which were then donated to the Jewish Family Service Food Pantry. As a congregation, over 300 boxes of mac and cheese were collected and painstakingly counted by Gordon Cizon and Benjamin, Daniel and Jacob Weinstein, sons of Craig and Krista Weinstein, ages 4, 5 and 7 respectively.
The IMPACT committee is actively growing the social action culture, synagogue-wide, through a variety of programs and projects. Through food and financial collections which benefit JFS, Austin Street Shelter, Family Gateway and MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, congregants are able to actively participate to make a difference. Just like hunger, IMPACT does not take a vacation. Visit www.shearith.org to see how you can make a difference.
Dallas BBYO sponsors private premiere screenings of Hollywood’s ‘Bully’documentary
Committed to respect and inclusion of all, Dallas BBYO is proud to sponsor screenings of “Bully,” a feature-length documentary that depicts “a year in the life” of five teens who are examples of North America’s bullying crisis. BBYO is the exclusive partner in bringing the “Bully” movie to Jewish teen audiences, and has partnered with Keshet, NFTY and Repair the World along with many other organizations across the country to ensure the screenings reach the largest number of Jewish teens possible. Dallas is one of 15 communities screening the film.
All Dallas-area Jewish youth and their families are invited to see the film with BBYO before its worldwide release followed by a unique discussion and anti-bullying training session immediately following the film. The film will be shown on Tuesday, April 17, at 7 p.m. at the Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station. The cost is $5 for teens and $10 for adults. Advance registration is required.
“Bully” tells the remarkable stories of five brave families that will challenge viewers to move from shock and resignation about bullying to action, transforming schools and communities into places where empathy and respect are valued and bullying is unacceptable. As an exclusive partner of “Bully,” BBYO brought the film’s director, Lee Hirsch, to BBYO’s International Convention last month in Atlanta for the first all-teen audience screening of the film and a private Q & A session. BBYO is also listed on “The Bully Project” website and film credits.
“No matter how shameful it is to admit, every teen witnesses bullying in our schools in some form and we don’t always want to talk or think about it,” said Kara Simon, a senior from Dallas. “I’m proud to be a part of an organization like BBYO that sees the importance of this film’s message and is working to bring it to as many teens as possible.”
For those looking to take action against bullying now, BBYO is collecting signatures from teens and their families as a part of BBYO’s Stand UP for Each Other Campaign for Respect and Inclusion, a grassroots effort focused on creating safe and welcome communities for all Jewish teens. All signatures will contribute toward The Bully Project’s goal to reach one million teens with an important message to take action and put an end to bullying.
To sign the petitions, learn more and register, visit bbyo.org/bully/dallas.
To read more about “Bully” and BBYO visit tjpnews.com.
Yavneh competes in Yeshiva University basketball tourney
Jewish high schools from across North America went head to head at Yeshiva University’s 21st Annual Red Sarachek Invitational Basketball Tournament last month. The tournament, named for legendary former YU Maccabees coach Bernard “Red” Sarachek, featured 20 Jewish high school basketball teams in a dramatic tournament played before live crowds and broadcast to audiences in the thousands.
After five days of thrilling basketball and friendly competition, the YULA Panthers of Los Angeles, CA were crowned champions of Sarachek, defeating the SAR Sting of Riverdale, NY by the score of 45-35. Yavneh academy participated in the tournament and Yavneh senior Jordan Prescott was named to the 2nd Team All-Tournament team. Jordan is the son of Stephanie and Dan Prescott of Dallas. At the start of the season, Jordan, who plays small forward and guard was named an as an all-state preseason basketball player in Texas High School Basketball magazine. Jordan’s senior year capped a stellar career at Yavneh where he became the second-leading all time scorer and now holds the assist record for the school. He has been accepted to a number of colleges, including the University of Texas at Austin. His plans for next year are not confirmed, he could be a Longhorn, or head to Israel for a gap year. Mazel tov to Jordan
Controversial Israeli film part of Dallas International Film Festival programming
3 Stars Jewish Cinema will be a community partner with the Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF). They will be co-sponsoring the controversial Israeli film “Policeman” (Ha-Shoter) which won three awards at the Jerusalem Film Festival and a special jury prize at the Locarno Film Festival.
“Policeman” is Nadiv Lapid’s polemic feature film debut. It is 105 minutes long and is in Hebrew with English subtitles.
A compelling drama, the film deftly presents disparate stories, juxtaposing two very different factions of devoted warriors. The first half exhibits the day-by-day behavior and vitality of an elite Israeli counter-terrorist unit led by Yaron, a macho and charismatic young man. He and his comrades are ardently devoted to protecting Israel and its people. The film switches gears by shifting to a radical group of young revolutionaries bent on kidnapping wealthy Israeli businessmen in order to expose the increasing disparity between the rich and the poor. Shira, a young and naive poetess obsessed with her manifesto on social injustice, brandishes guns and words in equal measure.
When the anti-terrorist unit encounters the violent young radicals, they learn that a new threat to the security of their country may not emanate from the usual suspects. The two stories collide with an alarming confrontation between the policemen and the small faction of political activists.
There will be two screenings. The first is on Sunday, April 15 at noon at the Magnolia Theater located at 3699 McKinney Ave. The second is Wednesday, April 18, 1:30 p.m. at the Angelika Film Center Dallas/Mockingbird Station.
Tickets are free for 3 Stars Jewish Cinema members. Please RSVP to 3starscinema@gmail.com or you can purchase tickets at the DIFF website: http://secure.dallasfilm.org/festivalfeature/id/22191984701895699
Colin’s music will premiere in Lewisville
On Saturday, April 21 at 7 p.m., the Lewisville Civic Chorale will present Fauré & Rutter: Requiem with orchestra and guest artists: Rebecca Winston, soprano; Timothy Bergan, bass. The performance will feature the world premier of “Blessed Shall You Be,” a work by Susan Colin, Flower Mound composer/resident. The concert will be held at the Medical Center of Lewisville Grand Theater (MCL Grand Theater), 100 North Charles Street, Lewisville, 75057.
General Admission is $15; $10 for seniors; $5 for students and children. Discounted tickets are available and are $30 per family (up to two parents with children)
Pay online with paypal by visiting www.lewisvillecivicchorale.org.
Press notes
Just a reminder, this year’s Zweig End of School Year bash will be held from 2-4 p.m. on April 15 at Bowl 300. Bnai Zion will hold it’s annual brunch in support of Ahava Village for Children and Youth in Kiryat Bialik on May 6 at the Westin Galleria. Honorees are Brett Diamond, Ben Fine, Brett Lazarus, Jodi Barris Sanchez, Shane Stein, Robin Finkelstein Stone and Dawn Spechler Strauss. Fore more information contact Avrille Harris-Cohen at 972-918-9200 or avrille. Harris-cohen@bnaizion.org.