By Sharon Wisch-Ray

One of my can’t-miss fall adventures with the boys is attending Truck Time at Congregation Shearith Israel, and we’ve cleared our schedule for this Sunday, Oct. 21. From 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., you can check out all of the trucks at this year’s Champion Energy Truck Time 2012.

Bring your family, neighbors and friends to enjoy the day of trucks, bounce houses and vendors, plus kosher food available for purchase from the K-Wheelz kosher food truck. All proceeds support the activities of the CSI Family Center. More than 2,000 people attended last year. Cost is $5 per person; free for ages 2 and younger.
Truck Time 2012 is an opportunity to show our kids how to participate in tikkun olam, or repairing the world, by helping us “go green.” All recyclable items from the event will be collected in bins and put in the recycling truck in CSI’s parking lot. Be sure and bring old clothing to be recycled by United Southern Waste Material Company.
New this year is a collaboration with Jewish Family Service’s Special Needs Partnership. Families with special-needs members are invited to attend a light breakfast at 9 a.m. and a truck preview at 9:30. A quiet room will be available throughout the event.
For information about the early festivities, contact Teri Kachur, community organizer of JFS Special Needs Partnership, at TKachur@JFSDallas.org or 972-437-9950.
Event co-chairs Ellen and Ari Bond, Gretchen and Avi Edwards, Stephanie and Barry Grossman, and Blair and Matan Wolfson are working hard to make this event a success.
For volunteer opportunities, contact Suzanne Minc at SMinc@shearith.org. For information, visit www.shearith.org.
Here’s a Truck Time tip: Don’t forget your camera, there are tons of bar/bat mitzvah montage-worthy photo ops at this event.

Kudos to Frankie Schwartzwald

Thanks to Harriet Gross, who shared the following tidbit with us about her childhood friend, Frankie Schwartzwald.
“Frances ‘Frankie’ Schwartzwald of Grand Prairie, whose impassioned support of Israel often finds its way into print, has been named ‘Letter Writer of the Year’ by CAMERA, the Boston-based Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America. She will be honored with a plaque presentation at a dinner in late April 2013 in New York.
“‘I never thought this would happen,’ she said on learning of her choice. ‘I still can’t believe it, but it is a source of great joy and pride.’
“The Schwartzwald love of Israel has also moved into the next generation: Frankie and her husband, Joe, are parents of Dr. Jack Schwartzwald, the Rhode Island physician whose book, “Nine Lives of Israel: A Nation’s History Through the Lives of Its Foremost Leaders,” was published last March. A clinical professor of medicine at Brown University, Jack has written many articles and letters to the editor in Israel’s support.”

Calling all thespians with a musical flair

The J Players will perform “Titanic the Musical” on Feb. 23, 24 and 28, and March 2. Auditions will be held from 6-10 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 18, and 7-10 p.m. Monday, Nov. 19. Callbacks will be 7-10 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20.
All auditions will be held in the Zale Auditorium of the Aaron Family JCC, 7900 Northaven Road. Rehearsals will begin on Jan. 13.
Requirements: Prepare 16 bars of an upbeat number from traditional musical theatre (accompanist provided). There will be cold readings from the script. Also, please bring current photo/resume.
To schedule an appointment, call 214-239-7115 or 7112.

Exploring freedom of religion

Many of us take freedom of religion for granted. For Rabbi Yosef Medelevich, who was instrumental in glasnost, nothing could be farther from the truth.
Born in 1947 in Riga, Latvia, Medelevich was a leader of the Russian Jewish revival in the 1960s. He was arrested in 1970 for attempting to hijack a Russian airplane to escape and served 11 years in the Soviet gulag for his Jewish activism.
Medelevich is credited with being instrumental in the fight that opened the doors for Jews to leave Russia. He has lived in Israel since his release in 1981 and received his rabbinic ordination and a master’s degree in Jewish history there.
If you’d like to learn more about Medelevich’s gripping story, check out the DATA program, “To be a free Jew: My experience and struggle for human and Jewish freedom” at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 20, at DATA Far North, 7130 Campbell Road, Ste. 204.
This is a new location for DATA Far North and it’s located behind Natalie’s Kitchen at Campbell and Hillcrest.
Cost is $10 for those pre-registered and $15 at door. To register, email nzakon@dataofplano.org or call 214-987-3282. The program is co-sponsored by DATA Far North and DATA of Plano.

Teens may compete for Tikkun Olam Award

Local Jewish teens whose volunteer service projects demonstrate a determined commitment to make the world a better place may compete for awards of up to $36,000 in the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards, which is expanding nationally for the first time.
Up to 10 teens, five from California and five from other U.S. communities will receive the grant to further their philanthropic work or their education. Deadline for nominations is Jan. 6.
The Helen Diller Family Foundation, based in the San Francisco Bay area, began the program in 2007. The Jewish Federations of North America is collaborating with the foundation to bring it nationwide.
Teachers, community leaders or rabbis — but not family members — may nominate candidates. Teens may nominate themselves.
Each candidate must be a U.S. resident age 13-19 and must self-identify as Jewish. The project can benefit the entire or Jewish community.
To enter, complete the online nomination form at www.jewishfed.org/teenawards/process. For information visit www.jewishfed.org/diller/teenawards; call 415-512-6437; or email dillerteenaward@sfjcf.org.

Noteworthy:

• Jewish Family Service has announced it will open a resale store in Richardson. Stay tuned to next week’s TJP for more information about drop-offs and pickup, or call 972-437-5300 for more information.
• The Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas has announced that the keynote speaker for the 2013 Women’s Event is Jean Chatzky, financial editor for NBC’s “Today Show.” The event will take place on  Thursday, Feb. 28. Event co-chairs are Stacey Baer, Cheryl Gardner, Susan Levy and Melissa Plaskoff.
• Remember, Bnai Zion will honor David Genecov and pastors Tiz and Larry Huch on Sunday, Nov. 4, at the Westin Galleria. Gala chair is Stacey Clark; gala co-chairs are Diane Benjamin and Shirley Strauss; honorary chairs are Jack and Janet Baum and Jeff and Lisa Genecov.
The honorary gala committee consists of Sally Genecov, Mike and Ann Ochstein, John and Kimberly Ross, Rob and Julie Shrell, Andy and Lynne Siegel, Barry and Alyssa Wernick, and Stuart and Sheryl Wernick.
All proceeds from the evening benefit Bnai Zion Medical Center. You can register online at www.bnaizion.org/pay_dallas2012.php?pay=1 or contact Avrille Harris Cohen at 972-918-9200 or avrille.harris-cohen@bnaizion.org.
• Dallas independent filmmaker Cynthia Salzman-Mondell will be honored for her body of work at the second annual Lois Weber Film Festival. The festival, which screens movies and documentaries by female directors, is hosted by the Grand Prairie Public Library and held at Grand Prairie’s Uptown Theater.
At 7:30 pm on Friday, Oct. 19, the Library will award Salzman-Mondell the Lois Weber Award, for her impact on the Texas motion picture industry. Her movie “The Ladies Room” will be screened.
• You can still participate in the inaugural Lois Goldblatt Memorial Mah Jongg Tournament at 10 a.m., Oct. 28 at Ann and Nate Levine Academy, 18011 Hillcrest Road. Cost is $36 and includes lunch and prizes. For information, contact Joanne Goldblatt at info@theryangoldblattfoundation.org or visit www.theryangoldblattfoundation.org.