By Linda Wisch-Davidsohn

Israeli Friendship Scout Caravan’s Performance Sunday, July 14

Caravan Eden will visit Dallas July 11-17. This is the 40th anniversary performance of the caravan, whose visit includes an extremely busy schedule and opportunities to build strong relationships with their host families and people throughout the Dallas area. Like many other pro-Israel events, the number of people attending shows is utilized as a benchmark of the strength of the local community.
Caravan Eden’s most impactful performance will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 14 in the Zale Auditorium of the Aaron Family JCC, 7900 Northaven Road, Dallas. The event is certain to entertain children and adults of all ages.

Hillcrest High School set to kick off 75th anniversary celebration

For as long as I can remember Hillcrest High School was a popular and exciting place to spend one’s high school years. Established in 1938 as Vickery-Hillcrest High School, Hillcrest will celebrate 75 years during its Homecoming Weekend Oct. 4-5. The activities will focus on Hillcrest’s history and alumni, and will offer everyone a chance to gather and show their Panther Pride.
The 75th anniversary will kick off with the Homecoming parade on Friday evening at 5 p.m., as classes from the 1940s through the 2000s will march in the annual “Parade of Classes” prior to the Homecoming football game vs. Thomas Jefferson High School. On Saturday, alumni will be welcomed back to their school for the anniversary event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the campus.
All alums are urged to participate in the Homecoming parade and walk with their classmates in the Parade of Classes. The tailgate party in the Franklin Field parking lot will begin immediately following the parade, with soft drinks and food available for purchase.
On Saturday, alumni are encouraged to bring their children and grandchildren for picnics, face painting, a bounce house and food from some of Dallas’ best food trucks. There will also be pick-up basketball and softball games in which alumni can participate.
“We are incredibly proud of Hillcrest, and we want the halls of Hillcrest High School to be filled with alumni on October 5th,” said Linda Cullum Tunnell, a member of the class of 1962 and co-chair of the 75th Steering Committee with her classmate, Christy Bednar. “Moreover, Franklin Field will rock the night of the 4th when we cheer for the Panthers against TJ.”
For additional information, contact hhsalumnihome@gmail.com.

Texas Longhorn David Holiner named Tennis All-American

Good wishes to David Holiner, son of Dr. Joel and Wendy Holiner, and grandson of Ethel and Harlan Holiner. David is a senior at the University of Texas in Austin and a star player on their varsity tennis team. David was successful at the recent Division I NCAA Double Championships in Urbana, Ill. David, along with his tennis partner, Chris Camillone, gained entrance into the 32 team tournament due to placing as the highest-seeded pair in the Big 12.
David and Chris took down four SEC powerhouses and three Top 5 seeds en route to the National Championship match by beating the No. 1 seeded doubles team from Tennessee in the second round, earning All American Honors. They became the first Longhorn doubles team to advance to the NCAA doubles championship since 1995. Holiner will be a senior next year and bears the responsibility and expectations for leadership of the team. He hopes to take the experience and the momentum from this season into next year: “I feel like my confidence is really high. I have so much motivation. I know what it takes to get there. I feel that I will not only improve myself and my team, and lead by example.”
Holiner and Camillone stated that they will cherish the memory of having accomplished something unexpected and spectacular as they leave their legacy as one of the most successful doubles pairs in Longhorn Tennis history.
As far as summer plans, David will travel to Israel and represent the U.S. in tennis competition at the 2013 Maccabiah Games.

Texas A&M Hillel rabbi to visit Dallas Wednesday, July 17

An email from Ben Deutsch, student president of Texas A&M Hillel, shared that Rabbi Matt Rosenberg, A&M Hillel Rabbi and executive director, and the newest Aggie, will visit Dallas Wednesday, July 17, on his DFW tour. Rabbi Matt will welcome all former, current and prospective students and interested friends and families to visit with him at the Blue Mesa Grill in Addison, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Soft drinks and appetizers will be served, and a cash bar will be available for those 21 and over. For additional information about the event, feel free to contact Ben Deutsch at ben@apps.com or Rabbi Matt directly at rabbimatt@tamuhillel.org.

Real estate firm expands market-leading financing expertise across Texas

As part of its commitment to become the nation’s leading capital markets provider in commercial real estate, Jones Lang LaSalle recently announced the firm has acquired Quadrant Realty Finance (QRF) in Dallas. The debt and equity origination team is led by Randy Fleisher and includes five additional experts and staff. The acquisition allows JLL to strategically expand its platform, adding a significant financing practice in North Texas that will complement the firm’s strong overall capital markets expertise across the state and the entire Southwest. The price was undisclosed.
“Interest rates remain at near-historic lows and the wider net currently being cast by lenders is contributing to one of the most favorable financing environments commercial real estate has seen since the Great Recession,” said Jay Koster, president of Jones Lang LaSalle’s capital markets. “This is the ideal climate to respond to increasing client demand in the financing arena, and the ideal time for us to acquire significant new talent. Randy and his colleagues have a proven track record that will make an immediate impact for our clients.”
Fleisher joins JLL as a managing director, leading the new finance team and partnering with Tom Fish, Tom Melody and Mike Melody, executive managing directors and leaders of the firm’s financing efforts within capital markets. He and his team add significant complementary debt and equity origination expertise to the Dallas branch of the firm, which has had a lengthy and robust presence in the market from the days of The Staubach Company to its merger with JLL. Fleisher has more than two decades of commercial real estate experience, including the origination, structuring, placement and closing of debt and equity investments.
Prior to QRF, Fleisher was a managing director and executive vice president at CBRE, consistently recognized as one of that firm’s highest producing employees. He began his career as an attorney with the law firm of Monk Goodwin in Winnipeg, Canada, practicing real estate and commercial law.
Fleisher holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Manitoba, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, Investment and Banking from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s in Real Estate and Finance from the University of North Texas.
Randy is married to Lisa and the father of Marlee and Jonah. He is active in the Jewish community and is on the board of Camp Ramah, has served on the board of Shearith Israel and is a past president of  Levine Academy.
Send your news to lindawd@texasjewishpost.com.