By Linda Wisch-Davidsohn

There’s something about the February chill in the air — it reminds me of an ice storm 36 years ago that paralyzed the city for almost a week, wreaking havoc with traffic, families, school, work and just about anything one could think of.
My situation was only a bit unique. On Feb. 7, 1978, I was nine months pregnant with my fourth child, Ethan, (though his sibs were certain that he was a Jessica). We braved the icy roads from Richardson to drop the two older children and carpool at Akiba, then on Churchill Way.
We navigated Central Expressway to visit my obstetrician, Jay Beck, who assured me that I would definitely have a baby by noontime. I was dropped off at the hospital where I thought that I would be settling in for some R & R prior to the magic of the epidural.
Jordana, almost 3 ½, was home with strep throat, so Eli went through the icy and dicey Central Expressway to check on her.
The morning shift left and the afternoon shift appeared for duty. The only thing happening in my room was the beautiful maze of icicles and hazy patterns that one sees when they are trying to accomplish a task. (Fortunately, my column had been done).
The night shift appeared and I was wondering what was holding up the works. All the first time moms had already received their “bundles of girl and/or boy.”
At about 10 p.m., Dr. Beck came in, after spending part of the evening watching a Marlena Dietrich movie in the physician’s lounge, to let me know that he was stopping the epidural, and we were going to get serious about this “party.” It seemed as though, Ethan was lying transverse.
To make a very long story short, the party continued until almost one in the morning. I had forgotten my party hat, tiara and crown — but I did what mothers for eons have been doing — and I had an Ethan after watching almost four shifts change. I don’t change my clothes that often in a day. (His initials are END, and I think that my friends knew early on that there was standing womb only). Ethan was born Feb. 8, 1978. The ice storm was so severe that Dr. Beck, many of the staff and patients were stuck at BUMC for almost one week.
Ethan has entertained all of us for years. I want to wish him a happy 36th, and let him know what a blessing he is to those who know and love him. His heart is pure; he is a man of depth and integrity and wit; he is kind to people and animals; and he is a loving husband, to his wife, Emily and their two dogs, Ramona and Dually.
Ethan and Emily enjoy their life in Portland, Oregon where Ethan is a chef and Emily is an animal rights attorney for The Oregon Humane Society. She has worked tirelessly with district attorneys all over Oregon to fight for animal rights and to hold perpetrators accountable for domestic violence acts against animals.

Plano middle school performs Holocaust play

Frankford Middle School will present a production of “Korczak’s Children” at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, in the PISD’s One Act Play Competition at McMillen High School.
Daniela Appel, Victoria Ardelean, Jackson Benjamin and Jordyn Parks are among the performers in “Korczak’s Children” based on true events in the life of Janusz Korczak during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw, Poland. Korczak dedicated his life to taking care of orphaned children. Steffa was his assistant and caretaker of the children.
The cast and their families had the opportunity to hear Holocaust survivor and frequent speaker Max Glauben last week.
Appel, who plays Steffa in the play, said “Max told us everything we wanted to know. He came from the same area the play is set, making us better understand what the Jews of Poland went through, and especially our characters. He told us about what life was like for Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto and in the concentration camps.”
The play will last approximately one hour. McMillen High School is located at 750 N. Murphy Road, in Murphy.

Pearce Theater presents ‘Beauty and the Beast’

J.J. Pearce’s Theater Department is one of the best, and I have always enjoyed attending productions there.
Sources tell me that there is still time to catch one of the Pearce Theater’s performances of “Beauty and the Beast.” Among the many talented actors in the play are a number of students from the Jewish community including: Bryce Ericksen (Maurice), Molly Bamberger (Mrs. Potts), Sydney Kane (Babette), Rachel Prengler (Silly Girls), Blake Reisman (Wolf), Blake Berger (Gaston’s Gang), Danielle Solman (Gaston’s Gang), Emily Pearson (Furniture), Sami Laner (Town person), Claire Greenberg (Wardrobe Understudy), Lee Allen (D’Arque Understudy), Molly Selz (Townspeople) and Sara Greenspan (Assistant Director).
We hear that tickets are selling fast. Four performances remain: at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23. Reserved seating is available at pearcetheater.com.

Temple Shalom to host health care workshop

“Everywhere I go, everyone I talk with has questions,” about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, remarks Debra Levy-Fritts, vice president and chair of Tikkun Olam activities at Temple Shalom. “We want to educate the public as the enrollment deadline approaches. There is no doubt that this change has been rocky, but there is good in it for the uninsured and for those who struggle to afford insurance they currently have in place. Self-employed individuals and business owners want to know if their costs could go down, if dependents can be covered more affordably, for instance. I hear any number of questions just going about my day, and that is why we wanted to provide an opportunity for our neighbors and members to learn about the law and apply if they would like to do so before March 31, 2014 — the deadline before penalties begin for those without coverage.”
From 1-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014, a day to “Learn & Apply” for health care coverage is being sponsored by Temple Shalom and Dallas Area Interfaith, in partnership with Be Covered Texas, The Community Council of Greater Dallas, Methodist Hospital System, Foremost Family Health Centers and Parkland Health and Hospital System.
Activities will include educational sessions in English and Spanish, crafts for children and sessions with navigators and certified application counselors. Temple Shalom’s Senior Rabbi Andrew Paley frames the event as part of the Temple’s mission. He said: “Extending health care to those in need is part of Jewish tradition and what people of faith are called upon to do. Many of us have seen what can happen with insurance denials of coverage, lack of care, and the impact that can have on families. We hope this effort will result in access and over time, increased health and well-being for all. Our partners have been amazing to work with, our volunteers are enthusiastic and it is going to be a great day.”
Appointments can be made by calling 214-449-1393 or emailing socialaction@templeshalomdallas.org.