By Linda Wisch Davidsohn

Szyk exhibit opens at DHM/CET

When Hitler invaded Poland, caricaturist and activist Arthur Szyk was drawn to action. His pen became a weapon against hatred and injustice.
Szyk was a proud Polish-Jew and later, became a proud American. He was an incredibly talented artist who could create finely detailed and elegant “medieval” Jewish art as well as political and satirical caricatures — which he produced the moment Nazi boots stepped onto Polish soil. He expressed his feelings with an energetic palette of dramatic color and the use of exaggerated features to humiliate the people he despised and to glorify those he wanted to portray as heroic or powerful.
“Art is not my aim; it is my means,” Szyk proclaimed. His artwork became his way of participating in the war against the Nazis and the Axis powers. He was on a mission, literally, “to alert and inform the Americans about the gravity of the situation in Europe.” Eleanor Roosevelt described him as “a one-man army” for the Allied cause.
Ever an activist, his later artwork allowed him to become a voice against Jim Crow, the KKK and lynching.
The Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance will inaugurate the Szyk exhibit with an opening reception at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014. The reception is entitled: “Drawn to Action: The Life and Work of Arthur Szyk.”
RSVPs are required and there is still time. Please contact rsvp@dallasholocaustmuseum.org.
Presenting partners of the exhibit are Kathy and Harlan Crow and the Gregg and Michelle Phillipson Collection and Archive. Gregg Phillipson will share his thoughts about the collection following the reception. The exhibit will be on display at the museum through Jan. 31, 2014.

Congregation Beth Torah’s 40th birthday celebration

Good wishes to Congregation Beth Torah as it celebrated its 40th birthday Saturday night, Nov. 1 with a party at the Richardson synagogue. Mark Kreditor, who is Beth Torah’s artist-in-residence, set the tone for the evening with a bravura performance combining nostalgia, hilarious song parodies and enthusiasm for the next 40 years.

A crowd of more than 300 attended the celebration. Rabbi Elana Zelony unveiled another talent as she accompanied Kreditor on the harmonica. Entertainment by Paul Utay’s jazz band kept the crowd dancing well into the night.

Shearith’s Weitzman Family Religious School helps wounded Israeli soldiers

Sixteen-hundred soldiers were wounded in operation Protective Edge, or Tzuk Eitan as it is called in Hebrew. Most of the soldiers have returned to their daily lives; however, many are still fighting to rebuild. Fifty-four soldiers have not been released from hospitals and many others attend daily rehabilitation sessions at various hospitals.
During the summer, when the operation was in progress, families from the Shearith Israel religious school responded generously to an appeal to donate money for packages to send to the soldiers. Since the war was over before there was chance to send anything, an observation was made that for many of Israel’s wounded soldiers a different “war” was still taking place. A decision was made to help those rehabbing.

Religious School Director Dina Eliezer and her team reached out to Nimrod Mugzach, a paratrooper in a commando unit, who fought in Chan Uness in Gaza and who was seriously wounded. Eliezer said that “Nimrod is the son of a childhood friend of mine, and throughout his three weeks’ ICU stay, I followed his progress daily.” Nimrod lost his commander and two other friends in that battle, is in rehabilitation and in touch with other soldiers from his unit and other units as well.
On Rosh Hashanah, Shearith students sent greetings to Nimrod and his friends and with the money collected over the summer, were able to contribute to the creation of a recreation center at The Levinstein Hospital — a rehabilitation center located in Ra’anana. The rehabilitation center is a unique one in Israel and one of the leading rehabilitation centers in the world that serves Israeli soldiers who were wounded in the last operation and other wars as well. Funds collected from the religious school families will go toward purchasing video game equipment and a billiard table.
After receiving the cards, Nimrod sent a message to Shearith students:
“Shalom Dina and students,
Thanks for your Encouragement letters. It warmed our hearts. It was our duty to protect our country and citizens. I feel better now as you may see in the picture. I will pass the letters to other soldiers in my unit.
Nimrod — paratrooper commando unit.”

Temple Shalom annual charity golf tournament reports

The Temple Shalom 13th annual charity golf tournament “Fore The Kids” definitely had luck on its side since a day that began as a dark, rainy morning with skies filled with lightning and thunder turned out to be not only a beautiful day, but also perfect golf weather. More than 100 players joined together for an afternoon of golf, Monday, Oct. 6, followed by a special award ceremony and cocktail reception. Congratulations to first place team winners: Bo Bond, Larry Silverman, David Lynn and Mark Fishkind!
“As Co-Chair with my friend James Bier, we were really pleased with the turnout and the beautiful day of golf at the Honors Golf Club. Both James and I appreciate the dedication and hard work of our committee members and volunteers who helped make this day so successful. We would also like to express our appreciation for our sponsors who helped raise funds for Temple Shalom youth and for Snowball Express. What a wonderful organization run by a great group of selfless people,” exclaimed Co-Chair Ken Braswell. This was the second year that Temple Shalom partnered with Snowball Express, and the partnership is getting stronger each year.
“I think the golf tournament is a great example of what is so special about Temple Shalom; namely that even and perhaps especially when we are having fun, we make sure we are thinking of others in our midst who need a little bit of help,” explained Rabbi Andrew Paley. “I am proud that Temple Shalom has endeavored to work with Snowball Express to help the children and families of veterans to give to them the support they need after giving so much to all of us. I am thankful to the dedicated volunteers for making this happen in such a profound and important way.”
Sponsors making this day event possible were: Platinum Sponsors — Decker Mechanical, Gardere, Paul and Raelaine Radnitz; Gold Sponsors — American Airlines, Apollo Staffing, EandJ Gallo Winery, Elbit Systems, Funk Construction, Ed and Janet Ostrovitz, RM LLC;Silver Sponsors — Barry and Paddy Epstein, McGlinchey Stafford, Munn and Morris Financial Advisors, Stromberg Stock, Harv and Jolene Weisblat; Bronze Sponsors — Arbitrage Funds, Bob and Robbe Epstein, David Weekley Homes, Frost Bank, Kenny Goldberg, Janus Funds, Pioneer Funds, Thornburg Investment Mgmt., Waldman Bros; In-Kind and Other Donations — Caesars Entertainment, Cantrell and Associates, Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs, Gray Jones Insurance Group, Herrada Printing, JPMorgan Funds, Lord Abbett, Oppenheimer Funds, Randy Goldman, SEL Sportwear, Sewell, Debbi and Ralph Sorrentino, SPG Vending, Texas Jewish Post, Touchstone Investments, and Transamerica.
Plans are already in the works for the 2015 tournament. If you would like to be a sponsor or volunteer, please contact Ken Braswell at kbraswell1@sbcglobal.net.