Legacy at Preston Hollow names McDonald as executive director
Jerry McDonald has been named executive director of The Legacy at Preston Hollow. The announcement was made by Michael Ellentuck, president of The Legacy Senior Communities, Inc., the parent organization of The Legacy at Preston Hollow.
McDonald brings more than a decade of industry experience to his position as executive director of The Legacy at Preston Hollow. His previous industry experience includes serving as executive director of Sunrise Assisted Living–Hillcrest, administrator of The Lennwood and assistant administrator of Golden Acres, formerly known as Dallas Home for Jewish Aged.
“I am proud and excited to be a part of this wonderful community,” McDonald said. “I look forward each day to the opportunity to provide quality and compassionate care to our residents.”
McDonald earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and a master’s degree in major long-term administration, both from the University of North Texas. In addition to his professional responsibilities, he is an advisory chair for AIDS Arms, Inc.
Veranda Preston Hollow announced its official name change to The Legacy at Preston Hollow on Oct. 15. The Legacy at Preston Hollow is also known as the Dallas Home for the Jewish Aged. It is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, faith-based senior living residence that offers a unique continuum of care enabling residents to stay in place with assisted living, short-term rehabilitation, skilled nursing and long-term care.
Built in 2001, the community features 41 assisted living apartments, 113 skilled nursing beds and a state-of-the-art Medicare unit. The Legacy at Preston Hollow is a partner agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas. The community is family service-oriented and open to people of all faiths. For questions regarding admissions, please call 214-363-5100 or visit www.thelegacyph.org.
The Legacy Senior Communities, Inc., parent company of The Legacy at Preston Hollow, is also the parent organization of The Legacy at Willow Bend in Plano, the only Jewish-sponsored life care retirement community in Texas. For information about The Legacy at Willow Bend, please visit www.thelegacywb.org.
Student concerts at the J
The Fall 2009 Magic Music Student Concerts will be held in the Zale Auditorium at the J on Sunday, Dec. 13.
The upcoming concerts are sponsored by Mariloff Diamonds (www.mariloff.com).
Jewish students and music teachers from across the Metroplex and from the Magic Music program at the J will be in attendance. Multiple concerts will be held beginning at 11 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m.
Actress/model/music teacher Dilhya Ross will be the master of ceremonies. Among many other appearances, she has been on the “Today Show,” in Glamour magazine and in the October 2009 issue of Ebony magazine, and will be in the upcoming 2010 feature film “Playing Doctor.”
The entire community is welcome to attend one or all of the student concerts at no charge.
Tom Grieve to be guest speaker at Temple Shalom breakfast
Tom Grieve, Rangers television broadcaster, former player and general manager, will be the guest speaker when Temple Shalom’s Brotherhood Softball League celebrates its 35th anniversary. The community is invited to a breakfast gathering at Temple Shalom on Sunday, Dec. 13 from 8:45 to 11:15 a.m. Reservations are not required but admission is $8/person and $15/family. For information, call Bob Weinfeld at 972-824-6214.
‘Music Man Highlights’ at the J
The J Youtheatre invites the community to come to the J and meet Professor Harold Hill, Librarian Marian Paroo and the rest of the River City gang in a flag-waving, feel-good, fun musical, “Music Man Highlights.” Linda Leonard is director/choreographer and Jesse Fry is music director.
Performances will take place in the Zale Auditorium at the J, Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 6, at 2 and 7 p.m. Ticket prices are: adults, $10 in advance / $15 at the door; youth, $8 in advance / $12 at the door.
For tickets and information call 214-739-2737 or purchase online at www.jccdallas.org. The J is located at 7900 Northaven Road, Dallas.
Temple Emanu-El receives award at URJ General Assembly in Toronto
Temple Emanu-El was recently awarded one of the Reform Jewish movement’s most prestigious congregational awards at the Union of Reform Judaism’s (URJ) 70th Biennial General Assembly in Toronto. Some 3,500 Reform Jews from hundreds of congregations gathered at the Toronto Convention Center, Nov. 4–8. The URJ Biennial is the largest gathering of Jews in North America.
The Belin Outreach Awards and the Belin Honorable Mention Awards are given every two years to honor Reform congregations for their innovative, effective and replicable outreach and membership programs. They were established by the late David Belin, the founding chairman of the Joint Commission on Reform Jewish Outreach and Membership of the Union for Reform Judaism. This year marks the eighth time the awards have been given out.
Temple Emanu-El, founded in 1875, is the oldest Jewish congregation in North Texas. First organized in 1872, the congregation came into being just two weeks before the arrival in Dallas of the first train, which played a pivotal role in establishing Dallas as a commercial center. Rabbi David Stern serves as Temple Emanu-El’s senior rabbi.
The URJ’s Biennial Convention is a five-day conference featuring dozens of presentations, discussions and learning sessions. It draws congregational leaders, delegates and participants together to discuss Reform Judaism’s institutional needs and challenges as well as the social, political and economic realities of the United States and the world with leaders of the Reform movement and political and social leaders from North America and around the globe. This simultaneous reach inward and outward reflects the Reform Judaism’s philosophical underpinnings — adherence to the essence and traditions of Judaism while fully engaging with the rest of the world.
Among the dignitaries who spoke to the gathering were former British Prime Minister Tony Blair; renowned author and Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren; Israeli Ambassador to Canada Miriam Ziv; Dr. Eboo Patel, founder and executive director of the Chicago-based Interfaith Youth Core; best-selling author Anita Diamant, Dr. Ruth Westheimer; Dr. Avishai Braverman, Israeli minister of minority affairs; and King Abdullah II of Jordan, who spoke to convention delegates via video.
The Union for Reform Judaism is the synagogue arm of Reform Judaism and the largest Jewish movement in North America, representing 1.5 million Reform Jews in more than 900 congregations across the United States and Canada.