Tycher Library’s 2010 Community Read: ‘Great House’ by Nicole Krauss

Plans are underway for the Tycher Library’s 2010 Community Read. This year’s book is “Great House” by Nicole Krauss (“History of Love”). The author will be in Dallas on Oct. 26 to lead a discussion about her book. The book is not yet available to the public but is on sale now at the Tycher Library, located in the Mankoff Center at the JCC, 7900 Northaven Road. Library Director Joan Gremont told the TJP this week that the hardback book is selling like hotcakes and she has already placed a second order. The regular price is $24.95 and the Tycher Library is selling it for $18, no tax, before Oct. 26. The library will have a limited number of copies to check out. The Tycher Library has reduced the price substantially in the hope that you will buy the book and have it signed by the author at the event.
Please call Judy Borejdo or Linda Blasnik at 214-239-7133 and ask to have a book set aside for you. You will be able to pick this up at the library. A very large crowd is expected for the Oct. 26 event. Nicole Krauss is an award-winning author and very well-known in literary circles. With pre-registration, reserved seating will be available.

JFS to begin grandparents’ group

Jewish Family Service will begin a group for grandparents raising grandchildren next Tuesday, Sept. 21. It is for any grandparent who is raising or helping to raise a grandchild, whether typically developing or with special needs.
Facilitated by psychologist Gretchen Ladd, Ph.D., the group’s mission is to provide support to one another, share resources and develop insights.
Beginning this coming Tuesday, the group will meet on the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. at Jewish Family Service, 5402 Arapaho Road, one block east of the Dallas North Tollway The cost is $20 per session; sliding fee scale is available.
For more information, or to register for the group, please call Dr. Ladd at 972-437-9950, ext. 260.

Bike safely!

Whether you are cycling on the road, on the shoulder, on a bike path or in a bike lane, you can do many things to make your ride safer and make the drivers around you happier. Taking a cycling safety class can help you become a better, safer rider and improve the relationship with the drivers on the road with you.
In an effort to make cycling safety classes as affordable as possible, the Cycling Center of Dallas is working with BikeDFW, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to helping cyclists ride safely. Together they are offering a Traffic Skills 101 course this Sunday, Sept. 19, at the J Sports and Fitness Center.
Many people who ride their bikes on the street have not learned proper etiquette or safety skills. This leads to an unsafe situation for cyclists and antagonism by drivers. The Traffic Skills 101 course covers the basic skills needed to feel comfortable riding a bicycle on the road using legal and appropriate signals and maneuvers. Topics covered in the class include: proper signaling, riding in traffic, avoiding obstacles, quick stops, rapid turns and much more.
Coach Richard Wharton, owner of the Cycling Center of Dallas, points out, “Almost every adult in Dallas who rides a bicycle also drives a car. This gives us a solid motivation for learning to be better cyclists on or near the road.”
For more information or to sign up for Traffic Skills 101, visit the Cycling Center of Dallas Web site, www.cyclingcenterdallas.com.
The Cycling Center of Dallas helps cyclists improve their performance, lose weight and learn basic cycling safety skills through their Cycling Performance, Spin and Cycling Safety programs.

JFS to hold seminars for job seekers

Jewish Family Service will present two exciting seminars for job seekers, next week and in early October.
“Professional’s Guide to Higher LinkedIn Rankings” will be held on Monday, Sept. 20, 9:15–11 a.m., conducted by David Lanners. Mr. Lanners is lead instructor for project/program management education and training at LCS International, Inc., which provides consulting, seminars and recruiting for project/program management, supply chain and quality improvement. LinkedIn is an important tool in today’s job search — and the higher your rankings, the better off you are! Mr. Lanners will show how to improve your LinkedIn ranking.
“The Hidden Agenda: Why They Choose You or Lose You” will take place on Monday, Oct. 4, 9:30–11 a.m. Melinda Marcus, the speaker, is the owner of Marcus and Associates, a 25-year-old marketing and advertising firm. Her key focus is to help executives ethically influence decisions on a deeper level in both niche and personal marketing. Ms. Marcus’ advertising work has been honored extensively, and her original research on factors that impact first impressions has been published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology. She is currently writing a book titled “Why Smart Grads Fail to Get Great Jobs (and What They Can Do About It).” At this session, Ms. Marcus will discuss proven persuasive psychology strategies and best practices in body language, negotiations, sales, marketing and linguistics. For the past five years, her coaching clients have been 100 percent successful in winning desired job offers. Now she will show you how to make the power of psychology work for you in your job search.
There is no charge for either of these seminars. Both will be held at Jewish Family Service, 5402 Arapaho Road, one block east of the Dallas North Tollway. Seating is limited, so please arrive 30 minutes prior to the event. For more information on these seminars or any JFS career and employment services, contact Allison Harding, aharding@jfsdallas.org. Be sure to check out the JFS job lead postings at www.jfsdallas.org.

B-I-N-G-O!

The Temple Emanu-El Couples Club is holding a fun bingo party on Sunday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m. in Pollman Hall at the temple. There will be great food from the “Cotton Patch Restaurant.” Admission is only $13 per person. Please RSVP with your check, payable to TECC, by Oct. 3 to Sandy and Dan Gorman, 1393 Sagebrook Drive, Fairview, TX 75069. For more information about this event, please call Roz and Dick Polakoff, 972-701-8721; Jack Tucker, 972-661-0675; Edie and Paul Singer, 972-233-1789; or Carol and Lee Zack, 972-370-9183. For membership information on Temple Emanu-El Couples Club, please contact Blanch and Sol Weinberger, 972-934-9681, or Sara Yarrin and Jack Repp, 214-361-0486.