By Sharon Wisch-Ray
sharonw@texasjewishpost.com

The Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas will convene its 104th annual meeting at 7 p.m., Thursday, June 18 at the Aaron Family JCC, 7900 Northaven Road. The meeting is open to the community.
Four honorees will receive awards for their achievements as leaders in our Jewish community and at the Federation. Lindsay Bendorf will be presented with the Bess Nathan Young Leadership Award; Paul Rubin, the I. Zesmer Young Leadership Award; Nate Levine, the Bob Weinfeld Campaigner of the Year Award; and Ynette Hogue, the Helen Gross Leadership Award.
The annual meeting will include the election of the Federation
’s new board. New board nominees are David Brickman, Steven Davidoff, Hylton L. Jonas and Cynthia Spechler. Board members nominated to a new term, who previously sat on the board, include Pam Hochster Fine, Robin Kosberg and Brian M. Lidji.
“It has been an incredibly rewarding experience to serve as chair of the Federation. I continue to be inspired by the commitment of our donors, leaders and professional staff to making Jewish life here in Dallas, Israel and all over the world safe, vibrant and meaningful. I look forward to Dan Prescott’s leadership along with the wonderful slate of officers and board members being installed at our annual meeting,” said Cindy Sweet Moskowitz, board chair, Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas.
To register for the annual meeting, email Tish Baty at tbaty@jfgd.org.

Israeli pop sensation Skaat
to sing at Shearith on Sunday

The Israel Center will welcome Harel Skaat to the stage at Shearith Israel, 9401 Douglas Ave., at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, June 14. An Israeli singer and songwriter, Skaat represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song Milim.
Skaat has been singing and performing in public since he was a child. At the age of six, he won a children’s song festival competition.
While still in elementary school he appeared on national television and as a teenager, he was the lead singer for both his city’s and high school’s bands. During his mandatory duty with the Israeli Defense Forces, he sang in the Communication Corps Band. Skaat’s professional breakthrough came when he was a contestant on the second season of Kochav Nolad (A Star is Born), a reality competition television show similar in format to American Idol, and finished in second place.
After the show ended, he signed a recording contract with Hed Arzi, one of the largest music companies in Israel.
His debut album, the self-titled Harel Skaat, was released in July 2006. It produced five hit singles, including the romantic ballad, Ve’at, which was the No. 1 song of the year on both of the major Israeli year-end Hebrew song charts.
The album has been certified platinum in Israel. He followed up the album with a concert tour, which surpassed 200 concert shows, a milestone in Israeli music. Tickets are $50 in advance or $60 at the door. VIP seating ($75) is available in the first three rows. For more information visit www.shearith.org.

JWV Ladies Auxiliary
hosts national president
of organization

The Jewish War Veterans Ladies Auxiliary No. 256 recently welcomed National President Petra Kaatz and her husband, Jason, to Dallas recently.
The auxiliary hosted a number of events including a Friday night dinner and Oneg Shabbat, as well as a Saturday evening dinner reception. A trip to the George W. Bush Presidential Library was on the agenda as well.
The highlight of Kaatz’s visit was participating in the auxiliary’s Grant-A-Wish Program to a needy veteran and touring the Dallas V.A. Hospital & Fisher House.
There they saw the new Poly Trauma Unit, as well as other areas that foster independence for disabled veterans. Petra was particularly impressed with how the JWV and JWVA were recognized by observing the numerous plaques around the hospital and by the sponsorship of the Men’s and Women’s Clothes Closets. Sandra Cantor remarked, “The Dallas membership enjoyed meeting our JWVA national president and we know she enjoyed our Texas hospitality.”
Incidentally, plans are underway for the JWV’s June 28 bagel breakfast. Joe Dalpiaz, the Metroplex Texas Health Care Director in charge of the Dallas VA hospital (as well as Fort Worth & Bonham), will be the featured speaker.
Held at the JCC, breakfast meetings are the fourth Sunday of the month and a bagel breakfast is served for $5. For more information contact JWV Post Commander Allan Cantor at 972-248-4844.
Temple Shalom celebrates Paley’s 20th year in the rabbinate, board, volunteers
Friday, May 29 was a night to remember at Temple Shalom. Rabbi Andrew Paley celebrated his 20th year as a rabbi with a delicious Oneg attended by many friends and congregants. This was no ordinary Oneg; there was chopped liver shaped in the number 20 and matzah ball soup shooters.
Chris Harris also made over 200 buckeyes in honor of Ohio State — Rabbi Paley’s alma mater.
Then during a very special service the 2015 board of directors was installed: executive board: President Dennis Eichelbaum, Executive Vice President Josh Goldman, Vice Presidents Mark Fishkind and Kamy Ross, Finance Director Irwin Kaufman, Treasurer Barry Bell, Secretary Irene Sibaja, immediate Past President Aric Stock; Trustees-at-Large: Scott Butnick, Kathryn Frish, Jason Gadsby, Ken Glaser, Stephen Gold, Richard Kahn, Wendi Klatsky, Lory Kohleriter, Kimberly Kort, Barry Lachman, Mark Lerner, Debra Levy-Fritts, Stuart Marcus, Bernie Mayoff, LaSonjah Ribak, Rodney Schlosser, Moy Speckman, Gregg Stevens, Mark Stromberg and Mark Wayne.
The SHFTY Board was also installed: Lauren Stock, president, Noah Bradshaw, programming vice president and Ethan Fisher, religious and cultural vice president.
Ilene Zidow was given the biggest surprise of the evening when she was called up to receive the 2015 Volunteer of the Year Award. Ray Farris was given the second Volunteer of the Year Award during the annual meeting earlier this month. Both Ray and Ilene have been outstanding volunteers in every facet of Temple Shalom.

PJ Library goes to JCC camps

J Camp Director Laura Seymour is receiving 25 books from PJ Library, a program within the Harold Grinspoon Foundation for the summer of 2015.
More than 50 camps are receiving these books this summer for use by campers ages 4 through 8 to enhance Jewish literacy in JCC day camps.
This partnership between the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) and JCC Association reinforces the importance of Jewish literacy at a young age through day camp programs.
Through this partnership, JCC Day Camps throughout North America will enhance their programs by using PJ Library books in their daily programming. These 25 books filled with stories of Jewish values and assorted holidays will help infuse Jewish literacy throughout the summer.
This partnership and program is part of JCC Association’s Day Camp Initiative — a continental effort to raise the programming and profile of Jewish day camp.
“Camp is a place for all kinds of learning and some think it is time for forget about school, but it is never a time to forget about reading. We have a wonderful relationship with the Tycher Library. Our children visit, check out books and more. PJ Library Books are one more opportunity to keep reading all summer,” says Laura Seymour.

News and notes:

• On June 15, Tycher Library will launch its summer program “Blind Date with a Book,” which will run through July 31. A selection of books will be wrapped in brown paper and available for check-out from the Tycher Library.
• Read the clues written on the brown paper covering the book to help you make your selection. Rate your date for a chance to win a dinner for two. Register at www.tycherlibrary.org.
• Alexandra Pucciarelli, daughter of Betsy and Victor Pucciarelli of Dallas, earned a Bachelor of Arts in the liberal arts from Sarah Lawrence College on May 22. Pucciarelli is a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.
• While at Sarah Lawrence College, Pucciarelli concentrated in art history. Pucciarelli has interned at David LaChapelle’s studio, Brooklyn Magazine, The Architect’s Newspaper, and the J Cacciola Gallery.